HELP - Aristocrat #66 aggressiveness – is my newly acquired beauty out of whack?

[Northstonehill]

Gents, need your expert guidance. Shaved for the first time this morning with my beautiful new Aristocrat #66. As I have sensitive skin I normally shave with Gillette Adjustables at setting ‘3’ or with my AS-D2. And from reviews I expected the 'Crat to be similarly mild.

However, as I loaded it with my usual new Feather blade, I got a wee bit anxious seeing the (to me) quite huge blade gap. So I switched to a Wilkinson. That may have been a mistake. Bad shave … several weepers and huge rash on my neck.

Now I don’t know if it was the blade (had the same problem before with Wilkinsons) or indeed that the razor may be a bit out of whack – the blade gap seems huge to me?

But what do you experts say, does it look o.k.? – I have never held an Aristocrat in my hands so I don’t know?

Thanks for any feedback. Would truly hate it if this can’t be an awesome rotation razor for me – and not just an unused beauty queen in my den. It has absolutely great balance and looks and feels a million. Thanks!

 

[olpski]

I have never shaved with an Aristocrat but do have various Gillette TTO's where I usually shave at a 7.

The gap looks large when you reference the space between the blade and flat part of the safety bar. But the true measure is the gap made by the angle between the blade and the edge of the safety bar. So imagine drawing a line along the plane of the blade. The space it makes between that line and the bar is the gap and the real measure of aggressiveness.

My thought is since this is a new razor, you used a different angle and probably scraped more than cut. Try adjusting the angle?

It looks like a very nice razor, though!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rabidus]

Not all Aristocrats are equal! The early ones are the better ones on either side of the pond. US TTO's made between 1940-1950 are the best IMHO. '51+ the blade gap increased and the blade angle changed. To me, the early ones slice while the later ones scraped.

The British Aristocrat Jr and the #16 Aristocrat with the solid baseplate are the ones similar to the early US TTO's.

Your Aristocrat and the Rocket HD probably has the same head. My Rocket HD shaves the same as a US Red tip, which is more like a scraper. I'm not sure when the specs changed in England, but I suspect it was around '51, same as the US.

I doubt anything is wrong with your Aristocrat, it's a later one, after the change in specs.

 

[D1dad]

I had one from the 50's which was past on to me from grand dad and it was a perfect shaver till I left it in a hotel in Miami. The angle dictated whether you were scraping or slicing but a mild razor to be sure. I replaced it with a Maggard with a v3 head and it was definitely a little different. Mine looked just like yours pretty much

 

[imatabor]

I fought with my first Crat when I got it. The angle was much different than what I was use to. I had to lower the handle (Steeper angle) before it shaved ok. Play around with it and see what you get.

Also I can't use the Wilkinson blades. They eat my face!!

 

[Northstonehill]

Well, #imatabor - just wanted to thank you deeply for your great advice. Had my second shave today with the Crat and it was great.

When I got my AS-D2 everybody was going on about difference in angle, honestly I never understood that as to me the Feather just shaves with (almost) the same angle as others. BUT this Crat - man I had to use an insane angle for it to work, felt almost like holding it straight out from my face in 90 degrees. But then it did work really well, I used a 2-day Feather blade and that worked too. DFS+, no knicks or weepers or rash, best shave. But it took a little longer than usual because I constantly had to think about the angle. And I was a little anxious, really felt the blade exposure. But the result really came in.

Aggressiveness I would rate comparable to my adjustables at '4' or '5'.

Thanks again, #imatabor, now this razor can get its deserved place in my rotation - just take a peek at that looker

 

[Northstonehill]

Apologies, my thanks of course also go to olpski, rabidus and D1dad. Thanks for your guidance, you were all immediately on to the fact that I wasn't getting the angle right

 

[Tester28]

If you want something witn a little more oomph get an aristocrat 21

 

[Northstonehill]

Thanks - but oh no, I'd prefer less ooomph. This razor is max what I can take as I shave every day

 

[Highspeedlane]

Beautiful razor! Congrats.

 

[Tester28]

Thanks - but oh no, I'd prefer less ooomph. This razor is max what I can take as I shave every day

Something tells me you will really like an Aristocrat #16

 

[tonich]

View attachment 778171 View attachment 778172

Hello,

What you show is not a #66 aristocrat. What you show is a 4th generation British Aristocrat razor.
It is the case of the set that determines the # and that particular razor can be find in #22, #66 and #70 set.

Cheers!

 

[imatabor]

Well, #imatabor - just wanted to thank you deeply for your great advice. Had my second shave today with the Crat and it was great.

When I got my AS-D2 everybody was going on about difference in angle, honestly I never understood that as to me the Feather just shaves with (almost) the same angle as others. BUT this Crat - man I had to use an insane angle for it to work, felt almost like holding it straight out from my face in 90 degrees. But then it did work really well, I used a 2-day Feather blade and that worked too. DFS+, no knicks or weepers or rash, best shave. But it took a little longer than usual because I constantly had to think about the angle. And I was a little anxious, really felt the blade exposure. But the result really came in.

Aggressiveness I would rate comparable to my adjustables at '4' or '5'.

Thanks again, #imatabor, now this razor can get its deserved place in my rotation - just take a peek at that looker

View attachment 778638

She is a beautiful razor for sure! Glad that you got a great shave out of it. I had the toughest time with my British Crat until I went way father with the angle. Here is my moment that it finally clicked for me:
Take that, Crat!

@tonich is right about the the numbers refer to sets and not just the razor. I believe that yours is one of the mildest of the British Aristocrats. The older ones are more aggressive.

 

[Northstonehill]

Thank you so much, all, for your informed guidance and pointers. I truly wish that they had made some versions even milder, as I am absolutely smitten with the balance, the barber pole knurling and the feel of the rhodium.

Feeding my happy thoughts I have a Diplomat incoming within the next few days, just passed customs here. And thanks to you guys I now know how to approach this in my very first shave. This has been a good week!! - Thanks again, all

 

[rabidus]

Thank you so much, all, for your informed guidance and pointers. I truly wish that they had made some versions even milder, as I am absolutely smitten with the balance, the barber pole knurling and the feel of the rhodium.

Feeding my happy thoughts I have a Diplomat incoming within the next few days, just passed customs here. And thanks to you guys I now know how to approach this in my very first shave. This has been a good week!! - Thanks again, all

Listen carefully! If you want an ASD2 like Aristocrat, you need to get the US 46/47 or 48-50 Aristocrat. Or the British 3rd generation Aristocrat(very expensive) and Aristocrat Jr with the solid baseplate.

The Diplomat will probably shave exactly like your Aristocrat!

 

[Northstonehill]

Listen carefully! If you want an ASD2 like Aristocrat, you need to get the US 46/47 or 48-50 Aristocrat. Or the British 3rd generation Aristocrat(very expensive) and Aristocrat Jr with the solid baseplate.

The Diplomat will probably shave exactly like your Aristocrat!

Thanks @rabidus - my RAD just got stirred, will look for the US 46/47 or 48-50 Crat

And you're right, I do expect the Diplomat to shave the same as my Aristocrat. However with my new guided crazy angle I am sure I can may it work!