New razors for a new year: Two new Yaqis (likely 34C and 37C clones)

[Iridian]

Hello, a happy new year to everyone!

For me it started with a local blackout for 2:16 hours, 3 minutes before midnight. Yeah, right, that's something I haven't had so far. Not in my entire life did I have a 2 hours blackout.

But well, back on topic...!

Yaqi Floating Stainless Steel Safety Razor

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008298145786.html

Likely a Merkur 34C clone, slightly different mechanism. At first I drew a blank, what is this, but then... what do you think?
Strange that Razorock also announced a 34C in 316, isn't it?!

Yaqi Slant 37 Stainless Steel Safety Razor

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008297251375.html

Likely a 37c clone with a very fancy, colorful pommel selection.

I don't know or already forgot if a GRUYERE is running and if @Guido75 started it again this time, but I KNOW one guy who ordered the mentioned razor above and failed it on DAY ONE.

I don't want to name and shame him, I demand him to reveal himself to the amusement of everyone.
I also know the other guy who ordered the last razor of the batch, because it was me.

But at least some 9 "Floating Heads" are still available.

This year 2025 is starting out wild and weird! Sincere best wishes to all of you.

 

[Shaun asleep]

 

[Shaun asleep]

It should be an epic race between Belgian and German postal services.
Can I congratulate you already?

 

[DesertIguana]

Well the new offering from AliExpress, are becoming pricy, I wonder if the people in China are on a mission to price themselfs out of market?

 

[Iridian]

It should be an epic race between Belgian and German postal services.
Can I congratulate you already?

I guess I will win, postal services are fortunately still not run by the German government, so yeah.

 

[Iridian]

Well the new offering from AliExpress, are becoming pricy, I wonder if the people in China are on a mission to price themselfs out of market?

It is indeed a trend. They also jumped on the slightly more complex razor train and also raised prices massively. I also wonder how much RazoRock and Yaqi cooperate, both now release 34C clones, though differently looking. This can't be a coincidence anymore.

I already talked about this at length with @sidpost, getting something from China rather than Canada or USA is much, much easier and comfortable also shipping wise. Many here had their razors from Europe delayed after xmas already, some are still not delivered, and it is not better in the other direction either.

There were issues with Liege as destination airport, but for a while they shifted to Frankfurt and Bremen again and it is smooth sailing for Aliexpress orders again.

 

[BigJ]

Off to a great start for the NEW YEAR!!

 

[taiga]

The alleged 34c clone is more expensive than the actual 34c? I guess they're charging more since it's steel... but when I think of clone I think of a more affordable alternative to the real thing...

 

[DesertIguana]

It is indeed a trend. They also jumped on the slightly more complex razor train and also raised prices massively. I also wonder how much RazoRock and Yaqi cooperate, both now release 34C clones, though differently looking. This can't be a coincidence anymore.

I already talked about this at length with @sidpost, getting something from China rather than Canada or USA is much, much easier and comfortable also shipping wise. Many here had their razors from Europe delayed after xmas already, some are still not delivered, and it is not better in the other direction either.

There were issues with Liege as destination airport, but for a while they shifted to Frankfurt and Bremen again and it is smooth sailing for Aliexpress orders again.

Well the Chinese are upping their game, Oumo Brush's are getting to the point of pricy to the point of price close to several brush made in Europe. Question is are the Brushes made in China the same or better quality as Brushes made in UK, France, Germany, or Italy?

Razors are another thing the Chinese seem to be pushing the envelope with, prices are also getting high. Some of the Chinese Razors upwards of $100.00 plus.

Have friend who live din Xiamen China who was Trade Agent, or go between many companies in the Billiards & Dart Industry in USA. He worked with them, to find Chinese Companies to manufacture their products. He being in China also was a positive, as he oversaw quality control of item being manufactured. So the client in USA got quality products.

While he was in China he launch his one line of Pool Related Products, his factory is still running, and he is back to in USA. Now item get shipped to USA, then Dropped Shipped to his Retail & Wholesale Customers.

One problem is he as small guy is in constant battle to get product air freighted out of China to USA. Big companies like Amazon because of volume gets priority over mom & pop operations for cargo space.

 

[Iridian]

Question is are the Brushes made in China the same or better quality as Brushes made in UK, France, Germany, or Italy?

Dear Iguana, the brushes mades in UK, France, Germany and Italy are to 99% made from Chinese synthetic fiber or badger and made in China.
Likely even artisans like Thäter, who stopped making brushes a while ago, got at least their badger from there.

Arno brushes seems excellent, Boti as well, but I must admit I only have the Razorock Synths. Which likely were only put together in Canada. I don't own or use badger brushes anymore, I believe in synthetic fiber and also have a soft spot for animals. Badger and fur animal farms in general aren't my thing. I still do not object if others buy and use them, I am not an activist, even if I just preached a little.

Finding your favorite synth fiber takes a while, I am not big on brushes and often don't bother including them on my photos, I mostly use Cella anyways and just post the blade i used with the razor, which is still the main object of interest for me.

So for brush related question, better ask the true experts here. But I would say the Chinese brushes are absolutely fine in quality and the more expensive ones from more renowned Chinese brands are better than the run of the mill brushes.

I also regret both my never quite going away razor addiction and the rising prices. I don't see any chance of the trend reversing in near future, unfortunately.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Yaqi Floating Stainless Steel Safety Razor

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008298145786.html

Likely a Merkur 34C clone, slightly different mechanism. At first I drew a blank, what is this, but then... what do you think?
Strange that Razorock also announced a 34C in 316, isn't it?!

The Floating Head razor doesn't look like a 34c at all to my eyes. By the name and that it is a 2-piece razor, I'm assuming it is a version of the Barbasol Floating Head razor design?

 

[Iridian]

The Floating Head razor doesn't look like a 34c at all to my eyes. By the name and that it is a 2-piece razor, I'm assuming it is a version of the Barbasol Floating Head razor design?

I think you are right, the baseplates look very much identical. As I only knew this razor by name and from a few photos here, I found the Merkur to be the most likely match. But it looks way more like the Barbasol design indeed.

But I am afraid I can no longer correct my posting and thread name.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I did take a look (again) at the Yaqi 37 Slant... Sold out, as you mentioned above... I am looking forward to your review when yours arrives... I have the newly designed ATT S1 slant on my wish list for 2025, but if the Yaqi 37 Slant is more efficient than the 37C, I might be interested. I only got 8 hour shaves from the original ATT S1 and pretty much identical shaves from the Merkur 37C... Neither gave me the 12 hour shaves I get with my other razors...

 

[Iridian]

I have the newly designed ATT S1 slant on my wish list for 2025, but if the Yaqi 37 Slant is more efficient than the 37C, I might be interested.

Isn't the ATT slant the template for the Yaqi SLOPE? I didn't like that one much.

I will see how it compares to the SuperSlant and Wunderbar, I don't expect it to reach the L3++ OC efficiency, but wouldn't mind a bit more efficiency than für the Merkur and RazoRock 37s.

The year started with a razor purchase after a blackout. Maybe I should have started with a new year's resolution, but everything going suddenly dark pretty much stopped thinking about the bigger picture.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Isn't the ATT slant the template for the Yaqi SLOPE? I didn't like that one much.

I will see how it compares to the SuperSlant and Wunderbar, I don't expect it to reach the L3++ OC efficiency, but wouldn't mind a bit more efficiency than für the Merkur and RazoRock 37s.

The year started with a razor purchase after a blackout. Maybe I should have started with a new year's resolution, but everything going suddenly dark pretty much stopped thinking about the bigger picture.

I'm relieved the blackout was temporary, that's for sure.

 

[Ron R]

I watched a You-tube a Video on "Subie shaves" he has the proto type of a similar Barbasol floating razor of the 1930's. It seems to work well for head shaving & beard shaving.
The barbasol floating head razor is hard to find in the wild and are expensive.
Subie sent his vintage Barbasol floating head razor to Yaqi to see if they could make a modern version of it for folks who would like to try one is my take of his explanation.

 

[Guido75]

Just to add to @spacemonkey42 and @Ron R I think the Yaqi name says it all. This is a dupe of the Barbasol Floating Head.

Edit: and yes at the turn of 2025 GRUYERE started again.

 

[JAHE]

I also wonder how much RazoRock and Yaqi cooperate, both now release 34C clones, though differently looking. This can't be a coincidence anymore.

I don't think so... I remember an email exchange I had with one of the Italian Barber guys back in early 2024. I asked IB if they were planning to release a SS version of the German 37 in the future. The answer was "no, there are no such plans, not at all".

As it appears Merkur isn't in the position to go down the SS road.

So I guess Yaqi just filled the SS gap. Same story with their SS Progress clone. And, tbh, I wouldn't be surprised if Yaqi came up with a Merkur 34c SS clone in the future.

Looking forward to your review.

I'm surprised to learn you pulled the trigger on the SS "37" - isn't it a rather mild razor? Which colour of the 'end link' did you order?

 

[Iridian]

I'm relieved the blackout was temporary, that's for sure.

Not so much these 2 hours for partygoers, the duration alone was a disgrace enough, not so long ago a 15 min outage was the maximum and a rare occasion, so this was a big thing, besides concerns for the German power grid being increasingly susceptible to brown- and blackout.

No, the really big deal, let me just push this to @sidpost as well, here we depend on 3 industries:
1. glass industry
2. glass industry
3. glass industry
We have around a dozen plants with some 600 people average working in each, and they were all affected.

We feared that the glass furnaces would get destroyed, they turn to glass if not heated or burst if going cool too quickly.

2 hours stretched the duration the emergency backup generators could run, at the local Gerresheimer plant had to evacuate the furnace, today it is getting checked for damage and hopefully fired up on Friday again, I still don't know yet how the local plant from Heinz fared, but apparently no furnace broke down, thankfully...!

 

[Iridian]

I'm surprised to learn you pulled the trigger on the SS "37" - isn't it a rather mild razor? Which colour of the 'end link' did you order?

It is relatively mild indeed. I was quite surprised that Razorock lists their 37c clone under medium-aggressive right next to the Game Changer .84 OC. So maybe theirs is a bit more aggressive, that's why I hope the same for the Yaqi clone.

There was no option to pick a color, so let's see what I will get. Ideally would ofc be all of them...^^