How is Razorock Hawk with coarse/dense growth?

[AtraSensor]

While not one of those guys who has 5 o'clock shadow a few hours after a BBS shave, I still used to need a touch up if going out on a date at night after shaving in the morning.

After a day and a half, my hair on the neck and chin starts getting dense. I'm one of those guys will full face coverage and growth that goes all the way down to the collarbone. I've always had to lather down there and even shave the top of the cheekbones and sides of the eyes on the temples. My jawline, chin and directly under the nose need serious buffs on a touch up pass after the 3rd pass.

When I've read comments about the Hawk here that mention near BBS after the first pass, I have to assume those are from members with light growth.
After a few days growth (2 or more), I usually need level 5 on the Merkur Progress for the 1st pass (and sometimes push it a few more levels to what would be 7). After 3 days or more, I use the Futur or a Fatip open comb. Would the Razorock Hawk suffice for me as a smooth, efficient razor?

 

[APBinNCA]

The Hawk was my first AC razor and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. The aluminium version anyway. I think the stainless has more aggressive plates. I have a Colonial General which isn't available currently and the Vector is obviously expensive. Have you read reviews of the Stando? It's a knockoff, with some improvements, of the V1 General. I suppose if you are set on the Hawk, get an aggressive plate and/or use a Pro Super blade.

 

[Rob72]

The SS Hawk with A plate is very efficient. It is a very solid performer and I suspect that with the Feather ACs you would be very satisfied.

I never fell in love with the AlumaHawk, but the SS handles much better for me. Both are very good, I just prefer a bit of weight.

My personal favorites are: Occam's Oren, with the floating blade. Very efficient, yet very forgiving. Asylum RX (looove V1, V2 is just as good but a touch more forgiving).

 

[thombrogan]

I used the RazoRock Hawk V3OC to shave my head in one ATG pass. My hair was almost 25mm long. I also don’t normally shave my head (my Wife uses electric clippers on it every few months), so I cut myself a lot, but it was still one pass. Never clogged.

If you’re any good at skin stretching, you can probably avoid buying a new razor. Just get more of the subcutaneous follicles pushed out where you shave. Not that the Hawk V3 series is particularly expensive, but the blades are.

 

[Old Hippie]

I have the standard V3SB and it's a good head shaver. By "good" I mean that it delivers a pretty comfortable DFS most times, with occasional BBS early on when the blade is sharpest. (I use Kai Mild Pink blades.) It's not my favourite razor but it's a good one. I had also tried the OC version but found that for me the OC plate needs about two more teeth to narrow the "Jaws" gap a little. Obviously that's a personal preference.

O.H.

 

[Eben Stone]

Hawk suffice for me as a smooth, efficient razor?

Smooth: that's up to your technique. Efficient: no doubt. PM me if you want to borrow mine.

 

[Filudo]

I have V3 in normal bar and OC. OC is really efficient, sometimes a bit irritating. 2 passes you will get a very good shave. Remember the blades are a bit different and even feather has one that is bigger (edge closer to skin and angle more sharp). I don't remember which one I used this week.... for sure it wasn't the one w teeth....but rather the widest...hence the irritation I got. Normal bar gives good shaves.

My hair grows fast (it used to grow faster), but now is 50% white and the other dark ones......the mix looks horrible hence I shave more often now and want a close shave. Before I could just shape the edges and keep it for 4 days (all dark).

I have a V2 or V1; never used it (came in a lot sale)

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I don't have an extraordinarily heavy beard, and I shave daily, so I can't tell you how well the Hawk will handle several days of very thick growth. I have had the aluminum V2 and the safety bar and open comb stainless steel V3. I sold them all, as I didn't feel they were as efficient as I wanted. Eventually I bought another safety bar V3. I find it to be a comfortable but not terribly efficient razor with Schick Proline or Feather Pro blades, but I find it to be still comfortable and much more efficient with Feather Pro Super blades. In several other razors, I found those blades too aggressive, but they pair very well with the Hawk.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

I have coarse dense hairs and the hawk with standard base plate is great for me. All the recommended blades work for me from Feather, Kai, Shick. The wide cutting edge works well for shaping if you want to use the edges for touch ups.

 

[Tim Meneely]

if you want to use the edges for touch ups.

Off-topic, but could I ask what you mean by this? I saw a barber video recently where it looked almost as if the sides (the shortest dimension) of an AC blade were being used for shaping, but on cursory examination the sides don't appear to be sharpened (and now that I think about it, I use them to handle the blades, and how else would I?)

Thanks.

 

[Tim Meneely]

When I've read comments about the Hawk here that mention near BBS after the first pass

I have a Hawk V3 and middlin' beard growth - distinct shadow takes about 24 hours - and near-BBS takes me 2.5 passes: WTG, ATG, touch-up. The WTG pass takes off a lot of whisker and doesn't care whether it's 1 day or 3, but 1 pass isn't the shave I want.

That's with the standard baseplate and milder blades, which give a very comfortable shave. I haven't bought or tried the "A" plate or Feather Super blades yet.

I like the Hawk V3 very much.

 

[Bengal Tiger]

Off-topic, but could I ask what you mean by this? I saw a barber video recently where it looked almost as if the sides (the shortest dimension) of an AC blade were being used for shaping, but on cursory examination the sides don't appear to be sharpened (and now that I think about it, I use them to handle the blades, and how else would I?)

Thanks.

The AC blades are longer than DE blades. Razorock Hawk is designed to expose all of the cutting edge. So you can tilt the razor and use just the right or left portion of the cutting edge to shape areas around a beard or mustache very well. It's great for accuracy around the chin area or under the nose.

This fellow shows it around the 25 minute mark of this video:

 

[Tim Meneely]

When I've read comments about the Hawk here that mention near BBS after the first pass, -

I tried my Hawk V3 with a Feather Pro Super blade yesterday, with 2.5 days growth. It wasn't the most comfortable shave - lots of blade feel - but it was very efficient. Normally I do WTG+ATG+buffing; this time there was nothing to buff. I didn't draw blood or cause obvious irritation, but if I'd followed up with alum or an alcohol-based aftershave I'm pretty sure it would have lit me up like lightening striking an electric fence. Nivea balm felt nice.

If I was going to try for a one-pass BBS, it would be this razor / blade combination. One pass ATG might just do it. I'm not going to try.

 

[AtraSensor]

The AC blades are longer than DE blades. Razorock Hawk is designed to expose all of the cutting edge. So you can tilt the razor and use just the right or left portion of the cutting edge to shape areas around a beard or mustache very well. It's great for accuracy around the chin area or under the nose.

This fellow shows it around the 25 minute mark of this video:

How does this guy (Daily Shaves) only have 521 subscribers?! His videos are excellent and quite detailed!

 

[thombrogan]

One pass ATG might just do it.

The Proline in my V3OC is too new to change out, but that’s so tempting!

I'm not going to try.

That’s the spirit! Do or do not. Like Yoda!

 

[Bengal Tiger]

How does this guy (Daily Shaves) only have 521 subscribers?! His videos are excellent and quite detailed!

When he made that video, he just reached 50 subscribers. We all have our journey. I don't make any videos but there are some B&B members with YouTube channels.