I have had this razor for 6 days. Shaved 4 times.
Since my first review, I have shaved 3 more times with the CX.
My second shave was to get more experience with the CX.
Third and Fourth shaves were half face CX and half face RazoRock Game Changer. Third shave was CX against the GC .68 and the fourth was CX against the GC .84.
When comparing the CX and GC heads side by side, they have a very similar architecture. Both are 100 percent stainless steel. Their price points are very different, and that is why I felt this would be a great comparison.
After 4 shaves with the CX, I am getting more used to it. For me, it is still necessary to be deliberate and careful. On my last shave today, I was getting complacent and snagged myself once.
I have abandoned the Carbon Shaving Co. handle. I am using a Titanium Tibam Sample 12 handle. It weighs 54 grams and is 100mm by 14mm. The Tibam handle is polished and matches the finish on the Carbon CX. Due to the length of the Tibam handle the balance point is nearly identical to the Stainless Steel Carbon handle.
I left the RR Barberpole handle on the GC, since I am used to shaving with it.
For the comparison shaves I did 3 passes plus clean-up. I used a new Gillette Nacet blade in each razor for the comparison shaves. I used TOBS Royal Forrest Cream, and a Yaqi Cola 22mm Synthetic brush. Lucky Tiger Face Tonic and Shisheido Bravas to finish.
IMHO the Gillette Nacet is the best blade in the CX. For me, it performed much better than the Astra or Israeli Red Personna. Blades are highly subjective, and this will be different with each shaver.
CX versus GC .68: Both of these razors have the same blade gap. The CX is more blade forward and therefore more aggressive. The CX “efficiency” is several orders of magnitude more than the GC .68. The CX has a much higher level of audio feedback than the GC. This is a positive for me, since I use audio feedback to find the best angle for the razor. The GC .68 was slightly smoother and I could shave on autopilot without a fear of weepers or cuts, since it is less aggressive. After the WTG pass, the CX won hands down. No comparison in the amount of stubble left by the GC. After the ATG and XTG passes, again the CX won. Buff up was easier with the GC (which I like), but the CX cleaned me up to BBS much quicker. The GC is more comfortable, but I like a BBS shave with less work. On the CX, I like the exposed blade tabs for 2 reasons. 1) This design gives the CX a smaller head profile, which is an advantage when shaving under the nose. 2) CX blade removal is easier with exposed tabs. The CX wins this comparison hands down. I believe that after putting more miles on the CX, it would be a comfortable autopilot razor.
CX versus GC .84: This was more of a competition. For me, both require attention to shaving. There is still way more audio feedback from the CX versus the GC .84.. The CX “efficiency” is only one order of magnitude more than the GC .84. They are very close, but I would give the CX a win by a nose. After the WTG pass, the CX won by a nose. After the ATG and XTG passes, it was nearly a tie. Buff up was where the CX won the comparison. Again, the CX cleaned me up to BBS much quicker.
After 14 hours, I have very little growth on either side. Both razors did a great job.
Bottom Line: The question is whether the CX is worth 3 times the cost of the GC.
Both are smooth shavers and high quality. This is not for me to answer. Only a large number of users and customer base can determine the success of the CX. If only the head were available, I would purchase it (at a “reasonable” premium price), because I really liked it.
Recommendations: Please offer the head separately. Get rid of the Burlap Sack and replace it with a microfiber bag. Offer at least one more handle. Your handle is unique and beautiful, but for me, the open center section does not work. Stainless or Titanium are both fine handle materials, as long as the design and balance point meets your requirement. If it is possible, please reduce the price to create more volume. Cash flow is king.
I would like to thank Carbon Shaving for providing the DFS wet shaving community the opportunity to try out their new CX. I think it took some guts and confidence in their product to send their product to DFS (especially after the up front negative from some members of this forum). The razor is high quality. The shave quality is very good. I believe that after a few “more experienced” wet shavers have reviewed the CX positively, this product will be successful in the marketplace. I wish the best for Carbon Shaving Co.
The razor just works for me and my beard type. While YMMV I highly recommend this razor.