Well, since you clicked here, I guess I'll tell you.
For those of you who do not know, I recently received my very own RRSS though a trade with a very kind B&B member.
I've now used it 5 times, and I'm starting to develop a pretty good feeling for it. Is it the be all, end all razor that so many are claiming it to be? Perhaps for some, but not for me. Don't get me wrong I like it very much, but I don't believe that my other razors are at risk of being placed in storage. Read on to find out why, and also to hear the things that I really like about the RRSS too! But first, I've been at B&B long enough to know that we definitely need an obligatory picture before continuing any further.
The first thing that strikes me about this razor is it's extremely precise construction. It's really built with care and all the pieces fit together perfectly with almost zero play to me, that's a huge bonus factor for this razor and it gives it a bunch of points in my book, right away. The black finish is not really my style (I'd probably go with the clear if I were going to buy a production model), but I actually was pleasantly surprised with the black and don't mind it all that much. The coating is applied almost perfectly with just a few near-microscopic places where it wasn't coated perfectly smoothly this has been described by many in other threads. But overall, the coating is definitely totally acceptable and I have no complaints about it so far.
The other thing that you notice right away is the very light weight of this razor, but also the perfect balance. I love the handle length, and the razor balances better than almost any other razor that I've used. I do have a strong preference for heavy razors, so this was quite the change for me, but I'm getting used to it. Also, the grip on the handle is superb and it just feels very nice and comfortable in hand.
But, how does it shave?!?!!?!?
This razor is ridiculously mild. I have been using it with a feather blade, and honestly, the first time I used it I had to check to make sure there actually was a blade in the razor as I couldn't feel it at all. For some background, I have an extremely coarse, thick, dense, hard beard and extremely sensitive skin, so I tend to go for aggressive razors. My favorites include the R41 2011, so yea I'm not used to mild razors. But I really love slants I use the Ikon all the time and I used to use the 39c quite regularly too, so I was very excited to try the RRSS. Also, I thought it could be a great option to use on days when I've shaved many many days in a row (which I don't always do) or if my skin was feeling irritated for some reason.
Ok, back to the shave. Did I mention that this razor is ridiculously mild?
It still cuts very smoothly, but I must say that unlike every other slant I've ever used, it actually has a bit of trouble slicing through my thick stubble. After 2 passes, I'm definitely not at SAS across my entire face. I am definitely there in some places, but hardly everywhere. By the end of the third pass, I definitely have SAS everywhere, and BBS in some places. I then am able to get everything cut down to an acceptable length with some minor touch up.
If I had to summarize this razor for me, I'd say that it gives one of the most comfortable shaves I've ever had, but it really doesn't get me anywhere near as close of a shave as I can get with some of my other razors after 3 passes, let alone 2 passes with the 2011 R41 (and I have no interest in going for a 4th with the RRSS). That being said, it's incredibly challenging to cut yourself with the RRSS, and you can use it very quickly, and it is incredibly comfortable. So I think it will be perfect for me on days when I don't have too much growth, or when I'm rushing out the door to work and don't have the time or need to go for a total BBS shave with one of my more aggressive razors.
I know that I may be in the minority here with this opinion, but I'm just telling it like it is for me .. remember, YMMV!!
I really do like this RRSS, and I'm looking forward to adding to my regular rotation. Like I said, it will probably be used mostly on days when I don't need a BBS shave, when I am in a hurry, not totally concentrating, or when I just want to get a dependably close SAS/DFS and don't want to think about much else. But it won't be replacing my other razors all together. Instead, it is a nice addition to my den and fills a role that I actually didn't have a razor for before!
One final thought: While this razor would be great for newbies, I actually would highly caution newbies against using this razor exclusively. It is SO forgiving and comfortable and hard to cut yourself with that I'm afraid that if you exclusively learn on this razor, you won't be able to easily switch to other "normal" DE's that require much better technique. Just a thought to keep in mind .
So I'd better wrap up this post now, before it gets even more endless .
- Badger Bill
For those of you who do not know, I recently received my very own RRSS though a trade with a very kind B&B member.
I've now used it 5 times, and I'm starting to develop a pretty good feeling for it. Is it the be all, end all razor that so many are claiming it to be? Perhaps for some, but not for me. Don't get me wrong I like it very much, but I don't believe that my other razors are at risk of being placed in storage. Read on to find out why, and also to hear the things that I really like about the RRSS too! But first, I've been at B&B long enough to know that we definitely need an obligatory picture before continuing any further.
The first thing that strikes me about this razor is it's extremely precise construction. It's really built with care and all the pieces fit together perfectly with almost zero play to me, that's a huge bonus factor for this razor and it gives it a bunch of points in my book, right away. The black finish is not really my style (I'd probably go with the clear if I were going to buy a production model), but I actually was pleasantly surprised with the black and don't mind it all that much. The coating is applied almost perfectly with just a few near-microscopic places where it wasn't coated perfectly smoothly this has been described by many in other threads. But overall, the coating is definitely totally acceptable and I have no complaints about it so far.
The other thing that you notice right away is the very light weight of this razor, but also the perfect balance. I love the handle length, and the razor balances better than almost any other razor that I've used. I do have a strong preference for heavy razors, so this was quite the change for me, but I'm getting used to it. Also, the grip on the handle is superb and it just feels very nice and comfortable in hand.
But, how does it shave?!?!!?!?
This razor is ridiculously mild. I have been using it with a feather blade, and honestly, the first time I used it I had to check to make sure there actually was a blade in the razor as I couldn't feel it at all. For some background, I have an extremely coarse, thick, dense, hard beard and extremely sensitive skin, so I tend to go for aggressive razors. My favorites include the R41 2011, so yea I'm not used to mild razors. But I really love slants I use the Ikon all the time and I used to use the 39c quite regularly too, so I was very excited to try the RRSS. Also, I thought it could be a great option to use on days when I've shaved many many days in a row (which I don't always do) or if my skin was feeling irritated for some reason.
Ok, back to the shave. Did I mention that this razor is ridiculously mild?
It still cuts very smoothly, but I must say that unlike every other slant I've ever used, it actually has a bit of trouble slicing through my thick stubble. After 2 passes, I'm definitely not at SAS across my entire face. I am definitely there in some places, but hardly everywhere. By the end of the third pass, I definitely have SAS everywhere, and BBS in some places. I then am able to get everything cut down to an acceptable length with some minor touch up.
If I had to summarize this razor for me, I'd say that it gives one of the most comfortable shaves I've ever had, but it really doesn't get me anywhere near as close of a shave as I can get with some of my other razors after 3 passes, let alone 2 passes with the 2011 R41 (and I have no interest in going for a 4th with the RRSS). That being said, it's incredibly challenging to cut yourself with the RRSS, and you can use it very quickly, and it is incredibly comfortable. So I think it will be perfect for me on days when I don't have too much growth, or when I'm rushing out the door to work and don't have the time or need to go for a total BBS shave with one of my more aggressive razors.
I know that I may be in the minority here with this opinion, but I'm just telling it like it is for me .. remember, YMMV!!
I really do like this RRSS, and I'm looking forward to adding to my regular rotation. Like I said, it will probably be used mostly on days when I don't need a BBS shave, when I am in a hurry, not totally concentrating, or when I just want to get a dependably close SAS/DFS and don't want to think about much else. But it won't be replacing my other razors all together. Instead, it is a nice addition to my den and fills a role that I actually didn't have a razor for before!
One final thought: While this razor would be great for newbies, I actually would highly caution newbies against using this razor exclusively. It is SO forgiving and comfortable and hard to cut yourself with that I'm afraid that if you exclusively learn on this razor, you won't be able to easily switch to other "normal" DE's that require much better technique. Just a thought to keep in mind .
So I'd better wrap up this post now, before it gets even more endless .
- Badger Bill