January - Shavettes and Jeeves!
January 24
Razor - Luxor Pro Shavette
Blade -
![[IMG]](https://theshaveden.com/forums/attachments/shark-super-stainless-shavette-jpg.184511/)
(2)
Soap - Jeeves Bay Rum
Brush - Jayaruh #312
Post - Alum
Another shave with the Luxor Pro to see how it performs and compare against the Parker SRX. Yesterday I determined that they are nearly identical in weight and the main difference in handling is the looser handle on the Luxor which can cause the blade to get dinged when closing if you don't watch it. The Luxor feels lighter than the SRX and is, but only by 2 grams. It's the handle design that creates that false feeling, I believe.
I grabbed the JR312 and the Jeeves Bay Rum to get a perfect lather and make sure this razor has a fair showing. My initial reaction last night was to prefer the SRX by just a bit, but after only one comparison shave I'm not ready to call it. So tonight is a key shave. I had no issues with the sharpness or smoothness of the Shark blade. Again, in shavettes, blade choice isn't the most important thing in the world. I performed three passes and noticed two specific things. One - I definitely shave a bit faster with the Luxor than I did the Parker. Not having to worry about corners is a freeing feeling. I didn't get crazy with it but it is nice not to have to think about blade corners. Two - the Luxor feels a bit "sticky" compared to the Parker. I don't feel like it has quite the same glide to it that the Parker does. They're both stainless razors, though the Parker is polished to a shine but I think something more is going on. Let's look at the blade holder of the Luxor in detail.
That is a good view of how the razor covers the blade corners. And what it does is create a "no cut zone" on the toe of 3/16th of an inch. On the heel it's double that at 3/8th of an inch. Not huge but just enough to provide some drag as the razor works. You have both ends of the razor head with dull steel and the cutting blade in between. This is what creates the safe corners. But....I believe it's the main reason for a slight drag in the razor. Is it critical? No. The razor still feels smooth and still performs very well. I got equally good shaves with both the Parker and the Luxor. While I had to maneuver a bit differently to get close to my goatee and around the ears due to the corner guards, it wasn't impossible nor really difficult. Just a different approach to those areas. Technique certainly conquers that problem.
As to the feel of the razors in my hand - I do tend to prefer the SRX by just a tiny bit. The feel of the polished steel is nice and I think the tightness of the handle gives it a more solid hand feel. I also like not having to be quite as careful when closing the razor to avoid nicking the blade as well. One more item about that "floppy" handle - if it drops and you aren't ready for it you could possibly cut a finger etc. You have to provide more physical force to close the SRX.
So - do I have a preference? Yes. By the tiniest of margins I would say I would prefer the SRX. However, it's the mechanics of the razor that make me choose it. The shave quality of both is equal. And I will also say that if I'm in a hurry to shave and have to choose one I would probably grab the Luxor first because it's easier to rush the shave without corners. My true preference is to keep both handy because either way it's going to be a great shave! Non-comittal enough for you?
Have a fantastic Friday!
Click to expand...
