Ikon Shavecraft Tech vs Spitfire R41: Godzilla vs Mothra

After reading reports about the Ikon Shavecraft Tech and how it was more than a match for the R41, I was inspired to spend some of my tax rebate by investing in the 104 "Tech"head with one of those lush OSS handles:[Image: 20150830_071306.jpg]
My favourite DE shaves are the Spitfire R41 and devette, as well as some fierce 1930's bakelites, and the common factors all these razors share are big blade gap, big blade exposure and big blade curvature. All these razors are top tier efficient - the bakelites the smoothest, the devette the most aggressive and the Spitfire R41 the best balanced and a real joy to shave with.
So how will the IS Tech compare? [Image: 20150830_071401.jpg]
The first thing to notice is the build quality. The top grade aluminium head and stainless steel handle of the IS Tech are streets ahead of the zamak and printed plastic Spitfire R41 and the stock Muhle handle is very poor ( I use a Pakistani Pilot instead).
But the tolerances on the German made Muhle are ice cold with perfect blade alignment every time, whereas the 104 Tech definitely has a little bit of play with the alignment and needs more attention when loading the blade.
Also the toothcomb baseplate of the R41 is a beautiful Art Deco thing eh? whereas the baseplate of the Tech is just, well... a Tech isn't it?
And how weird to take design inspiration and the name of a famously friendly and mild Gillette razor, the Tech, for what must be the fiercest DE currently on sale! Why have Ikon done this? Is it ironic humour?

In any case, the shave is awesome and my first impression is that it feels exactly like the devette - a lot of blade feel, very "needley" and really quite loud but also not as smooth as the R41.
But if the R41 is the end of the aggression spectrum then, like the devette, the Shavecraft Tech goes into the ultraviolet. It's shockingly, shockingly and almost unbelievably efficient, it loves the steep angle and there's absolutely no skin irritation.
In terms of keeping the skin calm, both the devette and the Spitfire R41 are magnificent but on this first shave the Ikon Shavecraft Tech was even better.
For me this is love at first shave - the IS Tech is like a perfected devette. The guard plays no role in protection but does add a skin stretching element and that's perfect!
No doubt the Spitfire is smoother and built to better tolerances as well as having that much more attractive toothcomb baseplate, but the IS Tech seems to outclass it in every other category.
But this is only one shave in with the 104 Tech, so we'll see... [Image: 20150830_071554.jpg]
Also, top cap of the Tech and the R41 are very similar but the cap of the Tech is slightly more convex (and longer) so I'm interested to find out how the R41 baseplate + IS Tech cap combo will perform.

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After reading reports about the Ikon Shavecraft Tech and how it was more than a match for the R41, I was inspired to spend some of my tax rebate by investing in the 104 "Tech"head with one of those lush OSS handles:[Image: 20150830_071306.jpg]
My favourite DE shaves are the Spitfire R41 and devette, as well as some fierce 1930's bakelites, and the common factors all these razors share are big blade gap, big blade exposure and big blade curvature. All these razors are top tier efficient - the bakelites the smoothest, the devette the most aggressive and the Spitfire R41 the best balanced and a real joy to shave with.
So how will the IS Tech compare? [Image: 20150830_071401.jpg]
The first thing to notice is the build quality. The top grade aluminium head and stainless steel handle of the IS Tech are streets ahead of the zamak and printed plastic Spitfire R41.
But the tolerances on the German made Muhle are ice cold with perfect blade alignment every time, whereas the 104 Tech definitely has a little bit of play with the alignment and needs more attention when loading the blade.
Also the toothcomb baseplate of the R41 is a beautiful Art Deco thing eh? whereas the baseplate of the Tech is just, well... a Tech isn't it?
And how weird to take design inspiration and the name of a famously friendly and mild Gillette razor, the Tech, for what must be the fiercest DE currently on sale! Why have Ikon done this? Is it ironic humour?

In any case, the shave is awesome and my first impression is that it feels exactly like the devette - a lot of blade feel, very "needley" and really quite loud but also not as smooth as the R41.
But if the R41 is the end of the aggression spectrum then, like the devette, the Shavecraft Tech goes into the ultraviolet. It's shockingly, shockingly and almost unbelievably efficient, it loves the steep angle and there's absolutely no skin irritation.
In terms of keeping the skin calm, both the devette and the Spitfire R41 are magnificent but on this first shave the Ikon Shavecraft Tech was even better.
For me this is love at first shave - the IS Tech is like a perfected devette. The guard plays no role in protection but does add a skin stretching element and that's perfect!
No doubt the Spitfire is smoother and built to better tolerances but the IS Tech seems to outclass it in every other category.
But this is only one shave in with the 104 Tech, so we'll see... [Image: 20150830_071554.jpg]
Also, top cap of the Tech and the R41 are very similar but the cap of the Tech is slightly more convex (and longer) so I'm interested to find out how the R41 baseplate + IS Tech cap combo will perform.

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Good review.  I've had my ikon shavecraft tech for a a few weeks and it becomes a daily chore deciding whether to reach for the r41 one or the tech, lately the tech is winning I think the one thing you highlight is that any lover of the r41 must have the shavecraft tech in their den as well.

Outstanding review from someone who is wholly credible to share his experience - MJ, your forum postings have been both informative AND helpful in my own journey down the path of "wicked-er" DE razors.

I too have been down the R41 and DEvette routes, and the Tech, for me, really anchors the sweet spot. It's not comfortable in the traditional DE sense, given that the approach has to be different - you're relying on a severely lighter touch, and certainly not on the cap of the razor to figure out the angle. It's pretty much steep all the way (for the uninformed, that means keeping the handle close to the face, akin to multi-blade shavers), although I've done some buffing (yes! possible!) with a shallower angle.

The Tech is realistically audible - it doesn't scream that it's mowing whiskers (the R41 with MJ's Spitfire cap will do that), but it simply provides the feedback based on the hair it removes. Where it delivers for me beyond the "BBS plus" (like the Spitfire R41) is in the ATG upper lip pass, where although folks might find it crazy to take a steep approach with such an aggressive beast, my sensitive skin (stretched via a collective effort from my hand and the Tech's guard) is so much more thankful for the rapid cleanup and no weepers that even the mildest razors seem to give me.

Oh, and the blades. I wouldn't know what to recommend. I used a Sharp Durablade today (often castigated on the forums) and it was perfect - comfortable, efficient, and every bit as deserving as the "Swiss Quality" label even if produced elsewhere.



Todd R.

Thanks Todd! Actually you were the person who first suggested the Shavecraft Tech to me in a discussion about the R41, so I'm very grateful for that

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Thanks Todd! Actually you were the person who first suggested the Shavecraft Tech to me in a discussion about the R41, so I'm very grateful for that

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Wow, I forgot where I posted that note! Glad you saw it.

I actually found my DEvette a bit erratic and hard to load the blade correctly. When I bought the Tech from Greg, I surmised he had figured it all out - this was the DEvette in a more refined incarnation. The whole ShaveCraft line, from the mildly dual personality 101 and the next gen slant 102, leaping to the (surprisingly) aggressive OC short comb and finally the fiery Tech, has literally redirected my entire shaving experience to the extent that I'm simply not shaving with most of my other collection, other than the wonderful Merkur Progress and an occasional foray with the R41. And not to knock others like my Razorock Baby Smooth, which is still a game changer, but there's something about every new release from iKon that keeps me passionate and focused on DE shaving - and he can generate enough product so it's not a lottery ticket to score a razor.

My second shave with the IS Tech this morning:[Image: 20150831_070335.jpg]
This razor teaches that there's always room for improvement with technique.
Like seeing how many pins you can get into a glass of water that's already full before the water overflows, and discovering that you can always put in one more pin I am now discovering that however little pressure I am using to begin with, I can always apply even less pressure!

Wow - what a great shave the 104 Tech gives.
And the minutiae of the differences with the Spitfire R41 are beginning to show up, but this is very subtle territory we're in now.
If the R41 is 99.8% brilliant, then the 104 Tech is 99.9% brilliant in a lot of aspects and 99.7% brilliant in others:
- On this second shave, it was clear to see and feel that the regrowth is slightly slower with the Tech. For me I'd only really need to shave every 36 hours with either of these razors to look smart all the time.

- The Tech left my skin with absolutely no irritation whatsoever, the only razor that has ever done this for me, and perhaps as much to do with the aluminium head as anything else. The R41 produces ALMOST no irritation but the IS Tech clearly outdoes it here.

- The stubble is pricklier with the IS Tech than with the R41 suggesting a more oblique cutting angle.

- For face feel while shaving, the R41 is smoother and more comfortable.
With the R41 the blade feels like it's gliding on rails, whereas with the IS Tech it has the needley resistance of the devette especially around the chin area like pushing a piece of furniture across a carpet.

- And for skin condition after the shave both razors are great but very different.
The R41 leaves my skin feeling waxy and moisturised ( a few of my very aggressive bakelites do this too, and it's been suggested that this is due to dermo abrasion by the toothcomb).
The IS Tech on the other hand leaves my skin with a kind of matte finish which resists and tickles my fingertips, a bit like running my fingers over smooth slate.
This again highlights the differences in blade geometry between the IS Tech and the R41.

So both razors are incredible and I wonder if my R41 shaves will be even better now that the IS Tech has upped my technique even further.

And I'm beginning to realise that the geometry of the IS Tech is just absolutely right.
I'd wondered if it was going to be the razor equivalent of how I imagine the Bugatti Veyron to be (any Bugatti Veyron owners out there?), an incredible tour de force of power but impractical for every day use.
But instead the Ikon Shavecraft Tech is turning out to be the devette perfected and a truly magnificent shaver.



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Third shave in with the 104 Tech this morning. [Image: 20150901_075646.jpg] Technique is really clicking with this razor now.
Whereas the R41 and my very light bakelites require a delicate and responsive touch mainly guided by the tactile feedback, this IS Tech seems to prefer a firmer hand but this demands a lot of fine control.

It's going to be extremely interesting to shave with the R41 after this!

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I revisited the R41 this morning with the same OSS handle: [Image: 20150901_235624.jpg]
These two razors feel so radically different on the face, and the Spitfire R41 has a unique feel about it when shaving which, up until now I haven't quite been able to identify.

But this morning I realised what it was - the Spitfire R41 has a definite yet very controlled blade chatter.

It doesn't glide across the face, it walks across it very fast
This accounts for the unique "electric" feel of the shave but also explains why it's not quite as good as the IS Tech for shaving my neck.
Again I experienced very slight irritation with the R41 as opposed to absolutely zero irritation with the IS Tech.

But this was still a great shave - in terms of looks and blade feel the R41 is still No.1 but I think the IS Tech could very well be the winner in every other category.

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Nice comparisons on the razors.

The Tech is now right up there next to my ATT H2. The more I use the Tech, the more I like it.

Nice comparisons on the razors.

The Tech is now right up there next to my ATT H2. The more I use the Tech, the more I like it.

How is the H2 plate compared to the R41 or tech?  As aggressive, less aggressive, or about on par?