I had coupons available so I decided to pick up one of these on AliExpress. It arrived last week and I've been using it for the last few days so decided now might be a good time to post a review.
I opted for the white handle as can be seen and the fit and finish is beautiful for a razor which ended up costing me around £8 inc shipping!
The first thing that needs to be mentioned and doesn't seem to have been picked up on (or I hadn't noticed) is that the description of double open comb is a bit of a misnomer as, though the cap is open, the base plate is a closed comb design. But no matter - what's it like in use...?
I was aware of this razors fearsome reputation but, being no stranger to aggressive razors, I wasn't that concerned. Perhaps I should have been! In terms of blade feel this is a step up from both my R41 (2013) and Ikon Tek. The amount of audible feedback also serves to make this razor feel a bit scary.
The geometry is such that both blade reveal and blade gap are quite prodigious so the aggressive feel is not surprising. I assumed this would translate into very high efficiency but this has not actually been borne out thus far (more later).
Loaded with my usual go to blade, Gillette 7 o'clock yellow. My first WTG pass began well enough, if less than smooth, and I settled on a relatively steep angle as I have read others using. Cheeks, chin, top lip completed - onto neck. Under my right jaw bone beneath my ear the direction of growth does a sudden volte face such that WTG is the opposite of that closer to adams apple and requires me to j-hook to get the razor head in. So I did as I usually do and ouch - nicked myself for the first time since I began DE shaving!
Rinsed off, quick feel around face. Hmm, didnt feel as close as I expected. Still, early days.
Second pass, XTG. This actually felt more comfortable then WTG. All was well until top lip when ouch - nick number 2!
Completed, rinsed. Better but still not quite as close as I am accustomed to.
Pass three, ATG. Nervous...
Surprisingly this seemed to be where the razor began to shine. Neck was completed easily enough, over jaw bone, cheeks - all fine. There was a lot of blade chatter on the areas below corners of mouth but the stubble there is very tough.. Managed to get through with no incidents. Deep breath - top lip. Nick number 3
Rinse. Psyche myself up for alum block. Actually not too bad - a bit more sensation than normal but wouldn't go so far as to call it sting (apart from the areas I nicked which stopped bleeding when the alum did it's stuff).
The closeness was not as I had expected for such an aggressive razor and it made me fuly appreciate the difference between aggression and efficiency. The Yaqi DOC slant is most certainly aggressive (think hungry tiger on a handle aggressive) but less efficient than other razors I use regularly.
Of course, this was it's first shave so maybe I was being a bit harsh.
As of today I have completed 5 shaves with it and, to be fair, it has improved with use. Day 2 resulted in 1 nick under jawline though it may have been a case of reopening the one from the day before. Days 3 and 4, blood free
Today resulted in 1 nick, on my top lip again in same place as before.
Not getting much feedback from alum block so quite pleased and confident I'm not doing anything too badly wrong.
Although there has been a steady improvemnet since day 1 I still cannot say that I am getting as close a shave as I would have expected. It feels BBS shortly after but not for as long into the day as I can usually get. Perhaps that will also improve as I grow more adept with it but for now I would rate it as high on aggression but mid efficiency.
It has certainly been an interesting adventure though lol
I opted for the white handle as can be seen and the fit and finish is beautiful for a razor which ended up costing me around £8 inc shipping!
The first thing that needs to be mentioned and doesn't seem to have been picked up on (or I hadn't noticed) is that the description of double open comb is a bit of a misnomer as, though the cap is open, the base plate is a closed comb design. But no matter - what's it like in use...?
I was aware of this razors fearsome reputation but, being no stranger to aggressive razors, I wasn't that concerned. Perhaps I should have been! In terms of blade feel this is a step up from both my R41 (2013) and Ikon Tek. The amount of audible feedback also serves to make this razor feel a bit scary.
The geometry is such that both blade reveal and blade gap are quite prodigious so the aggressive feel is not surprising. I assumed this would translate into very high efficiency but this has not actually been borne out thus far (more later).
Loaded with my usual go to blade, Gillette 7 o'clock yellow. My first WTG pass began well enough, if less than smooth, and I settled on a relatively steep angle as I have read others using. Cheeks, chin, top lip completed - onto neck. Under my right jaw bone beneath my ear the direction of growth does a sudden volte face such that WTG is the opposite of that closer to adams apple and requires me to j-hook to get the razor head in. So I did as I usually do and ouch - nicked myself for the first time since I began DE shaving!
Rinsed off, quick feel around face. Hmm, didnt feel as close as I expected. Still, early days.
Second pass, XTG. This actually felt more comfortable then WTG. All was well until top lip when ouch - nick number 2!
Completed, rinsed. Better but still not quite as close as I am accustomed to.
Pass three, ATG. Nervous...
Surprisingly this seemed to be where the razor began to shine. Neck was completed easily enough, over jaw bone, cheeks - all fine. There was a lot of blade chatter on the areas below corners of mouth but the stubble there is very tough.. Managed to get through with no incidents. Deep breath - top lip. Nick number 3
Rinse. Psyche myself up for alum block. Actually not too bad - a bit more sensation than normal but wouldn't go so far as to call it sting (apart from the areas I nicked which stopped bleeding when the alum did it's stuff).
The closeness was not as I had expected for such an aggressive razor and it made me fuly appreciate the difference between aggression and efficiency. The Yaqi DOC slant is most certainly aggressive (think hungry tiger on a handle aggressive) but less efficient than other razors I use regularly.
Of course, this was it's first shave so maybe I was being a bit harsh.
As of today I have completed 5 shaves with it and, to be fair, it has improved with use. Day 2 resulted in 1 nick under jawline though it may have been a case of reopening the one from the day before. Days 3 and 4, blood free
Today resulted in 1 nick, on my top lip again in same place as before.
Not getting much feedback from alum block so quite pleased and confident I'm not doing anything too badly wrong.
Although there has been a steady improvemnet since day 1 I still cannot say that I am getting as close a shave as I would have expected. It feels BBS shortly after but not for as long into the day as I can usually get. Perhaps that will also improve as I grow more adept with it but for now I would rate it as high on aggression but mid efficiency.
It has certainly been an interesting adventure though lol
