Help Choosing Next Razor - Want the Best under $500

Hey everyone, I am new here. Hopefully I am posting in the correct place.

I would love some help picking my next razor.


I've been DE shaving for 5+ years. Not new to it. But have not had many razors.


My beard is not real course and I shave every day. My skin is a bit on the sensitive side.


My favorite razor is the Merkur 37c. But the handle is a bit short. I tried the 39c but it is way to aggressive. The heads are nowhere near the same, btw. Far more blade gap on the 39c.


Never had an open comb, but am interested. Can't really figure out the difference.


I can get a BBS shave with my 37c in like 3 passes plus touch up.


Here is what I'm looking for.


A new DE razor, not an oldie but goodie.


The best there is, regardless of price. Up to about $500.


A longer handle than what comes with the 37c.


My thoughts go to the ATT razors. They have very nice kits that go for $399 which would give 2 full razors and up to 6 combos. I'd choose a slant and a regular. That is a better value than buying 2 of their razors.


Or, buy just one from them. But the idea of having two that I could interchange is appealing.


Thing is, it is not easy to send anything out of where I live. I can get stuff in (expensive) but not out very cheaply. So I'd like to make an intelligent choice and get it right the first time - at least as much as it is possible.


Stan from ATT offered an interesting package:
As for a set
I would suggest:
Colossus handle
Standard cap
M1 plate
M2 plate
Slant cap
S1 plate
S2 plate


So guys, help me out? What would you recommend? ATT, something different? What?

Thanks.

Either ATT or Wolfman. I love ATT and haven't hardly touched another razor since mine arrived almost a year and a half ago. I simply lost all interest in others. The quality of either is simply outstanding.

Thanks. I'd like the Kronos handle like you have, but they are out right now. So I may get the package I listed and when the handles are again available, pick one up. Colossus is long and heavy, which I will like, as long as the weight doesn't make things to aggressive.

Do you think this package is overkill? It would give two razors one slant, one regular, each with a closed and open comb. That would be the only difference.

Feather ASD2. Nice and mild for that sensitive skin you speak of.

Wolfman outclasses ATT.

Rockwell 6S 2nd gen would be your best bet. I liked it better than the ATT S2 slant, and the 6 different plates would cover everybody's different skin types.

DELove said:

Thanks. I'd like the Kronos handle like you have, but they are out right now. So I may get the package I listed and when the handles are again available, pick one up. Colossus is long and heavy, which I will like, as long as the weight doesn't make things to aggressive.

Do you think this package is overkill? It would give two razors one slant, one regular, each with a closed and open comb. That would be the only difference.

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You'll be good to go with that kit. I've never tried one of the slants, but have had all the baseplates open and closed. I finally zeroed in on the H1/H2 as my go-to. I have a few other razors but they only get used on rare occasions. The Kronos H1 gives me a spectacular shave. The H2 is slightly more aggressive in my experience.

jcs266 said:

You'll be good to go with that kit. I've never tried one of the slants, but have had all the baseplates open and closed. I finally zeroed in on the H1/H2 as my go-to. I have a few other razors but they only get used on rare occasions. The Kronos H1 gives me a spectacular shave. The H2 is slightly more aggressive in my experience.

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Thanks - I think I will do it. Wish I could find a Kronos handle for sale, even used. But I'll start with the package Stan suggested and add from there as needed.

The Rockwell looks nice but is backordered and not even accepting new orders. And I want this now. So, I'm going to go ahead.

Thanks for your help.

Good choice.

Love my ATT w/ Colossus Handle and M1/M2 baseplates.

Given your budget, though, I would have thought you would pick the ATT Bronze set.

Downing said:

Good choice.

Love my ATT w/ Colossus Handle and M1/M2 baseplates.

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Thanks. I'm excited. Well, now I'm trying to order what Stan recommended and it is getting harder. No place to write in the order he suggested I get. And it now looks like they are back ordered on the S1 and the Kronos handle. So I may have to exercise patience.

I'm sure between them and me, we'll get it figured out.

Well, I use an ATT M1 with an Atlas handle pretty regularly an dI think quite well of it.

Another vote for the Feather R2-D2.

I have nothing of value to add, except 'wow' to your 'up to $500' budget! Nice im sure you'll pickup an absolutely beautiful razor for that. The day I tell my wife I want a $500 razor, is the day id be told to pack my bags. haha!!

I personally found the Feather to be disappointing. My go-to razor was an Above the Tie S1 on a Wolfman handle. I felt that I needed to at least try the Feather because I didn't want to miss out on something. The Feather feels small and cheap compared to above the tie. I've never used any baseplate besides the S1, but the slant is a very gentle razor that shaves amazingly well. You can't go wrong.

The bronze set only comes with the short handle. If it even could be ordered with the medium handle, I would go for it. Also, not sure that bronze is better than pure 303 stainless steel.

Downing said:

Good choice.

Love my ATT w/ Colossus Handle and M1/M2 baseplates.

Given your budget, though, I would have thought you would pick the ATT Bronze set.

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It's all relative. I have purchased 3 razors so far totaling like $160. I have not found my WOW razor, and I'm halfway to what a 7 piece set of ATT costs. Of the 3 I have, 2 have quality issues. So at this point, I don't relish spending the money, but this acquisition disease needs to be fed. LOL Actually, I'm really hoping that given a super high quality set, I will be fine and the disease will subside some. LOL That's my hope anyway.

Gabeson said:

I have nothing of value to add, except 'wow' to your 'up to $500' budget! Nice im sure you'll pickup an absolutely beautiful razor for that. The day I tell my wife I want a $500 razor, is the day id be told to pack my bags. haha!!

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Yes $500 opens the door to pretty much any and everything. If I had that budget for a single purchase I'd likely go for the ATT solid bar set, which I believe (don't quote me without looking) goes for a bit under the $400 mark.

Once you get into the high quality stuff it then becomes just preference. I'd recommend ATT, Wolfman, and LA Shaving razors (made by Wolfman).

https://www.abovethetie.com/collections/above-the-tie

https://lashavingsoap.com/products/bbs-1-safety-razor

http://wolfmanrazors.com/collections/razor-heads

I have a nice Gillette Tech that I can let go of for $399. Shaves great and is 20% below your budget.

BSAGuy said:

I have a nice Gillette Tech that I can let go of for $399. Shaves great and is 20% below your budget.

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