Wolfman WR2 Brushed Ti 1.15SB vs. Wolfman WR2 Polished SS 1.15OC
Brush: Declaration Jefferson B7 Dark Emerald
Soap: Grooming Dept Before the Fire
Blade: Polisilver SI (in both)
Post Shave: Strike Gold Ike & Wholly Kaw Bare Naked Balm
I wasn't on planning on the dueling Wolfmans before spending more time with the Ti, but my curiosity got the best of me. The only wrinkle in this plan is that the 1.15 side of the Ti is SB and the 1.15 side of the SS is OC. In the end, it didn't matter, as you'll see. Without going into a bunch of details here are the results:
*The SS 1.15 felt notcieably smoother during the shave.
*The Ti 1.15 was more efficient. I have distinctly less stubble feel on the Ti SB side.
*Post shave, my face feels better on the Ti side, even though the shave itself didn't feel as smooth as it did while using the SS WR2.
(Note: I don't get very much irritation with the SS razor, but I have gotten
zero irritation with the Ti in the past three days, even though it's a more aggressive razor)
Conclusions
This test confirmed my conclusions over the past two days using the WR2 Ti. I would say that the Ti version of this DC razor (1.25OC/1.15SB) is roughly the equivalent of SS 1.35OC/1.25SB, but with less post shave irritation than I would expect with the SS razor. Both gaps being equal, the Ti WR2 is more efficient than its SS counterpart with better post shave results. During the shave itself, the SS is more comfortable (though I prefer the weight of the Ti even more than my SS with the WRH2 hollow handle).
Questions
*Would a polished Ti WR2 in the same gap be the best of both worlds?
*Is it the type of metal or the head's finish that made the SS more comfortable during the shave?
*Might using a wetter lather (as I do when using a Feather AC razor) smooth out the Ti during the shave?
I think I prefer the look of the brushed razor but, if a polished Ti would be a more comfortable shave, I would swap it for the brushed one.