Above the Tie - Above the Crowd

• Hi-Res Photos of ATT Atlas handle after 1 year of continuous use (250+ shaves)
• Discussion about caring for your stainless steel razor
• Discussion, instructions, and photos for easily aligning the blade on your ATT
  
• Photos analyzing shaving angles of the ATT H1
• Discussion of ATT sets vs. single razors
• (Closed Poll) ATT Customer Satisfaction Survey (spoiler: ATT took a strong 1st place from 20 brands/manufacturers of currently-in-production razors)
• Why CNC machined razors are probably the best (and why they are more expensive)
• (Closed Poll) Which ATT shavehead did you settle on finally?
• Discussion of Atlas vs. Kronos vs. Colossus handles
• Where ATT baseplates fall on the 1 to 10 Aggression Scale

Silence! said:

I encourage those interested in the ATT to try as many plates as possible. I've owned an ATT at 5 different times, only to sell it and repurchase it again. I had tried every plate: H1, H2, R1, R2, and the M2 only to give up on the razor. The only one I had not tried was the M1.

I bought one last week, and the M1 is the best razor I've ever used. It's perfect for me. Don't discount the M plate just because it's "mild." I was pleasantly surprised. Stan has really made a system where there is a plate for everyone. Well done.

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feltspanky said:

My ATT shaving system arrived yesterday. The CNC machining and attention to detail are fantastic. I was blown away by the weight and how well the handles fit in your hands. You really need to see and feel the ATT razors up close and personal in order to appreciate their quality.

Biggest disappointment was how they arrived, wrapped in gift tissue paper inside an Above the Tie Cardboard Box. For this kind of money Stan should supply a better carrying case.

I like aggressive razors so I chose the H2 Open Comb Plate and the Colossus Handle for my first shave. My blade of choice was a new Polsilver Super Iridium, Orchid Isle S.T. brush, light application of Noxzema and Geo F Trumper, Violet Shaving Cream.

When you attach the Colossus handle there is a lot of weight added to the razor. Three passes and I had a wonderful BBS shaving experience. It's been almost twenty hours since my shave. I'm just beginning to feel my whiskers again as I rub my face. Today I will shave with the H1- closed comb plate, Kronus handle and see how my shave differs from yesterday's.

I have a small area of skin just under my jawbone (rough patch of whiskers) were blade buffing has always been necessary. It doesn't matter which razor or blade I've used in the past. Yesterday blade buffing wasn't necessary after my three pass shave. I believe the weight of the razor and the fine precision of the plate made this possible. I was extremely satisfied.

I enjoy shaving and the peace and solitude it provides me each day. Shaving with such quality razors just multiplies my satisfaction. I will pass these along to my two grandson's at some point in time. I hope their enjoyment shaving with them will equal or surpass mine.

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sixpointone said:

Traditional Shaving Evangelist had two ATT products mentions. His number two razor over all 100% ATT, mentioning the R1 head with the Kronos handle. ATT also shared the number one spot as the Colossus handle was paired with Mongoose head.

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1. Mongoose is a Single Edge (SE) razor ... and the second batch hasn't shipped yet
2. LA Shaving Soap Co BBS-1 has around 50 razors in use ... they are reportedly excellent, but their slow rate of production makes it almost an artisan product
3. Both the Mongoose and the BBS-1 are (by definition I think) only being used by early adopters. Personally I suspect that their ratings will come down 10 to 25% once the slower adopters (and likely harder-to-impress consumers) start buying them ... but I could be wrong ... it is possible that they will set a new standard in razors....
4. Both the Mongoose and BBS-1 had only 14 responses (each) ... where as ATT had 44 responses

• Some of the "total responses" (for all brands except I Kon) are the same people counted twice (but they are people who are active in both forums)
• The "Calibrated Grade" is my own best-guessed term for calibrating the top score to be 100% and then letter grades from there at the standard 10% decrements
• ** I Kon's results from B&B were too controversial, so here I only included results from the other forum's survey

opsimath said:

My two favorite razors are ATT M2 and iKon OSS. As a mild razor guy, they both offer a superb shave with the option of polishing to achieve that BBS+ shave. I think that ATT may have the edge on manufacturing detail, but the iKon razors are top quality too IMO.
I am new enough to shaving forums to have missed most of the invective regarding iKon and it's founder, but I am interfacing with the razor daily, and I find liking the person behind the product to be completely superfluous. Many artists, actors, and musicians are horrible people, but I'm uninterested in that aspect - if I like what they produce, they can have all the negative charisma in the world. Beethoven was reputed to be a thoroughly despicable man in many ways - love those symphonies!

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Corey said:

I missed out on the iKon drama as well, but have a fondness for my Shavecraft 101. It was the first razor that really set me on the path to purchasing the ATT R1 that I have now. The stainless steel construction of the iKon gave me a feel for the weight and the actual tactile feel of the stainless steel in my hands. It was a very nice step above anything I've used previously and validated the extra cost of the ATT in my mind. This was especially big after three of my Merkurs fell apart in fairly rapid succession after having them for just over four years. That completely soured me on anything made with zamak. Now that I've got a good number of shaves in with the ATT (and iKon), I truly do not understand why anyone would buy a Merkur or a Muhle or anything else zamak related. The money I spent on the 34C, 37C, and 38C that bit the dust nearly covers the cost of my ATT, and I have no doubt things thing will easily outlast me.

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kansaskyle said:

Does anyone have the inkwell stand for their ATT razor(s)? I was thinking of picking one up when I order a Kronos handle. Should I be worried about any kind of scraping/wearing issues when putting the handle in the inkwell stand?

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shawnsel said:

-- UPDATE --
My polls on the other forum's satisfaction surveys have been deleted (just a couple days after being completed). I believe some here voted in them (as you are active members on both forums) ... sorry that they didn't work out. The end results were apparently too problematic...

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