Wolfman WR2 Head Discussion

LOOT  I was one bloody mess after using the .74. Tried it a few times with different blades. I was lucky to have skin left.  All those high gaps make my head spin. 

Honestly, I didn't like the 74 because I thought it was a bit harsh feeling. The 80 is much better. In fact, probably my favorite WR1 for daily use.

Max, am in complete agreement with your ranking but did not get the impression of Loot’s views you did

 
Let me re-phrase. My experience was different than Loot which is more what I meant to express. It is all so individual. I do believe that people with sensitive skin, light bearded and a thinner skin experience or feel aggressiveness much more pronounced as those with an elephant skin. We are just more sensitive at feeling subtle differences. But I could be wrong. This has just been my experience during all those years. In the end I've learned that no matter what people tell or advise you, the best and only way is to try it out yourself. Nobody can be a better judge than yourself.

Referencing an earlier post to this thread, suspect straight edge shavers likely to prefer smaller gaps due to more experience managing blade angles and pressures in an environment with higher consequences for error.

I have tried reaching out to James duFour to conduct a US based prepurchase passaround of a Wolfman WR2 razor kit using dual gap baseplates of all ranges in the WR2 range in SB format.

He has not responded. Anybody ordering in communication with Wolfman would be thanked for telling him to read my emails and respond. To Max point, having this inperson exposure to the different gaps prior to ordering would aid customer satisfaction and be a real service to those with constrained budgets needing to pick the right razor the first time

Help me to help the forum guys

Interesting video, he is clearly another fan of mild razors and calls the .85 gap too aggressive!

Yes he has a .85 wr2.

My first Wolfman razors were the WR1 .61, in both SB and OC sourced from ebay. I found them to be good, but like the Timeless .68, too much work, as LOOT said, and like him, I sold those two.

My next gap was a WR1 0.74 DC I picked up of ebay and it was much more efficient for me, yet still a smooth no irritation shaver.

Next, another ebay acquisition, a WR1 0.86 OC and it was, and is, awesome. Again, smooth and super efficient with no irritation. 

My final WR1, this time directly from James is a 0.94 DC. I had to work at figuring out this razor. It didn't come easily. In the beginning shaves were harsh, but I persevered and 'tamed' the beast ... 

How you ask ... I don't know.    Experimenting with different blades, handles ... angle. After awhile I began getting comfortable close shaves ... but carefully.

WR2, direct from James ( I was in hog heaven) a DC 1.15 OC / 1.25 SB. The theory that some have in which an OC effectively adds to the gap is why I went 1.15 OC. It does appear to shave more like the 1.25 SB side, but that may be my imagination. Be that as it may it is a great head .... BUT ... I intend to put it in the BST to trade for a WR2 1.35 head one of these days.

Another WR2 in 1.25 OC from a DFS member. It is so smooth and efficient, so irritation free, it is hard to believe. A 'I'm going to die with this one' razor.

A WR2 1.55 direct from James. Shaving with this one daily now for the past two days ... and tonight will be day three. My desert island ... if you could only have one razor. Pure safety razor perfection AFAIC.

My long time straight razor buddy Max surprised me with his post preferring smaller gaps, and that was my motivation for all the blather above. Different strokes for different folks. 

JimmyH I still haven't figured out why in DE or SE I gravitate towards the lower gaps (low aggressive) while I can use mostly any SR. However I have moved to using 1/4 hollows as they are much more comfortable on my skin as opposed to the full hollows I used most my life. My skin has gotten more sensitive as I've grown older. For me the choice of steel and final edge can make a difference in SR. For example I cannot tolerate Swedish steel. It's too harsh. Doesn't matter how good of an edge I can put on them. I love the old Sheffield steel. It has a distinct buttery feel that my skin adores. Probably my favorite steel from all the vintage razors. As you mentioned, different strokes for different folks.

True how Swedish steel and some of the TI steels feel harsh whilst the old Sheffields feel great; Damascus tends to agree quite well with my ultra sensitive skin as well - perhaps from being so worked?

True how Swedish steel and some of the TI steels feel harsh whilst the old Sheffields feel great; Damascus tends to agree quite well with my ultra sensitive skin as well - perhaps from being so worked?

 Dan, It will depend if stainless or carbon steel is used with the Damascus, proper heat treat and final grind. I favor carbon steel, the lower spectrum of final hardness and really dislike those super high Rockwell numbers that have no place for a SR and are more geared for knives.

I have tried reaching out to James duFour to conduct a US based prepurchase passaround of a Wolfman WR2 razor kit using dual gap baseplates of all ranges in the WR2 range in SB format.

He has not responded. Anybody ordering in communication with Wolfman would be thanked for telling him to read my emails and respond. To Max point, having this inperson exposure to the different gaps prior to ordering would aid customer satisfaction and be a real service to those with constrained budgets needing to pick the right razor the first time

Help me to help the forum guys

I don't see this happening.

And I don't think James would agree on that for many reasons. Expecting an email for such a thing when James is almost unreachable for the average wetshaver is a bit too much. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

People who can buy a Wolfman can afford more than one. This thread is the proof of this.

What you're suggesting would take a lot of time. People would need to have at least three weeks before sending the very expensive package to the next person. You can't draw a conclusion just like that. It takes time with all these plates and different combinations.

People wait months to purchase one. They are not available 24/7. Even if you like one combo from the pass-around, you have to wait so much time. In the meantime, there are many other razors available.

With all due respect, it looks like a try to get your hands on as many combinations as possible, without having any possibility to just visit the site and buy one. It makes no sense.

There are so many other companies that can send their products and make a pass-around. Stick to them. Wolfman is not one of them and won't be one in the foreseeable future.

What if someone just tries the razors and never sending them to the next one, keeps them for himself or resells them? They're very precious and expensive items and even an honest person would have second thoughts. Human nature is unpredictable. There is a high possibility for this. Very high. How can you eliminate this? You can't. US is a huge country. Yyyyuuuge. You wouldn't have participants of a very small community (geographically) that they're known to each other. The participants would be totally strangers. You wouldn't be able to locate them. See what happens with the friends and family payments and people who steal money and send nothing back. You just can't find them, unless you're a real weirdo (visit their home and such). Would you personally compensate James if anything occurs with the razors? Would you pay a couple of grands (a random number)? Would you trust each and every person enough to take the risk?

Something like this would make Wolfman accessible to everyone. All would like to be added in the list. Each and every one. Especially those that can't afford one or don't have the time to wait or wait for years to try one. This is not how it works with the Wolfman Razors company and I wonder why you even suggested like this since it is not exactly the easiest thing in the wet shaving world. On the contrary, it's the most difficult.

Unbelievable.