Closed Pass Around: Hone Type 15 - Completed

Hello All, sorry I haven't replied in a while, many reasons. But I will try to go through and read and respond to everything tonight. :) In the meantime I would like to let you know about a discount I have arranged to say thank you to ALL The Sharing Room members. Here is the thread. Many thanks for the hospitality and being so engaged. Andrew.
 
george said:
This is still the best face feel I've had from any razor I've shaved with, smooth and comfortable to use. The handle for me needs to be longer for this weight of razor, to me it just feels on the edge of control if it were lighter I don't think I would notice it so much. But I do I'm concentrating to much with holding it to really enjoy what a superb razor this is.

My second fault is I could of done with a notch up on the aggression just a notch. This razor gives a lovely shave but to me its a three passer and I'm a two pass shaver anything more and my face suffers. If these two things could be changed it would be perfect, but still as it is its still the best razor that's touched my face.
As with all razors the need for aggression can change but I don't think the need for a longer handle will.
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@george thanks for the great review, glad you enjoyed the Type 15 :) Top praise, it means a lot thank you. Your comments have been noted about the handle and aggression; on the just a notch do you think you could define that, +/-5%? Do you feel these could be overcome with blade selection and familiarity with the razor?
 
Father Ted said:
Finish wise, again I'm not sure whether I mind the patination - Im certainly not going to be polishing it every time I use it, but maybe once a month or so.... I dunno. Still, cracking razor - really of all the modern razors I have tried the one I like the most.
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Thanks @Father Ted, glad your razor is delivering :) the finish should go through some phases. The initial change is the biggest and then it settles down. You might also find some soaps have more influence on the surface than others.
 
mchaseman said:
I felt the handle length made the shave more comfortable. The length, in my mind allowed me to control the razor much better than when I have used shorter handle razors. I echo what @rowlers said. The Hone is much more efficient then my EJ. There was definitely less irritation once the shave was complete as compared with my EJ.
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@mchaseman Glad your Hone arrived promptly, and that your enjoying it. I would love to hear how you are getting on now after a few shaves?
I also have an owners survey here www.hone-shaving.com/survey if you want. (Its very quick!) :)
 
Hone said:
@george thanks for the great review, glad you enjoyed the Type 15 :) Top praise, it means a lot thank you. Your comments have been noted about the handle and aggression; on the just a notch do you think you could define that, +/-5%? Do you feel these could be overcome with blade selection and familiarity with the razor?
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From my point of view, I wouldn't want it any more aggressive if it affected the comfort - as this is the Hone's USP in my opinion. I've yet to try it with a shim and I will do when I can prise it from the hands of my Dad!
If you do increase the aggression, could there be a "fix" for current owners to have their Hone tweaked? For example, return to you for additional machining etc....
Again, if you increase handle length, would these be offered on their own?

Thanks @Hone
 
@rowlers, good questions. I agree totally I'm not out to alter the Type 15. Its got a particular character and a more aggressive version would be to compliment it and offer choice. If the way the razor behaves or its character is changed it will get a new version number. So an aggressive version would be called out and easy to identify i.e. the Type 16.

I am looking at what it requires to make the razor more aggressive. It might only be a change to the cap or the guard in which case I would offer those components as backwards compatible to the Type 15... But I want to avoid it becoming confusing, and more importantly (to your point) the end result has to be something that I'm confident is refined and acceptable, I don't want to make a monster. If I'm not happy with the way it feels, and it requires more integration to get it right then it might have to be a completely new head - at which point offering the head only seems a bit strange.

I think I can offer the handles on their own. The balance is something else; Due to the weight of the Type 15 I put the center of gravity inside the head to avoid it becoming too unwieldy, I fear a longer handle might upset that really pulling it down. Drilling out the handle creates a water trap, which currently I am not happy about so I have other solutions in mind that need exploring. Lots of prototypes and testing ahead :)
 
Hello, to answer your questions about aggression % and handle length.
I think for me +5 to 10% on aggression for me to get that two pass shave. While I think with more time as with any new razor the shave will get closer for me I think it would always be three passes, three wonderfully smooth passes! But three passes.
This is really getting down to perfection and I would not want it changed in aggression if it was going to change the smoothness but having said that your razor is smoother than a smoothly thing from smoothness lol.

My biggest gripe is the handle length, not that the handle is so short because there's plenty of razors with 85mm handles. But combine the length of handle and the weight and it just feels like I'm on the end of control. If the razor were lighter I might be able to get used to it, but the weight of the razor is part of the razor. For me it just needs a longer handle for me this and not the aggression is why at the minute I won't be purchasing one. But if you can do these two things then I'd have the only razor I need.
 
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wintoid said:
Could you sell a shim, or set of shims?
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@wintoid I think shims can be a good personal adjustment if the razor is already extremely close to a feel you like. But I'm not sure its really a satisfactory answer for someone that wants a genuinely more aggressive razor; They can be a little fiddly. The Type 15 will remain the mild, efficient and comfortable razor in the range, and I would much rather create something that compliments it with a fully engineered solution for a more aggressive version. That said I will take a similar ethos with a more aggressive razor in that it should be comfortable and approachable, I'm a firm believer these are everyday tools so will try to get the most blade feel combined with comfort possible. :)

If a shim gives you the extra bit of aggression you like its useful because its a repeatable and comparable. I can start to define what a more aggressive version should feel like for you. With a non adjustable razor I'm aware I might not be able to get the perfect feel for everyone, its always going to be too mild or aggressive for someone, but that is also part of the fun.
 
TBH this is quite exciting, and I prefer the idea that you make something different, with the same ethos, but more efficient (not necessarily more aggressive). As soon as I posted, I slightly regretted the post. One of the things I like about the Hone is how "complete" it feels as an object. Fiddly little bits detract from that.

I'll be watching with interest for sure!
 
george said:
Hello, to answer your questions about aggression % and handle length.
I think for me +5 to 10% on aggression for me to get that two pass shave. While I think with more time as with any new razor the shave will get closer for me I think it would always be three passes, three wonderfully smooth passes! But three passes.
This is really getting down to perfection and I would not want it changed in aggression if it was going to change the smoothness but having said that your razor is smoother than a smoothly thing from smoothness lol.

My biggest gripe is the handle length, not that the handle is so short because there's plenty of razors with 85mm handles. But combine the length of handle and the weight and it just feels like I'm on the end of control. If the razor were lighter I might be able to get used to it, but the weight of the razor is part of the razor. For me it just needs a longer handle for me this and not the aggression is why at the minute I won't be purchasing one. But if you can do these two things then I'd have the only razor I need.
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@george - have you tried skipping the middle xtg pass? I have found that I can go straight from wtg to atg with the Hone and a get a super smooth comfortable shave.
Something to try?
 
I'd like to wade in here, Andrew. I said ' a tad more aggression'. I think 10% is way too much, though 10% of what I'm unsure. I'll say 5% more - any more is 'significant' and not a 'tad'.

Some of our guys shave with adjustable razors set on '5' and above - crazy aggressive compared to your silky machine! And my taste, too!
 
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