#11
The 102 is, without question, much better. The X3 is a pretty wimpy whisker cutter.
"What's good for me ain't necessarily good for the weak-minded." - Augustus McRae
#12
I'm afraid this discussion has taken an unexpected yet pretty pleasant turn as it is primarily focusing on slants! I mean I have nothing against slants, although I prefer traditional standard safety bar heads, but I'm not dismissing slants at all. In fact, I am currently eyeing the X3 on an online retailer for no other reason than availability. I understand that personal preference and experience play a huge role when approving/dismissing products which is exactly why I'm seeing so many conflicting opinions on this whole 102 vs X3 issue. I'm also highly interested in the Timeless razor (the 0.68 one) but I'm not entirely convinced that men need to cough up $200 to get smooth and comfortable shaves. If I were seeking bragging rights I would have bought it in a heartbeat but I'm simply in it for the joy of shaving and for the constant hope of getting forgiving and comfortable shaves on a daily basis, slant or not. It sure is interesting getting some insight on both sides of the discussion in case I do end up buying a slant head.

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#13

Member
Detroit
I've been using slants pretty much exclusively for the last few months. I have the 102, X3 and the RazoRock German 37 which is a clone of the Merkur 37C. I enjoy all of them, but for my money, the German 37 is the best of the bunch. It's only $20 for the full razor or $12 for the head only. Of course it's made of plated zamac and not machined aluminum, but no other razor has worked on my chin and neck as well as this one. I would echo the others and say that the X3 is the mildest and least efficient. I don't know how any of them compare to the 34C as I've never used it. Razors and blades are probably the most YMMV aspect of shaving though since everyone's facial hair varies. Good luck in your search. It can be a fun, but wallet-draining experience!
- Jeff
#14

Posting Freak
(07-24-2017, 10:06 PM)Freddy Wrote:
(07-24-2017, 05:11 PM)Marko Wrote:
(07-24-2017, 04:27 PM)Great shaves Wrote: So which one is milder and more comfortable? The 102 or the X3? Thanks for your input by the way, very much appreciated...

In my experience the 102 is superior to the X3.  I just spent a week with the 101 and its really nice too - safety bar / open comb combo so you can get the best of both worlds.  A recurring comment on the 102 on the LeisureGuy's blog is that he loves it but hears complaints from people about clogging.  I've thought about that and observed how some younger guys shave (i.e., my 22 year old son) and they sometimes let their beard grow a few days between shaves so the hair is almost long enough, IMO to take clippers to before shaving and if you're in the habit of doing that you might find the 102 to clog with long hair because the blade gap is fairly close in without a lot of room for clearing.  That said, I have a fairly coarse beard and I have no difficulty with the 102 with even 2 or 3 days stubble.  Did I say its one of my favourite razors?

The Rockwell is great - what an earlier poster said is accurate.  You find your sweet spot (plate) and go with it.  I like 3 for a normal everyday shave and 4 for a Monday morning a little extra stubble day.  I've tried 5 and 6 too and they're great if you like a more aggressive razor.

That's so funny, Mark, because I would have said the opposite.  I have both and they are both very good.  However, if I could only keep one then it would be the X3, without another thought given to that decision.  Talk about YMMV! Tongue  Of course, you mention that you have a fairly coarse beard where as mine I would say is average and not overly coarse so that could come into play, as well.

Great shaves, I happen to think both the 102 and X3 are fairly mild.  I shave with both without irritation.  However, I might give the nod to the 102 when it comes to which is milder.

I know Freddy , its probably one of the hardest thing to get our heads around when we're just starting out. Its natural to assume that if you like something then everybody else should too and if they don't there must be something wrong with them. The reality is there are so many variables, beard texture, growth patterns, sensitivity, skin type and just plain personal preference. Some people really like a very aggressive shave and others a mild one and some in between. Most people like to mix it up a bit within the parameters of their personal comfort zone. The 102 is one of those razors that while it is efficient, it is generally perceived as a fairly mild shaver. The adrenalin junkies find it far too mild for their taste - not even the risk of a minor vein opening with the 102Big Grin

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