nsavage
nerroneous at best.
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2015
- Location
- South Australia
Being the fool that I am for the razors that James Dufour of Wolfman Razors creates I recently purchased an Open Comb Guerrilla razor. As I already owned the SB version I felt that it was a great opportunity to compare the two and share my thoughts with you all.
IMO a razor review is rather pointless without providing an overview regarding personal preferences. Throughout the course of this year my preference in regards to razor aggressiveness has definitely altered slightly and I tend to prefer a milder razor for day to day shaving nowadays. This is definitely not to say that I do not like an efficient razor. I still enjoy using more efficient razors such as the Wunderbar Slant, Rockwell 6s with the #4 plate and the Weber PH (one may note that these are all on the smooth and efficient end of the efficiency spectrum) and I get an easy BBS shave from all of them without issue. That being said I do however find that these are not so much daily drivers for me anymore. Whilst I can certainly use an efficient razor daily I feel that it takes a certain level of concentration above that which is required by a milder razor and for me it is not worth the trouble on a day to day basis. In addition to the aforementioned it is also worth noting that I no longer chase a BBS shave on a day to day basis, once again I do not feel it is worth the trouble. I have also found that my skin appreciates me not putting it through the rigours of a super close BBS shave everyday. As a result I now settle for a nice close shave that is good enough for day to day and specifically look to get a BBS shave when the situation calls for it. When I feel the need to bring one of the more efficient razors in to my rotation for a few shaves I will generally alternate between that razor and one of my preferred daily drivers. For reference I tend to reach for one of my original Wolfman razors as a daily driver (I have both an SB and OC, both in standard 0.61mm blade gap) and will happily use my v4 Stealth Slant daily as well. I assume also that the Rockwell on a #2 or #3 plate would also suit me for daily use but believe it or not I have not tried either plate.
That little overview went on far longer than I expected so hopefully I still have your attention. Now on to the more important stuff!
For those that have not had the opportunity to see James' work firsthand it is definitely some of the best craftsmanship around IMO. The attention to detail is simply stunning and the fit and finish of his razors is second to none. The Guerrilla razor is no exception. James openly states that the razor is not as well finished as his original line of razors was and that there are some sanding marks etc. still noticeable on the razor and this is definitely the case from my experience. Although the razor is not as highly polished or meticulously finished as the original Wolfman razors there is still an element of quality to be found that is at least equal to if not better than most others that I have encountered. The tolerances and craftsmanship are spot on. The razor is machined form 316L stainless steel (higher quality than a lot of alternatives) and there is almost no movement between the top cap and bottom plate when they are assembled. I believe that the razor is extremely sharply priced and offers great value for money. At around $250 AUD delivered this is an exceptionally high quality razor and the majority of the alternatives are out of production and attract a considerable premium in price for that reason.
The razor head itself is not dissimilar in geometry to the original Wolfman. There are some slight variations with the most prominent difference being that the bar (or comb depending on the version) is thicker on the Guerrilla. The head is compact and extremely manoeuvrable with only a small amount of blade tab protruding at either end. Both variations hold the blade extremely tightly and there is no movement or "chatter" throughout the shave. Blade exposure is even on all sides and despite the blade posts being in the top cap rather than the base it is extremely easy to load a blade and the blade sits true and correct first time every time. The handle is clearly different to the original offerings. It is hollow and therefore a lot lighter than the original Wolfman razors (original handles are crafted from a single piece of steel and the Guerrilla is made in 3 parts and assembled). The handle smooth and "fat", I have not had any issues with the razor slipping nor have I found the fatter handle to be an issue. The SB and OC versions are fairly well identical as one would expect. Obviously one has a solid bar and the other an Open Comb.
The SB version of the razor is still a definitely a milder razor and certainly not overly aggressive in nature. I also personally found that there is a large variation in regards to the angle that can be utilised with the razor. That being said I found that after a solid period of regular use (around 1 week) I easily found the correct angle for me (not surprisingly very similar to the original Wolfman) and I am able to get a remarkably close shave in 3 standard passes plus some touch up. The razor is incredibly easy to use and extremely forgiving. It is the only razor in my den that allows me to comfortably shave against the grain on my neck (and by comfortably I mean no issues whatsoever, I wouldn't even dare try with most razors). As a daily driver it is a no brainer and ticks all of the boxes. For reference I have found that the razor is particularly well suited to sharper blades. I tend to prefer Polsiver SI's in it myself but have had great great results with Perma-Sharps, Rapira Platinum Lux and Swedish Supersteels. I am not a Feather user myself but have been tempted to try one in this razor as I feel that it would potentially be a great match as well. The blade gap on the Geurilla is reported to be 0.69mm and although this is more than the original standard gap 0.61mm Wolfman it is not quite as efficient. This may seem surprising but I guess it just reinforces that head geometry plays just as big of a part in feel and efficiency as blade gap.
The Open Comb version shaves fairly well identically to the Solid Bar version. The razor shaves every bit as easily and smoothly as the SB version and there is no noticeable difference in feel for me personally. It is slightly more efficient and the residual lather left due to the open comb design does mean that the final clean up pass is a little more comfortable and is great for "blade buffing" (personally I do not find this to be an issue with most solid bar razors if you are using a good quality soap anyway). The Open Comb design is extremely well thought out and the "teeth" are rounded on the ends which means that you do not get that rake feel that you get with some OC razors that many people do not like. My first couple of shaves with the OC were with a Voskhod blade (my go to benchmark for a new razor) and all others have been with a Polsilver SI.
Some food for thought, I received the SB version around 3 months ago and the OC about a fortnight ago. As best as I can recall I have shaved with a Guerrilla razor for at least 75% of my shaves in the last 3 months.
In closing this is a mild but relatively efficient razor that I am more than happy to recommend. I feel that it would suit a large variety of preferences. For those looking for the extra level of efficiency the OC version is definitely a great option. If you are looking to get a high quality razor that will last a lifetime the Guerrilla is a fantastic option. If you are looking for an aggressive razor that delivers an easy BBS shave this may not be for you and another option may suit you better. If you love Wolfman razors as much as I do why not buy both?
Happy to answer any questions that you may have as best I can
IMO a razor review is rather pointless without providing an overview regarding personal preferences. Throughout the course of this year my preference in regards to razor aggressiveness has definitely altered slightly and I tend to prefer a milder razor for day to day shaving nowadays. This is definitely not to say that I do not like an efficient razor. I still enjoy using more efficient razors such as the Wunderbar Slant, Rockwell 6s with the #4 plate and the Weber PH (one may note that these are all on the smooth and efficient end of the efficiency spectrum) and I get an easy BBS shave from all of them without issue. That being said I do however find that these are not so much daily drivers for me anymore. Whilst I can certainly use an efficient razor daily I feel that it takes a certain level of concentration above that which is required by a milder razor and for me it is not worth the trouble on a day to day basis. In addition to the aforementioned it is also worth noting that I no longer chase a BBS shave on a day to day basis, once again I do not feel it is worth the trouble. I have also found that my skin appreciates me not putting it through the rigours of a super close BBS shave everyday. As a result I now settle for a nice close shave that is good enough for day to day and specifically look to get a BBS shave when the situation calls for it. When I feel the need to bring one of the more efficient razors in to my rotation for a few shaves I will generally alternate between that razor and one of my preferred daily drivers. For reference I tend to reach for one of my original Wolfman razors as a daily driver (I have both an SB and OC, both in standard 0.61mm blade gap) and will happily use my v4 Stealth Slant daily as well. I assume also that the Rockwell on a #2 or #3 plate would also suit me for daily use but believe it or not I have not tried either plate.
That little overview went on far longer than I expected so hopefully I still have your attention. Now on to the more important stuff!
For those that have not had the opportunity to see James' work firsthand it is definitely some of the best craftsmanship around IMO. The attention to detail is simply stunning and the fit and finish of his razors is second to none. The Guerrilla razor is no exception. James openly states that the razor is not as well finished as his original line of razors was and that there are some sanding marks etc. still noticeable on the razor and this is definitely the case from my experience. Although the razor is not as highly polished or meticulously finished as the original Wolfman razors there is still an element of quality to be found that is at least equal to if not better than most others that I have encountered. The tolerances and craftsmanship are spot on. The razor is machined form 316L stainless steel (higher quality than a lot of alternatives) and there is almost no movement between the top cap and bottom plate when they are assembled. I believe that the razor is extremely sharply priced and offers great value for money. At around $250 AUD delivered this is an exceptionally high quality razor and the majority of the alternatives are out of production and attract a considerable premium in price for that reason.
The razor head itself is not dissimilar in geometry to the original Wolfman. There are some slight variations with the most prominent difference being that the bar (or comb depending on the version) is thicker on the Guerrilla. The head is compact and extremely manoeuvrable with only a small amount of blade tab protruding at either end. Both variations hold the blade extremely tightly and there is no movement or "chatter" throughout the shave. Blade exposure is even on all sides and despite the blade posts being in the top cap rather than the base it is extremely easy to load a blade and the blade sits true and correct first time every time. The handle is clearly different to the original offerings. It is hollow and therefore a lot lighter than the original Wolfman razors (original handles are crafted from a single piece of steel and the Guerrilla is made in 3 parts and assembled). The handle smooth and "fat", I have not had any issues with the razor slipping nor have I found the fatter handle to be an issue. The SB and OC versions are fairly well identical as one would expect. Obviously one has a solid bar and the other an Open Comb.
The SB version of the razor is still a definitely a milder razor and certainly not overly aggressive in nature. I also personally found that there is a large variation in regards to the angle that can be utilised with the razor. That being said I found that after a solid period of regular use (around 1 week) I easily found the correct angle for me (not surprisingly very similar to the original Wolfman) and I am able to get a remarkably close shave in 3 standard passes plus some touch up. The razor is incredibly easy to use and extremely forgiving. It is the only razor in my den that allows me to comfortably shave against the grain on my neck (and by comfortably I mean no issues whatsoever, I wouldn't even dare try with most razors). As a daily driver it is a no brainer and ticks all of the boxes. For reference I have found that the razor is particularly well suited to sharper blades. I tend to prefer Polsiver SI's in it myself but have had great great results with Perma-Sharps, Rapira Platinum Lux and Swedish Supersteels. I am not a Feather user myself but have been tempted to try one in this razor as I feel that it would potentially be a great match as well. The blade gap on the Geurilla is reported to be 0.69mm and although this is more than the original standard gap 0.61mm Wolfman it is not quite as efficient. This may seem surprising but I guess it just reinforces that head geometry plays just as big of a part in feel and efficiency as blade gap.
The Open Comb version shaves fairly well identically to the Solid Bar version. The razor shaves every bit as easily and smoothly as the SB version and there is no noticeable difference in feel for me personally. It is slightly more efficient and the residual lather left due to the open comb design does mean that the final clean up pass is a little more comfortable and is great for "blade buffing" (personally I do not find this to be an issue with most solid bar razors if you are using a good quality soap anyway). The Open Comb design is extremely well thought out and the "teeth" are rounded on the ends which means that you do not get that rake feel that you get with some OC razors that many people do not like. My first couple of shaves with the OC were with a Voskhod blade (my go to benchmark for a new razor) and all others have been with a Polsilver SI.
Some food for thought, I received the SB version around 3 months ago and the OC about a fortnight ago. As best as I can recall I have shaved with a Guerrilla razor for at least 75% of my shaves in the last 3 months.
In closing this is a mild but relatively efficient razor that I am more than happy to recommend. I feel that it would suit a large variety of preferences. For those looking for the extra level of efficiency the OC version is definitely a great option. If you are looking to get a high quality razor that will last a lifetime the Guerrilla is a fantastic option. If you are looking for an aggressive razor that delivers an easy BBS shave this may not be for you and another option may suit you better. If you love Wolfman razors as much as I do why not buy both?
Happy to answer any questions that you may have as best I can
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