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Lambda Athena Titanium (Ti)

After the first few shaves with my bronze Athena, I already knew that I wanted to have such a razor made of the strongest material used for this type of tool. Although I didn't want to get on pesky waiting lists, there was no other way. So I contacted the engineer and owner of the brand asking him to sign me up and he did.

So, almost four months later, after being added to the waiting list for the titanium Lambda Athena, today I became the first owner of the mirror polished Ti version.

The presentation is already familiar to me from my previous bronze Lambda Athena, a mahogany box with bronze hinges, and here the color is dark gray - graphite. A very stylish luxury performance. Absolutely the best razor presentation I've ever seen.

Each piece has a serial number and it is known to which customer it was sold. And the customer receives a booklet with instructions for use and maintenance, in which it is written by name that the particular shaver was made for him.

Regarding the razor itself, I don't know if I will be able to find the right words to describe and convey as accurately as possible what I am holding in my hands.
Extremely precise craftsmanship, jewelry performance, attention to detail and overall finish. I look at her and try to find some kind of imperfection, but there just isn't any. Everything is meticulously crafted, as can be expected given the experience I have with the bronze version.
However, here the material is grade 5 titanium (a high grade used in high technology, such as aviation) which means that due to its very high hardness, it is difficult to machine. These specs, however, clearly haven't affected the quality and everything looks flawless.

Here comes the real reason I bought it. It's not because of the stunning looks, but the way it shaves. This razor is not just a shiny object to leave somewhere and just enjoy it. Lambda Athena Ti is an extremely functional, practical, comfortable and very effective shaving tool.
The shave is really effective and very comfortable. It is like that with the bronze version, but with Ti it is something more, I would say luxurious and downright pampering.

It took me 2-3 shaves with the bronze Athena to realize that I could afford to change my technique, which became significantly more effective. With Athena, I can go straight across the hair - ATG, right after the first - WTG pass, skipping a cross pass - XTG, without it feeling rough. So, now I do one WTG and two ATGs (once in the direction of the hair and two counters). With every other razor I've tried, I have to XTG before ATG so it doesn't feel harsh.
The strokes became, significantly longer, without me lifting the razor from my face. This also adds to the comfort because the short, energetic strokes actually overlap and mean multiple repetitions in the same area. I find that all of this, I can implement even more easily with the Ti version.

The titanium Athena has a slightly different bottom plate design than the bronze one I have. The corners are now cut without looking boringly rounded, on the contrary, the head looks better now in my opinion. The feedback is also a little different, I think the sound heard during shaving is more distinct, higher. The weight has also been significantly reduced, I don't know exactly how much, but it seems half the weight of the bronze one. These specifications allow for much more agile movements, smoother touches, better maneuverability and easier access to difficult areas. In my opinion, the main reasons for the combination of comfort and efficiency are the ingeniously designed head and the extremely stable grip of the blade. I have never seen another razor that grips the blade so tightly, so close to the very edge. Thus, no parasitic oscillation occurs, which usually leads to irritation.

The end result of the shave is a quick, easy and uncompromising BBS.

I shave every two to three days, always aiming for the BBs, no matter what razor I use. Most of the time, I manage to do it with other razors, but sometimes at the cost of slight discomfort due to irritated skin. The Athena is the only razor I've tried that I don't have to compromise on, BBS, at the expense of irritated skin. I always get a clean shave and I'm cool with that.

I know many people are wondering how this happens with such a small gap and neutral blade exposure. Well, I don't know either. Apparently this is the engineering secret of the person behind this project.



































 
That is just a gorgeous razor. Bronze or Ti! I think it's the prettiest razor being made right now. It's more akin to a fine piece of jewelry than an actual tool.

Nice review of the shave as well. It is an amazingly easy shaver. Long strokes are easy, comfortable and efficient and make for a quicker shave. I also have no idea how he pulls it off with such little blade exposure. You can barely see the edges!

I actually prefer the bronze however because of the weight. I like heavy razors so I'm not sure I'll ever own a Ti razor of any kind.

You're a lucky guy to own two of them, have fun!👍
 
@horizon Thank you so much for the excellent write-up!
I'm delighted that you were impressed by the titanium Athena. In fact, we've put in a lot of effort to make it almost perfect.
Grade 5 titanium is a beast both in machinability and polishability!

One note here that might not have been communicated very well by me.
The SS and Ti versions' wooden boxes are made of Manchurian ashwood, a specific type of ash-wood.
You can understand the difference in texture of the wood, as well as the smell! Manchurian ashwood has a distinct smell, very different from mahogany!
 

Iridian

Cool and slimy
This looks so much better than the first rather matte looking Ti Athena on a photo a while ago, just as shiny as the steel version.

Very nice, excellent finish you already know that it is an excellent razor.

Season 1 Love GIF by Paramount+
 
After the first few shaves with my bronze Athena, I already knew that I wanted to have such a razor made of the strongest material used for this type of tool. Although I didn't want to get on pesky waiting lists, there was no other way. So I contacted the engineer and owner of the brand asking him to sign me up and he did.

So, almost four months later, after being added to the waiting list for the titanium Lambda Athena, today I became the first owner of the mirror polished Ti version.

The presentation is already familiar to me from my previous bronze Lambda Athena, a mahogany box with bronze hinges, and here the color is dark gray - graphite. A very stylish luxury performance. Absolutely the best razor presentation I've ever seen.

Each piece has a serial number and it is known to which customer it was sold. And the customer receives a booklet with instructions for use and maintenance, in which it is written by name that the particular shaver was made for him.

Regarding the razor itself, I don't know if I will be able to find the right words to describe and convey as accurately as possible what I am holding in my hands.
Extremely precise craftsmanship, jewelry performance, attention to detail and overall finish. I look at her and try to find some kind of imperfection, but there just isn't any. Everything is meticulously crafted, as can be expected given the experience I have with the bronze version.
However, here the material is grade 5 titanium (a high grade used in high technology, such as aviation) which means that due to its very high hardness, it is difficult to machine. These specs, however, clearly haven't affected the quality and everything looks flawless.

Here comes the real reason I bought it. It's not because of the stunning looks, but the way it shaves. This razor is not just a shiny object to leave somewhere and just enjoy it. Lambda Athena Ti is an extremely functional, practical, comfortable and very effective shaving tool.
The shave is really effective and very comfortable. It is like that with the bronze version, but with Ti it is something more, I would say luxurious and downright pampering.

It took me 2-3 shaves with the bronze Athena to realize that I could afford to change my technique, which became significantly more effective. With Athena, I can go straight across the hair - ATG, right after the first - WTG pass, skipping a cross pass - XTG, without it feeling rough. So, now I do one WTG and two ATGs (once in the direction of the hair and two counters). With every other razor I've tried, I have to XTG before ATG so it doesn't feel harsh.
The strokes became, significantly longer, without me lifting the razor from my face. This also adds to the comfort because the short, energetic strokes actually overlap and mean multiple repetitions in the same area. I find that all of this, I can implement even more easily with the Ti version.

The titanium Athena has a slightly different bottom plate design than the bronze one I have. The corners are now cut without looking boringly rounded, on the contrary, the head looks better now in my opinion. The feedback is also a little different, I think the sound heard during shaving is more distinct, higher. The weight has also been significantly reduced, I don't know exactly how much, but it seems half the weight of the bronze one. These specifications allow for much more agile movements, smoother touches, better maneuverability and easier access to difficult areas. In my opinion, the main reasons for the combination of comfort and efficiency are the ingeniously designed head and the extremely stable grip of the blade. I have never seen another razor that grips the blade so tightly, so close to the very edge. Thus, no parasitic oscillation occurs, which usually leads to irritation.

The end result of the shave is a quick, easy and uncompromising BBS.

I shave every two to three days, always aiming for the BBs, no matter what razor I use. Most of the time, I manage to do it with other razors, but sometimes at the cost of slight discomfort due to irritated skin. The Athena is the only razor I've tried that I don't have to compromise on, BBS, at the expense of irritated skin. I always get a clean shave and I'm cool with that.

I know many people are wondering how this happens with such a small gap and neutral blade exposure. Well, I don't know either. Apparently this is the engineering secret of the person behind this project.



































Bravo! A fabulous review. Thank you for sharing and congrats on your new Ti Athena!
 
Absolutely beautiful razors!! Congratulations!

However, here the material is grade 5 titanium (a high grade used in high technology, such as aviation) which means that due to its very high hardness, it is difficult to machine.

Perhaps @Lambda Razors can add to this. My understanding is that titanium is stronger than steel for a given weight, but it is actually softer that steel. Part of the difficulty to machine Ti is that softness, it can weld/fuse itself to the tool. So heat and other conditions need to be more carefully controlled.
 
@horizon Thank you so much for the excellent write-up!
I'm delighted that you were impressed by the titanium Athena. In fact, we've put in a lot of effort to make it almost perfect.
Grade 5 titanium is a beast both in machinability and polishability!

One note here that might not have been communicated very well by me.
The SS and Ti versions' wooden boxes are made of Manchurian ashwood, a specific type of ash-wood.
You can understand the difference in texture of the wood, as well as the smell! Manchurian ashwood has a distinct smell, very different from mahogany!
Thanks for the clarification! I thought it was just a different varnish finish.
Greetings for the great work, master!
 
Beautiful razor…congrats. Should make a great companion to your bronze. Glad to see some fresh pics of the Ti version. The one I remember seeing was more matte looking which didn’t appeal to me as much as the polished. Yours looks fantastic. I too like the new cut/rounded edges on the base plate.

I will have a new stainless Athena to add to my bronze in a few days. Super excited.
 
Absolutely beautiful razors!! Congratulations!



Perhaps @Lambda Razors can add to this. My understanding is that titanium is stronger than steel for a given weight, but it is actually softer that steel. Part of the difficulty to machine Ti is that softness, it can weld/fuse itself to the tool. So heat and other conditions need to be more carefully controlled.
I thought this would deserve a separate thread, so you can read my reply HERE
Thank you!!
 

Mr. Shavington

Knows Hot Turkish Toilets
Absolutely beautiful razor! Thanks for sharing your impressions and all the pictures. Usually I do not prefer the lighter weight of titanium razors but if the razor is large enough the weight is still ok for me and I can appreciate the added manoeuvrability - I feel like I need at least 50 or (better) 60g, which I’m sure the Ti Athena would be. I suspect this will be a very nice contrast with your bronze Athena and will give you two great experiences, as the mood takes you. And they are both stunning and special in different ways.

Congratulations on getting one of these. It sounds like Theo may not make many more mirror polished titanium razors because of the labour required, so you’ve got something that perhaps not many people can.
 
Absolutely beautiful razor! Thanks for sharing your impressions and all the pictures. Usually I do not prefer the lighter weight of titanium razors but if the razor is large enough the weight is still ok for me and I can appreciate the added manoeuvrability - I feel like I need at least 50 or (better) 60g, which I’m sure the Ti Athena would be. I suspect this will be a very nice contrast with your bronze Athena and will give you two great experiences, as the mood takes you. And they are both stunning and special in different ways.

Congratulations on getting one of these. It sounds like Theo may not make many more mirror polished titanium razors because of the labour required, so you’ve got something that perhaps not many people can.
Theo Mentioned this to me in email im sure he does not mind me sharing

Bronze: 119gr
316L: 127gr
Ti (Gr.5): 70.5gr

my own Bronze Athena seems to be 117.91
 
Absolutely beautiful razor! Thanks for sharing your impressions and all the pictures. Usually I do not prefer the lighter weight of titanium razors but if the razor is large enough the weight is still ok for me and I can appreciate the added manoeuvrability - I feel like I need at least 50 or (better) 60g, which I’m sure the Ti Athena would be. I suspect this will be a very nice contrast with your bronze Athena and will give you two great experiences, as the mood takes you. And they are both stunning and special in different ways.

Congratulations on getting one of these. It sounds like Theo may not make many more mirror polished titanium razors because of the labour required, so you’ve got something that perhaps not many people can.
Thanks!
I've already tried the Ti and yes, it's a different experience. Despite the same head geometry (at least I think so) the feeling is different, even the sound is different.
 
Absolutely beautiful razors!! Congratulations!



Perhaps @Lambda Razors can add to this. My understanding is that titanium is stronger than steel for a given weight, but it is actually softer that steel. Part of the difficulty to machine Ti is that softness, it can weld/fuse itself to the tool. So heat and other conditions need to be more carefully controlled.
Titanium presents several challenges compared to steel when it comes to machining:
* Low Thermal Conductivity: Titanium is a poor conductor of heat, meaning the heat generated during machining doesn't dissipate easily. This localized heat build-up can cause the cutting tool to wear rapidly, soften the workpiece, and potentially lead to work hardening (where the material becomes harder as it's deformed).
* High Chemical Reactivity: Titanium tends to react with cutting tool materials at high temperatures, causing them to weld together and form built-up edges. This can lead to poor surface finishes, increased cutting forces, and tool breakage.
* High Strength and Hardness: Titanium alloys are generally stronger and harder than many steels, requiring higher cutting forces and leading to faster tool wear.
* Springiness or Elasticity: Titanium tends to "spring back" during machining due to its elasticity, making it difficult to achieve precise dimensions and tolerances.
* Work Hardening: As mentioned before, titanium can work harden when subjected to stress and heat during machining, further increasing its hardness and making it more difficult to cut.
 
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