It's out and the KARVE store is selling as of today, Feb 22, 2019 @ 4pm PST. I purchased the OC plates C & D.
Here's 1st Shave Impressions: KARVE Open Comb (OC) Plate-D Panna Crema Soap Perma-Sharp Super WTG (1st pass): super smooth and efficient. The razor just slide down the face and down the neck, almost like a blade wasn't loaded in the head. Mix of XTG/ATG (2nd pass): Very efficient and smooth. This pass was more reducing of the stubble than the closed bar Plate-D. No noticable increase in harshness than with closed bar plate-D. Full out ATG and/or buffing (3rd pass): Fantastic results! Definite blade feel with the smoothness of the closed bar plate. So efficient that I didn't need any buffing. Totally BBS with less work than with the closed bar plate. NO irritation. I attribute this to it's outstanding efficiency and less passes needed to push a shave for a BBS result. Wonderful feel. I'm not an expert with experience on using too many open comb razors, but this is the best open comb I've ever used. I sold my Timeless 0.95 because it was open comb. This shave was much better than with my past, open comb Timeless. The OC plate feels just as smooth as the closed bar Plate-D. I conclude that it's efficiency is better and somewhere around the KARVE closed bar Plate-E/F. Here's who I think will really love this razor... the person who gravitates to a DFS, 2 pass shave. I believe they will reap a closer shave. As for me, who always goes for extreme BBS, I found BBS in 3 passes, very easily. KARVE did it again. Impressive all the way around! In Summary: OC Plate-C - feels like CB Plate-D - efficiency of CB Plate-E/F
The combs on the base plate are larger then normal OC razors and I think this makes the shave much smoother and efficient. My results this morning were excellent. I used the F plate.
2nd --- KARVE OC Plate-D Shave Impression: Awesome!!! Even though Ladas isn't the sharpest blade in the bunch, it was sure smooth... or was it the OC plate? In either case, this shave was utterly outstanding. Extreme BBS and completely irritation free. My shave passed the 12 hours after test. If I'm still BBS by the end of the day, then I'm certain I acheived one close shave. The OC, if I'm going to get picky, requires a slight bit of extra concentration to find and maintain a proper blade, cutting angle compared to the standard bar plates. However, not hard to find, at all. I'm extremely pleased and happy that I bought the OC C and D. I'm tempted to add OC plate-F soon. These past two shaves have been brilliant, just utterly BRILLIANT!
I ordered my open comb plate on the 11th of April and received it on the 29th of April. Shipping is slow coming out Canada. You should get yours in about 2 and 1/2 weeks.
I'm closer to Canada, Conecticut to be exact. It depends where it's coming from. I saw on other sites it takes about 6-7 days to get to New England. I'm closer to Canada than I am to you .
Actually it went to the west coast first. Once it hits the US is does not take long. It has to go through customs and that takes a little longer.