Does anyone have a reckoning as to the blade gap of this razor and its 'aggression' in relation to other larger blade gap razors? Due to the relative inexpensive cost of this head I've considered giving it a try to test the waters to see if I would favor razors like the Gamechanger .84 OC/Jaws/Fatip etc. rather than paying the full price for any of the latter and sadly concluding it is not for me.
Maggard V3A: Just Amazing
- Thread starter BudgetShaverGuy
- Start date
I can confirm that the top plate is a brass plated Zamak. Mine came in scratched and I removed the brass layer by trying to polish the scratch off. There was white metal underneath. To be fair, it took a fair amount of scraping with steel wool. Don’t think it would be a problem in usual operation.
That said, after putting V3A top cap on it, it became my favorite razor, for now at least. It’s beautiful, I love the long brass handle, and it’s a fantastic shaver - as efficient as V3A but a little less aggressive (even thought V3A itself, for all of its perceived aggressiveness, is actually a very gentle shaver).
I will be probably ordering a second one.
I just got an MR8 handle for my V3A; the combination weighs more than some cars I've owned but I love it.
I also own a very aggressive head of this type, I bought it many years ago in a barber store in my town.
I read that the larger gap compared to the traditional Muhle/Edwin Jagger/Merkur gives a greater depth of cut while not unnecessary aggression on the skin so the important blade gap is properly curved managing to be deep without its aggressiveness becoming too pronounced.
I feel it is definitely aggressive; my question is whether there are differences in geometry between the various Yintal,RR Mentor, Yaqi DLC and Maggard V3A models whereby one cartridge is more aggressive than the others.
My cartridge has "American Barbers" engraving and I believe it should normally be Chinese made like most of their cartridges.
Than which razor blade do you recommend trying it with to get a less rough and aggressive result?
I read that the larger gap compared to the traditional Muhle/Edwin Jagger/Merkur gives a greater depth of cut while not unnecessary aggression on the skin so the important blade gap is properly curved managing to be deep without its aggressiveness becoming too pronounced.
I feel it is definitely aggressive; my question is whether there are differences in geometry between the various Yintal,RR Mentor, Yaqi DLC and Maggard V3A models whereby one cartridge is more aggressive than the others.
My cartridge has "American Barbers" engraving and I believe it should normally be Chinese made like most of their cartridges.
Than which razor blade do you recommend trying it with to get a less rough and aggressive result?
Just as a point of clarification: The term "cartridge" normally refers to multi-blade replaceable heads. The picture you posted is a double edge (DE) razor. With a cartridge razor, you discard and replace the entire head once the blades get dull. With a DE razor, you replace only a single double edge blade.
As far as your DE razor: It is a likely a copy of the Edwin Jagger DE89/Muehle R89 design. There are many copies of this basic razor design. Because everyone's face, shaving preparation, and technique are unique, it is very difficult to predict how a particular soap/cream/razor/blade/aftershave/etc. will work for an individual person. The usual recommendation is simply to experiment and discover what works best for your individual skin and shaving technique.
As far as your DE razor: It is a likely a copy of the Edwin Jagger DE89/Muehle R89 design. There are many copies of this basic razor design. Because everyone's face, shaving preparation, and technique are unique, it is very difficult to predict how a particular soap/cream/razor/blade/aftershave/etc. will work for an individual person. The usual recommendation is simply to experiment and discover what works best for your individual skin and shaving technique.
So the head of my razor is less aggressive than the Maggard V3A?
The head in post #24 is not a copy of DE89/R89. It is a relatively new design which shaves differently than them. It is not sharp angled profile safety bar, but square. Also you don't have scallops on the bar but just linear notches. I believe the first to make that head were Weishi. Then pretty soon the other Chinese manufacturers started making this design too. The thing is with different manufacturers you will get different aggression. Difference is in both exposure and gap. The Weishi head is the most aggressive (sold as Yintal and Boker also ). I wouldn't even think of recommending it to newbies. Then comes the Yaqi cobbled head which is milder. The Maggard V3A is the mildest of the 3. Mind you, that guard design might give a somewhat rough experience even with the mildest M3A head. All heads with that safety bar shape are made by Chinese manufacturers.
Of course I cannot tell which of the three heads is that "American barber" head.
I have two V3A's in different finishes,and a Yintal Bronze. While there may be some minor sample differences between the three, they are extremely small and likely due to individual unit tolerances. If I had to pick the most "aggressive" of the three, I'd go with the matte silver V3A, while the Yintal and the dark colored V3A are shaving essentially the same. But the difference between all three is so minor, it may just be in my head.
My V3A is chrome plated and has been bought at least 5 years ago. It is possible with time the Chinese subcontractor started making heads with bigger (or smaller) gap and exposure. This has been the case with the Razorock Mentor head. (I forgot it is the same shape of guard as the Weishi, V3A and the Yaqi cobbled.) Users who bought the Mentor in the early days have milder heads. The later ones are more aggressive. I bought 2 of them in the last 1-2 years
Do you confirm it is not a DE89/R89 clone?
Because I remembered that the cobbled shape head were clones of Maggard V3A.
I also had a Yintal razor with the same head but slightly more aggressive, didn't like it and sold it.
I bought my silver V3A and Yintal back in 2019, and just got the dark V3A a few weeks ago. So it's possible that there were changes in the molds. That said, though, if there's any difference between the, it's really minor.
The RR Mentor is probably one of the few to recognize himself.
Judging from the photos you see online it has a more matte head color?
Can you tell if the difference in aggressiveness between different heads is noticeable or almost imperceptible?
So you don't have a Mentor but judge by photos. It is a mirror chrome plating.
Of course the difference is quite perceptible. Especially between the Weishi and the V3A that I have it is day and night.
Sorry Sir , I was wrong in translating the word head from Italian to English.
The machine translation of the term is not the appropriate one,now I understood what is the term that suits it best ,without creating misunderstanding or different meanings.
Thank you for your clarification.
Comparing some photos of these head that have appeared in the Italian forum, I get the idea that it could be a Yaqi Cobbled or a very similar Chinese head, nothing to do with Yintal.
Tonight out of curiosity I tried to do a few passes on my face without shaving,just a quick test.
After lathering,I used the same razor blade I used yesterday a Treet New Edge, well the blade felt , I could feel it close but I found it very smooth not aggressive, nor rough.
I don't know why it felt more aggressive yesterday, maybe not using aggressive razors for a long time I lost a little memory of what shaving is like with an aggressive razor.
I made a few passes but it seemed more effective than a Yaqi Mellon comb which I also like.
I definitely have to try it tomorrow or Thursday to see if it actually changes my perception from yesterday or if it's one of those aggressive heads, it doesn't look like it.
The Yintal head is definitely aggressive for me, after using it a couple of times I sold it.
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I shaved again today with this razor head.
I confirm my impressions from the quick test I performed yesterday.
The "American Barber" head plate feels very close but not too aggressive as a feeling, not even too gentle like other Yaqi heads or other razors I am used to however no irritation and total comfort with the Treet New Edge blade.
I'm surprised because Monday it seemed to give me some tugging and the blade ran very rough, not smooth.
Wonderful discovery today! It was quite smooth, I may have to get used to reusing it a bit by changing the matching handle often.
The handle I used should be an old Pearl razor handle , can't remember the model.
A handle was sent to me by a shaving friend during a razor exchange or a gift, it has been many years and my memory is a bit lacking in this kind of memory.
I will try to make more modifications by buying a few more different handles to vary and match this Chinese razor head.
I have so many razor heads and DE razors that it has been maybe four or five years since I last used.
I' m satisfied I will definitely buy another Yaqi Cobbled or Maggard V3A.
I confirm my impressions from the quick test I performed yesterday.
The "American Barber" head plate feels very close but not too aggressive as a feeling, not even too gentle like other Yaqi heads or other razors I am used to however no irritation and total comfort with the Treet New Edge blade.
I'm surprised because Monday it seemed to give me some tugging and the blade ran very rough, not smooth.
Wonderful discovery today! It was quite smooth, I may have to get used to reusing it a bit by changing the matching handle often.
The handle I used should be an old Pearl razor handle , can't remember the model.
A handle was sent to me by a shaving friend during a razor exchange or a gift, it has been many years and my memory is a bit lacking in this kind of memory.
I will try to make more modifications by buying a few more different handles to vary and match this Chinese razor head.
I have so many razor heads and DE razors that it has been maybe four or five years since I last used.
I' m satisfied I will definitely buy another Yaqi Cobbled or Maggard V3A.
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