So, where do I start with the new head - the production Spain 2015 one? I'll write up as before with my views and compare as I go along.
DESIGN:
As previously, the head is CNC machined from T6 aluminium and this one is presented in and attractive anodised black (the same sort of finish that you get on Maglite torches) with the production name and razor name and year picked out in white.
Pre Production on the Left - Production head on the Right.
Hopefully the picture above will give you an idea of the changes from the pre-production Class head to the production Spain head - the blade is angled differently and exposure is more than the original head. The four support bars down the length of the razor are now slanted and support the blade.
@Thalasos says (above) that the cap is different, though to the eye I can not see this, but in the hand it does appear heavier than the Class head and cap. The head came without a handle but production razors will be shipped as a complete unit with the handle and boxed.
PERFORMANCE:
I loaded this razor with a vintage Gillette Super Stainless blade (yeah thanks for introducing me to that
@dodgy you enabler you!), lathered up and fitted a handle from my collection as this was supplied as a head only.
This is where I made my first mistake as I coupled this up with quite a heavy razor handle ( see photos in the post above) and expected it to perform not dissimilarly to the Class head, it is quite a bit more aggressive.
The Class I would rate on a par with a Gillette Tech or somewhere about 2.5 to 3.5 on the Slim Adjustable scale of things, quite mild - by comparison, this head moves this up to nearer 6. I launched this at my face as I had done the Class head and my first shave was incredibly close! The blade gives a very audible feedback as to how it is cutting and you can feel the blade more on your face. If you have a tough whisker type then this is much improved over the Class head design. Almost like a closed comb R41. Maybe not quite that aggressive, but certainly that was what sprang into my mind when I used it.
So shave one, two pass and polish of my chins left it in places BBS - in fact I kept feeling my face during the day as I was impressed, however my first foray also left me with some razor burn which I don't normally suffer from.
The second and third outings were better as I used the original ( lighter) handle with its steel head weight. Again the same blade for consistency and same soap and brush ( my daily prep simply consists of trying to wake myself up in a very hot shower and rubbing myself liberally with a cheap bar of soap). Shaves two and three were definitely better in the razor burn stakes as I didn't apply much pressure and used the stock handle - again there is a lot of audible noise of cutting and an obvious result.
Again, BBS in places, slight roughness in others, but getting better as my technique is improving and I get to know the razor.
OVERALL:
More aggressive than the pre -production head, its quite likely that if you like an open comb shave you will get on with this razor.
Nicely presented, only time will tell how well the anodised coating stands up to repeated use and wear. I'm not sure if the production razor will be offered in Naked Aluminium as the prototype was, though experience with Aluminium razors in the past suggests that over time the polished presentation will dull as aluminium naturally develops a coating of oxidisation ( one of the reasons why aluminium is used in many applications is once it has developed this initial coat which dulls the surface, further oxidisation and decay are vastly reduced and so the material lasts a long time). This is something the anodised one won't have to suffer as the coating is bonded with the oxidised layer.
The machining and quality are superb, both in the head and the handle, the addition of the steel weight nicely balances the razor and gives the end user a little option in handle length and overall weight.
Service from
@Thalasos is excellent with both razor and head arriving from Spain within a very few days of being ordered. Personally ( and as someone who likes mild razors) I prefer the pre-production head, but of course as ever YMMV!
If you get chance to try one of the new razors on the block, give it a whirl - however I wont be parting with mine any time soon.
Roll on tomorrow!