Wolfman recommendations?

[kingfisher]

The WR-1 is like a Tech on steroids. It is thin, nimble, beautiful, and efficient. Even the lower gaps have plenty of blade feel and are efficient.

The Razorock Lupo is similar in many ways to the WR-1. If you like the Lupo, you would probably like the WR-1.

I have never tried a WR-2. I am always surprised by the numbers lf people who seem to drool over it and how little people talk about the WR-1. It seems doubtful to me that the WR-2 could possibly be that much better than the WR-1, but, as I said, I have never tried one. They seem like much different razors.

 

[Rosseforp]

Now that is a good question. 1.55 or 1.65? I have approximately 235 hours of catchup reading to do.

You will have plenty of time to decide. I tried a WR2 1.15 for about six months before I decided on my WR2 0.95, it is deceivingly efficient.

~doug~

 

[BigJ]

Great suggestions above!

I would add two thoughts:
1. Check out the “Wolfman Wednesday” thread to see what folks are using.
2. Consider the WR1 which is my ’daily driver.’

Mostly, enjoy the ride!!

 

[corlay]

I get closer (and smoother) shaves with the Blackbird SS SB, than with the Wolfman WR2 1.15.

If I wanted a Wolf that shaves closer/more efficiently than the ‘Bird, I think I would need to be in that 1.35 - 1.55 range. But I would worry about harshness. Lots of folks report these higher gap Wolfs are smooth as can be, but my lower gap 1.15 will give me weepers or even bite, if Im not attentive and careful about keeping pressure light - so Im a bit skeptical.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Another reason that I loved was the Black bird. That Razer had perfect efficiency for my skin, but, sadly, the handle I just could not fall in love with. And it wouldn't take any alternative handles.

Shane has said it is a standard m5 thread and is compatible with the majority of handles out there

 

[CzechCzar]

@CzechCzar , I don't have my Wolfman yet. I just paid the invoice yesterday so it will be a while before it shows up at our place. I did discuss my choices with @Mr. Shavington and a few others. I ended up ordering the WR2 .95 gap with a Darwin handle. I just love the beauty of that handle. I did order a hollow hybrid handle from them: what they call a WRH 3/7. You can see photos of it in the three Wolfman threads. @Mr. Shavington has posted some thoughts today about the WR2.

Wolfman Owners Club

Brush: Varlet 2 piece “Gaslamp “ 27mm HD Blade: Perma Sharp (3) Soap: Grooming Department Edel Kairos Razor: WR2 Ti SB 1.25 w/ Timeless Ti Crown 👑 Handle Post Shave: Grooming Department Edel Skin Food Splash 💦 👍👍👍. 100%

www.badgerandblade.com

Thanks to all of you for your input. I read the linked thread above - that took awhile!

Based on all the input in that thread I am going to go with a WR2 1.55. still deciding on the handle.

Does anyone know how long the wait list is currently?

 

[Phoenixkh]

Thanks to all of you for your input. I read the linked thread above - that took awhile!

Based on all the input in that thread I am going to go with a WR2 1.55. still deciding on the handle.

Does anyone know how long the wait list is currently?

You can email Tara at [email protected] to get a better idea. It was 7 weeks for me. I got the invoice a few days ago now.

 

[CzechCzar]

You can email Tara at [email protected] to get a better idea. It was 7 weeks for me. I got the invoice a few days ago now.

Thanks. I honestly don't want to bother them. They are a small shop and they are busy enough. Under two months is easy peasy.

 

[CzechCzar]

I prefer aggressive razors as well (Yaqi top aggressive slant among them) and it sounds like we have similar facial hair/skin.

I've been very happy with my WR2 1.65 SB. I can shave with it daily. It rarely takes more than 2 passes to get me where I want to be, but doesn't leave my face feeling worked over. I need to pay attention with it, but it seems a lot less likely to bite me if have a momentary shift in concentration, whereas something like the Stirling HA would not be as forgiving.

I discussed getting one with a larger gap with Tara and she and James steered we away from that saying it would not be very different from what I already have. So I think something like a WR2 in the 1.45-1.65 range would probably suit you well.

I like the fit and feel of the Blackbird, but it was not efficient enough for my preferences (and I tried a number of shaving angles). I still think it is a very nice razor from a fantastic proprietor.

How careful do you have to be when using the 1.65? With my yaqi I don't hardly ever cut myself, and it is a carefree shave. Do you have to pay very close attention while shaving?

 

[Medivh]

How careful do you have to be when using the 1.65? With my yaqi I don't hardly ever cut myself, and it is a carefree shave. Do you have to pay very close attention while shaving?

I think WR2 is probably the most controversial razors I've heard of. I've talked to a lot of people who own one and their experiences are totally different and quite opposite from one another.

For instance, some folks who enjoy using mid efficiency razors, find the 1.55/1.65 to be great and for them 1.25 is too mild. I've talked to a guy who likes very efficient razors and it's not afraid of a little bit of blade feel and aggression and for him 1.15 is too much and the idea of him using 1.25 let alone 1.55-1.65 is absurd.

I've decided to start with 1.25 and see how it goes. The thing I don't like about Wolfman razors is that you can't order a separate plate from them and you have to order a whole heads. The other thing is that there isn't any gap markings on the plates and if you own a couple of plates, you might not be able to tell them apart at least at a first sight.

I think more people should press them with the issue of not selling a separate plates, because that's stupid as hell and any kind of excuses are not acceptable, given the fact that they do custom jobs and that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[SgtCrppls]

For the first time I am thinking about a wolfman. I have spent so much on alternatives because I was afraid of the price, I figure it might be time to bite the bullet.

There's a problem. I know nothing about these razors. I know there is a WR1 and a WR2. And I know that there are different blade gaps. But that is it. I don't know anything about how they actually shave.

I am a somewhat unique case, because I have a very dense beard, and very sensitive skin. I find that very efficient razors, such as the Yaqi top aggressive slant, shave me great. I have used and loved that razor for years. It's efficiency is super. The problem with it is, if I use it more than two days in a row, my skin starts getting irritated because it's so very efficient.

Another reason that I loved was the Black bird. That Razer had perfect efficiency for my skin, but, sadly, the handle I just could not fall in love with. And it wouldn't take any alternative handles.

With this background information, would any of you be able to recommend me a wolfman razor that might suit my needs?

What is the difference between WR1 and WR2?

If you liked the Blackbird you will love the WR2 Ti 1.25, I guarantee it.

Doug

 

[Fiddler]

the WR2 1.55 seems very promising.

Can you use the WR2 1.55 every day of the week?

If you have "very sensitive skin" you won't like the 1.55 for daily use.
There simply won't be enough growth to justify using it daily.
My skin isn't sensitive and I found it a top shelf razor and gap...but
overkill. It's nice for using every 3 days or so.

PS. 1.35 in Ti is a lovely gap for daily use and it won't rub sensitive
skin the wrong way IMO.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I think WR2 is probably the most controversial razors I've heard of. I've talked to a lot of people who own one and their experiences are totally different and quite opposite from one another.

For instance, some folks who enjoy using mid efficiency razors, find the 1.55/1.65 to be great and for them 1.25 is too mild. I've talked to a guy who likes very efficient razors and it's not afraid of a little bit of blade feel and aggression and for him 1.15 is too much and the idea of him using 1.25 let alone 1.55-1.65 is absurd.

I've decided to start with 1.25 and see how it goes. The thing I don't like about Wolfman razors is that you can't order a separate plate from them and you have to order a whole heads. The other thing is that there isn't any gap markings on the plates and if you own a couple of plates, you might not be able to tell them apart at least at a first sight.

I think more people should press them with the issue of not selling a separate plates, because that's stupid as hell and any kind of excuses are not acceptable, given the fact that they do custom jobs and that shouldn't be a problem.

I don’t think there is a contradiction, I think the expectations are incorrect. As the WR2 gaps and blade exposure increase, at some point it changes the razor from being best used at a neutral angle to being best at a steep angle. So if you are expecting a linear increase in efficiency and reduction in smoothness as the gaps increase, then that’s not what happens.

The WR2 0.95 is very efficient and quite smooth feeling - you shave with it using a neutral angle. I would guess the 1.05 is a bit more aggressive, and the 1.15 even more. I can certainly see why people could find them too much - the 0.95 is already a very efficient razor and it has some blade feel.

Maybe around the 1.25 or 1.35 gap the razor is best to use shaving steep. It is not possible to use it with a neutral angle because there is too much blade exposure - you have to shave steep or shallow, you can’t put both the bar and cap on your face because then the blade edge would have to be below the skin. My 1.35 (shaving steep) is still a nice razor but it is less efficient than my 0.95 gap (shaving neutral), and a lot less smooth than the 0.95. Yes, I really am claiming that the 0.95 is more efficient than the 1.35.

My 1.55 gap (shaving steep) is extremely efficient - more efficient than my 0.95 - and it is smoother than my 1.35, and really not much less smooth than my 0.95. It is absolutely possible that someone would find the 1.55 smoother than the 1.15 or 1.25 - in fact I would bet on it.

So I think you have to understand how people shave with their WR2s and realise that as the blade exposure increases you are forced to use the razor differently, and this results in different characteristics. It is wrong to think of WR2 gaps as a continuous spectrum of increasing efficiency. That’s how I see it, based on the WR2s I have.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I'm a bit more relaxed now that my Wolfman order has been placed. Based on my previous luck, I expect it to show up at our house the day before we leave for Bali. I shave around 3PM usually.... that means, it should show up at 5PM that day. <evil grin>

 

[Medivh]

I don’t think there is a contradiction, I think the expectations are incorrect. As the WR2 gaps and blade exposure increase, at some point it changes the razor from being best used at a neutral angle to being best at a steep angle. So if you are expecting a linear increase in efficiency and reduction in smoothness as the gaps increase, then that’s not what happens.

The WR2 0.95 is very efficient and quite smooth feeling - you shave with it using a neutral angle. I would guess the 1.05 is a bit more aggressive, and the 1.15 even more. I can certainly see why people could find them too much - the 0.95 is already a very efficient razor and it has some blade feel.

Maybe around the 1.25 or 1.35 gap the razor is best to use shaving steep. It is not possible to use it with a neutral angle because there is too much blade exposure - you have to shave steep or shallow, you can’t put both the bar and cap on your face because then the blade edge would have to be below the skin. My 1.35 (shaving steep) is still a nice razor but it is less efficient than my 0.95 gap (shaving neutral), and a lot less smooth than the 0.95. Yes, I really am claiming that the 0.95 is more efficient than the 1.35.

My 1.55 gap (shaving steep) is extremely efficient - more efficient than my 0.95 - and it is smoother than my 1.35, and really not much less smooth than my 0.95. It is absolutely possible that someone would find the 1.55 smoother than the 1.15 or 1.25 - in fact I would bet on it.

So I think you have to understand how people shave with their WR2s and realise that as the blade exposure increases you are forced to use the razor differently, and this results in different characteristics. It is wrong to think of WR2 gaps as a continuous spectrum of increasing efficiency. That’s how I see it, based on the WR2s I have.

Maybe that's the case, maybe not, because with razors it's all personal preference and what you think about the different gaps might not be what others think. Also, given what others have told me about their experience with the WR2, I'm even more confused.

Let's hope that my WR2 is going to be the one for me, because I really don't have the time and the money to try all the gaps in order to find the one that suits me most, especially when the owners of Wolfman are deliberately refusing to make separate base plates and I have to order a whole head, which isn't going to happen.

So in my case I will either love my WR2 1.25 or I will sell it and never again consider or recommend Wolfman to anyone. When I pay premium I expect premium without any lame excuses, especially from people who provide custom work on their products, but refuse to make simple things, because apparently they have more respect for money than their clients.

 

[JCarr]

I have three Wolfman razors...a WR1 SS SB .74 (purchased used from a B&B member), a WR2 SS SB 1.15 and a WR1 SS OC .80. All of them are excellent shaving razors. As you might guess from the razors I own, I prefer the WR1. For me, now, the WR1 SS SB .74 is very easy to use. I can whiz it around my face like it's nobody's business. The WR2 SS SB 1.15 has the same kind of feel as my RR Lupo razors...almost no blade feel, but deceptively efficient. After shaving with the WR1 .74 for a while, I realized that I needed to up my gap a bit and, preferring the overall look and feel of my WR1 Wolfman and also preferring the feel of open comb razors, I opted to purchase a WR1 .80 OC. For me, that was a very good decision.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I do have a question. If you have more than one Wolfman WR2, are the top caps the same and interchangeable with the base plates or are they custom made for the base plate? There has been some talk about trying to get James to sell base plates individually... hence the question.

Edit: I see @Medivh make that reference as i was typing my question... overlapping posts. It would be interesting to know if the tops caps are the same for the various gapped base plates or are custom fitted, if you will.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I do have a question. If you have more than one Wolfman WR2, are the top caps the same and interchangeable with the base plates or are they custom made for the base plate? There has been some talk about trying to get James to sell base plates individually... hence the question.

Edit: I see @Medivh make that reference as i was typing my question... overlapping posts. It would be interesting to know if the tops caps are the same for the various gapped base plates or are custom fitted, if you will.

Who knows. James says the top caps and base plates are made together for a perfect fit. How much of a difference swapping base plates would make compared to buying a whole head made with the same gap, I don’t know.

 

[Medivh]

I do have a question. If you have more than one Wolfman WR2, are the top caps the same and interchangeable with the base plates or are they custom made for the base plate? There has been some talk about trying to get James to sell base plates individually... hence the question.

That's a good question and if it's indeed true and the top cap and plate are made to match each other would make sense, but the thing is that nobody is telling you anything. When I contacted them a few weeks ago asking if I can buy just a base plate, they just said no and that's it. I know some people might defend them with the argument that it's their brands and they are not obligated to do anything if they don't, but we're not talking about some cheap razor brand that makes whole razors without zero custom work here.

They are basically making everything else separately without the top caps and base plates. I know some people love buying a whole razor with it's original handle and even stand, but some of us have little to no use of most brand's handles. Wolfman handles for instance might look very nice, but they don't seem very functional for my taste and as crazy as it may sound, I'd rather use my cheap Maggard MR1 instead and the same goes for most other brands, but thank God some of them are allowing us to just buy the head alone and not the whole razor.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Maybe that's the case, maybe not, because with razors it's all personal preference and what you think about the different gaps might not be what others think. Also, given what others have told me about their experience with the WR2, I'm even more confused.

Let's hope that my WR2 is going to be the one for me, because I really don't have the time and the money to try all the gaps in order to find the one that suits me most, especially when the owners of Wolfman are deliberately refusing to make separate base plates and I have to order a whole head, which isn't going to happen.

So in my case I will either love my WR2 1.25 or I will sell it and never again consider or recommend Wolfman to anyone. When I pay premium I expect premium without any lame excuses, especially from people who provide custom work on their products, but refuse to make simple things, because apparently they have more respect for money than their clients.

Any Wolfman you buy will certainly be exceptional quality. But that’s not the same as saying your choice of gaps is the right one for you. I’m just pointing out that if you expect a 1.25 to be more efficient than a 0.95, or smoother than a 1.55, then that may not be the case, and there’s no reason to think it should be. If you increase gap and blade exposure significantly then it’s a different razor and it will behave differently. If you increase blade exposure such that the razor has to be used at a very different angle then it will shave very differently.

James made the WR2 with 0.95mm gap. Every other variant is due to customer requests, and I don’t think you can criticize James for giving his customers what they asked for. More choice isn’t necessarily a benefit to everyone, but nevertheless we demanded more choice. It might be helpful if James published blade exposure data for each gap, but, still, none of us is able to predict how a razor will perform based on this data. I think we can just accept that James has configured each razor head to work well for its given gap. If you want a WR2 the way James designed it then this is the 0.95 gap, it is still available, and there is no need to become paralysed by the choices. It’s a very smooth and very efficient razor - I don’t know why anybody would want more efficiency than the 0.95.

None of us knows what changes James made to configure each of the other gaps. I wouldn’t assume only the base plate is changed, but I really don’t know.

I don’t have a 1.25 so I can’t say exactly how it compares. For sure you can’t use a neutral angle when a razor has significant blade exposure, so that alone changes the equation significantly, but I don’t know what the shaving angle on a 1.25 is. I just know you can’t shave neutral with a 1.35 like you can with a 0.95.