Timeless Razor Review: Stainless Steel .95, Titanium .95, Titanium .68 Head to Head

[johnwick]

Thank you gentleman for the kind words. Using these razors was an absolute pleasure and writing the review was enjoyable. The B&B community has been a remarkable source of information over the years and I owe much of my DE shaving success to this site and it's members. @Dragonsbeard your prior work was an inspiration, thank you!

Prior to the purchase I'd looked closely for threads comparing each, and I hope this is helpful for others doing the same in the future.

Fabulous review!! In true B&B tradition, ‘Get both!!’

BigJ, you knew exactly what was going to happen the moment I ordered these...

I’ve been wanting a titanium razor and leaning towards the .68 blade gap.
I prefer milder razors these days paired with a sharp blade.

My favorite razor right now is the Karve with a C plate as well as the Game Changer .84.

I would also prefer the razor to be slightly lighter in weight but not too much like the aluminum razor I have which is why I think the titanium would be perfect for it’s weight and durability.

In a word, I’m looking for a smooth and efficient razor that I can use and not worry about getting nicks if I shave at faster pace than I normally do with my other razors.

How would the Timeless Ti .68 SB compare with the Karve paired with a C plate as well as the Razor Rock Game Changer .84 in terms of efficiency for those that have used these razors?

I also have the original RR Mamba and it is a smooth razor but lacks the efficiency that I am looking for.

I appreciate any feedback, advice, recommendations.
Thank you...

My apologies I can't provide a direct comparison considering I haven't used these razors. However, using your own words, "looking for lighter, smooth, more efficient" etc., I'd feel comfortable recommending the Ti .95 SB. If you're having success with the .84 gap GC, I don't believe you'll find the .95 to be overly aggressive in the SB version. I believe you'll find it exceptionally smooth with limited to no blade feel.

What is the feel of the Ti head on the SS handle?

I currently have a SS .68 SB and am thinking that when I'm in the market, I might want to try the Ti .95. I tried the SS .95 OC earlier in my shaving career and found it to be a little harsh for me. (I might not feel the same way today since I'm now enjoying more efficient razors.)

I'm wondering if the face feel of the Ti is caused by the head or by the weight of the handle. If it's the head, I might think about just getting a Ti head to go with my SS handle (or another lighter handle).

Thanks for any insight that you are able to provide.

Hi Bob. I'm happy to put together a couple of shaves using the SS handle and Ti .95 head/cap. I'll report back. I'm not a "frankenrazor" kind of guy and it wouldn't be my preference, but I'm happy to provide thoughts on my experience. I think what we're both going to find is that the "soft" feel is simply a result of the 76g weight of the razor, rather than the metal type. There could be some effect from the matte finish but I'm leaning towards weight. That's my theory on the cause of the Ti being less "aggressive". But in the end, if you were to choose to go with an SS handle and Ti head, you won't be saving a whole lot. You'll have $185 in the baseplate and cap. This seems to be where the money is due to the tooling and time required. For only $55 more, you'd have the OEM handle and complete razor in titanium.

Great review @johnwick

Really enjoy the detailed descriptions of each razor and the comparisons but not necessarily needing to pick a winner.

I have the SS 0.68 and SS 0.95, both OC, that I really enjoy. I feel the RAD to try the Ti and Bronze one day.

You know what to do... Having and enjoying the SS already, the Ti won't be a gamble whatsoever. The Bronze on the other hand is a very different razor. As I mentioned previously, it wasn't a good fit for me. But there are plenty of folks out there having great success, and it's beautifully designed and manufactured.

Thanks for comparing to the 6s. Since that is what I was using and plate 4 was it, I can now understand. Plate 5, which I have been using is just too much blade feel.

That was a great review.

Hi Joey. Thank you for the kind words and I'm glad you could relate with the 6S. I have probably 100 shaves under my belt with the 6S so those comparisons come easy. My preference on that razor is a 5 plate but 4 works well also. If I were to compare more directly, I would say the SS .95 SB feels like a 4 plate, but shaves with 6 plate efficiency. Much less blade feel which is my personal preference. The Ti .95 SB feels more like a 3 plate but with 5-6 plate efficiency. The Ti .68 SB is likely a 2 plate feel with 3-4 efficiency. Hope this helps a little more!

 

[Jopete]

Thank you for your feedback and recommendations and for the excellent review.

 

[joeyboy]

Thank you so much.

 

[OAK3x]

Just purchased the Timeless OC .95 in Matte. Only a few uses thus far, and I love it. Beautiful craftsmanship and very smooth. I have ATT H2, which I also like quite a bit. Timeless may win by a hair

 

[johnwick]

@bobmsp I’m starting a test of the Ti head with SS handle. I will report back.

 

[bobmsp]

@bobmsp I’m starting a test of the Ti head with SS handle. I will report back.

Thank you sir!

 

[Keto]

Thank you sir!

I'll watch for your info too! @johnwick

 

[johnwick]

I've completed additional test shaves using mix and match SS and Ti parts.

The purpose of mixing up the razor parts was to determine whether the "soft" feel of the Ti was due to weight differences, metal composition and feel on the face, or both.

1. Timeless Ti .95 SB baseplate and cap attached to the 85mm barber pole SS handle

Coming in at 85.5g, the 85mm SS handle weights a full 34.5g more than the intended Ti handle. The weight difference was immediately observed, and, naturally, the razor felt "handle heavy". Those who have used the .68 or .95 Ti in it's intended configurations seem to agree with me that the optimal shave is best achieved using a bit of pressure. Using equal pressure while shaving with the SS is unnecessary due to weight, and can lead to some irritation or weepers on the face in my experience with it. Overall, the shaves achieved by including the SS handle with the Ti head were a notch below the intended configuration. Nonetheless, the results were very good and irritation was minimal. My perception of the "soft feel" was that it was still present at the same level as when using the intended configuration.

2. Timeless Ti. 95 SB baseplate with SS cap AND SS 85mm barber pole handle.

For this comparison, the only deviation from the standard stainless configuration was including the Ti baseplate as a sandwich between the respective SS pieces. The razor in this configuration felt less handle heavy and more natural in the hand. The shave required less pressure due to the weight balance, so technique was similar to the SS razor. Shave results were slightly better than using the Ti cap and baseplate. The important difference in this configuration, however, was that the "soft" feel was mitigated by the SS cap. If I were to quantify it, it was half as soft. I understand that this really is something nearly impossible to quantify. What I'm saying is that it was still "softer" than the SS razor by itself, but maybe only half as much so than the Ti in it's full configuration.

Final Thoughts:

When it comes down to it, if you're a guy who would like to mix the SS handle with Ti head parts, my preferred configuration would be the sandwich method. SS cap with Ti baseplate, SS handle. It had better weight distribution and shaved much more closely to the full SS razor using identical technique. You'll still get a bit softer feel, just not as much as the full Ti provides.

My overall preference is still the respective razors in their traditional configurations, but would not hesitate to recommend someone using an SS version to venture out and only buy the Ti baseplate if they so desire. I don't personally recommend the Ti cap and baseplate paired with the SS handle. I also don't recommend the 100MM handle in SS unless you're a guy who absolutely must have a longer handle. While I haven't personally used the longer handle, it would be too heavy in my opinion, upsetting the balance the 85MM handle provides.

In the end I'm thinking the soft feel is caused more by the matte, Titanium composition on the skin as compared to the Stainless Steel. Weight is still a component, and they compliment each other to provide this perception on the skin, but weight does to a lesser extent in my honest opinion.

Take care,

John

 

[Shavemd]

In the end I'm thinking the soft feel is caused more by the matte, Titanium composition on the skin as compared to the Stainless Steel. Weight is still a component, and they compliment each other to provide this perception on the skin, but weight does to a lesser extent in my honest opinion.

Take care,

John[/QUOTE]
I found putting a Titanium handle with the SS head improves the shave a touch.

 

[smurfups77]

I have done what @Shavemd did but on a different razor. I put a titanium handle on my game changer 84 and for me it improved the quality of the shaves a lot. The GC head is lighter and thinner so titanium seems to balance it out better. I am finding more and more that I like the lighter weight razors, it forces me to have a light touch.
Happy shaves
SMURF

 

[DCP]

Phenomenal review. Very well presented and balanced.



Sent from my Nokia 7.1 using Tapatalk

 

[johnwick]

In the end I'm thinking the soft feel is caused more by the matte, Titanium composition on the skin as compared to the Stainless Steel. Weight is still a component, and they compliment each other to provide this perception on the skin, but weight does to a lesser extent in my honest opinion.
Take care,
John

I found putting a Titanium handle with the SS head improves the shave a touch.[/QUOTE]

@Shavemd I haven't tried the Ti handle on the full SS head but that's a logical place to go next. I predict they will pair very nicely, causing the weight of the head to allow the razor itself to be more efficient and do more of the shaving rather than the light pressure I find the full Ti package requires.

Phenomenal review. Very well presented and balanced.
Sent from my Nokia 7.1 using Tapatalk

Thank you very much sir!


I may or may not have a Ti .95 OC baseplate coming. Will have to see over the next week if that's in the cards.

 

[joeyboy]

Very interesting. I like the weight of the Rockwell so this is confusing. I also like the weight of the merkur 34c but it is too mild, for the most part. Quite a quandary. I still think the Ti may be the way to go.

 

[johnwick]

Very interesting. I like the weight of the Rockwell so this is confusing. I also like the weight of the merkur 34c but it is too mild, for the most part. Quite a quandary. I still think the Ti may be the way to go.

I’m with you... love the weight of the 6S. That makes the SS Timeless an easy transition. But despite really enjoying heavy razors, the Ti feels great to use.

I do notice though that the weight behind the SS head allows it to glide through growth more efficiently with less tugging than Ti.

I now have an OC .95 baseplate on the way. I’ll put up a comparison between it and the SB in coming days.

 

[muzichead]

I now have an OC .95 baseplate on the way. I’ll put up a comparison between it and the SB in coming days.

I think you are in for a real treat with the OC... Is it going to be SS or Ti? I recently purchased a SS95DC from the BST and just can't seem to get enough of the OC. I bought DC thinking I would use the OC for pass's 1 & 2 and then SB for pass 3, but since trying the OC side for all 3 passes I haven't even used the SB side at all... I think I need a DC plate for my Ti95 also but will probably just get an OC plate instead... Happy shaves...

 

[joeyboy]

I’m with you... love the weight of the 6S. That makes the SS Timeless an easy transition. But despite really enjoying heavy razors, the Ti feels great to use.

I do notice though that the weight behind the SS head allows it to glide through growth more efficiently with less tugging than Ti.

I now have an OC .95 baseplate on the way. I’ll put up a comparison between it and the SB in coming days.

OC is on thing I have never tried. Being a daily shaver I didn't think it would benefit much.

I can see this Timeless thing could get costly really quickly.

 

[johnwick]

I think you are in for a real treat with the OC... Is it going to be SS or Ti? I recently purchased a SS95DC from the BST and just can't seem to get enough of the OC. I bought DC thinking I would use the OC for pass's 1 & 2 and then SB for pass 3, but since trying the OC side for all 3 passes I haven't even used the SB side at all... I think I need a DC plate for my Ti95 also but will probably just get an OC plate instead... Happy shaves...

I went for the OC in Ti. I find the SS safety bar .95 to be the perfect level of aggression. The OC Ti should bring them right in line is my thought, without any pressure. I would have gone for DC for sure if I started out of the gate knowing what I know now. But I really couldn’t justify the extra cash to have the other scalloped side, assuming it wouldn’t be much difference. My face over time has favored less blade feel and the smoothness of a safety bar. We shall see how this OC treats me!

 

[Shavemd]

@johnwick I think you will really enjoy the Ti OC it is very smooth

 

[bobmsp]

I've completed additional test shaves using mix and match SS and Ti parts.

The purpose of mixing up the razor parts was to determine whether the "soft" feel of the Ti was due to weight differences, metal composition and feel on the face, or both.

1. Timeless Ti .95 SB baseplate and cap attached to the 85mm barber pole SS handle

Coming in at 85.5g, the 85mm SS handle weights a full 34.5g more than the intended Ti handle. The weight difference was immediately observed, and, naturally, the razor felt "handle heavy". Those who have used the .68 or .95 Ti in it's intended configurations seem to agree with me that the optimal shave is best achieved using a bit of pressure. Using equal pressure while shaving with the SS is unnecessary due to weight, and can lead to some irritation or weepers on the face in my experience with it. Overall, the shaves achieved by including the SS handle with the Ti head were a notch below the intended configuration. Nonetheless, the results were very good and irritation was minimal. My perception of the "soft feel" was that it was still present at the same level as when using the intended configuration.

2. Timeless Ti. 95 SB baseplate with SS cap AND SS 85mm barber pole handle.

For this comparison, the only deviation from the standard stainless configuration was including the Ti baseplate as a sandwich between the respective SS pieces. The razor in this configuration felt less handle heavy and more natural in the hand. The shave required less pressure due to the weight balance, so technique was similar to the SS razor. Shave results were slightly better than using the Ti cap and baseplate. The important difference in this configuration, however, was that the "soft" feel was mitigated by the SS cap. If I were to quantify it, it was half as soft. I understand that this really is something nearly impossible to quantify. What I'm saying is that it was still "softer" than the SS razor by itself, but maybe only half as much so than the Ti in it's full configuration.

Final Thoughts:

When it comes down to it, if you're a guy who would like to mix the SS handle with Ti head parts, my preferred configuration would be the sandwich method. SS cap with Ti baseplate, SS handle. It had better weight distribution and shaved much more closely to the full SS razor using identical technique. You'll still get a bit softer feel, just not as much as the full Ti provides.

My overall preference is still the respective razors in their traditional configurations, but would not hesitate to recommend someone using an SS version to venture out and only buy the Ti baseplate if they so desire. I don't personally recommend the Ti cap and baseplate paired with the SS handle. I also don't recommend the 100MM handle in SS unless you're a guy who absolutely must have a longer handle. While I haven't personally used the longer handle, it would be too heavy in my opinion, upsetting the balance the 85MM handle provides.

In the end I'm thinking the soft feel is caused more by the matte, Titanium composition on the skin as compared to the Stainless Steel. Weight is still a component, and they compliment each other to provide this perception on the skin, but weight does to a lesser extent in my honest opinion.

Take care,

John

Great review and really helpful. Thanks!

 

[joeyboy]

The countdown has started. After the 16th the Ti 95 smooth will be placed.