Wolfman WR2 Head Discussion

Top is basic. Sorry, I don’t have the basic brushed any more. Actually I think the best finish James does/did was the original brushed one.

I take it the one on top is the Brushed / Basic Matte, right? You don't have a pic of them side x side do you? That is more of what I was looking for but thank you for posting the pics...

Not worth the upcharge in my honest opinion. Not a huge difference to me at least. 

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for... I can see a difference but just not sure it warrants the extra $300 upcharge though!!

Not worth the upcharge in my honest opinion. Not a huge difference to me at least. 

Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for... I can see a difference but just not sure it warrants the extra $300 upcharge though!!

I dont think so. Some Flitz, a Flitz polishing cloth, and about 15 minutes would make the top cap better than the upcharged finish. The handles are fairly easy to do as well. The bottom of the cap and top of the plate don't need work, imo. The bottom of the plate is more difficult on the inside corner especially. I don't sweat it really. The cap is the important part, if glide is the driver.

Maybe a few of the basic finish razors get through QC with inconsistencies? Personally, I struggle to tell a difference between my full Mirror Polished and Basic Polished sets. If I look very carefully, at just the right angle, in bright sunlight, I can see a couple of machining marks in the basic finish... I can’t even capture it with my camera.

That’s the only perceivable difference to me and IMHO not worth the up-charge. BTW, the full Mirror Polished is on the left and the Basic Polished is on the right...

Maybe a few of the basic finish razors get through QC with inconsistencies? Personally, I struggle to tell a difference between my full Mirror Polished and Basic Polished sets. If I look very carefully, at just the right angle, in bright sunlight, I can see a couple of machining marks in the basic finish... I can’t even capture it with my camera.

That’s the only perceivable difference to me and IMHO not worth the up-charge. BTW, the full Mirror Polished is on the left and the Basic Polished is on the right...

Are these razors before the new shop help was hired, or after?

The Mirror Polished is from 2019 and I just received the Basic Polished from JD, this month, June 2021... In all fairness, I’ve been using the mirror finish for two years, so it does have some micro-scratches from clamping the blade, etc.

The Mirror Polished is from 2019 and I just received the Basic Polished from JD, this month, June 2021... In all fairness, I’ve been using the mirror finish for two years, so it does have some micro-scratches from clamping the blade, etc.

Comparing your photos to the ones in the prior few posts, I'd say yeah, some obviously make it through QC then. The variation is striking. It makes no sense to me.

I always bought mirror. Somehow, in one of my orders in 2018, I got a brushed stand. It looked like yours. It is a mirror that he added a very faint brush to and it is gorgeous. It made me reconsider mirror but I was too far down that road. Some of the recent suspect razors look pretty bad, to me.

The Mirror Polished is from 2019 and I just received the Basic Polished from JD, this month, June 2021... In all fairness, I’ve been using the mirror finish for two years, so it does have some micro-scratches from clamping the blade, etc.

Comparing your photos to the ones in the prior few posts, I'd say yeah, some obviously make it through QC then.  The variation is striking. It makes no sense to me.

I always bought mirror.  Somehow, in one of my orders in 2018, I got a brushed stand.  It looked like yours.  It is a mirror that he added a very faint brush to and it is gorgeous.  It made me reconsider mirror but I was too far down that road.  Some of the recent suspect razors look pretty bad, to me.

I had gotten a couple of the older upcharge brushed finish and it is a beautiful finish. In the past month or so there was a brushed finish (upcharged) in the BST. I actually sent the seller a PM and suggested he redo the pix of the bottom of the base plate. I don't know if it was photo angle, or just the plate hadn't been adequately cleaned, but it had marks on it. 

He thanked me and did change the photo, but it still didn't look as clean/sharp as my brushed upcharge stuff is. Also, when James first went to the basic finishes I got a WR2 1.55. I was surprised at how good the basic polished looked. My guess is he is so used to being a perfectionist that the earliest ones were damn near as good as the mirror polished. 

Perhaps things have changed.

The Mirror Polished is from 2019 and I just received the Basic Polished from JD, this month, June 2021... In all fairness, I’ve been using the mirror finish for two years, so it does have some micro-scratches from clamping the blade, etc.

Comparing your photos to the ones in the prior few posts, I'd say yeah, some obviously make it through QC then.  The variation is striking. It makes no sense to me.

I always bought mirror.  Somehow, in one of my orders in 2018, I got a brushed stand.  It looked like yours.  It is a mirror that he added a very faint brush to and it is gorgeous.  It made me reconsider mirror but I was too far down that road.  Some of the recent suspect razors look pretty bad, to me.

I must admit I was a bit concerned when I read some of the posts here. That’s why I posted my positive experience with the basic finish. If you think about it, there could be quite a few variables, for instance...

1. QC standards may vary more for the basic finish (hit or miss)
2. Some parts (handles, top caps) may be machined in advance, to a higher standard, before customer places a specific order
3. CNC machine variables, fresh parts vs worn parts (rotary cutter)
4. James may finish some razors while an apprentice finishes others
5. Sometimes we all just have an “off” day

It’s nice to know that there is a return process if one receives a razor they’re not happy with.

I think it is more up to expectation.
In 2019, I got the basic polish same as mirror. It was flawless.
When I got the 2021 razor, I wasn't happy it came with flaws.
But it was still very good. There is also high price difference between mirror and basic. It should have some differences.
I am lucky he accepted the return, since he wrote in the website that basic polish might include machine marks.