Atelier DURDAN Vestige pass around

Mr. cornbread, please see my PMs re this pass around - TY!

Would love to read your full review cornbread while I wait for my turn with the SS Vestige

Would love to read your full review cornbread while I wait for my turn with the SS Vestige

Ditto

Life can throw us unexpected curves at times that prevent us from doing what we want to do. Rest assured that cornbread has been in touch with me and the razor will soon be heading my direction as number two on the list. We will have his typical thorough and informative review as soon as he's able and we'll all be using this beauty before we know it. Stay tuned!

Yep. Sorry folks been in the middle of a move and some business trips. I’m home and will be sending this along tomorrow AM. We’ll worth the wait this razor is one of a kind

Long overdue first impressions! 

Some background- my experience with gem razors is limited to the ever-ready streamline. I quickly moved it along as I had found it far inferior to DE or AC. 

To my knowledge the only current production coated gem blades are personna brand. As I do, I ended up down a rabbit hole since I found these scarce since I last looked for em.  Turns out these are now being rebranded as Accutec. Can read about it below but it’s supposed to be the same. 

https://accuteccompany.com/s/blog-articl...uage=en_US

To scratch my curiosity I bought both of these and found them
 to shave and fit identically. For science I bought a pack of “personas” from Amazon which did not fit into the razor. 

So for summary. These work




This does not:




I hope everyone shares their experience with other gem blades they may have. 

One last note is that new thought the first two blades fit, it is a little too snug. I may suggest the tolerance would be relaxed a tiny if it doesn’t impact alignment. 


On to the shave. 
The ergonomics on the stainless are acceptable given the weight. I don’t think knurling would fit the aesthetics, but I am a grip enthusiast and I would appreciate a better grip.  The downward angle of the finger rest is not ideal, but again it is manageable given the light weight. 

I am also a stand enthusiast and I must give high praise for Augustin’s design.  It fits snug and secure. Looks great as well

Loading/unloading the blade is acceptable, but I am curious if it can be improved without sacrificing blade alignment.

I’ve tried all 3 baseplates at varying beard lengths. My favorite by a decent margin was the ++. The + was extremely comfortable, but lacked the efficiency punch I prefer.  The standard plate was too mild for me, but I could see how it would have a wide appeal for those who are into medium to mild razors. 

I didn’t cut myself once in all 6 shaves. No irritation to speak of either.  This has been a surprisingly positive experience.  If I were to buy this razor I would certainly opt for stainless or bronze in lieu of titanium due to the low weight. 
If anyone is considering a blind buy I would likely suggest the + plate for an effective and safe shave. I will be opting for ++ as I found it equally safe. The standard plate will appeal to many as well.


I’m curious to hear about everyone’s thoughts

Thank you Augustin for letting me try your razor. Your knowledge of design, engineering, machining, finishing, and customer service puts you in the top echelon of artisans I have known.

Razor is on its way to Dave in KY !

cornbread Vestige arrived, will start commencing shaves tomorrow. ALI is next up after me and I have his shipping info.

cornbread Vestige arrived, will start commencing shaves tomorrow. ALI is next up after me and I have his shipping info.

It really does look elegant in the stand, doesn’t it? You can tell the handle was designed to slot into the stand and create just that look. In that respect it reminds me of the Monocero Husaria. Very cool. It makes me wonder why more razors aren’t designed with the handle and stand together like this, rather than the stand being an afterthought.

If the shave matches the design it is a very special razor.

cornbread Vestige arrived, will start commencing shaves tomorrow. ALI is next up after me and I have his shipping info.

It really does look elegant in the stand, doesn’t it? You can tell the handle was designed to slot into the stand and create just that look. In that respect it reminds me of the Monocero Husaria. Very cool. It makes me wonder why more razors aren’t designed with the handle and stand together like this, rather than the stand being an afterthought.

If the shave matches the design it is a very special razor.

Feels light and nimble. Hoping it's as smooth as the WR3 which surprised me.