OK guys, I finally have some time to write a review.
I'm a daily, 2 pass shaver (WTG and ATG). I shave at night, and have dark/coarse hair and light skin so I do chase BBS every time. I would describe my skin as "normal". Not sensitive but far from leather-like.
My current favorite razors in order are: 1.55 WR2 > Tatara Nodachi = RS-10 aggr plate > 0.95 SB timeless Ti > Dart > 2019 Rocnel Elite A. I've used quite a bit of razors and those listed are the only DE's that have made the final cut. Love all of them.
After getting off to a rough start with these razors, I ended up enjoy them quite a bit. At first I used a steeper angle than I normally do and the shaves were rough! That goes for both plates. Some irritation, lots of blade chatter and some nicks. More so for the HA plate.
I almost gave up on them right there, but I decided to give them another go with a shallow angle. My experience was a complete 180. Using as shallow of an angle as these razors allow led to a completely drama free, close shave. The blade chatter was completely gone, no irritation, no nicks Very smooth! Even the audible feedback was tuned down significantly. The HA was smooth as well, but even when using a very shallow angle I had to be extra careful. But a drama free shave with the HA was definitely possible.
For those who are going to try these razors, I would suggest using a VERY shallow angle. If you use a steep angle, you might find these razors to be harsh. That brings me to my next point, don't give up on these after the first shave. Keep using them and be very mindful of your angle. The moment your angle gets steeper, the blade will dig and drag across your skin..not a good feeling!
Rod was correct in saying that his razors are not for newbies. In my experience they require you to maintain that same shallow angle throughout the entire shave. While it's not rocket science, it does take some practice and good dexterity.
I would recommend the standard plate for those who shave more often. The standard plate is already plenty efficient. The HA plate is especially great for those who only shave WTG. If I were a WTG shaver only, the HA would be perfect. The same shallow angle advice applies to the WTG pass also, but it's even more important when going ATG.
I appreciate that the posts are on the base plate. While I don't think it has any inherent advantage over top cap posts, it does make the Stirlings unique amongst my other razors.
My only critique would be the handles. Rod did say that there was a 3rd handle. I'll have to look back through this thread to find it. And he did mention the possibility of additional handle designs in the future.
All in all I give both of these razor two thumbs up and will pickup a standard version in the future.
Just to be clear, by shallow angle I mean handle away from your face. Up to the point right before the razor stops cutting. That's the angle that I found success with.
Many thanks to Rod, Mandy, and Andrew for organizing this pass-around and wish them the best!
Looking forward to reading others experience with these