Hello dear friends, At the time of my purchase, I was still in the process of adjusting to traditional shaving, and being a novice, I couldn't quite warm up to this razor and found it a bit too aggressive. However, over time, both my technique improved, and my ability to shave with more aggressive razors increased, so I decided to give this razor another chance. I've been using it for my last few shaves. It's a rare and discontinued item, not widely known. The Ikon Veteran razor is the result of a joint venture between the Italian company Barbieri Uniti Srl (known to us as Goodfellas Smile) and the American company Ikon. The Ikon Veteran utilizes the famous Ikon SBS aluminum head with an adjustable (flappable base plate) aggressiveness level, claimed to be the first of its kind in the world, produced long before the Rockwell 6S or 6C razors. The SBS head is officially and definitively out of production, so they decided to create this product with a limited number of razors, using the remaining 500 heads in the world. In fact, Ikon still produces a similar razor with the "Ikon OG1" model, but without the SBS head. The Ikon Veteran comes in a very stylish two-piece cardboard box. The image on the box is themed after the "pin-up girl on a bomb" design used on aircraft during World War II, and despite being a new item, they've given the box an aged look as if it's very old. It truly reflects the "Veteran" spirit. The Ikon Veteran offers two different aggressiveness levels. The aggressive side is indicated with a plus sign (+), and the standard side is indicated with circles (o). Additionally, the open comb and closed comb sides add different levels of aggressiveness to the razor. Placing the blade on the side with the plus sign and closing the cap secures it in place, allowing you to use it at standard aggressiveness. These features make the Veteran a very special and refined product, as if it provides four different aggressiveness levels with a single razor. The razor head and cap are made of aluminum (60g), and the handle is made of 316 stainless steel (Ikon "bulldog" model, 80g, 90mm in length). This "bulldog" handle is the first Ikon handle developed entirely in Italy. Razorock also has a Bulldog handle with the same name, but the Ikon handle appears thicker and of higher quality. The development process of this "bulldog" handle is overseen by the Ikon team and executed by Barbieri Uniti Srl. The overall quality of the product is very good, and it's a bit heavier than other razors. It's a great choice for those who prefer heavy and sturdy razors. Despite the aluminum head, it has a solid and balanced feel when combined with the handle. It gives you a sense of robustness, like you're hammering something. The open comb side of the razor surprisingly feels milder compared to its straight bar side. Normally, one would expect open comb razors to be more aggressive. Generally, I would describe the standard aggressiveness side as medium to slightly above medium (similar to the German 37 Slant or Razorock GC 0.84), and the aggressive (+ marked) side as aggressive to very aggressive (similar to the Razorock Lupo 72 or GC 0.84 JAWS). The razor head is generally aggressive, not suitable for daily shaving, and I attribute this to the design of the razor head, which holds the blade very firmly with minimal bending. The Pros of the razor include the ability to achieve four different aggressiveness levels with a single blade and its high-quality craftsmanship. The drawbacks include the slightly uncomfortable feeling during shaving due to the angular teeth (not smooth ) on the open comb side and the need for caution due to its lack of blade flexing, which contributes to its aggressiveness. I hope this review has been helpful. Wishing everyone a delightful Sunday!
Great Review. I have the same Razor bought it years ago. It has been in the Cold Dark Cabinet for a few years. May have to get her back out. I liked it when I was using it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have to agree. I was always turned off by this concept. Perhaps for parts of the face/neck one side could be better than the other. I don't care. I don't want to do that.
I bet the designer was a computer programmer. (I should know; I used to be one.) It's like a one-size-fits-all function that changes its behavior by simply changing the parameters!
