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the Rocnel Sailor thread

There’s a whole lot of nice stuff in that picture. I’m a Hygge lover too, and the brush is wonderful (Trotter, I assume).
Thank you kind sir - love Hygee and more importantly LOTH does as well

And yes Trotter Handcrafts Silver Moss - fantastic 🙌

25F4E84E-6D43-4042-8754-A49126288DD0.jpeg
 
I think you made a wise choice. The standard models are the same as the Master Collection versions, except for a number and a minor cosmetic detail or two. The price is good too, when you consider how many less accomplished razors sell for that much or more. When you hold the Sailor you can see why it costs what it does.

I hope you enjoy your new Sailor for many years. There is no razor like it, that’s for sure.
Love love love my decision… thanks to reading these posts on B&B, as I think they helped me to make it💪🏼. My 25yr old came over and saw the razor.. picked it up.. and said, “Dad, this is like a Rolex.. I’m serious Dad, this thing looks just like it”… I said “shhhh, your mom is in the other room”🤣
 
Love love love my decision… thanks to reading these posts on B&B, as I think they helped me to make it💪🏼. My 25yr old came over and saw the razor.. picked it up.. and said, “Dad, this is like a Rolex.. I’m serious Dad, this thing looks just like it”… I said “shhhh, your mom is in the other room”🤣
Cool. And your son has a point - the Sailor is finished using similar lapping machines that Rolex and other high-end watch case makers use. It does have that look.
 
Wow, impressive razor.
I went to their site and you guys aren’t kidding when you talk about the expense. I’d love one, but it’s way out of my reach.
It is like a Rolex of razors.
 
Wow, impressive razor.
I went to their site and you guys aren’t kidding when you talk about the expense. I’d love one, but it’s way out of my reach.
It is like a Rolex of razors.
There are some very silly prices for models on the Rocnel site - costing thousands, even, with solid gold trim. The regular model is $550 on Bullgoose currently, and I’d say that’s the only one I would get. Functionally identical to the other models. Obviously a very, very expensive razor still, but there are many others that sell for as much or more these days.

Of course nobody needs to spend $500+ to get a tool for cutting facial hair. Same as nobody needs to spend $5,000 for a device to tell the time (which, by the way, a Rolex doesn’t do very well).
 
There are some very silly prices for models on the Rocnel site - costing thousands, even, with solid gold trim. The regular model is $550 on Bullgoose currently, and I’d say that’s the only one I would get. Functionally identical to the other models. Obviously a very, very expensive razor still, but there are many others that sell for as much or more these days.

Of course nobody needs to spend $500+ to get a tool for cutting facial hair. Same as nobody needs to spend $5,000 for a device to tell the time (which, by the way, a Rolex doesn’t do very well).
I would agree. I like nice things, but, at heart, I'm a practical guy. Five bills on pretty much anything is my top tier. I only picked up my Sailors because I was able to sell off a bunch of other items, so in that sense, the Sailor is my "grail"- I've tried most everything else and this is my trophy. It won't click with everyone (why you see them for resale) and the shave is not better than anything else. But. It does deliver a smooth efficient shave for me, and the craftsmanship is incredible.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
This isn't set in stone, but if I decide to add a Sailor to my small collection, I'd probably sell off a few of my other razors to make the funds available. I'm going to try the two adjustables I currently have to see if an adjustable makes sense to me. I have the Pearl Flexi V10 and will soon have the Merkur Progress when we celebrate Christmas a bit late with our son and his wife over New Year's.

When I get some time with those two razors, I think I'll know a bit more. The thicker heads are a concern but that's only because I haven't tried one. They don't seem to bother any of the Progress or Flexi owners here... or the Sailor owners, for that matter.

My other main hobby is photography. The very least expensive lens I own was $600 refub. All the others were far more costly than that. I guess that's why I don't gag on the prices of the more expensive razors. Others here prefer to stay in the $10 to $50 range. Whatever works for someone in whatever price range they feel comfortable makes complete sense to me.
 
This isn't set in stone, but if I decide to add a Sailor to my small collection, I'd probably sell off a few of my other razors to make the funds available. I'm going to try the two adjustables I currently have to see if an adjustable makes sense to me. I have the Pearl Flexi V10 and will soon have the Merkur Progress when we celebrate Christmas a bit late with our son and his wife over New Year's.

When I get some time with those two razors, I think I'll know a bit more. The thicker heads are a concern but that's only because I haven't tried one. They don't seem to bother any of the Progress or Flexi owners here... or the Sailor owners, for that matter.

My other main hobby is photography. The very least expensive lens I own was $600 refub. All the others were far more costly than that. I guess that's why I don't gag on the prices of the more expensive razors. Others here prefer to stay in the $10 to $50 range. Whatever works for someone in whatever price range they feel comfortable makes complete sense to me.
Kim, you seem to be pretty confident now in the style of razor that you prefer - mild-medium feeling, but efficient. I would say the Sailor is very efficient and smoother than anyone could expect, but not mild. I’d say it is a step up in aggressiveness from the Blutt 1.20 or Rocnel Elite. You can dial the Sailor down to 2 and below, for less blade feel, but it limits the effective angle and restricts the possibilities of the razor - like keeping a Ferrari in 2nd gear. I think nobody regularly uses the Sailor above 4 - there’s no need - but levels 3 and 4 definitely step up the blade feel from 2.

How would you feel if you got one and found you still prefer your current top four? Would you be disappointed, or would you be happy with it for what it is and what it does - which it does very well? For that cost, should it be exactly your thing?

Having enjoyed the same sort of razors as you, and seeing the value in that kind of razor, I’m not sure the Sailor fits your preference as well as they do. I also enjoy using razors with significant blade feel - that’s how I enjoy the Sailor most, and I love the Wolfman WR2 1.55.

It will be interesting to see how you get along with the other razors you have coming. I hear the Greencult is pretty aggressive - maybe more than the Sailor, but I’ve never used one and I’m just going by comments I’ve read.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I'd be disappointed if I preferred the Athena, Elite, X1 or the Blutt to a Sailor if I purchased one... I don't need anything more aggressive than I have now. I think the Green Cult should be similar with Plate 2, but we'll see.. if it ever gets to this side of the pond. The Lupo experiment should be fun.. one or two of those bottom plates should get it into the top razor category, I'm hoping.

A Ferrari in second gear doesn't appeal to me at all.
 
I'd be disappointed if I preferred the Athena, Elite, X1 or the Blutt to a Sailor if I purchased one... I don't need anything more aggressive than I have now. I think the Green Cult should be similar with Plate 2, but we'll see.. if it ever gets to this side of the pond. The Lupo experiment should be fun.. one or two of those bottom plates should get it into the top razor category, I'm hoping.

A Ferrari in second gear doesn't appeal to me at all.
Yeah, I suspect for your preferences you may already have the best razors currently available. If there are others I don’t know what they are. But that’s good, right?
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Yeah, I suspect for your preferences you may already have the best razors currently available. If there are others I don’t know what they are. But that’s good, right?
It's very good.. and I have you to thank. I'm not exaggerating. You've guided me into 3 out of 4 of my top razors and for that, I am truly grateful.
 
It's very good.. and I have you to thank. I'm not exaggerating. You've guided me into 3 out of 4 of my top razors and for that, I am truly grateful.
Well, I think I’m done buying razors now. I have a Wolfman WR2 0.95 coming, and I would still buy any new Lambda razor if Theo releases one (won’t be for a few years). But basically I’m more likely to get razor recommendations from you than the other way round now. I’m happy with what I’ve got.
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I've slowed down considerably. I don't see any new razors on the horizon after the two I have on the way show up. I still have quite a few to try for the first time... let along getting them dialed in to my satisfaction. I don't expect that to be finished for months, since, as I've mentioned, I'm not a daily shaver.
 
I've slowed down considerably. I don't see any new razors on the horizon after the two I have on the way show up. I still have quite a few to try for the first time... let along getting them dialed in to my satisfaction. I don't expect that to be finished for months, since, as I've mentioned, I'm not a daily shaver.
When you get bored there’s always that Kai barber razor in your drawer.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Kim, you seem to be pretty confident now in the style of razor that you prefer - mild-medium feeling, but efficient. I would say the Sailor is very efficient and smoother than anyone could expect, but not mild. I’d say it is a step up in aggressiveness from the Blutt 1.20 or Rocnel Elite. You can dial the Sailor down to 2 and below, for less blade feel, but it limits the effective angle and restricts the possibilities of the razor - like keeping a Ferrari in 2nd gear. I think nobody regularly uses the Sailor above 4 - there’s no need - but levels 3 and 4 definitely step up the blade feel from 2.

How would you feel if you got one and found you still prefer your current top four? Would you be disappointed, or would you be happy with it for what it is and what it does - which it does very well? For that cost, should it be exactly your thing?

Having enjoyed the same sort of razors as you, and seeing the value in that kind of razor, I’m not sure the Sailor fits your preference as well as they do. I also enjoy using razors with significant blade feel - that’s how I enjoy the Sailor most, and I love the Wolfman WR2 1.55.

It will be interesting to see how you get along with the other razors you have coming. I hear the Greencult is pretty aggressive - maybe more than the Sailor, but I’ve never used one and I’m just going by comments I’ve read.



I've literally used the Sailor on every setting. A lot of that was for science, but it was very interesting to see how smooth the razor was WTG on super high settings.

Mostly my normal Sailor settings are something like this: Starting setting is maybe 1.5 - 2.5, to shave everything and everywhere, mostly WTG, but ATG on my neck and soul patch, and XTG on my neck. Then setting 4 - 6 for ATG on my neck and for WTG and ATG on my soul patch, and for WTG on my upper lip. Finally, the Zero Dot for ATG S-N on my upper lip.

The huge selling point for me is how great the Sailor is ATG on my upper lip. It would be incorrect for me to say there's no blade feel at all, but the blade feel is extremely tiny and not an issue for me in that very sensitive area.

I've also done plenty of complete shaves on nothing but the Zero Dot. It works remarkably well. I have zero trouble finding the right angle with any Sailor setting especially including the Zero Dot. I pay pretty much no attention to anything but just shave at a steep angle. Actually I probably shave with audible and tactile feedback more than by angle but I notice that the angle is generally steep with all razors which stick around in my shave den and find ways to make themselves useful.

My Sailor delivers a good shave pretty much regardless of how I use it or how much or how little work I do.

Just my experience with my skin and whiskers. Unlikely to apply to anyone but me.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

never-stop-learning

Demoted To Moderator
Staff member
This isn't set in stone, but if I decide to add a Sailor to my small collection, I'd probably sell off a few of my other razors to make the funds available. I'm going to try the two adjustables I currently have to see if an adjustable makes sense to me. I have the Pearl Flexi V10 and will soon have the Merkur Progress when we celebrate Christmas a bit late with our son and his wife over New Year's.

When I get some time with those two razors, I think I'll know a bit more. The thicker heads are a concern but that's only because I haven't tried one. They don't seem to bother any of the Progress or Flexi owners here... or the Sailor owners, for that matter.

My other main hobby is photography. The very least expensive lens I own was $600 refub. All the others were far more costly than that. I guess that's why I don't gag on the prices of the more expensive razors. Others here prefer to stay in the $10 to $50 range. Whatever works for someone in whatever price range they feel comfortable makes complete sense to me.
You should try High End Audio. My Lovely Bride thinks that razors are very inexpensive by comparison.

She asked me if I want a Rocnel Sailor for Christmas..... ;)
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
You should try High End Audio. My Lovely Bride thinks that razors are very inexpensive by comparison.

She asked me if I want a Rocnel Sailor for Christmas..... ;)
I have a decent stereo playback system as I've mentioned in the older B&B thread but more mid fi than audiophile. I still get decent sounding tunes from my semi-ancient now Vandersteen 2Ci's... I did send them back to Vandersteen and have the speakers updated and a few new tweaks they had at the time but this had to be back in hmmmmm the early 2000s sometime. Rega CD player and Planar 3 turntable... like I said.... mid fi, but not bad for the money.

Edit: I'd take her up on the Rocnel Sailor.... but that's me. ;)
 
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