HomeLikeShaving Taiga adjustable razor DFS pass around

andrewjs18

I received the razor and I’m not sure I was next in line but I’ll keep it a week and pass it on to the next person but please let me know who that person is. Don’t want to mess up the order in which people get the razor

Thank you

andrewjs18

I received the razor and I’m not sure I was next in line but I’ll keep it a week and pass it on to the next person but please let me know who that person is. Don’t want to mess up the order in which people get the razor

Thank you

I think you got the West Coast razor Frank. Maybe andrewjs18 can sort the list out 

andrewjs18

I received the razor and I’m not sure I was next in line but I’ll keep it a week and pass it on to the next person but please let me know who that person is. Don’t want to mess up the order in which people get the razor

Thank you

I think you got the West Coast razor Frank. Maybe andrewjs18 can sort the list out 

I think your right as it appears on the list I was not up yet. I’ll wait for Andrew to get things straightened out. 

Thanks Dave!

Hellooooooooo, anybody home ??

My first shave with the Taiga  pass around. 
I’ll make this a  short review as feel I a couple more shaves with this razor to come to a full conclusion about it and I have to do a side by side with my Gibbs. 
This one feels a bit different than the Taiga I used in the last pass around which was the prototype if memory serves me right. This one has a shorter handle which I like better. It was easy to load the new to me Gillette Black 7 O’ Clock blade in it which I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about them as I’m a Feather guy and I also use Polsilver’s now and then and this Black feels different.  Anyway used my DG Fougere and my Wolf Whiskers brush. I used the # 4 setting for this first shave and I did a two pass WTG and ATG shave. I don’t know if it was the razor blade but I felt more blade feel than I remember from the prototype but it wasn’t anything very pronounced but noticeable. The weight and balance felt good. Would like to see a little deeper knurling in the handle but again nothing I couldn’t get used to. The fact I don’t have to modify a blade is a big plus. Fit and finish is also good. I got a BBS/DFS shave out of two passes but it wasn’t very long lasting so I think I need to try it on the # 6 setting and I’ve got to put a Feather in it for the next shave as I’m very familiar with it and I feel I’d get a better idea of the Taiga than I did out of this first shave. So to be continued.. 

I have finished my turn with the razor. I have shipped it off to the next person in line, @Nh wet shaver. I will post my review within the next day or two.

I'll bow out of this pass please andrewjs18

Here's the updated pass around list.

Keep the razor for 7 days and then pass it off to the next person on the list. When shipping, please insure the package for $250. Once you get time, please leave some feedback on the razor, whether positive or negative.

For safety reasons, it's probably advisable to give the razor a quick alcohol spray or dunk once receiving and before shipping the razor to minimize risk...

East Coast:
ALI (Connecticut)
drdeemanda (Massachusetts)
LOOT (North Carolina)
Kaotikfusion (New York)
vadim (Maryland)
NH wet shaver (New Hampshire)
Dragonsbeard (New York)
Calm_Shaver (New Jersey)
andrewjs18 (Pennsylvania)

West Coast:
rawfox1 (Nevada)
gvw755 (Washington)
Marhos24 (Michigan)
Patelliott (Texas)
fmalpartida (California)
Sharp_Obsession (Ohio)
Dave in KY *removed at user's request*
andrewjs18 (Pennsylvania)

Dragonsbeard, send it to Calm_Shaver when you're done.

I was able to use the razor about 3-4 times over the course of the last week. I only used the solid bar base plate, since I don't think I've ever preferred the OC version of any razor. The razor is well made and nicely finished. I tend to prefer milder and smoother razors, and I found the Taiga shaved very well at lower settings (~2.5). I did try a shave setting over 3 but found that it started to get a little harsh for me. Unfortunately, that's the big downside of adjustable razors for me--I'm generally going to stick with a single setting once I find what works best for me and I find that I only have a small range of usable settings that I enjoy. But at a setting of 2.5, the shave was very smooth and plenty efficient for a 2 or 3 pass shave.

The biggest negative for me was all of the complexity and parts needed to make this razor adjustable. I have grown to love the simplicity of a 3 piece razor (and even more so, a 2 piece like the PILS). I found taking apart the razor and cleaning it too tedious to do on a regular basis. With the Taiga, I don't like how the handle separates from the rest of the parts, making the razor seem fiddly when assembling and disassembling it (although it probably will help with cleaning). I didn't like how the razor wasn't properly zeroed (this may be my fault since I didn't research how to zero out the settings). Some of these issues aren't specific to the Taiga, since an adjustable razor is going to be more complicated than a 3 piece razor by definition. But using this razor reminded me why I've generally stayed away from adjustables. There's something about adjustables that always sparks a tiny bit of interest (probably since I love neat engineering), but I always end up feeling disappointed in the end--personally, I just don't derive enough benefit from the adjustability to make up for all the negatives that come from a more complicated design. But if you do enjoy adjustable razors, this is a well made one.

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this pass around!