Thinking of buying a Rex Ambassador..

[BelfastBlade]

Hello folks,

I'd not really got any adjustable razors so recently I thought I'd add one or two to my collection as an adjustable is really all I think I'd like at this stage. I bought a Slim but I'm also curious about a Rex Ambassador adjustable.

I've watched a few videos and read a few reviews here and there and they generally seem to get some very good reviews with the occasional exception here and there.

I've heard these Rex Ambassador are relatively aggressive with considerable blade feel.. even on lower settings.. although I'm not too concerned with this now.. Initially I was more keen on milder razors like AS-D2, R89 etc but as I've gotten more into the way of using a DE razor I'm more keen to try more aggressive razors.

I was also curious about the QC and if there are any specific issues that affects the Ambassador? By chance I came across some video on YouTube where a guy was showing some issue he claimed he had was having with the screw knob at the bottom.. I'm not exactly sure what was wrong as I'm not familiar with the razor but it seemed like he couldn't get the screw knob to join the threads of the head and the inner shaft that it screws onto. He also posted another video claiming there was an issue with the adjustment dial. I think that he said it was difficult to turn past around 5

However these videos are a few years old.. so it may have been earlier production runs. Of course, we all know with a lot of new razor models they can have teething problems initially which are usually rectified as time goes one. From what I gather the Ambassador has been upgraded at least once in its lifetime.. I've seen the newer ones have a thicker base plate, more rounded ends on the drainage holes wheras they were squared off before, also the cap seems to be machined much smoother than it was in the beginning. I think I read it was a newer, better production method.

The one other adjustable razor I was going to buy was a Merkur Progress. There's obviously a huge difference in the price of these two razors. The Progress is around £60 give or take whereas the Ambassador is closer to £250.. almost the price of five Progress' razors. I'm sure it may not be five times better but nonetheless I've been somewhat drawn to Rex razors for some time.

Initially I was keen on the Ambassador but thought I'd satisfy myself with an Envoy as it fitted my budget better. I've spent a lot building up a collection of artisan soaps, splashes etc recently and its made somewhat of a hole in my pocket.. so I'm taking this into account also. The only reason I'm even considering the Ambassador at the moment is I have a gift voucher to spend so it reduces the Ambassador to around the £150 mark which is a bit more affordable.

I'm in somewhat of a dilemma! Do you guys think the Ambassador is the good purchase here? I'd heard of the Indian Pearl Flexi which seems to be an Indian take on the Rex.. however I've heard it is not without it's issues and it is very heavy. Sometimes I find when I buy a dupe in the hope of saving money, I end up going for the real thing soon after anyways, so I'd be better off just buying the real thing in the beginning anyways which actually would have turned out less expensive overall as I wouldn't be buying both dupe and genuine.

Any advice, tips, shared knowledge/experience on the razor etc would be much appreciated!

Best regards,

BelfastBlade

 

[Patrice]

Hi @BelfastBlade !
I have tried the Progress and the Flexi.
Flexi is more precise but too heavy for my taste and too small. It shaves very well if you like it small and heavy.
Progress is my preferred razor after the Blackbird SS. If you like the look, you'll not be disappointed. I could hardly imagine someone needing a more efficient or aggressive razor but I could imagine someone wanting a more precise razor. For integral shave, it's perfect though.
Progress is also meeting history, older ajustable razor produced since 1955! I find it much better than the Gillette TTO designed in the 50s.
Good hunt, all my condolences to your savings.

 

[LeroyR]

The Progress is a fine razor, but it's literally the only zamac razor I've had where the plating failed. I had to replace it, and while the price of two Progress razors is still less than the Ambassador, I was disappointed that I had to. I try to stay away from zamac now as a result, but it shaves well for sure and there's no disappointment in that.

The Ambassador is a pretty blade-feely razor, but if you can stand that it'll give you a lifetime of good shaves. Rex Supply Co stands behind their products, and if you find that you don't like it someone here will gladly take if off you hands in used condition.

At such a steep discount I’d take the Ambassador without a doubt.

 

[Whiterook]

I've had my Ambassador for over four years now, and I still very much look forward to using it. The original production, M series, had issues. Ultimately Matt found a better machine shop and the problems were resolved. My razor is an N series and good as gold. When I first got it there was a lot of blade feel, so I started on setting 1.75. Nowadays I run between 2.8 and 3.5, depending on the blade in use. I just don't notice the blade feel anymore. As I understand it, the Envoy is equivalent to the Ambassador on 3.
I have couple of Progress razors and they great classics from the 1950s, but not in the same class as the Rex.

 

[Rob72]

I have the Ambassador, Konsul, Muramasa, Taiga, Sailor, Flexi, and have/had all of the vintage adjustables, save the Toggle. Personally, I would buy the Konsul. It is as efficient, but smoother than the Ambassador. If you can't stand the idea of a slant and like the look/feel of the grippier Ambassador handle, go that route. If you like slants, and like the slightly less industrial, more art deco look of the Konsul, it is fantastic. Equally, if you've never tried a slant, it would be an easy one to start with.

QC, mechanically, seems to be adequate, mine are perfect. Plating, I would not pay the premium from RE, go plain stainless.

 

[DesertIguana]

Once in while Razor Emporium has what they call blem. Cosmetic thing, at big savings.


Was there one and ask, lady showed me blem. I say nothing, she pointed out. Said can’t sell for full price.

Then she said people want perfect, I said now you showed me tiny scratch. I call use mark.

If a blem is of intrest pick up phone, and call em. Might have blem.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I have the Rex Ambassador and very much like it. It was a generous gift. It is my most aggressive razor. Every now and then I like to shave on the max setting, just for a challenge. It gives an excellent shave and if I do my due diligence in prep, I can get a bloodless comfortable shave. If I don't, it won't hesitate to let me know.

 

[frogman1821]

I have both a Progress and an Ambassador, I absolutely love the Progress always works and the adjustability range is just right for me, the Ambassador on the other hand is something else, for me the blade feel is borderline uncomfortable and in all fairness that is just me, if you are comfortable with that then no problem there, also I don’t think it is “aggressive” I just think it’s the amount of blade feel. I get really good shaves with it, it just makes me uncomfortable when I use it and honestly mine is probably headed to the BST soon unless something magical happens. But of course YMMV

 

[skibik]

I really can't say anything about the Rex razor because I don't have one but I find it hard to shell out super high dollars for a razor. I was wondering if you had thought about vintage such as Fatboy or a Slim adjustable? I have both and my Slim is my number one razor, even paid $125 for it since it was re-plated in rose gold and is the most I will ever pay for a razor. I recently picked up a Vikings Blade Meiji adjustable razor but I can't really recommend it, I don't know if their Crusader or Emperor adjustable razors are any better. I would look at the Parker Variant or even the Merkur Progress you mentioned. One other razor that I have been contemplating getting is the Rockwell 6S or even the 6C, no dial but comes with different plates to adjust the aggressiveness of the shave.

 

[ERS4]

I also thought the Ambassador had a lot of blade feel to it at first and made me a little nervous.
But the more I use it and the more time I use it, the more I discover the magic of smoothness and enjoy shaving with it more and more.

Since the Ambassador is a razor with a wide range of aggressiveness settings, the trick is to start with a low setting and give yourself time to get used to it, eventually you will find its gentle and efficient side.

I have both Gillette slim / black beauty... etc. vintage and Rex Ambassador. The solid and thick mechanical structure of the Ambassador is incomparable to the stamping parts of the former.

 

[Rob72]

I really can't say anything about the Rex razor because I don't have one but I find it hard to shell out super high dollars for a razor. I was wondering if you had thought about vintage such as Fatboy or a Slim adjustable? I have both and my Slim is my number one razor, even paid $125 for it since it was re-plated in rose gold and is the most I will ever pay for a razor. I recently picked up a Vikings Blade Meiji adjustable razor but I can't really recommend it, I don't know if their Crusader or Emperor adjustable razors are any better. I would look at the Parker Variant or even the Merkur Progress you mentioned. One other razor that I have been contemplating getting is the Rockwell 6S or even the 6C, no dial but comes with different plates to adjust the aggressiveness of the shave.

I definitely understand; however, the FB/195 and Slim are not at all in the same category as the Ambassaodor, efficiency-wise. The only vintage models I've found that are close are Famex (adjustable to a limited degree), LeCoq caged comb, '30s-pre '44 British Aristocrats, Myatt Minor. You'll generally spend over $100 or more for these options too.

 

[skibik]

I definitely understand; however, the FB/195 and Slim are not at all in the same category as the Ambassaodor, efficiency-wise. The only vintage models I've found that are close are Famex (adjustable to a limited degree), LeCoq caged comb, '30s-pre '44 British Aristocrats, Myatt Minor. You'll generally spend over $100 or more for these options too.

The category is adjustable not efficiency so they certainly are in the same category. I can't compare a Rex to a Slim or FB but both are more than efficient themselves. Efficiency is in the hands of the user. You can say the Ambassador is not in the same efficiency category as either the Slim or FB, but put the Ambassador in my hands and I get a mediocre shave that didn't do a very good job and I call it inefficient, who's right, you or I? In my book either of the Gillette razors are more than efficient to me.

 

[Rob72]

"Efficient", in context, does not mean that one simply gets a good shave, it means that it provides a very close shave, the goal for those of us favoring such efficiency, is straight-razor performance without the hassles of blade maintenance and ambidextrous use.

I'm fairly certain, we can both get good shaves from any adjustable, but the blade exposure and gap on the Ambassador will always be greater than Gillette's offerings, hence, "more efficient".

 

[adamz712003]

I have tried nearly every adjustable I have been able to get my hands on, including the Rex, the Model T from Rockwell, all of the Merkurs including the vision, and all the vintage Gillettes.

The Ambassador was by far the most agressive. I usually like agressive razors, but it was too much for me.

At the end of the day, I keep going back to the vintage Fatboy. For me it has been the perfect fit of aggressiveness and smoothness. The balance is near perfect for me which is something I have struggled with in modern adjustables.

If the itch is there to buy the ambassador, give it a shot, but my recommendation would be to find a good quality vintage Fatboy and save the time and cost of the RAD that can follow chasing something better.

 

[BelfastBlade]

Hi @BelfastBlade !
I have tried the Progress and the Flexi.
Flexi is more precise but too heavy for my taste and too small. It shaves very well if you like it small and heavy.
Progress is my preferred razor after the Blackbird SS. If you like the look, you'll not be disappointed. I could hardly imagine someone needing a more efficient or aggressive razor but I could imagine someone wanting a more precise razor. For integral shave, it's perfect though.
Progress is also meeting history, older ajustable razor produced since 1955! I find it much better than the Gillette TTO designed in the 50s.
Good hunt, all my condolences to your savings.

Hi Patrice! I appreciate your advice and your good words on the Progress! I think you had told me some about it in a previous thread also. After your descriptions of it, I've been very keen on one. I will undoubtedly buy one soon as they are quite affordable and seem to be a great little adjustable. As for the Flexi, I was initally very keen on it but then decided against due to the heavy weight and small size.. I'd saw some reviews on YouTube where some people had claimed they had experienced some issues and that put me off also. I thought these were mostly in the early models but one YouTubers was showing an alleged little issue with his just purchased a few months ago.

The Progress is a fine razor, but it's literally the only zamac razor I've had where the plating failed. I had to replace it, and while the price of two Progress razors is still less than the Ambassador, I was disappointed that I had to. I try to stay away from zamac now as a result, but it shaves well for sure and there's no disappointment in that.

The Ambassador is a pretty blade-feely razor, but if you can stand that it'll give you a lifetime of good shaves. Rex Supply Co stands behind their products, and if you find that you don't like it someone here will gladly take if off you hands in used condition.

At such a steep discount I’d take the Ambassador without a doubt.

Wow. That is interesting to hear about the plating! Sorry to hear that happened yours? Maybe it was a one off situation? Maybe an issue in the plating process?

I'd never heard of that happen really. Although I have saw some people say that in their view Muhle's plating is generally better than Merkur's. This is what steered me towards Muhle razors in the early days rather than Merkur.. of course, these two brands being very common beginners.. a lot of us usually start with the R89 or 34c!

What actually happened with your Progess? Was it just wearing away fast or something strange like cracking or peeling? Did you own it for long before this happened? And is the one you replaced it with holding up okay?

I've definitely taken your advice on board in regards to the Ambassador! I'm surprised it is seen to be such an blade feely, aggressive razor.. as the impression I got was Rex sell the Ambassador as all rounder, highly adjustable razor that will suit everyone, not just "razor fanatics"!

Thank you!

I've had my Ambassador for over four years now, and I still very much look forward to using it. The original production, M series, had issues. Ultimately Matt found a better machine shop and the problems were resolved. My razor is an N series and good as gold. When I first got it there was a lot of blade feel, so I started on setting 1.75. Nowadays I run between 2.8 and 3.5, depending on the blade in use. I just don't notice the blade feel anymore. As I understand it, the Envoy is equivalent to the Ambassador on 3.
I have couple of Progress razors and they great classics from the 1950s, but not in the same class as the Rex.

That's great to know! Thank you very much for your help, Whiterook! If I do buy it, I feel I'd likely be using it on very low settings.. most of the razors I use are on the milder side. But as time goes on I like to try more and more aggressive ones. I'm very keen on the Ambassador for sure.

I have the Ambassador, Konsul, Muramasa, Taiga, Sailor, Flexi, and have/had all of the vintage adjustables, save the Toggle. Personally, I would buy the Konsul. It is as efficient, but smoother than the Ambassador. If you can't stand the idea of a slant and like the look/feel of the grippier Ambassador handle, go that route. If you like slants, and like the slightly less industrial, more art deco look of the Konsul, it is fantastic. Equally, if you've never tried a slant, it would be an easy one to start with.

QC, mechanically, seems to be adequate, mine are perfect. Plating, I would not pay the premium from RE, go plain stainless.

Never had a slant before! I'd seen the Konsul but the idea of a slant didn't really appeal to me. I like the handle though! As you say it has a less almost art deco look! I think if going for one of these it'd be the Ambassador.. it'd be a lot of money to drop on a slant with never having tried one. I'd maybe get a more affordable one like Merkur or something first if I was considering.

Thanks for the advice on the QC also! I too would definitely just go plain stainless. I didn't even know they offered plated ones until last night when looking on their site! I'd have no interest in plating stainless, personally. If buying from a stockist over here in UK they just all stock the plain stainless versions anyways.

Thank you!

Once in while Razor Emporium has what they call blem. Cosmetic thing, at big savings.


Was there one and ask, lady showed me blem. I say nothing, she pointed out. Said can’t sell for full price.

Then she said people want perfect, I said now you showed me tiny scratch. I call use mark.

If a blem is of intrest pick up phone, and call em. Might have blem.

Thanks a lot for the advice! I'd heard someone say about these seconds or "blem" versions. I'd looked on the site but couldn't see any. I guess they're more of a call up about them thing. I wonder if they were ever listed on the site. I could be wrong but I think I heard someone say sometimes they are. Are these generally much less than the non-blemished ones?

I have the Rex Ambassador and very much like it. It was a generous gift. It is my most aggressive razor. Every now and then I like to shave on the max setting, just for a challenge. It gives an excellent shave and if I do my due diligence in prep, I can get a bloodless comfortable shave. If I don't, it won't hesitate to let me know.

Wow! Like I'd said to one of the previous posters I'm surprised to hear it is such and aggressive razor. Surprised they designed it to be this way when it seems they target quite a wide range of customers with this razor.

I have both a Progress and an Ambassador, I absolutely love the Progress always works and the adjustability range is just right for me, the Ambassador on the other hand is something else, for me the blade feel is borderline uncomfortable and in all fairness that is just me, if you are comfortable with that then no problem there, also I don’t think it is “aggressive” I just think it’s the amount of blade feel. I get really good shaves with it, it just makes me uncomfortable when I use it and honestly mine is probably headed to the BST soon unless something magical happens. But of course YMMV

Thank you very much for the advice! Much appreciated and very helpful to me.. I'm taking all these comments on board. Great to hear from all you folks who have owned the Ambassador. Lot's of different views however, like everything.. as you perfectly put it.. YMMV! It's just nice to hear others experiences.

I really can't say anything about the Rex razor because I don't have one but I find it hard to shell out super high dollars for a razor. I was wondering if you had thought about vintage such as Fatboy or a Slim adjustable? I have both and my Slim is my number one razor, even paid $125 for it since it was re-plated in rose gold and is the most I will ever pay for a razor. I recently picked up a Vikings Blade Meiji adjustable razor but I can't really recommend it, I don't know if their Crusader or Emperor adjustable razors are any better. I would look at the Parker Variant or even the Merkur Progress you mentioned. One other razor that I have been contemplating getting is the Rockwell 6S or even the 6C, no dial but comes with different plates to adjust the aggressiveness of the shave.

I actually have a Slim! Well, I bought one but I haven't got it yet! I bought one in 24k gold so Aristocrat Slim from 1962. It's in the post but I should have it any day now. I expect it sometime early next week. However I've been keen on a Rex razor for a while, I agree it is a lot of money to spend on a razor but.. this is really my only hobby so I don't mind spending a bit on it now and again. Parker Variant is another one, I just discovered it a couple of days ago. It's also quite affordable. I'll maybe consider that one in future also. Thanks a lot for your advice! I appreciate it very much.

I also thought the Ambassador had a lot of blade feel to it at first and made me a little nervous.
But the more I use it and the more time I use it, the more I discover the magic of smoothness and enjoy shaving with it more and more.

Since the Ambassador is a razor with a wide range of aggressiveness settings, the trick is to start with a low setting and give yourself time to get used to it, eventually you will find its gentle and efficient side.

I have both Gillette slim / black beauty... etc. vintage and Rex Ambassador. The solid and thick mechanical structure of the Ambassador is incomparable to the stamping parts of the former.

I guess this is the case for a lot of them! The more we use the we get in the way of a razor. Even ones who may seem daunting at first soon become tamed.

I don't worry too much reading about things such as aggressiveness or blade feel as like everything, regardless of what it is like, it'll just take a while of getting used to. If we like anything enough we will try to make it work!

By all means I agree. I feel I'll be doing exactly that.. starting on the very lowest and building up slowly until I find the perfect or sweet spot.

You feel the Rex construction is much superior? It seems to be a very well made razor.. heavy, industrial.

Thanks for all your advice! It's been a great help!

Best wishes,

I have tried nearly every adjustable I have been able to get my hands on, including the Rex, the Model T from Rockwell, all of the Merkurs including the vision, and all the vintage Gillettes.

The Ambassador was by far the most agressive. I usually like agressive razors, but it was too much for me.

At the end of the day, I keep going back to the vintage Fatboy. For me it has been the perfect fit of aggressiveness and smoothness. The balance is near perfect for me which is something I have struggled with in modern adjustables.

If the itch is there to buy the ambassador, give it a shot, but my recommendation would be to find a good quality vintage Fatboy and save the time and cost of the RAD that can follow chasing something better.

Thanks a lot for your advice! It's greatly appreciated!

I actually have ordered a restored/re-plated vintage Slim Aristocrat! I should have it any day now.. as it says on the tracking that it has landed and cleared customs.

How do you feel they compare to the Fatboy? From what I'd read it seems a lot of people rated them quite closely and after that it was mostly personal preference if you prefer the shorter or longer handle/fatter or thinner head.. but that aside they performed quite similarly.

I will likely pick a Fatboy up at some stage too though.. I'd also like to get a SuperSpeed.. one of the late 40s early 50s ones maybe.

 

[Steelerfan]

I have a Rex Ambassador and it has become my daily razor. It is built sold and feels good in my hand. I get great shaves using a variety of blades. I don't regret for a minute of purchasing one and it has put an end to RAD for me. The only issue that I had with my razor is the red paint of the indicator dot has faded.

 

[DesertIguana]

Best way to get info about Blems is calling, or email.

 

[adamz712003]

Hi Patrice! I appreciate your advice and your good words on the Progress! I think you had told me some about it in a previous thread also. After your descriptions of it, I've been very keen on one. I will undoubtedly buy one soon as they are quite affordable and seem to be a great little adjustable. As for the Flexi, I was initally very keen on it but then decided against due to the heavy weight and small size.. I'd saw some reviews on YouTube where some people had claimed they had experienced some issues and that put me off also. I thought these were mostly in the early models but one YouTubers was showing an alleged little issue with his just purchased a few months ago.



Wow. That is interesting to hear about the plating! Sorry to hear that happened yours? Maybe it was a one off situation? Maybe an issue in the plating process?

I'd never heard of that happen really. Although I have saw some people say that in their view Muhle's plating is generally better than Merkur's. This is what steered me towards Muhle razors in the early days rather than Merkur.. of course, these two brands being very common beginners.. a lot of us usually start with the R89 or 34c!

What actually happened with your Progess? Was it just wearing away fast or something strange like cracking or peeling? Did you own it for long before this happened? And is the one you replaced it with holding up okay?

I've definitely taken your advice on board in regards to the Ambassador! I'm surprised it is seen to be such an blade feely, aggressive razor.. as the impression I got was Rex sell the Ambassador as all rounder, highly adjustable razor that will suit everyone, not just "razor fanatics"!

Thank you!



That's great to know! Thank you very much for your help, Whiterook! If I do buy it, I feel I'd likely be using it on very low settings.. most of the razors I use are on the milder side. But as time goes on I like to try more and more aggressive ones. I'm very keen on the Ambassador for sure.



Never had a slant before! I'd seen the Konsul but the idea of a slant didn't really appeal to me. I like the handle though! As you say it has a less almost art deco look! I think if going for one of these it'd be the Ambassador.. it'd be a lot of money to drop on a slant with never having tried one. I'd maybe get a more affordable one like Merkur or something first if I was considering.

Thanks for the advice on the QC also! I too would definitely just go plain stainless. I didn't even know they offered plated ones until last night when looking on their site! I'd have no interest in plating stainless, personally. If buying from a stockist over here in UK they just all stock the plain stainless versions anyways.

Thank you!



Thanks a lot for the advice! I'd heard someone say about these seconds or "blem" versions. I'd looked on the site but couldn't see any. I guess they're more of a call up about them thing. I wonder if they were ever listed on the site. I could be wrong but I think I heard someone say sometimes they are. Are these generally much less than the non-blemished ones?



Wow! Like I'd said to one of the previous posters I'm surprised to hear it is such and aggressive razor. Surprised they designed it to be this way when it seems they target quite a wide range of customers with this razor.




Thank you very much for the advice! Much appreciated and very helpful to me.. I'm taking all these comments on board. Great to hear from all you folks who have owned the Ambassador. Lot's of different views however, like everything.. as you perfectly put it.. YMMV! It's just nice to hear others experiences.



I actually have a Slim! Well, I bought one but I haven't got it yet! I bought one in 24k gold so Aristocrat Slim from 1962. It's in the post but I should have it any day now. I expect it sometime early next week. However I've been keen on a Rex razor for a while, I agree it is a lot of money to spend on a razor but.. this is really my only hobby so I don't mind spending a bit on it now and again. Parker Variant is another one, I just discovered it a couple of days ago. It's also quite affordable. I'll maybe consider that one in future also. Thanks a lot for your advice! I appreciate it very much.



I guess this is the case for a lot of them! The more we use the we get in the way of a razor. Even ones who may seem daunting at first soon become tamed.

I don't worry too much reading about things such as aggressiveness or blade feel as like everything, regardless of what it is like, it'll just take a while of getting used to. If we like anything enough we will try to make it work!

By all means I agree. I feel I'll be doing exactly that.. starting on the very lowest and building up slowly until I find the perfect or sweet spot.

You feel the Rex construction is much superior? It seems to be a very well made razor.. heavy, industrial.

Thanks for all your advice! It's been a great help!

Best wishes,



Thanks a lot for your advice! It's greatly appreciated!

I actually have ordered a restored/re-plated vintage Slim Aristocrat! I should have it any day now.. as it says on the tracking that it has landed and cleared customs.

How do you feel they compare to the Fatboy? From what I'd read it seems a lot of people rated them quite closely and after that it was mostly personal preference if you prefer the shorter or longer handle/fatter or thinner head.. but that aside they performed quite similarly.

I will likely pick a Fatboy up at some stage too though.. I'd also like to get a SuperSpeed.. one of the late 40s early 50s ones maybe.

There is some personal preference in the difference between the slim and the Fatboy. The thicker head on the Fatboy works best for me. Not l sure if that’s why or not, but they were very different for me.

 

[skibik]

I actually have a Slim! Well, I bought one but I haven't got it yet! I bought one in 24k gold so Aristocrat Slim from 1962. It's in the post but I should have it any day now. I expect it sometime early next week. However I've been keen on a Rex razor for a while, I agree it is a lot of money to spend on a razor but.. this is really my only hobby so I don't mind spending a bit on it now and again. Parker Variant is another one, I just discovered it a couple of days ago. It's also quite affordable. I'll maybe consider that one in future also. Thanks a lot for your advice! I appreciate it very much.

You are welcome! The Ambassador does look like a very fine razor but just priced out of my range, but if money isn't an object go for it. I have certainly spent more than that on a lot less useful in my life. I just basically tossed another $50 on a razor I didn't need just because I liked the looks of it, the Vikings Blades Meiji adjustable, basically the modern knockoff of a Fatboy but it is a quirky razor to load. Shaves quite nice but is quite aggressive compared to my Slim or FB, setting 2 to 3 is like setting 7 on my Slim. Just not sure the VB razor would be one I would recommend other than it is a nice looking razor. I do have a list of razors I would like to get, the Rockwell 6S, Feather ASD2(a little too expensive again for me), the Parker Variant are a few but I just can no longer spend on any more razors after the Vikings Blade. I have tried a Merkur Futur knockoff and if the real thing is similar I personally wouldn't recommend it, I was just not fond of how the cap snapped on and held the blade and the blade did not feel secure but might have been all in my head though.

You mentioned in another part of your reply about the Slim Aristocrat compared to the Fatboy, I don't think the Aristocrat is any different than a regular Slim other than plating. The FB had a slightly thicker head, a shorter thicker handle and is a little heftier than the Slim. For handling I like the FB because of the handle but I prefer the shave I get from my Slim over the FB. I also believe the Slim on the same setting as the FB is slightly more aggressive feeling to it, I use my Slim on 6 to 7 and seems like at least 8 on the Fatboy is a similar feeling on the shave but it might be just me.

I have a number of other razors such as the Super Speed, Tech, and even a Schick Krona but if it wasn't for the fact they are birthyear razors(not sure about the Krona but it is close) I probably would have gotten rid of them a long time ago, they are on the mild side and I just don't get clean shaves from them.

Let us know how the Aristocrat goes once you get it and give it a test drive.

 

[Shaun asleep]

A Rex Ambassador is an excellent razor. It's beautiful, very strudy and well made. The knurling on the handle is the best that I have come across - you will not find a better gripped handle.

The Ambassador is fantastic. But it is pretty blade forward. I didn't mind that, Infact I shaved with the thing wide open. The head of the Ambassador (and I can only speak for the satin finish, haven't tried polished, gold or rhodium) has a tendancy to suck/stick to your face. I think it helped it's efficiency, but some people dont like this aspect.

Buy your Ambassador from a reputable vendor and you shouldn't have to worry if something is wrong with it... Exchange it. Things can always go wrong during manufacturing,regaedless of brand.

The Progress is alot smoother and a very efficient razor as well. You can't go wrong with it. But it's not very pretty. That's about the only complaint I can think of. Some find the head too bumky when trying to shave under their nose. I had no issues.

I also had a Pearl Flexi. Alot cheaper than the Rex. Mine had a problem, the blade gap was uneven/slanted. Managed to fix it myself, the spring was positionned poorly. It's a hair less aggressive than the Ambassador. If you are drawn to the Ambassador because of it's looks...then dont buy a Flexi. It looks blant, boring and uninteresting. It's also very heavy and the handle is not as grippy. You will find more posts regarding issues about Pearls' QC than you find posts about the Ambassador.

I also had a Konsul. I did not like it, at all. Everything I liked about the Ambassador was different on the Konsul. It was milder, I found it less efficient and the superior handle of the Ambassador got swapped out by a handle with another pattern and less grip. I would never advice anyone to buy a Konsul, not for the premium price they are asking. But most everyone who owns one seems to love it. YMMV. I got rid of mine within a week.

Yaqi also has an interesting gibbs inspired adjustable that gets alot of love. I haven't tried it.

Heritage inspired shaving has a replica of the Gibbs that comes closest to the original appearance. The previous batch sold out a while ago, they are working on a new brass or stainless steel version. If you can wait... Maybe thats a good choice. I really liked their latest version, because I believe it comes closest to the original and because the price was fair.

I also had a Rockwell T2, zamac not stainless. Alot milder than the Ambassador. I found the head quite bulky. But it gave me a decent and smooth shave. Maybe too expensive, for whats offered.

In summary:
Rex Ambassador is awesome. The Progress is a very, very good and smooth shaver. The Ambassador doesn't seem to suit everyone.
The Progress would probably be a financially sound bet. But if you are interested in the Ambassador, you'll get one eventually.