New modern DE razor recommendation using Schick krona and 40s SS as guideline

[WalkerTM]

Back to wet shaving after a hiatus recently. Right now I have a 40s superspeed and schick krona. The krona shaves much better for me. It is smoother, more efficient, and causes less irritation. I get irritation with the superspeed, even being careful, and it tugs more. I want to love the razor, but I just don't. I'll likely keep it because it's a classic but it probably won't be in my rotation until I've gotten my technique back to where I want it. I don't regularly feel up other men's faces so it's hard to rate my beard, but I have dense, coarse, curly hair and my stubble is a pretty rough sandpaper when I rub it. I don't grow an entirely full beard when I do, but I do have a good amount of growth in the areas I do have growth.

Taking a loupe to them, it looks like the 40s superspeed has a neutral blade exposure. The blade gap is 0.64mm. The schick krona, largely due to the narrow bevel, has a positive blade exposure with a blade gap of 0.53mm.

Recommendations for modern razors taking these facts and my current preferences into consideration? I had my eye on a RR game changer .68p or .84p simply because of the amazing value, but I'm not sure they're the best options given my preferences. The 84 has a neutral blade exposure and almost the exact same gap as the SS, and the 68 has a negative blade exposure, which I've never tried. I'm not sure how bevel size and angle of the head might play in to aggressiveness, smoothness, etc. If your experience is that it does factor in, I might also lean toward a modern razor with a flatter bevel.

Anyone who's had a krona and one of the "big few" modern razors (at the $50-75 price range or lower) that can chime in would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[Vraad]

I have four krona/prekronas and I would say if you like them you'll love the henson razor, I call it my new krona. The hensons handle is about the same taper and length of the krona and the aluminum henson weights close to the krona. The henson also has a built in bevel like the top cap on the krona and can be had for 69.99 or used off the bay for ~50 bones. The henson sandwiches the blade flat and then bends the blade all at once towards the cutting edge which makes for a chatter free shave. I have the older mild but I would prolly recommend the medium as the mild is real mild! also this is the link to the club which is close to 200 pages of info and opinions on the henson

 

[WalkerTM]

I have four krona/prekronas and I would say if you like them you'll love the henson razor, I call it my new krona. The hensons handle is about the same taper and length of the krona and the aluminum henson weights close to the krona. The henson also has a built in bevel like the top cap on the krona and can be had for 69.99 or used off the bay for ~50 bones. The henson sandwiches the blade flat and then bends the blade all at once towards the cutting edge which makes for a chatter free shave. I have the older mild but I would prolly recommend the medium as the mild is real mild! also this is the link to the club which is close to 200 pages of info and opinions on the henson View attachment 1653561View attachment 1653562

Great recommendation! Looking at all the geometry on their tech specs and the overall design, it does seem very similar to the Krona, indeed! I'm going to start looking at this one more seriously.

 

[spacemonkey42]

I absolutely love and recommend Hensons, you can't go wrong there! Join the Henson club for more advice.

Recommendations for modern razors taking these facts and my current preferences into consideration? I had my eye on a RR game changer .68p or .84p simply because of the amazing value, but I'm not sure they're the best options given my preferences. The 84 has a neutral blade exposure and almost the exact same gap as the SS, and the 68 has a negative blade exposure, which I've never tried.

I also really enjoy my Game Changers. I am not sure where you are getting that information, Razorock lists the 68 as positive and the 84 as 0.05mm more. I just tested my Game Changers 84p with a Perma-Sharp blade and it is certainly positive. The 68p seems neutral or just maybe a hair more.

 

[Vraad]

it's a great one, it's a very mindless and irritation free razor. I always send my blades to die in the henson. with some duller blades the krona can be real plucky on my upper lip but that same blade after bouncing around my too many razors will end it's life in my henson and it will shave better with ten shaves on it then it did in the krona with one or two. Some times the henson refuses to give a bad shave so hard that I'm stuck using it week after week with a blade that woulda been binned at shave seven only for it to still be smooth at shave thirty. I have on more the one occasion given up and binned a blade that's clung to life in the henson just so I can get back to using a different razor! I needs my variety!

 

[WalkerTM]

I absolutely love and recommend Hensons, you can't go wrong there! Join the Henson club for more advice.



I also really enjoy my Game Changers. I am not sure where you are getting that information, Razorock lists the 68 as positive and the 84 as 0.05mm more. I just tested my Game Changers 84p with a Perma-Sharp blade and it is certainly positive. The 68p seems neutral or just maybe a hair more.

Just some old B&B threads with images. I could dig it up if you want, but regardless I'm happy to go with the actual Razorock specs!! That does change the picture a bit on that razor. At worst, it's still a great deal.

I'll probably just keep an eye out for both on the BST...

 

[spacemonkey42]

Yup, I've seen those pictures, but I also tested it myself just now. The 84p is not neutral unless one could find some very narrow blade.

I like the Henson a bit more and would highly recommend the medium if you want a super smooth, no-drama and no-irritation shave. But the Game Changer is also terrific.

 

[WalkerTM]

Good to know! Thank you.

 

[Asland408]

I have a 40s super speed and early 50s super speed. If you are looking for a modern TTO. I am loving the Parker 87R it is a tribute to a 40s Gillette Aristocrat. I find it to be more efficient than 40s Super Speed and a little heavier. It is wonder feeling in my hand solid build and good quality. The audible feedback helps you find the proper angle. You just let the weight of the razor do the work. I find it very efficient and it does not feel aggressive to me. it has a little blade feel. I am getting some of the best shaves from it. So much so I bought a vintage Gillette Aristocrat. Parker 87R to me is a great Modern TTO. YMMV just my 2 cents.

 

[Chaucer]

I haven’t tried the Henson. For me the Tatara Masamune is a re-conceived and much higher quality Tech. Not inexpensive but excellent design and craftsmanship in a mild razor.

 

[Attog]

I have a 40s super speed and early 50s super speed. If you are looking for a modern TTO. I am loving the Parker 87R it is a tribute to a 40s Gillette Aristocrat. I find it to be more efficient than 40s Super Speed and a little heavier. It is wonder feeling in my hand solid build and good quality. The audible feedback helps you find the proper angle. You just let the weight of the razor do the work. I find it very efficient and it does not feel aggressive to me. it has a little blade feel. I am getting some of the best shaves from it. So much so I bought a vintage Gillette Aristocrat. Parker 87R to me is a great Modern TTO. YMMV just my 2 cents.

I shaved with it just once so far but I can already tell it's a keeper! Not only I like how it looks but it also shave so smoothly and that's for me a welcome change from R41 GS which is great but sometimes rough and I can't use it every day for BBS as my skin can tolerate it only couple a days in a row.

 

[Asland408]

@Attog I have shaved with it many times now. I find it a very smooth shave. It is beautiful too. I also find I can get a great daily shave with it as a daily user. Good shaves to you.

 

[LRod]

Back to wet shaving after a hiatus recently. Right now I have a 40s superspeed and schick krona. The krona shaves much better for me. It is smoother, more efficient, and causes less irritation. I get irritation with the superspeed, even being careful, and it tugs more. I want to love the razor, but I just don't. I'll likely keep it because it's a classic but it probably won't be in my rotation until I've gotten my technique back to where I want it. I don't regularly feel up other men's faces so it's hard to rate my beard, but I have dense, coarse, curly hair and my stubble is a pretty rough sandpaper when I rub it. I don't grow an entirely full beard when I do, but I do have a good amount of growth in the areas I do have growth.

Taking a loupe to them, it looks like the 40s superspeed has a neutral blade exposure. The blade gap is 0.64mm. The schick krona, largely due to the narrow bevel, has a positive blade exposure with a blade gap of 0.53mm.

Recommendations for modern razors taking these facts and my current preferences into consideration? I had my eye on a RR game changer .68p or .84p simply because of the amazing value, but I'm not sure they're the best options given my preferences. The 84 has a neutral blade exposure and almost the exact same gap as the SS, and the 68 has a negative blade exposure, which I've never tried. I'm not sure how bevel size and angle of the head might play in to aggressiveness, smoothness, etc. If your experience is that it does factor in, I might also lean toward a modern razor with a flatter bevel.

Anyone who's had a krona and one of the "big few" modern razors (at the $50-75 price range or lower) that can chime in would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

Late to this thread!
I have and use a Krona. It's one of the only vintage razors that I've kept because of the way it shaves (I even have one factory sealed that's never been open). I do like other razors though as I like to experiment with razors in the whole spectrum (mild to aggressive). But if I only had a Krona and wanted something modern, I'd most likely get a Green Cult 2.0. They aren't super expensive, they're made in Austria (incredible quality) and they have 4 different base plates to choose from.
You'd probably be happy with level I or II.
If it interests you, here's a thread that us Green Cult owners have participated in. It's ling but if you start reading at around the second half of the thread, you can learn about the 2.0. The thread starts with the original version which is no longer made:

Green Cult Steel Razor

100% Made in Austria. 100% Steel SotD NEW Greencult Steel Razor Joserra Black Rose Note AS and Soap, Kent Brush. Today I was allowed to test something new with a lot of potential upwards. I first heard about it in the FdR forum. A small company in Austria specializing in sustainable...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[know1special]

If you'd like a modern razor that shaves pretty similarly to your Krona without breaking the bank I'd recommend trying a Van der Hagen TTO.

I believe it is a re-brand of the Weishi 9306. It's all brass construction with a nice chrome plating and very solid build quality for it's price. I think I picked mine up for around $15US from a local drugstore. That was several years ago and it still shaves and looks great.

The shave itself is fairly mild but can be quite efficient if you get the angle right. Mine pretty much has a permanent place in my travel kit.

Good luck!

 

[Razrnewb]

i Have two Kronas- one a heirloom, that I use, and one I found in the box on EBay. I have not tried any of the Henson razors but understand they are super light like the Krona in aluminum or titanium. Best thing about a Krona is that with a sharp blade you can get a pretty darn good shave without much if any fear of nicks and cuts, especially when you are fairly new to the game. My current favorite is my new Karve Overlander In brass. Yes, it’s over twice the weight, but it’s a smoother, easier and much, much more efficient, care free and luxurious shave than the Krona. ALSO- small gap, positive exposure like Krona. For $100 US, (sorry I went $25 over asked price range) I think it’s a steal, and if you don’t like it you could sell it and get all/almost all your money back pretty easily. Since I have the Overlander, I’ll only reach for a Superspeed (I have them all) or Krona out of nostalgia or for an easy to replace and mild travel razor. To be a bit of an echo chamber- everything I’ve read here states the same about variations of the Tatara, Grean Cult, Blut, Henson, - none of which I have personally tried, but all of which piqued my interest here as being recommended by highly experienced and respected members hers of B&B as I was deciding on the Karve purchase. I can say the Karve shaves much, much closer and completely smoother and safer than my 84 GameChanger, but other members have experienced the opposite. As with all things shaving- YMMV. At some point, you have to take a plunge a try one or more. Good Luck with your research, and hope you find winning (for YOU) picks early!