Cobra Classic INTERNATIONAL Tour

Michael
If it can makes its way to Europe (I am based in the UK), I would LOVE to give this razor a try. I have been lusting after one for a while but was concerned about the outlay and potential customs hit. PM on its way. Thank you again for an extremely generous offer.
David

The Cobra will be stopping over in the U.K. in the relative near future. Any other takers in Australia or Japan while it is there?

International Cobra Classic Tour
Ben74 (Australia)
nosedog (Australia)
<your name goes here if you live in Australia>
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chicken neck (U.K.)

I'm off the list. Just bought myself a Cobra Classic. Couldn't wait, the lure of one of those bad boys is very strong!

I PMd Poonjaji to let him know too.

chicken neck said:

Michael
If it can makes its way to Europe (I am based in the UK), I would LOVE to give this razor a try. I have been lusting after one for a while but was concerned about the outlay and potential customs hit. PM on its way. Thank you again for an extremely generous offer.
David

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There is already a dealer in the UK so no hit. Only down side they don't supply any blades with the razor. I bought mine a few weeks ago. A great razor!

Next up should be the Dorco blades Ben!

Bluebriz said:

Next up should be the Dorco blades Ben!

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I don't have any Dorco blades. I can source Feather and I managed to get some Kai through the generosity of a member, but I wasn't even aware there were Dorco blades that suit the Cobra. Any ideas for on-line vendors that might sell them?

The Cobra vey much resembles the feel of a Mach 3 or Fusion razor. Don't stop reading in disgust, please! My reference in feel relates to the handle and the method in how it's used. The guard on the Cobra provides all the safety you need. It's the starting point and using it you are unlikely to see red. The angle (although less forgiving than any Mach or Fusion) is easily achieved and again is my reason for comparing it to a cart razor. My point is the Cobra feels comfortable and safe to use.


Now this is where the story starts to polarise. The Cobra is much more effective than any cart I've used (ok I'm not going to mention this type of hair removal again) and as effective as many of my favourite DE razors, if not more so. It is substantially more manoeuvrable under the nose than any DE I've ever used.


It's heavy. But IMO that is good. It feels substantial. I was concerned I'd need to compensate with a light touch, but it's not really necessary for me. In fact, around my neck I find my index finger slips up the handle and rests on the head, providing further pressure and guidance.


The blade size is the biggest difference for me. I find that my shave is completed faster and in less passes. I thought the extra blade width would be a problem, but it's not, but it is... well it is and it isn't. Let me explain. I'm a 3 pass kind of guy. But with a Cobra on my face I only need 2 to achieve the same results. My neck, however requires 3 passes or enough touch up to class it as half a pass. This is because the contour of my neck on either side of my larynx poses some issues. The crests in that area are shaved easily, but the troughs are often not touched due to the width of the blade "bridging" them. The solution is multi directional, further passes.


The Cobra provides a confident, navigable shave with (generally) less passes. It's easy to use and a beautiful instrument to admire. It's a great tool and one I thoroughly recommend. I believe intermediate and advanced uses will really enjoy it and it's not beyond the technical abilities of a novice user either. This is the only SE or injector style razor I've used so I can't compare to the Schick or any others.


The Cobra should be stainless steel (even if this meant a slightly higher cost). It marks easily and the shinny surface is difficult to keep looking it's best (fingerprints etc). I left the blade in after the first shave and noticed oxidation on the blade after the second shave. It's probably not an issue during summer, but I recommend removing the blade after each use (like I already do with my DE razors). The blades need to be cheaper and more easily sourced (specifically Kai) to really compete with DE or other SE razors on a cost basis.

Third shave with the Feather blade...




Today was my 3rd shave with the Feather blade and flat out my best shave of all.


In contrast, my 3rd shave with Kai blade left me thinking I wouldn't get much more out of it, possibly 1 more shave.


The 3rd shave with the Feather today was smooth, comfortable and very effective.
I achieved almost a DFS with a single pass.
All I needed was a few touch ups on my neck.
But rather than deprive myself of the pleasure I chose to complete a full 2nd pass with great results.
No irritation and a wonderfully quick shave.
I predict I am halfway, at worst 2/3 of my way through the life of this blade.


So in terms of blade (for me):

Kai Mild

Life: 3 to 4 shaves
Smoothness: Good
Effectiveness: Good
Irritation: Mild

Feather

Life: 5 to 6 shaves
Smoothness: Very good
Effectiveness: Very good
Irritation: None

I'm not part of the tour (couldn't wait and bought one) but others might be interested in my impressions of the cobra. When I used the Cobra for the first few shaves I found it to be a very good razor but my shaves with my feather/kai razors that use the same blades where better. As I told Celestino who talked me into buying one. However I must say that after using it a few more weeks the shaves have become equal to those I get from my other feather/kai razors. So if you get the chance to try the cobra (thanks to the generous poonjaji) and you find it a good razor it only gets better with time (as is the case with most razors). btw I get around 5 to 7 shaves from one blade (one shave is 2 to 3 passes on my face + one pass on my head), so if used only on the face it might be between 10-12 shaves.

Another thing I noticed is if I shave my face with the cobra and I do 3 WTG passes I get absolutely the best shave I can get, better then WTG-XTG-ATG. Hope you all enjoy trying out this razor!

Shave 4 with the Cobra and Feather blade...


Another 2 pass DFS, but substantially more touch up required. The Feather blade has obviously peaked and I believe I'll only get one more decent shave from it (giving a total of 5 shaves).


The was some slight irritation due to multiple touch up passes on the neck and a little tugging from the blade.


For me the Feather provided the best shave out of the two blades. The Kai was good from the start, while the Feather peaked with the second and third use.


For me, the Cobra is a fantastic razor. I enjoy the wider blade surface and firmly believe I am shaving in less time and with less passes. The manoeuvrability alone under the nose makes this a desirable tool. The fact that I am possibly achieving a better shave in less time makes this item a must have addition to my shaving equipment. The razor's performance is mirrored by its aesthetic appeal. This is a tool I thoroughly recommend.

I'm looking forward to giving it a try. I'll be away Mon-Wed, though, so please don't be alarmed if it is sent but not mentioned here until Thursday.

Another member added. The Cobra will eventually be laying over in France.

International Cobra Classic Tour
nosedog (Australia) - razor en route
<your name goes here if you live in Australia>
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chicken neck (U.K.)
<your name goes here if you live in the U.K.>
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Tordu (France)
<your name goes here if you live in France>
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?

OK, received it today. I'll try it out tonight.

Well, circumstances prevented a shave last night, so it was this afternoon that I tried it for the first time, sporting three days' growth. After some fumbling around to get a blade in there (I've now looked at youtube to see how it's done properly!) and lathering up with Tabac, I got to work. The first few scrapes felt a bit harsh but I got the hang of the angle pretty quickly.

Long story short: two passes plus touchup = DFS (a really damn fine shave) with one significant nick and no irritation except a little under the nose - no chance to adjust in that area.

More detail: the WTG pass felt so-so because of the amount of growth it had to get through, but it did the job admirably. The XTG pass felt really smooth and effective. At some point I sustained a nick under my nose that bled more than a usual one. (But then, I don't usually get a nick around there.) The geometry of the blade is great for getting immediately under the nose, but it will take some getting used to in curved areas, hence: the irritation in the mustache area; the need for thorough touchup on the chin; the lack of DFS around the larynx. I look forward to improving in those areas tomorrow or Tuesday.

On the whole, I was amazed post-shave how smooth my face felt.

Second shave last night, perhaps 28 hours after the first. Using a Kai blade, a detail I forgot to mention last time.

Result: a large nick at the base of my neck (front on) from a momentary wrong angle going ATG, and a small nick immediately under a nostril. Apart from that, another damn fine shave. I went three passes this time (WTG, XTG, XTG/ATG) and feared my face may have felt a little raw, but after applying witch hazel and ASB it turned out there was nothing to worry about. (I just get paranoid when using MWF after a very burny experience with a straight razor once...)

It's only been two shaves, but I'll switch to the Feather blade for the next one, now that I know how to load and unload it properly.

I can't see myself buying a Cobra SE, but I'm certainly enjoying trialling it. I do think it's an excellent tool and worth anybody's consideration; it's just a bit pricey for me (razor and blades) at the moment. When I go back to my Mühle R89 I will miss the weight of the Cobra.

Third shave tonight, this time using a Feather Professional blade and sporting two days growth. The Feather blade certainly feels different from the Kai! Very sharp. It cleared the growth very easily in one WTG pass. Easiest SAS ever. But of course I wanted smoother, and that's where I ran into (a little) trouble. Finding -- or more accurately, maintaining -- the correct angle when going XTG or especially ATG is a little harder with this instrument when you're carrying a lot of DE experience. And the Feather blade punishes incorrect angle! A few nicks gathered in one spot at the base of the neck, and a fair bit of irritation everywhere below the jawline (but none above) was the price I paid. The alum application after the shave was quite ... something. Anyway, it's just a gentle encouragement to be more careful next time, and I'm looking forward to the next time.

nosedog said:

Third shave tonight, this time using a Feather Professional blade and sporting two days growth. The Feather blade certainly feels different from the Kai! Very sharp. It cleared the growth very easily in one WTG pass. Easiest SAS ever. But of course I wanted smoother, and that's where I ran into (a little) trouble. Finding -- or more accurately, maintaining -- the correct angle when going XTG or especially ATG is a little harder with this instrument when you're carrying a lot of DE experience. And the Feather blade punishes incorrect angle! A few nicks gathered in one spot at the base of the neck, and a fair bit of irritation everywhere below the jawline (but none above) was the price I paid. The alum application after the shave was quite ... something. Anyway, it's just a gentle encouragement to be more careful next time, and I'm looking forward to the next time.

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Maybe try a second and even third WTG pass as suggested by Snuff-Belgium above. I read that a few days ago, and since then have been just doing a second WTG pass on most of my face (I angle diagonally slightly below the nose), and it's been giving me amazing, smooth shaves in just two passes with touch ups. For my second pass I do some skin stretching, which I don't do on my first pass. Worth a go at least!