- Thread starter
- #761
Thanks Larry. I'm curious as well.
Dignity and the Wet shave
- Thread starter BigAlVista
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #762
I think it nay be time to order a new PAA mentholated cube...
- Thread starter
- #763
12 Days with the Portuguese Samurai
I have one more day with my Nodachis and the various plates before I wrap up my findings, but I do have some thoughts I'd like to share:
1) It took me a few days to 'settle in' with this razor. Had this been my first DE razor, based on my first two shaves, I'm not sure I would have given up carts. For me, it does require more attention to angles, pressure and muscle memory (particularly with the OC Masamune base plate) than a number of other razors I've used. That said, once I figured the Nodachi out, we became close friends.
2) Prior to shaving with the Nodachi with OC Nodachi plate, the OC Blackbird was the most efficient DE razor in my den...Not necessarily the smoothest or 'best', but the most efficient. Having done three comparison shaves between the OC Nodachi and OC Blackbird, the Tatara has provided longer lasting shaves, without additional blade-on-face time.
3) Despite the efficiency, the Tatara is not overly aggressive - once I learned how to use it. Is it forgiving? Not particularly. My first two shaves were an FIS of 5, mostly because I was applying a bit too much pressure and was shaving a bit too steeply. Once I figured that all out, subsequent shaves have been great. I have found that the razor is mild enough (particularly with the SB plate), provided I do my part.
4) Lubricity: I've shaved with both the Stainless and Ti Nodachi. Both of them (with both the SB and OC plates) do not require as much attention to keeping the face moist and lubricated as some of the more angle-specific razors (i.e. Blackbird and Henson). Doing the side-by-side testing with the Blackbird, I kept having to apply mist or lather to the Blackbird side, but not so much with the Nodachi side.
5) Closeness rating: I had been concerned that my evaluation of the Tatara was out of alignment with my prior reviews of other razors - the Nodachi reviews seemed "too high". Part of the reason I started doing side-by-side testing with the OC Blackbird was to see if my ratings were appropriate. My prior average closeness ratings for the Blackbird had been about 94. For the Nodachi, it's been closer to 95. For the past three days, under reasonably well controlled scenarios, the Nodachi has continually provided a somewhat closer shave. There does not appear to be any evaluation bias. The razor is just really efficient.
6) Stainless vs Ti: The only noticeable difference is the weight. The razor engineering seems otherwise identical. If you have the Stainless and like the weight and balance, there's no need for the Ti. I would note that the balance point of both razors is farther down the handle than many razors. If you really prefer a head-heavy razor, this may not be the one for you - unless you pair a Ti Masamune handle with a stainless Nodachi cap and base plate. As the handle is recessed into the base plate and has an impact on head alignment, I would not recommend using a third-party handle, unless it was specifically engineered for the Tatara DE line of razors.
7) OC plates: In my first few shaves, and before I figured out the angles and pressure, I thought the OC plates felt a bit sharp. Now that I have familiarized myself with the razor, I feel the need to retract that statement. The comb is a bit smoother than the OC Blackbird comb, but not nearly as smooth as the Timeless comb plates.
Nodachi evaluations to date: Note that for the past two days, I've been using the Ti Nodachi (which I thought was a more appropriate comparison to the Ti OC Blackbird):
I have one more day with my Nodachis and the various plates before I wrap up my findings, but I do have some thoughts I'd like to share:
1) It took me a few days to 'settle in' with this razor. Had this been my first DE razor, based on my first two shaves, I'm not sure I would have given up carts. For me, it does require more attention to angles, pressure and muscle memory (particularly with the OC Masamune base plate) than a number of other razors I've used. That said, once I figured the Nodachi out, we became close friends.
2) Prior to shaving with the Nodachi with OC Nodachi plate, the OC Blackbird was the most efficient DE razor in my den...Not necessarily the smoothest or 'best', but the most efficient. Having done three comparison shaves between the OC Nodachi and OC Blackbird, the Tatara has provided longer lasting shaves, without additional blade-on-face time.
3) Despite the efficiency, the Tatara is not overly aggressive - once I learned how to use it. Is it forgiving? Not particularly. My first two shaves were an FIS of 5, mostly because I was applying a bit too much pressure and was shaving a bit too steeply. Once I figured that all out, subsequent shaves have been great. I have found that the razor is mild enough (particularly with the SB plate), provided I do my part.
4) Lubricity: I've shaved with both the Stainless and Ti Nodachi. Both of them (with both the SB and OC plates) do not require as much attention to keeping the face moist and lubricated as some of the more angle-specific razors (i.e. Blackbird and Henson). Doing the side-by-side testing with the Blackbird, I kept having to apply mist or lather to the Blackbird side, but not so much with the Nodachi side.
5) Closeness rating: I had been concerned that my evaluation of the Tatara was out of alignment with my prior reviews of other razors - the Nodachi reviews seemed "too high". Part of the reason I started doing side-by-side testing with the OC Blackbird was to see if my ratings were appropriate. My prior average closeness ratings for the Blackbird had been about 94. For the Nodachi, it's been closer to 95. For the past three days, under reasonably well controlled scenarios, the Nodachi has continually provided a somewhat closer shave. There does not appear to be any evaluation bias. The razor is just really efficient.
6) Stainless vs Ti: The only noticeable difference is the weight. The razor engineering seems otherwise identical. If you have the Stainless and like the weight and balance, there's no need for the Ti. I would note that the balance point of both razors is farther down the handle than many razors. If you really prefer a head-heavy razor, this may not be the one for you - unless you pair a Ti Masamune handle with a stainless Nodachi cap and base plate. As the handle is recessed into the base plate and has an impact on head alignment, I would not recommend using a third-party handle, unless it was specifically engineered for the Tatara DE line of razors.
7) OC plates: In my first few shaves, and before I figured out the angles and pressure, I thought the OC plates felt a bit sharp. Now that I have familiarized myself with the razor, I feel the need to retract that statement. The comb is a bit smoother than the OC Blackbird comb, but not nearly as smooth as the Timeless comb plates.
Nodachi evaluations to date: Note that for the past two days, I've been using the Ti Nodachi (which I thought was a more appropriate comparison to the Ti OC Blackbird):
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- Thread starter
- #764
Correction. I was shaving too shallow.
I actually thought your original post was correct. It's not a steep shaving razor!
I figured you were shaving too steep.
The "default" on the Tatara's is 24 degrees which makes them ideal at shallow angles vs. steep angles. At least for me it's worked out that way!
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+1
I have a lot of time with the Nodachi and Blackbird, but no OC, and results are consistently the opposite. HOWEVER, I think blade choice plays into this; the Schick is great in the Nodachi for me, but I get closer shaves out of a tamer blade in the Blackbird. It might be blade geometry mismatches as someone suggested in the past. Mark's closeness rating are closely aligned with my own and while I have recently gotten a 94 out of the Nodachi, that hasn't been the norm and it took a sharper blade to do it(like the Schick).
The Blackbird has been more complex to figure out the optimum blade for, throwing sharpness at it hasn't worked for me. I was using Astra SP sharpness blades for a long time and routinely got 94 or 95 point shaves. Anything lower meant I messed up my face or shaved with a previously messed up face. Occasionally, I would remember a magic combo and pull out a 96 point shave. The Blackbird has always been the slower shave for me and I think that the blade choice plays into that, but I think it also produces the closer shaves because of the amount of face time. It never feels slow when shaving, only when using a different razor the next day.
I am finding that the Lite 'Bird is giving me much more Nodachi like results and behaviour. They both probably have the same exposure, but in spite of the huge gap difference I get the same pluses and minuses. It's probably only possible because of the Blackbird's semi-guided angle, if the cap was rounded it would be very difficult to stay in the zone.
Sorry for another essay Mark.
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