IKON for X-Mas? Really?

I just ordered a Tech Head off the site.
I'm happy. At least for now.
I am sure I will want something else by the morning.

Just received the new, revised El Jefe head dubbed the MR-SE. Couple pics below to show the difference between the 1st gen to the 2nd gen. Better tolerance and tighter fitment for the blade post and blade post holes. Next up a shave. I feel though that the blade still has a minute amount of play, not as severe as the first one, but it's there.

Let us know how the shave was. The tolerances are visibly tighter than before. Though not perfect yet, hopefully they’re close enough to make the razor head easy and quick to load, and provide a good shave.

I just ordered a Tech Head off the site.
I'm happy. At least for now.
I am sure I will want something else by the morning.

The Tech head on sale was tempting, indeed. I’ve always wanted to try one. Especially since it got its reputation as one of the most aggressive DEs around. Let us know what you think after you’ve taken it for a spin.

Shave is in. Got a 2 pass plus extended buffing that gave me an outstanding BBS shave with the MR-SE. Now, the original El Jefe gives me just as good a shave. BBS results almost everytime. The shave quality is nearly identical out of both razors. So, what's the difference? You don't have to fiddle with the MR-SE as you do with the El Jefe. Drop your blade in, just tilt it back to make sure the blade is against the blade tabs and place the bottom plate on, tighten up. Locks in place firmly and securely. I will say that I feel a bit more smoothness out of the MR-SE compared to the El Jefe, while still being efficient and maintaining a mid-aggressive feel. Once in a while I would have to stop mid shave with the El Jefe because it just felt I hadn't aligned it right. I assembled and disassembled the MR-SE at least 8-10 times and it pretty much was aligned every time. Much better fitment and closer tolerances on the MR-SE head. Still a tiny bit of play, but it is very, very small.

Overall I consider it an improvement over the original El Jefe. It shaves slightly smoother while still being efficient with decent blade feel. It is better finished and the fitment has been cleaned up very nicely. It's a better quality piece imo. Would I recommend it? Absolutely without any hesitation. Old El Jefe veterans will take to this new MR-SE and find it to be an excellent razor that finally eliminates for the most part the nervousness of setting up the razor properly as you have to do with the El Jefe. Those that were nervous or afraid of trying out the El Jefe, fear no more. The new and improved El Jefe II will give you a satisfying and close shave without any apprehension of carving your face up like a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Thumbs up on the MR-SE from Ikon...

Got a 2nd shave in with the Ikon MR-SE/El Jefe II. Just an excellent shave with no worries on blade alignment or if it's to aggressive or not. Just an excellent shave. The Tabac wasn't to shabby either....

Shave #3, and another fine 2 pass & minor buffing for a BBS finish. Smooth and efficient with just the right amount of blade feel, sorta R41 like, but smoother I believe and it doesn't beat your face up on post shave finishing. Feels like a wider version of the PAA EVO DOC SS to be honest, but a tad milder. It's a keeper and in the rotation for sure....

Just received the new, revised El Jefe head dubbed the MR-SE. Couple pics below to show the difference between the 1st gen to the 2nd gen. Better tolerance and tighter fitment for the blade post and blade post holes. Next up a shave. I feel though that the blade still has a minute amount of play, not as severe as the first one, but it's there.
Sorry for the bad pics gents.......

MR-SE on left, original El Jefe on right......

Tighter tolerance, but still not a precisely perfect fit on the blade posts......

Much less play once assembled.....

Even blade exposure and dead on alignment along the length of the safety bar.......


As I said, a shave coming right up....

Thanks for the review and the side by side photos. I passed on the El Jefe because of the blade play, but am looking forward to trying the MR SE.

Good morning all,

Just following up on the thread. Got my SBS, shaved with it and I am now sold. Excellent razor, beautiful shave and actually ordered a second, it’s that good. So why does it work for me? The reasons I thought I would hate it are the reasons why I love it. The straight bar and open comb.

So...I started shaving with the razor like an SE, only using one side. Then I said what the heck, let’s try the open comb and voila! BBS shave on the first go with no cuts and extremely minor irritation caused by driver error (this was my first time with this razor). The only other razor that did that was the Rex and I have a double of that too!

So my gripes, while short are kinda important. There is no documentation that I can find that speaks to what the symbols on the razor mean (which is the mild and which is the aggressive). This can be easily found out by popping a feather into the razor and measuring the blood loss (this is how I test the aggression on all razors by the way). Scientific? Method no, blood measurement, absolutely!

Second, no documentation anywhere as to what the material is. Almost positive it is aluminium, but maybe not. Does it change anything, no. All I can tell you is this; this razor works extremely well FOR ME and I would recommend it to me if...I were not me.

I like it.

I also got the new Mamba in this week though. It's nice too. Getting them both so close to the same time and seeing the pictures here also got me thinking. The SBS is a chubby razor head. The Mamba is not. Just an observation. No real issues with the size in actual use. It is a little bigger looking in this material than the original versions to my eye.

I'm going to swap back to the Ikon the rest of this week though the weekend.

Great time to be a wet shaver.

There is no documentation that I can find that speaks to what the symbols on the razor mean (which is the mild and which is the aggressive).  This can be easily found out by popping a feather into the razor and measuring the blood loss (this is how I test the aggression on all razors by the way). Scientific?  Method no, blood measurement, absolutely!

Second, no documentation anywhere as to what the material is.  Almost positive it is aluminium, but maybe not.  Does it change anything, no.  All I can tell you is this;  this razor works extremely well FOR ME and I would recommend it to me if...I were not me.

Mine was stuck in the mail for days, finally received it today, haven’t shaved with it yet. I agree that there should be some documentation sent out with this razor. Your scientific method seems sound, though!

If you look at the base plate from the side, and then the blade gap when fitted with the top cap, I would say that it’s more mellow when the “dash” symbols are visible on the bottom, and more aggressive when the “dot” symbols are visible. But as said, I haven’t tried it yet.

I second your guess — this razor head is almost certainly aluminum. You couldn’t guess it based on the weight, though. Quite a few recycled soda pop cans went into making each razor head.

I like it.

I also got the new Mamba in this week though. It's nice too.

It’d be great to hear your further impressions of the two after some more use of each. I just saw the new Mamba today, thanks to Michael P, and it looks like a cheetah, compared to the rhinoceros profile of the SBS. Both are nice designs in their own way.

There is no documentation that I can find that speaks to what the symbols on the razor mean (which is the mild and which is the aggressive).  This can be easily found out by popping a feather into the razor and measuring the blood loss (this is how I test the aggression on all razors by the way). Scientific?  Method no, blood measurement, absolutely!

Second, no documentation anywhere as to what the material is.  Almost positive it is aluminium, but maybe not.  Does it change anything, no.  All I can tell you is this;  this razor works extremely well FOR ME and I would recommend it to me if...I were not me.

I like it.

I also got the new Mamba in this week though. It's nice too.

It’d be great to hear your further impressions of the two after some more use of each. I just saw the new Mamba today, thanks to Michael P, and it looks like a cheetah, compared to the rhinoceros profile of the SBS. Both are nice designs in their own way.

It may have an aluminum coating over copper/zamak/steel, but no way it's just aluminum, it's way too heavy.