Curiosity over the Henson led me to buying the Winning razor. I've only been DE shaving for 3 months but have already acquired 5 razors and have tried pretty much every blade. I shave daily! Same basic design as the Henson but the winning razor is stainless steel and it's made by Yates in the USA. In terms of the head, it's supposed to be a little more aggressive than the Henson medium. If that's the case, I think I made the right choice (I've learned that I tend to favor some aggressiveness from the razors/blades). I used it tonight for the first time on a 2 day beard growth with a Bic blade, King of Shaves gel and finished off with my Aqua Velva shave balm. (For those that haven't tried it, the Aqua Velva shave balm is incredibly good, excellent for night shaves before bed).
So what I found with the Winning razor was something unexpected. The closeness that I got from a 2 pass shave was shockingly close. And this comes from a razor that I found to be incredibly mild. I don't believe I'd be able to nick myself with this thing even if I tried! I don't know how but it really mows down beard growth with the effectiveness of an aggressive shaver. I don't shave against the grain, I first shave with the grain and then across the grain on the second pass. The quality of the razor is A-1!
It's got some machine marks which is to be expected from a $50 stainless steel razor but I don't mind that. My priority is the quality of the shave and the alignment. It's pretty perfect in that respect!
Another thing is that it's a heavy razor which I like for this type of razor which has a medium length handle. The head takes some practice in terms of the angle (it's a bit different) but I figured it out on my first pass. Edging my goatee & sideburns with the squared off head will take some practice as well. The suction that some speak of while using it is evident but nothing that affects the shave. Overall this razor is a bargain for $50 and it gave me the closest shave I've ever had. I will always have it in rotation and it's primary use will be quick shaves when I have no time for a "long" shave. Since it's pretty much foolproof, It's perfect for that. Excellent novice shaver and for the shaving expert that wants a no-nonsense and safe fast shave. Highly recommended!
As for the Lupo, It's the aluminum DE and I'll be trying it out tomorrow night for the first time. It looks incredibly well built and it's very light. My shaving bowl arrives tomorrow so the Lupo will be part of my first ever "Proraso shave soap" shave. I'm finally moving up to shave soaps!
Here are some pictures of both the "Winning razor" and the Lupo:
So what I found with the Winning razor was something unexpected. The closeness that I got from a 2 pass shave was shockingly close. And this comes from a razor that I found to be incredibly mild. I don't believe I'd be able to nick myself with this thing even if I tried! I don't know how but it really mows down beard growth with the effectiveness of an aggressive shaver. I don't shave against the grain, I first shave with the grain and then across the grain on the second pass. The quality of the razor is A-1!
It's got some machine marks which is to be expected from a $50 stainless steel razor but I don't mind that. My priority is the quality of the shave and the alignment. It's pretty perfect in that respect!
Another thing is that it's a heavy razor which I like for this type of razor which has a medium length handle. The head takes some practice in terms of the angle (it's a bit different) but I figured it out on my first pass. Edging my goatee & sideburns with the squared off head will take some practice as well. The suction that some speak of while using it is evident but nothing that affects the shave. Overall this razor is a bargain for $50 and it gave me the closest shave I've ever had. I will always have it in rotation and it's primary use will be quick shaves when I have no time for a "long" shave. Since it's pretty much foolproof, It's perfect for that. Excellent novice shaver and for the shaving expert that wants a no-nonsense and safe fast shave. Highly recommended!
As for the Lupo, It's the aluminum DE and I'll be trying it out tomorrow night for the first time. It looks incredibly well built and it's very light. My shaving bowl arrives tomorrow so the Lupo will be part of my first ever "Proraso shave soap" shave. I'm finally moving up to shave soaps!
Here are some pictures of both the "Winning razor" and the Lupo:
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