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A Timeless Summer - A Comparative Assessment of Timeless Razors

Phoenixkh

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
LRod said:
Would anyone know the big difference between the Slim and the Bronze .38?
(and has anyone compared the two?)
I'm asking because of the specs. I've owned the bronze!
Bronze: .38 Blade gap & .005 blade exposure
Slim: .50 Blade gap & .005 blade exposure
At least between the numbers I can only see a .12 increase of blade gap on the Slim.
And visually a miniscule increase of blade bend on the Bronze!
Something that I believe wouldn't make a massive difference.

But I keep reading that the Bronze is on the milder side (it was for me!)
And the Slim is supposed to be aggressive.
Am I missing something? 🤔
Click to expand...
I’ve been threatening to use the bronze 0.38 for a while now. I have it mounted on the Wolfman Darwin handle which I have never used. Since my last shave was with the SlimSB, it’s still fresh in my mind. I’ll let you know how it goes. It’s already loaded with a Perma-Sharp, so the consistency should be there.
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Ckmaui said:
Just brain dumping thoughts as that whole comparing finding the razors for me was fun but tough and tedious :)

I know my side by side for blades I would do about 6 days switching sides was best for the razor blades and would not change that :)

the side by side for the razors did help me compare but maybe to say only needed or wanted to do it a few days and then move on to 1-2 weeks straight per razor with the same blade each day as the blade made such a difference each time I would switch I just ended up having to many variables :)

So in the end for me just finding the most comfy blade for each razor (doing the side/side with 2 razor blades and narrowing those down to my favs) then comparing those best blades (often unique for each razor) for say 2 weeks

my main reason was when comparing the wolfman .95 to the 1.15 I had of course the 1.15 was more efficient and the .95 more comfy but was not until I started to use the 1.15 daily did I realize I could not use it daily for extended time as it just started to be to much and all those days I did the switching I guess I never noticed as I was getting a solid feel for just how that more aggressive was for me long term ( think that makes sense)
also not until I found the best blade for the 1.15 did I realize how much that razor prefered a whole other blade than the .95 :)
the permasharp in the 1.15 I could use it much longer than say the green 7 that my .95 loved so much more :)

its tough as there are so so so many variables :)
I did find the years it took me was so worth it though as I know long term testing for years is fine with me as they do go so fast and the older we get the quicker they go :)

anyway just sharing hope that was OK

also i think this boils down to I was trying to find my fav fav single razor and NOT holding on to them all for the fun of rotating and having a collection which is not my thing but can see why folks would love to have that variety but I am the guy that wears the same shirt same color same brand same with shorts or pants or shoes just easier for me that way
Click to expand...
That all makes a lot of sense. I generally agree, but your last paragraph gets to the root of it. My goal - what ultimately drives my behavior here - is trying to really appreciate the experience. To do that, I need to give some thought about what makes the shave great. It's a bit like going to a wine tasting...If you had only one wine to drink, you'd probably enjoy it (or not), have a few thoughts and move on. By comparing two wines, you can think about the differences critically. Is a given differential related to some type of taste? What is that taste? Is it mouth feel? What causes that? Do I prefer the thinner wine or the thicker one?

When I have two razors in my hand, I consider - what am I really evaluating and why is it important? Are the things I'm measuring related in some way? Is what I'm doing of any value - first to myself and then, to anybody reading the post? Thinking through all of that stuff, I not only end up appreciating both razors more, I know why I'm appreciating them. The short evaluation time frames gives me enough information to figure out what's important and create a preliminary stack ranking based on the things I've determined to be important.

Once all that's done, then I get to take my time appreciating each razor individually, already understanding what the razor excels at, and which blade accentuates those qualities best.

Right now, I'm just trying to figure out what terroir is, because fundamentally, I'm a beer drinker.
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Phoenixkh said:
I’ve been threatening to use the bronze 0.38 for a while now. I have it mounted on the Wolfman Darwin handle which I have never used. Since my last shave was with the SlimSB, it’s still fresh in my mind. I’ll let you know how it goes. It’s already loaded with a Perma-Sharp, so the consistency should be there.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Kim, I'm curious to hear how you compare the two.
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

I spent the night teaching a class, skipping dinner, not spending time with my wife and son.

And now I'm spending time writing about shaving. I must have a screw loose.

Mark, kiss your wife. Hug your son. Then go...to...bed.

But first a writeup from a crazy person. I thought the shaves this morning were outstanding. Nearly no stubble, low FIS scores, a pleasant experience in general. By 6pm, I start feeling stubble - both mild, 10-hour shaves. Not for the record books.

It's clear to me that the SB and OC slims are pretty different razors. The OC Slim does really well with the Wizamets, but is not so great with Feathers and Perma-Sharps. With the OC Slim, if I use a really sharp blade, my face is not happy and I sort'a don't care about how close a shave I had - I'm hoping I don't get ingrown hairs. But... If I use a mild blade with the OC Slim, I can get a really nice and close shave, with perfectly acceptable alum feedback. Worst shave on the OC - an 86. The best? A 94. I did get a few "B" shaves, but I also got a solid "A" shave.

The SB slim appears to be less blade dependent. My best shave so far with the SB Slim was a 92. The worst was a 91, regardless of blade. Will the SB Slim get me a super close shave? I have my doubts, but I'm pretty much guaranteed a really good "A-" shave, regardless of blade.

Different razors indeed.

For the next four days, I'll be trying the Personna Lab Blues, at which point, I'll summarize my findings of the Slims.

1720668488509.png
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Day 2 of the Lab Blue's. I did a quick 2-pass shave on each side. 1:30 for the first pass, :45 for the second and :45 for touch up. I tried to be particularly careful about my angles and pressure. Doing so yielded a pretty close shave for both razors and negligible post-shave irritation. If I wanted a quick, care-free daily driver, either of these would be fine, provided I used a mild blade like the Lab Blue or the Wizamet. If I were to pick the SB Slim, I could get excellent quick shave with some of the sharper blades as well.

1720830071762.png


I received a Timeless Slant to try today. Based on my discussions with Jeremiah and the published specs, the Aluminum Slant should be a mild shave. I'll think I'll give it a side-by-side test drive against a SuperSlant 1++ with Nacets in each. Monday's test.
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Today's shave was great and really helped me clarify my thinking on these razors. I wanted to see if I could get a 12-hour shave out of each, and pushed a little harder on both sides. At the end of the shave, the right side of my face (the OC Slim Side) had an FIS that was somewhere between a 6 and 7. 11 hours later, that side has a couple of bumps and was still sore. I'm going to give it an FIS of 7. The SB Slim side had an FIS of 5. As to closeness, I have nearly no discernable stubble 11 hours after the shave on either side. I'm glad I pushed the two razors today as I was beginning to question my original first reaction to both, which gave a distinctive advantage to the SB Slim.

1720909135628.png


I've decided to draw a line under the Timeless Slim testing - I think I have enough data to form a decent set of findings. Here are my consolidated thoughts on each, relative to some common use cases:

  • Quick 1 or 2 Pass shave: Advantage goes to the OC Slim. It is a bit more efficient and when I used a smooth, moderately sharp blade, I was able to get a comfortable 10-hour shave in 6 minutes. Though I did not consistently document findings after each pass, I did have many close comfortable 1-pass shaves with the OC slim
  • I don't want to think about my shave - I want it done: I'm not sure either razor is ideal for this - they both require attention, even with a mild blade. That said, by the end of two reasonable "reasonably low consideration" passes with the SB Slim, I was able to get a DFS.
  • I want the most efficient shave possible: The OC Slim did a pretty good job keeping up with the OC Blackbird. It wasn't quite as efficient, but Titanium apples to apples, it's $100 less.
  • I want a comfortable, efficient 10-hour shave: This is where the SB Slim really shines. Easy-paced, methodical shaves were a real pleasure with this razor, particularly with the Wizamet blade. It wasn't quite as efficient as the OC Slim in 6 minutes of face time, but it was such a pleasure. Even when I added time for buffing to stretch the results to 12 hours, the FIS was still a reasonable 5.
  • I want the most interesting razor: The engineering and manufacturing work in the OC Slim is impressive. I almost want to keep this head just for that reason.
  • The Highlander test (there can be only one): Between the two Slims, I'm going with the SB. If I were to include the OC 68 and the SCL 95? I'm going with the OC 68 (in fact, I did. I bought a second one in Stainless for my travel razor)
If any of you guys have any feedback on either of the bronze Timeless offerings, particularly in contrast to any of the four I've tested, please weigh in. I'd love to see how the two bronze offerings fit into the lineup.

Next up: Battle of mild slants - Timeless Slant vs. RazoRock Superlant 1++ OC with a Gillette Nacet.
 
LRod

LRod

BigAlVista said:
Today's shave was great and really helped me clarify my thinking on these razors. I wanted to see if I could get a 12-hour shave out of each, and pushed a little harder on both sides. At the end of the shave, the right side of my face (the OC Slim Side) had an FIS that was somewhere between a 6 and 7. 11 hours later, that side has a couple of bumps and was still sore. I'm going to give it an FIS of 7. The SB Slim side had an FIS of 5. As to closeness, I have nearly no discernable stubble 11 hours after the shave on either side. I'm glad I pushed the two razors today as I was beginning to question my original first reaction to both, which gave a distinctive advantage to the SB Slim.

View attachment 1877470

I've decided to draw a line under the Timeless Slim testing - I think I have enough data to form a decent set of findings. Here are my consolidated thoughts on each, relative to some common use cases:

  • Quick 1 or 2 Pass shave: Advantage goes to the OC Slim. It is a bit more efficient and when I used a smooth, moderately sharp blade, I was able to get a comfortable 10-hour shave in 6 minutes. Though I did not consistently document findings after each pass, I did have many close comfortable 1-pass shaves with the OC slim
  • I don't want to think about my shave - I want it done: I'm not sure either razor is ideal for this - they both require attention, even with a mild blade. That said, by the end of two reasonable "reasonably low consideration" passes with the SB Slim, I was able to get a DFS.
  • I want the most efficient shave possible: The OC Slim did a pretty good job keeping up with the OC Blackbird. It wasn't quite as efficient, but Titanium apples to apples, it's $100 less.
  • I want a comfortable, efficient 10-hour shave: This is where the SB Slim really shines. Easy-paced, methodical shaves were a real pleasure with this razor, particularly with the Wizamet blade. It wasn't quite as efficient as the OC Slim in 6 minutes of face time, but it was such a pleasure. Even when I added time for buffing to stretch the results to 12 hours, the FIS was still a reasonable 5.
  • I want the most interesting razor: The engineering and manufacturing work in the OC Slim is impressive. I almost want to keep this head just for that reason.
  • The Highlander test (there can be only one): Between the two Slims, I'm going with the SB. If I were to include the OC 68 and the SCL 95? I'm going with the OC 68 (in fact, I did. I bought a second one in Stainless for my travel razor)
If any of you guys have any feedback on either of the bronze Timeless offerings, particularly in contrast to any of the four I've tested, please weigh in. I'd love to see how the two bronze offerings fit into the lineup.

Next up: Battle of mild slants - Timeless Slant vs. RazoRock Superlant 1++ OC with a Gillette Nacet.
Click to expand...
OK so your results (and testing) is excellent!
I think the Slim will be on my list of future razor purchases based on what I've read here.
I will wait for a sale though before I'd go ahead with one. I'm no longer in the "rush" state of mind
for razor purchases. Now it's razors I"m really interested in and with the possibility of a discount.
Question:
Would you consider the OC Slim as a possible daily shaver (as opposed to the SB)?
Or too much?
I don't do ATG, just 2 passes WTG/XTG every night!
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

It could be a daily driver, if you are OK being careful every day, keeping the shaves short, and finding a blade that works for you. If not going ATG means you spend less time overall with the razor on your face, maybe? But if you are spending more than 8 minutes moving the razor across your skin, I wouldn't think so.

I would not choose the OC Slim for a daily driver. The SB Slim? yes. The OC 68?, yes.
 
LRod

LRod

BigAlVista said:
It could be a daily driver, if you are OK being careful every day, keeping the shaves short, and finding a blade that works for you. If not going ATG means you spend less time overall with the razor on your face, maybe? But if you are spending more than 8 minutes moving the razor across your skin, I wouldn't think so.

I would not choose the OC Slim for a daily driver. The SB Slim? yes. The OC 68?, yes.
Click to expand...
Good input!
Thank you!
Sidenote: I had the brass OC Blackbird and it was way too much for daily shaves. So it got sold!
Strangely enough, my Tatara Nodachi OC & my Barbaros TR3 OC are both excellent for daily use. And they both have lots of blade exposure and large gaps (especially the Barbaros).
 
Phoenixkh

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Mark, thank you again for putting this thread together and letting me join in the fun.

I just finished a brilliant shave with my Timeless bronze 0.38. I hadn't used it for quite some time... First time this year, as I started My Shave Den around Christmas and it's now easy to keep track of when I use what.

It was like a comfortable, broken-in pair of shoes that you forgotten you had in the back of a closet somewhere. I had a week's growth and I wasn't sure the 0.38 would be up for the challenge... but it sure was..... Where the SlimSB struggled getting to the more dense and difficult to cut chin whiskers, the 0.38 had no problem. I always have to go slow there, no matter the razor, if I have that much growth, but I noticed that difference right away.

After the shave, I took a look at the base plates of both the SlimSB and the bronze 0.38. The SlimSB has an angled edge where the 0.38 has a squared off edge. I'm guessing here, but I think the solid, squared off edge is more effective in bringing my whiskers up for cutting.. And it also confirmed to me, I need to work more on the shaving angle with the SlimSB. I suspect if I get that right, I'll be able to get a similarly stellar shave.

I would say, at this point, three of my Timeless razors are intuitive for me and are fun to use. The two hybrid titanium and stainless steel 0.68OCs and the bronze 0.38 are a perfect fit for my face and whiskers. All of them leave my face as smooth as it can get... I'll be able to confirm this later today, but I know the two 0.68OCs give me 12 hour shaves and I believe I'll see that with the 0.38 bronze as well. The SlimSB left a whisper of whiskers behind, but as I said, if and when I get the angle of attack sorted, it might do the same.

A note: I used the Wolfman Darwin handle with the 0.38 bronze. This is the first time I've used this handle, even though I bought it along with my Wolfman WR2 months ago. It's a bit heavier than my hollow Wolfman bronze handles and the Timeless Ti Crown, but it was easy to grip. My fingers found their places without me thinking about it. It felt natural. It's only 14 to 17 grams heavier, respectively, than the others, but I only felt the weight when I first picked up the razor. The extra weight disappeared and didn't come to mind once when I was using it.
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Phoenixkh said:
Mark, thank you again for putting this thread together and letting me join in the fun.

I just finished a brilliant shave with my Timeless bronze 0.38. I hadn't used it for quite some time... First time this year, as I started My Shave Den around Christmas and it's now easy to keep track of when I use what.

It was like a comfortable, broken-in pair of shoes that you forgotten you had in the back of a closet somewhere. I had a week's growth and I wasn't sure the 0.38 would be up for the challenge... but it sure was..... Where the SlimSB struggled getting to the more dense and difficult to cut chin whiskers, the 0.38 had no problem. I always have to go slow there, no matter the razor, if I have that much growth, but I noticed that difference right away.

After the shave, I took a look at the base plates of both the SlimSB and the bronze 0.38. The SlimSB has an angled edge where the 0.38 has a squared off edge. I'm guessing here, but I think the solid, squared off edge is more effective in bringing my whiskers up for cutting.. And it also confirmed to me, I need to work more on the shaving angle with the SlimSB. I suspect if I get that right, I'll be able to get a similarly stellar shave.

I would say, at this point, three of my Timeless razors are intuitive for me and are fun to use. The two hybrid titanium and stainless steel 0.68OCs and the bronze 0.38 are a perfect fit for my face and whiskers. All of them leave my face as smooth as it can get... I'll be able to confirm this later today, but I know the two 0.68OCs give me 12 hour shaves and I believe I'll see that with the 0.38 bronze as well. The SlimSB left a whisper of whiskers behind, but as I said, if and when I get the angle of attack sorted, it might do the same.

A note: I used the Wolfman Darwin handle with the 0.38 bronze. This is the first time I've used this handle, even though I bought it along with my Wolfman WR2 months ago. It's a bit heavier than my hollow Wolfman bronze handles and the Timeless Ti Crown, but it was easy to grip. My fingers found their places without me thinking about it. It felt natural. It's only 14 to 17 grams heavier, respectively, than the others, but I only felt the weight when I first picked up the razor. The extra weight disappeared and didn't come to mind once when I was using it.
Click to expand...
Thank you, Kim. Great information!
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

Yesterday, the right side of my face was still a bit sore from the OC Slim shave from the prior day, so I didn't give the Slant a full test drive yesterday and am taking today off. I'll give the Slant a proper test drive tomorrow. From the half-shave I did do yesterday, my first impressions are as follows:

  • The razor is extremely light.
  • The CNC work is excellent, particularly give the price.
  • The machine finish is well done
  • Extremely mild with a Nacet.
  • Negligible blade feel.
  • Produced a fine 8-hour shave on the left half-side of my face with about 5 minutes of "skin-time"
 
BigAlVista

BigAlVista

An interesting shave day.

I did my first side-by-side shave with the Timeless Slant and the RR OC 1++. While they are both slants, I don't think the comparison is a great one. The Timeless seems to use the slant as a means to provide extra rigidity only whereas the RazoRock's deep twist and slant not only provides rigidity, but also makes it easy to cut at an angle. Additionally, the Timeless Slant is a sub-$60 aluminum razor, but the RazoRock is made from stainless (it's much heavier) and is significantly more money.

While it's way too soon to draw conclusions, I would say the following about this first shave.
  • I gave them both the same amount of face time.
  • The blades in each were day-2 Nacets that I "broke in" using the Timeless on prior days. Both Nacets shaved almost identically in the Timeless Slant
  • As with my prior tests, I tried to minimize the impact of other factors. I'm using the same Catie's bubbles soap, similar sized badger brushes, the same pre- and post-shave routines. While I will likely change soaps back to the AofS cream when the Catie's runs out (maybe a week or two from now), I won't be jumping around with a bunch of different soaps.
  • For the past two shaves, I have gotten an excellent 8-hour shave from the Timeless. Extra buffing, messing with technique and adding time haven't led to a closer shave, they've just added irritation. Using just a bit of pressure, about 8-9 minutes of total face time appears to be the sweet spot for the Timeless Slant. Note that my daily shaves do not leave enough beard growth time to warrant a WTG pass, so I just do a centerline to L/R pass and a down-up pass, plus some buffing.
  • The SuperSlant regularly gives me a 10-hour shave with the same 8-9 minutes of face time. It's hard to compare applied pressure between the two razors because of the significant weight differential. I apply just a bit of pressure with the RazoRock, but more with the Timeless.
  • Both razors yield FIS scores between 3 and 4, but so far, the RazoRock seems more efficient.
Here are my notes on the T-Slant so far:
1721260380585.png
 
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