HomelikeShaving and their START SS Razor. From Russia with Love....

Second shave with the CTAPT-START razor. This time I used Sterling barber shop for the soap, there is just something about Sterling I like. I loaded for about 45 seconds with a very soft motherlode synthetic knot and a tub of soap that hasn't been used in a few week.
This time I decided to go with the 1.18 SB plate and a (4) use Gillette yellow (sharp Edge) blade.
The first pass went good and very smooth, with plenty of hair left afterwards and a bunch of slickness from the soap.
So the second pass XTG went smooth again and I could hear a noticeable higher pitched audio feedback. This took down the hair quite a bit more, was still a lot of smoothness and more audio feedback still, it's nice.
On the third pass ATG it was fairly smooth especially on my below the jawline area that's always giving me fits and wanting me to give irritation rather than a smooth face, on that part. Again I noticed if I raise the handle higher giving a lower blade cutting angle it cut better and was more enjoyable, for me.
I ended up doing quite a bit of touching up, more so than some of the razors I've been rotating lately.(WR1 .74 OC, CG Lv3 SB, BB SB) . I'm pretty. The shave a head of the irritation, with a good shave and average leftover in my very coarse difficult area below the jawline.
I finished up with some alcohol-free witch hazel and then Nivea sensitive skin shave balm.
This is a nice razor and I really like the way it clamps the blade toward the end of The cutting edge. I think it weighed out at 104 grams, which is about average for a stainless steel, it seems to me like (from the ones I weighed) .

got the razor on thursday, opened and tried on friday. used the most aggressive plate.

as others have said there is a narrow sweet spot. I was hesitant at first because I thought i would cut myself, but smooth sailing.

curious to see what blades you find work best. Gillette 7 o clock blacks were easier than feather.

The razor shaves me damn close. no complaints there. it is fairly easy to use although i wish there were a more grippy handle. the handle it comes with keeps slipping out of my hands.

How does this razor fare against other mainstays, like the DG3 or the Wolfman? never having used those i am curious.

got the razor on thursday, opened and tried on friday. used the most aggressive plate.

as others have said there is a narrow sweet spot. I was hesitant at first because I thought i would cut myself, but smooth sailing.

curious to see what blades you find work best. Gillette 7 o clock blacks were easier than feather.

The razor shaves me damn close. no complaints there. it is fairly easy to use although i wish there were a more grippy handle. the handle it comes with keeps slipping out of my hands.

How does this razor fare against other mainstays, like the DG3 or the Wolfman? never having used those i am curious.

I found the best blades worked with 1.18: Wizamet, Polsilver and Gillette Platinum... 

It shaves similar to Wolfman WR2, actually its base plate a bit looks like WR2, top cap similar to WR1. 
My friend used last week, 1.18 and WR2 1.15 together. He liked both same. He was really surprised with Homelike.  

I have .9 plate too, but never used, since 1.18 is so smooth. Even as daily driver I could use it easily.

It is definitely smoother than CG lvl3. Some members found its efficiency between Lvl2 and Lvl3.
I felt like I got as close shave as CG lvl3, but I have not used them side by side. They may be right.

3rd use for me last night and I too went with the 1.18 plate with a PermaSharp blade ( 3).
This shave I used Grooming Dept pre shave (it's not smelling good like it did when bought). Caties bubbles, ocean Grove, shaving soap. Very comfortable shave this time and great ATG feel, smooth. At this point I'd say I'm liking it. For me it's just a bit below the CGL3 in efficiency but alot less blade feel too. More efficient than the WR2 1.05 I've owned, but just my thoughts.
After this shave my wife liked my skin look, and I suspect it was the (starting to stink) GD pre shave mostly. That Caties bubbles is a great soap, even after having some of the elite soaps of these days.

Let me say Homelikeshaving and DFS guys members/staff alike, thanks for doing this passaround, very kind.

Last night I did a side by side of the Start 1.18 vs. 2nd Gen Charcoal Goods level 2 on 48 hours growth.
Pre-shave Hot shower
Soap MDC Argumes
Blade Polsilver
Brush Elite manchurian
First pass WTG. Both razors were extremely smooth, the CG has a larger angle window then the Start but once you dial in the Start it is very smooth and efficient. The Start side took down more growth than the CG.
2nd Pass XTG . Both razors easily slid across my face and both were very maneuverable around the mouth and Adams apple, rinse, I was near BBS with the Start side( Jawline still needed a touchup) and DFS on the CG side( still need a 3rd pass on the neck and Jawline and upper lip)
3rd Pass ATG For the Start I only did under the jawline and did upper lip both sides.  The CG i did a full ATG on its side.
End result was a BBS shave on both sides without much sting from the ALUM except my neck where I did a full ATG pass with the CG.
For me I would say the Start was as Smooth as my 2nd gen CG level 2 but has a definite nod in efficiency.  Both are great razors, I prefer my Stars & Stripes handle from CG but I just put a little Alum on my fingers and have problem with the Start handle slipping.

Last night I did a side by side of the Start 1.18 vs. 2nd Gen Charcoal Goods level 2 on 48 hours growth.
Pre-shave Hot shower
Soap MDC Argumes
Blade Polsilver
Brush Elite manchurian
First pass WTG. Both razors were extremely smooth, the CG has a larger angle window then the Start but once you dial in the Start it is very smooth and efficient. The Start side took down more growth than the CG.
2nd Pass XTG . Both razors easily slid across my face and both were very maneuverable around the mouth and Adams apple, rinse, I was near BBS with the Start side( Jawline still needed a touchup and DFS on the CG side( still need a 3rd pass on the neck and Jawline and upper lip)
3rd Pass ATG For the Start I only did under the jawline and did upper lip both sides.  The CG i did a full ATG on its side.
End result was a BBS shave on both sides without much sting from the ALUM except my neck where I did a full ATG pass with the CG.
For me I would say the Start was as Smooth as my 2nd gen CG level 2 but has a definite nod in efficiency.  Both are great razors, I prefer my Stars & Stripes handle from CG but I just put a little Alum on my fingers and have problem with the Start handle slipping.

That sounded like a nice comparison shave. I kind of wondered about the handle on the Start razor also, but when I just doused in water to rinse it off, I felt more confident about my grip. I'm growing to like the razor.

3rd use for me last night and I too went with the 1.18 plate with a PermaSharp blade ( 3).
This shave I used Grooming Dept pre shave  (it's not smelling good like it did when bought). Caties  bubbles, ocean Grove, shaving soap.  Very comfortable shave this time and great ATG feel, smooth. At this point I'd say I'm liking it. For me it's just a bit below the CGL3 in efficiency but alot less blade feel too. More efficient than the WR2 1.05 I've owned, but just my thoughts.
  After this shave my wife liked my skin look, and I suspect it was the (starting to stink) GD pre shave mostly. That Caties bubbles is a great soap, even after having some of the elite soaps of these days.

keto I had the same issue with one of my Grooming dept soaps and the Preshave. I threw them ought assuming something was spoiling in the mix.

3rd use for me last night and I too went with the 1.18 plate with a PermaSharp blade ( 3).
This shave I used Grooming Dept pre shave  (it's not smelling good like it did when bought). Caties  bubbles, ocean Grove, shaving soap.  Very comfortable shave this time and great ATG feel, smooth. At this point I'd say I'm liking it. For me it's just a bit below the CGL3 in efficiency but alot less blade feel too. More efficient than the WR2 1.05 I've owned, but just my thoughts.
  After this shave my wife liked my skin look, and I suspect it was the (starting to stink) GD pre shave mostly. That Caties bubbles is a great soap, even after having some of the elite soaps of these days.

keto I had the same issue with one of my Grooming dept soaps and the Preshave. I threw them ought assuming something was spoiling in the mix.

Oh thank you for that. this is my second pre-shave because I complained about the first one that went bad so he sent me a second one and same thing. I bet I only used it three times. But thank you.

3rd use for me last night and I too went with the 1.18 plate with a PermaSharp blade ( 3).
This shave I used Grooming Dept pre shave  (it's not smelling good like it did when bought). Caties  bubbles, ocean Grove, shaving soap.  Very comfortable shave this time and great ATG feel, smooth. At this point I'd say I'm liking it. For me it's just a bit below the CGL3 in efficiency but alot less blade feel too. More efficient than the WR2 1.05 I've owned, but just my thoughts.
  After this shave my wife liked my skin look, and I suspect it was the (starting to stink) GD pre shave mostly. That Caties bubbles is a great soap, even after having some of the elite soaps of these days.

keto I had the same issue with one of my Grooming dept soaps and the Preshave. I threw them ought assuming something was spoiling in the mix.

Oh thank you for that. this is my second pre-shave because I complained about the first one that went bad so he sent me a second one and same thing. I bet I only used it three times. But thank you.

Hi @“keto”. Was the problem with version 1 or 2 of the preshave, and was a particular scent involved? — Thx.