Having finally received the Overlander, I have had three runs around the block with it. These are my first impressions.
It might help to have some background information about the way I shave. I am a daily shaver because of work. My beard is of medium thickness and the hair is neither fine nor coarse.
I always shave after a shower. After giving my face a thorough rinse, I apply a pre-shave gel and lather up. My blade of choice is Gillette 7 O’clock Green. Three passes normally does me with the occasional touch-up if technique has momentarily abandoned me.
The razor itself is quite hefty. It is clearly well over 100 g in weight. The handle length is at the upper ranges for my liking. I have relatively small hands (you know what they say. Small hands small… gloves). Most blokes will have no trouble with handle length. The blade reveal was consistently good each time.
I did notice that there seemed to be a larger space than usual between the end of the blade and the end of the cap. I find the smaller that space, the easier it is to get into awkward places like under the nose. In my case, unlike my hands, the hooter is a reasonably large protuberance. Having said that, I had no difficulty in that regard with this razor.
The first thing I noticed, while shaving, was a lack of blade feel. The second was an absence of blade chatter. I could hear, slightly, the beard being mown down but it was nowhere near as loud as I have sometimes heard.
This razor is very efficient. A first pass would nearly have done me except by 3 o’clock in the afternoon I would have felt sandpaper-like. After three passes (WTG, XTG and ATG) my cheeks and jawline were BBS. My neck, especially the lower part, will never achieve BBS. But with some J-hooking was more than passable. That is my problem not the razor’s.
It is also very smooth. I had no cuts or weepers and at no time did I think the ambulance should be called on the off chance I was going to bleed out.
During the course of the shave, the handle did not allow for any slippage. At no time did I feel anything other than comfortable with that regardless of how wet or soapy the handle became.
Perhaps a comparison for Karve lovers. I also have (amongst other razors, the number of which I choose not to reveal) the Karve Christopher Bradley SB D plate (with a number of other plates which I also choose not to reveal). I gave that a trot the day after I had finished with the Overlander. The two shaves were remarkably similar. The major difference I found was greater blade feel with the D plate. Efficiency was similar but the D plate was more aggressive.
All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase and can recommend it.
It might help to have some background information about the way I shave. I am a daily shaver because of work. My beard is of medium thickness and the hair is neither fine nor coarse.
I always shave after a shower. After giving my face a thorough rinse, I apply a pre-shave gel and lather up. My blade of choice is Gillette 7 O’clock Green. Three passes normally does me with the occasional touch-up if technique has momentarily abandoned me.
The razor itself is quite hefty. It is clearly well over 100 g in weight. The handle length is at the upper ranges for my liking. I have relatively small hands (you know what they say. Small hands small… gloves). Most blokes will have no trouble with handle length. The blade reveal was consistently good each time.
I did notice that there seemed to be a larger space than usual between the end of the blade and the end of the cap. I find the smaller that space, the easier it is to get into awkward places like under the nose. In my case, unlike my hands, the hooter is a reasonably large protuberance. Having said that, I had no difficulty in that regard with this razor.
The first thing I noticed, while shaving, was a lack of blade feel. The second was an absence of blade chatter. I could hear, slightly, the beard being mown down but it was nowhere near as loud as I have sometimes heard.
This razor is very efficient. A first pass would nearly have done me except by 3 o’clock in the afternoon I would have felt sandpaper-like. After three passes (WTG, XTG and ATG) my cheeks and jawline were BBS. My neck, especially the lower part, will never achieve BBS. But with some J-hooking was more than passable. That is my problem not the razor’s.
It is also very smooth. I had no cuts or weepers and at no time did I think the ambulance should be called on the off chance I was going to bleed out.
During the course of the shave, the handle did not allow for any slippage. At no time did I feel anything other than comfortable with that regardless of how wet or soapy the handle became.
Perhaps a comparison for Karve lovers. I also have (amongst other razors, the number of which I choose not to reveal) the Karve Christopher Bradley SB D plate (with a number of other plates which I also choose not to reveal). I gave that a trot the day after I had finished with the Overlander. The two shaves were remarkably similar. The major difference I found was greater blade feel with the D plate. Efficiency was similar but the D plate was more aggressive.
All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase and can recommend it.