Thinking of buying Karve or Yates...

[RazorTom]

I'm looking for some input on the Karve and Yates razors. I have never owned any razors from these two companies and am considering picking up a Karve Overlander (aluminum or stainless steel), or one of the Yates razors (not sure which).

At the moment I own only two razors: EJ DE89 and Muhle Rocca. I do not like overly mild/inefficient razors, or razors that require lots of effort to "maintain the angle". I typically shave every 2 - 3 days.

Any feedback would be appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Nehbulah]

Yates 921-M is phenomenal and you can also get an H or EH plate to up the efficiency

 

[RazorTom]

Yates 921-M is phenomenal and you can also get an H or EH plate to up the efficiency

Thanks for your feedback. Any experience with a EJ DE89 or Muhle Rocca...wondering how their shaving characteristics compare to the 921-M.

 

[shaveSymptomatic]

If you don't like mild razors, I would rule out the overlander.

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

If you don't like mild razors, I would rule out the overlander.

So what we need to know is if he dislikes both mild and inefficient, or only inefficient. The OP didn't specify, and many conflate the two attributes.

You likely know that the Overlander is much more efficient than it's mildness would predict.

I don't know from overly efficient razors, but others can likely chime on to fit it on the continuum. My guess is that it's medium efficient but I may be wrong.

... Thom

 

[Kix]

The Overlander is a terrific razor.
It has excellent efficiency, but is not at all inclined to "bite". I get a quality shave and relaxed skin every time.

 

[Raktajino]

At the moment I own only two razors: EJ DE89 and Muhle Rocca.

Well those two are certainly on both ends of the spectrum...

I'd try either the Karve CB in the C Plate (if it is not to your liking, its easy to go up or down with another plate that more suits your needs!) or the Merica Razor by Yates. Not tried the "regular" offerings from Yates but hearing good things as well.

Yates usually has stuff in stock, Karve is made to order which can take time and there is no shortage of posts on this board and social media complaining about the wait time. Maybe that has improved however.

But essentially you cant go wrong with either, maybe a certain razor just catches your eye

 

[Shaun asleep]

I really liked my Yates 921 with the H plate. I only sold it because I dont like non polished razors - but I do miss it.

CB has some interesting copper and brass looking alternatives.

The Yates is a very easy and efficient razor. Besides my superficial analysis about her looks, I really can't say a bad thing about it.

 

[SeaDiving]

The overlander and the yates 921 h are two good razors. The overlander is milder and less efficient than the yates 921 h, but the atg capability of the overlander is better than the ones of the yates.

These two razors are good and I think they complement each other.

 

[StewB]

No idea about Karve but I have 3 of the Yates razors (Winning v1, Merica v1, and 921-H). The 921-H is the top of my den.

 

[ralph029]

Yates, 100%.
I have not used the Overlander, but I do own a Cristopher Bradley with B, C, D, and E plates. This razor has been mothballed several years ago. I never was a fan.
I bought a 921 and have never looked back. This has become my daily shaver. I own all 3 geometry base plates. I only use the M on my head, but the H and EH I use routinely based on different factors. I see that you only shave every 2 - 3 days. Is that because you only need to remove whiskers that often or is your situation in life such that you can grow it out that much? The reason that I ask is the EH plate is quite aggressive. The H plate is not as aggressive so it will require more passes to get the job done if you're dealing with a heavy 3 day growth.
My favorite aspect of the Yates over every other razor I have used is the angle that the razor works best in. It is a near vertical (steep) angle that I find this razor works best in. It is a very intuitive angle for me to shave with.
I have met Chris from Karve and he is a stand up guy. His customer service is excellent. I have not met Jake Yates but I will tell you that his customer service is also stellar. I think it's a draw in that area (if that kind of thing matters to you).
If you are doing an apples to apples comparison (stainless steel), the Karve is $239 vs the Yates (921) is $159. For $240 you can build a 921 in titanium. I own both SS and Ti versions of the 921 and I wholeheartedly prefer the Ti version. It is a very nimble. My only "complaint" I have about Ti is its ability to hold water. SS retains more water (surface tension I guess). I have had to learn the habit of rinsing my razor more often to replenish the water held in the head. That might not make sense unless you have experienced it. I do not like aluminum or brass metals for shaving.
If I may, my back up razor is a RazoRock Lupo. I own the 58, 72, and 95 plates (I do not own the 127 plate yet, but I will ).
The Lupo is a fine razor that is very affordable along with many plates to fine tune what you are looking for. If they made a Ti version, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one as well. In my experience, the angle used with the Lupo is slightly more shallow than the Yates but still steep enough for my liking.

 

[Big_T]

I have had a DE89 and a Rocca. They are great razors, just not my top-tier performers. Unlike many people, I had a Yates 921 with M and H plates and never got happy with the shave so I sold or traded it. I have an Overlander stainless steel and it is in my top tier. It's a mild razor but very efficient.

 

[spacemonkey42]

I had a Merica (same stats as the 921-M) and have a few Overlanders. The Overlander is much better for my face. Related, I found the Winning to be better than the Merica in my experience.

I do not like overly mild/inefficient razors, or razors that require lots of effort to "maintain the angle". I typically shave every 2 - 3 days.

Given that description, you may want to consider the Henson aggressive as well. And I'd suggest the Winning over the Merica, if you were considering those two.

 

[tricker]

Ive got a yates 921h and the overlander.... the overlander feels blade neutral but is very efficient for me, and would be my preference

 

[Stikeyoda]

I have all 4. Based on what you said I'd suggest the Yates 921-H is what you are looking for. The new Yates Winning might also fit your needs. Not taking anything away from the Overlander - great razor and I use it occasionally but might not give you the feedback you are looking for. I asked one of the AIs I am working with its opinion:

Sure, here’s a comparison of the four safety razors based on available reviews:
1. Yates 921-H:
o Quality/Design: 9 out of 10.
o Ease of Use: 7 out of 10.
o Handle Grip: 8 out of 10
o Appearance: 9 out of 10
o Shaving Experience: 8.5 out of 10
o Value for Money: 8 out of 10
o Pros: Attractive design, ideal for coarse and heavy growth, various handle designs to choose from, razor can last a lifetime, handle design provides sufficient grip, good drainage slats, and excellent blade cap fitting
o Cons: It may be too aggressive for some users and requires some skill
2. Karve Overlander
o It’s a hefty razor with a handle length at the upper ranges
o The blade reveal was consistently good each time
o The first thing noticed while shaving was a lack of blade feel and an absence of blade chatter
o The razor is very efficient
o The handle did not allow for any slippage
o Compared to the Karve Christopher Bradley SB D plate, the two shaves were remarkably similar
3. Muhle Rocca
o Quality/Design: 9 out of 10
o Ease of Use: 8 out of 10
o Handle Grip: 7 out of 10
o Appearance: 9 out of 10
o Shaving Experience: 8 out of 10
o Value for Money: 9 out of 10
o Pros: Attractive modern contemporary design, ideal for coarse and heavy growth, various handle designs to choose from, it’s a razor that can last a lifetime and more, handle design provides sufficient grip, good drainage slats, and excellent blade cap fitting
o Cons: It will be too mild for some guys and not the best option for coarse growth, handles, even Knurled do not offer as good non-slip grip as fully Knurled types
4. Edwin Jagger DE89
o Quality/Design: 9 out of 10
o Ease of Use: 8 out of 10
o Handle Grip: 7 out of 10
o Appearance: 9 out of 10
o Shaving Experience: 8 out of 10
o Value for Money: 9 out of 10
o Pros: The design and hand-polished chrome finish make this razor attractive, the option to choose various handle designs and sizes, a good weight, good choice of mild and beginners razor, shave well for daily use, good drainage and easy to rinse13.
o Cons: It will be too mild for some guys and not the best option for coarse growth, handles, even Knurled do not offer as good non-slip grip as fully Knurled types

Hoped this helped. Keep in mind the AIs are works in progress and can make mistakes and hallucinate (make up information)

 

[RazorTom]

So what we need to know is if he dislikes both mild and inefficient, or only inefficient. The OP didn't specify, and many conflate the two attributes.

You likely know that the Overlander is much more efficient than it's mildness would predict.

I don't know from overly efficient razors, but others can likely chime on to fit it on the continuum. My guess is that it's medium efficient but I may be wrong.

... Thom

I don't like razors that are so mild that they are inefficient. I may be conflating the two, but it seems like they're correlated...I don't know, honestly, I'm still new and learning. The DE89 is a great razor (IMO), even though I think it is considered to be on the "mild-moderate" end of the spectrum? The mild Henson for example is too mild and inefficient for me. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[RazorTom]

Well those two are certainly on both ends of the spectrum...

I'd try either the Karve CB in the C Plate (if it is not to your liking, its easy to go up or down with another plate that more suits your needs!) or the Merica Razor by Yates. Not tried the "regular" offerings from Yates but hearing good things as well.

Yates usually has stuff in stock, Karve is made to order which can take time and there is no shortage of posts on this board and social media complaining about the wait time. Maybe that has improved however.

But essentially you cant go wrong with either, maybe a certain razor just catches your eye

The problem is that both the Yates and Karve razors have caught my eye....you know how this ends. Trying my best to avoid falling back into the RAD rabbit hole! I really like the looks of the Overlander with the Knopf Pommel handle.

 

[RazorTom]

I see that you only shave every 2 - 3 days. Is that because you only need to remove whiskers that often or is your situation in life such that you can grow it out that much?

I would like to be able to shave more often but when I do I tend to get razor burn/skin irritation on my neck. My technique is still developing and I have hair that grows very flat on my neck. I find it easier to reach the flats of my neck with razors that aren't overly sensitive to angle and have decent blade gap and blade exposure. I'm getting there though. I think in a few more months I should be able to shave more regularly without worrying about an irritated neck.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Hearing that, have you mapped the small-scale-grains on your neck? It wasn't until well over a year into this obsession that I realized that my neck is a mess of different grains. Once I knew those, my results improved dramatically. Perhaps you may uncover some variations too. Good luck!

 

[RazorTom]

Hearing that, have you mapped the small-scale-grains on your neck? It wasn't until well over a year into this obsession that I realized that my neck is a mess of different grains. Once I knew those, my results improved dramatically. Perhaps you may uncover some variations too. Good luck!

I have, but as you know, it takes practice.
At this point I know what to do, I just need to get better at doing it.