The Stepchild Alloy, Aluminum. Not so for Timeless & Wolfman…..

Aluminum is the least desired alloy for those in the search for quality, exotic and to some the rare unobtanium razors that are produced today. I’m in the group that desires a more significant alloy in its density & weight properties as I adhere to the theory that more weight is better. The old adage of “let the weight of the razor do the work for you” has been a constant for me since day 1. And certainly it works for a very good portion and I’d say the far greater majority in wet shavedom. However, Aluminum does offer advantages that are not to be ignored or thrown to the side. It’s lightweight, easier to maneuver, has excellent corrosion resistance that arguably, even more so apparent either than stainless & titanium as it nearly instantly forms a very thin layer of oxide to prevent further oxidation. It’s cheaper to acquire & machine for razor producers as it saves on tooling costs thus it becomes a much more economic value to the wet shaver as it’s exponentially much more affordable over nearly every other alloy used to produce a safety razor.

Nevertheless, I’m not here to write a report or dissertation on why aluminum should or should not be adapted over other alloys but, rather a short shave summary on the qualities of a well made & executed aluminum alloy razor that in theory & practice can give just as good a shave if not better than the other metal alloy produced shave tools. Personally, I don’t have a large selection of aluminum razors with only 3 in my possession with these two being front & center in this thread. The Aluminum Timeless & the Wolfman Aluminum Guerilla. Both made by perhaps the most well known razor makers in the artisan industry. Each are produced and finished with exacting tolerances and finishes that take a back seat to no one. The Timeless razor has been around for a bit longer as the Guerilla has just joined the fray just this year but, has made a significant impact not only in the name of the producer but, it has the pedigree in its overall craftsmanship & quality with the shaving chops to prove it. I decided this morning that I wanted to put these two against each other for my own fact finding exercise while also providing some insight for those that are interested in aluminum razors and their benefits. Plus, if you’re having a cup of coffee, the read might be an indulgence to getting the day started.

The Timeless Aluminum only comes in a stated gap of .45 & sb set up with no other plates offered as an option. The Aluminum Guerilla on the other hand offers an array of base plates in a multitude of gap sizes and sb/oc configurations to customize to ones heart and content. Additionally, the Guerilla offers a secondary handle for more value and diversified tastes. The Guerilla is fitted with a .69 sb base plate as it’s the lowest sized gap in my collection. I wanted to keep it as close to the Timeless size though the Guerilla plate does have a sizable gap advantage but, gap means nothing in the shave realm as you will later see as you read on further. Grab your favorite beverage or drink elixir and let’s get to this.

The Shave

I went with two (2) fresh Gillette Yellow 7 O’Clock Sharp Edge blades for the cutting duties and pulled out one of my most favorite scented shave soaps ever created, B&M’s Seville in Reserve. Wonderfully spicy yet clean and refreshing with the performance to back it up. The splash is a must as it offers excellent healing & conditioning properties with just enough of the scent profile to entice and deliver one’s nose into a scentgasm. Good stuff. Then the coup de gras and final scent crescendo, Tom Ford Noir. It needs no explanation. If you know, you know. Built a nice and luscious lather, wetted my face for a little bit more hydration and went to work. I went with a 3 pass affair (WTG, ATG, XTG) as I was going to take my sweet old time and wanted nothing to do with buffing, touch ups or pick up finishes of any kind. Good skin stretching and facial contortions were of the utmost importance that was going to lead to a drop the mic & walk off the stage shave performance a la Sam Kinison (RIP) during his stand up comedy days, minus the visceral screaming and high pitched nuances. Both razors were dealing with nearly 4 days of whisker growth. It was going to be a challenge, for both.

Pass #1 WTG. My facial & neck whisker growth are pretty much identical on both sides so I just gave the Timeless the left side & the Guerilla the right side with no swaps on either of the passes. Started with the Guerilla .69 sb at the side burns mid ear. A very smooth downward stroke as I immediately adjusted pressure with a bit more firmness on the skin to compensate for the thicker growth. The Guerilla proceeded to remove whiskers with a very nice buttery smoothness and action that felt super comfortable while producing a nice audible effect. Movement towards the chin and over the curve was effortless transitioning down the neck and one side of Sir Adam. Blade feel is very minimal yet the whiskers are being reduced to skin level quite nicely. Again, balancing pressure is key as the lighter weight tells one to add a bit more of it without going overboard. Finished the right side and went to the left with the Timeless. Started at the same spot as the Guerilla just on the left side. First stroke and it was apparent that the Timeless has a bit more blade feel to offer while still offering just as buttery smooth a feel as the Guerilla. I still needed to add about an equal amount of pressure but, I had to slightly back off around the curve on the chin to compensate for the extra blade feel and avoid a potential mishap. Continued on down to Sir Adam and the right side of the neck excellent cutting feel that had the whiskers down to skin level just as easily as the Guerilla. Pressure is key and I’ll keep mentioning this throughout the shave. It’s paramount and extremely important to take that aspect into consideration because of the lighter weighted razors. First pass done with a nice cold water rinse and feel. Both sides look and feel identical on this 1st pass without a single mishap or issue. Hair was reduced equally on both sides and onto the next pass.

Pass #2 ATG. I started from the bottom of my neck, just below the Adam’s Apple and work upwards with just vertical strokes. The whiskers around the Apple and neck grow nearly sideways for me so, an ATG pass on the neck is practically an XTG pass with the face being the more traditional ATG format as the hairs grow downward. Decided to start with the Timeless on its side just because. I applied a bit of pressure, not over the top but, still firm. My off hand was there to provide some really good stretching to get each whisker smoothly but, effectively with authority. A really good pass that was evident especially around the jawline with that extra bit of blade feel that made short work of the whiskers. I also feel that the Timeless Aluminum .45 feels more neutral in shave angle not exhibiting a preference for either riding the cap or leaning towards the safety bar. It felt very natural and intuitive during this excellent ATG pass. I went to the Guerilla and started at the same spot on its side of the program. Equal amount of pressure that was firm and deliberate with the same skin stretching action. Here I adjusted the Guerilla a bit more towards the top cap and rode it slightly just off of it. I tinkered with the ATG pass with the Guerilla on the first 2-3 strokes adjusting the angle for optimum cutting action. I’ll say that towards the bar, there was very little cutting action and neutral was better but, riding off the cap was smoother and much more effective for my tastes. The blade feel was and is slightly less against the Timeless but, with some nice stretching the Guerilla really gave a nice and smooth cutting action though not as audible as the Timeless. Nevertheless, it cleared the whiskers beautifully without a single incident. Both sides were done and went with another cold water rinse and face feel. It’s unbelievable how close these 2 razor combatants are at this stage. Honestly, I could’ve stopped right there as the face was practically BBS and the neck stood at an awesome DFS feel that was close but, not quite to BBS level. The XTG pass will clear the spots around the neck and take some of if any stragglers were left behind on the face. Both razors were inherently smooth and easy on the face in this pass but, I perceived to get a slightly smoother feel with the Timeless over the Guerilla. Very subtle but, perceptible to me. Onto shave pass 3 and the final pass.

Pass #3 XTG. This didn’t take too long at all and I went with the Guerilla to start it off on its side. I go east to west and vice/versa for this pass, ear to nose to complete. The Guerilla hit the whiskers with ease and comfort. Riding just off the cap made short work of the whiskers on the neck and around Sir Adam. No pulling or tugging with skin stretching thrown in to get every last hair that tried to make a stand. I felt a couple of whiskers being removed upon stretching a bit of the jawline & chin until I heard nothing more. A constant bit of pressure was again applied without going over the top. This razor moves easily and briskly over the skin with very little blade feel yet cuts with assurance that whiskers are being removed with little to no disturbance of feel on the skin. Switched out to the Timeless with its side and went to work. I hate repeating myself but, again there is just an excellent ability for this razor to give feedback on feel and audible presence that tells you exactly what’s going on between tool and skin. They both do to be quite honest but, the Timeless here for me offers that tiny bit more of blade feel that facilitates me over the course of a shave. The audible effect combined with the feel is an invaluable asset to ones technique and to making on the fly adjustments as the shave progresses. As is and was to be expected, both sides were simply flawless. No irritation, not a single weeper or nics. No disturbance of the skin on either the face or neck. Alum pass was free of any semblance of heat or discomfort. The after shave splash just gave the slightest of a bracing effect and tightening of the pores while leaving the skin slightly hydrated and conditioned. The perfect finish to a perfect shave from two Aluminum bodied razors.

Conclusion & Analysis

A brilliant shave, plain and simple. Both performed exactly as I expected them to perform. Easy, smooth and very comfortable without putting a whole lot of effort, thought or skill into the exercise. They are both engineered and produced to exacting specifications that will deliver to many wonderful shaves. In terms of preference though, there always has to be a victor/winner. Closeness of shave can’t be answered as of this shave (about 9am today) since the end results were identical. Yet, I will admit that they both achieved that result via a different feel about them. The Timeless felt more neutral & balanced and a bit more intuitive on shave angle & feel. It was just by the smallest of margins to keep it in the optimal cutting zone in my hands over the Guerilla. Balance and feel on hand with the two are nearly imperceptible as they are very close to each other in weight and dimensions from top to bottom. In every other aspect of maneuverability and execution of said aspect they are equal. They rinse exceptionally well and keep the whiskers and suds away from the area being shaved quite effectively. Blade rigidity and support are very good but, the Timeless offers just a bit more contact area and support for the blade while providing a bit more curvature to the blade over its counterpart. Neither one exhibited any deflection nor blade flex during the shave but, the Timeless inspired a bit more confidence in that regard. Finish is a no brainer win for the Guerilla. That matte black anodizing is nearly perfect throughout the whole razor that allows the razor to feel like it’s rolling over the skin on bearings. Both handles are a wash as they both provide plenty of grip and tactile feel. I prefer the Guerilla handle over the Timeless one as it feels more natural in my hands. The Guerilla also offers a thinner head profile over the Timeless and that should be a plus for those that do work in tighter spots, more specifically under the schnoze.

The Aluminum Timeless .45 felt like a better overall shaver to the .69 Aluminum Guerilla in my shave experience and we are splitting hairs here as it was that close. I’m writing this here now and it’s nearly 4:30pm eastern time and I still can’t tell the difference on either side of both face & neck. Perhaps in a few more hours some hair growth will reveal itself soon enough and I’ll update it here when that occurs. Overall the Timeless edges out the Guerilla by a smidge to my shave standards. I’ll definitely give these two a go in a day or so but, I’ll fit the Guerilla with the .84 base plate and see how it fairs. I’m almost certain that it will forge ahead of the Timeless .45 just on blade feel alone and it should outclass it in performance in that regard.

Stay tuned for round #2……

Well I have three aluminum razors, all of which are good.

Great review of these two razors. I like aluminum razors myself. One thing that is missing is cost. The Timeless is $49 USD and the Wolfman is 175 CAD or ~$132.72 USD, so a big difference in price. The Wolfman is around 2.7 times more expensive, yet you felt the Timeless shaved a touch better, pretty significant. I look forward to reading your review on how the .84 base plate compares to the Timeless.

Aluminum is the least desired alloy for those in the search for quality, exotic and to some the rare unobtanium razors that are produced today. I’m in the group that desires a more significant alloy in its density & weight properties as I adhere to the theory that more weight is better. The old adage of “let the weight of the razor do the work for you” has been a constant for me since day 1. And certainly it works for a very good portion and I’d say the far greater majority in wet shavedom. However, Aluminum does offer advantages that are not to be ignored or thrown to the side. It’s lightweight, easier to maneuver, has excellent corrosion resistance that arguably, even more so apparent either than stainless & titanium as it nearly instantly forms a very thin layer of oxide to prevent further oxidation. It’s cheaper to acquire & machine for razor producers as it saves on tooling costs thus it becomes a much more economic value to the wet shaver as it’s exponentially much more affordable over nearly every other alloy used to produce a safety razor.

Nevertheless, I’m not here to write a report or dissertation on why aluminum should or should not be adapted over other alloys but, rather a short shave summary on the qualities of a well made & executed aluminum alloy razor that in theory & practice can give just as good a shave if not better than the other metal alloy produced shave tools. Personally, I don’t have a large selection of aluminum razors with only 3 in my possession with these two being front & center in this thread. The Aluminum Timeless & the Wolfman Aluminum Guerilla. Both made by perhaps the most well known razor makers in the artisan industry. Each are produced and finished with exacting tolerances and finishes that take a back seat to no one. The Timeless razor has been around for a bit longer as the Guerilla has just joined the fray just this year but, has made a significant impact not only in the name of the producer but, it has the pedigree in its overall craftsmanship & quality with the shaving chops to prove it. I decided this morning that I wanted to put these two against each other for my own fact finding exercise while also providing some insight for those that are interested in aluminum razors and their benefits. Plus, if you’re having a cup of coffee, the read might be an indulgence to getting the day started.

The Timeless Aluminum only comes in a stated gap of .45 & sb set up with no other plates offered as an option. The Aluminum Guerilla on the other hand offers an array of base plates in a multitude of gap sizes and sb/oc configurations to customize to ones heart and content. Additionally, the Guerilla offers a secondary handle for more value and diversified tastes. The Guerilla is fitted with a .69 sb base plate as it’s the lowest sized gap in my collection. I wanted to keep it as close to the Timeless size though the Guerilla plate does have a sizable gap advantage but, gap means nothing in the shave realm as you will later see as you read on further. Grab your favorite beverage or drink elixir and let’s get to this.

The Shave

I went with two (2) fresh Gillette Yellow 7 O’Clock Sharp Edge blades for the cutting duties and pulled out one of my most favorite scented shave soaps ever created, B&M’s Seville in Reserve. Wonderfully spicy yet clean and refreshing with the performance to back it up. The splash is a must as it offers excellent healing & conditioning properties with just enough of the scent profile to entice and deliver one’s nose into a scentgasm. Good stuff. Then the coup de gras and final scent crescendo, Tom Ford Noir. It needs no explanation. If you know, you know. Built a nice and luscious lather, wetted my face for a little bit more hydration and went to work. I went with a 3 pass affair (WTG, ATG, XTG) as I was going to take my sweet old time and wanted nothing to do with buffing, touch ups or pick up finishes of any kind. Good skin stretching and facial contortions were of the utmost importance that was going to lead to a drop the mic & walk off the stage shave performance a la Sam Kinison (RIP) during his stand up comedy days, minus the visceral screaming and high pitched nuances. Both razors were dealing with nearly 4 days of whisker growth. It was going to be a challenge, for both.

Pass #1 WTG. My facial & neck whisker growth are pretty much identical on both sides so I just gave the Timeless the left side & the Guerilla the right side with no swaps on either of the passes. Started with the Guerilla .69 sb at the side burns mid ear. A very smooth downward stroke as I immediately adjusted pressure with a bit more firmness on the skin to compensate for the thicker growth. The Guerilla proceeded to remove whiskers with a very nice buttery smoothness and action that felt super comfortable while producing a nice audible effect. Movement towards the chin and over the curve was effortless transitioning down the neck and one side of Sir Adam. Blade feel is very minimal yet the whiskers are being reduced to skin level quite nicely. Again, balancing pressure is key as the lighter weight tells one to add a bit more of it without going overboard. Finished the right side and went to the left with the Timeless. Started at the same spot as the Guerilla just on the left side. First stroke and it was apparent that the Timeless has a bit more blade feel to offer while still offering just as buttery smooth a feel as the Guerilla. I still needed to add about an equal amount of pressure but, I had to slightly back off around the curve on the chin to compensate for the extra blade feel and avoid a potential mishap. Continued on down to Sir Adam and the right side of the neck excellent cutting feel that had the whiskers down to skin level just as easily as the Guerilla. Pressure is key and I’ll keep mentioning this throughout the shave. It’s paramount and extremely important to take that aspect into consideration because of the lighter weighted razors. First pass done with a nice cold water rinse and feel. Both sides look and feel identical on this 1st pass without a single mishap or issue. Hair was reduced equally on both sides and onto the next pass.

Pass #2 ATG. I started from the bottom of my neck, just below the Adam’s Apple and work upwards with just vertical strokes. The whiskers around the Apple and neck grow nearly sideways for me so, an ATG pass on the neck is practically an XTG pass with the face being the more traditional ATG format as the hairs grow downward. Decided to start with the Timeless on its side just because. I applied a bit of pressure, not over the top but, still firm. My off hand was there to provide some really good stretching to get each whisker smoothly but, effectively with authority. A really good pass that was evident especially around the jawline with that extra bit of blade feel that made short work of the whiskers. I also feel that the Timeless Aluminum .45 feels more neutral in shave angle not exhibiting a preference for either riding the cap or leaning towards the safety bar. It felt very natural and intuitive during this excellent ATG pass. I went to the Guerilla and started at the same spot on its side of the program. Equal amount of pressure that was firm and deliberate with the same skin stretching action. Here I adjusted the Guerilla a bit more towards the top cap and rode it slightly just off of it. I tinkered with the ATG pass with the Guerilla on the first 2-3 strokes adjusting the angle for optimum cutting action. I’ll say that towards the bar, there was very little cutting action and neutral was better but, riding off the cap was smoother and much more effective for my tastes. The blade feel was and is slightly less against the Timeless but, with some nice stretching the Guerilla really gave a nice and smooth cutting action though not as audible as the Timeless. Nevertheless, it cleared the whiskers beautifully without a single incident. Both sides were done and went with another cold water rinse and face feel. It’s unbelievable how close these 2 razor combatants are at this stage. Honestly, I could’ve stopped right there as the face was practically BBS and the neck stood at an awesome DFS feel that was close but, not quite to BBS level. The XTG pass will clear the spots around the neck and take some of if any stragglers were left behind on the face. Both razors were inherently smooth and easy on the face in this pass but, I perceived to get a slightly smoother feel with the Timeless over the Guerilla. Very subtle but, perceptible to me. Onto shave pass 3 and the final pass.

Pass #3 XTG. This didn’t take too long at all and I went with the Guerilla to start it off on its side. I go east to west and vice/versa for this pass, ear to nose to complete. The Guerilla hit the whiskers with ease and comfort. Riding just off the cap made short work of the whiskers on the neck and around Sir Adam. No pulling or tugging with skin stretching thrown in to get every last hair that tried to make a stand. I felt a couple of whiskers being removed upon stretching a bit of the jawline & chin until I heard nothing more. A constant bit of pressure was again applied without going over the top. This razor moves easily and briskly over the skin with very little blade feel yet cuts with assurance that whiskers are being removed with little to no disturbance of feel on the skin. Switched out to the Timeless with its side and went to work. I hate repeating myself but, again there is just an excellent ability for this razor to give feedback on feel and audible presence that tells you exactly what’s going on between tool and skin. They both do to be quite honest but, the Timeless here for me offers that tiny bit more of blade feel that facilitates me over the course of a shave. The audible effect combined with the feel is an invaluable asset to ones technique and to making on the fly adjustments as the shave progresses. As is and was to be expected, both sides were simply flawless. No irritation, not a single weeper or nics. No disturbance of the skin on either the face or neck. Alum pass was free of any semblance of heat or discomfort. The after shave splash just gave the slightest of a bracing effect and tightening of the pores while leaving the skin slightly hydrated and conditioned. The perfect finish to a perfect shave from two Aluminum bodied razors.

Conclusion & Analysis

A brilliant shave, plain and simple. Both performed exactly as I expected them to perform. Easy, smooth and very comfortable without putting a whole lot of effort, thought or skill into the exercise. They are both engineered and produced to exacting specifications that will deliver to many wonderful shaves. In terms of preference though, there always has to be a victor/winner. Closeness of shave can’t be answered as of this shave (about 9am today) since the end results were identical. Yet, I will admit that they both achieved that result via a different feel about them. The Timeless felt more neutral & balanced and a bit more intuitive on shave angle & feel. It was just by the smallest of margins to keep it in the optimal cutting zone in my hands over the Guerilla. Balance and feel on hand with the two are nearly imperceptible as they are very close to each other in weight and dimensions from top to bottom. In every other aspect of maneuverability and execution of said aspect they are equal. They rinse exceptionally well and keep the whiskers and suds away from the area being shaved quite effectively. Blade rigidity and support are very good but, the Timeless offers just a bit more contact area and support for the blade while providing a bit more curvature to the blade over its counterpart. Neither one exhibited any deflection nor blade flex during the shave but, the Timeless inspired a bit more confidence in that regard. Finish is a no brainer win for the Guerilla. That matte black anodizing is nearly perfect throughout the whole razor that allows the razor to feel like it’s rolling over the skin on bearings. Both handles are a wash as they both provide plenty of grip and tactile feel. I prefer the Guerilla handle over the Timeless one as it feels more natural in my hands. The Guerilla also offers a thinner head profile over the Timeless and that should be a plus for those that do work in tighter spots, more specifically under the schnoze.

The Aluminum Timeless .45 felt like a better overall shaver to the .69 Aluminum Guerilla in my shave experience and we are splitting hairs here as it was that close. I’m writing this here now and it’s nearly 4:30pm eastern time and I still can’t tell the difference on either side of both face & neck. Perhaps in a few more hours some hair growth will reveal itself soon enough and I’ll update it here when that occurs. Overall the Timeless edges out the Guerilla by a smidge to my shave standards. I’ll definitely give these two a go in a day or so but, I’ll fit the Guerilla with the .84 base plate and see how it fairs. I’m almost certain that it will forge ahead of the Timeless .45 just on blade feel alone and it should outclass it in performance in that regard.

Stay tuned for round #2……

My apologies for not posting sooner but, life happens. From the initial shave I performed yesterday with these aluminum tools of the shave trade, they actually gave me a very respectable 8 hours of duration with the Guerilla side just having a slightly wider area of hair growth over the Timeless side. I also felt the first perceptible growth of whisker on the Guerilla side perhaps 30 minutes or so before feeling growth on the Timeless shaved side. Negligible if you ask me but, if I adhere to the time & longevity theory, the Aluminum Timeless .45 edged the Aluminum Guerilla .69 by half a whisker.

Today I'll put my thoughts down on the match up of the Timeless & Guerilla equipped with the .84 base plate. Shave report to follow....

Great review of these two razors. I like aluminum razors myself. One thing that is missing is cost. The Timeless is $49 USD and the Wolfman is 175 CAD or ~$132.72 USD, so a big difference in price. The Wolfman is around 2.7 times more expensive, yet you felt the Timeless shaved a touch better, pretty significant. I look forward to reading your review on how the .84 base plate compares to the Timeless.

Excellent point as I failed to mention that. I agree 100%.

Sorry for the delay but, things of more importance came up and I could not find the time to put down my shave thoughts from yesterday. However, I have to offer a 2for1 shave report with a new twist in the participants. I’ll save the individual breakdown pass description and just refer to the first shave for the format.

Yesterday’s shave was with the Alum Guerilla .84 against the Alum Timeless .45. I used the same blades from the previous days shave and used Le Pere Lucien Oud/Santal shave soap to provide the glide & protective duties for the shave.I still employed the 3 pass shave exercise but, as stated before I’ll save you the minor and detailed intricacies of said action.

To be short and to the point, the Alum Guerilla .84 outclassed the Alum Timeless .45 by a considerable margin in shave efficiency and cutting effectiveness from first stroke to last. It proved to be nearly as smooth as the Timeless but, offered a more direct feel on the skin giving me a bit more real time info on what was happening during each pass of the shave. I will say that the Timeless for me is still the smoother and softer feeling shaver stroke for stroke but, that extra gap size on the Guerilla does allow for a bit more minor adjustments in shave angle/positioning allowing a nice range of blade feel. The Timeless still offers the better rigid feel but, the Guerilla still offers plenty of stability and keeps flex to a minimum and for me offers enough rigidity against my particular whisker growth. I suffered no blade deflection or skipping from the Guerilla during any particular pass and it gave me the faster and closer shave over the Timeless. The 3rd pass was on the side of the Guerilla was more of a formality as it really did clear out the whiskers on the WTG & ATG passes effectively & comfortably. I still completed the final pass but, it was more for the Timeless side to clear out the few whiskers remaining on both face and neck where as the Guerilla just need to clear out a patch near Sir Adam and a small light patch on the burns. Again, not a single mishap to note and even more importantly the face & neck were both free and clear of whiskers with a smooth, calm feeling of no disturbance of heat nor irritation. The alum pass showed nothing and the splash just sealed the deal.

A very good shave by both but, as I said before the Guerilla .84 offered the better result in terms of effectiveness without losing or sacrificing much in smoothness and overall comfort to the Timeless .45. For the all about smoothness & comfort shaver on a daily basis, the Alum Timeless .45 is in my estimation the easier choice. For the shaver that shaves daily that wants to increase blade feel and relies on that blade feel, the Alum Guerilla is the tool to consider from .84 to .99 gaps if one is in the lightweight camp. It will also work nicely for the shaver that only shaves 2-3 times per week while losing very little in comfort & smoothness with the extra day or two of whisker growth.

Both excellent razors in the Lightweight Division but, the .84 Alum Guerilla melds the perfect union of smooth, comfort & efficiency between all of its available blade gap options. I find the .69 gap extra smooth and easy which to me would be the choice for the daily easy shaver. I can’t say anything about the next lower sized gap in the .54 size but, I would only assume it would be even easier and smoother with very minimal blade feel if any at all.



The shave today was just an extra throw in as I did not want to create a separate thread. I figured it’s a subject on aluminum bodied razors and since I only have one other Aluminum made razor I said to meself, why not.

Today I used the .84 Alum Guerilla and I challenged it with the PAA Alum Ascension Adj. Yep, you read that right. A few have heard of the Ascension and others haven’t but, in a quick and brief description, this was their first replacement over the Legendary Razor Titan the DOC EVO in both Alum & SS. Though in practice, feel and execution the DOC EVO feels completely different over the newer DOC Ascension. The newer models are much more docile, smoother and easier on the skin over their extremely aggressive & harsh ancestors. One will never confuse the two in terms of shave experience. I hadn’t used the PAA Alum Ascension in some time so it was going to be a nice shave reacquaintance for today’s shave duties.

Went with the same blade in both, the Gillette 7 O’Clock Yellow Sharp Edge on its 3rd use. They are good for about 4-5 shaves for me before a noticeable decline in sharpness and cutting ability. Used Fine L’Orange Noir shave soap for the lube & glide duties. There is another note I’d like to add. The Alum Ascension is marketed as an adjustable razor by PAA. Though there are no markings for incremental gap adjustments, one would tighten the handle until it’s snug then just back off an 1/8“ of a turn at a time to get the desired feel and effect once your shave commenced. I backed it off an 1/8” to start and left it there during the whole shave.

Both razors got a side and it was going to be a 3 pass affair regardless of the outcome. I’d also note that in these three shaves, the skin stretching that I employed was and is extremely invaluable in keeping the shave regime to those 3 passes. Proper stretching is a valuable asset & technique worthy of employing for any and all wet shavers. It does make a difference and I will employ it more often. It cuts down on strokes and also minimizes any buffing or clean up passes that one might require without stretching the skin. It also adds the inherent benefit of less strokes and less potential to have an incident or have the discomfort/irritation gremlins appear.

From first stroke to last it was dubiously apparent that these two will shave with ease but, one was a nice surprise on how it felt and how it performed. Pass 1 was WTG and they both felt very close to one another on blade feel and cutting ability as the whiskers on both sides were brought down with ease to skin level. They matched each other stroke for stroke with the Ascension having a more solid feel with blade clamping that is far superior to the Guerilla. It’s also the quieter razor between the two and is very apparent especially in the ATG & XTG passes. I was very pleasantly surprised on how smooth & docile it was compared to the Guerilla and I’d have to say that it felt at least equally as smooth and soft if not more so to the Timeless Alum .45. However, it’s just as every bit as mean on the whiskers because of that blade clamping and the extreme curvature of the blade. It just naturally becomes a more rigid platform over the other two, especially over the Guerilla. You can hear the difference as well as the Guerilla sings compared to the Ascension where it just calmly hums along. The final XTG pass was going to be a formality as both were equal to one another at the end of the first two stages.

The final pass had a small patch along the jawline on the Guerilla side where as the Ascension had just a couple of stragglers near Sir Adam on its side. Cleared them both out on their respective sides and just continued with some extra skin stretching on both sides to see if the razors would pick up anything that I could have missed. Absolutely nothing was felt nor heard. An impressive shave indeed by both these razors from the Light Brigade. Both sides were at a BBS level without a negative result to mention. Alum pass gave nothing and the splash once again gave very little as well. Smooth finish and calm, undisturbed skin on both face & neck. That’s all a man can ask for when it’s all said and done. A clean, effective and comfortable shave. These two gave me that in spades.

Longevity & duration is going to have to be answered later on down the road. Yesterday’s shave gave me nearly 8 hours on the Timeless side whilst on the Guerilla side it was closer to 9 1/2 hours of duration. Whisker growth for this shave was about equal when I started with perhaps a smidge more on the side I assigned to the Ascension.



What have I concluded in these three shaves? Well, for starters a lightweight razor is not an excuse or a detriment to one not giving themselves a proper or respectable shave. Whether it is less comfortable or more so is on the user themselves based on their specific skin tolerances and very importantly, their perceived proper technique. Why do I say that? To make a long story short, we as human beings are creatures of habit. We like things to stay the same and keep on a constant repeatability. It’s no different in wet shaving as we prefer the shortest and easiest line or path way to our shave objective. And that is a close yet comfortable shave repeated time in, time out. Humans don’t like change and adaptation to something new is more of a nuisance or annoyance to their daily routine. We don’t like adapting to an unknown action and give up on something that is familiar and easy to repeat consistently. Same principal applies to shavers as well. I classify myself as an outlier as I don’t mind the challenge of adapting and improvising in the realm of shaving. There are many others that fall into that category as well but, as a whole we are a very small percentage of wet shavers that pursue the performance aspect and the desire to acquire that shave experience or knowledge through self experimentation and analysis. In the end it’s just shaving, nothing more and nothing less. It’s information and data that can give a reasonable explanation or depiction of an outcome from another person’s view, perspective and experience that can be relatable to others. There is nothing objective here other than the fact that a tool holder was used with a piece of steel clamped in between. That is a fact and objectively can not be argued. Now the subjective part is completely up for grabs and debate until the cows home or the Universe goes into its final stage of the Big Freeze. It’s the experience and results that are up for conversation and one’s interpretation.

Here’s the crux of it all. I prefer to use Stainless Steel, Titanium, Brass/Bronze & Copper alloyed razor tools because I feel comfortable using those particular alloys and subconsciously I create the idea that they perform better. Whether that is true or not will be the journey I will carry for the rest of my days. For me the simple fact is this that the Aluminum alloy razor tools have proven to be just as effective with verifiable results that are at least equal to the more prestigious and desirable higher valued alloy constructed razors. The final point is $$$$. Aluminum is so much cheaper. These razors all range from $50US to about $130US to purchase. They all exhibit excellent quality of craftsmanship & tolerances that are equal to their more expensive alloy counterparts.

Aluminum, the Lightweight & economical razor alternative to the Heavyweight class of exotic & more expensive alloy razors. Don’t knock it until you try it. It may surprise a few of you especially the diehard traditionalist.

Don’t try me with the plastic argument, I don’t care for it. 

Time for some College Bowl Games.

Great shaves to all….