One of the first reviews I done was on the Karve; it can be found in this thread Page 1 #11. I have used the Timeless 0.95 but it was some time ago so I would not like to compare it. I have all three razors you mention pencilled in for next year and will be adding Charcoal Goods #3, Ikon Tech, ATT H1 &H2, Karve #F to give myself a bit of an idea how the big hitters fit into the jig saw. My preferred level of efficiency is generally in the mid efficiency level and maybe a little higher. Just bear that in mind when I do a comparison.
Weekly Razor Review
- Thread starter Errol
- Start date
One of the first reviews I done was on the Karve; it can be found in this thread Page 1 #11. I have used the Timeless 0.95 but it was some time ago so I would not like to compare it. I have all three razors you mention pencilled in for next year and will be adding Charcoal Goods #3, Ikon Tech, ATT H1 &H2, Karve #F to give myself a bit of an idea how the big hitters fit into the jig saw. My preferred level of efficiency is generally in the mid efficiency level and maybe a little higher. Just bear that in mind when I do a comparison.
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Interested to see your views on the iKon Tech as its the only DE that I've tried and gave up after half a pass as its too harsh.
I initially bought the Karve CB with D plate only and found it a little too mild so I ordered the E and open comb D plates. The E plate is more aggressive than the D plate by just enough to make it about right for me, but having said that the open comb D plate has become my preferred option.
Thanks for the update @bomber.79 sounds like that OC D or the SB E will be a good plate for me, i think my preference may go to an OC mainly due to only having one in my den atm. Must resist........
Thanks @Errol i have gone back and read your review on the Karve, and acknowledge your taste in milder razors.. I always keep that in mind and bump up the efficiency a notch or two to suit my preference.
Karve CB Stainless Steel OC ‘C’ Plate (Canada)
On the same day I put my name down for the Karve CB stainless steel with the solid bar; I bit the bullet and purchased the open comb variant with the #C to #E plates. For the OC version I chose the 3 ½” handle so I can mix and match as I see fit. Machined into the handle and running almost the full length of it is a very precise knurling pattern. It is visually different to the knurling used on the Karve CB brass variant and in use it is nigh on impossible for the handle to slip with any half decent hold applied. Again I’m very impressed with the finish of the Karve CB Stainless Steel range of razors and I can see where the extra cost has come in over the brass variant. As a matter of interest the serial numbers of both my stainless steel Karve CB’s are consecutive.
Shaving with the Karve CB #C plate was very similar to using the Haircut and Shave NO75 which in turn is similar to using a Weber Razor so this plate is very much to my liking. Karve have allowed a small amount of blade feel and the resultant shave is both smooth and close. However, the shave may have been too close because after each use I was left with at least one weeper and I struggle to give a reason. I will give another milder OC plate a run soon and just check. The extra ¼” of handle length on this razor had little, if any, effect in the handling of the razor so I cannot say I have a preference for either length. Karve have produced an excellent razor with the stainless steel variant and I feel confident when I use their product as a comparison standard.
Blades Used – Rapira Swedish Supersteel and Gillette Platinum
Material – 303 Stainless Steel
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 102g
Head Width – 40.73
Handle Length – 91.5mm
Handle Diameter – 12.07mm
Availability - Karve
Final Word – Great
Happy New Year
On the same day I put my name down for the Karve CB stainless steel with the solid bar; I bit the bullet and purchased the open comb variant with the #C to #E plates. For the OC version I chose the 3 ½” handle so I can mix and match as I see fit. Machined into the handle and running almost the full length of it is a very precise knurling pattern. It is visually different to the knurling used on the Karve CB brass variant and in use it is nigh on impossible for the handle to slip with any half decent hold applied. Again I’m very impressed with the finish of the Karve CB Stainless Steel range of razors and I can see where the extra cost has come in over the brass variant. As a matter of interest the serial numbers of both my stainless steel Karve CB’s are consecutive.
Shaving with the Karve CB #C plate was very similar to using the Haircut and Shave NO75 which in turn is similar to using a Weber Razor so this plate is very much to my liking. Karve have allowed a small amount of blade feel and the resultant shave is both smooth and close. However, the shave may have been too close because after each use I was left with at least one weeper and I struggle to give a reason. I will give another milder OC plate a run soon and just check. The extra ¼” of handle length on this razor had little, if any, effect in the handling of the razor so I cannot say I have a preference for either length. Karve have produced an excellent razor with the stainless steel variant and I feel confident when I use their product as a comparison standard.
Blades Used – Rapira Swedish Supersteel and Gillette Platinum
Material – 303 Stainless Steel
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 102g
Head Width – 40.73
Handle Length – 91.5mm
Handle Diameter – 12.07mm
Availability - Karve
Final Word – Great
Happy New Year
2019 – Errol’s Razor of The Year
2019 was a big year for the razor users from around the world with the loss of companies like RAW Shaving and Mongoose. To compensate for these losses there has been numerous new model razor releases from the established manufacturers plus numerous new manufacturers joining the fray. I’ve sampled a few of the new offerings released this year and would like to present a summary of my thoughts on some of the new razors and name what is my Razor of The Year - 2019.
YEAR RAZOR
2017 RazoRock Babysmooth Ti
2018 RAW Shaving RS-10
2019 Smart Helix Apollo
Note: Smart Helix have now advised that the number of Apollo’s manufactured was 34, however I have it on authority that the Apollo will again be available this year.
2019 was a big year for the razor users from around the world with the loss of companies like RAW Shaving and Mongoose. To compensate for these losses there has been numerous new model razor releases from the established manufacturers plus numerous new manufacturers joining the fray. I’ve sampled a few of the new offerings released this year and would like to present a summary of my thoughts on some of the new razors and name what is my Razor of The Year - 2019.
- Occam DE – Gimmicky, just another razor
- Seygus Zeppelin – Innovation, quality presentation but too mild, just another razor
- Razorock Mamba 70 – Nothing to rave about, just another razor
- West Coast Shaving CNC Hyperion – Inspired by Charcoal Goods, not in the same league as the first WCS CNC Hollywood Palm for quality of design and manufacture, very aggressive
- Above The Tie Windsor Stainless Steel Satin – Same range of plates as the original ATT, an efficiency level for all tastes, tabs of the blade are covered, bead blasted, very impressive
- Carbon Shaving Cx – Appalling finish, no quality control, good to use, for a high end price this razor is an insult
- Seygus Zeppelin V2 – Seygus’s second release this year, innovative design, presentation, hit the mark with the 0.7 + 0.7 plate
- Haircut and Shave NO75 – Nice big well proportioned handle, shaves just like a Weber, neutral feel, a terrific razor
- Smart Helix Apollo – Limited release, handmade, two efficiency levels on one plate, exceptional finish, exceptional shave, very impressive
- Edwin Jagger 3ONE6 – Light for an all stainless steel razor, good shave, nothing special though, just another razor
- Charcoal Goods Stainless Steel Gen 2 – Authentic quality, smooth, close and effortless performance
- Seygus Zeppelin Titanium – Very limited release, titanium, quality finish, oh so mild, another razor
- Colonial Silversmith – Exceptional finish, smooth and mild, another razor
- Colonial General V2 – Reduced weight, exceptional finish, exceptional shave, readily available and brilliant
- Smart Helix Apollo Light, Mid Aggressive – Hand made, probably the best quality finish of any razor made today, handle heavy, very good
- Smart Helix Apollo Light, Aggressive - Hand made, quality finish, close shave, exemplary performance
- Rocnel Elite LE 2019, Mid Aggressive – Limited release, impressive handle, smooth and too mild, just average
- Rocnel Elite LE 2019 Aggressive – Limited release, aggressive by name only, in use a mid aggressive shave, great handle, would benefit with some blade feel, very useable
- Karve CB Stainless Steel – Eagerly awaited, quality product, satin finish, an efficiency level for all tastes, a wonderful razor
- Karve CB Stainless Steel OC – Satin finish, smooth and comfortable, a great razor
YEAR RAZOR
2017 RazoRock Babysmooth Ti
2018 RAW Shaving RS-10
2019 Smart Helix Apollo
Note: Smart Helix have now advised that the number of Apollo’s manufactured was 34, however I have it on authority that the Apollo will again be available this year.
Yates Precision Engineering 921-M (USA)
Stonewash, polished, rose gold polished and rose gold matt are the choice of finishes available on the recently offered YPE razor. I had these choices available when I made the purchase and I chose the stonewashed version. There are no tool marks present and the finish is flawless but the colouring is darker than I would expect. It actually looks like there has been some chemical reaction to achieve the colouring; ahhh stonewash! My preference is for a razor clamping its blade close to the edge of the cap but blade clamping on the YPE is a long way from the edge of the blade so chatter will be something to be watched. A long thin handle is fitted and you’d better like it because for reasons known only to themselves, YPE have chosen to use a 10/ 24 thread instead of the commonly used 10/ 32 or M5 industry standard. Other handles just do not screw on. This 921-M is the YPE’s first released razor so it can only be hoped that YPE bow to public pressure and change to the standard thread size in future production.
Supplied with the YPR razor was a pack of Feather blades so that is the blade selected for the first shave. Performance wise, the YPE is way in excess of the efficiency of the Karve CB fitted with a #D plate. There is a lot of the blade visible and there is a lot of gap visible between the blade and the plate so it’s no wonder that there was blade feel in abundance. Smooth – not likely; Close – certainly. Advertising literature advises that the ‘M’ in the model designation is for medium efficiency. If this is their medium efficiency offering I will be in no hurry to rush out for the aggressive version if and when released but may go looking for their mild efficiency razor. It’s been a while since I’ve used a handle that was so long and thin. I found that the handle hindered maneuverability but I put that down to the thin handle rather than its length, it’s just too thin and did not provide enough grip leaving the whole razor wanting to roll. Taking about ½” off the length of the handle and more importantly increasing its diameter by at least 3 or 4 mm would greatly assist the handling of the razor and while they’re at it please change to the common 10/ 32 or M5 thread. The YPE actually feels like I would expect an early prototype razor to perform; there is room for improvement but overall YPE are on the right track.
Blades Used – Feather and Gillette Nacet
Material – 316 Stainless Steel - Stonewash
Blade Tab - Covered
Weight – 91g
Head Width – 44.53mm
Handle Length – 101.5mm
Handle Diameter – 9.7mm
Availability – Yates Precision Engineering
Final Word – Fix that handle first
Stonewash, polished, rose gold polished and rose gold matt are the choice of finishes available on the recently offered YPE razor. I had these choices available when I made the purchase and I chose the stonewashed version. There are no tool marks present and the finish is flawless but the colouring is darker than I would expect. It actually looks like there has been some chemical reaction to achieve the colouring; ahhh stonewash! My preference is for a razor clamping its blade close to the edge of the cap but blade clamping on the YPE is a long way from the edge of the blade so chatter will be something to be watched. A long thin handle is fitted and you’d better like it because for reasons known only to themselves, YPE have chosen to use a 10/ 24 thread instead of the commonly used 10/ 32 or M5 industry standard. Other handles just do not screw on. This 921-M is the YPE’s first released razor so it can only be hoped that YPE bow to public pressure and change to the standard thread size in future production.
Supplied with the YPR razor was a pack of Feather blades so that is the blade selected for the first shave. Performance wise, the YPE is way in excess of the efficiency of the Karve CB fitted with a #D plate. There is a lot of the blade visible and there is a lot of gap visible between the blade and the plate so it’s no wonder that there was blade feel in abundance. Smooth – not likely; Close – certainly. Advertising literature advises that the ‘M’ in the model designation is for medium efficiency. If this is their medium efficiency offering I will be in no hurry to rush out for the aggressive version if and when released but may go looking for their mild efficiency razor. It’s been a while since I’ve used a handle that was so long and thin. I found that the handle hindered maneuverability but I put that down to the thin handle rather than its length, it’s just too thin and did not provide enough grip leaving the whole razor wanting to roll. Taking about ½” off the length of the handle and more importantly increasing its diameter by at least 3 or 4 mm would greatly assist the handling of the razor and while they’re at it please change to the common 10/ 32 or M5 thread. The YPE actually feels like I would expect an early prototype razor to perform; there is room for improvement but overall YPE are on the right track.
Blades Used – Feather and Gillette Nacet
Material – 316 Stainless Steel - Stonewash
Blade Tab - Covered
Weight – 91g
Head Width – 44.53mm
Handle Length – 101.5mm
Handle Diameter – 9.7mm
Availability – Yates Precision Engineering
Final Word – Fix that handle first
As I do with most reviews, this morning I forwarded the link to the Weekly Razor Review to Jacob from Yates Precision Engineering. Below is his reply:
To answer a few of your points:
-no chemical process in stonewash; simply a grit blast and tumble
-I announced awhile ago, and I'm getting ready to release, a 10-32 Top Cap, and I'm offering these free to anyone who has purchased a razor from me and would like one.
-All razors, both top cap and handle, will be 10-32 going forward
-as far as efficiency, you are the first to criticize. Not saying you are wrong by any means, I've just have quite a few avid wetshavers give it the highest remarks on efficiency.
-I've already released a more aggressive baseplate, the -H model
-More handles are in the works, including shorter and thicker versions
Again, thank you for the feedback. I just wanted to clarify and respond to a few of your points.
Thanks,
Jake Yates
Manufacturing Engineer
Yates Precision Manufacturing
yatesprecision.com
Visit us on Instagram and Facebook
To answer a few of your points:
-no chemical process in stonewash; simply a grit blast and tumble
-I announced awhile ago, and I'm getting ready to release, a 10-32 Top Cap, and I'm offering these free to anyone who has purchased a razor from me and would like one.
-All razors, both top cap and handle, will be 10-32 going forward
-as far as efficiency, you are the first to criticize. Not saying you are wrong by any means, I've just have quite a few avid wetshavers give it the highest remarks on efficiency.
-I've already released a more aggressive baseplate, the -H model
-More handles are in the works, including shorter and thicker versions
Again, thank you for the feedback. I just wanted to clarify and respond to a few of your points.
Thanks,
Jake Yates
Manufacturing Engineer
Yates Precision Manufacturing
yatesprecision.com
Visit us on Instagram and Facebook
~Spyne~
Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
Sounds like he missed what you were saying about the efficiency.
Or perhaps confused efficiency for comfort.
Either way, another very helpful review @Errol
Such an amazing resource, where do you find out about all these razors from smaller makers and how do you get access to the very hard to come by ones (eg Seygus and Smart Helix to name a couple)
Or perhaps confused efficiency for comfort.
Either way, another very helpful review @Errol
Such an amazing resource, where do you find out about all these razors from smaller makers and how do you get access to the very hard to come by ones (eg Seygus and Smart Helix to name a couple)
Firstly and before I answer @Spyne I must apologise to Jake Yates for not getting the name of his business correct. The name of the razor is Yates Precision Manufacturing. I must pay more attention.
Where do I find out about these razors? There’s no secret.
1. I receive News letters from many of the larger shaving gear companies. Mostly the delete button gets a work out but occasionally they slip up and include something useful. Right now for example, Executive Shaving have a new razor in pre release called the Outlaw.
2. I have a look at a couple of overseas shaving forums. Get a name and follow up.
3. Seygus - I actually got the name from SOTD here in the Paste and Cut. Once I have the name I check their websites. As for the Titanium Seygus I was tipped off by @Rami Sorry @Rami, I actually got my hands on one before he did.
4. Smart Helix - tip off from @Nico Even Nico has now got one on order or maybe already has it but I haven’t seen it on SOTD. I’m sure it won’t be long.
5. I like to give my feedback on the razor to the maker. Some totally ignore me, some post the review but mostly I try and build up a relationship. This has allowed me to purchase razors like the RAW RS-10 titanium. Jake Yates has asked a question about my thought on razor handles. It’s a two way street.
At the bottom of each review, if the razor is still available I include the manufacturers name. Follow through on that for all details on prices, details, their description. Hope this helps.
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- Feb 27, 2017
- Location
- Sydney
The mythical unicorn raises it head again. Was on the list and he canned it due to a lack of interest & deposits. I cried that day.
And I do recall someone kept mentioning that the aggressive plate was too mild (when using the lighter metal)
@~Spyne~ This is a collaboration with Alpha shaving @Vlasta so contact him if interested in the one off preorder.
Not sure if it has been closed.
Last edited:
Wolfman WR1 0.61 OC (Canada)
Fitted with the WRH7 handle and then highly polished this razor presents very nicely. It has all the usual Wolfman Razor attributes such as the minimalist designed stainless steel plate and cap, exceptional workmanship in the build and the quality of that mirror polished finish is a delight to behold. Teeth on the plate are not machined as deep as others manufacturers tend to do and with 16 teeth along each side of the plate, the teeth are very fine and all sharp edges have been removed during the polishing process. I studied the whole razor for any sign of a tool mark and there was not one to be found. Wolfman’s WRH7 handle design and interpretations from other maker’s rates high on my list of handle choices. This handle is solid and not one of the lightened WRH handles that Wolfman are now offering, never the less it is still produces a very well balanced razor. Every time I handle a Wolfman razor I am amazed at how smooth the thread is; it all comes back to a machinist knowing exactly what they are doing.
I’ve got to say that I like the feel of the WR1 with the open comb. The fitted 0.61 plate is the standard mid aggression plate for the WR1 range and from here Wolfman allow the buyer to choose either milder plates or up to some very aggressive level plates. There is a pleasant amount of blade feel, and to its credit the shave was both smooth and very close. With an efficiency level around that expected of a Karve CB fitted with a #C plate, I’m very impressed with the performance of the WR1. The fine teeth in the plate do an excellent job and can barely be felt during the shave as they glide over the face. Put simply, Wolfman have got the formula right for a fine shave with this WR1. I’ll have to revisit that SB version WR1, I’m missing something.
Blades Used – Voskhod and Gillette Platinum
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 99g
Head Width – 41.3mm
Handle Length – 90.7mm
Handle Diameter – 13.7mm
Availability – Wolfman
Final Word – Outstanding
Fitted with the WRH7 handle and then highly polished this razor presents very nicely. It has all the usual Wolfman Razor attributes such as the minimalist designed stainless steel plate and cap, exceptional workmanship in the build and the quality of that mirror polished finish is a delight to behold. Teeth on the plate are not machined as deep as others manufacturers tend to do and with 16 teeth along each side of the plate, the teeth are very fine and all sharp edges have been removed during the polishing process. I studied the whole razor for any sign of a tool mark and there was not one to be found. Wolfman’s WRH7 handle design and interpretations from other maker’s rates high on my list of handle choices. This handle is solid and not one of the lightened WRH handles that Wolfman are now offering, never the less it is still produces a very well balanced razor. Every time I handle a Wolfman razor I am amazed at how smooth the thread is; it all comes back to a machinist knowing exactly what they are doing.
I’ve got to say that I like the feel of the WR1 with the open comb. The fitted 0.61 plate is the standard mid aggression plate for the WR1 range and from here Wolfman allow the buyer to choose either milder plates or up to some very aggressive level plates. There is a pleasant amount of blade feel, and to its credit the shave was both smooth and very close. With an efficiency level around that expected of a Karve CB fitted with a #C plate, I’m very impressed with the performance of the WR1. The fine teeth in the plate do an excellent job and can barely be felt during the shave as they glide over the face. Put simply, Wolfman have got the formula right for a fine shave with this WR1. I’ll have to revisit that SB version WR1, I’m missing something.
Blades Used – Voskhod and Gillette Platinum
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 99g
Head Width – 41.3mm
Handle Length – 90.7mm
Handle Diameter – 13.7mm
Availability – Wolfman
Final Word – Outstanding
Nico
Multi-blade using heretic - burn the witch ...
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2018 Charity Auction Winner
2019 Charity Auction Winner
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- Location
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Wolfman WR1 0.61 OC (Canada)
Fitted with the WRH7 handle and then highly polished this razor presents very nicely. It has all the usual Wolfman Razor attributes such as the minimalist designed stainless steel plate and cap, exceptional workmanship in the build and the quality of that mirror polished finish is a delight to behold. Teeth on the plate are not machined as deep as others manufacturers tend to do and with 16 teeth along each side of the plate, the teeth are very fine and all sharp edges have been removed during the polishing process. I studied the whole razor for any sign of a tool mark and there was not one to be found. Wolfman’s WRH7 handle design and interpretations from other maker’s rates high on my list of handle choices. This handle is solid and not one of the lightened WRH handles that Wolfman are now offering, never the less it is still produces a very well balanced razor. Every time I handle a Wolfman razor I am amazed at how smooth the thread is; it all comes back to a machinist knowing exactly what they are doing.
I’ve got to say that I like the feel of the WR1 with the open comb. The fitted 0.61 plate is the standard mid aggression plate for the WR1 range and from here Wolfman allow the buyer to choose either milder plates or up to some very aggressive level plates. There is a pleasant amount of blade feel, and to its credit the shave was both smooth and very close. With an efficiency level around that expected of a Karve CB fitted with a #C plate, I’m very impressed with the performance of the WR1. The fine teeth in the plate do an excellent job and can barely be felt during the shave as they glide over the face. Put simply, Wolfman have got the formula right for a fine shave with this WR1. I’ll have to revisit that SB version WR1, I’m missing something.
Blades Used – Voskhod and Gillette Platinum
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 99g
Head Width – 41.3mm
Handle Length – 90.7mm
Handle Diameter – 13.7mm
Availability – Wolfman
Final Word – Outstanding
Thanks @Errol for another wonderful review.
Perhaps the open comb has a generous sweet spot compared to the SB. Would be interesting to hear your thoughts after the revisit.
The pre-order is still open.The mythical unicorn raises it head again. Was on the list and he canned it due to a lack of interest & deposits. I cried that day.
And I do recall someone kept mentioning that the aggressive plate was too mild (when using the lighter metal)
@~Spyne~ This is a collaboration with Alpha shaving @Vlasta so contact him if interested in the one off preorder.
Not sure if it has been closed.
The mythical unicorn raises it head again. Was on the list and he canned it due to a lack of interest & deposits. I cried that day.
And I do recall someone kept mentioning that the aggressive plate was too mild (when using the lighter metal)
@~Spyne~ This is a collaboration with Alpha shaving @Vlasta so contact him if interested in the one off preorder.
Not sure if it has been closed.
The Outlaw all stainless DE is a design collaboration between me (Alpha Shaving) and Executive Shaving in the UK. The only difference will be that Exec Shaving will have their logo and I will have mine.
There is a sweet review HERE:-
https://wetshaverreview.com/2020/01...k-with-the-outlaw-all-stainless-safety-razor/
Pre-orders welcome
Wolfman WR2 1.05 OC – WRH1 Handle (Canada)
Errol, old son; what’s happened to your will power? You’ve had the WR1 reviewed last week for about 18 months before putting it to use but a WR2 rocks up, you go weak at the knees and immediately want to use it. Thank goodness for Wolfman’s new ordering system, there appears to have been more new Wolfman razors arrived in Australia in the last two months than arrived in the previous two years. You don’t have to live in the Northern Hemisphere now to be able to purchase a Wolfman. Thanks James. After initially ordering another WR1 I thought about it for a while and when my turn came up to finalise the order I changed it to a WR2, 1.05 with open comb, hollowed WRH1 handle and everything given a satin finish. My WR1 with its Darwin handle has a brushed satin finish that was probably achieved by bead blasting but the satin finish on the WR2 looks totally different; more like a dull polished finish and not in any way bead blasted. For anyone who is familiar with the Wolfman Guerrilla satin finish, the WR2 finish looks very much the same. It’s that good that the satin finish on the WR2 is better than some competitors highly polished razors. The hollowed WRH1 handle does its job in lowering the weight and the razor certainly feels well balanced.
For those unfamiliar with the Wolfman WR2 design, the blade locating system is a bit unique in that the blade is positioned between four corner posts on the cap. These corner posts in turn mate into corresponding slots in the plate. Clamping of the blade is accomplished right at the very edge of the cap on large flat sections; the blade clamp is positive and that blade is going nowhere. This WR2 is fitted with the 1.05mm plate and as with the WR1 open comb the teeth on the WR2 plate are machined fine and shallow.
I wasn’t really expecting it, but the WR2’s shave felt very similar to that delivered by the WR1 last week. Of course there was slightly more efficiency because after all it has gone up a step in efficiency over the standard gap. The efficiency now sits just on the lower side of that delivered by a Karve CB fitted with a #D plate. I’m going to suggest that the shave was probable smoother than the WR1 but just as close. I also enjoyed the blade feel but it too was slightly less than the WR1. I’m pleased now that I didn’t sit the WR2 in the cupboard for 18 months before being able to appreciate its virtues; this razor is up with the best.
Blades Used – Ladas and Gillette 7 O’Clock Yellow
Material – 316L Stainless Steel – Satin Finish
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 95g
Head Width – 41.57mm
Handle Length – 89.83mm
Handle Diameter – 14.4mm
Availability – Wolfman
Final Word – Amazing
Errol, old son; what’s happened to your will power? You’ve had the WR1 reviewed last week for about 18 months before putting it to use but a WR2 rocks up, you go weak at the knees and immediately want to use it. Thank goodness for Wolfman’s new ordering system, there appears to have been more new Wolfman razors arrived in Australia in the last two months than arrived in the previous two years. You don’t have to live in the Northern Hemisphere now to be able to purchase a Wolfman. Thanks James. After initially ordering another WR1 I thought about it for a while and when my turn came up to finalise the order I changed it to a WR2, 1.05 with open comb, hollowed WRH1 handle and everything given a satin finish. My WR1 with its Darwin handle has a brushed satin finish that was probably achieved by bead blasting but the satin finish on the WR2 looks totally different; more like a dull polished finish and not in any way bead blasted. For anyone who is familiar with the Wolfman Guerrilla satin finish, the WR2 finish looks very much the same. It’s that good that the satin finish on the WR2 is better than some competitors highly polished razors. The hollowed WRH1 handle does its job in lowering the weight and the razor certainly feels well balanced.
For those unfamiliar with the Wolfman WR2 design, the blade locating system is a bit unique in that the blade is positioned between four corner posts on the cap. These corner posts in turn mate into corresponding slots in the plate. Clamping of the blade is accomplished right at the very edge of the cap on large flat sections; the blade clamp is positive and that blade is going nowhere. This WR2 is fitted with the 1.05mm plate and as with the WR1 open comb the teeth on the WR2 plate are machined fine and shallow.
I wasn’t really expecting it, but the WR2’s shave felt very similar to that delivered by the WR1 last week. Of course there was slightly more efficiency because after all it has gone up a step in efficiency over the standard gap. The efficiency now sits just on the lower side of that delivered by a Karve CB fitted with a #D plate. I’m going to suggest that the shave was probable smoother than the WR1 but just as close. I also enjoyed the blade feel but it too was slightly less than the WR1. I’m pleased now that I didn’t sit the WR2 in the cupboard for 18 months before being able to appreciate its virtues; this razor is up with the best.
Blades Used – Ladas and Gillette 7 O’Clock Yellow
Material – 316L Stainless Steel – Satin Finish
Blade Tab - Exposed
Weight – 95g
Head Width – 41.57mm
Handle Length – 89.83mm
Handle Diameter – 14.4mm
Availability – Wolfman
Final Word – Amazing