https://lambda-razors.com/product/lambda-athena/ She is a spendy one for sure and a new personal record for price paid for a razor! The Marine Brass gives it a unique shine in the pictures and shave reports are optimistic for me. Is this 6 times better than a Pearl Blaze or a similar razor? 3 times better than an EJ 3one6 or Muhle Rocca? Not sure but, I'm going to find out!
That aluminum bronze stuff it's made of is a treat. I've been saying there ought to be a razor made out of it for years. Is it 6 times better than the pearl blaze? Probably. 3 times better than the EJ or Mühle? Probably not. Past a certain point, you aren't paying for functionality any more. You're paying for the case, the polish job, and fit and finish. That razor is a stunner though.
Yep, pretty nice material for a razor. Yep, you're paying for the aesthetic to a certain degree since the EJ and Muhle razors are so good at their price points. Yes, that case ain't a cheap one. The question really is whether it would sell for less in a cardboard box! Probably not. Fit, finish, and polish is something to appreciate but, it isn't exclusive to Lambda. Absolutely! And shave reports are generally glowing. However, after spending this much money on something, who is going to say it doesn't shave well or was a bad choice!
Sitting in the New York ISC facility as of Saturday. Hopefully, it leaves US Customs Monday or Tuesday.
I've read people saying that the less-than-$100USD Brass Karve Overlander shaves just as good or even better.
You can say that about any razor. A $10 clone of a Kai Luffy will shave just as good as any of the 'name brand' Shavettes out there. It's the blade you put in the razor that does the shaving, after all. You pay for the materials, labor and polishing, and in some cases, the presentation. I display the Tedalus, I gift the Luffy clone to friends. Each has their place. I've shaved with the Karve. It's a nice razor. So is the Game Changer, and so is the Timeless. I can think of a half dozen cheap vintage Gillettes that shave just as good. At a certain price point, you're just paying for functional art sculptures.
I almost get one, in a group buy project. https://sincortenohaygloria.com/t/conjunta-lambda-athena/ But actually I don't care about art ...
Yes, but some razors hold the blade better than others. I have a drawer full of farkakte Parkers and Pearls that do not give an enjoyable shave. What attracts me to the Lambda Athena is that I've read that it has negative blade exposure, but is extremely efficient -- comparable to razors that have much more exposure and are also considered extremely efficient. In many of the discussions, the Overlander comes up as being similar, but for less simoleons (in brass or aluminum) than the Lambda Athena. For both, if the exchange rate becomes more favorable to USD, even better. Another thing that attracts me -- both the Lambda Athena and the Karve Overlander come in one, and only one, head configuration. (The Overlander does have a choice of different handles, though. )When people talk about them, you don't get lost in the sea of configration confusion. (e.g. The Tatara, with the Nodachi cap and Masamune baseplate, The WR2 with the 1.35 gap, the Karve Christopher Bradley with the OC baseplate, etc.) Which are the vintage Gillettes comparable to the Karve Overlander? I have most, but please don't say the such-and-such flat bottom or such-and-such raised flat bottom or British/Canadian/Name-another-country, etc. I don't have those, and they're uber-expensive. I just received a British flare-tipped Rocket, though. Neither do I, but I don't like an eye-sore, either. Who doesn't? I put my name on the wait-list, but I could always re-neg on it.
well,you aren't going to like the answer.the karve overlander looks like the british flat bottom tech design.but most likely replicates the early triangular slot blade clamping technology.from a quick visual ...
Well, despite what I said, that could actually be good news. I'm not sure I can find a British FB Tech for less than the cost of a new Overlander in brass or aluminum. Actually, @PLANofMAN said "cheap vintage gilletes", so I assume the more common U.S. ones. In any case, would either a Lambda Athena or Karve Overlander shave much better, if at all, than a Feather AS-D2, a pre-war U.S. tech, a post-war U.S. tech, or a garden-variety U.S. Superspeed? I know this is pretty much a rhetorical question. YMMV.
That's a good question, and not one I have a good answer for. I've shaved with the Christopher Bradley Karve, D plates open comb and bar guard, and E plate bar guard, and to me it was similar in aggressiveness/efficiency to the Blackland Blackbird. Of course the CB Karve is not the same thing as the Karve Overlander, which I have not used. Based on the specs, and the positive blade exposure, the Overlander probably shaves similar to a Gillette aristocrat or Aristocrat Jr., or the aforementioned flat bottom tech. I would expect it to be marginally more aggressive than all the razors you listed above. On the other hand, pairing a Feather blade with some of the milder razors you mentioned will result in an exceptional shave. It boils down to how much blade feel do you like, and how well can you control angle and pressure? An experienced wet shaver ought to care less about gap and exposure than tolerances and clamping points. I'm far more likely to cut myself with a razor that doesn't hold a blade evenly and securely than I am with a hyper aggressive razor. The latter I can compensate for. The former is an accident waiting to happen.
Good point. There is something to be said, however, for a mild razor that's super efficient. At least for me. When shaving half asleep, no matter how experienced a shaver may be, there is always the chance of a mishap. I've often pondered: what's the difference among razors beyond a certain aggression point? I think you hit the nail right on the head about tolerances and clamping. If it were not for those differences, does a little more exposure or gap really make a difference -- for an experienced shaver, that is? At some point, the gap and exposure become almost a shavette or a straight razor. What makes a Muhle R41 more beloved than say, a Parker 99R TTO? I've never used the former, but have used the latter. I find the Parker to be an aggressive razor, but I did manage to tame it via careful shaving. I don't reach for it that often, however. It barely blends the blade, and there is a lot of blade reveal, so the clamping is nothing to write home about. It is spot-on, however, in terms of even exposure and secure holding of the blade. From what I've read, the Lambda Athena is mild, with a negative exposure, but very efficient. Sounds like a win-win -- for over 200 clams, though. Maybe more like a win-win-lose (for my wallet).
Yes, and I get great shaves from all the vintage Gillettes I've tried, except perhaps the New SC, which I found a bit rough. I've yet to pay over 100 bananas for a razor. The most I've spent is for a Feather AS-D2, on which I got a great deal for those 100. I've mistakenly bought too many "reasonably" priced razors, for the variety if nothing else. While many shave good, they really don't offer up much above their brethren in my den. It's funny that I was hesistant to get a high-end razor, but then dumped a similar amount of potatoes on 3 or 4 very average ones. They're basically un-sellable -- who would buy them used when they are so inexpensive new anyway? It's not worth the hassle to perhaps net 5-10 oysters for them, after the fleabay fees. (It's bad enough they take a cut of the shipping charges, but they even take a cut of the taxes! That makes no sense!) Curiosity killed the cat, however; hence why I ask about the Lambda Athena. But in reality I'm probably chasing a shadow.
