Hi all
Just letting you know up front this is a long thread and not a quick read!
I'd like to start this thread out by saying thank you to member Mark aka @Shavemd for sending me his Rex Ambassador adjustable razor to try out and do this comparison with that I know is a comparison that more than few people have asked for me to do. I've had it over a week now and have shaved with it 4 times so I felt that I've gotten all the info I need to post my opinion, comments and this shave comparison to the members on here. I shaved twice with just the Rex by itself and twice comparing it to the Vintage Gibbs # 17 that was supposedly one of the two vintage razors that inspired the Rex. The other was the Fatboy but to be honest other than the length of the razor which is closer to the Fatboy than the Gibbs I mostly see a much stronger resemblance to the Gibbs especially in the head. To me the handle looks like neither. Maybe some of you will see it differently and I welcome your comments.
A little mention about the Rex. When I first saw a photo of the SS Rex I thought what a handsome razor as it looked all high polished and had the unique Gibbs style head. At that point the razor was not yet released but I was very interested but didn't do a preorder. Thought I'd wait for the release and reviews. I'm glad I did as some of you may know it's had it's issues with fit and finish, QC and alignment issues. Also it was not a high polished razor but more of a satin finish SS razor. I have no association with the retailers of the Rex so I can only go by what is in my hand and what my impressions of the razor are both in appearance, fit and finish and of course how it shaves.
I know that Mark has sent this particular razor back once for finish issues which he may chime in on and explain if he chooses. So with that said as soon as I opened the box and inspected it to make sure there was not damage in shipping (which there wasn't as Mark packed it perfectly) I looked at the razor real good and saw at that time one flaw that jumped out at me. That was a burr that was under one of the straight bars and it almost felt sharp. It was felt on the higher setting when I shaved with it so only shaved with the other side to avoid a possible nick. When I went to load a blade that was when I noticed the alignment issue and although Marks Rex is not as bad or pronounced as some I've seen posted it's there for sure and I'm sure some of you can see by the photos. In fact some people on the internet are calling it the " Slant look " issue. Last issue as again you can see in the photos is the difference in the amount of space there is between the inside of the straight bar and the side of the head on just the one side. As the one side has a wider gap than the other. Although Marks Rex has minor issues compared to others I've seen it may have affected the outcome of this shave comparison. Not 100% sure. I will give credit to RE for coming out with a US made Adjustable razor but in my humble opinion the razor need some addressing in the areas of fit and finish, manufacturing consistency and overall QC. I think they'd have a winner if they could accomplish this and get rid of the dark cloud that hangs over it on the shave forums and all the issues this razor seems to be plagued with since it's launch. Concept was good but execution in my opinion was not so good IMO.
I'm sure there are a few threads on the Gibbs adjustables. It was dated back to 1037 and if not the first adjustable it was certainly one of the first along with the Apollo Mikron. There were two models of the adustables the #15 and #17 both Chrome plated over brass. I believe there was also a #15 that came in a Gold finished aluminum and was substantially lighter than the chrome. I have both the #15 and the # 17. The #17 I used in this shave comparison is in user grade conditon and a permanent razor in my rotation. I have a NOS one and two others in mint condition and another user grade one that had a cracked handle that Aaron at Frugal Shave is going to make me a custom handle for and it will also be a user as well and should look really cool after it's done. It's a #15.
So on with the shave. I decided to do two different shave comparisons where on one shave I used the traditional 3 pass WTG, XTG and ATG pass using the more commonly used long stroke technique. The other I used a more non traditional skin stretch short stroke technique doing a WTG & ATG 2 pass shave with a shaving soap water buffing pass afterwards on some of my troubled spots like under my jawline and on one side of my neck where I have a nasty cowlick.
So this doesn't take forever for you gentlemen to read I'm just going to just post shaving highlights from both shaves.
Razors used:
Rex Ambassador adjustable
Gibbs #17 Adjustable
Blades used Polsilver - modified for the Gibbs as seen in the photo. BTW it takes like 20 seconds to do with a cheap $7 hole punch.
NOTE: Settings I used on the Rex was 4 1/2 on the first shave and by eyeballing the gap that equaled a number 5 setting on the Gibbs which goes up to 6. I tried the Rex on max setting on the first shave and because the blade alignment progressively gets worse as you dial it up it was not comfortable as all on the skin and so I dialed it down to a 4 1/2 as the highest setting I used in the next 3 shaves with it.
NOTE: In my first shave with the Rex all by itself I used a Nacet blade and it was one of those OMG shaves where it felt so bad against my skin I stopped after a few strokes and changed to a Astra blade which resulted in what I'd call a not to good shave, one weeper, one nick ( Nacet blade ) and a lot of irritation at the end of the shave where I had used the Nacet. Ended up with a DFS but at that point I was ready to send it back to Mark but my next shave using the polisliver and making sure the blade was aligned as best I could made a difference which will be explained in the shave comparison. So Nacet and Rex not a match made in heaven at least not for me.
Shave #1
Pass #1 WTG - Long Strokes - Gave the more difficult side of my face to the Gibbs as I know how it shaves so the Rex got the easier side of my face and neck for this shave. I started with the Gibbs and got the normal smooth yet efficient 1st pass. Had it set on 5 for the 1st pass and besides the smoothness I love the maneuverability of this little guy. If all things were perfect just a little longer handle would be even better. So on to the Rex. You can really feel the blade and it sings a pretty loud song as far as audio feedback goes. I liked the balance of the razor in my hand and this is where I connected the feel somewhere between the Fatboy and the Gibbs but the only connection to the Fatboy that I get from it. Anyway finished the first pass and both sides felt about the same at this point. So on to the 2nd pass XTG ear to nose. Back to the Gibbs another silky smooth pass and just a note. Lather moves nicely threw the Gibbs as well. The Gibbs does have blade feel and audio feedback but sings a much softer song than the Rex does. My two favorite blades in the Gibbs btw are the Posliver and the kai just for those that want to know. On to the Rex. Again blade feel and loud and on this pass what I didn't like was trying to move around my lips as it wasn't catching all the stubble very well but under the nose was no problem. Again almost the same results except around my lips on the Rex side. So pretty good up to this point. 3rd pass ATG. I knocked down the setting on both razor for this pass. 3 1/2 on the Rex and 4 on the Gibbs. This pass is where I noticed a difference. While the Gibbs was very smooth and very maneuverable the Rex wasn't and I could start to feel some blade chatter and could start to feel some irritation developing as it was not as smooth as the Gibbs and more importantly it seemed to skip spots. I will note I used little to no pressure when using either of these two razors as the weight of the Rex is quite hefty and the head on the Gibbs is no lightweight So at the end of the 3rd ATG pass I had to go over the area around my lips with the Gibbs to get rid of the stubble on the Rex's side that I wasn't able to get to match in closeness to the Gibbs side.
So to summarize the first shave comparison Both sides were at an entry level 1 BBS shave but I'd have to give it to the vintage Gibbs as it was the smoother and more maneuverable razor and the fact that it had the harder side of my face to shave along with the fact it took care of all areas equally as opposed to the Rex which didn't get as good around my lips and it took more extra strokes to knock down my stubble so that both sides were evenly shaved.
Next Shave
Same razors and same tools
NOTE: So on the last shave comparison I'm using the skin stretch short stroke progressive beard reduction technique I came up with for myself which I'd be willing to share if anyone has an interest in knowing. I've shared it with some members and some shaving friends so feel free to message me and I doing some drawings and instructions which when finished I'll post up for those that have asked for a visual as I don't do videos yet. NOTE: I use this technique when I'm using more efficient razor and/or want to do a shave with less passes. I also find I get less irritation when using a very efficient razor with this technique. It's similar to a straight razor technique only because of the more maneuverability of a DE or SE razor it's been somewhat modified.
On to the shave. 1st pass - WTG. This time I wanted to give the Rex the challenge of taking on my more difficult side to shave. Started on the Rex side and the first pass was not bad as it took down my 2 day stubble pretty well and I'll make a note that with all the shaves with the Rex ( except for the first shave with the Nacet blade ) the best pass with the Rex has been the WTG pass. Don't know why just is and very noticeable. So on to the Gibbs side. Now I know what this razor can do using the short stroke technique and no disappointment here. Smooth and efficient and if I were going to work and wanted a really good CCS sometimes DFS shave I'd just stop after the first pass. So great pass! On to the ATG pass with the Rex. I really put a very good lather on my face for this pass and the Rex seemed to like this technique much better than the long strokes I had used on the last shave as I didn't get an chattering and not skips. Blade and audio feedback was loud and clear and this pass was much better than the first time going ATG but at the end of the day this razor is just not as smooth as the Gibbs as least this one Rex I had in my hand wasn't and again it may be due to the issues it has. Once again it had a problem getting me close around my lips and I went over it a few times but then moved on. Overall I felt it got me close but I knew by feel that I'd have to do shave water buffing on some of my troubled spots on that side of my face. So took some soap water and did a buffing on my cowlick and jawline but picked up the Gibbs to do around my lips on that side. Finished with a solid BBS level 1 shave on the Rex side but I was at a Level 2 on the Gibbs side and I solidified that with both a cotton test after the shave and as the beard grew out over the next two days. So my conclusion is in these two shaveoffs the Gibbs was the clear winner and remains my favorite DE adjustable so far. NOTE: I have one other rare adjustable & another somewhat rare adjustable razor that are both NOS and I haven't shaved with them yet but the temptation to take them both out of the box for a shave is getting the best of me and I wonder will one of them dethrone the Gibbs as the best adjustable DE razor in my den.
Feedback is always welcome and I hope you enjoyed the shave comparison.
Just letting you know up front this is a long thread and not a quick read!
I'd like to start this thread out by saying thank you to member Mark aka @Shavemd for sending me his Rex Ambassador adjustable razor to try out and do this comparison with that I know is a comparison that more than few people have asked for me to do. I've had it over a week now and have shaved with it 4 times so I felt that I've gotten all the info I need to post my opinion, comments and this shave comparison to the members on here. I shaved twice with just the Rex by itself and twice comparing it to the Vintage Gibbs # 17 that was supposedly one of the two vintage razors that inspired the Rex. The other was the Fatboy but to be honest other than the length of the razor which is closer to the Fatboy than the Gibbs I mostly see a much stronger resemblance to the Gibbs especially in the head. To me the handle looks like neither. Maybe some of you will see it differently and I welcome your comments.
A little mention about the Rex. When I first saw a photo of the SS Rex I thought what a handsome razor as it looked all high polished and had the unique Gibbs style head. At that point the razor was not yet released but I was very interested but didn't do a preorder. Thought I'd wait for the release and reviews. I'm glad I did as some of you may know it's had it's issues with fit and finish, QC and alignment issues. Also it was not a high polished razor but more of a satin finish SS razor. I have no association with the retailers of the Rex so I can only go by what is in my hand and what my impressions of the razor are both in appearance, fit and finish and of course how it shaves.
I know that Mark has sent this particular razor back once for finish issues which he may chime in on and explain if he chooses. So with that said as soon as I opened the box and inspected it to make sure there was not damage in shipping (which there wasn't as Mark packed it perfectly) I looked at the razor real good and saw at that time one flaw that jumped out at me. That was a burr that was under one of the straight bars and it almost felt sharp. It was felt on the higher setting when I shaved with it so only shaved with the other side to avoid a possible nick. When I went to load a blade that was when I noticed the alignment issue and although Marks Rex is not as bad or pronounced as some I've seen posted it's there for sure and I'm sure some of you can see by the photos. In fact some people on the internet are calling it the " Slant look " issue. Last issue as again you can see in the photos is the difference in the amount of space there is between the inside of the straight bar and the side of the head on just the one side. As the one side has a wider gap than the other. Although Marks Rex has minor issues compared to others I've seen it may have affected the outcome of this shave comparison. Not 100% sure. I will give credit to RE for coming out with a US made Adjustable razor but in my humble opinion the razor need some addressing in the areas of fit and finish, manufacturing consistency and overall QC. I think they'd have a winner if they could accomplish this and get rid of the dark cloud that hangs over it on the shave forums and all the issues this razor seems to be plagued with since it's launch. Concept was good but execution in my opinion was not so good IMO.
I'm sure there are a few threads on the Gibbs adjustables. It was dated back to 1037 and if not the first adjustable it was certainly one of the first along with the Apollo Mikron. There were two models of the adustables the #15 and #17 both Chrome plated over brass. I believe there was also a #15 that came in a Gold finished aluminum and was substantially lighter than the chrome. I have both the #15 and the # 17. The #17 I used in this shave comparison is in user grade conditon and a permanent razor in my rotation. I have a NOS one and two others in mint condition and another user grade one that had a cracked handle that Aaron at Frugal Shave is going to make me a custom handle for and it will also be a user as well and should look really cool after it's done. It's a #15.
So on with the shave. I decided to do two different shave comparisons where on one shave I used the traditional 3 pass WTG, XTG and ATG pass using the more commonly used long stroke technique. The other I used a more non traditional skin stretch short stroke technique doing a WTG & ATG 2 pass shave with a shaving soap water buffing pass afterwards on some of my troubled spots like under my jawline and on one side of my neck where I have a nasty cowlick.
So this doesn't take forever for you gentlemen to read I'm just going to just post shaving highlights from both shaves.
Razors used:
Rex Ambassador adjustable
Gibbs #17 Adjustable
Blades used Polsilver - modified for the Gibbs as seen in the photo. BTW it takes like 20 seconds to do with a cheap $7 hole punch.
NOTE: Settings I used on the Rex was 4 1/2 on the first shave and by eyeballing the gap that equaled a number 5 setting on the Gibbs which goes up to 6. I tried the Rex on max setting on the first shave and because the blade alignment progressively gets worse as you dial it up it was not comfortable as all on the skin and so I dialed it down to a 4 1/2 as the highest setting I used in the next 3 shaves with it.
NOTE: In my first shave with the Rex all by itself I used a Nacet blade and it was one of those OMG shaves where it felt so bad against my skin I stopped after a few strokes and changed to a Astra blade which resulted in what I'd call a not to good shave, one weeper, one nick ( Nacet blade ) and a lot of irritation at the end of the shave where I had used the Nacet. Ended up with a DFS but at that point I was ready to send it back to Mark but my next shave using the polisliver and making sure the blade was aligned as best I could made a difference which will be explained in the shave comparison. So Nacet and Rex not a match made in heaven at least not for me.
Shave #1
Pass #1 WTG - Long Strokes - Gave the more difficult side of my face to the Gibbs as I know how it shaves so the Rex got the easier side of my face and neck for this shave. I started with the Gibbs and got the normal smooth yet efficient 1st pass. Had it set on 5 for the 1st pass and besides the smoothness I love the maneuverability of this little guy. If all things were perfect just a little longer handle would be even better. So on to the Rex. You can really feel the blade and it sings a pretty loud song as far as audio feedback goes. I liked the balance of the razor in my hand and this is where I connected the feel somewhere between the Fatboy and the Gibbs but the only connection to the Fatboy that I get from it. Anyway finished the first pass and both sides felt about the same at this point. So on to the 2nd pass XTG ear to nose. Back to the Gibbs another silky smooth pass and just a note. Lather moves nicely threw the Gibbs as well. The Gibbs does have blade feel and audio feedback but sings a much softer song than the Rex does. My two favorite blades in the Gibbs btw are the Posliver and the kai just for those that want to know. On to the Rex. Again blade feel and loud and on this pass what I didn't like was trying to move around my lips as it wasn't catching all the stubble very well but under the nose was no problem. Again almost the same results except around my lips on the Rex side. So pretty good up to this point. 3rd pass ATG. I knocked down the setting on both razor for this pass. 3 1/2 on the Rex and 4 on the Gibbs. This pass is where I noticed a difference. While the Gibbs was very smooth and very maneuverable the Rex wasn't and I could start to feel some blade chatter and could start to feel some irritation developing as it was not as smooth as the Gibbs and more importantly it seemed to skip spots. I will note I used little to no pressure when using either of these two razors as the weight of the Rex is quite hefty and the head on the Gibbs is no lightweight So at the end of the 3rd ATG pass I had to go over the area around my lips with the Gibbs to get rid of the stubble on the Rex's side that I wasn't able to get to match in closeness to the Gibbs side.
So to summarize the first shave comparison Both sides were at an entry level 1 BBS shave but I'd have to give it to the vintage Gibbs as it was the smoother and more maneuverable razor and the fact that it had the harder side of my face to shave along with the fact it took care of all areas equally as opposed to the Rex which didn't get as good around my lips and it took more extra strokes to knock down my stubble so that both sides were evenly shaved.
Next Shave
Same razors and same tools
NOTE: So on the last shave comparison I'm using the skin stretch short stroke progressive beard reduction technique I came up with for myself which I'd be willing to share if anyone has an interest in knowing. I've shared it with some members and some shaving friends so feel free to message me and I doing some drawings and instructions which when finished I'll post up for those that have asked for a visual as I don't do videos yet. NOTE: I use this technique when I'm using more efficient razor and/or want to do a shave with less passes. I also find I get less irritation when using a very efficient razor with this technique. It's similar to a straight razor technique only because of the more maneuverability of a DE or SE razor it's been somewhat modified.
On to the shave. 1st pass - WTG. This time I wanted to give the Rex the challenge of taking on my more difficult side to shave. Started on the Rex side and the first pass was not bad as it took down my 2 day stubble pretty well and I'll make a note that with all the shaves with the Rex ( except for the first shave with the Nacet blade ) the best pass with the Rex has been the WTG pass. Don't know why just is and very noticeable. So on to the Gibbs side. Now I know what this razor can do using the short stroke technique and no disappointment here. Smooth and efficient and if I were going to work and wanted a really good CCS sometimes DFS shave I'd just stop after the first pass. So great pass! On to the ATG pass with the Rex. I really put a very good lather on my face for this pass and the Rex seemed to like this technique much better than the long strokes I had used on the last shave as I didn't get an chattering and not skips. Blade and audio feedback was loud and clear and this pass was much better than the first time going ATG but at the end of the day this razor is just not as smooth as the Gibbs as least this one Rex I had in my hand wasn't and again it may be due to the issues it has. Once again it had a problem getting me close around my lips and I went over it a few times but then moved on. Overall I felt it got me close but I knew by feel that I'd have to do shave water buffing on some of my troubled spots on that side of my face. So took some soap water and did a buffing on my cowlick and jawline but picked up the Gibbs to do around my lips on that side. Finished with a solid BBS level 1 shave on the Rex side but I was at a Level 2 on the Gibbs side and I solidified that with both a cotton test after the shave and as the beard grew out over the next two days. So my conclusion is in these two shaveoffs the Gibbs was the clear winner and remains my favorite DE adjustable so far. NOTE: I have one other rare adjustable & another somewhat rare adjustable razor that are both NOS and I haven't shaved with them yet but the temptation to take them both out of the box for a shave is getting the best of me and I wonder will one of them dethrone the Gibbs as the best adjustable DE razor in my den.
Feedback is always welcome and I hope you enjoyed the shave comparison.
