Shavette And Barber Razor Enthusiast (SABRE) group

[Mitzie]

I love the Sedef/Ali Biyikli shavettes. For me they enable the blade to be positioned right at the tip of the blade holder with the blade tabs broken off (see photo')...I've cut myself more times I care to remember with shavettes with blades set back from the tip....I need to know where the blade starts especially when tidying up my forehead hairline and sideburns, and negotiating my Adam's Apple....knowing this has helped to prevent nicks and cuts.

TIP:
I find a piece thin plastic packaging slid in between the blade holder useful to load the blade, whilst a nail file helps to eject the blade after use without cutting yourself.

 

[albsat]

Today I had the 18th shave from Kai Proutouch blade with the AC clone shavette. This blade still shaves fine although not that sharp. Yet it leaves the skin smooth. I will push for 2 more shaves.

I had a fresh blade shave with a Kai Captain last week. This blade is so smooth and sharp. I had a cut due to my error. The cut would have never happened with a Kai Proutouch.

Could it be that using a guarded blade you loose the ability to learn shaving with a sharp blade? I say that because today I was so careless in using the Proguard blade and I got a very nice clean shave and blood free. I don't think that I would get that kind of clean shave with a Kai Captain blade.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I want to chip in here to say how much I am enjoying my Irving Barber Co barber razor. I think it’s a really nice product, and decent value at around $75.

It’s not perfect, but it’s one of those great products where the positives and the experience of using it render any flaws and quirks irrelevant. It is light and nimble, nicely balanced, and just very easy and pleasant to shave with. It feels really good in the hand to me. Somehow I just enjoy shaving with this more than my other barber razors.

For what it’s worth (which, as I say, is nothing because the flaws don’t matter in the slightest when it feels so good to shave with), the quirks are that (a) the razor doesn’t fully close with a blade installed; (b) the screw that tightens the razor head can easily loosen if it rubs against something; and (c) installing certain blades is a bit imprecise and needs some fiddling to align the blade correctly against the posts (no problem with Kai blades but the indentations on the back of Feather Proguard and Pro-Super blades mean they don’t fit as nicely).

The razor feels nice quality; it is small, light, slim, and not at all unwieldy; made from metal (I don’t know what, but both the head and scales are metal - I guess steel or part steel head and aluminum scales?); the finishes are nice - especially the cerakote models; the head is magnetic so once you have aligned the blade it stays in place while you assemble the head. It feels very natural in the hand and I just get to shave without being conscious of the razor. It takes AC blades and also DE blades if you are poor and/or reckless.

I love it. I bought a couple more in different colours.

 

[albsat]

Great review @Mr. Shavington. I really enjoy these type of reviews.

Some questions pls. When you say :the razor doesn’t fully close with a blade installed; does it happen with every blade format?
So, the a Feather Proguard can be inserted correctly or not?

Which razor would you recommend to a close friend between the IBC or a Feather SR/ Kai Captain ? Upss, I made 3 questions.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Great review @Mr. Shavington. I really enjoy these type of reviews.

Some questions pls. When you say :the razor doesn’t fully close with a blade installed; does it happen with every blade format?
So, the a Feather Proguard can be inserted correctly or not?

Which razor would you recommend to a close friend between the IBC or a Feather SR/ Kai Captain ? Upss, I made 3 questions.

The razor doesn’t fully close with any razor in it, but because of the angle it closes only the corner of the blade nearest the pivot touches the bottom of the scales, so I don’t think it causes any harm to the blade edge. The blade is still covered inside the scales, it’s just that the razor doesn’t completely close all the way, by a few millimetres. Just a quirk, I don’t think it matters much, but it is a surprise that it doesn’t close fully and the blade corner hits the base of the scales.

I personally enjoy using the IBC more than the Feather or Kai razors. There’s no doubt the Feather and Kais are exceptional quality, it’s just that they are bigger and heavier than the IBC and I just like using the IBC more. It’s a really good question because that’s exactly what prompted me to post my review. I really think the Feathers and Kais are perfection, and I cannot fault mine, but the IBC is more enjoyable for me and it feels more natural to shave with. The IBC still feels like a quality product, but I suspect it won’t have the bulletproof build quality and longevity that those premium razors have.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

This is a video with the IBC razor being used by one of the very few YouTubers I actually enjoy listening to - Johan in Sweden (Shave&Butcher) - so you can see it in use. He is normally a traditional straight razor shaver but he also uses an old Weck barber razor for travelling.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

So, the a Feather Proguard can be inserted correctly or not?

Sorry, just noticed I missed that question. You can certainly insert a Feather Proguard and align it correctly, it just takes a little manual fiddling. Actually the photo I posted above has a Proguard blade in the razor and correctly aligned.

The way the head aligns AC and half-DE blades is that there are two round posts and normally you just sit the blade and push it against those posts to align it. Unfortunately the Feather Proguard and Professional Super both have two small cutouts at the back of the blade and one or other of these cutouts coincides with where the alignment posts are, and it makes the blade sit too high on that side when you push it against the posts. I hope I explained that well. You just have to straighten these blades yourself, and it is not too hard because the blade head is magnetic and the blade stays where you position it.

For other AC blades that have a straight back (including other Feather AC blades) there is no problem and aligning them is quick and simple. It is just an oddity with the shape of those two particular blades, and it’s not a big deal to correct the alignment yourself. It would be a pain and very fiddly, though, if the IBC head was not magnetic.

 

[GoodShave]

I want to chip in here to say how much I am enjoying my Irving Barber Co barber razor. I think it’s a really nice product, and decent value at around $75.

View attachment 1467883

It’s not perfect, but it’s one of those great products where the positives and the experience of using it render any flaws and quirks irrelevant. It is light and nimble, nicely balanced, and just very easy and pleasant to shave with. It feels really good in the hand to me. Somehow I just enjoy shaving with this more than my other barber razors.

For what it’s worth (which, as I say, is nothing because the flaws don’t matter in the slightest when it feels so good to shave with), the quirks are that (a) the razor doesn’t fully close with a blade installed; (b) the screw that tightens the razor head can easily loosen if it rubs against something; and (c) installing certain blades is a bit imprecise and needs some fiddling to align the blade correctly against the posts (no problem with Kai blades but the indentations on the back of Feather Proguard and Pro-Super blades mean they don’t fit as nicely).

The razor feels nice quality; it is small, light, slim, and not at all unwieldy; made from metal (I don’t know what, but both the head and scales are metal - I guess steel or part steel head and aluminum scales?); the finishes are nice - especially the cerakote models; the head is magnetic so once you have aligned the blade it stays in place while you assemble the head. It feels very natural in the hand and I just get to shave without being conscious of the razor. It takes AC blades and also DE blades if you are poor and/or reckless.

I love it. I bought a couple more in different colours.

I like my IBC. I like being able to use half DE blades, injector blades or AC-style blades. It was through this razor that I found I prefer AC-style blades over half-DE blades. It also introduced me to other injector razors since I did not like injector blades in the IBC. Also, being able to replace any part of the razor is a big plus in my book.

 

[GoodShave]

Which razor would you recommend to a close friend between the IBC or a Feather SR/ Kai Captain ? Upss, I made 3 questions.

My IBC is the gun metal finish and it can get slippery with wet fingers. I solved that with rubbing my fingers on an alum block before picking up the razor (if the razor becomes slippery). That fixes the issue.

I found that I can get a shallower angle with the IBC than my CJB which prevents some of the stiction issues I had with the CJB.
I have to say I grab my Feather SR more than the IBC if I am using an AC-style blade since it has a better grip for me. I have the kamisori version.
I am still trying to get used to my Kai Captain standard folding razor. I am finding that some blades work better for me in the Kai and others work better in the Feather.

I would probably go with the Feather SR if I had to choose and knew I only wanted to use AC-style blades but the IBC is the least expensive of the three if cost is a concern. I would wait for a Black Friday deal with Jatai International if you buy the Feather SR.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

My IBC is the gun metal finish and it can get slippery with wet fingers. I solved that with rubbing my fingers on an alum block before picking up the razor (if the razor becomes slippery). That fixes the issue.

I found that I can get a shallower angle with the IBC than my CJB which prevents some of the stiction issues I had with the CJB.
I have to say I grab my Feather SR more than the IBC if I am using an AC-style blade since it has a better grip for me. I have the kamisori version.
I am still trying to get used to my Kai Captain standard folding razor. I am finding that some blades work better for me in the Kai and others work better in the Feather.

I would probably go with the Feather SR if I had to choose and knew I only wanted to use AC-style blades but the IBC is the least expensive of the three if cost is a concern. I would wait for a Black Friday deal with Jatai International if you buy the Feather SR.

Lots of very good points there. Helpful to hear the shiny finishes can be less secure to hold on the IBC - mine are all cerakote finished, which is matte and textured, so I guess they may be preferable in that respect.

 

[albsat]

Today was a good shave with my Kai Captain (3rd) blade in the clone ac razor. I tried to be very careful with this blade which has given me cuts and nicks due to its sharpness in the previous shaves. I got an excellent shave, as good as with a DE razor. But it required too much focus compared to shaving with the Kai Protouch blade.

One question. How long would a Feather SR/DX/SS or a Kai Captain razor would last based on your experience (or if you have these razors) before it breaks? Does it make sense to get an original one or 3-4 clones ?

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Today was a good shave with my Kai Captain (3rd) blade in the clone ac razor. I tried to be very careful with this blade which has given me cuts and nicks due to its sharpness in the previous shaves. I got an excellent shave, as good as with a DE razor. But it required too much focus compared to shaving with the Kai Protouch blade.

One question. How long would a Feather SR/DX/SS or a Kai Captain razor would last based on your experience (or if you have these razors) before it breaks? Does it make sense to get an original one or 3-4 clones ?

The Feather and Kai AC razors are extremely well made. I expect they will last a lifetime and more, and there is also the pleasure you get every shave from handling something that is such high quality. I haven’t heard of anybody wearing one out or there being any weak point in the design. They certainly feel completely robust and with tight tolerances, and they were designed for rigorous professional use.

 

[Sisyphos]

One question. How long would a Feather SR/DX/SS or a Kai Captain razor would last based on your experience (or if you have these razors) before it breaks? Does it make sense to get an original one or 3-4 clones ?

I would expect to last them a lifetime. But I would expect the clone last also very long time. And I cannot see any significant quality differences between my Feather SR and Kai clone. If it is matter of money I would buy clone(s). If you want experience new razor
buy a SR from amazon.co.jp for ¥11700 (82€).

 

[albsat]

I would expect to last them a lifetime. But I would expect the clone last also very long time. And I cannot see any significant quality differences between my Feather SR and Kai clone. If it is matter of money I would buy clone(s). If you want experience new razor
buy a SR from amazon.co.jp for ¥11700 (82€).

That is a great price. Can you send me the link in private pls?

 

[albsat]

I used today my only AC shavette (aka the Kai clone) with a fresh Feather Proguard. What a fantastic blade! Excellent shave!

I think I am over 30 shaves in total for this year with this ac shavette. I am really enjoying this journey. All my past shavette shaves have been mostly with a DE one. I think that AC shavette is a better choice due to the size and the variety of AC blade types.

 

[albsat]

Feather Proguard and Kai Protouch blades really protect the shaver from getting a blood free shave with a shavette. I am enjoying a lot the sharpness of Proguard also. 2nd shave today. I wonder if I will get over 21 shaves with it just as I did with a Kai Proutouch blade.

Another questions friends:

Which is your preferred AC shavette and blade combo?

 

[APBinNCA]

I found the Proguard to better retain the characteristics of the underlying blade due to the wider spacing of the guards. I have had Pros become zombies where I loose track of the number somewhere in the high teens. I feel like the Kais stop shaving close enough before the underlying blade is likely toast. They are TOO safe for me.

 

[thombrogan]

For AC-format barber razors, I only have a Mythus which I trot out with a Feather Pro Super. Hoping it will be same or groovier in a Kai or Feather barber razor.

 

[Sisyphos]

After nearly thousand open blade shavings I have more consciously began to use gillette slide movement. That has very much improved my shaves !
Today I used rebranded Parker shavette with Gillette Platinum half-blade (#19,20) face and head shave. GB is my first from blade sampler from RBC. No signs of end of life for this blade.

 

[albsat]

Forgive me brothers but today I shaved with a de. I was lazy to concentrate and so sleepy. I hate the fact that one pass shave with de was under 8 minutes. I will get faster with my shavette, I know.