shavette questions

Snuff said:
I had one but it’s more a gimmick then very useful. About the difference with the DX: that is also one of my favourite shavettes along with the schick proLine but the Essence just feels so much nicer to hold and the thinner head makes it feel like using a straight. So difficult to bring this under words.

those that have one on the way and can compare to there DX will notice immediately that it’s a whole other experience (still love my DX’s)
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That is very promising thank you, looking at it, It seems like it would be unbalanced but having seen a picture (by yourself I think) showing it well balanced on the point of your finger it seems like it is well thought out. Fingers crossed it's a success, I had considered a DX myself for travel purposes but I'm having second thoughts, be interesting to see if it takes off.
 
saj1985 said:
I remember seeing this shavette on ebay it's where you can flip the direction of the blade to which which way you want, any idea what the name of this shavette is?
Sorry don't remember anything else apart from that and it being silver I think
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Sounds an awful lot like a U.S. military issue Weck shavette with a guard, or a modern reproduction. They take Personna Hair Shaper blades and are (imo) one of the better shavette designs. The guard is flippable, and removable. Most guards are long gone.

The modern version has a blade ejecting tab, but the build and finish quality is slightly less good than a vintage.

Either the modern or vintage version is a good shaver, but neither will exactly feel like a straight razor. At best, they feel sort of like like a vintage French frameback straight razor. Most people ditch the guards after the first shave.
 
Crossan said:
...

@Snuff @PLANofMAN how would you guys say it compares to the Feather DX? It's obviously seems to be trying to punch in that class. No first hand experience myself, so I'm curious whether you guys know.
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I haven't used the SS, DX, or clones. I have handled a Kai Captain, but never shaved with one. I can do a features vs. each other comparison, but cannot speak for the shave itself.
Let's take a look at the razors in question. I took the picture of the DX off the internet, but we'll trust it's a accurate representation. The Essence pictures I took myself and tried for as close as I could get to the same angle. Both razors were photographed without a blade installed.
comica1624901389340.png
@Snuff would have to confirm, but visually, if you take one of the bag clip halves off a Feather DX, what you would be left with is a blade slightly skinnier than both halves of the Essence blade holder.

The DX uses a spring and clip arrangement, plus a slot and peg setup to lock the blade in place.

The Essence has a relief cutout for the blade to rest in, and two pegs to rest the top of the blade against, and the tension of the two halves, held together by powerful neodium magnets, is what holds the blade in place, and does so very securely.

Side note here. The IBC shavette also uses magnets, but in a different way. The magnets hold the blade while the blade holder is tightened via a thumb screw. I believe that IBC patented that method of blade holding for a shavette. The Essence side steps their patent completely, while still using magnets.

Back to the post. The 4.2 mm (at it's widest point on the blade) Essence is narrower than the DX. This allows the Essence a greater range of blade angles than the DX.

Fit and finish between the two? We all know the DX has one of the nicest finishes in the shavette world. The Essence is on a different level. It's not an apples to apples comparison.

One was designed to shave a person quickly and smoothly in the hands of an expert. The other was designed to mimic a straight razor in look, feel, and shave.

Hope that helps a bit.
 
saj1985 said:
found it, here check out the link @Crossan @pjgh @PLANofMAN
btw is this a straight razor right?

www.ebay.co.uk

Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
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I love the seller's discription....blade a little old and could do with a sharpening....,no shit Sherlock! :)

Paul.
 
saj1985 said:
found it, here check out the link @Crossan @pjgh @PLANofMAN
btw is this a straight razor right?

www.ebay.co.uk

Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
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I have no knowledge on this one myself, but a brief search suggests it was a replaceable blade, similar to a frameback I guess. It looks more like an implement of torture with that flip guard to me though. Never mind the state of the blade lol
PLANofMAN said:
I haven't used the SS, DX, or clones. I have handled a Kai Captain, but never shaved with one. I can do a features vs. each other comparison, but cannot speak for the shave itself.
Let's take a look at the razors in question. I took the picture of the DX off the internet, but we'll trust it's a accurate representation. The Essence pictures I took myself and tried for as close as I could get to the same angle. Both razors were photographed without a blade installed.
View attachment 72513
@Snuff would have to confirm, but visually, if you take one of the bag clip halves off a Feather DX, what you would be left with is a blade slightly skinnier than both halves of the Essence blade holder.

The DX uses a spring and clip arrangement, plus a slot and peg setup to lock the blade in place.

The Essence has a relief cutout for the blade to rest in, and two pegs to rest the top of the blade against, and the tension of the two halves, held together by powerful neodium magnets, is what holds the blade in place, and does so very securely.

Side note here. The IBC shavette also uses magnets, but in a different way. The magnets hold the blade while the blade holder is tightened via a thumb screw. I believe that IBC patented that method of blade holding for a shavette. The Essence side steps their patent completely, while still using magnets.

Back to the post. The 4.2 mm (at it's widest point on the blade) Essence is narrower than the DX. This allows the Essence a greater range of blade angles than the DX.

Fit and finish between the two? We all know the DX has one of the nicest finishes in the shavette world. The Essence is on a different level. It's not an apples to apples comparison.

One was designed to shave a person quickly and smoothly in the hands of an expert. The other was designed to mimic a straight razor in look, feel, and shave.

Hope that helps a bit.
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You had me sold already, but that kind of confirms what I had hoped in the first place. I had the essence delivered at the weekend and gave it its first run out. A little light for my normal tastes but it sure as hell did the trick. I already had the shave planned today but for the next week or so I'll only use the essence to give it a proper try.
 
saj1985 said:
found it, here check out the link @Crossan @pjgh @PLANofMAN
btw is this a straight razor right?

www.ebay.co.uk

Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Curley's Reversable Easy Shaving Safety Razor with Guard - Collectors Item at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!
www.ebay.co.uk
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It's a replaceable blade straight with a guard which would be brought into play to provide a "safety" element to the shave. The blades will be nigh on impossible to source.

The guard had a diagonal scallop to the comb in order to encourage a "slant stroke".

Screen Shot 2021-06-29 at 08.37.51.jpgScreen Shot 2021-06-29 at 08.41.51.jpg
 
saj1985 said:
Thanks for the info, that's interesting
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To add to the info already provided, that type of razor was the first of the "safety" razor designs, and the original inspiration for every safety razor since. The pinnacle of the safety razor in this form (wedge straight razor style blade and guard) was the Rolls Razor, which was made until the 1950's IIRC.
 
Indeed, I had the Rolls in mind when looking at this razor @PLANofMAN

It is interesting that the straight razor had been around for centuries without a guard and the "safety razor" (certainly as we know it) was yet to be invented, it's odd that at this time folks decided to put a guard on the straight. I guess it was just the age of invention and they saw that they could do it - a solution to a problem not looking for a solution. Around the same time (circa 1880s) we saw the first of the safety razors start to hit the market from the likes of the Kampfe Bros.

But yes, the Rolls is essentially an inch and a bit of straight wedge (on a stick) with a guard. To be frank, actually shaving with the Rolls, the guard gets well in the way. I think it's more there to protect the blade for when you put it down. As a system, I personally think the Rolls was an absolutely genious bit of kit. Fun fact: when Rolls gave up on razors, they switched markets entirely to washing machines!
 
Guys I really want to get a kamisori,

I've seen different styles of them, what's best to get? Or is it a matter of personal preference?
 
saj1985 said:
Guys I really want to get a kamisori,

I've seen different styles of them, what's best to get? Or is it a matter of personal preference?
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Well, it depends on what YOU mean by "kamisori." If you mean an authentic Japanese made razor with wrapped handle, or an open blade razor that takes disposable blades and has a fixed handle, or modern interpretations of kamisori razors made by custom razor makers.

The Japanese themselves use the word for all razors, including cartridge razors.

I'm going to assume you meant a shavette style one. The best one that I know of is the Kai Captain Excelia, which has a cast aluminum handle. It's the most expensive, at any rate. I suspect that a future Essence Kamisori will be around the same price. The Kai Captain is the "budget" version, still made of stainless though.
Screenshot_20210824-224720.jpg
Feather is the other last word in Kamisori razors. The DX vs SS debate will go on, with people decidedly showing a preference for one over the other. The RS (not shown) is a hybrid of the DX and SS.

My honest recommendation is to buy a clone of one of these razors from Amazon, Wish, or Alibaba, and see how you get on with it. Pass on using the Chinese blades, should it come with any, and buy the ones that are Artist Club blade compatible. If you like it (remember, it's made of zinc, and is a bit thicker than anything from Kai or Feather), a better quality razor can be purchased from Kai or Feather. The shave from those brands will probably also be slightly better, due to the narrower profile allowing more blade angle choice during the shave.
 
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