Here are my top blades:
1) Feather
2) Kai
3) Wizamet Super Iridium
4) Gillette Platinum
5) Gillette Perma-Sharp
6) Gillette SharpEdge
Their are others that I like however any one of the six mentioned could easily be my “forever” blade.
Henson Razor Club.
- Thread starter romo10
- Start date
1) Feather
2) Kai
3) Wizamet Super Iridium
4) Gillette Platinum
5) Gillette Perma-Sharp
6) Gillette SharpEdge
Their are others that I like however any one of the six mentioned could easily be my “forever” blade.
Today, I pulled out my AL13 +++. I loaded a Voshkod on a whim. I always get a good shave with a more aggressive razor and these blades. I used a Shavemac butterscotch 28mm fiber knot brush and Mitchell's Wool Fat shaving soap. I lathered up well, as I expected The Fat to do, and proceeded to shave. I got as good of a shave as I expected to get on two passes. It was a VFS and near perfect in some places. It is a great razor. I can't say it is any better than my AL13 ++ or T122 ++, but it was certainly very good. I don't think Henson makes a bad razor; they are all good.
A comfortable BBS shave with no drama...just how I like it.
Wednesday January 11, 2023
Brush: Simpson T3 Trafalgar
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper Bowl
Lather: Canada Shaving Soap
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Gillette SharpEdge (1)
Post: Osma Alum Block
Post: Southern Witchcrafts Carpathia
Wednesday January 11, 2023
Brush: Simpson T3 Trafalgar
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper Bowl
Lather: Canada Shaving Soap
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Gillette SharpEdge (1)
Post: Osma Alum Block
Post: Southern Witchcrafts Carpathia
@T Bone, I will have to get back to you on the Indian blade list because I want to get to my Ti22 shave first
Henson Ti22 V2 +++, SuperMax Diamond Edge blade
First shave with a titanium Henson, first shave with a V2. Let's get this out of the way, it doesn't dethrone my Blackbird Ti, but there are things that I actually like better about the Henson. I think I will make some comments around the edges, so to speak, instead of giving a definitive shave report.
The shave was very nice, I just like the way the Henson sits on my face and the feel of lightly warmed titanium. It's a personal thing, but I shave for my own enjoyment and I think it's the most important thing overall. The razor has to meet a minimum performance criteria, cost aside, of course and the Henson does. I actually think this feel really was what was missing from the aluminium version because the actual shave is a bit boring frankly. I don't know how else to describe it, it's so easy and safe to use. But there is something lacking compared to some razors and that is a sense of skill, a certain feeling that you figured out how to shave an area without irritation or got into a difficult spot succesfully. The Henson just either gets it done or it doesn't, it mostly does though. This is the razor I will choose when I am in a hurry and surprisingly, considering the cost, the one that I will travel with most.
Let's start with the so called V2 changes since this will be quick, they have no affect on the shave for me. I really like all the changes based on feel and aesthetics, I understand that it takes away from the Henson's unique look. There is something different to the feel over my aluminium aggressive that I can't put my finger on, it's either the material or the top cap shaping.
The difference in material over the aluminium is less than I was expecting and I have used several titanium razors. This is partly due to the weight being much less than claimed, it didn't feel like it provided nor took away anything. I can see why Henson claims that nobody needs the titanium. The biggest change is the unexpected grippyness of the handle. Second would be the different face feel that I am already used to and love. If you think the Henson has drag, completely avoid matte finished razors!
Compared to the Blackbird, I was surprised that I could immediately feel that it had less blade exposure. I thought that I had grown accustomed to it, but by taking some away it became apparent. The closest trade off that I can find is the clamping on the Henson is superb. Razors that clamp like this have a certain feel, it makes the whole razor seem denser than it is. I am not getting much sound, less than my stainless Blackbird. The trade off of having less blade exposure is that I had to buff over several areas much more, trying to find a different angle that will get the spot. On the flip side, the rigidity means that the hairs won't deflect and skip. The blade I chose was right at the limit of how much sharpness my face can handle when going over spots repeatedly, any sharper and I would have to just be happy with what I get. The large(ish) blade gap remains unthreatening and can mostly be ignored if one maintains the right angle. The machining on the Henson is a lot more industrial so to speak, but I prefer the smooth semi-shiny finish over my Blackbird's matte finish actually. It's pretty obvious why the Blackbird is as expensive as it is, but it's less obvious why the Henson is as cheap as it is(for a titanium razor). I have never had a clogging problem with the original so I can't say that the new lather channel is an improvement, but it is much less prone to clogging than my Blackbird with it's tiny gap under the blade. I think the Henson is a steeper razor than the Blackbird, but it's hard to define due to it's shape. There is a lot more lather going under the safety bar than I remember with my V1 which is indicative of a steeper razor and the published specs tend to agree. The handle also feels closer to my face than my Blackbird.
Overall, the Henson fits into my stable of razors nicely and doesn't upset the order of things as I expected. It's strange to say, but I was actually hoping that it wouldn't be mind blowing or anything. I think after enough experience, you should have a good idea what to expect from a razor, with some exceptions(Athena). I admit that I would have been over the moon if they had one of these available this past summer shortly after getting the limited run aluminium aggressive razor. But I have learned a lot and improved my technique by using the Blackbird in the mean time so it was worth the wait. I guess my Henson purchase are done unless they come out with something completely unexpected, but it would probably be something targeted at their main stream customers anyway. So I am happy with what I have and can enjoy using them now.
Henson Ti22 V2 +++, SuperMax Diamond Edge blade
First shave with a titanium Henson, first shave with a V2. Let's get this out of the way, it doesn't dethrone my Blackbird Ti, but there are things that I actually like better about the Henson. I think I will make some comments around the edges, so to speak, instead of giving a definitive shave report.
The shave was very nice, I just like the way the Henson sits on my face and the feel of lightly warmed titanium. It's a personal thing, but I shave for my own enjoyment and I think it's the most important thing overall. The razor has to meet a minimum performance criteria, cost aside, of course and the Henson does. I actually think this feel really was what was missing from the aluminium version because the actual shave is a bit boring frankly. I don't know how else to describe it, it's so easy and safe to use. But there is something lacking compared to some razors and that is a sense of skill, a certain feeling that you figured out how to shave an area without irritation or got into a difficult spot succesfully. The Henson just either gets it done or it doesn't, it mostly does though. This is the razor I will choose when I am in a hurry and surprisingly, considering the cost, the one that I will travel with most.
Let's start with the so called V2 changes since this will be quick, they have no affect on the shave for me. I really like all the changes based on feel and aesthetics, I understand that it takes away from the Henson's unique look. There is something different to the feel over my aluminium aggressive that I can't put my finger on, it's either the material or the top cap shaping.
The difference in material over the aluminium is less than I was expecting and I have used several titanium razors. This is partly due to the weight being much less than claimed, it didn't feel like it provided nor took away anything. I can see why Henson claims that nobody needs the titanium. The biggest change is the unexpected grippyness of the handle. Second would be the different face feel that I am already used to and love. If you think the Henson has drag, completely avoid matte finished razors!
Compared to the Blackbird, I was surprised that I could immediately feel that it had less blade exposure. I thought that I had grown accustomed to it, but by taking some away it became apparent. The closest trade off that I can find is the clamping on the Henson is superb. Razors that clamp like this have a certain feel, it makes the whole razor seem denser than it is. I am not getting much sound, less than my stainless Blackbird. The trade off of having less blade exposure is that I had to buff over several areas much more, trying to find a different angle that will get the spot. On the flip side, the rigidity means that the hairs won't deflect and skip. The blade I chose was right at the limit of how much sharpness my face can handle when going over spots repeatedly, any sharper and I would have to just be happy with what I get. The large(ish) blade gap remains unthreatening and can mostly be ignored if one maintains the right angle. The machining on the Henson is a lot more industrial so to speak, but I prefer the smooth semi-shiny finish over my Blackbird's matte finish actually. It's pretty obvious why the Blackbird is as expensive as it is, but it's less obvious why the Henson is as cheap as it is(for a titanium razor). I have never had a clogging problem with the original so I can't say that the new lather channel is an improvement, but it is much less prone to clogging than my Blackbird with it's tiny gap under the blade. I think the Henson is a steeper razor than the Blackbird, but it's hard to define due to it's shape. There is a lot more lather going under the safety bar than I remember with my V1 which is indicative of a steeper razor and the published specs tend to agree. The handle also feels closer to my face than my Blackbird.
Overall, the Henson fits into my stable of razors nicely and doesn't upset the order of things as I expected. It's strange to say, but I was actually hoping that it wouldn't be mind blowing or anything. I think after enough experience, you should have a good idea what to expect from a razor, with some exceptions(Athena). I admit that I would have been over the moon if they had one of these available this past summer shortly after getting the limited run aluminium aggressive razor. But I have learned a lot and improved my technique by using the Blackbird in the mean time so it was worth the wait. I guess my Henson purchase are done unless they come out with something completely unexpected, but it would probably be something targeted at their main stream customers anyway. So I am happy with what I have and can enjoy using them now.
Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker
Likes a fat handle in his hand
What is this...
An early delivery from Henson
Hello +++
I already cleaned it up, it was filthy, and loaded a fresh Super-Max Diamond Edge. Somebody(Lasta?) here theorised that the RK blades are being made by Vidyut and based on the fit, I can believe that! This thing is light, much less than the claimed weight of the V1, just 60g. To say that I am excited would be a major understatement, plus the threads look good!
Thats a sexy looking Razor, it almost shines like nickel, I find the look of this alloy quite pleasing to my eyes. You say it arrived filthy? Why would Henson ship a filthy razor? While I find titanium to be quite light, aluminum is even lighter for sure. Well you should be excited, I mean, its freaking gorgeous!
I don't bother with the RK blades. I appreciate that Henson includes blades with their razors, but I'd prefer that they were providing the standard selection, which are Astra SP's. Or they could ship with any of the other popular and good blades. RK blades are often rated poor, as they usually provide poor quality shaves, and I personally wouldn't take a risk on using them.
Yes, the threads do look good when you post delicious pictures in them. <<<--- See what I did there?
Would you like to have a look at more threads for the fun of it? Here's the threads on my Henson AL13 Medium aluminum cap.
Ohhhhh, and will you look at that, a quality blade is in there, ready to go, and that my friend, is the way to go.
WOOT!!! WOOT!!! (Takes a deep breath to charge diaphragm) Congratulations on acquiring your new sexy Henson razor wooooooooooooooooooooooooo......YEAH!!! 
I have to make an unfortunate update, but I am not going to make excuses and try to hide things. I had to pull the Bump Patrol out for the first time in 6 months. This is the thing with rigidly clamped razors that don't have much feedback, you don't know that you over did it until later. Which is better than getting chopped up thanks to the Henson's design. I didn't use any pressure, but I definitely went over my neck too many times. Even with experience, mistakes happen occasionally.
I pulled the blade out, which I never do, and set it aside. I loaded a nice vintage blade that I have a lot of experience with for tomorrow. I will avoid excessive posting until I have some more shaves in. Man do I like the look of this razor!
I pulled the blade out, which I never do, and set it aside. I loaded a nice vintage blade that I have a lot of experience with for tomorrow. I will avoid excessive posting until I have some more shaves in. Man do I like the look of this razor!
I didn't know what emoji to use, so I used bacon, 'cause it is tasty and I thought it might make you feel better. 
That sucks, sorry to hear about it, but it is just one shave. There will be another one soon.
That made me remember my first Henson shaves. This was with my first Henson, a purple v1 +. I bought the 100-pack of RK blades, because Henson recommended them. This was when they just came out and they still had Astra SPs in the box. I used up an RK or two and because it they are so dull and the + is so safe and mild, I ended up raking over lots of areas. I eventually got a decent shave, with no repercussions. After getting sick of the raking and tugging the RKs caused, I put in a sharper blade, but I did the same thing, raked over areas. It was better than it could have been, a half hour later areas of my face were hot and itchy. So I went back to good shaving technique and got much better shaves with a decent blade.
Aaron, you're really good at this and you've given me lots of great tips and helpful advice. If you occasionally have a bad shave it makes me feel less bad about when I do. Thanks for sharing!
That sucks, sorry to hear about it, but it is just one shave. There will be another one soon.That made me remember my first Henson shaves. This was with my first Henson, a purple v1 +. I bought the 100-pack of RK blades, because Henson recommended them. This was when they just came out and they still had Astra SPs in the box. I used up an RK or two and because it they are so dull and the + is so safe and mild, I ended up raking over lots of areas. I eventually got a decent shave, with no repercussions. After getting sick of the raking and tugging the RKs caused, I put in a sharper blade, but I did the same thing, raked over areas. It was better than it could have been, a half hour later areas of my face were hot and itchy. So I went back to good shaving technique and got much better shaves with a decent blade.
Aaron, you're really good at this and you've given me lots of great tips and helpful advice. If you occasionally have a bad shave it makes me feel less bad about when I do. Thanks for sharing!
Thursday shave
ARKO shave soap, unfortunately required a smidge of Cremo to get slick.... long story.
Omega 10049 Professional Boar brush
Razor 1: Winning
Blade 1: Tatra (2)
Razor 2: Henson Shaving AL13 +++
Blade 2: Wizamet Super Iridium (3)
Thayers Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera Formula, Rose Petal
I had a rare afternoon shave today. It turned into a 4.5 pass shave with all the "fun" I was having.
I had the Winning razor (Razor 1) ready to go, so made some lovely ARKO! lather and off I went... or tried. I had the dreaded excessive friction phenomenon again. So, I grabbed a tube of Cremo and put about 3/4" into the lather bowl and mixed it with the ARKO! already there. It slickened the lather, but it still wasn't adequate to get the Winning to glide.
So, in comes Razor 2. The Henson +++ worked OK with the lather that the Winning couldn't slide on. I swapped out razors a couple of times to try to figure out what was going on. Then I noticed that the area shaved with the Winning was still loaded with stubble. So, I'm assuming that the blade in the Winning was way past its prime. Or could it be that the friction kept it from making proper contact with the skin? I really need to figure this out. I've had many great shaves with the Winning, but the friction thing has happened twice, both times with a Tatra blade. Coincidence??
Anyway, sorry for the long response. At least I got to shave, with no weepers, cuts or irritation.
Even with the chaotic nature of this shave, it still rates a 9.35/10. The Henson +++ saved the day.
ARKO shave soap, unfortunately required a smidge of Cremo to get slick.... long story.
Omega 10049 Professional Boar brush
Razor 1: Winning
Blade 1: Tatra (2)
Razor 2: Henson Shaving AL13 +++
Blade 2: Wizamet Super Iridium (3)
Thayers Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera Formula, Rose Petal
I had a rare afternoon shave today. It turned into a 4.5 pass shave with all the "fun" I was having.
I had the Winning razor (Razor 1) ready to go, so made some lovely ARKO! lather and off I went... or tried. I had the dreaded excessive friction phenomenon again. So, I grabbed a tube of Cremo and put about 3/4" into the lather bowl and mixed it with the ARKO! already there. It slickened the lather, but it still wasn't adequate to get the Winning to glide.
So, in comes Razor 2. The Henson +++ worked OK with the lather that the Winning couldn't slide on. I swapped out razors a couple of times to try to figure out what was going on. Then I noticed that the area shaved with the Winning was still loaded with stubble. So, I'm assuming that the blade in the Winning was way past its prime. Or could it be that the friction kept it from making proper contact with the skin? I really need to figure this out. I've had many great shaves with the Winning, but the friction thing has happened twice, both times with a Tatra blade. Coincidence??
Anyway, sorry for the long response. At least I got to shave, with no weepers, cuts or irritation.
Even with the chaotic nature of this shave, it still rates a 9.35/10. The Henson +++ saved the day.
Feather Friday
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Feather HI-Stainless (1)
YMMV: Feather Blades and Henson razors are a perfect match! Just a ridiculously easy BBS shave.
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Feather HI-Stainless (1)
YMMV: Feather Blades and Henson razors are a perfect match! Just a ridiculously easy BBS shave.
Henson AL13 V2 ++ Razor
Astra SP Blade #1 Shave #7
Its Friday & here are my Astra SP results:
Shaves 1-5 were excellent.
Shave 6 the Astra slowed down some and shave #7 was ok but not really cutting the stubble close any longer.
The Astra SP is a good blade for me but YMMV.
Astra SP Blade #1 Shave #7
Its Friday & here are my Astra SP results:
Shaves 1-5 were excellent.
Shave 6 the Astra slowed down some and shave #7 was ok but not really cutting the stubble close any longer.
The Astra SP is a good blade for me but YMMV.
A nice comfortable Saturday morning shave.
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Feather HI-Stainless (1)
Razor: Henson Ti22 V2 +
Blade: Feather HI-Stainless (1)
I wanted to post these pictures for @T Bone, but thought it would be more beneficial to post them here
What I wanted to show was that the Blackbird and the Henson have a ramped design to guide you, but the Henson is a steeper shaving angle. The blade angle is nearly the same, but the Henson smooshes it flat in the centre.
I think we all have been over this before, but going too steep with the Henson is a good way to get irritation. After making some measurements and looking at close up photos, I believe I have the answer; the width of the head on the Henson is narrower by 2mm(safety bar to safety bar), combined with the blade gap, allows skin to get right underneath the blade edge. That is what I, and others, have experienced even with the ++. The built in shaving angle of 30 degrees is right on the edge of being a steep angle to start with and I think trying to push it steeper is counter productive. I know some super steep shavers don't like that you can't really ride the bar on the Henson, I guess that would make it a neutral shaver? One of my oldest complains was that the ++ would lift the blade if I tried to go shallower and the +++ fixes that, giving me more available angles. By comparison, the Blackbird is still shallower even when shaving steep, but the wider head and lower gap keeps the blade from pinching skin and biting.
I hope this provides some useful information for anybody considering a Blackbird, especially the new Lite version.
What I wanted to show was that the Blackbird and the Henson have a ramped design to guide you, but the Henson is a steeper shaving angle. The blade angle is nearly the same, but the Henson smooshes it flat in the centre.
I think we all have been over this before, but going too steep with the Henson is a good way to get irritation. After making some measurements and looking at close up photos, I believe I have the answer; the width of the head on the Henson is narrower by 2mm(safety bar to safety bar), combined with the blade gap, allows skin to get right underneath the blade edge. That is what I, and others, have experienced even with the ++. The built in shaving angle of 30 degrees is right on the edge of being a steep angle to start with and I think trying to push it steeper is counter productive. I know some super steep shavers don't like that you can't really ride the bar on the Henson, I guess that would make it a neutral shaver? One of my oldest complains was that the ++ would lift the blade if I tried to go shallower and the +++ fixes that, giving me more available angles. By comparison, the Blackbird is still shallower even when shaving steep, but the wider head and lower gap keeps the blade from pinching skin and biting.
I hope this provides some useful information for anybody considering a Blackbird, especially the new Lite version.
I just completed 3 more, 4 total, shaves with my new Ti22. I can say that maybe the blade was defective, but my technique wasn't correct for sure. These last three shaves have been nearly perfect. All have been just barely BBS by my definition.
I have been trying to lean on the shallower side to reduce irritation and the new rounded top cap has become very noticeable, in a good way. It's a much smoother transition, even if it only feels smoother.
The extra weight of the titanium has become more noticeable, it provides better stability without feeling heavier than the Aluminium.
As I have started to gain confidence, I have been taking advantage of the rigid clamping to it's full potential. This has required figuring out some slightly different directions, that I used to use with my ++, than I am accustomed to using. This has slightly offset the longer time that it is taking to shave compared to my Blackbird. I have been able to better hack through my tough goatee area than any other razor that I have used, without disturbing some bumps that I have. That is a tough balance to achieve and it does so perfectly!
The neck bumps that I got on shave one with the other blade have been reducing every day indicating that I am not causing any further irritation the last three shaves. Some areas that I am going over too many times are a little sore, but with no lasting consequences now due to the Henson's design and a shallower angle.
I have been trying to lean on the shallower side to reduce irritation and the new rounded top cap has become very noticeable, in a good way. It's a much smoother transition, even if it only feels smoother.
The extra weight of the titanium has become more noticeable, it provides better stability without feeling heavier than the Aluminium.
As I have started to gain confidence, I have been taking advantage of the rigid clamping to it's full potential. This has required figuring out some slightly different directions, that I used to use with my ++, than I am accustomed to using. This has slightly offset the longer time that it is taking to shave compared to my Blackbird. I have been able to better hack through my tough goatee area than any other razor that I have used, without disturbing some bumps that I have. That is a tough balance to achieve and it does so perfectly!
The neck bumps that I got on shave one with the other blade have been reducing every day indicating that I am not causing any further irritation the last three shaves. Some areas that I am going over too many times are a little sore, but with no lasting consequences now due to the Henson's design and a shallower angle.
Today was my first shave with the AL13+++ in about 7-8 months. My technique has grown up some, so I'm going to give it a good extended try, using it for most of my shaves over the next few weeks.
I loaded a new Voskhod, which is my preferred blade at the moment. I'd rate this a nice BBS-, though I got a few weepers above my right jawline and 1 below my left jawline. I also got more alum feedback than I've noted in awhile, but that's only translated to mild irritation.
This wasn't far off from what I remember the first few times I used the +++. The aggressiveness didn't translate to a more efficient shave, it took about as long as I usually take, and drew more blood than usual even for me. I can't complain about a BBS- though. But I'm hoping to see if I can adjust my technique over a few weeks to be more efficient, and pay better attention to using a shallower angle to reduce those weepers.
So if you shave at the angle that the razor guides you to use, is the angle that the blade touches your face at shallower with the Blackbird?
Thanks for this. I like the Henson a lot obviously, so when someone else who likes the Henson likes something else even better, I take notice.
24 degrees vs 30 degrees, you feel even less of the blade edge than with the Henson.
I wanted to post these pictures for @T Bone, but thought it would be more beneficial to post them here
What I wanted to show was that the Blackbird and the Henson have a ramped design to guide you, but the Henson is a steeper shaving angle. The blade angle is nearly the same, but the Henson smooshes it flat in the centre.
I think we all have been over this before, but going too steep with the Henson is a good way to get irritation. After making some measurements and looking at close up photos, I believe I have the answer; the width of the head on the Henson is narrower by 2mm(safety bar to safety bar), combined with the blade gap, allows skin to get right underneath the blade edge. That is what I, and others, have experienced even with the ++. The built in shaving angle of 30 degrees is right on the edge of being a steep angle to start with and I think trying to push it steeper is counter productive. I know some super steep shavers don't like that you can't really ride the bar on the Henson, I guess that would make it a neutral shaver? One of my oldest complains was that the ++ would lift the blade if I tried to go shallower and the +++ fixes that, giving me more available angles. By comparison, the Blackbird is still shallower even when shaving steep, but the wider head and lower gap keeps the blade from pinching skin and biting.
I hope this provides some useful information for anybody considering a Blackbird, especially the new Lite version.
Thanks for sharing this thoughtful analysis, @APBinNCA! I've been keeping an eye on the Blackbird, as people seem to really, really like it. I have an Era and like that a lot. I'm curious and hesitant about the large exposure and low clamping. I didn't know what those things were for a while, but it seems I tend to like razors with rigid blade clamping, like the Henson and the Era. I'm still trying to figure out my preferences for exposure, it scares me a bit as I am ugly enough already and I don't want to make it worse! How rigid is a blade in the Blackbird?
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Extremely rigid in the shaving direction due to the blade bend. It's noisy because the blade can obviously rebound uninhibited. The weird thing is, you can poke the blade edge and it will deflect back to neutral exposure. I interpret this as the reason it's so gentle on the face, if you push a little too much it will deflect instead of hold tight. It allows the blade to act as a spring, keeping itself in contact with your face and no more. It definitely feels different to shave with than anything I can think of. Sorry, didn't mean to derail the Henson Razor Club!
Today, I used my AL13 +++ , a Voshkod blade, along with Mitchell's Wool Fat shaving soap. This stuff is really superior once a person learns its secrets. I took my new Yaqi Monster 30mm barber pole brush and loaded up the Fat, moved to my bowl and worked it really well, then moved to my face to finish the lather. Perfect.
The shave was VFS, near BBS. The razor glided over the super slick MWF, which is so slick it's like snot on a vaseline coated stick.
The shave was VFS, near BBS. The razor glided over the super slick MWF, which is so slick it's like snot on a vaseline coated stick.
