PILS 118NL (Germany)
PILS was one of the early companies to offer a machined stainless steel razor for sale, they got their design right as they are still producing and selling their razor very much to its original design that features the blade tabs being enclosed. I’ve had this razor for close to six years and used it when it was first delivered but how quickly we forget. What a different looking razor - two piece, covered blade ends and slender handle with not a vestige of grip. PILS 118NL was advertised as having a combination of two different finishes, satin and polished. Try as hard as I may, it all looks highly polished to me except under the cap where light machining marks are visible. While the cap looks solid, it has been machined to be very light but with concave ends to assist with grip while separating it from the body of the razor; it is the thickish plate that gives the razor a head heavy balance. As the PILS is a two piece razor, the blade posts are positioned on the top of the plate and these mate to blind slots in the cap, all very simple for blade loading.
If you happen to be a little off in your shave angel the PILS simply does not work, however get the angle right and you’re presented with a shave approximating that of a Karve CB Level #C and enough positive blade feel to be pleasant. At all times the PILS was smooth, but with the Minora blade fitted, smoothness was at a higher level. For a razor with this efficiency, the shave was certainly close, and each shave provided one of these ‘last all day’ special feeling shaves. As for the extra width of the cap resulting from covering the blade tabs, it was not a factor. If I was not checking for it, I would not have noted it, but for a novice it could be worth consideration. For a handle with no machined grip whatsoever, there was enough positive control of the razor, my theory of keeping my hands wet certainly worked here. There is little doubt that the style of the PILS has become dated and the razor itself is falling behind in many areas, it’s head heavy, it has a critical shave angle, it’s quirky and it takes time for its abilities to be appreciated, however the more the PILS is used, the more its virtues become apparent. This is a great little razor, but you’ve first have to get used to its quirky ways to fully appreciate the experience on offer.
Blades Used – Royal II and Gillette Minora
Material – Stainless steel
Blade Tab - Enclosed
Weight – 118g
Head Width – 46.72mm
Handle Length – 91.08mm
Handle Diameter – 9.79mm
Availability – PILS
Final Word – German longevity