Henson Razor Club.

[T Bone]

If it helps you at all, there are really only two other razors(maybe 3) that bend the blade as much as the Henson. Even though it is $$$, you might consider Yates Ti because you can get different plates. The stainless is reasonable to start out with cost wise then you can get on the list for the Ti. The reason I say Yates is because it has a modified head shape similar to the Henson, but with a little more rounding allowing more flexibility. There is plenty of information out there and nothing wrong with starting with the low plate, plus you move up to stainless.

Another possibility is Timeless. It took me a year to get and I waited till I could afford Ti and knew it was going to work for me. The head is more of a continuous arc, but still bent highly. Once again if this plate didn't work out, I could sell it and get a different one since I like the shape.

Thanks, both are definitely nice razors as well. I'll keep those in mind if/when I do find myself in the market for a high-end razor.

 

[Barbablanca]

I’m on the list for a Yates titanium. I’ll bite the bullet and get two plates. I hope I made the right decision with the Henson, but I have found that if it does take an extra pass or some buffing to get a good shave with a mild razor, at least you don’t get irritation. Seems like a reasonable trade-off to me.
Jack

 

[APBinNCA]

but I have found that if it does take an extra pass or some buffing to get a good shave with a mild razor, at least you don’t get irritation.

Just to clarify this a bit for newbies, by mild razor this means neutral razor. The Henson mild is a neutral razor, but the medium isn't. Some other mild razors aren't. Any blade contact with skin must be minimized to avoid irritation. Both Hensons get there, as @Kennyg2019 found out, but the mild definitely takes longer.

 

[T Bone]

Just to clarify this a bit for newbies, by mild razor this means neutral razor. The Henson mild is a neutral razor, but the medium isn't. Some other mild razors aren't. Any blade contact with skin must be minimized to avoid irritation. Both Hensons get there, as @Kennyg2019 found out, but the mild definitely takes longer.

What do you mean "neutral razor"? I'm familiar with the term "mild" but not "neutral".

 

[APBinNCA]

What do you mean "neutral razor"? I'm familiar with the term "mild" but not "neutral".

Good, this is why I posted this. A neutral razor is one in which the blade does not project out past an imaginary line drawn from the cap across the safety bar. The best way to see this is a test I have mentioned elsewhere.

If you take a piece of paper and place it along it's edge across the gap between the cap and safety bar, with the blade loaded and tightened down, you should be able to gently move the paper up and down without the blade catching. If it starts shaving slivers of paper off you probably have a slightly positive razor, some neutrals may just barely catch. The Henson mild will not with a standard blade. This slight projection on the medium is what is running across your face when you shave. Some people have skin that can't tolerate this and some think they do, but are actually applying pressure and scrapping layers of skin off.

 

[T Bone]

A neutral razor is one in which the blade does not project out past an imaginary line drawn from the cap across the safety bar. The best way to see this is a test I have mentioned elsewhere.

If you take a piece of paper and place it along it's edge across the gap between the cap and safety bar, with the blade loaded and tightened down, you should be able to gently move the paper up and down without the blade catching. If it starts shaving slivers of paper off you probably have a slightly positive razor, some neutrals may just barely catch. The Henson mild will not with a standard blade. This slight projection on the medium is what is running across your face when you shave. Some people have skin that can't tolerate this and some think they do, but are actually applying pressure and scrapping layers of skin off.

Still not sure I follow. If the blade doesn't project out beyond the line from the cap to the safety bar at all, it seems to me that it wouldn't shave, or at least not close to skin level, without applying some pressure, which from everything I've learned to this point is a big no-no. Is that not true, or am I misunderstanding?

 

[APBinNCA]

Still not sure I follow. If the blade doesn't project out beyond the line from the cap to the safety bar at all, it seems to me that it wouldn't shave, or at least not close to skin level, without applying some pressure, which from everything I've learned to this point is a big no-no. Is that not true, or am I misunderstanding?

You have your visualization right, I really should have gone and dug the picture out of the wiki. What you are missing is that there is still room for hair to get in the gap. The demonstration with the paper is only to tell you wether your razor is neutral or not. An actual hair would be perpendicular to the imaginary line or edge of paper(surface of your face). They are small enough and blades are sharp enough to grab the hair and cut it. With neutral exposure, and enough passes, the potential exists to cut down to the base of the hair. The mechanics of severing a hair are interesting and a different topic, but the longer the hair the more it will be deflected when a blade first hits it. This is the same on a lesser scale to having a dull blade start skipping, it's not able to bite into the hair. As the hair is reduced with each pass, the blade is able to cut closer because the deflection is less. The magic of a neutral exposure razor is that, without pushing, you can never cut below skin level like a cartridge. Remember the advertisements showing the first blade pulling the hair up, the second and third cutting lower and lower. What they don't want to advertise is that after cutting below skin level, the hair retracts and can lead to ingrown hairs. With greater than three blades, many people experience the additional blades scraping skin because the hair is already cut and skin is in rebound from the hair being pulled by the first blade.

 

[T Bone]

You have your visualization right, I really should have gone and dug the picture out of the wiki. What you are missing is that there is still room for hair to get in the gap. The demonstration with the paper is only to tell you wether your razor is neutral or not. An actual hair would be perpendicular to the imaginary line or edge of paper(surface of your face). They are small enough and blades are sharp enough to grab the hair and cut it. With neutral exposure, and enough passes, the potential exists to cut down to the base of the hair. The mechanics of severing a hair are interesting and a different topic, but the longer the hair the more it will be deflected when a blade first hits it. This is the same on a lesser scale to having a dull blade start skipping, it's not able to bite into the hair. As the hair is reduced with each pass, the blade is able to cut closer because the deflection is less. The magic of a neutral exposure razor is that, without pushing, you can never cut below skin level like a cartridge.

Ah, ok! Definitely getting OT for Henson now, but thank you! I'd always wondered why the 3 passes, why cut it gradually and not go straight for ATG. (Well, not always, but I'd been wondering for 3 months now.) That actually makes a lot of sense!

 

[Elvergun]

The third shave with the Henson was the best one yet. I'm beginning to fall in love with this razor.

Sure, it is not as challenging to use as a Fatip, but sometimes you just want to shave without worries or issues.

 

[steffenapelz]

I received my Henson (mild/+) AL13 on Friday night and just shaved with it for the first time. And the hype is real. It is a bit early to make any sweeping generalizations, but I can honestly say that I have never shaved with a razor that has the same combination of getting a close shave, having zero blade feel, and delivering a face-feel that is akin to as if I had not shaved at all.

If this impression holds, then this will be my razor recommendation for anyone that wants off cartridges but isn't interesting in thrills and in this becoming a hobby. I didn't really believe that DE shaving could seriously dent the use of carts, but if this razor gets out in the world among people unwilling to obsess over shaving, it has the potential to be a HUGE player in the shaving world. It is that good. I am completely blown away right now.

And for the record. I had a 2-day growth which is pretty rare for me and the Henson manhandled my coarse/thick growth like a champ. Did not clog the drain channel either (I checked). Unreal.

 

[Benoni]

I see that the Ti22 is back in stock, I was really hoping they'd ship some out to EU retailers. Looks like that's not the case unfortunately.. ordering from Canada to the EU would add a big amount on top of the already steep price.

 

[Alpine Dad]

I bought a black mild Henson about 3-weeks ago and after shaving daily I have to say I love this razor. I have been using an assortment of blades, Astra SP, Derby Premiums, Nacets, Gillette Black 7 O'Clocks, and this week, Feathers (two shaves so far with a Feather to be honest) - and all have been very good to excellent shaves.

With my return to daily shaving (back in the office) I wanted a faster shave than what I was capable of with my Merkur 34C. The Henson has fit the bill nicely. Four very fast passes and done, with very little alum burn and no irritation so show for my efforts. This is exactly what I need to start my day. My mind can wander mid shave, and I still get a very good shave, with no blood loss. I was always able to get a great shave with my Merkur, but that was only by staying focused. I can appreciate people who enjoy the shaving experience, but I am over it. At 6:30 am I just want to move on with my day.

All in all, I have very happy with my Henson. I am glad this threat exists and people have shared their experiences as it helped convince me to jump in and try a new razor.

 

[JAHE]

I see that the Ti22 is back in stock, I was really hoping they'd ship some out to EU retailers. Looks like that's not the case unfortunately.. ordering from Canada to the EU would add a big amount on top of the already steep price.

That's bad news for us EU-residents... maybe the EU-retailers will be delivered at a later stage.

 

[steffenapelz]

Today, I went at it again and as I had suspected, the fact that I hadn't shaved in 48 hours gave yesterday an extra-edge. SO today was still REALLY good, but more or less in line with what I can achieve with my Charcoal Goods Everyday or Karve CB B. Maybe a touch better face-feel afterwards and just as close or even a bit closer than those two. Tomorrow I will try a different blade (this was with a Gillette Yellow last two days) and see if that changes anything. The one thing that is noticeable is that I have not drawn any blood at all. This is SUCH an easy shave that one can even rush through if needed without having to fear of needing an alumn block or styptic pen later. I am still super impressed and I'll see if my son likes it because this is much easier to use than the Lupo Aluminum I gave him to use.

 

[tm3]

I have a specific question about the Henson AL13 and this seems like the best place to ask it.

How durable is the finish? I ask because some products that I have seen made of "hard anodized aluminum" are actually kind of flimsy, with the finish easily nicked. I'm thinking about trying the Henson and if it is fairly durable I'll go for a color, if not I'll get the silver under the assumption that it won't show dings as readily.

 

[Elvergun]

I have a specific question about the Henson AL13 and this seems like the best place to ask it.

How durable is the finish? I ask because some products that I have seen made of "hard anodized aluminum" are actually kind of flimsy, with the finish easily nicked. I'm thinking about trying the Henson and if it is fairly durable I'll go for a color, if not I'll get the silver under the assumption that it won't show dings as readily.

I purchased my AL13 a couple of months ago, so it's too early to tell. I do, however, own a Standard razor which I purchased in 2016 and it looks as good as new. My other silver aluminum razors (newer than the Standard) also seem to be in mint condition. I guess it will depend on how well you take care of your razors.

 

[ewk]

@tm3 Here are mine after a year of regular use, travel, and in the case of the blue mild, loaned out to two newbies to introduce them to the joy of DE shaving. No nicks or scratches, and they were not delicately handled but used as tools. The only place where the anodizing is weak is on the threads.

 

[tm3]

Great, that is helpful! Looks like the finish holds well. I'm pretty careful with my tools but there is always the inevitable bump here and there on the sink or in the drawer.

Blue and tan just happen to be the colors I'm debating, so great pics for more than one reason!

One other question -- does Henson tend to have promotional pricing at any time? I realize I missed Black Friday but I don't have to have this right away. I might even watch the BST for a while.

Thanks again!

 

[APBinNCA]

One other question -- does Henson tend to have promotional pricing at any time?

I have found that your best bet is to find a retailer that stocks it and wait until they have a sale or you have a discount code. I have never seen Henson themselves offering a discount. At least at Maggards, you get free shipping and you can grab some decent blades or other items.

 

[ewk]

One other question -- does Henson tend to have promotional pricing at any time? I realize I missed Black Friday but I don't have to have this right away. I might even watch the BST for a while.

Since I am not shopping for one, I have not been paying attention to Henson deals. I see them advertised alot, but I don't recall seeing discounts like I see for other razors. Doesn't mean they don't run them. Their Instagram doesn't advertise any.