Janus Razor Shave Experience

I took mine for a drive on 5 today. I liked it as much as 9. I have gotten the hang of it I think. I now use the bar instead of the cap to set the angle, sort of backwards for me but it works.

LOOT So I find in most razors I’m usually a medium-aggressive user.  I enjoy CG both Lvl-2 and Lvl-3.  I live the WR2 1.15 (at one point the highest was 1.25, but now I think I’m seeing 1.55 and 1.65? now) and I wish for something between the WR1 0.74 and 0.80, but lean toward the 0.74 so a I went OC.  However, a lot of people have been kicking up their gaps and aggressiveness.  The Sailor was the first one I noticed this on.  I like it set it to medium or either M+ or half way between M+ and M/A.

AQU's picture, to me, suggests too much blade exposure. That's probably why it also feels harsh to many people.

https://imgur.com/gallery/sXbmZGB

So I did get to do a comparison between the Janus and the Sailor today.  In full disclosure I will need to rerun this shave off as I wasn’t completely happy with it.  I used a “last available” PolSilver blade in each razor.  They didn’t look right and they weren’t smooth like I usually find the PolSilver.  This caused numerous weepers by both razors, but there was still some telling findings.

First, I did a 2 pass (WTG and XTG ear to nose) and additional cleanup under the nose.  The Janus on 5 and the Sailor half way between M+ and M/A.  Both gave BBS shaves without even trying.  Both were extremely efficient on the first pass and the second pass was basically clean up ... on 4 days growth!!! My growth is t extreme daily though.  I would call it a dead heat on the end results of the shave ... except the shaves were very different!  The Sailor was smoother and caused less weepers, 5 in total.  I didn’t even notice any weepers from the Sailor until the end.  The Janus was rough and caused significant weepers.  I notice 5 during the shave and found 20 or so at the end.  Both had significant burn when applying the skin food.

Gear

2019 Rocnel Sailor with (counterfeit?) PolSilver
Janus Razor with (counterfeit?) PolSilver
Tony Forsyth handle with Rhodium bulb knot (brand new)
Ethos First Lather
Ethos Pineapple Noire soap and skin food

The gear was amazing minus the blades.  I’d like to rerun with a known quantity blade.  Ethos gear was stellar.  The new brush was stingy.  Probably needs some use to break in and open up.

Came back to the Janus after about half dozen shaves with the RR Hawk V3. Anyhow, installed a twice used Feather Hi-SS in the Janus and cranked it up full tilt. Wanted to make a note that I checked thoroughly from 1-9 on the adjustment dial and on clamping the blade in and throughout the whole range never saw blade misalignment or uneven exposure from end to end. The blade locked in equally on both sides with the doors closing precisely with that firm and solid action. Love the locking action of this razor. Superb really.

Went into it and went full straight shave mode with full face pull/stretch with some facial contortions thrown in. Overboard in technique? Yeah perhaps as this is no 8/8 Full Hollow or 9/8 Wedge which are truly amazing shavers but, they are not safety razors. When I first used the Janus at 7 it wasn't the smoothest of shaves. Set it to 9 and off I went. First pass I was like "Oh, this is surprising" as the razor felt quite nice. Cleared the whiskers and proceeded with ATG pass 2. Again a nice pass. BBS of the highest order in two. I was puzzled/bamboozled by the outcome. But, the proof and outcome was yet to be decided with the alum pass. Additionally, no weepers, nics of any kind. Alum on face was smooth without a touch of burn. The neck was almost there but, I got some slight heat around the Apple and a twinge of it at both jawlines. Subtle but, present. The face feel though was glorious. I'm dumbfounded and that's no B.S.  I don't know what happened but, I will say it felt just like at 7 only slightly smoother. Blade feel is there and nearly no harshness. Perhaps the Feather blade on use 3 was the ticket or the straight razor technique contributed or even the GD Soap. Or, the geometry of blade and the Janus safety bar & cap was a contributor. I really have no clue. The shave was performed yesterday at about 4pm. It's almost 9am and I only feel the tiniest of stubble around the Adam's Apple but, the rest of my face/neck is still smooth. WTF? I'm lost.... More shaving research needed and just take it one facet at a time with making changes. Veneers, calipers & micrometers might have to come in to play to figure this one out.

Again, I can't emphasize how good the shave was. Not the smoothest or most drama free but, the shave & end result were well above average and closer to excellent.

Happy shaves, Gents....

First, a little background.  I’m not a seasoned reviewer and my photograph was with an iPad and no light box or real setup expertise.  My go to daily driver for well over a year has been a Timeless Titanium 0.68 SB, which gives an easy comfortable and DFS or better 3 pass shave.  I also occasionally venture to an Old Type, Goodwill, New, Red and Flare Tip Superspeed, and Tech.  My typical blades are GSB, Nacet, Personna red and Feather in no particular order.

On to the shave.  I used the Janus at setting 3, Simpson Duke 3 best brush and D R Harris Arlington soap.  The Janus has a nice weight and felt well balanced to me, but surprisingly slippery which was easily cured by running my slightly wet fingers over the alum block.

This razor has significantly more blade feel and blade exposure than I am used to.  But not uncomfortably so.  My first with the grain pass made it very clear that even at 3 this razor can cut.  One pass with the grain was better than socially acceptable.  My next pass ear to nose (ATG on my neck, XTG everywhere else) easily got me to DFS.  However I saw blood for the first time in a very long time.  Next pass partially ATG and partially XTG made my face feel like glass.  The styptic pencil easily took care of the nicks and weepers.  Testing with the alum block was surprisingly sting free. 

My overall impression without having dialed in this razor is that it can cut, has some blade feel and probably a lot at the higher settings , but was still smooth overall.  It can easily deliver a BBS shave.  I will likely dial this back to 2 next time.

With more and more ultra efficient razors coming to market, I felt relatively secure in knowing that the adjustable aspect would allow for the flexibility that an ultra efficient 3 piece razor would not.  I feel confident that I can use this as a daily driver and as I dial it in avoid the styptic pencil

Almost all the buyers have emailed me feedback. The chief complaint is that the razor has high blade exposure. In hindsight, I should have just made the form factor changes and left the blade exposure unchanged.

Personally, I'm learning to tame it and make it work. I haven't made it past setting #4. Obviously, I understand that is not ideal since the essence of an adjustable is to have the option to access the entire range.

So majority of the feedback is I didn't get things right. I'm working through CAD changes incorporating the feedback I have gotten - this is the easy part. I got ways to go to get caught up with what folks have posted. I wanna read everything even though I get the recurring themes. And then, I will eventually start looking at machining shops. I will definitely share once I have made some decent progress.

Well I used a Janus for the first time tonight, a good friend s not mine. Set it on #9 with a Perma Sharp and 2 days of growth, nice pass with this WTG pass.
 Second pass setting #7  was ATG and then some touch-up in the usual below the jawline and other spots. Much less work than with most razors, it's what I like in a razor. Mind you this was just one to shave so you know how that goes sometimes, let's see how it goes from there.

I had never used a shim before today. I read a thread on shimming a Wolfman and decided to try it on mine and also the Janus Toggle. I tried the shim on top of and below the blade. I haven't used it enough to be certain but today it felt much better with the shim above the blade. Anyone else care to give it a try with their LE and let us know how it feels?

Not to derail the thread, but shimming an adjustable razor is something I would have never thought to hear.
Great that it tempered your Janus.

Not to derail the thread, but shimming an adjustable razor is something I would have never thought to hear.
Great that it tempered your Janus.

I was surprised myself.  It worked on the middle settings, which I found to give the most blade feel.   I'm still happy on 9 with no shim though.