In 2016, I've acquired some new double edged razors that have drastically changed my "top razor list." With the acquisition of some new razors in the last few months, I'm suddenly so happy with my razor set-up, that I'm having trouble justifying my RAD and adding more razors to my collection (though I'm sure I'll get over that feeling very soon). Here are my five current favorite razors, in order:
1. Above the Tie Kronos S1 (2016 base plate). I'm shocked how much I love this razor. It's mild, yet extremely efficient. With just 2 passes, I can get an excellent DFS (and almost a BBS), and with 3 passes, I get an amazing BBS. Plus the build quality and the feel in the hand is exceptional. This is far and away my favorite razor right now.
2. Rockwell 6s. Another razor that I'm surprised that I love so much. I was a bit of a holdout on buying this razor (which may be fine, given the issues Rockwell had with the initial run), but now that I have it, I love the concept of being able to adjust the razor by switching/flipping the base plates. I've gotten a great shave with all of the base plates, but plates #3 and #4 seem to be the sweet spot for me. I could be very happy if this were the only razor I owned. Okay, I may not be happy, but I could survive.
3. RazoRock Wunderbar. I'm not sure what possessed me to buy this razor. Perhaps the pressure of getting an email telling me that it was now available. While I'm a fan of Joe and his products, I wasn't sure I'd like this razor (I'm not crazy about the Fine Superlite Slant, and this razor has a very, very similar design). But, with exceptionally light pressure, I get absolutely amazing, effortless shaves with this razor. This isn't a razor I'd choose to use as my daily driver, but if I had to pick one razor to use for a very close shave, this would probably be it.
4. Shave Revolution Double Edged Safety Razor (closed comb). I picked this razor up on a whim around the beginning of the year, and the first time I used it, I was immediately blown away. It has a stainless steel handle that is very similar to an iKon Bamboo handle, and a German-made chrome plated head. It's a mild, yet efficient shaver. For me, this took the place of the Merkur 34C in my rotation, which I didn't think was possible to remove from my regular rotation (I find the shave to be about the same, perhaps the Shave Revolution is a little more aggressive). If I want to grab a razor for a quick, close shave that I don't have to think much about, this is usually it.
5. Merkur Futur. I find I need to pay attention with this razor because it is aggressive (no matter what setting I put it on), but I'm always rewarded with a really great shave. Personally, I like shaving with settings 3-4, though I've tried complete shaves on all 6 settings. This seems to be a rather polarizing razor, but I really enjoy it (and I do not have trouble shaving under my nose with the large head).
So, that's my top five list, which contains several recently released razors. I'm curious, what are your current top five safety razors?
1. Above the Tie Kronos S1 (2016 base plate). I'm shocked how much I love this razor. It's mild, yet extremely efficient. With just 2 passes, I can get an excellent DFS (and almost a BBS), and with 3 passes, I get an amazing BBS. Plus the build quality and the feel in the hand is exceptional. This is far and away my favorite razor right now.
2. Rockwell 6s. Another razor that I'm surprised that I love so much. I was a bit of a holdout on buying this razor (which may be fine, given the issues Rockwell had with the initial run), but now that I have it, I love the concept of being able to adjust the razor by switching/flipping the base plates. I've gotten a great shave with all of the base plates, but plates #3 and #4 seem to be the sweet spot for me. I could be very happy if this were the only razor I owned. Okay, I may not be happy, but I could survive.
3. RazoRock Wunderbar. I'm not sure what possessed me to buy this razor. Perhaps the pressure of getting an email telling me that it was now available. While I'm a fan of Joe and his products, I wasn't sure I'd like this razor (I'm not crazy about the Fine Superlite Slant, and this razor has a very, very similar design). But, with exceptionally light pressure, I get absolutely amazing, effortless shaves with this razor. This isn't a razor I'd choose to use as my daily driver, but if I had to pick one razor to use for a very close shave, this would probably be it.
4. Shave Revolution Double Edged Safety Razor (closed comb). I picked this razor up on a whim around the beginning of the year, and the first time I used it, I was immediately blown away. It has a stainless steel handle that is very similar to an iKon Bamboo handle, and a German-made chrome plated head. It's a mild, yet efficient shaver. For me, this took the place of the Merkur 34C in my rotation, which I didn't think was possible to remove from my regular rotation (I find the shave to be about the same, perhaps the Shave Revolution is a little more aggressive). If I want to grab a razor for a quick, close shave that I don't have to think much about, this is usually it.
5. Merkur Futur. I find I need to pay attention with this razor because it is aggressive (no matter what setting I put it on), but I'm always rewarded with a really great shave. Personally, I like shaving with settings 3-4, though I've tried complete shaves on all 6 settings. This seems to be a rather polarizing razor, but I really enjoy it (and I do not have trouble shaving under my nose with the large head).
So, that's my top five list, which contains several recently released razors. I'm curious, what are your current top five safety razors?
