Closed Complete: Barbaros Rocnel Adjustable Pass Around

@Nico1970 is done with razor. His impressions can be read ↪here (and in some of the posts after that).
The B&R adjustable is now on its way back to me, so I can experience it they way it was meant to be :D

  • sɐǝɹpu∀ / riverrun (ATG/TSR)
  • Dogsmro (ATG)
  • Rowlers (ATG)
  • Nishy (ATG)
  • Bechet (TSR)
  • Nico1970 (ATG)
  • sɐǝɹpu∀ / riverrun (ATG/TSR)
The list is closed.
Legend: Currently with, On the way to, Waiting, Completed
 
The B&R Adjustable has just arrived safely. I'll report back later...

  • sɐǝɹpu∀ / riverrun (ATG/TSR)
  • Dogsmro (ATG)
  • Rowlers (ATG)
  • Nishy (ATG)
  • Bechet (TSR)
  • Nico1970 (ATG)
  • sɐǝɹpu∀ / riverrun (ATG/TSR)
The list is closed.
Legend: Currently with, On the way to, Waiting, Completed
 
B&R Adjustable revisted

A great shave with the B&R Adjustable.
  • Faena Mastic soap
  • Nero Ardesia mystery synthetic brush
  • B&R Adjustable
  • Voskhod blade (1)
  • Alum block
  • Faena Mastic ASL

After my last unpleasant experience with the B&R Adjustable, I was more than keen to try it again. I can now see what went wrong the first time around. If the screw protrudes from the head the blade won't sit in it properly. No wonder the shaves were a bit rough, even on setting '1'. :eek:
I also received some Faena Mastic ASL in the post today, so I went for a mastic shave. :dance:
The brush today is a little bit of a mystery to me. In the box with the B&R adjustable was a Nero Ardesia synthetic brush. I have a theory who put it there. I plan to find out. The knot is set almost, but not exactly straight in the handle, so someone with Brush-OCD would dispose of it. If anyone from the pass around wonders where his Nero Ardesia brush went, please speak up :D
Apart from the very slightly leaning knot it's a nice brush. Nice heavy black slate handle with a hole in it (I'll take pictures some other day). Very soft, yet enough backbone. It had no problems lathering up the Faena Mastic soap.
I put a fresh Voskhod blade into the B&R Adjustable and cranked it up all the way to 4 - a setting that gave me a truly horrible shave last time around, before the screw was put out of harms way.
Right from the start I was very pleased. Very smooth, good balance and enough blade feel for my taste. I had two days worth of stubble and the B&R mowed it down without hesitation or irritation. This was an easy and pleasant four pass shave. I got two weepers, but I have to blame myself (not the cat!) for being distracted by the cat asking for her second breakfast of the day.
The result was a very close shave. Eight hours later my skin still feels quite smooth. Now that's quite an impressive result. The alum block had complaints where I got the weepers. Of course it would. Elsewhere there was little feedback.
The Faena Mastic ASL had no feedback whatsoever. That's because it contains very little alcohol. I was expecting a good kick from it, but there was none. A bit like witch-hazel, but with a lovely Mastic scent to it. It will now go into storage until Christmas and then I'll use some Tüff Sensiv ASL first (good dose of alcohol, hardly any scent) and then use the Faena Mastic ASL after that. The Faena did leave my skin feeling very relaxed and subtle though.
To summarise: A great shave with the B&R Adjustable. I'll spend the next couple of days exploring different settings on it. Good stuff so far.
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable - Shave #5

  • Tabac Original soap
  • Nero Ardesia mystery synthetic brush
  • B&R Adjustable
  • Voskhod blade (2)
  • Alum block
  • Tüff Herb ASL
Now I'm a bit more relaxed about the B&R Adjustable I can pay a bit more attention to the razor itself. One thing I noticed first time round is that there are no markings on the head that help you to put the top cap on the right way round, like the triangle and line the Merkur Progess has:
DigressHead.JPG
Or does it? Of course there are markings on the top cap! There's a big fat logo on it. It turns out that if you assemble the head so that you can see the line on the base plate and the logo is the right way up, you have assembled the head the right way round:
BRA_Alignment.jpg
I have no idea if this is intentional or not or if this will be consistent across production razors, but if you buy one, the line on the base plate and the logo on the top cap will always be in the same arrangement between shaves.
The mystery brush is quite nice. The handle is made from black slate and is quite cold initially, but I soaked it in hot water (together with the razor, as I do) for a while and the handle was nice and warm afterwards. Tabac Original is my go-to soap right now. Goodness it's good. I lived a few kilometres from the Tabac factory as a student, but I had a beard back then.....
I was very happy with yesterday's shave and it lasted quite long. I left the same Voskhod blade in the razor today and dialled it down to '2'. The razor was a little bit milder than yesterday, but not by a massive amount. It still did a very good job, but there is a tiny bit of stubble appearing in my 'problem areas' six hours later, so the shave didn't last quite as long as yesterday's. There were no nicks or weepers and the alum block and ASL had not much to complain about. All in all another pleasant and close shave. Maybe I should try and dial it up a bit tomorrow, maybe not all way to 11.
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable - Shave #6
I've learned a new word today: Aestivation.
It's like hibernation, except during the summer months. So I took my scuttle out of aestivation today, used my big MÜHLE synthetic brush on some Tabac Original soap and was rewarded with large amounts of excellent warm, warm lather.
I put a fresh Voskhod blade into the B&R adjustable without any issues (see yesterday's tip) and dialled it up all the way to 8.
You can dial it even higher if you want, i.e. if you overshoot to '1' that would be '9' etc, but '8' is as high as I'll go. On '8' there is plenty of blade feel. I felt the need to slow down and concentrate really hard. You really shouldn't use any pressure on this setting unless you're into self-harming. The plan was to start on 8 and then dial the razor down on subsequent passes, but I was feeling reckless and did four passes on '8'.
You can really feel this machine cut down stubble. Going ATG under the nose did feel a bit scary. I thought that any mistake in shaving angle would be punished. Amazingly I managed all four passes without any nicks or weepers, but the shave took a bit longer than normal. The alum block and ASL told me that I was lucky and should have nicked myself. Quite a bit of sting. I decided to put some Speick Men ASB on, as a precaution.
The end result is spectacular however. Shaves don't get any closer than this.
If you like your razors aggressive (as in plenty of blade feel), the B&R Adjustable can deliver for you. I intend to see how mild it can get tomorrow. I'll dial it down to '1'. It might also be time to check out blades other than the Voskhod.
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable - Shave #7
BRA_NeroArdesia.jpg

Today the Calani Tulach Ard soap has come out of aestivation as well. Good stuff, but the scent is wintery rather than summery - in summer I prefer Calani's Iberian Sun.
I think the scuttle will see regular use now until it's getting a bit warmer again.
The B&R Adjustable was dialled down all the way to '1', with a fresh PolSilver blade. It's a completely different beast today. Much, much milder than on '8'. No need to concentrate. I never thought I could cut myself and I didn't. I do prefer 'tame' razors over 'aggressive' ones, but on '1' it's almost too mild even for me. I did end up clean shaven, but I know that the closeness won't last as long as the result I get on '8'. No surprise there.
Alum block and ASL have nothing to say - my skin should thank me.
What have I learned today? Not much, really. If you prefer a mild razor, the B&R adjustable can do that as well. It covers the full range (and maybe more). That's not surprising - it's an adjustable razor after all. For me, I think the best setting so far was '4', but I might try '3' or '5' tomorrow. I might also do a shave off with the Merkur Digress. I'm not done yet.
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable - Shave #8
Wahey!
I haven't used Cella soap for a while. Probably because I have too many samples all over the place and if I don't try samples I use Tabac Original. That's of course a mistake, as Cella is up there with the best.
I face lathered with my big MÜHLE synthetic brush. Goodness, the lather was absolutely perfect and after the shave I had enough lather left in the brush for a second shave. This brush will help with my soap problem (too many, too much).
The B&R was set to '3' and I can declare that I found my setting for this razor. Three.
What an enjoyable shave! Two days worth of stubble were removed with absolute ease. I must partly credit the Cella . That lather was so slick, slick, slick. The B&R showed the perfect balance of being very efficient, yet not trying to attack me. After my usual four passes I knew I was on to a winner. A perfect 10 on the facial smoothness scale. Dolphin Bum Smooth, or whatever it's called these days. Alum block and ASL were perfectly happy, giving me very little sting. The Cella made my face feel so good that I decided to increase the effect and use some Geo F. Trumper Coral skin food.
The shave was so good that today, 24 hours later, I need to skip a shave. It was that good. Really.
To sum it up, the B&R does not only do 'mild' on 1 or 'aggressive' on '8' (or beyond), it also does perfect shaves somewhere in between and for me that setting is '3'. That's where the razor will remain for me. And I'll stick with Cella for a couple of days.
Tomorrow I plan to do a shave off with my Merkur Digress, the only remotely similar razor to the B&R I have. Maybe I'll take the B&R apart to take pictures of the inner workings and see exactly where things went wrong for me first time round (unless @theunnamed intervenes and tells me not to).
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable v Merkur Digress - Shave #9
The B&R on the left side of my face, the Merkur Digress on the right. Both with a fresh PolSilver blade. The B&R is on 3 out of 8 and the Merkur on 2 out of 5 - my preferred setting on this razor. My digress is on the '+' to the left of '1' when fully dialled down, so I should really call this setting 2.5.
Both razors have the most wonderful slick lather to work with. The Nero Ardesia brush doesn't produce those ridiculous amounts of lather the big MÜHLE brush generates, but there is still plenty of it for four passes and more.
The razors give a very similar shave, but there are differences. The B&R is of course heavier, being made from stainless steel, despite being a bit shorter than the Digress. The sound they make is different, the Merkur having more high frequencies. I have no idea what to make of that and which I prefer. Just something I noticed.
The shave with both razors was very easy and comfortable. Blade feel is similar. Both did an excellent job removing two days worth of stubble and giving me a smooth face. The alum block and ASL sting slightly more on the B&R side, but only because I pay attention. At the end of the shave I'm pleased with the result all over. No nicks, cuts or other incidents, just a smooth face. I could use either razor as a daily shaver if I didn't prefer SE razors. Two hours later I can feel the first stubble on my face and it is...... right on the demarcation line under my chin. Clear user error.
Many hours later I can now declare the winner - by a very slim margin it's a draw. The Merkur might be ahead ever so slightly - I noticed first signs of stubble on the B&R side 15 minutes before I noticed them on the Merkur side. For all practical purposes that's a draw.
Finally, here is something I was wondering about the B&R: How do they do it? When you assemble the razor with a blade in and close it completely it stops on '1'. How do they do that? There is either some serious precision magic going on or they assemble a razor with a blade in and then engrave the numbers on the handle to match that one specific head. That would make replacement or aftermarket handles impossible. I have no idea how they do it, but I'd love to know.
Maybe a shave off with the Merkur 45 next? Probably. I also plan to take the B&R apart and take some photos of how it works (I have permission)...
TBC...
 
B&R Adjustable v Merkur 45 - Final Shave #10
The B&R on the left side of my face, the Merkur 45 on the right.
I was feeling cocky and got my big Omega 49 out - a brush I'm struggling with. I got huge amounts of lather rather quickly and was feeling rather smug. On my face the lather immediately collapsed into thinness. Boar brushes and me aren't made for each other. I washed off the poor excuse for lather and started again with my big MÜHLE synthetic brush. Just as fast, just as much lather if not more, but this time it stayed lovely and slick. Life's too short for boar brushes.
The two razors couldn't be more different if they tried. The Bakelite Merkur 45 is by far the lightest razor I own (if you disregard the Gillette Guard and BiC Metal), the B&R Adjustable - a stainless steel heavy weight - 132.5g - is 9 times heavier. In comparison with the Merkur Digress (111.2g) you don't notice the weight of the B&R, but when using it together with the Merkur 45 the weight of the B&R bothered me a little bit. The plastic marvel is just so much more nimble and that's one reason I enjoy it so much (the other being that it gives bloody good shaves).
I did my usual four pa.... skip... skip... skip... ...nded up with a smooth face all over as expected. The alum block and ASL agree that there is not much to complain about on either side and I'll have to see which half-shave will last longer.
How do you compare a 5900kg ↪Conquest Knight XV to a 612kg ↪Ariel Atom? You can't. Today I preferred the lightweight zippy number though. I can't believe I hadn't used it in two months, but when I don't have a pass around razor to play with I almost exclusively use either my 1912 or the Bunny V3 these days.
This was my last shave with the B&R Adjustable. Tomorrow (or maybe later today) I'll let you know which half-shave lasted longer. I'll try and disassemble the B&R tomorrow to have a closer look at its inner workings, then I'll send it on (after putting it back together first, of course) and will give my overall verdict.
TBC..
 
Taking apart the B&R Adjustable

First a quick note on yesterday's B&R Adjustable v. Merkur 45 shave:
I was unable to detect any difference whatsoever. I'm can't say when the stubble appeared first, because I was asleep when it happened. In the morning, both sides of my face feel exactly the same. That is of course a very good result for the B&R.

This morning I took apart the B&R Adjustable to see it's inner workings and I took some pictures:
First the razor in its assembled state:
TakeApart1.jpg

First I unscrewed the handle. No surprises here...
TakeApart2.jpg

Here a picture with the top cap taken off. You can see the screw that holds the spring in place in the bottom plate:
TakeApart3.jpg

The screw is easily removed with a flathead screwdriver. Be careful to hold the baseplate firmly, so the spring doesn't shoot across the room. You're left with all the parts of the razor:
TakeApart4.jpg

A similar image showing the unpolished underside of the bit that is pushed upwards by the spring:
TakeApart5.jpg

The screw attaches to that part. Here is what went wrong when I first had the razor: If the screw is screwed in too far it sticks out and interferes with the blade:
TakeApart6.jpg

Here a picture with the spring in place and the screw not protruding at the top. That's how it should be...
TakeApart7.jpg

The same assembly with the base plate in place as well and the screw protruding. If your razor looks like this, you'll have a problem... Turn the screw anticlockwise until it is flush.
TakeApart8.jpg

Here's a diagram showing how the parts work together. When you turn the handle (red) it pulls down the top cap (pink) and with it the screw (blue) and attached to it the blade platform (yellow). The spring (black) sits between the base plate (green) and the blade platform (yellow) and pushes the blade platform against the top cap. The screw (blue) in its top position is held in place by a narrowing in the base plate and this stops the whole assembly from falling apart. This is my take on how this razor works and I may be mistaken. :D Maybe Hasan can confirm or correct me ...
HowItWorks.gif
 
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Taking apart the B&R Adjustable

First a quick note on yesterday's B&R Adjustable v. Merkur 45 shave:
I was unable to detect any difference whatsoever. I'm can't say when the stubble appeared first, because I was asleep when it happened. In the morning, both sides of my face feel exactly the same. That is of course a very good result for the B&R.

This morning I took apart the B&R Adjustable to see it's inner workings and I took some pictures:
First the razor in its assembled state:
TakeApart1.jpg

First I unscrewed the handle. No surprises here...
TakeApart2.jpg

Here a picture with the top cap taken off. You can see the screw that holds the spring in place in the bottom plate:
TakeApart3.jpg

The screw is easily removed with a flathead screwdriver. Be careful to hold the baseplate firmly, so the spring doesn't shoot across the room. You're left with all the parts of the razor:
TakeApart4.jpg

A similar image showing the unpolished underside of the bit that is pushed upwards by the spring:
TakeApart5.jpg

The screw attaches to that part. Here is what went wrong when I first had the razor: If the screw is screwed in too far it sticks out and interferes with the blade:
TakeApart6.jpg

Here a picture with the spring in place and the screw not protruding at the top. That's how it should be...
TakeApart7.jpg

The same assembly with the base plate in place as well and the screw protruding. If you r razor looks like this, you'll have a problem... Turn the screw anticlockwise until it is flush.
TakeApart8.jpg

Here's a diagram showing how the parts work together. When you turn the handle (red) it pulls down the top cap (orange) and with it the screw (blue) and attached to it the blade platform (yellow). The spring (black) sits between the base plate (green) and the blade platform (yellow) and pushes the blade platform against the top cap. The screw (blue) in its top position is held in place by a narrowing in the base plate and this stops the whole assembly from falling apart. This is my take on how this razor works and I may be mistaken. :D Maybe Hasan can confirm or correct me ...
HowItWorks.gif
The same set up as my Gibbs razor.
 
B&R Adjustable - Final thoughts
No. It's a fantastic razor!
No. £320
My time with the Barabaros-Rocnel Adjustable has come to an end and it's time for my final thoughts on the razor.
First of all I want to thank Hasan @theunnamed to give some of us the opportunity to test a prototype of this razor - Thank you, Hasan.

What I like
  • I love the looks of the razor. It's well made and finished. You know you have a quality piece of equipment in your hands.
  • The handle: The knurling on it is beautiful and gives plenty of grip. It's the right length for me. A longer handle would increase the weight too much for my taste, but a longer handle option would be nice.
  • It gives the full range of shaves. From very mild to aggressive, there should be a setting for everyone.
  • It's quite simple and I can take it apart and understand it. I have no idea how my Digress works on the inside, although I assume it is similar.
  • Most importantly, it's a great razor. I managed to get very close shaves from it, up there with the best. It manages this on a setting that is not overly aggressive. This could be someone's only and daily shaver. Not for me, as I'm too fond of my SE razors :D
  • Some people complained about the packaging: a cardboard box and a piece of rough cloth. I like it. Rustic and sustainable. None of that hipster handcrafted real leather stuff the OneBlade came in. Good.
  • The handle is too fat for my 'Standard razor' stand. I wished it had it's own stand and the production version does. A simple metal base that stores the razor upright. Space efficient and elegant.
What' I'm not sure about
  • The logo on the head of the prototype is too big, but I believe that has been rectified in the production version. Still, I prefer razors without a logo on the top cap. This is of course a matter of personal taste. The 'haiku' engraved on the bottom of the base plate is a bit long as well, but that's not in-your-face visible. Personally, I'd put all that information on the inside of the head. Again, that's just me.
  • I'm not sure if the razor should come with instructions or not. Maybe with some instruction how to take it apart for cleaning or because you can, my initial problems with the razor would have been easily solved. Then again, I blame myself for not investigating what was amiss. I know that the orientation of the top cap is important for the alignment of the numbers on the handle, but it could say so somewhere for people who don't. I enjoy looking at old razor instructions that came with razors in the first half of the 20th century - a lost art...
  • I think the razor is slightly too heavy for my liking. That can't be helped as the razor is made from stainless steel and I find most stainless steel razors a bit on the heavy side. To be honest, the weight of a razor doesn't bother me too much. I like the 15g Merkur 45 and I liked the 164g Hone 15. I draw the line at the ↪Stahly with its original handle.
What I don't like
  • This is a razor for people with good eyesight. I can't see the numbers on the handle without reading glasses and I don't wear glasses when shaving. Then again that is true for all adjustables I own (Merkur Digress, Gillette Slim). I wish the numbers were colour coded somehow.
  • I managed to find a way to remember which way round the top plate has to go, but I wish there were more obvious markings, like on the Merkur Progress, except I'd like them visible without glasses. There is a theme here.
  • Finally, the elephant in the room - £320 delivered with customs, VAT and Royal Mail ransom is a lot of money. Too much money. Maybe it can't be made for much less, maybe it can. And maybe that's why no one has made a stainless steel adjustable razor before. Maybe it can't be made for half the price and this razor needs to be half the price it is now. Even then it would be a luxury high end razor for most people. There is only one razor I own that I'd pay that kind of money for, but luckily I won the Bunny V3 in a raffle. All this is of course a pity, as this is a bloody good razor.
The razor is now clean and disinfected and ready to be sent to the address Hasan has given me.
The End.
 
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