Rex Supply Co. Sentry DE Slant pass around

thanks for working that out. I've updated the west coast list.

The razors went out yesterday.

I put them in my mailbox on Wednesday for the postal worker to pick up. He moved the boxes to put more mail in my mailbox but didn't take the boxes.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

The razors went out yesterday. 

I put them in my mailbox on Wednesday for the postal worker to pick up.  He moved the boxes to put more mail in my mailbox but didn't take the boxes. 

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

It is the postal service. One cannot expect too much.

The razors went out yesterday. 

I put them in my mailbox on Wednesday for the postal worker to pick up.  He moved the boxes to put more mail in my mailbox but didn't take the boxes. 

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Glad it’s not just me (I mean not really glad, but you know…)
I have to take all my packages to the PO because they just will not ever get taken from my mailbox 

The razors went out yesterday. 

I put them in my mailbox on Wednesday for the postal worker to pick up.  He moved the boxes to put more mail in my mailbox but didn't take the boxes. 

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Glad it’s not just me (I mean not really glad, but you know…)
I have to take all my packages to the PO because they just will not ever get taken from my mailbox 

our normal guy is great, but when he goes on vacation or takes a day off, the quality of service drops off dramatically.

Razor safely in my possession - thanks andrewjs18 and Razor Emporium !

I'll post my review and thoughts within 1 week.

ewk I believe you are next up... please PM me your address so I have it ready to go.

Thanks!

I received the West coast copy of the razor late last evening ( Our mail delivery suddenly switched to 9pm+ the last few days although seemingly back to normal today ). I got a quick first shave in today with the razor, between a busy schedule of calls and commitments. So I want to hold off until another session tomorrow for a more complete initial report and images.

I’m interested! I’m in California.

With two shaves now completed, I wanted to share a few initial thoughts on the Sentry Slant. There are several aspects of the razor I find compelling. At the same time, there were a couple of challenges with the first two shaves. Almost all of them come down to my demanding beard profile bumping up against the efficiency level of the Sentry and possibly some technique adjustments. So please take any comments on performance with the context that this razor may be out of the range of effectiveness for achieving my desired level and duration of BBS. I have no doubt it can offer more than enough effectiveness for many shavers with less demanding profiles.

Upon receiving the razor, the packaging and unboxing experience stood out relative to some past razor purchases. As the first shaver with this copy I had the pleasure of experiencing what it might be like to receive the razor as an actual purchase. Several small details indicated that someone took the time to consider the whole experience. The only challenge was removing the razor from the foam insert. It took quite a few careful tries to free it with a modest level of force. I think the head size of this razor may have contributed to the effort required.

And once free, the full extent of the pronounced head assembly became apparent. It presented with a wonderful finish that I would enjoy seeing on other razors in my collection. That finish extended to the top of the handle but then was overtaken by a long swath of geometric scalloped knurling that felt relatively pleasing in hand. The only aspect of the design that felt out of place was the bottom element of the handle. It seemed utilitarian against the more refined design choices found elsewhere.

A more functional aspect of that bottom element choice would soon become apparent with the first shave. The handle is already at the shorter end of the spectrum, but I normally have no problem with a handle length in this size range. However the bottom element ended up acting more as a finger stop, effectively reducing the usable handle length. That did become noticeable throughout the first shave although it was less of a concern during the second shave.

Other than a minor concern over handle length, the only other noticeable handling issue was loading of the blade. I suspect this might be a small challenge faced by most slant razors given the implications of how the blade is bent. The result was that I could never get the blade to remain at rest over the posts. Ultimately I had to press the head assembly with blade sandwiched between and retain pressure until the handle threaded far enough to take over, otherwise the blade tended to move out of position while assembling. It wasn’t difficult but something I don’t recall having to do with conventional razor heads.

With a fully assembled razor I was ready to experience my first shave with a slant. I heeded the advice to simply shave normally. And the first few strokes revealed a relatively quiet and smooth passage that had me occasionally wondering if the razor was fully engaging. Soon a welcome hum of stubble removal indicated all was correct. As the shave progressed I noticed that several areas were not well reduced, and I caught my self applying excessive pressure at times to compensate. This resulted in a few weepers and a slight bit of irritation. Although all owed to razor operator actions. After completing the first shave it appeared as a DFS+ in most areas and a BBS- in others.

So the second shave I elected to employ a more efficient blade hoping for a modest increase in efficiency. With a Bic Chromium loaded the shave progressed similar to the first but there was an incremental improvement in stubble reduction. It also seemed that engagement was more consistent this time around and a higher degree of overall BBS was achieved in the end, although areas of DFS+ still remained. Residual feedback persisted well after the shave and was likely caused by still applying a bit too much pressure to compensate for reduced effectiveness.

I am planning to experiment with technique and angle for potential efficiency gains and effectiveness in my next session with the Sentry.

While it is possible this razor may not end up being a perfect fit for my beard profile, I am absolutely grateful to Razor Emporium and andrewjs18  for the opportunity to evaluate the razor.

Thanks Razor Emporium and andrewjs18 for the passaround.

I sent tracking to ewk and I will hand deliver it to the post office tomorrow.

Here is my review: I am buying it. It is a unique shaver. This is the key thing I look for in a new addition to the den. For better or for worse, I have a big stable or razors so unless it is unique, it is hard to make the case to get it. The razor is extremely efficient, it has been 12 hours since I last used the razor and I am still BBS. Also, as always with Rex razors, the knurling is the best in the business. I still prefer the sharp-cut Ambassador / Konsul knulring, but this is excellent also.

If there ever is a case to be made for artisans to do passarounds on DFS, this is it. I was on the fence about buying this razor, but after trying it, I will pick it up.

One minor thing, there was a very small ding on the razor when it arrived (see pic below). It is very minor and did not affect the shave at all and in fact if I bought a razor like this, I would not bother to return/exchange it. The razor was unused when it arrived so this must have occurred during the finishing process somehow. Again, it is very minor and I am only pointing it out in case someone down the line on the passaround notices it and wondered how it got there.

SOTN:
Razor: Rex Sentry
Blade: Wizamet (4)Brush: Tanz + Cashmere Fan
Lather: Catie's Bubbles