A BBS result from a shave with a prototype of a new adjustable razor. I had a very nice lather for it: the Vie-Long horsehair brush worked up a good lather with a wonderful fragrance from Essence of Scotland’s Sweet Gale.
The Heritage & Style adjustable razor is a hefty guy—solid brass, nickel plated, like the great razors of yore. The adjustment setting runs from 1 to 6, with “N” (normal, I presume) in the middle. The head is very nicely designed: nice curve to cap, guards well placed and shaped. The handle feels a little short to me: it’s 2.75″ and the ATT Atlas, which also feels a little short, is 2.875″. I find my own preference is for a handle around 3.5″, but in the event, I had no trouble at all in shaving with it. (I’m told that the razor may be made available in short- and long-handled versions, like the Progress today or the Super Adjustable of yesteryear.)
It’s a three-piece razor, although the baseplate is fixed to the handle (a necessity for an adjustable razor). The third piece, other than cap and the baseplate+handle unit, is a tightening shaft inside the hollow handle. The knob at the base of the handle is part of that shaft, and you turn it to tighten the cap. (I have suggested that the knob be a slightly larger diameter than the handle proper, which would help in the ATG pass.)
The tightening shaft in this prototype, unlike (say) the tightening shaft in the Merkur 34C, is not held in place inside the handle—the 34C uses a friction ring, which allows the tightening shaft to rotate, but keeps it inside the handle. I was a little startled when I unscrewed the tightening shaft to load a blade, and the shaft dropped free. But as I used the razor, I found I really liked the tightening shaft being removable. First, it makes the razor easy to clean, since the shaft comes right out. But more important, it also facilitates loading.
On this razor, the alignment studs are on the baseplate, so you load the blade onto the baseplate. (When the alignment studs are on the cap, you load the blade onto the cap.) Once the blade is in place, with this razor you can put the cap in place, with the cap’s threaded stud extending through the hole in the blade and into the handle, and then hold the cap firmly against the baseplate, keeping the blade locked in position. This is most easily done by placing thumb on top of the cap with the forefinger and middle finger under the baseplate and squeezing them together, as in using a syringe. This locks the blade in position, and then you can screw the tightening shaft tight.
This maneuver is not possible if the tightening shaft is held in place inside the handle, as in the 34C: the cap floats above the baseplate until you turn the tightening shaft enough for the cap to come to the baseplate.
I like having the blade locked in place before I tighten the handle, so I suggest that they go with the three-piece idea, leaving the tightening shaft be free of restraint.
Now, the shave: very smooth action. I tried the highest setting, and as I expected, it was not comfortable for me. The N setting was okay, but I did most of the shave on the lowest setting. I like the feel of the cap and head. The blade was a Personna Lab Blue.
I have the razor until Saturday, when I have to return it, so I’ll be doing another couple of shaves with it.
The feel and finish are excellent—the solid brass construction gives the razor an excellent heft and will please those who dislike the common Zamak construction of most modern razors. I have no information on pricing. Availability is set for late June, but H&S is taking great pains to get this, its first razor, done exactly right, so the date may slip. They are still refining the final design.
Filed under: Daily life, Shaving
