Timeless .95 ss tour pass-around!!

[benos]

FINAL SHAVE - .68 Scalloped

Blade: Personna Med Prep (fresh)
Pre-shave: Proraso Red
Shaving Cream: Proraso Red
Aftershave: Proraso Red

Today was my saddest shave with the Timeless because it was my LAST. Now I have to wait three whole stinking weeks for my birthday to get here so I can have my own. (I only wish this could be the worst problem in the world right now.)

Proraso Red days are some of my favorites. I love how that sweet sandalwood scent lingers all day, and I adore the over-acted approving "Mmmmm!" my 7yo daughter gives when she comes in for a hug. It's almost enough to make me use it every day. Maybe I'll use it again tomorrow, now that I think of it.

After a week of back-and-forth I can finally confidently say the .68 plate is the one for me. I wish I had another way to describe how smooth this razor is so you wouldn't think I'm just copying and pasting prior reviews. I'm sure the scalloped top cap helps keeps drag down, and so should the scalloped plate. My guess is the OC plate I'm getting will somehow glide even easier, but I can't imagine how. It doesn't really matter at this point. It's already taken the number one spot in my den and I think only my future Wolfman could be a contender (if I order it in the right config).

Shaves with the .68 have been extremely mild and still efficient enough for DFS in two passes. I don't think there's anything left to ask for in a razor. Timeless ticks all the boxes (for me, anyway). I'm probably not ready to sell off all my others yet...I do enjoy variety from time to time...but both my brain and my gut tell me the Timeless easily good enough to be my only razor.

Many thanks (again and again) to @P@tsfan6484 for providing this pass-around. It only cost me about $2 per day to try, and it saved me more than $100 by helping me order the right plate the first time. My wife thanks you, too!

That's it for now. I'll keep following this thread, and I'll post pics of mine when I get it. The pass-around box is already at the post office, bound for @shotgun233. Everything has been cleaned and sterilized...even the parts I didn't use (smooth top cap and solid bar plate), and I've chipped in full tucks of Astra SP, German Wilkinson Sword, and Dorco Prime Platinum blades. I carved out one serving of the soap that was in the box and will be trying it soon. It smelled nice.

Thanks for reading!

Your reviews were great, I really enjoyed your enthusiasm for the razor.

 

[P@tsfan6484]

Great reviews @NicksDad !! You are proof that these pass-arounds are beneficial. I am glad that it helped in your decision.
Thanks

 

[P@tsfan6484]

1 @GlazedBoker ( complete)
2 @dmshaver ( complete)
3 @CarlosAT ( complete)
4 @cgr86 ( complete)
5 @NJDJ ( complete)
6 @steelcity2 ( complete)
7 @bobmsp ( complete)
8 @ShavePastor ( complete)
9 @CJB3 ( complete)
10 @PlutoViola ( complete)
11 @Tim Meneely ( complete)
12 @dezmil ( complete)
13 @SolidSnake03 ( complete)
14 @Cut Throat ( complete)
15 @Flintstone65 ( complete)
16 @emwolf ( complete)
17 @jbreakfield ( complete)
18 @Badger in the Sun (complete)
19 @benos (complete)
20 @NicksDad ( complete)
21 @shotgun233 ( in hand)
22 @pdieten (on deck)
23 @Sir Lurkalot ( in the hole)
24 @Eric49311
25 @Cleanface
26 @gwsmallwood
Looking forward to @shotgun233 thoughts and reviews!!!!

 

[shotgun233]

I received the Timeless SS tour pass-around yesterday, thank you @NicksDad for sending it on to me, and had my first shave today (I shave every other day). Used the .68 scalloped base plate with scalloped cap. I may try the .95 the next time I shave.

What I hope to accomplish this coming week is to give a comparison of the Timeless with the razors I use most often– the Karve C SB, the Rockwell 6S with 3 plate, and the Game Changers both the .68 SB and .84 SB.

After one shave, it is a bit early to come to any conclusions, but the Timeless is an easy razor to shave with. Finding the right angle was a non-issue. I simply picked it up and shaved. Unlike my first week with the Karve, it was smooth and efficient with no cuts, no weepers and very little irritation right out of the box. While some people have mentioned the weight, it felt natural to me. It is heavier than my Timeless aluminum, but after a few strokes, an adjustment was made. This is a fine razor. The question I hope to answer - is it worth 2 to 3 time the cost of the razors mentioned above. Hopefully I will have an answer by the end of the month week.

A special thanks goes out to P@tsfan6484. What wonderful opportunity he has so generously provided so many members of the B & B

 

[Harald]

Lovely thread and great reviews
Is it just the weight of the razor that makes the big difference between SS and Ti? I decided to buy Timeless Ti (0.68, 0.95, and OC 0.68) but read that many of you also love SS. If the performance doesn't make any particular difference, then I get a little insecure.

And, what do you think about scalloped cap, does it feel better than smooth cap?

 

[Flintstone65]

And, what do you think about scalloped cap, does it feel better than smooth cap?

I felt a distinct difference between the caps and I preferred the glide and shave experience of the scalloped. As to Ti vs SS -- I like lighter razors, both bakelite and titanium are my favorites, and a I find a heavy razor uncomfortable to shave with. I know some folks prefer the weight as lighter razors can be harder to gauge pressure -- I use almost no pressure (I like to say negative pressure) with every razor I use -- so the heavier razors are harder for me because I find even the weight of the razor is more pressure than I want to use. Handle weight to me is more personal preference than performance-based....I can get a good shave from a heavy razor, I just really enjoy the lighter ones more. Hope this helps!

 

[shotgun233]

Update: As mentioned previously, I normally shave every other day, but the Timeless pass-around tour is a superb chance to try a remarkable razor, so to take advantage of it as best I could, I decided to shave every day. My first shave was rather easy and uneventful. It was smooth, close and very intuitive.

My second shave with the .68 base plate was horrible. Multiple weepers and one nasty cut on the chin (sorry to use one of Trump’s favorite words) and with a lot of irritation. I believe I just got complacent. Looking back, I was simply not paying attention. I was using too much pressure against the skin and I paid the price. This is a fine razor, but that does not mean you can forget about technique and just start wiping you face with the razor in blissful ignorance.

After a day of healing, I had my third shave with the smooth cap and the .95 base plate. This time I was particularly aware of how much pressure I was using - very little. I was rewarded with a magnificent shave. No cuts, one very small weeper that disappeared with a splash of cold water. This was probably one of the best shaves I have ever had. One thing to mention, the first two shave were with a Nacet blade and the third was with the Astra SP blade.

My next shave with be back to the .68 base plate and I will again apply very little pressure. If it is as good as I think it will be, the dilemma will be which base plate to order. I tend to like razors on the mild side, but the shave with the .95 plate was oh so enjoyable and yet extremely close. Hopefully, I can make a decision by the end of the week.

 

[NicksDad]

Update: As mentioned previously, I normally shave every other day, but the Timeless pass-around tour is a superb chance to try a remarkable razor, so to take advantage of it as best I could, I decided to shave every day. My first shave was rather easy and uneventful. It was smooth, close and very intuitive.

My second shave with the .68 base plate was horrible. Multiple weepers and one nasty cut on the chin (sorry to use one of Trump’s favorite words) and with a lot of irritation. I believe I just got complacent. Looking back, I was simply not paying attention. I was using too much pressure against the skin and I paid the price. This is a fine razor, but that does not mean you can forget about technique and just start wiping you face with the razor in blissful ignorance.

After a day of healing, I had my third shave with the smooth cap and the .95 base plate. This time I was particularly aware of how much pressure I was using - very little. I was rewarded with a magnificent shave. No cuts, one very small weeper that disappeared with a splash of cold water. This was probably one of the best shaves I have ever had. One thing to mention, the first two shave were with a Nacet blade and the third was with the Astra SP blade.

My next shave with be back to the .68 base plate and I will again apply very little pressure. If it is as good as I think it will be, the dilemma will be which base plate to order. I tend to like razors on the mild side, but the shave with the .95 plate was oh so enjoyable and yet extremely close. Hopefully, I can make a decision by the end of the week.

Well done! I’m glad you were able to recover and have another great shave. My first order of business when I get mine will be to go through all my blades and find the ones that work best. That should keep me busy for months! I can’t wait to read about your return to the .68 plate tomorrow.

 

[PlutoViola]

Update: As mentioned previously, I normally shave every other day, but the Timeless pass-around tour is a superb chance to try a remarkable razor, so to take advantage of it as best I could, I decided to shave every day. My first shave was rather easy and uneventful. It was smooth, close and very intuitive.

My second shave with the .68 base plate was horrible. Multiple weepers and one nasty cut on the chin (sorry to use one of Trump’s favorite words) and with a lot of irritation. I believe I just got complacent. Looking back, I was simply not paying attention. I was using too much pressure against the skin and I paid the price. This is a fine razor, but that does not mean you can forget about technique and just start wiping you face with the razor in blissful ignorance.

After a day of healing, I had my third shave with the smooth cap and the .95 base plate. This time I was particularly aware of how much pressure I was using - very little. I was rewarded with a magnificent shave. No cuts, one very small weeper that disappeared with a splash of cold water. This was probably one of the best shaves I have ever had. One thing to mention, the first two shave were with a Nacet blade and the third was with the Astra SP blade.

My next shave with be back to the .68 base plate and I will again apply very little pressure. If it is as good as I think it will be, the dilemma will be which base plate to order. I tend to like razors on the mild side, but the shave with the .95 plate was oh so enjoyable and yet extremely close. Hopefully, I can make a decision by the end of the week.

FWIW I have found that milder razors tend to tear me up more easily. My .95 ss is just right. And before you say it, I am very light in my razor technique. Even when I am hyper focused levels of careful I get some blood on an ATG pass with a mild razor. It's the opposite of what I expected, but its reality. Maybe it's mental, maybe it's something about my skin. I don't know.

When I bought my timeless I got both plates, convinced I would need to use the .68 sometimes for recovery. That has not turned out to be the case. I still enjoy the .68 for a single pass shave leading up to a BBS day. It just feels so gloriously smooth - for me it blows away any other mild razor. But any further passes and I am wishing I had used the .95.

I am a bit of an odd duck sometimes I suppose, but I assume I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[OhioBob]

Update: As mentioned previously, I normally shave every other day, but the Timeless pass-around tour is a superb chance to try a remarkable razor, so to take advantage of it as best I could, I decided to shave every day. My first shave was rather easy and uneventful. It was smooth, close and very intuitive.

My second shave with the .68 base plate was horrible. Multiple weepers and one nasty cut on the chin (sorry to use one of Trump’s favorite words) and with a lot of irritation. I believe I just got complacent. Looking back, I was simply not paying attention. I was using too much pressure against the skin and I paid the price. This is a fine razor, but that does not mean you can forget about technique and just start wiping you face with the razor in blissful ignorance.

After a day of healing, I had my third shave with the smooth cap and the .95 base plate. This time I was particularly aware of how much pressure I was using - very little. I was rewarded with a magnificent shave. No cuts, one very small weeper that disappeared with a splash of cold water. This was probably one of the best shaves I have ever had. One thing to mention, the first two shave were with a Nacet blade and the third was with the Astra SP blade.

My next shave with be back to the .68 base plate and I will again apply very little pressure. If it is as good as I think it will be, the dilemma will be which base plate to order. I tend to like razors on the mild side, but the shave with the .95 plate was oh so enjoyable and yet extremely close. Hopefully, I can make a decision by the end of the week.

I find using no pressure but letting the razor do it's thing gives the best results. I have had the .68SB and .95SB in SS and the .68 wound up being my favorite. The .95 gave a wonderful smooth close shave, but since I shave everyday it wound up giving me some irritation. The .68 wound up being my razor of choice, smooth and efficient. I sold both the SS razors and bought a Ti .68SB and found it to be the smoothest razor for me as the SS versions were just too heavy for my liking.

 

[Harald]

Great pleasure to read this thread, so much easier to make a decision.

 

[shotgun233]

Update: My 4th shave with the Timeless SS was excellent. This was with the .68 base plate. Quite frankly, it is hard to add anything to the previous accolades that so many prior users have said about this razor. The Karve, Rockwell 6s and the Game Changers are/were my favorite razors. The Timeless is just a bit better in almost all respects. I will want to revisit the Karve and maybe even the Rockwell 6S before giving a definite answer. As for the Game Changers both the .68 SB and OC and .84 SB will be posted on BST shortly.

One question that perhaps some member may have: is the Timeless worth 2 – 3 times the cost of the many other good razors. The answer is a resounding YES if, you want one of the best razors made today, if you appreciate high quality as oppose to high quantity, if you are tired of trying to find the holy grail of shavers. If I had to live with just one razor, this would be it. There are many other razors that are very good, maybe even just as good, but for me, this is the one.

Due to travel issues, I may be sending this razor out a day early. @pdieten, you are in for a real treat.

 

[PlutoViola]

For those who are interested, I would like to amend my reviews from a few months ago.

When it was my turn for this pass around, at one point in that week I tried a feather blade with the .95 scalloped plate. For the first time, I got irritation from a feather blade. I thought it was a horrible combo.

I have since gotten my own SS .95 scalloped with the knurled handle, just like the pass-around razor. I also recently tried a feather blade again in it. I must have been reckless that first time, because now the feather is my favorite with this razor. No issues whatsoever, and a perfect shave every time. Go figure.

FWIW

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[pdieten]

The Timeless razor arrived today. Opened the package for a quick glance. It contained a box showing a little evidence of its many travels, which itself contained a knurled handle assembled with a .68 solid bar baseplate, solid cap, and a little plastic spacer that I almost lost on first disassembly. A .68 scalloped baseplate, a .95 scalloped baseplate, the scalloped cap, and the stand. A tub of Grooming Dept Tentazione. A baggie with various blades.

First, I do have to thank @P@tsfan6484 for his overwhelming generosity and faith in humanity, in sending his own very expensive razor around to a bunch of internet hobbyists just to give it a try.

Second, I have read virtually none of this thread, so I don't have much of an idea what anyone else thinks of it. So far, I am wondering why the plastic spacer. Other than that, I have given it only the most cursory once-over so far, and all I know so far is that I think that it is of a pleasing heft, the handle is just the right length, and all the parts are of a manufacture quality that I'd want from a razor.

Third, being a simple man with simple tastes, I'll be using this razor with the same simple software and blades I normally use. The tool will be challenged immediately, as early tomorrow morning I will have to go out and look good while I'm there, and I'll be tense enough about that as it is. Hoping this goes well. But for now it's safely in the box waiting until morning.

 

[Cleanface]

Interesting question about the spacer. My Karve came shipped with a spacer and instructions to discard before shaving. Is it required on the Timeless for shaving?

 

[NicksDad]

Interesting question about the spacer. My Karve came shipped with a spacer and instructions to discard before shaving. Is it required on the Timeless for shaving?

It’s a nylon washer between the handle and baseplate. Its only purpose is to keep from marring the baseplate.

 

[pdieten]

One down, four to go before I send it out on Saturday. @Sir Lurkalot has already provided me with his address, so that's all set for next week.

Installed the .95 baseplate and a fresh new 1972 Gillette Spoiler. (The cachet of dispensing a blade is diminished a bit when there are four separate pieces of razor to keep track of, instead of just sliding into a TTO. Oh well.) Took my shower and then lathered VDH Luxury on my face with my decade-old Edwin Jagger medium best badger to mow 48 hours of growth off my face. The shave was flawless. A little louder than I'm used to, but that doesn't matter. Three passes, no buffing or cleanup necessary. I was aware of the razor's weight but it was never a burden, it handled easily and never left me wishing something was different about it. Let's just say it was night and day different from the last time I used a new razor (a Qshave adjustable, which after three miserable shaves is probably bound for the Goodwill box.)

Anyway, just a mild sting from the Cool Wave that I finished up with. Now, this might not have been much of a test, since Spoilers have never given me anything less than perfect shaves. So sometime tomorrow (probably the morning before my dental appointment, I can make myself pretty for the staff ) I'll swap out the blade and try something else that has given me more difficulty in the past.

 

[P@tsfan6484]

1 @GlazedBoker ( complete)
2 @dmshaver ( complete)
3 @CarlosAT ( complete)
4 @cgr86 ( complete)
5 @NJDJ ( complete)
6 @steelcity2 ( complete)
7 @bobmsp ( complete)
8 @ShavePastor ( complete)
9 @CJB3 ( complete)
10 @PlutoViola ( complete)
11 @Tim Meneely ( complete)
12 @dezmil ( complete)
13 @SolidSnake03 ( complete)
14 @Cut Throat ( complete)
15 @Flintstone65 ( complete)
16 @emwolf ( complete)
17 @jbreakfield ( complete)
18 @Badger in the Sun (complete)
19 @benos (complete)
20 @NicksDad ( complete)
21 @shotgun233 ( complete)
22 @pdieten (in hand)
23 @Sir Lurkalot ( on deck)
24 @Eric49311 ( in the hole)
25 @Cleanface
26 @gwsmallwood

I do not know what the spacer was/is as I did not put it in the box on purpose. It may have been in there awhile.
Enjoy @pdieten.

 

[pdieten]

This morning I swapped out the Spoiler and the .95 plate for a 1985 Gillette Platinum Plus and the .68 solid bar plate. I have had trouble with this pack of blades; they have been unexpectedly bitey in my daily driver Slim. So I thought I'd see if the .68 would tame it.

It did. Too much. It's not necessarily easy for me to shave just 24 hours apart, since I didn't have much stubble, but I needed extra passes to get smooth, and that didn't feel too good on my face. The Cool Wave got my attention when I was done. Ouch. No blood, which is a general improvement from past attempts with these blades. But still, .68 is not aggressive enough for my taste. I'm glad to know that, because if I were ever to buy one of these I can just skip straight to the .95.

 

[dmshaver]

This morning I swapped out the Spoiler and the .95 plate for a 1985 Gillette Platinum Plus and the .68 solid bar plate. I have had trouble with this pack of blades; they have been unexpectedly bitey in my daily driver Slim. So I thought I'd see if the .68 would tame it.

It did. Too much. It's not necessarily easy for me to shave just 24 hours apart, since I didn't have much stubble, but I needed extra passes to get smooth, and that didn't feel too good on my face. The Cool Wave got my attention when I was done. Ouch. No blood, which is a general improvement from past attempts with these blades. But still, .68 is not aggressive enough for my taste. I'm glad to know that, because if I were ever to buy one of these I can just skip straight to the .95.

Nice review. I've enjoyed following this thread since trying the razor early on in the pass around. I appreciate the comparisons between the .95 & .68 plates. I think that's one of the biggest difficulties for people looking at buying a razor with multiple plate options. We don't want a new razor to be too mild, but we also don't want one that shaves too aggressive either. I've intentionally used the word "aggressive" instead of "efficient". A smooth efficient shave has a totally different feel than a smooth aggressive feel.