H&S P076 Ti DE SB & OC Passaround Review–Epitome of Craftsmanship & Efficient Comfort

Just received my NO75 Ti coated SS razor. I will give it a run tonight but here is a pic of it with my Gold Gillette Toggle, Charcoal Goods Brass and Copper razors to give some perspective of its color. 

Is this a TiN coating?

Is this a TiN coating?

The website just says it is the all SS 303 razor coated in titanium

My guess is SS metal with TiN coat imparting slick exteriour and some additional protection.

May I suggest also running this in the N075 thread as it is a different base material and geometry, therefore  also likely of interest to other N075 owners

https://damnfineshave.com/thread-haircut...st-mild-de

Is this a TiN coating?

Here is Aji reply to my question about the Ti coating
The  N075 coated Titanium has a lower friction and little more glide than the SS N075, creating outstanding sliding wear performance. Produced by proprietary physical vapor deposition process in a vacuum chamber. 

Uniform coating with no buildup on edges unlike electroplating process. Environmentally friendly process and alternative to plating technology. 

Inert and stable material, harder than carbide, 3X harder than hard chrome. Highly inert to acids, bases, solvents,  caustic,  etc.

Non toxic and FDA compliant for medical surgical devices,  and food processing equipment. 

That’s some awesome stuff.

Over the last several years I have had the opportunity to try and even purchase most but not all of the commercially available Titanium razors. The means I have never used the spec versions of Wolfman BBS-1 or Raw Shaving RS-10. Some have been polished (Paradigm Ti2, Paradigm SE, Wolfman, Timeless) while others sport that unique brushed Titanium finish (Razorock Baby Smooth, Paradigm Ti1, Wolfman & Timeless). They all give that “soft facial feel” unique to a Titanium shave. How does the Haircut & Shave Ti P076 compare to these other Titanium razors

With that in mind here are the contenders all solid/straight bars:

Timeless 0.95 (polished) Titanium (MRSP $225 – 345) – I have the Tibam (different manufacturer $50 - 60) “BBS1” style Ti handle. Both these artisans make their razors/parts which are readily available on a continuous basis at this time

RazoRock Titanium Baby Smooth – this had a release at $100 and then one at $125 but no longer made

Paradigm Ti2 (polished) Razor – a limited $395 release no longer available

Remember the Haircut & Shave Ti P076 reports a 0.76 mm positive exposure gap and costs $400

All these Titanium razors have different weights which are affected by the type of handle used: Timeless with Ti Tibam handle (73.7 gm), Baby Smooth (65.4 gm), Paradigm Ti2 (65.9 gm) and H&S Ti P076 (60  gm)

I used a new Polsilver blade (among my favorite blades) in each razor and did a 2-pass shave (WTG & ATG) with touch-ups as needed. Each side of my face was used by a different razor on each comparison. My prep, as usual, was my morning shower and I used the same APShave Co 2BED synthetic brush and ETHOS shave soap for all the shaves. The matching ETHOS aftershave/skin food was applied as a post shave routine.

CHALLENGE 1: TIMELESS 95 vs H&S Ti P076

Timeless 95 is the heavy weight and has an excellent track record yielding smooth and efficient shaves and with its larger gap (0.95 vs 0.80) I had expected an easy victory. It was the most efficient Ti razor of the group and could keep up with its excellent balance. It’s only limitation is its relatively large head making it tricky to get under the nose. The Timeless customer service is second to none and this is the only production Titanium razor you can order any time you desire (in brushed or polished finishes). Also offered in the 68 gap I suspect the result would be similar to the H&S but I don’t have it to do a direct comparison.

CHALLENGE 2: RAZOROCK Ti Baby Smooth vs H&S Ti P076

The Razorock Ti Baby Smooth is smooth and currently it has been remade in stainless and is the BBS razor. Although not as efficient as the H&S it is nearly as smooth yet the H&S is more maneuverable in the corners. When the Baby Smooth was available it’s price point could not be beaten and it’s unfortunate that it hasn’t been continuously available allowing more wet shavers to learn about and appreciate a Titanium razor.

CHALLENGE 3: PARADIGM Ti2 vs H&S Ti P076

Paradigm has had several Titanium releases and has experience with the metal such that Andy understands a smooth razor. The original Ti1 was extremely limited in production and was panned for being too aggressive whereas the innovative SE was Paradigm’s mildest razor by far. The Ti2 yields a very smooth and efficient shave most comparable to the H&S razor. Although the Ti2 head is not as low profile as the H&S it can easily get in all the corners and the slight increase in weight allows it to be very nimble. Personally I prefer the 65-75 gm weight. The 60 gm H&S razor feels too light in my hands and, for this shaver, is too light. Like all Paradigm’s offering they are of limited production which prevents even more shavers from enjoying these exceptionally smooth tools.

So as a group these Titanium razors are advantageous in that they offer very smooth shaves due to the softer “facial feel”. Like all other razors the efficiencies can vary but those I have used are very similar. As they are less dense than the other metals (ie steel, brass, copper, bronze) they are less heavy which will alter how they are used – Titanium still weighs twice that of a similar aluminum razor which would likely weigh 30-35 gm. The biggest limitation in using Titanium is the cost and difficulties machining them and time needed polishing them which explains why most artisans tend to release limited runs. In my opinion you can’t go wrong with a Titanium razor if you can find one and justify the expense.

Timeless with Tibam handle, Razorock Ti Baby Smooth, H&S Ti P076, Paradigm Ti2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcdwod_u16Y

just want to share my observations using the TI OC. Used the same feather blade as I used in the SB for 3 shaves. I am not a fan of the H&S OC as I found the experience to be harsh. For me the best angle was found riding the cap. It did provide a close shave but it was not fun getting there. After 2 shaves I switched the blade to an Astra SP which was ok but the harshness was still there. I decided to compare to my Timeless .95 OC/SB dual head loaded with a feather. I have not used the Timeless for a few months since i received the WM SB 1.25 and Paradigm DB which are my 2 favorite DE's. By revisiting the Timeless I was reminded what a special razor it is. Very smooth, efficient and the teeth of the OC are very well rounded to provide a gentle and enjoyable pass. The Timeless beat the H&S by a nod as seen in my stubborn areas - under the jawline and chin. I had no issues with the Timeless under the nose since I mastered that with the SS DC's I had and sold. The results from both razors were highly acceptable but the journey was different. The H&S TI is a beautiful and well made instrument. I just didn't like the journey but I can see it as a daily shaver for the right person and between the two plates I had a better experience with the SB. Once again the Ethos soap provided a slick, comfortable cushion and, in the case of the pineapple noir, a wonderful scent to explore the potential of the H&S Ti's. My thanks to Aji, Frank and Dan Law for making this possible.