My three favorites in no particular order: Gillette 1957 Red Tip, Ikon 102 Slant/Merkur 39c (tie), 1958 Fat Boy. OK, that's 4, but you get the idea. The two slants are the smoothest razors I've ever used. The two vintage razors are both a pleasure to use.
My super adjustable in gold Fatboy Slim Super Speed birth year I Don't have a picture of the slim Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
For Shaving: 1. Gillette Fatboy 2. Gillette Slim Adjustable 3. Barbasol Floating Head Razor And, Just for looks: 1. Gillette British Aristocrat #15 2. Gillette Bostonian 3. Wilkinson Sword Empire Razor
59 fatboy ATT M2 on an Atlas handle Feather AS/D2 I have yet to try my Rockwell so these may change. Once upon a time I had a beautiful Aristocrat that shaved like a dream but sold it as prices were skyrocketing to fund a much needed (wanted) Simpson brush
I have not tried a ton of razors, yet.... But here's a few that work for me: SuperSpeed Blackhandle. Mild, efficient razor. I'd suspect those with light to moderate beards will like this razor more. Paired with a sharp blade, GSB or such, it delivers. I'd give the schick krona an honorable mention here, it's a very close runner up to the SS. Schick Injector. Everyone should have one. (Or three) They perform well for me. Unrivaled for tight spots due to the compact head design. I keep one loaded and ready at the sink at all times. Have taken to grabbing it to finish off the under the nares stubble most DE leave behind. E and G models are easy to find at a good price. Blades are more expensive, but they do hold up very well. Fatip Grande: probably suited best for those with moderate to heavy facial hair. Not without it's quirks, but a solid performer. The finish is acceptable for the price point. I have the gunmetal version, and that probably is a more forgiving finish than the nickel or chrome. You have to check/adjust blade alignment. Which isn't a big deal if your detail oriented, but this is a shaving forum, so I'll assume 99% are. Nice heft and balance, it is head heavy due to all brass construction and hollow handle. I like the hollow handle, as it's easy to rinse out and doesn't trap moisture. A modern classic! There's three choices in the $15-$30 range. (I have not shaved enough with my slim or red tip to bump any of those three out of the list yet. I like my Parker 99R quite a bit, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Balance is handle heavy. I'd say it's a moderate on the mild/aggressive scale. Nice audio feedback. I also have an English made Tech, brass handle. It's very mild, and I don't use it much. If you have fine/light facial hair a tech might be for you. I should load a Polsilver in it and try again. But with Astra SP's I was less than enthusiastic about its performance. I ended up with a close shave, but no wow factor to want to return to this razor much.)
There are a few razors that I find very polarizing whereby one either loves it of dis-likes it. The Krona was that for me. Very smooth but way to mild for me regardless of the angle or blade used. I would assume that younger non-graying beards would pair well with the Krona vs thicker older and gray beards.
The results are in! I counted a point for each razor listed in the top three (only). Some of you kindly provided a top three for both 'modern' and 'vintage' razors; I included them, as I thought that was a very valid distinction. There were almost fifty razors mentioned in total. So, without further ado, the top three, in reverse order are as follows: Third place: with five votes. The Merkur 39c (slant). Second Place: a three way tie - with eight votes each. The Gillette Fatboy, the Gillette Slim and the Gillette Super Speed (all types). First place: Gentlemen, Lords and Ladies. I bring you the winner - with ten votes The Muhle R41.
3 is tough. I'll give you 4, because 2 of them are nearly the same razor. 1. Fatboy / Slim 2. Fatip Grande 3. Progress Barely missing the cut would be my R41 and my NEW Deluxe.
Wilkinson Sword Profile Royale Twin blade cartridge razor Stick Schick Injector razor Schick Krona DE razor
Winner or not, I keep my R11 around so that I can remind myself every once in a while what a colossal mismatch that razor and I are.
I'd like to see a repeat analysis. Treat the Fatboy and Slim as the same razor, and do the same with the 39c and any votes for the 37c. Does that change your results? I'll bet if you do that, the Fatboy/Slim would win instead...
That is a great article you have written;, detailing the testing of both versions of the R41. very interesting.
Thanks! Of the dozens of DE razors I've owned, the only one I still use is the R41 (2011 model). Just as with a straight razor, it requires some concentration and a deft touch.
