Yaqi single edge head and utter madness!

G

Garethtoogood

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56
Hi.
Thought I'd write of my shaving experience. No doubt like loads here I started out on mach razors and electric ones. Shaving was always a chore. About three years back I was give an double edged razor and loved it. Within a few months of use, I read that murkur made a good open comb head. I bought one. To be honest it's not what I'd call open comb rather scalloped. It was so so. Then I bought an antique open comb head...a gillette clone I'm told, probably from some vanity travelling set from the 1920's. Loved it great close shaves for several years. Working from home during lock down, being bored I saw someone selling a genuine merkur open comb head. Bought it. Great shaves again. At the same time being very very bored I bought a single edged head from yaqi for about a tenner. If it's crap bin it at that price right? Well it got here quickly from China. Snapped a German Wilkinson sword in half fitted it, wow that's some exposed amount of blade.....but what a shave, I've never had a first pass like that before! Ten quid! Can't recommend it enough.
I read a bit on here, people writing about ac single edges. Here's the madness bit. Given my experience with the yaqi I just bought a hawk v3 open comb! Just about to give it a go.
 
Yep! It's a super razor and really lets out the true character of any blade you put in. Enjoy the AC style razor. Actually, Yaqi also make an AC razor which is now onto version 3 which looks to have dropped the very silly design it copied for V1 & V2.

Back to the Yaqi SE ...

When I first got mine I wasn't expecting anything better than as if I was using one half of a M34/R89 clone, but the first shave changed my mind. While it looks like they just ground off one side of such a razor, it most certainly isn't. I have a chome one which I put onto a reproduction (vintage) Darwin handle and a black one which I like on a vintage bakelite handle.

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What finish did you get?
 
Garethtoogood said:
Hi.
Thought I'd write of my shaving experience. No doubt like loads here I started out on mach razors and electric ones. Shaving was always a chore. About three years back I was give an double edged razor and loved it. Within a few months of use, I read that murkur made a good open comb head. I bought one. To be honest it's not what I'd call open comb rather scalloped. It was so so. Then I bought an antique open comb head...a gillette clone I'm told, probably from some vanity travelling set from the 1920's. Loved it great close shaves for several years. Working from home during lock down, being bored I saw someone selling a genuine merkur open comb head. Bought it. Great shaves again. At the same time being very very bored I bought a single edged head from yaqi for about a tenner. If it's crap bin it at that price right? Well it got here quickly from China. Snapped a German Wilkinson sword in half fitted it, wow that's some exposed amount of blade.....but what a shave, I've never had a first pass like that before! Ten quid! Can't recommend it enough.
I read a bit on here, people writing about ac single edges. Here's the madness bit. Given my experience with the yaqi I just bought a hawk v3 open comb! Just about to give it a go.
Click to expand...
You on about the yaqi katana?
 
Yaqi single edge chrome colour safety razor head.
From yaqi factory store.
 

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This is a great example of why YMMV from person to person and there really is no best razor or blade to buy in any combination, because we are all different.
we can only share our own valid experiences but at the end of the day it's down to how YOU find things that work for you.
This is why I love this forum. There is no perfect combination and everyone here is happy to impart their experience without the need to try and ridicule another's as nonsense.
I might have to look into getting one of my own for a tenner and add it to my already way overgrown collection lol :D and see for myself.
 
First to come on the scene was The Yaqi SE referred to as Katana which use 1/2 DE blades.

Some time later they have introduced the Yaqi AC/SE using Artist Cub blades.
The first release V1 has been called The Excalibur, a modified version V2 has been called The Raster.
This Razor has been redesigned doing away with the 1/2 thread mounting post, and is having quality control issues so has not come to market.
 
In my experience AC SE's are all together a completely different beast compared to a 1/2 DE SE. I very much like the blade rigidity as it gives a different feel to the shave but the rest, exactly like with DE's, it depends on the razor and type of blade used (albeit there aren't so many to choose from compared to DE offerings). Nevertheless another rabbit hole to explore.
 
I have a Yaqi Excalibur coming. Hoping I'll enjoy it.
Ordered some Feather Pro Supers as well to keep me going for a while.

The Katana (half-DE) head I found very tricky to load initially so put it to one side, but recently started again with it and had an easier time and a good result.

2024 will be more interesting with this variety to add to my existing DE razors (already being more varied with a Neo Lux put away for xmas, and having discovered the excellent Fasan slant)
 
NotTheStig said:
I have a Yaqi Excalibur coming. Hoping I'll enjoy it.
Ordered some Feather Pro Supers as well to keep me going for a while.

The Katana (half-DE) head I found very tricky to load initially so put it to one side, but recently started again with it and had an easier time and a good result.

2024 will be more interesting with this variety to add to my existing DE razors (already being more varied with a Neo Lux put away for xmas, and having discovered the excellent Fasan slant)
Click to expand...
I got an Excalibur a couple of week ago and really like it. I'm using a Feather Proguard blade, and while that blade gives a great shave, I find the guard a little uncomfortable, so intend giving the Pro blade a go instead.
 
My Yaqi Excalibur head turned up today. Still counts as a 2023 acquisition as I paid and ordered in mid-December.

The blade positioning bumps are better than in my half-DE blade Yaqi head and the flat screw thread fits onto my spare handles with no issues (a Gillette New and the Darwin-copy on that £5 ebay razor mentioned a while back).

Looking forward to trying it tomorrow!
 
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