The Option Five Razor?

Has anyone tried this yet. It's brand new and I haven't seen it discussed here. One of Youtube's shaving luminaries, Kevy Shaves, just uploaded a video shave with it. What I have learned is that it's being introduced for the holiday season, is made of nickel alloy and costs about $65. According to Kevy, it's designed in England, made in China and shipped from Switzerland:

Head looks kind of like a Bevel.

I've not heard of it. It's an interesting looking razor, but that handle looks very slippery.

What does "nickel alloy" mean? Is that code for Zamak covered with nickel?

Post Script: I now have watched the video.

The video review was favorable. The handle curiously is not slippery with wet hands. It's a moderately aggressive shaver, "mild but efficient." Good audio sound from the shave itself. Ends of blade covered by the cap (a good feature, at least in theory). There are no factory instructions, which is curious. I wonder where the name "Option Five" comes from? And who the manufacturer is? The razor reminds me somewhat of a "non-adjustable Merkur Futur."

Brother Shaveathon, thanks for introducing us to this razor. It's acceptance in the international shaving community will deserve watching.

I used a discount posted on another forum and ordered one a couple of weeks ago. Barring a delay in custom or with the US Postal service, I look forward to receiving it next week. I'll post up my thoughts once I have an opportunity to use the razor.

Interesting razor!

Gotta appreciate the warning, do not use blade!

Sure is not a Vintage

I'd be worried about the mechanism to undo the head eventually crapping out. Every razor should just be a three piece.

santamariasteve said:

Brother Shaveathon, thanks for introducing us to this razor. It's acceptance in the international shaving community will deserve watching.

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No need to thank me. It's the guys who upload some great shaving videos to Youtube who should be thanked. It's one thing to hear about the products, but it's another to see them in a video being used. I can't tell you how many soaps, creams, brushes. aftershaves, colognes, blades and razors I've been introduced to and watched in action.

Here's a tip - If you use the Youtube closed captioning option, it makes the video that much more entertaining. Youtube's voice recognition software is terrible and it turns these videos into R rated discussions of just about anything! I sometimes post some collages of the wildest screen captures to the video comments area.

EternalBachelor said:

I'd be worried about the mechanism to undo the head eventually crapping out. Every razor should just be a three piece.

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I had the same thought. I have the Futur, which I'm not too worried about the "spring" system on, as is just there to lock the head in place, so doesn't get bent very far. However, with this one, there's a button attached to the spring, which in my mind would be pushing the springs much closer to their tolerances, thereby wearing it out quicker. Of course, this is all speculation, so maybe this razor's button operates differently or is built to last forever. I'd love to hear some more impressions from people using it!

Bendwin_Jagger said:

I had the same thought. I have the Futur, which I'm not too worried about the "spring" system on, as is just there to lock the head in place, so doesn't get bent very far. However, with this one, there's a button attached to the spring, which in my mind would be pushing the springs much closer to their tolerances, thereby wearing it out quicker. Of course, this is all speculation, so maybe this razor's button operates differently or is built to last forever. I'd love to hear some more impressions from people using it!

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The Merkur Futur can be taken apart with the spring removed and put back together quite easily. I wonder if that's the same with this Option Five.

Just curious, when you take apart your Futur, do you use a drop or two of machine oil on the threads? I was reading the Merkur manual and it's recommended. I've done it once after cleaning a few months ago, but haven't since.

Shaveathon said:

The Merkur Futur can be taken apart with the spring removed and put back together quite easily. I wonder if that's the same with this Option Five.

Just curious, when you take apart your Futur, do you use a drop or two of machine oil on the threads? I was reading the Merkur manual and it's recommended. I've done it once after cleaning a few months ago, but haven't since.

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You know what? I was literally thinking about that last night after my shave with the Futur. I really need to get some machine oil to put on the spring and moving parts. I love my Futur (I got it in the BEAUTIFUL 18k gold finish!!!) and want to make it last for long enough to hand it down to my future kids or grandchildren.

How do you take it apart and remove the mechanism inside? I've never tried, but I didn't know it could be disassembled. I wonder if the Option Five can do that too; excellent question...

The Option Five was delivered today. So it will be up for tomorrow morning's shave

Bendwin_Jagger said:

You know what? I was literally thinking about that last night after my shave with the Futur. I really need to get some machine oil to put on the spring and moving parts. I love my Futur (I got it in the BEAUTIFUL 18k gold finish!!!) and want to make it last for long enough to hand it down to my future kids or grandchildren.

How do you take it apart and remove the mechanism inside? I've never tried, but I didn't know it could be disassembled. I wonder if the Option Five can do that too; excellent question...

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Here's a video about disassembling the Futur. It involves pressing down the plate after removing the cap:

Direct link as B&B has disabled full screen option for some reason: https://youtu.be/E4aDqsPqJr4


This thread discusses it. too and mentions silicon grease for maintenance. I've read that light machine oil is what should be used.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/171154-Merkur-Futur-maintenance

This thread discusses lubrication:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/138336-Lubricating-Merkur-Futur

Clint64 said:

The Option Five was delivered today. So it will be up for tomorrow morning's shave

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It's certainly got an interesting look. I'm looking forward to the shave report.

Is there any further information in the box about what the razor is made of, inside or out? There's a reference to "nickel alloy" in the stuff I've seen, but that doesn't say much without knowing what the alloy is. I'm also curious about the internals, what they're made out of and how you get to them if you need to. If you have any info to share on that, it be great to hear.

Just ordered one. They are waiting for a shipment as they are out of stock of the razor. Looks like a beautiful designed and useful razor. Plus Chris is very responsive.

Komboloi said:

It's certainly got an interesting look. I'm looking forward to the shave report.

Is there any further information in the box about what the razor is made of, inside or out? There's a reference to "nickel alloy" in the stuff I've seen, but that doesn't say much without knowing what the alloy is. I'm also curious about the internals, what they're made out of and how you get to them if you need to. If you have any info to share on that, it be great to hear.

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The razor arrived nicely packaged in the box but no additional information about construction of the razor or its internals in the box. In looking at the razor, I do not believe it is meant to be taken apart for cleaning.

Up for today’s shave is the maiden voyage of the Option Five Razor. The razor is made of Nickel Alloy and is on the heavy side at 120 grams or 4.2 ounces. It is looks very futuristic and is advertised to appeal to both men and women. It is so very different from all my other razors, that I am surprised at how much I like the looks of the razor. I loaded up a new Feather blade. I found the blade to be very easy to load and the blade exposure even on both sides. The handle appeared like it would be slippery with wet hands but this is not the case. I had no issues with the handle slipping during use. I did find myself gripping the razor in the waist section of the handle. Going with a three pass shave, WTG, XTG & ATG followed by touch ups ended in my usual near BBS. I found the razor to be mild, not as mild as a Merkur 34c, but efficient. You can really hear the razor cut the whiskers especially on the XTG pass. Even though it is the first shave, I am impressed with the Option 5 razor. I will continue using the razor alternating it with the R1 Calypso over the next week or so. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

Clint64 said:

The razor arrived nicely packaged in the box but no additional information about construction of the razor or its internals in the box. In looking at the razor, I do not believe it is meant to be taken apart for cleaning.

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Clint64 said:

​

Up for today’s shave is the maiden voyage of the Option Five Razor. The razor is made of Nickel Alloy and is on the heavy side at 120 grams or 4.2 ounces. It is looks very futuristic and is advertised to appeal to both men and women. It is so very different from all my other razors, that I am surprised at how much I like the looks of the razor. I loaded up a new Feather blade. I found the blade to be very easy to load and the blade exposure even on both sides. The handle appeared like it would be slippery with wet hands but this is not the case. I had no issues with the handle slipping during use. I did find myself gripping the razor in the waist section of the handle. Going with a three pass shave, WTG, XTG & ATG followed by touch ups ended in my usual near BBS. I found the razor to be mild, not as mild as a Merkur 34c, but efficient. You can really hear the razor cut the whiskers especially on the XTG pass. Even though it is the first shave, I am impressed with the Option 5 razor. I will continue using the razor alternating it with the R1 Calypso over the next week or so. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.

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Hey hey! I love a good "new razor success" story. Congrats on the new get.

Sorry to get so hung up on materials, but I'm cautious about these things. I wish I knew what "nickel alloy" this was and what part of the razor is made out of it. Just looking at the outside, it seems obvious that not all of the razor is made out of one uniform material. And if the thing doesn't open for cleaning of the internals, it would be important for me to know what they were made out of, because that metal shell looks like it could hold moisture.