Occam's Razor? Yes, I took a chance....

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by Str8on2, Aug 21, 2017.

  1. Got mine tonight Looking forward to comparing it to my Cobras, which started it all
     
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  2. Just opened my box, and I must say I have the worst luck with packaging from classic. The inside holders for the different levels was torn and everything was loose and rattling. Small scratches but hope head not damaged will give it a try when I have some hairs to shave. My new genesis is just giving me great shaves this time.
     
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  3. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    That sucks. But, at least there are dots on the plate heads to differentiate them. Congrats on the OB Genesis. I have no experience with the V2, but I have the V1 and it is an excellent razor. Happy shaves.... :happy088:
     
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  4. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    That just plain sucks.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  5. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/02/17
    Round #2

    Round 2 with the Occam's. Tried the 3 dot plate/head, but continued to use the Feather Super Pro. Quick change in about 20 seconds. No issue with the screws and threading on the new plate. Untighten the screws, leave them in their slots and align the head. Tighten them up and done. Blade went in without a hitch.

    I would say that I have to agree with a couple members concerning the protruding safety guard. I feel as if it hinders the shave somewhat in that it prohibits the user from getting into tight spots. And the wide head doesn't help with the situation either. But, I will say that with the 3 dot head, I got a much better shave than the first one. Near BBS in 3 passes, but again I needed extensive buffing because of the guard & wide head. The Super did not feel overly aggressive or fierce to be honest, and it went through the stubble with ease. Not nearly as aggressive as I thought. The soap really helped with the buffing session, if not my face would be on fire right now. Just very light irritation on the chin that was gone with the alum and cold water rinse. No nics, cuts or weepers to speak of.

    I'm not writing it off yet, by no means. I'm giving it a full weeks worth of shaves before I make a decision if it is rotation worthy or not. I've gotten 2 good shaves so far, but needed to put in some work to get them. The handle is a bit confusing, especially when trying to get an angle on the neck and corners of the mouth. Still trying to figure out the best way to hold it. So, 3 things for me so far. The over extended guard, the wide head and figuring out the best way to wield this tool.

    Like I said, I'm putting in a full week with it. Next shave though I'm trying a Proline in the 3 dot just to see how it performs in the most aggressive setting. Jury is still out....

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  6. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    It is certainly one cool looking razor Gus. I have enjoyed following your reviews. :happy088:
     
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  7. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    It's a unique razor for sure amigo. It has provided a pair of good shaves, but it's taking me more effort to achieve the desired results I'm looking for. I still haven't unlocked it yet, but that's part of the allure for me. Hopefully in the next handful of shaves I can come up with a technique (s) that will provide a smooth shave and BBS results consistently and easily.... :eatdrink047:
     
  8. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Good write up.

    Curious to see how it would perform with a Pro instead of a Super. If you are having to buff with a Super to get close, would losing that extra blade exposure make it too mild to be effective?
     
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  9. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    Good question. I figured the Schick Proline is an equal to the Feather Pro, with the Proline being a bit smoother and more forgiving yet being just as sharp. I'll load it up for today's shave and see where it leads me.... :signs002:
     
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  10. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/03/17
    Round #3

    Finally! A 2 pass shave with minor touch ups for a BBS finish on the third try. The Occam's & Proline combo worked very nicely together, smooth and efficient. What did I do to make it work for me? Well, I actually combined 2 techniques and a ham fisted grip. Here's the skinny:

    I decided to try shaving like if I was going to straight shave with some skin pulling and stretching. But, I coupled that with simulating a cartridge razor shave with some light pressure and long, steady strokes for both WTG and ATG passes. From sideburns to jawline in one easy motion, cleared that and from jawline to bottom of my neck the same way. I never lifted the razor and Like I said, applied just a tad bit more pressure to keep the guard and blade flush with my skin on every stroke. It was a little counter-intuitive for me, but it worked. The grip was a little strange also as I grabbed it like I would a paint roller handle and just rotated my thumb behind the razor head and rested it on the groove/hollow of the handle. It felt weird, but I quickly got used to it and I finished the whole shave that way. The result was an excellent smooth, nic, cuts and irritation free shave. Still a little work in clearing the corners of my mouth and stache area, including a bit around the Adam's Apple area but it was better than the first 2 attempts.

    That's what I did and somehow it worked. Perhaps with the longer guard a bit of pressure may be needed to create that pocket and plane for the blade to cut it cleanly maybe? Or the combo of both skin stretching and a bit of pressure sort of cartridge razor shaving like? I'm not going to look at the physics and science of what could have happened. There are better people here that can look into shave planes relative from razor to skin dynamics and can expand on that much better than I can. I'm just saying that the combination of techniques I employed worked, and worked well.

    It's not out of the woods yet, but it took a good step forward for me. Like I said, I'm going to commit to a full week of shaves, 5-6. It took 3 shaves to get a good one. Let's see if it can deliver a few more consistently. I'll put in another shave with the Proline then move on to a guarded blade and see then.....

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  11. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/04/17
    Round 4

    Another really good shave. Not much stubble since yesterdays shave was very close but comfy. The 5 o'clock shadow did not show itself until about 6-7pm today. 2nd time use with the Proline blade and the shave went without a single issue. An ATG pass pretty much restored the BBS and just a minor touch and buff on the chin and both jaw lines. Long steady strokes again as in the previous shave that produced no nics, cuts or weepers. No irritation and not a lot of work with maneuvering the razor as I just simply did some skin stretching to get to the tougher spots.

    The new grip that I'm using helps with moving around and not feeling awkward in the hands. Not the most natural shave grip, but comfortable and gets the job done. So now 4 shaves down, with 2 shaves that were not so easy to get and work. And 2 shaves that have been very nice, close and comfortable. The grip, the hybrid technique and the Proline blade have combined to give 2 very good shaves that have been long lasting and easy to get. 4 down, 3 more to go. The next shave I'm dropping in a guarded blade, the KAI ProTouch MG Pink. This blade works great in taming aggressive feeling razors that give a bit too harsh feel with an unguarded AC type blade. I believe it will give as smooth a shave as the Proline. Looking forward to it....

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  12. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/05/17
    Round #5

    Just finished my 5th shave with the Occam's and used a twice used KAI MG ProTouch Pink blade with the 3 dot head. Also decided to use the Grooming Dept. Voyage vegan soap for this one.

    All I can say is it was the best shave so far yet with this razor. The KAI ProTouch is an excellent blade that NO ONE seems to talk about. A 2 pass, no touch ups or buffing. Just an excellent shave with a wonderful post shave feel and finish. Good with the Feather Super. Great with the Schick Proline. Excellent with the KAI ProTouch. This razor is starting to show it's true colors. I myself had doubts after the first 2 shaves. Glad that I did not stop there and post this thing on the "Bay".

    All I can say gents is for those who have one, get to know it and try a couple of different blades. Don't give up on it yet. This just might be a Darkhorse in the making. It will pay off. Just put the time in and I believe it will surprise you. 5 down, 2 more to go......

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    The ProTouch MG Pink....
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    Can't get a real good shot of blade gap & exposure. My picture skills suck....
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    Hopefully this pic shows more of the gap relative to the guard..... still a very smooth shaver.
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  13. oldjoe

    oldjoe Well-Known Member

    I have a couple of single edge injector razors including the Supply Provision. I can't get over the lack of blade choices. Way, way Too limited IMHO! I haven't found that any single edge razor works better for me than a DE. All except for the One Blade Genesis which uses a different blade. And as good as that razor is the blade choice for the One Blade is simply too damned limited! With every DE razor out there one can find a blade that works for them-----IMHO, of course!
     
  14. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Have any of the SE’s you tried used Artist Club style blades?
    Nearly a dozen choices there.

    Leaves lots of opportunities for the Occam.
     
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  15. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    What he said....:signs011:
     
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  16. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    My Focus Dynamic may have the widest possible blade selection spectrum.

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  17. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    Thanks for taking the time to post such detailed recaps of the shaves with the Occams. I've enjoyed following along. The razor looks cross between a Cobra Classic and OneBlade Genesis.
     
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  18. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Clint. I enjoy doing these test shaves. Sometimes I'll back track and re-read my previous writings if I happen to miss or do something with a razor that is similar just to refresh and say, "aaah, that's what I did". It's fun regardless. And yes, I agree with your assessment that there are similar characteristics on the Occam's from the CC & OB...... Perhaps purposely done? :signs002:
     
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  19. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/9/19
    Round 6

    Decided to let a few days go by and get some decent growth and throw the Occam's at it. Same items as in the last shave except for the Maggard synthetic. Everything worked together as planned. Just an excellent 2.5 pass shave that was super comfortable and produced a wonderful BBS shave. The razor went right through 4 days growth without a hiccup and the KAI blade felt sharp, smooth and efficient. The ProTouch MG is an excellent match for the Occam's on the 3 dot plate. Of course that's just my own personal experience. Nonetheless, it pairs very, very well.

    The grip of the razor has been more comfortable since I saw the link with Luke Webster giving a few tips and pointers on how to use and hold the razor. I will say that on ATG passes, I still get a better feel and better control with my thumb behind the razors head. But used it as was mentioned on the link on the WTG and minor touch up passes. The shaves have been better and this one was the best, rivaling some of the better shaves I've given myself with other, more well known SE razors. One more to go and an overall write up in tune....

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  20. Str8on2

    Str8on2 Well-Known Member

    12/16/17

    Rounds 7,8 & 9

    Haven’t been able to put the last 2 shaves prior to this one in the shave report spaces here. Work, family and the holiday shuffle have been very hectic, plus I received a vintage injector razor that I just had to try out. That’s done and over with (great shave by the way with the injector, report on that soon). Put 3 more shaves in from last Saturday to today and they have been just superb.

    I will just come out flat and say it. The razor stays in my rotation as it has proven to be an excellent and efficient razor regardless of hair growth from 1-3 days in my experience. It took me 2-3 shaves to get it dialed in, but once I got the feel, grip and technique for it, it has been smooth sailing without a single issue. All shaves have produced excellent results with various blades in the mix. From a Feather Pro Super, Schick Proline and KAI ProTouch Pink’s, no complaints at all with neither of them. I will say that my best shaves came at the hands of the KAI ProTouch Pink with the 3 dot head. They were smooth, comfortable and very close that gave really good longevity on face feel and duration of quality of shave. I must say that I never did use the 1 dot head in the razor. But I will in the future experiment with the 1 dot head. As for now, the 2 & 3 dot were more than enough to get me good, consistent shaves.

    First, the pro’s on the Occam’s razor:
    1. Solid build and construction. SS gents, it’s not going anywhere. Fit and finish is top notch with not a hint of sloppiness in its construction.
    2. Adjustability. You can set it to your favorite set up and forget it. Like I said, I never tried the 1 dot head but with the other 2 sizes I never felt an overly aggressive shave or blade feel with it. Just smooth shaves and I never felt that I would cut or nic myself with it.
    3. Weight distribution. Though I thought it should have weighed more since it’s all SS, it was surprisingly light but, very well balanced. Good in the hands, with good transitional movement between WTG, XTG and ATG shave passes. It has a sort of tongue depressor type handle, but it never felt slippery nor did I drop it. And the groove on the handle actually aides in getting a proper grip just right under the head.
    4. Blade insertion/removal is a snap. I actually don’t use the tool that came included with it for removing and installing a blade. Just grab a blade, insert from the rear of the head, and a gentle 2 finger push on the blade from both ends. Easy as pie.
    5. Great clean and rinse razor. No other safety razor comes close in clearing out soap and hair. Nothing.
    6. Nice, wide head. Covers more real estate with each pass.

    Now the con’s. I don’t have much, but I believe they are significant in holding back a razor that is good that potentially could have been great:
    1. The guard. It is just a big safety guard and I believe it doesn’t allow for the blade to engage more smoothly with the skin. A little less safety bar would turn this razor up a notch in efficiency and feel in my opinion.
    2. Ease of adjustability. Let’s face it, having to use a tool (small Phillips head ) to remove 2 screws to change head types is a bit of a nuisance. Though you get an extra set in the razor kit, if you’re careless or happen to drop one in your bathroom/shave den sink, good luck. I think a simple slide and lock mechanism would have been much better and easier to deal with in changing those head plates. Besides, who uses a tool to shave with their razor? Exactly.
    3. The handle can be an issue. It’s love or hate and getting a proper grip or hold of it can be a bit of an issue. It took me a fe shaves to figure it out and find a hold I was comfortable with. Not a deal breaker, but has to be mentioned nonetheless.
    4. Maneuverability. The wide head is great on flat, clean passes. But getting into the corners of your mouth and lining up those sideburns can be a real problem. Again, the safety bar for me is the culprit here. And if you have a pronounced Adams Apple such as I do, it can get tricky moving around there. Not impossible, but more work required to get it done compared to others. I don’t shave the stache area, but I can see where using it can be a problem. Again, back to the safety bar here.

    In the end, the Occam’s is a very capable razor in giving excellent shaves. My shaves got better as I got more and more shaves in. Worked with every blade I put in it. The razor never felt aggressive nor did I feel that it was capable of cutting me.

    The razor has great potential in being an everyday shaver. A simpler system for changing the heads and a reduced safety bar contact area would pay off big dividends in making it more user friendly and a force in the safety razor world. It’s a competent razor that gets it done, but I believe with a couple of tweaks it can be a top shaver in anyone’s shave arsenal. As it stands, it’s just a notch below, a tiny one to some of the heavy hitters in my possession. But it’s a keeper and it has a uniqueness to it that draws me. Anyway, that’s how I see it......

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