Mine arrived today, along with 20 AC blades. El Jefe is locked and loaded, ready for tomorrow's AM shave.
Ikon SE razor coming out soon.
- Thread starter kyproset
- Start date
I got my El Jefe today also. I loaded it with an AC Pro and will try it tomorrow.
Yeah, I suspect I will like it from what I've read about it. This will be my first IKON razor as I've been less than impressed with the way that they handled some problems in the past and never wanted to drop $100 plus risk on a razor from them. So, I haven't tried the Shavecraft Tech and have no idea how that one shaves.
I'm expecting this to be on par in aggression with the King Cobra or ATT SE1 that I already have. The Mongoose I have I can use but it's milder than I'd like. The Hawk I had and sold was way too mild for me but it is an excellent entry into the Feather Pro style blades for most people.
With this razor everything was stated up front so I know the risk as well as the issue at hand. That being said it's only a $25 risk so if it turns out to not meet my expectations then I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I don't see myself reaching for it over the ATT SE1 on a daily basis, but I'll likely use it once in a while and it'll make a truly excellent travel razor.
It should arrive in today's mail so maybe I'll get to give it a go for tomorrow's shave.
I got el jefe today. And had a great shave. Almost bbs on first try and I'm a very poor shaver with sensitive skin. Only a few pin needle sized weepers. I did a 2 pass shave.
I decided to take it easy on my mustache area, but that's my usual trouble spot.
I used a feather pro, and feather as-d1 ss handle which matched beautifully and gave the razor good balance.
This is probably the best wet shaving deal of the year.
I decided to take it easy on my mustache area, but that's my usual trouble spot.
I used a feather pro, and feather as-d1 ss handle which matched beautifully and gave the razor good balance.
This is probably the best wet shaving deal of the year.
I just got mine from the mailbox and though I didn't need a shave I did do a single pass to try it out.
First off the pins that hold the blade are definitely too small. To the point that if the handle is not tight the blade will move. Care must also be taken to make sure the the blade is inserted against the pins so that it's not in the razor on an angle. It's easy enough to work around but it is an issue that would likely be a problem for some and something that does justify the low price that I paid for the razor head. The workaround it so take a look at where the blade is sitting while you tighten the handle. About the same effort was needed to ensure the blade was lined up properly when I used a slant a while back. For me this is no big deal given the price I paid for it.
Build quality is very good as well. It's not to the level of the ATT but it's not in the same price range either. It is better made than the RazoRock Hawk and a bit more substantial. Being aluminum it is a lighter razor.
I paired it up with an ATT Kronos handle. The razor head is light and the handle weight seemed about what was needed.
The first and only pass was very comfortable. Definitely more aggressive than the Hawk Razor that I sold and more so than the Mongoose as well. I did feel the blade slightly which made the razor predictable and very easy to shave with. I can't compare it directly to the ATT and King Cobra at the moment but I'd say it's on par in terms of aggressiveness. Just aggressive enough to let the Feather Pro blade shine.
Overall, I'm happy with this purchase and glad that I bought it. This is going to be a fun occasional distraction and an outstanding travel razor.
First off the pins that hold the blade are definitely too small. To the point that if the handle is not tight the blade will move. Care must also be taken to make sure the the blade is inserted against the pins so that it's not in the razor on an angle. It's easy enough to work around but it is an issue that would likely be a problem for some and something that does justify the low price that I paid for the razor head. The workaround it so take a look at where the blade is sitting while you tighten the handle. About the same effort was needed to ensure the blade was lined up properly when I used a slant a while back. For me this is no big deal given the price I paid for it.
Build quality is very good as well. It's not to the level of the ATT but it's not in the same price range either. It is better made than the RazoRock Hawk and a bit more substantial. Being aluminum it is a lighter razor.
I paired it up with an ATT Kronos handle. The razor head is light and the handle weight seemed about what was needed.
The first and only pass was very comfortable. Definitely more aggressive than the Hawk Razor that I sold and more so than the Mongoose as well. I did feel the blade slightly which made the razor predictable and very easy to shave with. I can't compare it directly to the ATT and King Cobra at the moment but I'd say it's on par in terms of aggressiveness. Just aggressive enough to let the Feather Pro blade shine.
Overall, I'm happy with this purchase and glad that I bought it. This is going to be a fun occasional distraction and an outstanding travel razor.
Received mine and the play is indeed extensive. I found it can be used to vary aggressiveness. Put blade into the razor and without tigtening turn the razor so the edge is facing DOWN, shake slightly then tighten it will be more aggressive. Put blade into the razor and turn it so the edge faces UP, shake slightly and tighten it will be less aggresive. After tightening it MUST be examined with magnifying glass to ensure the edge of the blade is parallel to the guard. I am surprised how he can overlook such a major problem. Hadn't he examined a first few razors before producing a batch? Finish and and look is good though
A total guess but I suspect that they don't have their own machine shop (most razor manufacturer's don't) and that these razors are ordered from and produced by an outside company. So, it's not like he'd personally shut down the machine and make adjustments along the way. He likely opened the box, gave one a try and found out he had this issue with 500 of them all at once.
Sure, maybe a better job of inspecting a prototype would have been helpful but then again we're not privy to that process, the costs and what it entails.
Regardless of where the blade is positioned, it is imperative that the cap be positioned with the tabs firmly against the rear side of the slots as the handle is tightened. .
It is possible to tighten the cap with the tabs not all the way to the rear, but the blade will not be locked in place. As long as the cap is all the way back, the blade will lock in firmly.
For me, having the blade (Feather Pro) also all the way back is plenty aggressive for me. It's also easy to do. Just hold the razor with loosely together and the blade edge up. Give it a shake to ensure that the blade is down all the way, apply downward pressure to the cap with your thumb and tighten the handle.
As @g345 mentioned, it is extremely important to check with a magnifying glass when you're all done, just to makes sure everything is right.
-Bob
--Bob
It is possible to tighten the cap with the tabs not all the way to the rear, but the blade will not be locked in place. As long as the cap is all the way back, the blade will lock in firmly.
For me, having the blade (Feather Pro) also all the way back is plenty aggressive for me. It's also easy to do. Just hold the razor with loosely together and the blade edge up. Give it a shake to ensure that the blade is down all the way, apply downward pressure to the cap with your thumb and tighten the handle.
As @g345 mentioned, it is extremely important to check with a magnifying glass when you're all done, just to makes sure everything is right.
-Bob
--Bob
I don't consider it a major problem and will consider it an advanced feature that also cut the price in half. As to how it happened I don't know, but he's setting it right.
I also don't consider it a big deal. I've got some vintage razors that are a lot more finicky when it comes to loading the blade.
--Bob
--Bob
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I've just shaved with it putting a feather pro in 'agressive settings namely, before titenjng, turn the razor so the blade edge faces Down, and then tighten. I checked that blade is hold firmly and parallel to the guard. I actually like the shave it was Bbc no irritation, good glide and also enjoyed a slip profile for upper lip shaving. Will buy a corrected head for 40 when it is available
Because of small tabs there are four possible settings of blade and upper cup relative to base plate
Blade forward cup forward - aggressive
Blade forward cup bavkward - most agressive
Blade backward cup forward.. mildest
Blade backward cup backward. Mild
Because of small tabs there are four possible settings of blade and upper cup relative to base plate
Blade forward cup forward - aggressive
Blade forward cup bavkward - most agressive
Blade backward cup forward.. mildest
Blade backward cup backward. Mild
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A few minutes ago, before I read these last few posts, I went back and closely examined mine, with a Feather Pro blade. On mine if the head is moved forward and tightened, the blade is not secured and can actually move side to side a little and flip up and down a bit, so no useable adjustment. The cap needs to be pushed back so the blade is secure with no movement.
Yes you are correct, just checked it with magnifying glass as well. When cup is pushed forward the blade is not secured. Wish I can edit my earlier post, I should have checked it more closely prior to posting. So thar two settings only mild and agressive : blade forward or backward relative
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[MENTION=73656]dfoulk[/MENTION]
Congrats David, looking forward to your further impressions...
Congrats David, looking forward to your further impressions...
[MENTION=80140]davidsilva[/MENTION] I remember that during SEptember you had a pre production El Jefe to shave with for almost two weeks. During that time, did you have the same problems as the folks are having with the production version? It seems that most reviews I see with the pre production version speaks positively about the fit of the head and the great shave.
I had no issues with blade loading. I noticed the front back slide of the lower plate, but when I tightened up the handle the blade fell into the proper position and locked down. I was surprised reading how folks were having an issue. Maybe a difference between preproduction and final design?
So I got in a complete shave today with the razor.
Razor - Ikon El Jefe
Blade - Feather Pro (4)
Handle - ATT Kronos
Brush - Wolf Whiskers w/ 24mm Shavemac 2 Band Silvertip knot
Soap - PannaCrema Pure2O Vetiver
AfterShave - AOS Ocean Kelp balm
So first off I put the blade in the razor with the blade back as far as it would go along the tabs and the bade plate moved forward and in line with the cap. I suspect this is close to where it should be if the tabs were larger and everything lined up perfectly. The razor is fairly aggressive, maybe slightly more so than the ATT SE1 and King Cobra razor that sit next to it. Between the aggressiveness and the blade alignment issues this is definitely not a razor for a new inexperienced wet shaver.
The aggression is welcome as far as I'm concerned and if utilized with a light hand will give a very efficient close shave. If some pressure were used during the shave this razor would happily destroy you and make you suffer for your poor technique.
The first pass was excellent as I felt the razor easily clear the stubble almost effortlessly. There is a slight amount of audio feedback from the razor, which is helpful. The Feather Pro blades are so much sharper and so much more efficient than even the sharpest DE blades. It's almost not fair how much better these blades are. The first pass went very smoothly with a light hand and the slick PannaCrema Pure2O soap. I rinsed my face and felt the majority of the stubble already gone after just the first pass. The second pass was more of the same letting the razor do all of the work effortlessly. After the second pass I could have easily ended the shave as my face was smooth and nobody would notice that there was any stubble left besides myself. I added the third pass just to catch a couple stubborn spots and because I was enjoying shaving with the razor. After the third pass my face was dolphin smooth everywhere and overall a very comfortable shave. I applied the aftershave balm with no sting or irritation whatsoever. My face feels great.
The razor was very easily to shave with and nimble in the difficult areas like under my nose. It does better than the ATT in these types of areas and it had no trouble at all giving me a perfect shave.
Overall I think the razor head is excellent. The blade issues are annoying but tolerable as I'd rather have the head without these issues and have paid more for it. Overall it's hard to complain about this as it only set me back $25 so it was definitely worth the asking price for someone like myself who has some experience with these razors. For someone with less experience maybe wait for the replacement without the alignment problems or just choose the milder RazoRock Hawk which is more forgiving. Will I reach for it over my ATT SE1 and other razors, certainly not daily but I will use it on occasion as well as for some travel. The blade alignment issues will likely deter me a bit from using it more often, but there's no denying that it's an excellent shaver.
First shave with El Jefe went fine, no unwelcome surprises. I left the blade in the razor after the shave, the minor issue of alignment is not an every day thing this way. At $40 the final product will serve as an excellent introduction to the Artist Club blade SE experience. Are you Experienced?
+1 [emoji106]@dfoulk and [MENTION=102297]Feather-man[/MENTION]. Enjoy your new toys men!
My El Jefe head came today and I immediately loaded a blade to see what all the talk was about. I immediately found out that the two pins to hold the blade left a lot of play which was significantly different from the Hawk, Claymore, and RX. This was the only razor of my bunch that was able to use a Dorco blade (since the Dorco blade had a slightly smaller hole on one side). The blade having a lot of play was the first of the things I noticed. The bottom plate where the pins went into also had a lot of play and so the first time around I had to loosen and tighten it a couple of times to make sure the blade was aligned properly. In the end I found out that the best way to put the head on was to stand the head up on the back side and the blade facing upwards and tap it lightly before tightening the handle.
Once done, I tried doing a test shave with it. Because I was experimenting with shaving with an injector blade in my Kampfe Lather Catcher, for my first pass, I used the El Jefe for my second pass and touch up. I was amazed at how easy it was to shave with. The head was domed similar to my Claymore, but weighed significantly less (the Claymore is a whopping 5 oz). The domed head allowed me to easily change angles when I needed to and the shave was very comfortable. The Hawk with it's chiseled head and to some extent the RX forced you into using one preferred angle for shaving. This is good if you follow that angle, but not so good if you don't. The El Jefe allowed me to change my angles and was lighter and more nimble than my Claymore.
Overall, a great buy for a flawed $20 razor head. Tomorrow I will do a complete shave with it.
Once done, I tried doing a test shave with it. Because I was experimenting with shaving with an injector blade in my Kampfe Lather Catcher, for my first pass, I used the El Jefe for my second pass and touch up. I was amazed at how easy it was to shave with. The head was domed similar to my Claymore, but weighed significantly less (the Claymore is a whopping 5 oz). The domed head allowed me to easily change angles when I needed to and the shave was very comfortable. The Hawk with it's chiseled head and to some extent the RX forced you into using one preferred angle for shaving. This is good if you follow that angle, but not so good if you don't. The El Jefe allowed me to change my angles and was lighter and more nimble than my Claymore.
Overall, a great buy for a flawed $20 razor head. Tomorrow I will do a complete shave with it.
