Member
(This post was last modified: 08-17-2020, 03:23 AM by DinoJD.)
Well, over the last 5 days it was my turn to take the H&S Co. N075 Mixed Metal razor for spin and I would say overall I enjoyed this razor. As has been previously, it is quite mild so I really tried to work on the angle to see if I could increase efficiency. I don’t think I quite achieved the level of efficiency that I prefer but I didn’t have a single bad shave so I consider that a win all in all.
Me: I have thick Mediterranean facial hair. The few times I’ve grown a beard, it came in very very curly. I’ve long gotten ingrown hairs and irritation on the sides of my neck, which I’ve attributed to how curly my facial hair is. Also, my growth pattern is a bit swirly and my neck hair switches directions (North vs. South) about 60% down my neck. So, I have a lot to pay attention to when shaving, but that’s half the fun, right?
As for my usual razors, my standard DE rotation is Lupo stainless, WR2 1.05 sb, Copper Charcoal Goods lvl2 sb, Tatara Masamune, Timeless Titanium .95 and Timeless Stainless .95. If I bought this razor, I think it would be one of the most mild razors in my rotation. I think it’s even more mild than the Masamune and WR2 1.05.
Initial impressions: I know some people are turned off by the non-matching black baseplate but I really liked the combo. After all, black goes with everything…. I think that’s how the saying goes. The top cap and handle are matte. Again, it looks good. Not striking but attractive.
Blades: I generally use an Astra SP or Gillette Platinum when I’m test driving new razors. They’re both smooth and effortless for me. But I happened to have a 1x used Kai available so I used that on my first go round. After that, I got a tip from DanLaw to use a Nacet so I switched to that for shaves 2 and 3. Then went to Astra SP and Gilette Platinum for shaves 4 and 5. So it looked like this:
1. Kai
2. Gillette Nacet
3. Gillette Nacet
4. Astra SP
5. Gillette Platinum
Use: The biggest problem for me is that the handle is too long. I generally like razors between 3.25 and 3.5”. This handle is at least a .5” too long and it often made it difficult for me to figure out where to place my fingers in order to have maximum control. This was exacerbated by the fact that the balance is much different than I am used to because of the aluminum baseplate is so lightweight. For better or for worse, that moves the balance further down the handle.
This razor has to be impossible to cut yourself with. It is that smooth. It passed the ATG test with flying colors which is a testament to its excellent design. All 5 shaves were WTG, XTG, ATG with minor touchups under my chin and along my jaw line. By my fifth shave (today) I feel like I’m getting the hang of it and I’m getting greater efficiency by leaning onto the cap just a tad bit. This seemed to require less touch-ups after my 3rd pass.
Finally, I would remiss if I didn't mention the Cutting Edge soap included in the pass around box. I only used the Lemongrass & Lavender as I assumed the performance would be the same. For a veg soap, this stuff absolutely rocks. When I first loaded my brush in my bowl, I was afraid I hadn't scooped out enough because I couldn't seem to get it hydrated, but then I kept adding water and then out of nowhere it was perfect. Excellent sheen and it was super slick. I really enjoyed this soap.
Thanks for letting me take part in this. By the time that the box got to me, the blades left in there were pretty much garbage. So, I threw in a box of Nacets and and a box of Platinums in case the next folks want to give them a try.
SOTDs 1 through 5 are below:
Wednesday: https://imgur.com/qdHtobs
Thursday: https://imgur.com/Hwz6Y8t
Friday: https://imgur.com/a/Jqa4rjy
Saturday: https://imgur.com/a/69poryy
Sunday: https://imgur.com/dUEnEpN
Me: I have thick Mediterranean facial hair. The few times I’ve grown a beard, it came in very very curly. I’ve long gotten ingrown hairs and irritation on the sides of my neck, which I’ve attributed to how curly my facial hair is. Also, my growth pattern is a bit swirly and my neck hair switches directions (North vs. South) about 60% down my neck. So, I have a lot to pay attention to when shaving, but that’s half the fun, right?
As for my usual razors, my standard DE rotation is Lupo stainless, WR2 1.05 sb, Copper Charcoal Goods lvl2 sb, Tatara Masamune, Timeless Titanium .95 and Timeless Stainless .95. If I bought this razor, I think it would be one of the most mild razors in my rotation. I think it’s even more mild than the Masamune and WR2 1.05.
Initial impressions: I know some people are turned off by the non-matching black baseplate but I really liked the combo. After all, black goes with everything…. I think that’s how the saying goes. The top cap and handle are matte. Again, it looks good. Not striking but attractive.
Blades: I generally use an Astra SP or Gillette Platinum when I’m test driving new razors. They’re both smooth and effortless for me. But I happened to have a 1x used Kai available so I used that on my first go round. After that, I got a tip from DanLaw to use a Nacet so I switched to that for shaves 2 and 3. Then went to Astra SP and Gilette Platinum for shaves 4 and 5. So it looked like this:
1. Kai
2. Gillette Nacet
3. Gillette Nacet
4. Astra SP
5. Gillette Platinum
Use: The biggest problem for me is that the handle is too long. I generally like razors between 3.25 and 3.5”. This handle is at least a .5” too long and it often made it difficult for me to figure out where to place my fingers in order to have maximum control. This was exacerbated by the fact that the balance is much different than I am used to because of the aluminum baseplate is so lightweight. For better or for worse, that moves the balance further down the handle.
This razor has to be impossible to cut yourself with. It is that smooth. It passed the ATG test with flying colors which is a testament to its excellent design. All 5 shaves were WTG, XTG, ATG with minor touchups under my chin and along my jaw line. By my fifth shave (today) I feel like I’m getting the hang of it and I’m getting greater efficiency by leaning onto the cap just a tad bit. This seemed to require less touch-ups after my 3rd pass.
Finally, I would remiss if I didn't mention the Cutting Edge soap included in the pass around box. I only used the Lemongrass & Lavender as I assumed the performance would be the same. For a veg soap, this stuff absolutely rocks. When I first loaded my brush in my bowl, I was afraid I hadn't scooped out enough because I couldn't seem to get it hydrated, but then I kept adding water and then out of nowhere it was perfect. Excellent sheen and it was super slick. I really enjoyed this soap.
Thanks for letting me take part in this. By the time that the box got to me, the blades left in there were pretty much garbage. So, I threw in a box of Nacets and and a box of Platinums in case the next folks want to give them a try.
SOTDs 1 through 5 are below:
Wednesday: https://imgur.com/qdHtobs
Thursday: https://imgur.com/Hwz6Y8t
Friday: https://imgur.com/a/Jqa4rjy
Saturday: https://imgur.com/a/69poryy
Sunday: https://imgur.com/dUEnEpN
Member
wonder if that new design is going to apply to stainless or just the Ti? He's also got new coatings and some copper handles coming (maybe a head if enough people chime in). He should start sending out email updates or post regularly to the blog section of his website. Getting hard to keep track of everything.
Member
So I never got around to finishing up my review from the previous page, partly due to forgetfulness and the other part due to being very busy. I got a few more shaves in with various blades including a Kai and an Astra SP. Overall, my favorite shaves came with the Polsilver SI. I stand by that it is extremely smooth and I got an effortless feel of removing whiskers from my face. HOWEVER, I struggled with efficiency with this razor overall. I'm really not sure why. I changed blades and tried multiple angles but could not get a near BBS shave even risking irritation trying to get it. I'm at a loss as so many have found it to be super efficient and smooth which is what I'm looking for. But comparing efficiency to my Variant, even on lower settings (1-3), I got a more efficient shave at the cost of smoothness. Not quite sure what to do next at this point. I want to move into the CNC stainless market but having a hard time deciding which way to go. Maybe try to get a P076 instead?
Member
(This post was last modified: 09-03-2020, 04:34 AM by jbreakfield.)
I had the privilege to get to use the mixed metal H075 for a little over a week. I typically only shave every other day, but I added in one “next day” shave, just to see how it felt with this razor (a total of 5 shaves). For reference, I always do 3 passes, and a fair amount of cleanup. For whatever reason, even that 3rd ATG pass rarely gets everything for me, and I have to go back and do some buffing to get smooth. Some may consider it 3 ½ - almost 4 passes. I’ve tried a lot of different things, and so far this is the only way I get my face (mostly) smooth, but as you can imagine, if I’m not very careful, I can get some irritation.
Regarding the Cutting Edge soap that was included in the pass-around... I’m very picky about scents, and while neither of these scents were one that I would purchase, they were actually quite pleasant. Interestingly, at first “whiff”, I thought I preferred the Lemongrass & Lavender, but after using both, I ended up preferring the Citrus Wood.
For the first shave, I used the Lemongrass & Lavender; unfortunately I over hydrated, and didn’t get a good lather this time. I realized later that I soaked my brush much longer than usual, and even though I squeezed it out, it was holding a lot more water than I realized (this was the first time I soaked my Maggard SHD knot for that long.) I should have added more soap, but I tried to make it work. The shave was actually decent, pretty smooth, but I did wind up with a couple of very small weepers. I blame this totally on my lack of skill in lathering the soap, rather than the razor (and this was confirmed in my subsequent shaves). I used a brand new Feather blade for this one, as that is one of the best performing blades for me in most razors.
Second shave, and second round with the Cutting Edge soap went MUCH better, I used the Citrus Wood, added water slowly, and got a very nice, thick, slick lather. Performance of this soap is very good, I would put it up there with some of the other top tier soaps that I’ve tried. It didn’t knock out my top contender, but performed closely with any others. For this shave, I tried out one of the Nacet blades that was in the pass around box, since that is one that I’ve seen recommended by others for this razor. This shave was much nicer, very smooth, but very efficient. I would liken it to the smoothness of using a Gillette Tech, but with a very noticeable increase in efficiency. What is very telling with this razor is the “against the grain” pass, as this is where I can sometimes have issues with a razor. My stubble grows in lots of directions, but almost everywhere it grows out tangent to the skin surface. I think this is the main reason that I get irritation if I shave every day, as the hairs need time to get past the skin surface a bit. With this razor, going ATG was very smooth for me. I got one tiny dot that I wouldn’t even call a weeper, because it went away on its own.
For the third shave, I moved on to a soap that I am more familiar with, and that I know performs the best for me (Ethos Grooming Essentials). I also decided to do a side by side comparison to my latest razor acquisition that I’ve been using for a couple of weeks, the Tatara Masamune with Nodachi top cap. This combination has a neutral blade exposure, just like the N075, so I figured it would be a good comparison. Loaded both razors with a once-used Feather, and used the Tatara on the left and the N075 on the right. Now we’re talking, as this soap is the slickest out there for me, and slickness is probably my highest priority (right behind cushion). Let me tell you, these are two VERY smooth razors, but both very efficient. I couldn’t tell a huge difference between the two on the WTG and XTG passes. The nod goes to the N075 on the ATG pass, though, definitely a winner there.
On the fourth shave, I used the same setup, just with the N075 by itself. This was the shave where I only waited 24hrs. It was nice and smooth, and although I did get some “burn” after the ATG pass, that isn’t unusual if I try to shave on the “next day”. I think for many, this razor could be an “everyday” shaver.
48hrs later, I knew it would be my last shave with this beauty, so same setup, same soap, and I just relaxed and enjoyed a nice smooth shave.
I haven’t said much about the razor itself, as it’s been described here in great detail, and I agree with most of what everyone else has said. To me, the design is exceptional, and I actually like the aesthetic of the mixed metal, as well as appreciate the function it provides. It does seem to give a soft feel on the face that other razors lack. (I’ve yet to try a Ti razor, but I would expect that this is similar to what others have described with those.) A couple of reviews have mentioned the handle, and that it is too long for them; I’m probably in the minority on this, but I find this handle to be a perfect length for me. That said, I do have larger hands (my 50’s ball end Tech looks like a child’s toy in my hand, and I typically use a longer handle with it). The length of the handle on the N075 is well designed, and gives it perfect balance for me. The head design is a little larger than some, but I found it quite maneuverable, and was able to easily get under my nostrils.
Sorry it took a few days to get this posted, I’ve been a bit busy the last few days. Many thanks to DanLaw, Cutting Edge Soaps, and Haircut and a Shave Co. for making this pass around possible. What a great opportunity to try out new products that we may otherwise never get to use. The razor is now on it's way to the next lucky participant...
Happy Shaves everyone!
![[Image: OH14Wsz.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/OH14Wsz.jpg)
Regarding the Cutting Edge soap that was included in the pass-around... I’m very picky about scents, and while neither of these scents were one that I would purchase, they were actually quite pleasant. Interestingly, at first “whiff”, I thought I preferred the Lemongrass & Lavender, but after using both, I ended up preferring the Citrus Wood.
For the first shave, I used the Lemongrass & Lavender; unfortunately I over hydrated, and didn’t get a good lather this time. I realized later that I soaked my brush much longer than usual, and even though I squeezed it out, it was holding a lot more water than I realized (this was the first time I soaked my Maggard SHD knot for that long.) I should have added more soap, but I tried to make it work. The shave was actually decent, pretty smooth, but I did wind up with a couple of very small weepers. I blame this totally on my lack of skill in lathering the soap, rather than the razor (and this was confirmed in my subsequent shaves). I used a brand new Feather blade for this one, as that is one of the best performing blades for me in most razors.
Second shave, and second round with the Cutting Edge soap went MUCH better, I used the Citrus Wood, added water slowly, and got a very nice, thick, slick lather. Performance of this soap is very good, I would put it up there with some of the other top tier soaps that I’ve tried. It didn’t knock out my top contender, but performed closely with any others. For this shave, I tried out one of the Nacet blades that was in the pass around box, since that is one that I’ve seen recommended by others for this razor. This shave was much nicer, very smooth, but very efficient. I would liken it to the smoothness of using a Gillette Tech, but with a very noticeable increase in efficiency. What is very telling with this razor is the “against the grain” pass, as this is where I can sometimes have issues with a razor. My stubble grows in lots of directions, but almost everywhere it grows out tangent to the skin surface. I think this is the main reason that I get irritation if I shave every day, as the hairs need time to get past the skin surface a bit. With this razor, going ATG was very smooth for me. I got one tiny dot that I wouldn’t even call a weeper, because it went away on its own.
For the third shave, I moved on to a soap that I am more familiar with, and that I know performs the best for me (Ethos Grooming Essentials). I also decided to do a side by side comparison to my latest razor acquisition that I’ve been using for a couple of weeks, the Tatara Masamune with Nodachi top cap. This combination has a neutral blade exposure, just like the N075, so I figured it would be a good comparison. Loaded both razors with a once-used Feather, and used the Tatara on the left and the N075 on the right. Now we’re talking, as this soap is the slickest out there for me, and slickness is probably my highest priority (right behind cushion). Let me tell you, these are two VERY smooth razors, but both very efficient. I couldn’t tell a huge difference between the two on the WTG and XTG passes. The nod goes to the N075 on the ATG pass, though, definitely a winner there.
On the fourth shave, I used the same setup, just with the N075 by itself. This was the shave where I only waited 24hrs. It was nice and smooth, and although I did get some “burn” after the ATG pass, that isn’t unusual if I try to shave on the “next day”. I think for many, this razor could be an “everyday” shaver.
48hrs later, I knew it would be my last shave with this beauty, so same setup, same soap, and I just relaxed and enjoyed a nice smooth shave.
I haven’t said much about the razor itself, as it’s been described here in great detail, and I agree with most of what everyone else has said. To me, the design is exceptional, and I actually like the aesthetic of the mixed metal, as well as appreciate the function it provides. It does seem to give a soft feel on the face that other razors lack. (I’ve yet to try a Ti razor, but I would expect that this is similar to what others have described with those.) A couple of reviews have mentioned the handle, and that it is too long for them; I’m probably in the minority on this, but I find this handle to be a perfect length for me. That said, I do have larger hands (my 50’s ball end Tech looks like a child’s toy in my hand, and I typically use a longer handle with it). The length of the handle on the N075 is well designed, and gives it perfect balance for me. The head design is a little larger than some, but I found it quite maneuverable, and was able to easily get under my nostrils.
Sorry it took a few days to get this posted, I’ve been a bit busy the last few days. Many thanks to DanLaw, Cutting Edge Soaps, and Haircut and a Shave Co. for making this pass around possible. What a great opportunity to try out new products that we may otherwise never get to use. The razor is now on it's way to the next lucky participant...
Happy Shaves everyone!
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