So I finally got the aristocrat I bought off the 'bay cleaned up. Took some pics and posted them here: Safety Razor Acquisition Thread.
After all that work I decided it was time to finally shave with the thing (Bought it months ago!)
I purchased the razor because I read that it is hands-down THE best-shaving razor Gillette ever made. What follows is my opinion, YMMV.
What appears to be a bottle of Prorasso aftershave is actually Pinaud Clubman decanted into the Prorasso Green bottle.
Believe the hype! This is by far the best razor holder I have ever used. I achieved my closest, most comfortable shave ever, period. This razor gets everything right for me. I believe the quality of the shave can be attributed to the following factors.
Audible feedback. The aristocrat is very vocal. If the blade is cutting you can practically hear it in the next room. This feedback makes it easy to tell of you're making good contact with your skin and that the angle is right.
The head shape makes holding the razor at the correct angle almost automatic. I never had a problem with the angle; it was perfect every dang time. This ease was enhanced by the next attribute:
Blade gap/exposure. The blade gap was perfect, even for my four-day stubble. It allowed for efficient removal with ease. The blade exposure resulted in a lot of blade feel, in a good way. Along with the audio feedback, the feel of the blade doubly reassured you of good contact and efficient cutting angle. The blade feel reminded you very quickly - and without mangling your mug - if you started to apply too much pressure. This helped with efficiency as well, as bearing down reduces the ability of the blade to cut the hair effectively.
Balance and weight. The razor is fairly heavy, like my Fatboy, and has a fat and hefty handle. This balances well with the slightly less bulky head (also vs. the Fatboy) of the razor. The overall balance allows the razor to rest squarely against your face without applying any additional pressure to maintain consistent contact. I shaved the whole time gripping the razor with only my thumb and two fingers gingerly, merely guiding the path of the blade across my face.
I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin - especially on my neck - and any pressure there inevitably results in razor burn. I was able to do the customary three passes with ZERO irritation; my Clubman aftershave confirmed it. My neck was closer than I've ever gotten it, irritation free or otherwise.
In summary, I'd like to say that this razor is the pinnacle of razor design (IMHO). There are many discussions out there about what the best beginner DE razor is. The Aristocrat gets my vote, no question. You can get one for about $20-$25 on eBay and they outperform any razor I've ever tried by a good margin.
After all that work I decided it was time to finally shave with the thing (Bought it months ago!)
I purchased the razor because I read that it is hands-down THE best-shaving razor Gillette ever made. What follows is my opinion, YMMV.
What appears to be a bottle of Prorasso aftershave is actually Pinaud Clubman decanted into the Prorasso Green bottle.
Believe the hype! This is by far the best razor holder I have ever used. I achieved my closest, most comfortable shave ever, period. This razor gets everything right for me. I believe the quality of the shave can be attributed to the following factors.
Audible feedback. The aristocrat is very vocal. If the blade is cutting you can practically hear it in the next room. This feedback makes it easy to tell of you're making good contact with your skin and that the angle is right.
The head shape makes holding the razor at the correct angle almost automatic. I never had a problem with the angle; it was perfect every dang time. This ease was enhanced by the next attribute:
Blade gap/exposure. The blade gap was perfect, even for my four-day stubble. It allowed for efficient removal with ease. The blade exposure resulted in a lot of blade feel, in a good way. Along with the audio feedback, the feel of the blade doubly reassured you of good contact and efficient cutting angle. The blade feel reminded you very quickly - and without mangling your mug - if you started to apply too much pressure. This helped with efficiency as well, as bearing down reduces the ability of the blade to cut the hair effectively.
Balance and weight. The razor is fairly heavy, like my Fatboy, and has a fat and hefty handle. This balances well with the slightly less bulky head (also vs. the Fatboy) of the razor. The overall balance allows the razor to rest squarely against your face without applying any additional pressure to maintain consistent contact. I shaved the whole time gripping the razor with only my thumb and two fingers gingerly, merely guiding the path of the blade across my face.
I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin - especially on my neck - and any pressure there inevitably results in razor burn. I was able to do the customary three passes with ZERO irritation; my Clubman aftershave confirmed it. My neck was closer than I've ever gotten it, irritation free or otherwise.
In summary, I'd like to say that this razor is the pinnacle of razor design (IMHO). There are many discussions out there about what the best beginner DE razor is. The Aristocrat gets my vote, no question. You can get one for about $20-$25 on eBay and they outperform any razor I've ever tried by a good margin.
