@Ckmaui excellent report! The Game Changer .68p is one of my top Razors
Glad you’ve tried and like the Z0! Your comment about music is a great observation. Interesting you like the Astra - you sure like mild, that’s for sure. I’ve not used one in the Z0 but I’d suspect it would be too mild. Btw, I can’t use Nacets in any H&S. I’m partial to Persona reds - for easy and mild- and Bics - for more efficient. Now, as for soaps……….Wow I will definitely try Polsilver!
Thanks!
I’m so happy now that I found “the one” (or “the two” lol)...I can turn my attention to other things that can make my save experience even more enjoyable...like blades, soaps, bowls, etc. BTW, my new favorite soaps are Stirling (Sheep) and A&E (Kaizan)...crazy slick with wonderful post-shave conditioning!
I just had my first "perfect" shave - a DFS with ZERO feedback! This is the reason I joined this forum
It was with the Timeless Matte .68 SB and Astra blade. The soap was eleven DFS appropriately enough
A couple of days ago I used the H&S Z074-Ti5 again. It was not nearly as smooth as the Timeless! Also, the sweet spot is smaller. It may be a tiny bit more efficient but at a significant loss in comfort. (I had a couple of small weepers plus some minor irritation and consequent feedback by Mr. Alum!) I'm afraid the Z0 and I are about to part ways
My goal was to eventually narrow the field down to one or two razors. Today I feel like I took a significant step toward that goal
I have a couple more razors (Edwin Jagger DE 89 and Muhle R89) to try. But, I can't imagine them beating the Timeless.
I also have my name on the waiting list for a couple of other Ti's (Karve and Yates) but for now, I think I will keep the Timeless and one of the Hensons.
P.S. LOTS of great soaps on the way! Can't wait. Experimenting with software is a lot more fun than with hardware!
Wow lol that’s the opposite of what I experienced...with the same end result!I decided to give the Z074 a try since it was getting high accolades from several folks. Well, my first shave didn't wow me. The razor is probably the smoothest razor I've ever shaved with, but seems lacking in efficiency. Did 3 passes with lots of buffing and still had stubble remaining on my neck. I used a rapira sweedish super steel which works great in several of my favorite razors, but it's not that great in the Z. Switched out to an Astra SP on the next shave and did get better results. Still required lots of buffing. I could feel stubble about 5 hours after my shave. I get a good 10 hours from my best performers.
I will say that the quality and fit and finish are superb. H&S does a fantastic job with razors apparently. I'm wondering now if the P076 may be a better fit and worth a try. I'll give the Z074 another few shaves, but it looks like it may be going back as I have 3 or 4 razors that provide better results and cost much less.
Just ordered 100 Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades from India for $9!timeless straight bar and the yates shaver since the scallops/comb on that and while I should have done the scallop to the scallop decided to do the straight in the Timeless as this was going to be a great daily shave what I am using comparison rather than a plate to plate style
did wilkinson sword blades today really liked them no issues on either razor no weepers no blood no irritation just great shaves
the timeless had way less grab/drag feel and more efficient feel when cutting and that is comfort to me
the yates is a great razor but the Timeless is nicer as it should be for almost 2-3x as much depending on options
Just ordered 100 Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades from India for $9!
(Kensurfs favorites!)
Good to hear about the Timeless Ti being more comfortable than the Yates SS. You’re right...at twice the cost, it should be noticeably better. That’s why I’m returning the H&S...because at $400 it should be more comfortable than the Timeless and it’s not!
I’m going to wait till Yates comes out with their Ti. I think that will be a better comparison with the Timeless Ti and the Henson Ti!
I heard that the German Wilkinsons are more efficient than (but not as comfortable as) the IndianMake sure to try German Wilkinson blades as well. Both are good blades but I find the Germans shave a bit better.
I don't think there are two ways about it – a razor either sings, or shaves well.The razor is probably the smoothest razor I've ever shaved with, but seems lacking in efficiency.
I have recently acquired a Henson AL-13 mild/ladies version & I am 3 shaves in with it. I am finding it to be quite "tuggy" in use & not all that smooth. I have so far tried the 1/4 turn trick; thinner lather & swapping the Astra for a Feather blade. The way it shaves reminds me of my brass Hone 15, which also comes nowhere near to my top 5 razors in terms of smoothness, but is a razor that I very much wish worked for me.
I thought I had better follow up my previous post re the Henson. After my first three shaves, my skin was somewhat irritated, so I reverted back to my trusty AS-D2 for three recovery shaves, before attempting to shave with the Henson again. The fourth shave with the Henson was much better, though I didn't consciously change anything, using a fresh Astra SP & still loosening the head by a quarter turn. Each subsequent shave with the Henson has been good to excellent.
I just had shave number 15 with the Henson & it was the most comfortable & one of the closest shaves I have ever had. The closer shaves in the past with other razors (Muhle R41 (2013) & Ikon SB) have always left my face a bit tender, but after the shave today, as is always the case now with the Henson, there was zero AS sting.
I have experimented with Feather blades & slackening the razor head by both a quarter & a half turn, but find it works best for me with an Astra blade & fully tightened. I have used different soaps with the Henson & this seems to have more of an affect on shave quality than either blade choice, or loosening the head. Now it is warmer in the UK, I have swapped to Proraso green (tub) which gives a really close shave with the Henson. Top tip from me for Summer shaving - run the head of the Henson under the cold tap/faucet for 30 seconds before shaving, it gives a very refreshing shave. The aluminium retains temperature much better that steel.
In the past weeks, I have done a couple of "control shaves" with my Game Changer 0.68, which was previously my top mild, but efficient razor, just to make sure I wasn't getting carried away with my new toy. The GC matched the Henson in terms of smoothness in use, but the Henson provided a closer shave. I am really glad I chose the mild/ladies version of the AL-13 over the medium version, as if the head loosening I have experimented with is anything to go by, I think I would find the medium a bit harsh. Also, I don't think that the medium could shave me any closer, unless it removes my top layer of skin!
I just had my first "perfect" shave - a DFS with ZERO feedback! This is the reason I joined this forum
It was with the Timeless Matte .68 SB and Astra blade. The soap was eleven DFS appropriately enough
A couple of days ago I used the H&S Z074-Ti5 again. It was not nearly as smooth as the Timeless! Also, the sweet spot is smaller. It may be a tiny bit more efficient but at a significant loss in comfort. (I had a couple of small weepers plus some minor irritation and consequent feedback by Mr. Alum!) I'm afraid the Z0 and I are about to part ways
My goal was to eventually narrow the field down to one or two razors. Today I feel like I took a significant step toward that goal
I have a couple more razors (Edwin Jagger DE 89 and Muhle R89) to try. But, I can't imagine them beating the Timeless.
I also have my name on the waiting list for a couple of other Ti's (Karve and Yates) but for now, I think I will keep the Timeless and one of the Hensons.
P.S. LOTS of great soaps on the way! Can't wait. Experimenting with software is a lot more fun than with hardware!
I agree! An underhydrated soap can drastically change how your razor functions! It can make the razor feel like it's dragging a lot. Can ruin the razors smoothnessSome food for thought... if you had such an extreme swing in performance with a razor from one shave to the next, most likely it's not the razor. I'd imagine with you also now experimenting with new soaps, your lather was probably not as dialed in as it should be. It's your money and obviously do what you want, but returning or selling razors because of one "bad" shave is only going to lead you to continued frustration. It's probably hard to really give all your razors a solid chance when you have so many to try and go through, but the more variables you start switching up (blades, soaps, brushes, etc) the less consistency you're going to get from one shave to the next.
I agree! An underhydrated soap can drastically change how your razor functions! It can make the razor feel like it's dragging a lot. Can ruin the razors smoothness
That very well could be...but I never had a bad shave with the Timeless Ti or any of the Hensons...no matter how poorly I prep, what soap I'm using, etc. I find them more "user-friendly"Some food for thought... if you had such an extreme swing in performance with a razor from one shave to the next, most likely it's not the razor. I'd imagine with you also now experimenting with new soaps, your lather was probably not as dialed in as it should be. It's your money and obviously do what you want, but returning or selling razors because of one "bad" shave is only going to lead you to continued frustration. It's probably hard to really give all your razors a solid chance when you have so many to try and go through, but the more variables you start switching up (blades, soaps, brushes, etc) the less consistency you're going to get from one shave to the next.