What's new

How are you supposed to tell razors apart? Where are the tier lists?

There are at least a dozen "main" luxury brands ($200+ razor) thrown around here, each with often a couple different offerings. Plus a few dozen medium/entry brands. I've been reading for hours, but how are they differentiated from each other?

In most other hobbies there are various stats or at least marketing jumbo you can point to. A tier list is usually opinion based but leads to discussion comparing items head to head.

As a newcomer to razors, but not collection hobbies, the information available isn't overwhelming so much as incomplete. Everything seems to talk about individual razors in a vacuum. Few comparisons to other razors. Subjective terms and opinions being given with not even abstract ratings, much less concrete data. Even the marketing materials don't seem to give much more than a few sentences that offer little specific to the model.

Short of buying everything, how do you choose what to go for?
 
Read and search for opinions here. You’ll see a lot of people post list of their favorite razors or which version is their favorite based on the qualities.

You can come to a consensus based on popular opinion and separate opinions that you share. Some people prefer aggressive, some prefer mild. Its pretty hard to describe a razor’s performance in concrete terms as something like the size of the gap, how far the blade sticks out past the top cap and safety bar and angle of the blade are all variables that make a huge difference.
 
It's all individual preference.
For start use closed comb. That's it.
Any razor you get is a good razor, stick with it, use it, learn it, and it's all you'll ever need.
Find something that you like visualy, and you can afford, and go for it.
 
There are at least a dozen "main" luxury brands ($200+ razor) thrown around here, each with often a couple different offerings. Plus a few dozen medium/entry brands. I've been reading for hours, but how are they differentiated from each other?

In most other hobbies there are various stats or at least marketing jumbo you can point to. A tier list is usually opinion based but leads to discussion comparing items head to head.

As a newcomer to razors, but not collection hobbies, the information available isn't overwhelming so much as incomplete. Everything seems to talk about individual razors in a vacuum. Few comparisons to other razors. Subjective terms and opinions being given with not even abstract ratings, much less concrete data. Even the marketing materials don't seem to give much more than a few sentences that offer little specific to the model.

Short of buying everything, how do you choose what to go for?
Unfortunately, there's no other way other than trying things yourself. I bought a lot of razors used, that way I was able to sell them for nearly break-even if I didn't like them. That's how I was able to try out most razors out there.
 
There are no tiers with razors. My first razor after a lot of research was a Merkur Progress adjustable. I could/should have stopped myself from buying another razor at that point but I didn't. Down the rabbit hole I fell. Years later I'm still trying to get out. Good luck with your shaving endeavors!
 

Iridian

Cool and slimy
My S-tier is the Timeless Slim OC, and it will kill many people trying it.
That's why it is so hard to make S-lists.

My selection of razors is based on buying and trying them all. Unlike many I don't sell excess razors, I keep them. That's unfortunately also true for flashlights, knives, trailrunning shoes and mountaineering boots.
 
Welcome to B&B.
As a newcomer to razors, but not collection hobbies, the information available isn't overwhelming so much as incomplete. Everything seems to talk about individual razors in a vacuum. Few comparisons to other razors. Subjective terms and opinions being given with not even abstract ratings, much less concrete data. Even the marketing materials don't seem to give much more than a few sentences that offer little specific to the model.
That is because razor blades are a subjective choice too, so it is difficult to make it a level playing field. Add in the lather quality, shaving preparation, stubble thickness, skin sensitivity and how regularly one shaves and you have more variables which makes it even more complicated.
You just have to make a decision on blade gap, blade exposure and price band to choose your razor.
 
Last edited:

BradWorld

Dances with Wolfs
S-tier: Mühle R89

Everything else

Fight me.


R89 > DE89 … if only because of the mirror finish and the better handles. 😜🤪😜🤪😎

But all kidding aside, there are a couple of razors that I consider the top of my list. And I have a list for vintage and modern razors. I keep them separate in my mind because modern razors are precision, super high performance pieces of shaving art, like Wolfman, Charcoal Goods, Timeless. Vintage razors (for me) are about nostalgia, mojo and classic shaving. Separate itches to get scratched.
 
@cribbit ...I forget how confusing and frustrating just buying a 'good' razor is.

You're right, there are no definitive lists to look through outlining features beyond the marketing hype from the manufacturer and subjective reviews on Forums and the InterWeb.

'Fanboy' reviews, which I am guilty of myself, give you biased viewpoints of their current favorites, based upon subjective personal feelings and vague categories of "aggressiveness", "blade feel", and "efficiency".

The only measurable feature of a particular razor, beyond the basic design, e.g., 3-piece, Butterfly, TTO, etc., seems to be the "gap", but that doesn't really give you the true performance of the razor unless you factor in the amount of "blade exposure", i.e., "positive", "neutral", or "negative". Add in any number of various blades and they change the performance characteristics. Knowing all of this only gives you an idea of how a razor 'might' perform. But, your individual beard, skin and facial shape will determine how a particular razor/blade combo work for you. "The proof is in the pudding".

The various materials razors are made from is another variable. Everything from plated Pot metal, brass, Ti (and other exotic materials) along with my favorite, stainless steel.

I'm lucky, in that I have a good many years under my belt using DE razors. I know what I want and therefore I can make a reasonably informed decision. But, even then, it's a crap shoot. YMMV.

As I said, "I'm lucky". My Butterfly style razor wore out after 9 years of service and in my search for a new razor I stumbled upon RazoRock Game Changer and my search for an 'affordable', well crafted, stainless steel razor was over.

So far, I've resisted the temptation of collecting. However, I'm susceptible to that addiction, so I remain vigilant.

Good luck with your journey.

b/r

ON_1
 
Last edited:
You could maybe rank them in tiers in terms of price and/or craftsmanship, but that won't tell you anything in terms of how they'll actually perform for you since that's so subjective from person to person.

An example would be my Wolfman razor, which is by far my most expensive razor and has the best craftsmanship. While I think it performs great, I actually like using my RazoRock Game Changer & Feather AS-D2 more. The Wolfman costs 6x more than the Game Changer and about 2x more than the AS-D2. Still love the Wolfman, though.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
It's a significantly fair question with no good answer. Sorry.

Different faces, different skin, different beards, different techniques and different attitudes.

My brother insists his Camry is better than any BMW, and he's right - for him. He drives slowly and cares much more about comfort than precise handling.

Same with razors. If I like my Gillette Slim and am totally satisfied with the shave it produces (maybe more correct to say the shave I produce using it) why wouldn't I put it in the top tier?

If you're near the beginning of this journey I would suggest using one of the standard quality first razors (EJ 89, etc.) and work on your technique. When you're comfortable with your technique and have specific things you'd like a new razor to provide you can get some great suggestions - too many, to tell the truth, but all of them good.

For example: say you've got a pile of cash burning a hole in your pocket and want to get a Wolfman. OK - which model (1 or 2), how aggressive do you need (95,115,155)? Titanium or SS? The only way to make any sense of all your choices is to have enough experience to ask the questions, and then benefit from the many members who have purchased waaaaay too many razors and have the good answers.

The good news is that first $45 razor is a good one and quite a few shavers are still using it years later.

So whenever you're ready with a list of specifics you're looking for (and an idea of price), throw them up on a post and you'll get some good information. It's one of the great strengths of the forum.
 

ERS4

My exploding razor knows secrets
Although I love my wolfman, razorock, tatara, pils...many expensive/cheap/normal/weird razors; but I usually carry my "Travalong" in my bag, even when going to restaurants or visiting museums , though I don't shave in those places.
 
Hi Cribbit,

Unless you start with a real dog of a razor, almost any razor is fine to start with. For me it was a 1956 Gillette Super Speed, followed by a Merkur 34c and a 1966 Gillette Slim adjustable.

Regardless of how much money you can spend on a razor (or razors) , the most important thing is to use the same razor everyday for a number of weeks. You are developing muscle memory that will regulate the amount of pressure and angle as you slide the blade across your whiskers.

The razor is simply a blade holder. If you switch blade holders regularly, it will take you longer to find the magical goldlocks.

Good technique trumps everything. Our father, grandfathers and their fathers all shaved with whatever their wives bought at the drugstore, but they shaved everyday with great results.

Good luck and enjoy the journey in our wonderful hobby.
 
I started with a Merkur 34c and did well with it until I discovered Timeless (SS68, still a favorite). I now own 3 other Timeless (Ti95, Ti68, and an Aluminum one for travel)…they are all excellent for their purposes. The Tatara Masamune I bought in the midst of buying Timeless razors is also a favorite. I have a Yates921 that I should have bought when it first came out, but didn’t know that at the time. The Merkur got PIF-ed (given away on this site).

I rotate through the razors, changing razors when I change blades…all part of the fun. As others have said, good technique is critical. For the most part, you can do well with whatever you choose. People here can help you once you know how aggressive or mild a razor you want. Jump right in.
 
Top Bottom