Got this one on the last drop. It's a solidly built, weighty razor, but it's a very aggressive shave. I've been using a Merkur #34c for years and for the weight, this requires a much lighter touch. It will definitely outlive me and might be passed down to my kids, but it's just not for my day-to-day use.
If you're moving away from cartridge razors (like Gilette) into something more traditional, your choices would include safety razors (also known as double edge razors) or straight razors (also known as cut-throat razors).
I would not recommend jumping directly into straight razors as the learning curve is very steep and you are likely to get discouraged early. By the way, this is what a straight razor looks like:
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I wouldn't say straight razor shaving is an "upgrade" over safety razors. They are just a very different approach to shaving. I find I can achieve a slightly closer shave with straight razors than with safety razors, but that comes at the cost of having to be much much more careful and having to spend a lot more time on each shave. When I need to get out of the house for work, I reach for a safety razor, which already gives me a better shave than I used to get with Gilette.
Assuming you're opting for safety razors, these come in a lot of different varieties. Slant razors, like this one, have the blade angled such that it cuts hairs with a shearing action as well as a scraping action. This is as opposed to non-slanted razors where the blade simply approaches hairs straight on and only apply a scraping action. Slant razors may be able to cut a little more efficiently, but they are also more aggressive. There are a lot of other types of safety razors you can explore - like open comb razors or adjustable razors, and you can read about them here: http://www.primandprep.com/types-of-safety-razors/
If you are coming to safety razors for the very first time though, I would strongly recommend getting a classic safety razor without any special features. There are a number of reasons for this:
(1) Good, classic safety razors can be obtained inexpensively. This will allow you to try safety razor shaving without spending too much money, and if you decide it isn't for you after all, then not too much is lost.
(2) A classic safety razor will represent the standard safety razor shaving experience. It will give you a better benchmark to decide if you like safety razors as a whole. If you start with something exotic like a slant razor, you might decide that you don't like all safety razors based on your experience, when it's possible you only don't like slant razors.
(3) Classic safety razors are the best for developing your skills with the safety razor. They are the easiest to learn on, and you won't develop any habits that are specific to other kinds of safety razor.
(4) Finally, just because a good classic safety razor is inexpensive does not mean it is inferior. I've tried a few different types of safety razor, and still get a fantastic shave from the basic razor I started with almost a decade ago.
Here's what I started with, which I'm still using today: https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Classic-Straight-Safety-Razor/dp/B002A8JO48/ref=sr_1_8_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1511922640&sr=1-8&keywords=merkur+safety+razor
A slight upgrade over that, which a lot of beginners also seem to enjoy, is the heavy-duty version, which just comes with a heftier handle: https://www.amazon.com/Merkur-Heavy-Double-Razor-Included/dp/B000QYEK88/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1511922640&sr=1-6&keywords=merkur+safety+razor
All the best and let us know how it goes!!
Where do they get these pictures - they don't even show the razor as being a slant style. And those descriptions - " The slanted head allows for more exposure of the blade at one end, so it can cut through even the thickest facial hair and leave you with a cleaner, closer shave. " The B.S. is very strong with this one - if there is more blade exposure, then you're going to slice off a layer of your face at that one end. Slanted razors twist the blade creating a guillotine angled type cutting edge and nothing more - some users like them and some don't.
Please go search for the iKon razor and read the reviews and descriptions you find. iKon makes a great product. You may also find that you can by their razor heads separately to pair them with their handles or others. Single edge razors actually do leave you with less irritation and you don't use any pressure to get a great result. Want to save money, try a single edge razor and your favorite soap/cream - it will take a week or so to get used to it and learn how to get the best results.
Again Massdrop has proven that they have no idea what they are selling and really should get out of writing the information on these web pages.
SquirrelsYes... a poor description and no mention that this is a TILTED SLANT as opposed to a TWISTED SLANT. Very different beasts. You are right, there is no change in blade exposure, it simply has the head mounted on an angle to the handle. That's it... you can achieve a similar effect by holding the razor at an angle as you draw it across your beard or moving in a diagonal stroke (aka, the Gillette Slide).
On the other hand, a TWISTED SLANT such as the Merkur 37C affects blade angle, gap and (possibly?) exposure from one end of the blade to the other. I'm not entirely clear on the specifics of what is affected, and there are different designs. I had a 37C for awhile, but could never get entirely comfortable with it... good shaves, just had to stay focused to avoid nicks and cuts. The other presumed benefit of a twisted slant is that by torquing the blade you make it more rigid and less prone to flex.
I had to go elsewhere to see a shot that highlights the slant of the #102, such as this one from Ikon's website:
The fact that they're pairing this with Super-Max blades from India gives me pause. Super-Max blades are literally the cheapest blades I can obtain at my corner store. They're OK for one or two shaves, but lose their edge quickly - that is, if they haven't started rusting first.
For an additional dollar or less, they could have thrown in some decent blades from Personna or maybe even Feather. I have absolutely no experience with this product or the company, but this stinginess with the blades calls into question the quality of the main product. :(
Oh hi again Jake
I see you're back for more.
It makes me suspect
your mother was a
Person who didn't teach you how to be polite.
If you expect
a bit of respect;
Don't shake a stick
Unless you don't have a
Rational argument to present.
Hey Jake, no comeback?
Are you perhaps, stuck?
That’s what I thought,
you sad little
duck.
Your hobbies, I heard,
are not very cranial.
Well I won’t spread the word
That you enjoy
harassing women on the internet.
Where is your manhood?
It’s giving me angina.
The only explanation:
You have a
low sense of self-esteem.
I wish I had time
to make all this rhyme ,
but you get the idea,
m__________r.
For those of you who are unsure about slant bar razors....
A slant shaver like this slices through hairs at an angle compared to the normal right angle 'chop' of a non-slanted DE razor.
Imagine slicing an apple with a sharp knife at a 45 degree angle with the tip down - that's your slant razor.
Now imagine trying to slice it with a knife completely flat from handle to tip - that's your standard DE razor.
So the slant blade slices through hair easier, meaning less passes are needed.
This particular model doesn't twist the blade to achieve this, so it's less aggressive than other slant razors but still more effective than the standard DE razor. The big advantage is that it's supposed to one of the the smoothest slant razors, with some reports of less irritation than a non-slanted razor because of less passes.
This is very important to me, because the reason I got into DE shaving in the first place was due to ingrown hairs. As a bonus, the handle being offered here is supposedly a great match for the head.
Each to their own, but I've just joined this drop!
Hi guys, I went ahead and checked with the iKon folks.
The #102 is a canted Slant, where the X3 is a classic torqued Slant.
Also the handle we're offering on this model is an 80mm Bulldog handle.
Hope that helps!