I got in a couple of shaves with the Yates, and wanted to get a few thoughts down. Thanks to YatesPrecision for providing the razor, and to andrewjs18 for organizing the pass around.
Build quality of this razor is top notch; great tolerances, great fit. I like the design of the head, with the cutouts on the top cap. Others have mentioned that they didn’t like the look, but I like the functionality of it when removing the blade, and the fact that the blade tabs don’t hang over the edges. I prefer long handles, so this one is right up my alley. I wasn’t sure about the handle thickness, but it didn’t bother me at all.
Shave #1
Plate: M
Blade: Permasharp (3)
Brush: Elite Razor hybrid w/ Odin’s Beard knot
Soap: Ethos Succes
Post: GentlemanJon Alum block
Post: Ethos Replenish
Post: Ethos Skin Food Splash
I was excited to try out the Yates after reading so much about it. The balance is very nice, and the stone wash finish provides plenty of grip. First pass WTG took down 2 days of growth with ease. I was a little concerned about finding the right angle, considering how much the blade is flexed with this design, but I didn’t seem to have any trouble. The shape of the head helps with finding the angle, actually. Very smooth, and the efficiency is surprising considering the gap of the M plate. XTG then ATG, with a little cleanup, and it was a near-BBS result, with very little feedback from the alum.
I have the Masamune with Nodachi top cap, which has similar gap/exposure to the Yates M, but the Yates seems to be much more efficient due to the head design, while still maintaining the smoothness of the Masamune.
Shave #2
Plate: H
Blade: Permasharp (4)
Brush: Elite Razor hybrid w/ Odin’s Beard knot
Soap: Zingari Man Explorer
Post: GentlemanJon Alum block
Post: Ethos Replenish
Next up was the H plate. I probably should have stuck with a soap that I am more familiar with, but I got a sample of Zingari Man Explorer, and really wanted to give it a try. I think my lather wasn’t quite up to par with what is possible with this soap, but it was still pretty good. The H plate definitely has a bit more blade feel than the M plate, but I never felt like it was going to bite unless I really slipped up. Three passes and cleanup, and ended up with a close to BBS shave. A little bit of alum burn, but that was expected due to increased blade exposure and this being my first shave with it.
I’m definitely going to revisit the H plate, as after this first round, I didn’t feel like it was that much more efficient than the M plate. In the end, I got about the same shave, but the M was less harsh for me. It could have been the change in soap, so I’ll run the H plate with Ethos and compare again.
I’m planning on a few more shaves, and will update again later in the week.
Build quality of this razor is top notch; great tolerances, great fit. I like the design of the head, with the cutouts on the top cap. Others have mentioned that they didn’t like the look, but I like the functionality of it when removing the blade, and the fact that the blade tabs don’t hang over the edges. I prefer long handles, so this one is right up my alley. I wasn’t sure about the handle thickness, but it didn’t bother me at all.
Shave #1
Plate: M
Blade: Permasharp (3)
Brush: Elite Razor hybrid w/ Odin’s Beard knot
Soap: Ethos Succes
Post: GentlemanJon Alum block
Post: Ethos Replenish
Post: Ethos Skin Food Splash
I was excited to try out the Yates after reading so much about it. The balance is very nice, and the stone wash finish provides plenty of grip. First pass WTG took down 2 days of growth with ease. I was a little concerned about finding the right angle, considering how much the blade is flexed with this design, but I didn’t seem to have any trouble. The shape of the head helps with finding the angle, actually. Very smooth, and the efficiency is surprising considering the gap of the M plate. XTG then ATG, with a little cleanup, and it was a near-BBS result, with very little feedback from the alum.
I have the Masamune with Nodachi top cap, which has similar gap/exposure to the Yates M, but the Yates seems to be much more efficient due to the head design, while still maintaining the smoothness of the Masamune.
Shave #2
Plate: H
Blade: Permasharp (4)
Brush: Elite Razor hybrid w/ Odin’s Beard knot
Soap: Zingari Man Explorer
Post: GentlemanJon Alum block
Post: Ethos Replenish
Next up was the H plate. I probably should have stuck with a soap that I am more familiar with, but I got a sample of Zingari Man Explorer, and really wanted to give it a try. I think my lather wasn’t quite up to par with what is possible with this soap, but it was still pretty good. The H plate definitely has a bit more blade feel than the M plate, but I never felt like it was going to bite unless I really slipped up. Three passes and cleanup, and ended up with a close to BBS shave. A little bit of alum burn, but that was expected due to increased blade exposure and this being my first shave with it.
I’m definitely going to revisit the H plate, as after this first round, I didn’t feel like it was that much more efficient than the M plate. In the end, I got about the same shave, but the M was less harsh for me. It could have been the change in soap, so I’ll run the H plate with Ethos and compare again.
I’m planning on a few more shaves, and will update again later in the week.