Rex Konsul - eager for reviews!

[Jack Goossen]

I'm honestly not trying to be a fanboy for it. I think the short answer is its flexibility matches up well with the areas where I need some flexibility.

I imagine we all have the same problem to one degree or another: Some areas almost shave themselves no matter what we use while other areas present various difficulties. I'm always trying to balance those two ends of the spectrum, and a razor that can "bridge the gap" for me is one I'm going to like a lot better than one that can only get the low-hanging fruit.

I won't make the claim that only a high-end razor can work for me. But I can say that of the razors I have the ones that reflect a bit more design work, material selection, care in manufacture and attention to tolerances tend also to be razors for which the price tag is higher. Finding a well-performing inexpensive razor, particularly one that performs in diverse circumstances, is a real joy. The PAA ElF is one of those -- and at that I've made some mods that make it work better for me.

I've spent some time developing my technique across a number of razors. A piece of me really wants to believe that an adjustable razor is just so much swank. Frankly it isn't a must-have, and certainly I'd hate to see someone go into debt just to get one. Technique is individual. Most of my slants deliver at least a pretty good shave.

What pleases me about the Konsul is that I can get such excellent shaves with it by practicing mindful technique and adjusting the razor to meet conditions as I find them. Excellence in this case also extends to the post-shave, where irritation and other bothers will poke their heads up. From what some people have said comparing the Konsul to the Ambassador I could believe that Rex Supply got the Konsul somehow serendipitously "right."

From nonadjustable razors we learn to adjust our technique. From adjustable razors we learn to adjust the tool. For me, putting an adaptable technique together with an adaptable razor causes interesting things to happen. That doesn't mean I'm done with non-adjustable razors; far from it; there's an L3 Superslant coming this way. On the other hand having a well-made adjustable slant that is pretty much the only one of its kind on the modern market, that gives good shave, is something I appreciate.

O.H.

I understand

 

[AU55IE]

I got my first shave a few days ago and shaved with it the very next day.
I read over many of these comments whilst it was on its way here but my initial observations are that the handle appears to feel slightly more narrow than the Ambassador. I didn't notice from the pics I have seen but the actual handle is not completely circular but rather has some flat spots kinda like an octagon.

I don't know about you guys but my REX Konsul starts from the . before the 1. I would refer to it as 0 and stops past the 6 and 0 and lands back on the 1 rather than stopping cleanly at the 6. I guess it's an overclock but I hardly see the need to go that far because the most I shaved at was 3 but it was still smooth whilst offering up blade feel.

One of the strangest thing is that the hole on the bottom knob is oddly larger than that of my Ambassador and appears to have less of a flat spot on the bottom of the dial which makes it quite wobbly on my REX stand but the actual stand fits like a glove on my Ambassador. I can only assume that things had changed between the time my Ambassador and stand was made to now when the Konsul was made. The Konsul razor is an S3 and the Ambassador is an O2.
The stand is a first generation model from what I remember as it was before they were stamping them with their branding on the bottom.
It's a shame there are some variations but both razors shave magnificently. The Ambassador took me a really long time to get a handle of but once I did it was superb and easily top tier. The Konsul on the other hand was perfect from the get go. It is very early to say so but the first shave was great. I had no problems using it at variety of angles. I will say that my face was fairly well rested and I had 10 days worth of beard growth but on the other hand it swiped away that hair like it was never there and it felt as smooth as such too. There were no issues with clogging either. Another thing worth noting is that I used a Wizamet blade that is usually very smooth for me. It was on it's 5th shave. I can usually take these blades past 7 shaves.

Time will tell how well this razor performs but I am so pleased I was able to pick this one up. It's kinda funny seeing people struggling to find the angle for the Konsul because I struggled so hard to find the correct angle and variables for the Ambassador for the longest time but once I did it was a dream razor, I guess if anything this in itself is a perfect example of the entire term Your Millage May Vary (YMMV). The only thing I will say is don't give up on the razor so quickly. I am glad I didn't give up on my Ambassador as it easily out performs many razors I bought after it.

 

[Iridian]

The Ambassador took me a really long time to get a handle of but once I did it was superb and easily top tier. The Konsul on the other hand was perfect from the get go. It is very early to say so but the first shave was great.

That's encouraging to hear. I don't have an Ambassador, but an Envoy. I quite like the handle and the stand, shave-wise... we aren't going along the nicely. So I was kinda thinking along the lines Envoy ~ Ambassador on 3 and that would make the Konsul a slanted Ambassador... so kinda nice to hear that it isn't quite like that. Hmm! But I will probably go for the Superslant next, a bit more in my budget.

 

[AU55IE]

That's encouraging to hear. I don't have an Ambassador, but an Envoy. I quite like the handle and the stand, shave-wise... we aren't going along the nicely. So I was kinda thinking along the lines Envoy ~ Ambassador on 3 and that would make the Konsul a slanted Ambassador... so kinda nice to hear that it isn't quite like that. Hmm! But I will probably go for the Superslant next, a bit more in my budget.

I hear you the, the super slant is mighty tempting and if I could afford it I would love to try it out. If it were not for a substantial discount I probably wouldn't have bought it because its fairly dear. I so far I feel like there is no buyers remorse though.
Razorock razors are pretty inexpensive and you could get away with just buying the head and base plate and save a little money too. The reviews so for the superslant seem very positive and I guess if one plate doesn't work for you you could then see which direction you need to go, higher or lower on the scale.

If it helps you at all the best shave I got on my Ambassador using a mild Tiger Platinum blade on setting 2 but can use the Konsul on setting 3 without feeling like its going to give me razor burn, cuts and nicks whilst even whilst using a Wizamet. As great as Wizamet blades are for me I never got a good shave out of them with an Ambassador which always struck me as strange as its one of my go to blades.

I say give the Superslant a shot and work within your budget. If you see a Konsul on sale then think about picking one up but only if you can afford it. I will have another shave with it again in a day or two. Since my first post my stubble has grown back and it just peaking out now. I will probably use a different blade this time around though. Maybe something more mild perhaps...

I have a Wunderbar Slant with a radial handle but haven't used it in a long time but I recall it being really efficient but there was always something about that twist that was a bit harsh so I kinda benched it. I feel like Razorock addressed this in the superslants and if so it should be really good. My Wunderbar was one of the first or second lots and I vaguely remember there being some changes too but I could be wrong.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Took possession of the Konsul this morning and just finished my inaugurational shave with it.

I used one of my favourite blades, Treet 7 Days platinum, PAA cube pre-shave, PAA diver down and finished with Proraso Green.

Esthetically I am dissappinted. My humble opinion is that the Ambassador is the more handsome of the two Rex adjustables.

Why? Because of the change in the knurling on the handle. The diamond pattern of the Konsul looks great on photograph but looks near plastic and almost cheap in real life. The grip is also not as good as the legendary "velcro knurled" Ambassador.

I sold my Ambassador a while ago not because I disliked it but because I had gone on a "razor purchase binge" and knew it was the one razor that would sell quickly and replenish my depleted wallet.
The above statement is just to say I like the Ambassador. I shaved with it on settings 5 and 4, the blade feel was good - it provided feedback.
I set the Konsul on 5 for my WTG pass. Error 404 - no blade feel found. Cranked it up to 6 and left it there for the remainder of the shave. Again no noticeable blade feel, slicing or cutting is done silently. There is no noticeable feedback.

I don't have the Ambassador to compare head sizes but I am confident the adjustable slanted design made the head about twice as thick.

Shaving with the Konsul was mindless, carefree and... Perhaps a bit boring. If I had closed my eyes and forgot about the amount of money spent on this I could almost have imagined shaving with a Rockwell 6 on the highest plate.

I'm being intentionnally harsh in my judgement and the comparison to the Rockwell obviously doesn't do this razor justice. The adjustable slant design is unique and the end result was stately BBS, almost marble like. So it is definatly efficient.
Is it worth the price I paid for it?
Perhaps it's not fair to ask this question after one shave. I do feel that I can be a bit brutal and straight forward because of the amount of money they charge and say no, after one shave I dont think this is worth 350 euro's - at least to me.

@Iridian you asked for my 2 cents. I am 150 percent certain that this razor wouldn't suit you.

I'm hoping it will grow on me.

 

[Iridian]

Cranked it up to 6 and left it there for the remainder of the shave.

I thought you just ordered it! And there it is already.

Question, you could dial up to 10, maybe you would then have felt something?
This said, slants are usually not giving much feedback. The Wunderbar gives nothing, while being capable to cause injuries. The Superslant (L3) has some more feedback, but yeah, still not that much blade felt. Some reported it causes irritation, I still think slants shave notoriously mild. Which is good in a way, but yeah, feedback wise there are razors that give more, both audible and tactile. Thinking of the Yaqi 1.05 Duo atm. Because after buying that one, you can still afford the Yaqi. Chimp change in comparison! And you know, if you are broke, continue spending money, as you are already broke. Many European nations do that, be international and fire away! Or better not. You are still a person, not a nation... hmm. This is difficult. And leading away from the topic.
So back to razors: Dial up and give it another go. At least efficiency is there, and that's the most important thing, after all!

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I thought you just ordered it! And there it is already.

Question, you could dial up to 10, maybe you would then have felt something?
This said, slants are usually not giving much feedback. The Wunderbar gives nothing, while being capable to cause injuries. The Superslant (L3) has some more feedback, but yeah, still not that much blade felt. Some reported it causes irritation, I still think slants shave notoriously mild. Which is good in a way, but yeah, feedback wise there are razors that give more, both audible and tactile. Thinking of the Yaqi 1.05 Duo atm. Because after buying that one, you can still afford the Yaqi. Chimp change in comparison! And you know, if you are broke, continue spending money, as you are already broke. Many European nations do that, be international and fire away! Or better not. You are still a person, not a nation... hmm. This is difficult. And leading away from the topic.
So back to razors: Dial up and give it another go. At least efficiency is there, and that's the most important thing, after all!

Six is the maximum setting on the Konsul. Six and a half, really.

You’re right that the low feedback is due to the blade torque. The Konsul is very efficient and it’s smooth. Shaves easier than the Superslant, for me, and is much less prone to bite. Not as crazy efficient as the L3 but close enough and much more usable. It’s a very good razor indeed, for sure. Build quality is a bit agricultural - it’s not the most refined thing - but it’s functional, solid, and dependable, which I’m sure is what they intended.

Obviously not everyone is willing to purchase a Rex Supply Co. / Razor Emporium product because of their business practices, but the razor itself is very good.

 

[Talster]

Took possession of the Konsul this morning and just finished my inaugurational shave with it.

I used one of my favourite blades, Treet 7 Days platinum, PAA cube pre-shave, PAA diver down and finished with Proraso Green.

Esthetically I am dissappinted. My humble opinion is that the Ambassador is the more handsome of the two Rex adjustables.

Why? Because of the change in the knurling on the handle. The diamond pattern of the Konsul looks great on photograph but looks near plastic and almost cheap in real life. The grip is also not as good as the legendary "velcro knurled" Ambassador.

I sold my Ambassador a while ago not because I disliked it but because I had gone on a "razor purchase binge" and knew it was the one razor that would sell quickly and replenish my depleted wallet.
The above statement is just to say I like the Ambassador. I shaved with it on settings 5 and 4, the blade feel was good - it provided feedback.
I set the Konsul on 5 for my WTG pass. Error 404 - no blade feel found. Cranked it up to 6 and left it there for the remainder of the shave. Again no noticeable blade feel, slicing or cutting is done silently. There is no noticeable feedback.

I don't have the Ambassador to compare head sizes but I am confident the adjustable slanted design made the head about twice as thick.

Shaving with the Konsul was mindless, carefree and... Perhaps a bit boring. If I had closed my eyes and forgot about the amount of money spent on this I could almost have imagined shaving with a Rockwell 6 on the highest plate.

I'm being intentionnally harsh in my judgement and the comparison to the Rockwell obviously doesn't do this razor justice. The adjustable slant design is unique and the end result was stately BBS, almost marble like. So it is definatly efficient.
Is it worth the price I paid for it?
Perhaps it's not fair to ask this question after one shave. I do feel that I can be a bit brutal and straight forward because of the amount of money they charge and say no, after one shave I dont think this is worth 350 euro's - at least to me.

@Iridian you asked for my 2 cents. I am 150 percent certain that this razor wouldn't suit you.

I'm hoping it will grow on me.

Owning both the Konsul and the Ambassador, I agree the grip on the Ambassador is WAY BETTER than the Konsul. I only wish they offered both knurling options for the Konsul as I would choose the Ambassador's knurling every time.

I suppose Matt wanted to differentiate the Konsul and can see his reason for the Diamond knurling, although I don't agree with the Diamond knurling choice though.

 

[Shaun asleep]

I thought you just ordered it! And there it is already.

The perks of ordering from within Benelux

 

[Cheekee]

Owning both the Konsul and the Ambassador, I agree the grip on the Ambassador is WAY BETTER than the Konsul. I only wish they offered both knurling options for the Konsul as I would choose the Ambassador's knurling every time.

I suppose Matt wanted to differentiate the Konsul and can see his reason for the Diamond knurling, although I don't agree with the Diamond knurling choice though.

I watched a you tube video recently. Matt said he wanted the knurling on the konsul to be diamond as its a slant. The ambassador has the knurling matched to it being a straight edge DE.

 

[Old Hippie]

Matt said he wanted the knurling on the konsul to be diamond as its a slant.

I think of it more as "pineapple" knurling. Whatever it is, I like it. I just finished two weeks on the Konsul. Lovely, lovely shaves.

O.H.

 

[cf1]

I’ve shaved with the Konsul about 6 times. No irritation and has enough feel for me to figure out what is going on - which works for me. Initially I felt some drag but that disappeared as I Learned the razor. The Konsul on a 3 or a bit less is pretty efficient and to me comparable to the Overlander. The Overlander is a bit smoother and less blade feel. I had more trouble knowing what was going on with the Overlander as I did with the Karve B plate. Overlander with the 3.25 handle was better balanced and more nimble. It also didn’t have the heavy adjustable mechanism. I can use a GSB which is a mid blade for me and the razor works well - no tugging. Gil plat also works well.
I like to use it on a 5 or 4 on first 2 passes then dial it to about a 3 on the 3rd. I usually shave every other day and have thicker coarse growth and sensitive skin. I did shave 3 days in a row due to some events and no irritation which was surprisingly great.
The knurling is good but is better in the ambassador. The balance is a bit better on the Ambassador as the Konsul is a touch more head heavy due to chunkier material. Plus there is the adjustment mechanism near the top. Overall I wish the handle was a bit longer for better weight balance or a bottom dial which would be cooler. Maybe 3.5”. The XL seems a bit too long not to mention costs more.
Overall it is a mechanical shave and gets the job done well. For me it is a dependable safe shaver which won’t cause irritation. Ambassador has more personality but has more bladefeel and feedback with more risk of irritation. For now is it worth it? Yes at the half off I paid for scratch and sent from Rex. It was in great shape with a couple minor flaws most of which would happen with use. Once it broke in a bit the adjustment mechanism was smoother. Full price - not sure I would pay that for any razor at this point in my journey.
YMMV.

 

[Shaun asleep]

Yes at the half off I paid for scratch and sent from Rex. It was in great shape with a couple minor flaws most of which would happen with use. Once it broke in a bit the adjustment mechanism was smoother. Full price - not sure I would pay that for any razor at this point in my journey.

I didn't know Rex did scratch and dents. Half the price seems like a good deal.

Perhaps I am being unfair and had unrealistic expectations. 350 euro's meant I was expecting...something extraordinary. For now I dont really feel thats what I got. Again, I am not saying it's a bad razor. But after my first impression I feel like I was overcharged. I did not feel like this when I bought the Ambassador.

Mind you my cheeks still feel smooth. I guess there is something to be said for zero blade feel and max efficiency.

Tomorrow I will try my normal routine. First pass SR, two others for the Konsul.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Mind you my cheeks still feel smooth.

Assuming it was a comfortable shave, what else could we ask?

Excitement?

I guess there is something to be said for zero blade feel and max efficiency.

I guess you're right.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[purecro]

I have both the Ambassador XL and the Konsul. They both provide great shaves for me but shave differently. With the Ambassador, I have no problems with blade feel whatsoever, none at all, it does not bother me. The Konsul is how many people describe it as zero blade feel (or very little on the highest setting). For me and my shaving, I would need to dial up the Konsul 2 adjustments higher then the Ambassador to get the same amount of whiskers to come off, but that is my experience. I like them both for me they work and are very good razors. I do like the adjustablitity as well espeically when it comes to the neck area around and under my adam's apple, which for me is the most sensitive and has been the most challenging to get a clean, irritation free (or very little in that area) shave but I have been able to do it despite being prone to ingrown hairs in that area and in general. Thats been my experience with it.

 

[JAHE]

Another beautiful turn with the Rex Konsul. She's a smooth but efficient daily driver on my face even on lower settings. Setting 2 wtg/atg, setting 1 for the touchups... really enjoying this thing!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Shave notes for today's Konsul shave are linked. Might be helpful to those interested in perhaps buying the razor.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Old Hippie]

I'm running a few blades through the Konsul for Adjustable April. It gives me what I need -- either a shave I can do on autopilot or a shave where I can disappear into the minutiae. Seems like I just automatically figure that choice out every time.

O.H.

 

[Old Hippie]

SOTD: Wednesday April 26, 2023
Razor: Konsul
Blade: Dorco Prime (2)
Brush: Omega 10005
Soap: Arko

A lovely shave.

O.H.

 

[JAHE]

Pretty easy BBS this a.m.