My birthday approaches. I thought I’d treat myself to an actual new razor, since to date everything I’ve owned has been pre-owned.
The big trick was finding something I’d be likely to like. I had some requirements:
1) Must be more aggressive than average
2) Must NOT be made of zinc alloy
3) Must be under thirty US dollars, which is the limit of “have to check with the wife first”
4) Ideally, was made in a first world country.
It is remarkably difficult to find something that matches all that.
Then I remembered that FaTip is still a thing. Surfing around the web to see what I can come up with, I then found it is still possible to get the Schöne razor on Amazon with two day free delivery for $21. Easier and faster than ordering from the usual vendors. Schöne Shaving’s website is no more, which means the Schöne razor itself is likely out of production, but Alrossa still has nickel plated ones and I imagine is probably interested in being rid of them.
So I bought the Schöne razor in nickel and it arrived today. Presentation didn’t have much to say for itself. The sleeve around the top of the box was slid on upside down so I almost dropped it to the floor immediately because the inner box was upside down. No worries. It’s fine. No instructions, no anything. Just a shiny nickel razor in a box. Nothing wrong with the plating.
I shaved with it already. Proraso green cream, my green handled VDH boar I bought NOS awhile back, and a new GSB.
In this razor it is possible to load the blade crooked, and I did. Annoying. Took it out and did it more carefully the second time. Much better.
The shave was exactly what I wanted. Three pass BBS, no irritation, no issues on the tough parts of my beard. Found the angle immediately. Little blade noise or feel. Weight and balance didn’t get my attention at all one way or the other, so that was good. Proraso green splash went on painlessly.
It’s certainly no flawless artisan razor but it’s a keeper.
The big trick was finding something I’d be likely to like. I had some requirements:
1) Must be more aggressive than average
2) Must NOT be made of zinc alloy
3) Must be under thirty US dollars, which is the limit of “have to check with the wife first”
4) Ideally, was made in a first world country.
It is remarkably difficult to find something that matches all that.
Then I remembered that FaTip is still a thing. Surfing around the web to see what I can come up with, I then found it is still possible to get the Schöne razor on Amazon with two day free delivery for $21. Easier and faster than ordering from the usual vendors. Schöne Shaving’s website is no more, which means the Schöne razor itself is likely out of production, but Alrossa still has nickel plated ones and I imagine is probably interested in being rid of them.
So I bought the Schöne razor in nickel and it arrived today. Presentation didn’t have much to say for itself. The sleeve around the top of the box was slid on upside down so I almost dropped it to the floor immediately because the inner box was upside down. No worries. It’s fine. No instructions, no anything. Just a shiny nickel razor in a box. Nothing wrong with the plating.
I shaved with it already. Proraso green cream, my green handled VDH boar I bought NOS awhile back, and a new GSB.
In this razor it is possible to load the blade crooked, and I did. Annoying. Took it out and did it more carefully the second time. Much better.
The shave was exactly what I wanted. Three pass BBS, no irritation, no issues on the tough parts of my beard. Found the angle immediately. Little blade noise or feel. Weight and balance didn’t get my attention at all one way or the other, so that was good. Proraso green splash went on painlessly.
It’s certainly no flawless artisan razor but it’s a keeper.
