Janus Razor Shave Experience

Perhaps the high dome like door profile of the prototype was more responsible for blade feel difference than modified gap/exposure specs?

It seems odd to me that an adjustable razor has a gap of 0.8 at a setting of 1.  Doesn't make any sense at all.  That's a typical gap for a moderately aggressive razor.  That gap would be good for, say, setting 5 or something.  

But I really think there is more going on than just the gap.  Posted this on another forum, but with users now finding it more comfortable opened up wide, I suspect that the geometry of the razor makes it so that blade EXPOSURE is highest in the mid-settings, making them uncomfortably blade-forward, but less on low, and especially on high, settings.  

I am hopeful that somebody with some photography skills can perhaps post some side-on views of the blade-loaded razor at various settings (ideally 1, 5, and 9) so we can see what exposure looks like at each of those settings.

I check with feeler gauge.
Mine has around:
0.8mm at #1
1.0mm at #5
1.2mm at #9

kingfisher

I assume you measurments are gaps at the indicated settings.  There is a table in the owner handbook that lists the exposure at each setting.  They start at +0.003" at setting one and increase by +0.001" per click to finally reach +.012" at setting nine.

Gap and exposure both increase with each click.

It seems odd to me that an adjustable razor has a gap of 0.8 at a setting of 1.  Doesn't make any sense at all.  That's a typical gap for a moderately aggressive razor.  That gap would be good for, say, setting 5 or something.  

But I really think there is more going on than just the gap.  Posted this on another forum, but with users now finding it more comfortable opened up wide, I suspect that the geometry of the razor makes it so that blade EXPOSURE is highest in the mid-settings, making them uncomfortably blade-forward, but less on low, and especially on high, settings.  

I am hopeful that somebody with some photography skills can perhaps post some side-on views of the blade-loaded razor at various settings (ideally 1, 5, and 9) so we can see what exposure looks like at each of those settings.

I check with feeler gauge.
Mine has around:
0.8mm at #1
1.0mm at #5
1.2mm at #9

kingfisher

I assume you measurments are gaps at the indicated settings.  There is a table in the owner handbook that lists the exposure at each setting.  They start at +0.003" at setting one and increase by +0.001" per click to finally reach +.012" at setting nine.

Gap and exposure both increase with each click.

I measured with a feeler gauge, approximately, I couldn't find the blade gaps in the handbook.

According to blade exposure and gap, Janus #5 might be like Karve E-F.
However, Janus #5 has more blade feeling than Karve, and feels significantly more aggressive.

Thanks for posting the pics.

To my eye, there is quite a bit of blade exposure even at setting 1.

I think the razor would be better if the exposure were neutral, or at least very nearly so.


I really wanted to get one of these, but based on those pics and the reports so far, I'm out unless Eric decides to neutralize the blade exposure with the next iteration (if there is one).

Well had another go at using the Janus on setting #9 only this time I used a one use Astra and a slicker soap with better cushion and I used absolutely no pressure. Blade feel was still there but the razor felt smoother than the last shave I had with it on setting #5 with a Polsilver and a less slick soap. At setting # 9 this is not a mindless shaver and I stayed focused on using absolutely no pressure throughput the shave and maintaining the angle which for me was smoothest when I was almost riding the top cap. I used a moderate amount of skin stretching and went both WTG and ATG on my neck and WTG and XTG on my face and ended up with a solid level 2 BBS . It’s been 16 hrs and I’m just starting to feel a little stubble breaking through.

So far this was the best shave with the Janus of any of the 4 I’ve have had so far.

Some may be wondering why I still have the razor when I stated earlier the Eric sent me a refund right after my first review. Well he told me to keep it until he makes up his mind on wether he wants to send the original prototype back to me to do a couple of comparison shaves and then do a pass around to Janus owners who’d like to try it. Right now their seems to be 2 camps. One that says why send the prototype to people if the prototype is a smoother razor as your gonna make the folks that bought this first release feel bad about buying this one. Well it also seems like the other camp are owners that feel differently. They have no plans on sending their Janus back but since Eric had made the statement that when he makes the next version it will basically be a hybrid of both the prototype and this version so they want to try it and this camp seems to be growing in numbers while the other was more from earlier refund folks. In case you’d like to know what hybrid means i was told I could explain it as best I can. It would have the shaving characteristics of the prototype with the dimensions of this version with tweaks to the knurling, the dial and numbering, fit & finish and some other possible tweaks. Of course this is depending on if he can hook up to the right manufacturing company. So with that said like I mentioned there seems to be a growing camp that wants to try the prototype to get an idea what the next Gen Janus will be like yet they have no intention on not keeping this version. Apparently not as many refunds have been given as some may think.
So if you are a Janus owner and would like to try the prototype I’d suggest sending Eric an email expressing that you are in favor of the pass around.
I’m going to keep trying it now and then at different settings with different blades. Today I checked blade rigidity and it is pretty good. Not Timeless level but good. Oh and I experienced no chattering on this last shave.

After a couple not so great shaves trying milder blades, I put my ‘go-to’ Nacet in. One setting 1, I got two great shaves. I am perfectly happy with the fit and finish of mine. It’s not a perfect mirror finish but that wasn’t a selling point for me.

After a couple not so great shaves trying milder blades, I put my ‘go-to’ Nacet in. One setting 1, I got two great shaves. 

My favorite one is #1, too. But with sharp blades (Wizamets and Gillette SharpEdge).

I received my Janus in the mail this morning as it seemed the border agents all wanted to have a look and had been holding onto it for the past few weeks. I did a thorough inspection of the razor and am both impressed and disappointed. 

First, the razor feels solid and mechanically sound. The toggle and adjustment dial are both satisfying to use. Yes the numbers are faint, but I don’t really shave in the dark so I’m not too bothered. The grip feels great, however I am worried about once it is wet. 

There are some issues with the razor. The doors seem slightly ajar when closed. The safety bar also seems misaligned but I have not tried it with a blade in yet. There are some scratches, both inside near the toggle stem and on the actual toggle. The finish on the razor is equivalent to a GC84 I owned in the past. Not impressive, but certainly not bad. 

Overall, even with its quirks, it looks attractive. I’ll shave later today as my CG level 3 hasn’t left me with much this morning. 

The alignment of the guard looks way off . One side only? I would definitely contact Eric about that.  Did I read somewhere he had some problems with the folks who were slated to assemble the razors?