Weekly Razor Review

RustyBlade said:
Errol got in first here, and unfortunately Rex copied the Gibbs but so did I too. Years ago I drew up (CAD) my first Adjustable DE after using the Gillette and Baili TTO. After more research and to my surprise discovered I actually copied the Gibbs adjustable razor, however with a clickable adjustment ring.

Most DE designs have been made already and there isn't a lot of innovation except materials and looks.
Gillette nailed it from the 30's to the 60's (YMMV) from the three piece to the TTO. Interestingly most of their ideas were acquired by stealth (stolen) or by patent acquisition. Rotbart (Redbeard) was purchased by Gillette to gain their designs and so on. Correct me if I'm wrong but the iconic tech was not an in-house design.
None of these patents are active.

One I know about is the Rockwell patent for a flippable baseplate that should have never been awarded as not a new innovation or unique. Just no-one around to fight it. The Bohin razor has been around for nearly 100 years and was truely innovated as it had a lopsided top cap as well, so when reserved changed the blade angle thus gap and exposure.
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A very educational post listing some examples of razors and also demonstrating how hard it is to come up with something truly new that will work.
By what I have read/seen, Pearl have managed to produce an adjustable that's affordable but shaves on the milder side and after watching Razor Emporium's own video comparison I see that they're are distinct differences apart from the materials used.
I value @Errol and his unbiased reviews and if I get around to adding another razor then the Flex is one to consider. (y)
 
~Spyne~ said:
I'd definitely be interested in a group buy if it happens.
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+2 as you can always find room for an adjustable razor in your collection. :X3:
 
Leaf Twig (China)



Included, when I bought my Leaf razor was a cheap plastic contraption that was called a Twig; try as I might I could not get the ½ DE blade to sit square and clamped down. Everything went wrong with that loading attempt so that Twig found its way to the landfill. Move forward a couple of years and Leaf developed the Twig into a metal razor that even I can put a blade into. When it comes to selecting finishes for razors, I’m the master of selecting the colour that is the last to be made. No surprise then that the mercury finish chosen was one of/ if not the last colours to move down the production line, but colour wise, it was worth waiting for; a dark highly polished gun metal grey. By now you’ve probably guessed that this razor is zamak so what the hell am I doing choosing a zinc razor; I like the concept of shaving with just one-half DE blade in a razor with a fixed head. This Twig is one piece razor; screw the knob on the end of the handle and the cap extends to facilitate the blade being inserted. On its travel outwards the cap twists close to 90 degrees and follows the same path back to the fully home position. Straight out of the box the screech of the metal threads working sent chills down my spine. Errol’s cure; a drop of fishing rod oil - sheer bloody magic; the thread is now as smooth as silk and has a different feel about it. It would be in Leaf’s interest to put a drop of oil on the thread visible at the end of the handle during assembly.

Leaf have provided a notch on each side of the plate for the blade to locate behind; reasonably simple, safe and easy blade loading. With it’s a super light head and a great bulbous end on the handle, the balance of the Twig can only be described as poor. In addition to the balance being all out of kilter, the angle of the head has been reduced to where the cap is riding on the face most of the time; that geometry does not go down well with me. Upstrokes were the real problem; the cap just wanted to ride on the neck even with the handle almost against the face; downstrokes weren’t much better. While I’m on my high horse and complaining; might as well hit the Twig with both barrels – the designer of the Twig must be a mollydooker; to tighten the cap the handle knob is rotated left and to loosen, it’s rotated right – backwards. When there is blade contact, the efficiency feels about Karve CB #D with a pleasant amount of blade feel. These days I don’t tolerate crap razors so after forcing myself to complete two shaves, I’d had enough and packed it away.

Blades Used – Leaf
Material – Zamak
Blade Tab - Covered
Weight – 68g
Head Width – 44.45mm
Handle Length – About 92mm
Handle Diameter – Tapered
Availability – Leaf Shaving
Final Word – Fail
 
And @Errol has spoken.......:)(y)
I’m surprised. I thought if they went to the trouble of designing as interesting a razor as this it would at least be a half decent razor. There must’ve been testing, surely.
What interests you in half blade razors?
Also edgumucated me.......I don't think I've heard the term 'mollydooker' before.:LOL:
 
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Didn't even make it to Saturday for the review!
 
Thanks again @Errol saves the rest of us wasting good money on rubbish razors.
I too am drawn to SE with 1/2 DE blade because if it can be done with a shavette then it should be achievable with SE
 
Pbgoose said:
And @Errol has spoken.......:)(y)
I’m surprised. I thought if they went to the trouble of designing as interesting a razor as this it would at least be a half decent razor. There must’ve been testing, surely.
What interests you in half blade razors?
Also edgumucated me.......I don't think I've heard the term 'mollydooker' before.:LOL:
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Left handler. It’s a term that I thought was fairly common.
 
Errol said:
Pearl Flexi Adjustable – Second Release (India)



When I ordered the Pearl Flexi Adjustable 2nd Run, I did not expect to receive it so soon; it arrived last week so with memories of the first release still fresh in my mind, what better time to put it to the test. Pearl is not an expensive razor but they included another 110 Willy’s Premium blades, a shaving brush, a couple of soap samples and a key ring. I haven’t received that sort of enclosure for a long time. Less than three months after the first release, Pearl reacted to the negative feedback and released a second run of the Flexi Adjustable. Pearl is said to have engineered out the canting issue of the plate, modified the shape of the cap, engraved slightly smaller numbers on the adjuster, rearranged the gap between each setting and changed the plated finish slightly; these are big R&D changes in a short period and I can confirm that these changes have been made. Before doing anything else with this Flexi, you can be sure I tested for any sign of canting of the bottom plate as I rotated the adjuster ring through its range - perfection. Why Pearl did not do these checks when they released the first version and before they copped all that negative criticism, I’m at a loss to understand. Considering that the Flexi is an adjustable, what would Errol do next; a drop of oil here, a spot there and give the base plate a couple (maybe more) of squeezes.

As with the previous release, this Flexi is machined from brass and plated in a satin finish. Because the plating has such a perfect finish, it demonstrates the quality of the finishing process of the underlying brass chassis. A change to this release is a tighter radius on the top surface of the cap; in effect providing a thicker section at the centre of the cap, however the blade clamping section of the caps remains the same. Other than the changes previously noted the second version remains very similar to the first – two piece, knurled grip, quality machining, smooth mechanism.

On the 2nd Run Flexi the red alignment dot matched up perfectly on the #1 and the #6, another improvement. Now that Pearl has cured the alignment issue and incorporated other improvements changes, I was really looking forward to checking out the performance of the 2nd Run Flexi. Super smooth and close, the Pearl worked a treat and I was extremely impressed with the performance of this razor. Somehow, Pearl was able to achieve a sensible amount of blade feel at every efficiency level. Spacings between the settings have been spread out and the efficiency levels are displayed at differing values to the first release. I never had any requirement to drop below setting #2 - #5 felt really nice and all settings between #2 and #6 were very usable and closely spaced. All that stopped me called the first version of the Pearl Flexi Adjustable an outstanding razor was the thought in the back of my head that there could be an alignment issue; with alignment issues now engineered out, I’m calling the Pearl Flexi Adjustable 2nd Run outstanding. It’s good enough to be the best machined adjustable razor I’ve used.

Adjustment Range – #1 - #6 with dots between
  • #2 – Karve CB Level #B plus
  • #3 – Karve CB Level #C minus
  • #4 – Karve CB Level #C
  • #5 – Karve CB Level #D minus
  • #6 – Karve CB Level #D
Blades Used – Ladas and Glatz
Material – Brass
Blade Tab - Covered
Weight – 142g
Head Width – 44.03mm
Handle Length – 79.38mm
Handle Diameter – 13.93mm
Availability – Pearl
Final Word – Gotta love it
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Can I ask you a serious question regarding the knurling as a recent review I saw explained it as good when dry but quite slippery when wet/soapy?
I tend to be a shower shaver who also has a bad case of butter fingers due to Essential Tremors and the last thing I want is a heavy razor slipping on me mid shave...? :unsure:
Is there any difference between the versions as I've read that Pearl have made slight tweaks with each batch and I'm not sure whether its worth waiting to see whether they change the etching deeper to match the Rex otherwise there's plenty to like for the price point...? Thanks :)
 
Razor Burn said:
I tend to be a shower shaver who also has a bad case of butter fingers due to Essential Tremors and the last thing I want is a heavy razor slipping on me mid shave...? :unsure:
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Cartridge or disposable razors is your best option for those who shave in the shower like old fart tremors, or, wait until you get out of the shower and shave over the bathroom sink.
 
Razor Burn said:
Can I ask you a serious question regarding the knurling as a recent review I saw explained it as good when dry but quite slippery when wet/soapy?
I tend to be a shower shaver who also has a bad case of butter fingers due to Essential Tremors and the last thing I want is a heavy razor slipping on me mid shave...? :unsure:
Is there any difference between the versions as I've read that Pearl have made slight tweaks with each batch and I'm not sure whether its worth waiting to see whether they change the etching deeper to match the Rex otherwise there's plenty to like for the price point...? Thanks :)
Click to expand...

@Razor Burn You‘ve asked a question that I cannot answer just now because I’m on the road and cannot check. Pearl are probably taking orders for the fifth lot by now and there may be changes there. However, with the period between lots now being close, i doubt there would be much R&D being incorporate though. I did not notice any difference in feel between the first and second versions but have to admit that I never checked visually for differences either. I never had any issues with grip on either. They are not up to the grip level afforded by the Rex though.

I used to spend a lot of time while shaving to ensure my hands were completely dry. As strange as it may seem, these days I keep my hand wet and run the razor handle and fingers under the tap at every rinse, so far this method has served me well even on handles with no knurling. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
 
Errol said:
@Razor Burn You‘ve asked a question that I cannot answer just now because I’m on the road and cannot check. Pearl are probably taking orders for the fifth lot by now and there may be changes there. However, with the period between lots now being close, i doubt there would be much R&D being incorporate though. I did not notice any difference in feel between the first and second versions but have to admit that I never checked visually for differences either. I never had any issues with grip on either. They are not up to the grip level afforded by the Rex though.

I used to spend a lot of time while shaving to ensure my hands were completely dry. As strange as it may seem, these days I keep my hand wet and run the razor handle and fingers under the tap at every rinse, so far this method has served me well even on handles with no knurling. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your intelligent and prompt reply as opposed to the other suggestion offered to me. I hadn't noticed knurling brought up until a recent review where the user had found the handle quite slippery but also remarked it could be a one off?! I believe Rex have set the bar for knurling so never expected Pearl to reach those levels and from the images/videos I've seen it looks grippy?
Safe travels and look forward to your next Weekly Review... Happy Easter! (y)
 
Mag T Delta OC



It’s strange, it’s futuristic, it’s modern, it’s bizarre, it’s unwieldy, it’s bright, it certainly stands out, it might be good; it might not be; and being cast in zinc did not deter me for one second from wanting to try it. It’s advertising literature is all about its strong in-built magnetic flux around the head maintaining a sharper and longer lasting blade edge. I’m a non-believer in that sort of hoo-ha so I’ll leave it to those who pursue those beliefs to find out and report. However, for some entertainment and to keep myself amused, I placed a Sputnik blade in a week before I was going to use it so that I could compared the shave to a Wizamet Polsilver blade.

Out of curiosity I asked Mag T Razors where the razor was made: “The Magnets are sourced from China, the metal work done in India & overall assembly & packaging in Canada”. Even with its Heinz 57 pedigree everything has comes together pretty well. There are only two pieces to the Mag T Delta, the cap and the body which incorporates the OC plate and the handle. It’s a weighty little beast with a chrome finish doing its best to project the image of quality, however, moulding irregularities on underside of the cap and the top of the plate tell a different story. Clamping of the cap to the body of the razor is all done by magnets, one piece in the cap and one in the plate. They are strong little buggers that take a bit of effort to separate.

Undoubtedly, it’s the flat, tapered, rectangular sectioned handle that attracts your attention when viewed. It sort of works, the handle feels downright awkward in some positions and the grip can be anything but confidence inspiring. This handle shape is never going to take over the razor community. Flying DE blades is not something that I ever imagined I would see; hold a blade anywhere near the bottom plate and it is snapped out of your fingers by the magnet; then simply manoeuvre the blade over the elongated blade posts. Loading could not be easier. Fitting the cap was just as simple; as soon as the cap is anywhere near the body of the razor it springs out of your fingers and into position. I placed the cap upside down on the table and bought the body of the razor down towards it; when the distance got down to about 30mm, the cap jumped up and fixed itself on the body. While magnets amaze me, their very presence in both the cap and body necessitate that those two parts are thicker to accommodate them. During the shave, however the thicker head measurements did not present any difficulties.

I was not at all confident of getting a good shave so I had the next review razor on standby; it was not used. Forget the handle, I’ve already presented my thoughts on it. The Mag T delivers a shave with an efficiency level around that of Karve CB level #D, the shave is surprisingly smooth and closeness also was not an issue. Cuts; yes, straight line cuts, were an unwelcome occurrence while I was using the Mag T; only happened on the point of the chin; I cannot see why but have a strong suspicion that the blade was somehow being forced off its magnetic clamp on the longer strokes down the jaw line; when the run stopped, the magnet sprung the blade back into position and this resulted in the cuts, I’m just not sure though. Maybe the warning ‘Never shave across the face/ shaving area’ should have been headed. Take away the ability to shave across the face and the capability of the razor is effectively halved. Dream on Mag T. Because the cap fully encloses the blade ends and being zamac it requires extra metal for strength, therefore, the head is visually wider than the standard 42mm blade length but again, no issue. Now the all-important question – did the magnets contribute to a Feather sharp Sputnik? Probably not, but the Sputnik felt to be not a lot less efficient than the Wizamet Polsilver blade. Maybe there is something, but I’d rate my experiment as inconclusive. I’ll finish off with more it’s: it’s original; it’s unique; it’s in need of a more conventionally styled handle; it requires a lot of refinement and it’s not recommended.

Blades Used – Sputnik and Wizamet Polsilver
Material – Zamac
Blade Tab – Enclosed
Weight – 144g
Head Width – 47.6mm
Handle Length – 98.18mm
Handle – Flat and tapered
Availability – Mag T Razors
Final Word – It’s a conversation piece only
 
Errol said:
Mag T Delta OC



It’s strange, it’s futuristic, it’s modern, it’s bizarre, it’s unwieldy, it’s bright, it certainly stands out, it might be good; it might not be; and being cast in zinc did not deter me for one second from wanting to try it. It’s advertising literature is all about its strong in-built magnetic flux around the head maintaining a sharper and longer lasting blade edge. I’m a non-believer in that sort of hoo-ha so I’ll leave it to those who pursue those beliefs to find out and report. However, for some entertainment and to keep myself amused, I placed a Sputnik blade in a week before I was going to use it so that I could compared the shave to a Wizamet Polsilver blade.

Out of curiosity I asked Mag T Razors where the razor was made: “The Magnets are sourced from China, the metal work done in India & overall assembly & packaging in Canada”. Even with its Heinz 57 pedigree everything has comes together pretty well. There are only two pieces to the Mag T Delta, the cap and the body which incorporates the OC plate and the handle. It’s a weighty little beast with a chrome finish doing its best to project the image of quality, however, moulding irregularities on underside of the cap and the top of the plate tell a different story. Clamping of the cap to the body of the razor is all done by magnets, one piece in the cap and one in the plate. They are strong little buggers that take a bit of effort to separate.

Undoubtedly, it’s the flat, tapered, rectangular sectioned handle that attracts your attention when viewed. It sort of works, the handle feels downright awkward in some positions and the grip can be anything but confidence inspiring. This handle shape is never going to take over the razor community. Flying DE blades is not something that I ever imagined I would see; hold a blade anywhere near the bottom plate and it is snapped out of your fingers by the magnet; then simply manoeuvre the blade over the elongated blade posts. Loading could not be easier. Fitting the cap was just as simple; as soon as the cap is anywhere near the body of the razor it springs out of your fingers and into position. I placed the cap upside down on the table and bought the body of the razor down towards it; when the distance got down to about 30mm, the cap jumped up and fixed itself on the body. While magnets amaze me, their very presence in both the cap and body necessitate that those two parts are thicker to accommodate them. During the shave, however the thicker head measurements did not present any difficulties.

I was not at all confident of getting a good shave so I had the next review razor on standby; it was not used. Forget the handle, I’ve already presented my thoughts on it. The Mag T delivers a shave with an efficiency level around that of Karve CB level #D, the shave is surprisingly smooth and closeness also was not an issue. Cuts; yes, straight line cuts, were an unwelcome occurrence while I was using the Mag T; only happened on the point of the chin; I cannot see why but have a strong suspicion that the blade was somehow being forced off its magnetic clamp on the longer strokes down the jaw line; when the run stopped, the magnet sprung the blade back into position and this resulted in the cuts, I’m just not sure though. Maybe the warning ‘Never shave across the face/ shaving area’ should have been headed. Take away the ability to shave across the face and the capability of the razor is effectively halved. Dream on Mag T. Because the cap fully encloses the blade ends and being zamac it requires extra metal for strength, therefore, the head is visually wider than the standard 42mm blade length but again, no issue. Now the all-important question – did the magnets contribute to a Feather sharp Sputnik? Probably not, but the Sputnik felt to be not a lot less efficient than the Wizamet Polsilver blade. Maybe there is something, but I’d rate my experiment as inconclusive. I’ll finish off with more it’s: it’s original; it’s unique; it’s in need of a more conventionally styled handle; it requires a lot of refinement and it’s not recommended.

Blades Used – Sputnik and Wizamet Polsilver
Material – Zamac
Blade Tab – Enclosed
Weight – 144g
Head Width – 47.6mm
Handle Length – 98.18mm
Handle – Flat and tapered
Availability – Mag T Razors
Final Word – It’s a conversation piece only
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You didn't mention that is has a 'power grip' ...

Check out their website folks - https://magtrazors.com/ - some 'interesting' photos and claims!
 
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