Tedalus Essence - initial impression
- Thread starter StillShaving
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ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
The DX is twice as thick as the Essence, and the Essence can be cut at an angle more similar to a 1/4 hollow straight razor, for that reason alone it should be twice as expensive as the DX.
And the Essence doesn't have a noticeably huge belly button on the front end, it should be three times more expensive than the DX, but thankfully it isn't, so the Essence is a great deal. ：）
I am glad to hear you like it. How many times have you used yours?
I'm not sure what that has to do with anything. I can buy a brand new 1/4 hollow straight for significantly less than the Essence.
Had my first shave with the Essence this AM. A very good shave indeed. Did it shave better than the DX I had for a short spell? Well to answer that, no it did not shave better. It shaved equally well but the angels i used were very different than the aforementioned. Let's be honest here. Keep in mind ive only had the DX kami for a short time and thats what I'm comparing too. I have ZERO experience with shavettes outside of the DX and now ESSENCE. I paid the price I paid because I have to look at the darn thing everyday, multiple times a day and I like schnazy things. This is a well made razor from what I can tell so far and I love the magnets personally. Its worth what your willing to pay. That being said i am positive YOU CAN get just as good a shave with the DX, SS or even lesser budget razors so don't think spending x amount of dollars will buy you a better shave with the Tedalus. My .02
ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
In case you really want to know, the count since October is 20.
I only use open blade razor on my face.
I use DE when I'm shaving my head, but I do want the beard to grow faster so I can spend more time with Essence.
In the process, I still use several other shavettes alternately to compare the skin feel.
ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
Shavette has its own niche, for example I like to see and play with their various interesting loading system ideas that traditional straight razors don't have.
Of course, they are shaving tools after all, so in addition to the interesting structure, if the performance is more restored to the traditional straight razor, it must be a bonus item.
I think I better understand what you were saying.
Do you own a DX? I'd be curious to see some side-by-side photos to compare the two, if you do.
To me there’s no reason why barber razors need to be like traditional straight razors. The use of replaceable blades is a major improvement on traditional straights and I’m sure there are many other ways in which the straight razor can be improved now that the need for a large, fixed, steel blade is eliminated. I personally think we could be more open to innovation and less wedded to emulating an old-fashioned format.
I have a Tedalus Essence, and it is very nice - surely worth the money - but I find that I enjoy shaving even more with smaller, lighter, more nimble razors. The Irving Barber Co razor is particularly a pleasure to shave with, in my opinion, though there are ways in which it could also be developed further. The Feather DX kamisori is especially nice to use too, and it is the lightest weight Feather razor.
I have a Tedalus Essence, and it is very nice - surely worth the money - but I find that I enjoy shaving even more with smaller, lighter, more nimble razors. The Irving Barber Co razor is particularly a pleasure to shave with, in my opinion, though there are ways in which it could also be developed further. The Feather DX kamisori is especially nice to use too, and it is the lightest weight Feather razor.
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ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
I used to have a DX but not now.
Still, I did this side-by-side photo when I was sorting through my shaving thoughts earlier.
I think Bill's comparison between the two is clear and speaks better than me; especially since English is not my first language.
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- #52
The Feather DX and Tedalus are both great razors. Choosing which is better is a judgement call, though I think the Tedalus is a notch higher in design and features.
Since the Tedalus is a lower volume product, I would expect it to cost more than the DX everything else being equal. From my perspective it is intended for the shavette user who wants the best (YMMV) they can get. Particularly something visually appealling. As otherwise one could buy one of the many generic AC blade holders made in China that cost approximately the same as one or two packs of AC blades and get a good shave.
I suspect the Tedalus was not only designed for enthusiasts but also for upscale barbers who wish to impress their customers - wouldn’t it be nice if a barber pulled one of these out to shave you? It is a nice thing and sort of a pity if it didn’t sell out. But that could be due to marketing and I still think it’s a very sound concept. The quality is certainly there.
The slim profile and sleek appearance of this razor is quiet sexy. IMHO, this is the best shavette at the moment in terms of style. The price it costs can be attributed the owner’s hard work and what he thinks it’s worth. For me it’s art and art is priceless.
In my opinion, this is the closest you can get to a true SR. All my SR'r can outperform my Essence by a good margin. However, it took me quite allot of effort to get my SR edges to this level.
While I personally disagree with your second point, I understand--and will admit that for many people, maybe the majority of people, this is true.
However, your first point I completely agree with-- what draws me to a replaceable blade razor is precisely the ways in which it is NOT a traditional straight. Different geometry, shorter cutting edge, and of course the convenience factors. If I wanted (another) razor that was like a 1/4 hollow straight, I would just buy (another) 1/4 hollow straight. On the other hand I can see a barber who prefers the feel of traditional straights gravitating toward a tool that better emulated that than many of the other shavette style razors on the market.
All that said, I think the frame of the Essence is very classy looking and I suspect very functional too. I also like the versatility to use a variety of blade formats. Not a fan of the scales, but that is just personal preference.
Yeah, you can see that in the stand, which was created to display the razor like art. You can also see it in the beautiful photographs Tedalus commissioned to market it. A lot of love went into the making of this razor.
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- #58
I can see that perspective as well. It looks the part and may fit in better with that barber's clientele. Much like the sight or sound of a Harley Davidson V-twin engine will immediately convey that the owner is a serious traditionalist.when it comes to motorcycles.
ERS4
My exploding razor knows secrets
This is true.
When I was a student, I went to a local family barber shop for a haircut, and after the barber shaved the back of my neck, I turned and saw his "weck shavette".
At the time I had absolutely no idea about straight razors or any open blad razor and just thought it was a rough tool.
It wasn't until I joined the B&B many years later that I knew Weck was also a well-regarded great shavette.
Now in youtube, we often see barbers talking about a well-designed shavette that brings them more flexibility and confidence.
Especially barbers have cost considerations and only use AC blades on thick beards, in fact DE blades are more often their normal choice; so shavettes such as Essence or IBC that are compatible with multiple blades are more likely to be favored by them.
