Review Focus R48 Single Edge Razor

2LabDad

Forum GOD!
OK, this razor came in today and I had a two-day growth ready for it. I split a Kai in half, proceeded to insert / place the 1/2 blade in the razor, let the tap water get real hot, rinsed my face several times, applied shave oil and then some B&M Arctique.....made the first pass and cut the Holy Living Hell out of myself. This was a real gusher and it took several minutes of pressure and styptic application until it stopped. Then got yelled at by my better half for bleeding on a white towel....

Ok, after the bleeding had been stopped, I looked to see what the hell I had done incorrectly as this razor has a reputation of being ULTRA MILD and almost impossible to cut yourself with. Sure enough, I had not placed the 1/2 of the blade correctly and one of the side edges was protruding and completely exposed. That is definitely what got me. I reinstalled the blade correctly and proceeded to complete my shave. LOVE THIS THING. Truly the mildest razor I have ever used and with a 3 pass plus cleanup I had a BBS shave. This amazed me as I have a coarse beard and very sensitive skin. Hell, I even went over the place I cut myself three times and no issues. Chin, jaw line, and neck....no irritation.

Now the "different" part about this razor: the technique is completely different than any other razor I have ever tried. I had watched several videos and read a few reviews regarding this razor and the application of pressure is completely required or it will not shave at all. I was amazed at how much pressure I was applying to the top cap / shave angle and no nicks, cuts, irritation at all. Note, this IS NOT and "efficiency" razor. However, with my standard 3 passes and clean up, I had an awesome shave with it. Also, this thing is really lightweight, much lighter than even my ATT Calypso.

So, the lesson is to take your time installing the blade, Verify that you did it correctly, and apply pressure. I'm gonna try it again Thursday (I only shave every other day) and I'll post a follow up.

All in all, I think I really like it and that it will stay in the rotation.
 

slapo

It's... alive!
I get the best shave from mine when applying pressure to the back of the head and just enough of it so it 'flattens' the head against the skin.
However, I find it beneficial not to try to engage the pivot when shaving very sensitive spots like moles.
I also have the Broman and the Leaf and the former isn't as efficient for me as the R48 is, but the Leaf is basically utterly foolproof.
Having said all that, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on an R50, which is basically a SS version of the R48. :D

 

2LabDad

Forum GOD!
I get the best shave from mine when applying pressure to the back of the head and just enough of it so it 'flattens' the head against the skin.
However, I find it beneficial not to try to engage the pivot when shaving very sensitive spots like moles.
I also have the Broman and the Leaf and the former isn't as efficient for me as the R48 is, but the Leaf is basically utterly foolproof.
Having said all that, I wouldn't mind getting my hands on an R50, which is basically a SS version of the R48. :D

Slapo,

I already have an R51 allocated to me when they arrive. It is supposed to be amazing. Waiting patiently.
 

2LabDad

Forum GOD!
OK, I did something today that I have not done in 20+ years - I shaved two days in a row with this Focus R48 razor. And while that may seem like not a big deal to some of you all, it is huge to me. I have a very thick and coarse beard and very sensitive skin. As such, I have always been an "every 2-3 day shaver". Out of boredom and curiosity, I tried shaving this evening (I shave after my evening showers) after shaving last night as well. I'm loving this razor. It is mild, mild, mild. I have a little (and I mean just a titch) of irritation but that is all. And to be honest, I started my shave AGAINST THE GRAIN as I was not certain there was enough growth for a 3 pass shave. Thus, 1 pass with some cleanup and I have a DFS. NO, it is not as good as a shave with my Rockwell 6S with plate 5 after 3 days growth.....that is always an SBB shave, but to know that if I have a wedding one day and a funeral the next that I'll be able to shave and appear presentable....that is awesome to me. It is a quirky little razor and you have to set it up 100% correctly or you will visit Bleedsville rapidly. But once you get the hang of it and get comfortable to the amount of pressure exerted, it is a little diamond in the rough. I'm gonna stick with it for a week or more for a longer term evaluation before my other beauties enter back into the rotation. I'll keep you all posted.
 

slapo

It's... alive!
Are there any UK vendors stocking this?
I think vendors in the UK might've stopped stocking it after mixed reviews.

Focus also came up with a new "Evo" version in aluminium and steel, but it was a relatively short time before the first European lockdowns, which didn't help.
The aluminium R48 Evo is supposed to be more aggressive than the original, and also have retention pins near the front of the head for easier loading of blades.
The steel R50 Evo is supposed to be as mild as the original and also have the extra pins.

I wanted to buy a steel R50 Evo, but the one place that had it for 99 EUR wouldn't ship to the UK and Focus had been selling it for ~130 EUR.
I was the hoping whichever vendor still sells their shavettes could get me an R50 into the UK for a good price, but I haven't seen the shavette around lately either.
Maybe Focus ran into some issues.

@Paul of Connaught Shaving might know more, as he used to stock both the older version of R48 and the shavette.
 
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