Occam's Razor from Classic Shaving- two-week review

[RenoRichard]

I have tried the Occam with 3 different Feather Blades and head .. and ... . Today was first time ... with a 3rd use Feather Pro....more blade feel, but EVERYTIME this razor skips, jumps, has areas where it doesn't shave well..... Was so frustrated grabbed a Merkuhr 45 w a Bic blade......what a difference......smooooooth.

For the occurs users: do you press down on the razor.....more than a DE, in the cart territory? I haven't tried, but before I give up.....

Yes, thinking about it I use more pressure with this razor than a straight, an aggressive DE and a Gem. Maybe about the same as a Bic metal? Sorry, it's been so long I can't recall what a cart shave feels like. I press the head into my skin a little bit, then angle until the blade makes good contact with the whiskers. From a DE, especially an aggressive one, this razor might not be initially intuitive. I should have focused more on that in my review. Since the blade floats a little, the user can rely on that float and press a tad harder. It's funny, I get lots of auditory and tactile feedback. The shaves are definitely different, and as @JPO points out it the system has its limits, but IMHO all shave systems have some limits. My Occam's shaves have been lasting quite well. I'm almost 20 hours now from yesterday's shave and just feeling some decent stubble. It will be at least a few hours before there's enough to shave again. I'm also able to make some different XTG, ATG strokes with the Occam's to tidy up. For me, those strokes would not be easily/safely made with most any other razor I have.

@Ivo4u2 - just ordered one of those smnrin adjustable off Amazon to give it a go.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Yes, thinking about it I use more pressure with this razor than a straight, an aggressive DE and a Gem. Maybe about the same as a Bic metal? Sorry, it's been so long I can't recall what a cart shave feels like. I press the head into my skin a little bit, then angle until the blade makes good contact with the whiskers. From a DE, especially an aggressive one, this razor might not be initially intuitive. I should have focused more on that in my review. Since the blade floats a little, the user can rely on that float and press a tad harder. It's funny, I get lots of auditory and tactile feedback. The shaves are definitely different, and as @JPO points out it the system has its limits, but IMHO all shave systems have some limits. My Occam's shaves have been lasting quite well. I'm almost 20 hours now from yesterday's shave and just feeling some decent stubble. It will be at least a few hours before there's enough to shave again. I'm also able to make some different XTG, ATG strokes with the Occam's to tidy up. For me, those strokes would not be easily/safely made with most any other razor I have.

@Ivo4u2 - just ordered one of those smnrin adjustable off Amazon to give it a go.

For me the occam Oren gets the job done and close to bbs so no complaints regarding that.
The angle is more or less build in so that is easy.
But it is just a bit like my one blades a mindless shaver especially with a Kai protouch. Which is not bad just depends on my mood. And I am used to different shapes of se with and without pivot which makes it probably more intuitive.

the snmirn is a bit milder more forgiving futul with for me the difference it shaves good with many blades and excellent with several. I even got a holiday copy just for abroad where getting the blade you want can be challenging. It is going to replace a oneblade core for just that.

 

[RenoRichard]

For me the occam Oren gets the job done and close to bbs so no complaints regarding that.
The angle is more or less build in so that is easy.
But it is just a bit like my one blades a mindless shaver especially with a Kai protouch. Which is not bad just depends on my mood. And I am used to different shapes of se with and without pivot which makes it probably more intuitive.

the snmirn is a bit milder more forgiving futul with for me the difference it shaves good with many blades and excellent with several. I even got a holiday copy just for abroad where getting the blade you want can be challenging. It is going to replace a oneblade core for just that.

Very nice eclectic group of razors! Thanks for the head up on the snmirn; I hope I ordered the right one. I thought for $10 it was interesting to try. Have you tried Nacet in it, I have a few tucks of those here at my Mom's.

Yes, as to the Occam's/OREN I think you've hit the mark- a "mindless shaver" is a good way to describe the razor. For a lot of folks, and for me now, that may be just the ticket. I've been in Brooklyn for seven weeks, and now in a northern Westchester suburb for a few more. I think we're going to the Berkshires in Massachusetts for the long weekend. The Occam's easy shave has let me concentrate on brushes and the software side of things recently. Our shaving hobby just has so aspects that may be explored at a fairly reasonable cost, at least compared to some of my other hobbies.

 

[Ivo4u2]

Very nice eclectic group of razors! Thanks for the head up on the snmirn; I hope I ordered the right one. I thought for $10 it was interesting to try. Have you tried Nacet in it, I have a few tucks of those here at my Mom's.

Yes, as to the Occam's/OREN I think you've hit the mark- a "mindless shaver" is a good way to describe the razor. For a lot of folks, and for me now, that may be just the ticket. I've been in Brooklyn for seven weeks, and now in a northern Westchester suburb for a few more. I think we're going to the Berkshires in Massachusetts for the long weekend. The Occam's easy shave has let me concentrate on brushes and the software side of things recently. Our shaving hobby just has so aspects that may be explored at a fairly reasonable cost, at least compared to some of my other hobbies.

I did not have nacets but tried several other blades
At this moment I prefer
Gillette wizamet
Gillette kcg
Gillette platinum light blue

just keept it on 2 first shaves and crank it open later. Do not let it lull you into sleep with its easy going manners! this puppy’s futul heritage is there it can definitively bite if you get sloppy.

usually I like mindless shavers on holiday or when rushed (the reason why there is a genesis core in the luggage). Or when you made a mistake but need to shave anyhow. That is where the oneblade, broman and occam excelled.

 

[RenoRichard]

Well, it's been two months away so far and my Occam's use has continued. I spent seven weeks in Brooklyn, and two here in northern Westchester. Tomorrow I head to NJ for a week and then it will be a road trip down the east coast to take my 90 year-old mother-in-law back to her place in Florida. After that, I'll finally fly home. It could end up being three full months away from home, and besides missing my shave den and better weather in Reno, the trip has given me plenty of time to use and evaluate both versions of the Occam's razor.

I've shaved with the Occam's system most days for the two months away, although I did find/buy a few things while away- the snmirn adjustable off A'zon that @Ivo4u2 was playing with, a Tradere SB prototype that's very mild that I had given my Dad that my Mom returned, and a RR Hawk V2 aluminum I bought for some AC comparison shaves.

My thoughts on the Occam's AC razor are the same; it's probably the easiest non-cartridge shaving safety razor I've owned. I haven't tried the OneBlade system, but that aside, I've probably tried almost every classic type of single-blade razor systems. At Classic Shaving, the OREN version seems to be gone, but there are some of the version 1 still available, at < $50. IMHO, with a few caveats, these are an amazing bargain, that soon may be gone. In fact, I've just ordered another in rose gold- LOL.

I tried a quick night shave with a Trac II that was my Dad's, and the Occam's requires about as little effort to shave as that razor, although the Occam's shave is much better. So yes, it does shave something like a cartridge in terms of effort.

So the caveats are this: If you want a lot of challenge in your shave, the Occam's razor is likely not for you. If you regularly want the absolutely closest shaves, the Occam's is probably not for you- either a straight, an AC straight, or even an aggressive DE can shave closer. As some posters noted, the floating blade system does have its limitations. If you are going to switch between systems a lot, the Occam's may not be for you. I tried the RR Hawk V2 aluminum and had a poor first shave because I used too much pressure. The Occam's razor with its floating blade forgives a heavy hand, while most single replaceable blade systems will not.

If you're looking for something that will give you an excellent shave, is really easy to use, is very forgiving, and in SS that won't break the bank- the Occam's razor may well be for you. The Occam's uses AC blades which are not readily available in brick and mortar stores and many shave sites. For me, Occam's razor makes the perfect travel razor, but for others due to the blade type, it just may not. And, that may be one reason why it hasn't been a runaway success. The shave you get is great, but the challenge isn't there and you can achieve closer shaves with other holders. As I'm turning 68 next week, and wanted a razor I could take with me on my retirement travels, the Occam's meets my current needs surprisingly well. The one side benefit I've really appreciated with Occam's razor is that I can more readily concentrate on the other side of things in our shared hobby, when my razor is so forgiving and the shaves, if not epic, are really great.

Enjoy your shaves and may the glide be with you!

 

[Ivo4u2]

Well, it's been two months away so far and my Occam's use has continued. I spent seven weeks in Brooklyn, and two here in northern Westchester. Tomorrow I head to NJ for a week and then it will be a road trip down the east coast to take my 90 year-old mother-in-law back to her place in Florida. After that, I'll finally fly home. It could end up being three full months away from home, and besides missing my shave den and better weather in Reno, the trip has given me plenty of time to use and evaluate both versions of the Occam's razor.

I've shaved with the Occam's system most days for the two months away, although I did find/buy a few things while away- the snmirn adjustable off A'zon that @Ivo4u2 was playing with, a Tradere SB prototype that's very mild that I had given my Dad that my Mom returned, and a RR Hawk V2 aluminum I bought for some AC comparison shaves.

My thoughts on the Occam's AC razor are the same; it's probably the easiest non-cartridge shaving safety razor I've owned. I haven't tried the OneBlade system, but that aside, I've probably tried almost every classic type of single-blade razor systems. At Classic Shaving, the OREN version seems to be gone, but there are some of the version 1 still available, at < $50. IMHO, with a few caveats, these are an amazing bargain, that soon may be gone. In fact, I've just ordered another in rose gold- LOL.

I tried a quick night shave with a Trac II that was my Dad's, and the Occam's requires about as little effort to shave as that razor, although the Occam's shave is much better. So yes, it does shave something like a cartridge in terms of effort.

So the caveats are this: If you want a lot of challenge in your shave, the Occam's razor is likely not for you. If you regularly want the absolutely closest shaves, the Occam's is probably not for you- either a straight, an AC straight, or even an aggressive DE can shave closer. As some posters noted, the floating blade system does have its limitations. If you are going to switch between systems a lot, the Occam's may not be for you. I tried the RR Hawk V2 aluminum and had a poor first shave because I used too much pressure. The Occam's razor with its floating blade forgives a heavy hand, while most single replaceable blade systems will not.

If you're looking for something that will give you an excellent shave, is really easy to use, is very forgiving, and in SS that won't break the bank- the Occam's razor may well be for you. The Occam's uses AC blades which are not readily available in brick and mortar stores and many shave sites. For me, Occam's razor makes the perfect travel razor, but for others due to the blade type, it just may not. And, that may be one reason why it hasn't been a runaway success. The shave you get is great, but the challenge isn't there and you can achieve closer shaves with other holders. As I'm turning 68 next week, and wanted a razor I could take with me on my retirement travels, the Occam's meets my current needs surprisingly well. The one side benefit I've really appreciated with Occam's razor is that I can more readily concentrate on the other side of things in our shared hobby, when my razor is so forgiving and the shaves, if not epic, are really great.

Enjoy your shaves and may the glide be with you!

I have filed down locks in the single dot plate so now it accepts schick proline without bending. And it is a closer shave as with a proguard in 2-3 dot plate.
I would say that it now shaves more or less on par with a oneblade genesis bbs wise.
it has a little bit more blade feel in the sense that I do feel it cut.
It is still nowhere near that glide thru feeling I had with a genesis or with a heavy de razor. Shave experience wise I would recommend borrowing a genesis which pivot head gives a different feeling all together.

tried one of the Ali blades mweeh.

Might have to give some feather blades a try in the occam.

 

[xiletero]

I have used the Occam, Yaqi and now RR Hawk 3.
Was unable to get a real close shave w Occam (but I did not press hard) used .. and ... with all Feather blades.
Yaqi , I think it's a poorly made razor.....
Hawk 3, with Proline blade....gives me good shaves. (haven't tried the OC head).

 

[RenoRichard]

Another two months, June and July have passed, so I thought I would give another update. If anything I'm liking the Occam's razor more now than two months ago, and I've tried a few new razors that I'll discuss. The shaves are still 9/10 or better, with a few hitting 10/10 and BBS. But a DFS is doable daily with the Occam's in two-passes, with a little clean up.

OneBlade (OBH) Hybrid vs. Occam's Razor (OR) - I picked a OBH up off the BST for kicks. The flexing head of the OBH threw me off for a few passes; when settled, despite it being the easiest shave in recent memory, it just did not deliver quite the closeness I'm getting with the OR. In ease of use the OBH might win, but then not by much. The OBH sure is an easy shave and if I was back in hectic morning rush days, I might choose it. Given that I'm retired and rarely have to be anywhere in a hurry, that benefit is lost on me. Perhaps, it comes down to the Feather FHS blades vs. the Feather AC blades. l did try a modified Gem blade in the OBH and that was a tad better, a little closer, but not up to the shaves I can muster with Gem blades in an ASR holder.

My son-in-law also tried the OBH for a few shaves and found it did not shave as well as his Tradere SB DE. I haven't tried a OB Genesis, so that razor might be more competitive. I read it's a touch more aggressive than the Hybrid. The OR is still available at Classic Shaving for $50 which is half the price of the OBH. The OB Genesis is in a different country at ~$300. Plus the FHS blades are more expensive and seem not to last as long as the AC blades. More power to those of you getting great shaves with the OB system, it sure is the easiest system I've tried, but I could only get some DFS shaves, not one BBS shave with it. And, I had to add another pass to get the best shave out of the OBH.

Occam's Razor (OR) vs. Feather SR AC (FSR)- This comparison was more fun, as the razors were loaded with the same Feather AC Pro blades, so it is just a holder comparison without the complication of different blades. The FSR is the newest Feather AC razor, and it's a dandy one at that, as it combines the best of the Feather DX with the best of the Feather SS. I got mine from Amazon Japan for ~$100 shipped to me in the US. There are some recent reviews of the the Feather SR around and I have to agree it's a great razor. The OR can't quite match the closeness of shaves with the FSR. A straight will give most folks a really close shave. The FSR is a pleasure to use and will surely stay in use for me. Now, although the OR does not give quite the same closeness, it isn't that far off. And, it is much easier to use. I guess it comes down to whether one wants a safety razor or a straight. If you have the time and skill, the Feather SR will win out. If you want a faster, easier shave, with ~95% of the benefits and little of the drawbacks the OR would prevail. Both are really good at what they're designed to do.

This is getting to be a long post, but a few more quick thoughts and I'll be done. The Blackland Vector is also a great AC razor and would be a notch closer to the FSR result, maybe ~97%. But again, the Vector pricewise is in a different place, ~$200. The old Cobra Classic also gives me an equivalent shave to to the Vector, but it is also ~$200, if you can find one. I do hope some others will weigh in with their AC safety razor comparison thoughts. At the $50 current price, the Occam's razor has been a real winner for me. The OREN version does shave well, too- maybe ~96% of the FSR. But, I would be splitting hairs to say it was worth much extra money.

Shave on and shave well!

 

[MtView]

Another two months, June and July have passed, so I thought I would give another update. If anything I'm liking the Occam's razor more now than two months ago, and I've tried a few new razors that I'll discuss. The shaves are still 9/10 or better, with a few hitting 10/10 and BBS. But a DFS is doable daily with the Occam's in two-passes, with a little clean up.

This has to be one of the best shaving reviews that I've read anywhere and like most of us I have read a lot of them. I just placed an order for the OR. Thanks for taking the time to review the OR over time.

 

[RazorDragon]

Does anyone know if these are still being made? Are any new ones still available anywhere?

 

[RenoRichard]

Does anyone know if these are still being made? Are any new ones still available anywhere?

Try Occam’s Razor - Single Edge Safety Razor - https://www.classicshaving.com/products/occams-razor. There seem to be some still available on the website this morning.

 

[RazorDragon]

Try Occam’s Razor - Single Edge Safety Razor - https://www.classicshaving.com/products/occams-razor. There seem to be some still available on the website this morning.

Thanks for trying, but DE razor and also Enoch out of stock.

 

[RenoRichard]

Thanks for trying, but DE razor and also Enoch out of stock.

Ah, sorry. This thread was about the single edge artist club blade Occam's razor, not the DE. I haven't had that pleasure.

 

[RazorDragon]

Ah, sorry. This thread was about the single edge artist club blade Occam's razor, not the DE. I haven't had that pleasure.

No worries, my mistake then.

 

[RazorDragon]

Just to clarify, I’m looking for the Enoch SE Occam’s razor (and no name Occam’s DE razor). All good.

 

[RazorDragon]

Just to clarify, I’m looking for the Enoch SE Occam’s razor (and no name Occam’s DE razor). All good.

I have acquired a NOS Enoch thanks everyone.

 

[Leverspro]

I've been out of the AC game for about a year. Sold my Asylum, ATT, and Mongoose. Yesterday I decided to order a Oren SE. Looking forward to trying it. Hope to try the Claymore Evolution this year as well.

 

[BBSSBOSS]

This razor sounds fantastic, what happened to it. Simple, friendly. Where can I get one today ?