(This post was last modified: 11-13-2018, 07:34 AM by DanielB.)
Thanks for these reviews, and to andrewjs18 for making the R41 and Ikon Tech comparisons possible. I'm finding it interesting as the R41 and Tech were on my short list around this time 3 years when I was making my pre-wetshaving short list of DE razors to begin with. But I started off with a Merkur 39C as I thought it would be a more comfortable, safer choice.
I liked the 39C but a few months in, as I was spending a lot of time doing ATG-and-all-direction buffing every morning in order to get smooth and because I need to have a close shave due to fast growth, I bought a Fatip Piccolo thinking that might save me some time & efffort. I found it to be more forgiving to use than the 39C (with my still young technique, weepers were still a thing) but disappointingly, it was not quite as efficient and my BBSness not as long lasting. Later, I picked up a few more DE razors then considered buying a Roedter 1909, which I heard was basically a more-aggressive-than-usual Piccolo, thanks to a production flaw (a ground-too-narrow cap, it was believed). Instead, I just ground my Piccolo's cap down a few mm to give it similar blade exposure. The result was initially disappointing (perhaps it was the blade, a Voskhod... ugh!) so I fabricated and added a relatively thick shim out of aluminum. Hmmmm, a ton of blade feel but still had to work at it to get smooth. I then got a Nanjie TTO for free off eBay when a seller screwed up and shipped those instead of a Mingshi... and wow, a surprise the Nanjie was: while many people said they tossed them upon sight because they were so cheap and poorly made, after grinding some sharp edges and fixing the T-bar doors so they'd actually open and close as intended, I shaved with mine and I have to say the efficiency of the Nanjie TTO's WTG pass is SUPREME, unrivalled among any razor I own. It is uncanny how close it can do that pass. And it's comfortable too. But strangely, perhaps, it does not do ATG so well, and it is somewhat harsh, leaving me with a bit/bit more of alum sting. That's probably due to the weak clamping, uneven blade gap and wavy safety bar. Nonetheless, if I'm in a hurry to get out the door, I can do a 1-pass shave with the Nanjie and be happy(ish) - which is something I can't do with any other razor I've tried, including my straights. That said, I typically want full all-direction BBS, so an efficient 2-pass shave is my goal. Today, I randomly rotate through everything but the 39C is the razor I reach for most often as with good technique it provides me the smoothest, most comfortable 2-pass+ shaves. But I'm still hunting...
Anyhow, that was a long way of asking: linuxguile, or anyone else who has tried the Dart, the R41 or the Ikon Tech, have you ever tried the Nanjie TTO? If so, how does it compare?
LOOT and
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