Tatara Nodachi and GC .76 thoughts

[Mostel1]

Welcome @Mostel1! That was a great write up.

I want to second the thoughts of @Phoenixkh, the Athena is an amazing value, an incredible razor, and great for beginners because it is so forgiving and easy to use. It’s what I refer to as “my desert island razor”.

I also agree that the Game Changer, albeit a fine razor, is uninspiring.

One thing I would say is it’s definitely true that not all razors will be suitable as daily drivers, but that’s ok. It’s fun to have different kinds of razors, with varying degrees of efficiency and comfort, and to rotate.

Lastly, although the prices are higher most top tier razors have titanium versions which can be as little as 50-60% of the weight of their heavier brethren and sometimes even have slightly better performance. The Ti Nodachi comes in at just 66 grams.

Welcome to the world of wet shaving!

Thanks very much!

 

[Mostel1]

I have the Masamune handle and both Masamune and Nodachi heads, all in titanium. YMMV, as aways, but for me the full Nodachi head is a bit too much of a good thing for every day. My results are much more pleasurable with the Masamune head and Nodachi cap or vice versa--a really close call. The full Masamune is the smoothest razor I've ever used, including my RFB and pre- and post-WW2 Techs. But they're all in the same category of efficiency and smoothness.

Thanks! Yeah I almost ordered the Masamune head to solve the problem, but it seemed excessive so early in the journey… also did not want the Nodachi handle… but I may return to Tatara when I am more knowledgeable about my own taste, haha.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

You have explained your likes and dislikes very well, and with that it is easy to make some suggestions.

I would first make a suggestion regarding your Game Changer .76. One very easy way to boost the efficiency and feel of a razor is to add a shim or two. One shim would increase the gap by .10mm or .76 to .86mm. Two shims would up the gap another .10mm to .96mm. I did this to a Timeless aluminum razor that was very mild, but with 2 shims the feel and efficiency change dramatically.

I have the Tatara Nodachi SS and love it, but I agree with you about the handle being too heavy and feeling slippery. One way to help with a slippery handle is to rub your wet fingers on a alum block. This will help take the slippery away. The Nodachi is my best razor for efficiency and smoothness, but the balance never felt right. A very good friend gave me a Tatara Nodachi Ti. The balance of this Ti is absolutely perfect for me. It’s not a cheap solution but what a great razor.

i hope this might help you a little.

 

[Goblin]

I love my full fat Nodachi with Masamune handle. I can shave daily with it if needed but not for too many days in a row. My only wish is that it was a bit heavier without adding the extra length of the Nodachi handle. We all like different things.

I also like my Gamechangers. 0.68p for mild shaves and 0.84p for a couple of days growth. Excellent shavers. Very easy and intuitive. FWIW I sold the Rocca and kept the Razorocks, but YMMV.

Finding out what your preferences are is part of the fun. But be warned, just when you think you have it all worked out, something will come along that forces you to reassess all your opinions!

 

[Mostel1]

You have explained your likes and dislikes very well, and with that it is easy to make some suggestions.

I would first make a suggestion regarding your Game Changer .76. One very easy way to boost the efficiency and feel of a razor is to add a shim or two. One shim would increase the gap by .10mm or .76 to .86mm. Two shims would up the gap another .10mm to .96mm. I did this to a Timeless aluminum razor that was very mild, but with 2 shims the feel and efficiency change dramatically.

I have the Tatara Nodachi SS and love it, but I agree with you about the handle being too heavy and feeling slippery. One way to help with a slippery handle is to rub your wet fingers on a alum block. This will help take the slippery away. The Nodachi is my best razor for efficiency and smoothness, but the balance never felt right. A very good friend gave me a Tatara Nodachi Ti. The balance of this Ti is absolutely perfect for me. It’s not a cheap solution but what a great razor.

i hope this might help you a little.

Thanks for reply. Yes, I may update the Game Changer to .86 but for myself, the GC is just ‘too ordinary’ to work up much feeling for. No question, as I said, it’s a great value and a good performer. But I am getting into this hobby to heighten my senses in my shaving experience. So I will likely keep the GC as a travel piece or back up—or sell it. The Nodachi is absolutely an exquisite ultra high end design object with fantastic performance. It just wasn’t ‘the one’ for me-- so far anyway.

 

[Mostel1]

I love my full fat Nodachi with Masamune handle. I can shave daily with it if needed but not for too many days in a row. My only wish is that it was a bit heavier without adding the extra length of the Nodachi handle. We all like different things.

I also like my Gamechangers. 0.68p for mild shaves and 0.84p for a couple of days growth. Excellent shavers. Very easy and intuitive. FWIW I sold the Rocca and kept the Razorocks, but YMMV.

Finding out what your preferences are is part of the fun. But be warned, just when you think you have it all worked out, something will come along that forces you to reassess all your opinions!

Haha, no doubt, I’ve been down the collector road…. that is why I am trying to ‘cut to the chase’ (pun?) and find a razor that excites my senses, feels special, priced maybe a bit high but not insanity-level… The Masamune is great example of that, and maybe I’ll come back to Tatara… but for now the search continues for something excellent that feels personal--and then the plan is to settle in and use it, looking forward to that experience each time. I will definitely keep you all updated. Thanks so much for the warm welcome.

 

[noslen]

way back when I had a Nodachi and a Game Changer, the Nodachi was a but rough for me to use as well regardless of blade, also tried a Masamune and found it might as well have been a butterknife on the opposite end of the spectrum. Game Changer I thought was excellent, but found it "boring" for a lack of a better way to put it

 

[Mostel1]

Thanks for reply. Agree on both your comments. I did not try the Masamune .68 but I already know I want something more aggressive. I don’t mean to overly criticize the GC. It’s great for what it intends to be, and its success is outrageous, so… good on them. But agree, boring. Still, I needed to buy it, use it, to realize I wanted something more like the Nodachi, but less edgy. My guess is, if I’d kept Nodachi, and been able to have the GC at same time, I may not have returned it. Tatara only has a 15 day trial, though. They extended to 20 days for me, but it was quite strictly 20 days. If they’d offered 30, I may have kept it. But having returned it, I do not feel the urge to get it back, either. It was not quite comfortable, as refined and high-end as it was… I think when you compare Nodachi to something like Blackbird or Timeless .95… you’re getting into nuances that are probably more personal than technical. Just my perspective. So I’ll settle on the next experiment—probably the Blackbird-- based on all my research and communicating with Shane, it feels like the next one-- and get back to you all. Thanks so much for feedback.