Recommendations for new open-comb razor

[Phoenixkh]

To be fair though you’re mentioning a 300 dollar razor vs a 20 dollar razor that OP mentioned

I should just bow out of many of these conversations.... I wasn't suggesting he buy one and truth be told... you are correct. I'll be more careful in the future.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Have you guys tried any SLOC razors? What are your thoughts? Do they practically perform how they're advertised?

The SLOC is quite mild, easy to shave with. The nicest thing about it is some of the lather slips through the razor as you are shaving and that can keep things slick while shaving. You can buff with the SLOC without too much concern about irritation. As an open comb razor, it copes with multiple days of growth easily. I am not sure how it would do in the more Southerly areas but it is not expensive to try. You can buy just the razor head for $5-10 and put it a standard size razor handle you already have.

 

[jsmith93]

The SLOC is quite mild, easy to shave with. The nicest thing about it is some of the lather slips through the razor as you are shaving and that can keep things slick while shaving. You can buff with the SLOC without too much concern about irritation. As an open comb razor, it copes with multiple days of growth easily. I am not sure how it would do in the more Southerly areas but it is not expensive to try. You can buy just the razor head for $5-10 and put it a standard size razor handle you already have.

Thanks, that's a really good suggestion. I've got a Edwin Jagger DE89 handle, I could probably just try it on there if I want to.

 

[Jay21]

Wow, that's interesting. Let me know how it goes. I'm probably going to get Piccolo or maybe the Yaqi SLOC if I can find enough info on it and be convinced it's as good as the Piccolo.

Really appreciate everyone's thoughts and feedback!

I posted this in my journal this morning, but I'm copying it here:

This morning, I finally had a sting- and irritation-free shave with the SLOC. Also, I think I finally solved the mystery on why this razor has dichotomizing opinions on it, ranging from mild to aggressive.

The end result of the shave, in terms of closeness and remaining stubble, is on par for the aluminum Lupo, SS Lupo 58, GC 68 OC, Merkur 33/34, etc. In that category, the shave is on the milder side of the spectrum. Perhaps mild-medium.

On the other hand, the razor feels like a hyper aggressive razor during the shave. There is a high amount of blade feel and chatter. I think the reason behind this is there is a large amount of unsupported blade sticking out into space, which allows the blade to vibrate. The blade exposure might be slightly positive, but there is a lot of blade just sticking out. While using the SLOC, I felt and heard more blade than when I use the Muhle R41.

All-in-all, it's a decent budget razor. I'm not sure how much more use I'll get from it because I have razors that shave me closer with less blade feel and chatter that give me a more pleasing experience start to finish.

 

[jsmith93]

I posted this in my journal this morning, but I'm copying it here:

This morning, I finally had a sting- and irritation-free shave with the SLOC. Also, I think I finally solved the mystery on why this razor has dichotomizing opinions on it, ranging from mild to aggressive.

The end result of the shave, in terms of closeness and remaining stubble, is on par for the aluminum Lupo, SS Lupo 58, GC 68 OC, Merkur 33/34, etc. In that category, the shave is on the milder side of the spectrum. Perhaps mild-medium.

On the other hand, the razor feels like a hyper aggressive razor during the shave. There is a high amount of blade feel and chatter. I think the reason behind this is there is a large amount of unsupported blade sticking out into space, which allows the blade to vibrate. The blade exposure might be slightly positive, but there is a lot of blade just sticking out. While using the SLOC, I felt and heard more blade than when I use the Muhle R41.

All-in-all, it's a decent budget razor. I'm not sure how much more use I'll get from it because I have razors that shave me closer with less blade feel and chatter that give me a more pleasing experience start to finish.

Wow, that's a very informative entry, thanks. I'm curious, did you find that when you pass over an area the lather passes through the slits on the top cap and provides some extra "lubricantion", if you can class it as such.

 

[jsmith93]

The Fatip Piccolo Nickel is back in stock an Amazon and Maguire's Barbershop. I bought it from Maguire's for £22 with postage. Looking forward to trying it out. I think I may still buy the Merkur 41c/1904 in the future as I really like the handle, and maybe try the SLOC head with a DE89 handle. I'll let you guys know what I think of the Piccolo once I've used it. Thanks everyone for your contributions and sharing! Was really helpful and informative.

 

[Jay21]

Wow, that's a very informative entry, thanks. I'm curious, did you find that when you pass over an area the lather passes through the slits on the top cap and provides some extra "lubricantion", if you can class it as such.

I've found the open comb on the cap to not offer any real benefit in terms of lather or lubrication. If you can trap water in there, then there's an additional lubricant, but the lather itself doesn't benefit from the slits. However, you can use lather trails made from the top cap and bottom plate to help you get the natural angle for the SLOC. When you're making maximum blade contact, you shouldn't see any lather trails left behind by the teeth.

 

[jsmith93]

I received the Fatip Piccolo today. Looks amazing! Feels smaller than the Merkur 34c, part of me wishes I got the Grande but I’m not that bothered and will stick with the shorter handle of the Piccolo.

I used it today to shave my cheeks (1 week’s growth) and outline my beard and moustache. I paired it with a Gillette Wilkinson Sword blade (manufactured in India) which I have found to be sharper than the Green Astras when used in the Merkur 34C and Parker 99R. I used Edwin Jagger Sandalwood soap to create a thicker lather than usual as I was nervous; first time trying an open comb and after what I read about the Piccolo being aggressive.

All I can say is I was very surprised; it didn’t feel aggressive at all. It felt milder than the 34c. It was more efficient at removing the larger growth in the first pass and it didn’t tug at the hair. After the initial pass, when I wanted to make the cheeks BBS even after a 2nd pass and 3rd pass against the grain, I can still see black dots (of hair) and it doesn’t feel BBS, more on the left side that the right, I think I managed to get the right-side BBS but not as much as with the Parker 99R.

I’m assuming it’s the angle I’m holding the razor, as I did realise there is less variation in terms of cutting angle compared to the closed combs. Even though it didn’t feel aggressive I was able to line my moustache at the top very easily, which is difficult in the 34c as it is not aggressive enough but can lead to some very small nicks in the 99R sometimes as it a lot more aggressive, with the Piccolo it was just right.

After the shave I’ve not felt any razor burn or anything negative. The feeling of the shave was good and enjoyable, though I wish I could have achieved BBS on my cheeks. I’ve still got to test how the Piccolo is with body hair, and if it is viable to use down south, which was the main reason I bought the razor.

 

[corlay]

OC's that I've tried and didn't like:
Blackbird brass (teeth too pointy/sharp, not comfortable)
Timeless SS .95 (shave too aggressive/harsh)

OC's i have that I really like a lot:
Yates (brass) H
Wolfman SS WR1 .74

OC's I have that I like fine enough:
Fatip Open Comb Slant