Titan v Tradere SB

jjgold · Oct 27, 2012

I just finished my first shave with the Titan. I have mentioned that I am a Tradere SB lover and that I would post a brief comparison. Just a minute about me..I am early 40's very thick beard. I learned how to shave on a DE but it was almost 30 yrs ago. Wet shaving again almost 10 months. I am certainly no expert but were talking about shaving here and I have been doing it at least 5 days a week for 30 yrs.

The Titan is NOT for the faint of heart. I have seen many posts that claim it is not too aggressive. Man if this is not aggressive I have no idea what is. It gave me an extremely close shave. NO Nicks, stubble, left behinds. But it did leave a subtle feeling of razor burn. Something I do not experience with the Tradere. I felt that the shave was a bit course. I need to spend a few more days with the razor. I also was very cognizant of the shave. I am fast and efficient with my Tradere. Perhaps it is the safety bar but I did not feel as confident with this razor. The head of the Titan is outstanding. It is the perfect size as I feel that the Tradere Head is a bit wide. That is my only complaint of that razor.

Obviously it is a beautiful instrument. I prefer the machining swirls. I hope that it had some hand finishing in Tennessee or where ever it was made. It is a wonderful razor and well worth the money. Again to me it is NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. Preliminary indications are that it will not overtake my SB. Of course if I spend the proper time with it maybe that will change. If it means anything I used the Astra included and AOS Sandalwood Soap.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

Why wont you wait until you have concluded your experience with the Titan to conduct this survey. It seems like you are asking prematurely and not many buyers of the Titan have had enough time with the razor to give you feedback. I used the Titan and think it is a bit aggressive, even more so than the 2010 r41. But i dont get that after razor burn.

jjgold · Oct 27, 2012

Alex see above where it says I need to spend a few more days with it. Additionally, I know you have been raving about the razor and that is cool. But, I did not give it a negative review. Quite the contrary I gave it much praise. I can tell you that I had NO burn after the first use of the Tradere. I highly recommend the Titan. I think everyone on this site should buy one. But, my feeling is it is not better than my Tradere but again I think everyone on this site should buy both and compare for themselves.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

jjgold said:
Alex see above where it says I need to spend a few more days with it. Additionally, I know you have been raving about the razor and that is cool. But, I did not give it a negative review. Quite the contrary I gave it much praise. I can tell you that I had NO burn after the first use of the Tradere. I highly recommend the Titan. I think everyone on this site should buy one. But, my feeling is it is not better than my Tradere but again I think everyone on this site should buy both and compare for themselves.

J, I respect your opinion and i do want u to be honest with your reviews. But i think that these type of ( aggressive) razors such as the r41, Gems 1912 , Barbasols, are razors that need an adjustment period. The much revered r41 needs at least 1 to 2 weeks in my view. After that muscle memory and technique kicks in and the razor is fun to use and it wont leave negative shave results.

jjgold · Oct 27, 2012

Fair enough.

alex2363 said:
J, I respect your opinion and i do want u to be honest with your reviews. But i think that these type of ( aggressive) razors such as the r41, Gems 1912 , Barbasols, are razors that need an adjustment period. The much revered r41 needs at least 1 to 2 weeks in my view. After that muscle memory and technique kicks in and the razor is fun to use and it wont leave negative shave results.

JeffOlson · Oct 27, 2012

I haven't tried the Tradere yet, but I had my first shave this morning with the Titan H1. My main point of reference is my beloved Feather AS-D1.

The shave was great! I am still savoring it hours later.

Yes, the Titan is somewhat aggressive, but nowhere near the R41. In my limited experience and after only one shave, I would say the Titan is moderately aggressive. But it is also smooth with the right angle. Fortunately, there is a very good bend to the blade in the Titan (especially if you tighten the handle as tight as you can). This makes finding the right angle pretty intuitive. (None of this cap-on-the-face stuff is needed, where the handle sticks out more horizontally than vertically.) Also, like the AS-D1, the Titan is LOUD! You can really hear the blade at work.

The Titan is definitely a much closer shaver than my Feather AS-D1. There is no question about it. While the Feather is indeed much smoother than the Titan, the Titan was not rough. (The R41 is rough!) I guess I will know more after my next shave with the Titan. (I was hoping it would be tomorrow, but my shave this morning was so close, I may not have anything to shave tomorrow!)

DEGuy · Oct 27, 2012

Gentlemen, why is it that some have to defend a razor that another person may dislike? This is not a personal affront; let's be objective adults and appreciate the observations of others and that they took the time to submit their observations.

I appreciate jjgold's candor in responding to his first-use experience and find it to be informative; comparing it with the Tradere adds to the first-experience review. I'd like to see write-ups by jjgold after each use to see how the progression goes, positive or negative. If a razor gives me post-shave burn, it's not likely to get much 'face time'. Judging from my experience, first impressions are valid, and it's interesting to see how our skin responds to a razor that delivers a less-than-pleasant initial shaving experience. Yes, different blades just might bring about more or less favorable results; same might be said for getting to know and further understand shaving with the razor. So this could become a protracted process. But this doesn't invalidate your first experience with the H1 loaded with an Astra blade.

Thank you for giving us a first-shave report, jjgold; if your face can take the post-shave discomfort (I'm not being facetious), please do write ongoing observations.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

JeffOlson said:
I haven't tried the Tradere yet, but I had my first shave this morning with the Titan H1. My main point of reference is my beloved Feather AS-D1.

The shave was great! I am still savoring it hours later.

Yes, the Titan is somewhat aggressive, but nowhere near the R41. In my limited experience and after only one shave, I would say the Titan is moderately aggressive. But it is also smooth with the right angle. Fortunately, there is a very good bend to the blade in the Titan (especially if you tighten the handle as tight as you can). This makes finding the right angle pretty intuitive. (None of this cap-on-the-face stuff is needed, where the handle sticks out more horizontally than vertically.) Also, like the AS-D1, the Titan is LOUD! You can really hear the blade at work.

The Titan is definitely a much closer shaver than my Feather AS-D1. There is no question about it. While the Feather is indeed much smoother than the Titan, the Titan was not rough. (The R41 is rough!) I guess I will know more after my next shave with the Titan. (I was hoping it would be tomorrow, but my shave this morning was so close, I may not have anything to shave tomorrow!)

Its definitely a 24 hour shave razor. My shave lasted from Friday to Saturday. My Barbasol Shave is a bit better for me, in terms of long lasting shave.

JeffOlson · Oct 27, 2012

To the OP, I meant no offense, and I'm sorry if my post caused any. I just wanted to chime in with my two cents after my first shave with the Titan. Hopefully your shaves with it will only get better!

(My shaves with my R41Grande never got any better. They were all bad and bloody. The R41 stayed with me for about a week before I'd had enough.)

MGM grand · Oct 27, 2012

Thanks for the great review. I'm currently trying to decide between the 2 and was leaning more towards the tradere. Probably going to stick with that, like the look of both, but love the handle on the tradere.

Gordy2 · Oct 27, 2012

As with ANY razor out there: YMMV

Gordy2 · Oct 27, 2012

Perhaps my above post was too simplified and it was not meant to be glib. I took it from all the reviews that people testing the Titan thought the razor was aggressive but smooth and safer to use than the 2011 R-41. I had the R-41 and traded it away and if I thought the Titan was that aggressive I would never had spent the funds for one. I totally agree with the OP that there is an aggressiveness to the razor to the point that a newbie might get turned off from wet shaving if this was his first razor. However it is that aggressiveness that gave be a very close, near BBS shave in 2 passes. The Tradere SB was my other choice along with the Titan. The Tradere OC which I have is a fairly aggressive razor too but the SB is advertised as less aggressive and reading the OP, it probably is. I think finding the right blade to use with each razor is important. I found that to be very true with the Tradere OC, I suspect it will be true with the Titan also.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

DEGuy said:
Gentlemen, why is it that some have to defend a razor that another person may dislike? This is not a personal affront; let's be objective adults and appreciate the observations of others and that they took the time to submit their observations.

I appreciate jjgold's candor in responding to his first-use experience and find it to be informative; comparing it with the Tradere adds to the first-experience review. I'd like to see write-ups by jjgold after each use to see how the progression goes, positive or negative. If a razor gives me post-shave burn, it's not likely to get much 'face time'. Judging from my experience, first impressions are valid, and it's interesting to see how our skin responds to a razor that delivers a less-than-pleasant initial shaving experience. Yes, different blades just might bring about more or less favorable results; same might be said for getting to know and further understand shaving with the razor. So this could become a protracted process. But this doesn't invalidate your first experience with the H1 loaded with an Astra blade.

Thank you for giving us a first-shave report, jjgold; if your face can take the post-shave discomfort (I'm not being facetious), please do write ongoing observations.

I respect his initial reviews too, but not many Titans users have had enough time to really chime in. He wants a consensus on the razor vs the Tradere, this also can make it objective since its from just one razor ( Tradere) and not other razors which can yield more insightful facts from a critical piont.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

Gordy2 said:
Perhaps my above post was too simplified and it was not meant to be glib. I took it from all the reviews that people testing the Titan thought the razor was aggressive but smooth and safer to use than the 2011 R-41. I had the R-41 and traded it away and if I thought the Titan was that aggressive I would never had spent the funds for one. I totally agree with the OP that there is an aggressiveness to the razor to the point that a newbie might get turned off from wet shaving if this was his first razor. However it is that aggressiveness that gave be a very close, near BBS shave in 2 passes. The Tradere SB was my other choice along with the Titan. The Tradere OC which I have is a fairly aggressive razor too but the SB is advertised as less aggressive and reading the OP, it probably is. I think finding the right blade to use with each razor is important. I found that to be very true with the Tradere OC, I suspect it will be true with the Titan also.

It may be, but more importantly i think it may take a adjsutment period similar to the R41/2011. I know some members prefer a initial impression as a indicator of razor performance, but i think that traditional wet shaving with DE's needs an acquired learning for it to yield great/productive results.

jjgold · Oct 27, 2012

First of all, Alex lighten up and stop hi jacking my post :biggrin1:

. None of us have in any way criticized the razor. I don't feel that I have to defend my position. This is just shaving. It has been roughly 6 hours since my first shave and I am by far still extremely smooth from my shave. I don't think I will have rash but do feel a little burn. It is a very nice razor. But I think my Tradere although not as close a shave is a bit more comfortable. As I have stated in the original post I need to spend more time with the Titan. If I was a guy looking for a premium stainless American Made Razor you can't go wrong with either. Also don't overlook the fact the Above the Tie provided outstanding service on this item.

alex2363 · Oct 27, 2012

jjgold said:
First of all, Alex lighten up and stop hi jacking my post . None of us have in any way criticized the razor. I don't feel that I have to defend my position. This is just shaving. It has been roughly 6 hours since my first shave and I am by far still extremely smooth from my shave. I don't think I will have rash but do feel a little burn. It is a very nice razor. But I think my Tradere although not as close a shave is a bit more comfortable. As I have stated in the original post I need to spend more time with the Titan. If I was a guy looking for a premium stainless American Made Razor you can't go wrong with either. Also don't overlook the fact the Above the Tie provided outstanding service on this item.

J, I am not saying that u have to defend your position, on the contrary I would prefer for you to be critical and dont hold back. I can understand that this type of razor can yield burn or bad results due too its aggressive nature. All i do suggest is that some users may need more time to accommodate the proper technique required for these aggressive type razors.

DEGuy · Oct 28, 2012

jjgold said:
First of all, Alex lighten up and stop hi jacking my post . None of us have in any way criticized the razor. I don't feel that I have to defend my position. This is just shaving. It has been roughly 6 hours since my first shave and I am by far still extremely smooth from my shave. I don't think I will have rash but do feel a little burn. It is a very nice razor. But I think my Tradere although not as close a shave is a bit more comfortable. As I have stated in the original post I need to spend more time with the Titan. If I was a guy looking for a premium stainless American Made Razor you can't go wrong with either. Also don't overlook the fact the Above the Tie provided outstanding service on this item.

I have been using my EJ DE89L razors recently and find the shaves better for me than my other razors: I enjoy shaving when I get a close and comfortable shave; the one thing I dislike and can turn me off to a razor is post-shave burn--I will feel the burn (not like Jane Fonda) for hours after shaving. If I feel razor burn after trying a razor with several different blades, the razor gets no more use. Post-shave burn is unacceptable to me, speaking for myself alone, regardless of the closeness of the shave.

Each of us will have different experiences, each shaver's experience is of interest, at least to me. jjgold's first impression with a mild blade gives me pause re the H1. It has also given me reason to look into a Tredere SB. For me, each of us is the best and only judge of razors/blades that work for us as individuals, I'll take a close and comfortable shave in place of a closer and uncomfortable shave. Some may feel differently. As with jjgold and for myself, we know what we like and what agrees with us and our skin types. Regardless of how great a razor looks or how exacting its manufactured, if the razor dosen't suit an individual and he substantiates his comments, he's done B&B's members a service, whether we agree or disagree is irrelevant. The number of comparisons one makes with respect to the way a new razor shaves has no bearing on a razor's performance; it does, however, give those of us who may have used one of the compared razors a benchmark for, in this instance, the H1's performance.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience, jjg.

alex2363 · Oct 28, 2012

DEGuy said:
I have been using my EJ DE89L razors recently and find the shaves better for me than my other razors: I enjoy shaving when I get a close and comfortable shave; the one thing I dislike and can turn me off to a razor is post-shave burn--I will feel the burn (not like Jane Fonda) for hours after shaving. If I feel razor burn after trying a razor with several different blades, the razor gets no more use. Post-shave burn is unacceptable to me, speaking for myself alone, regardless of the closeness of the shave.

Each of us will have different experiences, each shaver's experience is of interest, at least to me. jjgold's first impression with a mild blade gives me pause re the H1. It has also given me reason to look into a Tredere SB. For me, each of us is the best and only judge of razors/blades that work for us as individuals, I'll take a close and comfortable shave in place of a closer and uncomfortable shave. Some may feel differently. As with jjgold and for myself, we know what we like and what agrees with us and our skin types. Regardless of how great a razor looks or how exacting its manufactured, if the razor dosen't suit an individual and he substantiates his comments, he's done B&B's members a service, whether we agree or disagree is irrelevant. The number of comparisons one makes with respect to the way a new razor shaves has no bearing on a razor's performance; it does, however, give those of us who may have used one of the compared razors a benchmark for, in this instance, the H1's performance.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience, jjg.

Very good insight and opinion Roger....now shouldnt u wait for more users to review and compare the razor so that the Benchmark is set. You said based on this sole review that u will lean to the Tradere.

Attila · Oct 28, 2012

Agreed, one review is one review (no matter how well written, as this was) especially when based on one shave. Don't jump to any conclusions until the OP tries another blade and has a few more shaves with it. Too many things can bias the review this early. Great review by the OP. Looking forward to further insight as he uses it more.

jjgold · Oct 28, 2012

I appreciate the vote of confidence. The nice thing is again we are talking about shaving. Some folks would think we are nuts spending any effort on this task. Its all good. I don't like the way my face felt the morning after using the Titan. No rash or irritation just not the usual "Tradere" feeling . As mentioned I will try different blades. Again, I am very happy with my Tradere SB. I was so the first time I used it. There is NOTHING wrong with the Titan. It just may be that I am wrong for it.

Stay Tuned.

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