The Mongoose Has Arrived

[mjclark]

And great shave longevity from the Mongoose might be a double edged sword (lol) because, as with the Artist Clubs and the Sextoblade, I only need to shave every 36 hours with this razor to stay super smart but sometimes I want to shave more often!
Punishment of luxury eh?

 

[Mischief]

My Mongoose arrived this week a as well!
Your review is spot on! One thing that shocked my was the size of the thin, it's a monster.
I was concerned with manuverability, but that concerned vanished with the first shave!

Mongoose customer service was fantastic for me! They promptly answered every email, sent my receipt, and shipped the razor when expected.

 

[Marcos1]

I can't say enough good things about the Mongoose razor. I am a few weeks in with my polished version and it shaves every bit as close as the Cobra it replaced with less irritation. The fit and finish are superb and it really gives a great shave. While it can bite you it can be pushed a bit compared to the Cobra in my opinion. The only thing I haven't mastered yet is using it on my sideburns area. I can't seem to get it just right yet as the large head obscures my view. That will come with practice. I'm really looking forward the the open comb base plate too when it is released. Congrats on a great razor.

 

[mjclark]

It's good to hear how the Mongoose compares to the Cobra.
It's like those comparisons between the Shave Craft Tech and the R41 - this stuff fascinates me.
And the Mongoose is just so well made!

 

[mjclark]

Mongoose shave this morning - now the Xmas season is here my job has switched from maintenance to customer services so it's going to be morning shaves for a while for some guaranteed all day smartness.

Changed my prep to a cream and the extra cushion could be useful for the first couple of shaves with these blades.

And I really really noticed that this razor is noisy and has a lot of blade feel, reminding me of a classic SE like the Streamline or ER 1924.

I haven't seen anybody else make this comparison so I wonder if it's the extra extension of the Pro Super blades.

Whatever, this was another superb shave.

I was chatting with a guy who used the Cobra as his daily driver for a long time, but then when he got a 2011 R41 he gave the Cobra up altogether, and I've started wondering how the Mongoose shave holds up against the Shavecraft Tech which, up until the arrival of the Mongoose, I had considered to be the ultimate safety razor in terms of performance.

 

[FatboyFan]

These mongoose razors sound good...I'd like one for my collection. Where can I score?

 

[mjclark]

These mongoose razors sound good...I'd like one for my collection. Where can I score?

Yes indeed! Send them an email to [email protected]

Since this production run has just been shipped I don't know how long the wait will be until the next one, but there's a bit of a thrill in being on the waiting list for something so exciting.

 

[Marcos1]

I actually find the Mongoose to be fairly quiet as compared to the Cobra it replaced. I am not familiar with the other razors you mentioned though. The way the blade is secured in the Mongoose is much more stable which may lead to a decrease in blade chatter. I have only used Feather Pro blades in both...as my Cobra was an earlier model that did not accept Super Pro blades. Maybe the increase in blade chatter for you is due to the larger exposure of the super pro blade. Either way its a great razor. It's has a heft to it that makes it feel fantastic and does not have the flimsy wobbly feel that my Cobra Classic had from the trap door mechanism and the latch. Never liked the handle on the Cobra as much either. It had ridges and finger grooves on the underside of the handle but with the way I typically held the razor my fingers were on the sides of the razor, not the underside. So those humps and grooves were useless for me. Your pics are making me want a satin finish one now as well.

 

[mjclark]

Hey - can we see a pic of yours then?

 

[fasa]

I just used my mongoose again and got a great shave with the feather pro. I have tried a few other blades the worst being the the kai so far for me.


I do not like the handle, i found it slippery and i am using an ikon oss handle. I much prefer the grip from it although the razor balance tends to be a tiny bit balanced toward the head. I dom't know yet if it s good or bad. It seems that this type of balance is better for me when the head is heavy and that i prefer the opposite for a light head.

 

[Marcos1]

I do agree that while the fit and finish of the razor is impeccable the handle can get slippery and some deeper knurling would be a great addition. I haven't had a problem yet though while using it.

 

[mjclark]

I have the Dr Bomber handle and find it great but I also have an Ikon OSS that will seem light by comparison.
I think the ability to use different handles is such a great feature!

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Can anyone compare this to a 1st Generation Cobra Single Edge Razor? Thanks in advance )

 

[ERVARGASNY]

Does Mongoose only sell the head for the razor? I have plenty of Nice Solid Stainless Steel Razors, I don't need the Handle. Do you guys know if only the Head is sold? Thanks again.

 

[mjclark]

Certainly in this production run, there was an option to buy the razor head only.
I'd love to see some photos of you other guys Mongeese (Mongooses?).
I've watched plenty of vids comparing the Cobra and the Mongoose but it would be very interesting to hear a direct comparison here.

 

[fasa]

I have the Dr Bomber handle and find it great but I also have an Ikon OSS that will seem light by comparison.
I think the ability to use different handles is such a great feature!

I put them on the scale and found only 4 gr difference. Ikon = 80gr mongoose handle = 84gr

 

[mjclark]

I put them on the scale and found only 4 gr difference. Ikon = 80gr mongoose handle = 84gr

Doh! Maybe it won't seem light then!
Thanks for pointing this out.

This means the Mongoose head must weigh about 55g, so I wonder how it would shape up with a 50-60g handle to change the balance?

And can you guys post some photos of your razors then?
We all love photos

 

[drifter]

Hey - can we see a pic of yours then?

I'd love to see some photos of you other guys Mongeese (Mongooses?).

And can you guys post some photos of your razors then?
We all love photos

Here's mine. I like the polished version better, it seems to glide better. I also prefer the Goose mounted on the Maggard MR3. I didn't care for their handles, so I got rid of them.

 

[mjclark]

Like it!
But I must admit I really like my Dr Bomber handle - the spiral swirling goes quite deep and gives an excellent grip.

So third shave with the Mongoose tonight on 60 hours of beard:

Tonight I tried the "Flat to the face!" approach which works so well for so many SEs.
The result was a very smooth shave but some weepers on the neck area which always does better with steep angle if it's on offer.
And I'm really starting to appreciate the way that these Feather Pro blades change in character as the number of shaves on them increases.
Like the GEM Stainless, the first three shaves can be a bit harsh and dicey.
Like the GEM Stainless the fourth shave is lovely.
Unlike the GEM Stainless there's plenty more shaves to come after that!

Another really great shave though and now I'm shaving every two days with two passes and a touch up and getting the same results as I might expect from daily shaving with a full three passes.
It's a brave new world!

 

[mjclark]

So in contrast to the previous flat-to-the-face approach, tonight I tried maximum steep angle shaving with the Mongoose:

The extra extension of the Pro Super blades makes a very steep angle possible, and I shaved with the top of the cap literally at 90 deg to the face (though obviously due to the bevelled head, the blade angle is considerably less than this.

The big blade extension made this really feel like a punchier R41 and I'm guessing with the other blades with less extension then steep angle shaving will be less extreme.

But this was another superb shave and, as I found with the R41 and Shavecraft Tech, steep angle shaving gives me the best results with the Mongoose too.