Something new from Above the Tie.

I would vote for an addition to ATT as follows...

The S1 and S2 are utterly fantastic. The very modest slant is IMO the epitome of DE shaving. The S1 and S2 are based off of the R1 and R2. I suspect that the S2 will be my go-to razor even as I try many others. When you compare the S2 to the R2, you can appreciate the "slant" action in making it a smoother shave with less "grabbing" the occasional whisker. I recently tried the H2 and noticed that tiny bit of occasional grabbing as I gingerly shaved with it. (But I had a fantastic shave from the H2.) Therefore...

I'd suggest An SS1 and an SS2 (Super Slant, or, SH1 and an SH2) based off the H1 and H2. Or at least one based off of the H2.

Just my two cents if we are speculating on future developments.

AJ

Is blade life with S1 and S2 shortened compared to R1 and R2?

Insufficient experience for me to say, but it's hard to imagine a difference.

In general, I'd speculate that more efficient shaving let's the blade last a little longer, but I don't plan on ever keeping blades long enough to know. I err on the side of disposal. They are gone after 3-4 shaves, usually 3; or at the first thought that it might be the blade.

AJ

labjr said:

Is blade life with S1 and S2 shortened compared to R1 and R2?

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AJ123 said:

Insufficient experience for me to say, but it's hard to imagine a difference.

In general, I'd speculate that more efficient shaving let's the blade last a little longer, but I don't plan on ever keeping blades long enough to know. I err on the side of disposal. They are gone after 3-4 shaves, usually 3; or at the first thought that it might be the blade.

AJ

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Indeed, I've never noticed anything different with how long blades last in my S2. I usually go for four to five shaves before I switch blades; perhaps I could go longer, but I prefer not to push it.

AJ123 said:

I would vote for an addition to ATT as follows...

The S1 and S2 are utterly fantastic. The very modest slant is IMO the epitome of DE shaving. The S1 and S2 are based off of the R1 and R2. I suspect that the S2 will be my go-to razor even as I try many others. When you compare the S2 to the R2, you can appreciate the "slant" action in making it a smoother shave with less "grabbing" the occasional whisker. I recently tried the H2 and noticed that tiny bit of occasional grabbing as I gingerly shaved with it. (But I had a fantastic shave from the H2.) Therefore...

I'd suggest An SS1 and an SS2 (Super Slant, or, SH1 and an SH2) based off the H1 and H2. Or at least one based off of the H2.

Just my two cents if we are speculating on future developments.

AJ

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I like the sound of this! Would definitely be on my to-buy list.

Stan said:

I am working on another handle to possibly replace the Colossus. Also offering a razor in nickel with a handle made of two materials in on the drawing board. Couple of other ideas brewing as well.

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Any updates on new products, Stan?

skleice said:

Any updates on new products, Stan?

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Actually there a few things floating around. Giving some thought for a razor for the ladies, been doing some drawings for a single edge and working to reintroduce our shaving bushes. The idea of a SE is growing on me. I am looking to offer another razor that will provide a different kind of shave. The SE blades are stiffer and longer lasting so experience should be different than that of a DE. My goal is to have something ready by the forth quarter.

Stan said:

Actually there a few things floating around. Giving some thought for a razor for the ladies, been doing some drawings for a single edge and working to reintroduce our shaving bushes. The idea of a SE is growing on me. I am looking to offer another razor that will provide a different kind of shave. The SE blades are stiffer and longer lasting so experience should be different than that of a DE. My goal is to have something ready by the forth quarter.

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Can you please make something that takes injector blades? The mongoose and other razors are just way too big.

I'm here to make a confession: I'm Totally addicted to ATT!!!!!!! I mean, Now I want all baseplates, all heads, all handles......the addiction ins incredible. I will just buy everything Stan makes, and after hearing he might be making a SE razors, I will buy that as soon as its released. Nothing compares to Above the Tie razors, period.

I too would be very curious to know if a well engineered SE razor could be made that would take injector blades, and I'm curious to know how it would compare to the current crop of SE razors.

I managed to get a King Cobra last time they went up on Classic Shaving, and my opinion is that these razors offer great shaves in part because of the design of the razor, but I also think a significant part of it are the quality and characteristics of the blades. I have tried the Feather Professional as well as the Super, and they are very, very good blades. In my opinion, a notch above even the best DE blades. (As well as several notches more expensive.) I know that the makers of the Mongoose toyed with the idea of making an injector SE model, but in the end, they didn't. I also know that I've tried several injector razors, and as much as I want to like them, the results thus far have always been sub-par. Maybe it's the design of the razor, but maybe those blades are inferior, I honestly don't know.

Also, there really is only one, maybe two suppliers of injector blades left. Schick distributes from a factory in China, and I think there is one other supplier, whose name escapes me, that offer blades in very high quantities. (And I think those may be available from some shaving retailers who bought a large lot and are selling them piecemeal.)

So in the end, I'm curious about a really well made stainless steel razor that takes injector blades, but I would hate to see Stan put in all that R&D only to find out that bad blades will always make for a bad shave. The Feather Artist Club blades are a known quantity.

One other thing that I'd really like to see someone do is to design a SE razor that uses half of a DE blade. DE blades are designed with a snap-point in the middle to make breaking them in half very safe and easy. I think part of the reason I like to shave with the King Cobra is that the low profile of the head offers a quality that you can't really match with a DE razor. It's easy to get in tight places, and feels different on the face, almost like driving a sports car or something. I do realize that there is a not-yet-to-market razor that uses a half DE blade, but the design of that particular razor is more akin to a cartridge razor than a SE razor, so I don't think it's the same.

Whatever Stan comes up with, I'm sure it will be amazingly well made. Also, not to be discounted, Above the Tie seems to have the business of making razors figured out pretty well. As much as I enjoy some of the other razors I mentioned in this post, all of them suffer notoriously from supply problems. It would be nice to have a good SE on the market that is actually on the market. :-D

LOL. ATTs are very fine. I own all of them and several replated Gillete vintage ones from Stan. I even own two S1's because I keep one in travel kit. I also have multiples of all the handles and lots of stands. Recently, I did a dramatic culling of my DE razors, selling off 80% of them, but kept the ATTs and a few others. 90% of my shaving with ATT is with S1 or S2 on Kronos (middle size) handle. in my own (IMHO) trials of testing, I've concluded that nothing is wholly better, but there are a few "as good" but different and so worth keeping in rotation: Pils, AS-D2, and my Wolfman DC.

Additionally, I'd add that for those fortunate to get lots of ATT razors, you can really learn a lot about technique and DE razors by just moving back and forth among ATT razors.

AJ

herbert7890 said:

I'm here to make a confession: I'm Totally addicted to ATT!!!!!!! I mean, Now I want all baseplates, all heads, all handles......the addiction ins incredible. I will just buy everything Stan makes, and after hearing he might be making a SE razors, I will buy that as soon as its released. Nothing compares to Above the Tie razors, period.

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[emoji56]

Have a hard time getting anything from them again after my Atlas handle issue never got resolved by them. **** poor customer service on their part.

Let me just say I have never met or even spoken to Stan but I have been buying and using his razors since they first came out with the S2 my current favorite. I have had some issues with orders as is to be expected with anyone you buy from and have always found Stan and ATT to be perfect professionals in resolving my issues.

TXFIVEO said:

Have a hard time getting anything from them again after my Atlas handle issue never got resolved by them. **** poor customer service on their part.

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TXFIVEO said:

Have a hard time getting anything from them again after my Atlas handle issue never got resolved by them. **** poor customer service on their part.

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PM me.

This would be interesting. I have developed a theory of my own that minute vibrations/bending/movements in the DE blade as it shaves are what gives a bad shave. I have concluded that the DE razor which "holds" the blade tightly the closest to the edge is an advantage for a better shave. So, for example, the adjustable butterfly razors of Gillete that we love so much are at a slight design disadvantage in this regard over the design options in the three piece. I haven't seen any articles on this idea and so I might be on a wild hair with this theory. However, it would also point to the prospect of an SE being a potentially fantastic design as they are thicker blades that are also held closer to the edge, so less micro vibration and movement next to the skin.

Stan said:

Actually there a few things floating around. Giving some thought for a razor for the ladies, been doing some drawings for a single edge and working to reintroduce our shaving bushes. The idea of a SE is growing on me. I am looking to offer another razor that will provide a different kind of shave. The SE blades are stiffer and longer lasting so experience should be different than that of a DE. My goal is to have something ready by the forth quarter.

Click to expand...

Another suggestion I'd make would be to come out with a double comb with the S1 on one side and the S2 on the other side. Count my order in as this would become my main travel and/or gym locker razor.

AJ123 said:

This would be interesting. I have developed a theory of my own that minute vibrations/bending/movements in the DE blade as it shaves are what gives a bad shave. I have concluded that the DE razor which "holds" the blade tightly the closest to the edge is an advantage for a better shave. So, for example, the adjustable butterfly razors of Gillete that we love so much are at a slight design disadvantage in this regard over the design options in the three piece. I haven't seen any articles on this idea and so I might be on a wild hair with this theory. However, it would also point to the prospect of an SE being a potentially fantastic design as they are thicker blades that are also held closer to the edge, so less micro vibration and movement next to the skin.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the neat pics!

AJ123 said:

Another suggestion I'd make would be to come out with a double comb with the S1 on one side and the S2 on the other side. Count my order in as this would become my main travel and/or gym locker razor.

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Hi,

I mentioned this somewhere. Not here, I think. My apologies if it was here and I have CRS (Can't Remember.....Something)!

I would *love* a brand-new differentially shaving Slant like the vintage Solingen models (think: Lutz, etc). The dual-comb would be a great way of marking the milder side from the more aggressive one. I have no preference as to which style indicated which. I shave mild side first but others prefer aggressive side first.

Just saying I would not be slow to buy such a thing.

(a different) Stan