DE help me choose

slapo

It's... alive!
Merkur and Muhle both make steel razors now, so you might want to check them out.
Edwin Jagger, too, although I didn't like the 3ONE6 as much as the steel Merkur and Muhles I have.
Reggie's Razors are interesting, too.

I had a Feather AS-D2 as well, very nicely made, but the shave was basically the same as an inexpensive Tech, so I ended up selling the Feather.
I find Yaqi's Ghost a slightly different twist on the Tech theme, and they have more premium satin (e.g. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010747002918.html) and titanium models. I only used the less expensive 70SP and 90SB heads and they're very nice, easy shavers.
Their Cerberus is another good one they make (and similar in use and some design features to RazoRock's Mamba 90) as well as their titanium Mellon (the steel one was meh to me, though, as they overly polished it) and they have a few others that are well regarded.
Their Blutt BR-1 clone is quite nice (if you don't mind clones).

Italian Barber's RazoRock stuff is quite good. Game Changer, Lupo and BBS are nice, although I prefer their OC plates.
From their safety bar designs, I like their Recurve 112, Next Level 112 and Mamba 90 the most.
I find the Recurve series feels kind of similar to a thick blade razor, it just doesn't have the material presence of a thicker blade. I realise that might be difficult to relate to without having tried it, though.

The Next Level is a Wolfman WR2 derived designs (which itself is Tech-inspired), as are dscosmetic AX and Yaqi Sentinel. They are all somewhat different flavours, and I think the Next Level stands out more than the rest to me.

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements/Phoenix Shaving - the steel Ascension and META-4 are very nice.

The Goodfellas' Smile Syntesi is also up there for me.

Maxwell June with the EX plate is a nice razor. Feels almost like a 34C style head but with a larger blade gap.

Fairschenkt Green Cult 1.1 and 2.0 are good shavers, too.

Tatara Razors - very nicely made. Masamune with the Nodachi top cap is really nice.

The Razor Company's steel razor is quite pleasant.

I find the Blackbird just OK - to me, a shallow blade angle is a must with it, otherwise it feels like a scraper. I actually prefer to use the standard and OC Blackbird base plates with a RazoRock Lupo top cap. Milder, easier to handle. Blasphemous for some, though.

Honorable mentions:
Aylsworth Apex is decent, although I prefer their out of production Drakkant.
Razor Emporium now makes what used to be Yates designs (they effectively acquired Yates a while back) and their Winning is a decent razor.
Timeless - well made, but I found them all to be... forgettable.
Atelier Durdan DEs - pretty, but too much money and shaves were just OK.
Tedalus Velocity One - neat, but I preferred the Drakkant. The handle thread was also non-standard, but that might've changed.
Hone Type 15 - mild, but heavy and somewhat clunky.

I probably forgot a bunch.:scratchhead:
 
Last edited:

Randy

Forum GOD!
Merkur and Muhle both make steel razors now, so you might want to check them out.
Edwin Jagger, too, although I didn't like the 3ONE6 as much as the steel Merkur and Muhles I have.
Reggie's Razors are interesting, too.

I had a Feather AS-D2 as well, very nicely made, but the shave was basically the same as an inexpensive Tech, so I ended up selling the Feather.
I find Yaqi's Ghost a slightly different twist on the Tech theme, and they have more premium satin (e.g. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010747002918.html) and titanium models. I only used the less expensive 70SP and 90SB heads and they're very nice, easy shavers.
Their Cerberus is another good one they make (and similar in use and some design features to RazoRock's Mamba 90) as well as their titanium Mellon (the steel one was meh to me, though, as they overly polished it) and they have a few others that are well regarded.
Their Blutt BR-1 clone is quite nice (if you don't mind clones).

Italian Barber's RazoRock stuff is quite good. Game Changer, Lupo and BBS are nice, although I prefer their OC plates.
From their safety bar designs, I like their Recurve 112, Next Level 112 and Mamba 90 the most.
I find the Recurve series feels kind of similar to a thick blade razor, it just doesn't have the material presence of a thicker blade. I realise that might be difficult to relate to without having tried it, though.

The Next Level is a Wolfman WR2 derived designs (which itself is Tech-inspired), as are dscosmetic AX and Yaqi Sentinel. They are all somewhat different flavours, and I think the Next Level stands out more than the rest to me.

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements/Phoenix Shaving - the steel Ascension and META-4 are very nice.

The Goodfellas' Smile Syntesi is also up there for me.

Maxwell June with the EX plate is a nice razor. Feels almost like a 34C style head but with a larger blade gap.

Fairschenkt Green Cult 1.1 and 2.0 are good shavers, too.

Tatara Razors - very nicely made. Masamune with the Nodachi top cap is really nice.

The Razor Company's steel razor is quite pleasant.

I find the Blackbird just OK - to me, a shallow blade angle is a must with it, otherwise it feels like a scraper. I actually prefer to use the standard and OC Blackbird base plates with a RazoRock Lupo top cap. Milder, easier to handle. Blasphemous for some, though.

Honorable mentions:
Aylsworth Apex is decent, although I prefer their out of production Drakkant.
Razor Emporium now makes what used to be Yates designs (they effectively acquired Yates a while back) and their Winning is a decent razor.
Timeless - well made, but I found them all to be... forgettable.
Atelier Durdan DEs - pretty, but too much money and shaves were just OK.
Tedalus Velocity One - neat, but I preferred the Drakkant. The handle thread was also non-standard, but that might've changed.
Hone Type 15 - mild, but heavy and somewhat clunky.

I probably forgot a bunch.:scratchhead:
My respect Master Razor Slapo
 

Sm29

Forum GOD!
Without doing any research, I did think this razor would feature high on the list. OK, there seems to be a lot of love for the Blackland Blackbird. I like the overall look and design of the razor; now let me have your opinions on your preferred materials and finish. Satin or polished, Stainless steel or Titanium? Long handle or standard?
I find the standard handle ideal. If you are coming from the Merkur, it will feel much more natural. Both my SS and Ti Blackbirds are the machined finish. I have no experience with the satin but previously had a Blackland Tradere with a polished finish. Since I find no drag with the machined finish it is preferred as I don’t need to use a microfiber towel or any of the other precautions necessary to prevent micro scratches. The machined finish has its own character that I enjoy. It is well finished but not jewel polished.

My vote is for standard handle and machined finish.
 

JamieM

Extreme sharpness is ephemeral!
Some solid information, gents, and good advice. I've had a look around, including watching a few videos; a few more things I would like to point out: the razor must have a similar blade gap to the Merkur 34C or the Feather AS-D2. Another small deal-breaker for me: I noticed that, when loaded in the Tatara razor, the blade protruded outside the edge of the plate; I instantly see this as a design fault, so this would also apply to any other razors with the same design. I hope these small details help you. I can be very hard to please sometimes, as my wife often points out to me. :laugh:
 

chazt

Forum !
I do like the look of the RazoRock Game Changer Stainless Steel 68-P Closed Comb. Maybe one of the contenders?
Jamie, you didn‘t ask, but fwiw I found the .68 plate too mild and the .84 too much. The .76 is my Goldilocks in the GC lineup. I have it paired with a Timeless ti Crown handle. It’s well balanced and highly maneuverable for a truly ergonomic feel in hand.
 
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