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Weekly Razor Review
- Thread starter Errol
- Start date
Also the head looks kinda like an R41 style
Errol
Razor Review Guru
Lambda Ares V2 Stainless Steel OC (Greece)
Not content with just producing their Arena in stainless steel, Lambda have also release the Ares V2 in stainless steel; I put my name down for one of them also. Today’s review features the stainless steel Lambda Ares V2. As always, the Lambda razor presentation case deserves a special mention. It is a two piece wooden construction with felt lined cutouts for the razor, the lid snaps shut and is clamped by magnets and finished in a matt grey. I know we don’t shave with the presentation case, but all Lambda cases are outstanding. A feature of the head is the huge teeth of the comb, 10 of them to be precise. These teeth angle backwards from the line of the plate so much so that they reduce the effective length of the handle by a few mm. Other than the two large flats at the very edge of the cap, it is a standard looking cap. As with all Ares razors, the handle is modelled on the marble columns of ancient Greece; this translates to a series of longitudinal grooves along the length of the handle. There has never been a grip problem with any Ares handle, and I expect that will again be the case here. Lambda are one of the very few companies that polish the underside of their cap thus delivering the stainless steel Ares V2 as one very specially finished razor and to complete the presentation, Lambda’s trademark (λ) adorns the end of the plate.
Those curled, wide teeth certainly feel very pleasant against the skin as they glide over it. Efficiency wise, the Ares V2 sits at Karve CB level #D, a small increment down on what I achieved with the bronze version. I even think that the amount of positive blade was also a little less so while I gave the bronze Ares V2 top billing, I do like the stainless steel version even more. With its smooth, comfortable action and that gentle caress of the comb over the face, this is one of those razors that I would keep reaching for. It is just so soothing.
Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Gillette Minora
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 103.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.96mm
Handle Length – 95.00mm
Handle Diameter – 11.49mm
Availability – Lambda Razors
Final Word – Superb
Not content with just producing their Arena in stainless steel, Lambda have also release the Ares V2 in stainless steel; I put my name down for one of them also. Today’s review features the stainless steel Lambda Ares V2. As always, the Lambda razor presentation case deserves a special mention. It is a two piece wooden construction with felt lined cutouts for the razor, the lid snaps shut and is clamped by magnets and finished in a matt grey. I know we don’t shave with the presentation case, but all Lambda cases are outstanding. A feature of the head is the huge teeth of the comb, 10 of them to be precise. These teeth angle backwards from the line of the plate so much so that they reduce the effective length of the handle by a few mm. Other than the two large flats at the very edge of the cap, it is a standard looking cap. As with all Ares razors, the handle is modelled on the marble columns of ancient Greece; this translates to a series of longitudinal grooves along the length of the handle. There has never been a grip problem with any Ares handle, and I expect that will again be the case here. Lambda are one of the very few companies that polish the underside of their cap thus delivering the stainless steel Ares V2 as one very specially finished razor and to complete the presentation, Lambda’s trademark (λ) adorns the end of the plate.
Those curled, wide teeth certainly feel very pleasant against the skin as they glide over it. Efficiency wise, the Ares V2 sits at Karve CB level #D, a small increment down on what I achieved with the bronze version. I even think that the amount of positive blade was also a little less so while I gave the bronze Ares V2 top billing, I do like the stainless steel version even more. With its smooth, comfortable action and that gentle caress of the comb over the face, this is one of those razors that I would keep reaching for. It is just so soothing.
Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Gillette Minora
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 103.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.96mm
Handle Length – 95.00mm
Handle Diameter – 11.49mm
Availability – Lambda Razors
Final Word – Superb
LesC
Member
@Errol, Lambda rulzLambda Ares V2 Stainless Steel OC (Greece)
Not content with just producing their Arena in stainless steel, Lambda have also release the Ares V2 in stainless steel; I put my name down for one of them also. Today’s review features the stainless steel Lambda Ares V2. As always, the Lambda razor presentation case deserves a special mention. It is a two piece wooden construction with felt lined cutouts for the razor, the lid snaps shut and is clamped by magnets and finished in a matt grey. I know we don’t shave with the presentation case, but all Lambda cases are outstanding. A feature of the head is the huge teeth of the comb, 10 of them to be precise. These teeth angle backwards from the line of the plate so much so that they reduce the effective length of the handle by a few mm. Other than the two large flats at the very edge of the cap, it is a standard looking cap. As with all Ares razors, the handle is modelled on the marble columns of ancient Greece; this translates to a series of longitudinal grooves along the length of the handle. There has never been a grip problem with any Ares handle, and I expect that will again be the case here. Lambda are one of the very few companies that polish the underside of their cap thus delivering the stainless steel Ares V2 as one very specially finished razor and to complete the presentation, Lambda’s trademark (λ) adorns the end of the plate.
Those curled, wide teeth certainly feel very pleasant against the skin as they glide over it. Efficiency wise, the Ares V2 sits at Karve CB level #D, a small increment down on what I achieved with the bronze version. I even think that the amount of positive blade was also a little less so while I gave the bronze Ares V2 top billing, I do like the stainless steel version even more. With its smooth, comfortable action and that gentle caress of the comb over the face, this is one of those razors that I would keep reaching for. It is just so soothing.
Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Gillette Minora
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 103.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.96mm
Handle Length – 95.00mm
Handle Diameter – 11.49mm
Availability – Lambda Razors
Final Word – Superb
Errol
Razor Review Guru
Rocnel Model DE 304 (Turkey)
Standing out like the proverbial brick outhouse is the completely flat back to the plate, no machining whatsoever, there is no engraving, no lather clearing channels, no relief, nothing. It takes time to accept that a plate can be made so simply, a couple of reliefs on the top of the plate for blade clearance, a couple of chamfers, a blind holes for the blade posts and I’d better not neglect to mention the hole for the handle post, that’s it. Rocnel have picked up the outer protrusions in the blade cut out for positioning the blade posts, thus the blade posts are a lot smaller diameter and set lower than those normally seen. The 304’s cap is a bit more conventional, light weight with large, but wasted flats for blade clamping, I say wasted because they overlap the narrow chamfer on the plate by quite a large margin. A simple but functional handle completes the build. While the finish is presentable, there has been no attempt at improving what was dropped from the CNC machine. Unlike some companies with El Cheapo razors where costs are reduced by machining their caps from flat stock and end up with shave angle dictating heads, Rocnel have supplied a cap with a circular aspect.
Designers spend a lot of time, effort and money in coming up with ways to clear lather to allow the blade to perform at its full potential. After sampling the DE 304 where no attempt at all has been made to clear lather through the plate, I’m starting to wonder why. If I’d not seen for myself that there was no lather channel in the plate of the DE 304, I would not have guessed while it was being used. Under the fitted blade there is a relatively large cavity and I’m thinking that it is there to gather and disperse the lather, the system works. Rocnel razors have traditionally been overweight and mild shavers, and the DE 304 very much follows this patten. This is a budget razor so the chances of Rocnel doing anything to reduce its weight are slim. Efficiency was above Karve CB Level #A and the blade protrusion was neutral, defiantly not my cup of tea. It’s not enjoyable when you have to continually keep scraping over an area to get something like a half decent shave, then you end up with razor burn and feel like you need another shave a few hours later. Fitting a Feather blade did not improve the shave much. Time to stick a bomb up its bum, so out with the shim. If I was expecting real improvement in efficiency, I never got it. Sure there was a small increase in performance but not enough to go anywhere near satisfying my requirement for a quality shave. Every time I undone the handle to rinse out, the cap, plate and blade part would company and want to play propellers; the blade locating pins are set low, so as soon as the handle is unscrewed a little, they disengage and free everything up. It’s a simple chore to undo the handle and reassemble everything, but it’s a pain. There is nothing to write home about when describing the razor; it is one razor I could take or leave, so I’m leaving it.
Blades Used – Glatz and Feather
Material – 304 Stainless Steel
Weight – 131.9g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.41mm
Handle Length – 90.07mm
Handle Diameter – 13.98mm
Availability – Rocnel
Final Word – It’s a dud
Standing out like the proverbial brick outhouse is the completely flat back to the plate, no machining whatsoever, there is no engraving, no lather clearing channels, no relief, nothing. It takes time to accept that a plate can be made so simply, a couple of reliefs on the top of the plate for blade clearance, a couple of chamfers, a blind holes for the blade posts and I’d better not neglect to mention the hole for the handle post, that’s it. Rocnel have picked up the outer protrusions in the blade cut out for positioning the blade posts, thus the blade posts are a lot smaller diameter and set lower than those normally seen. The 304’s cap is a bit more conventional, light weight with large, but wasted flats for blade clamping, I say wasted because they overlap the narrow chamfer on the plate by quite a large margin. A simple but functional handle completes the build. While the finish is presentable, there has been no attempt at improving what was dropped from the CNC machine. Unlike some companies with El Cheapo razors where costs are reduced by machining their caps from flat stock and end up with shave angle dictating heads, Rocnel have supplied a cap with a circular aspect.
Designers spend a lot of time, effort and money in coming up with ways to clear lather to allow the blade to perform at its full potential. After sampling the DE 304 where no attempt at all has been made to clear lather through the plate, I’m starting to wonder why. If I’d not seen for myself that there was no lather channel in the plate of the DE 304, I would not have guessed while it was being used. Under the fitted blade there is a relatively large cavity and I’m thinking that it is there to gather and disperse the lather, the system works. Rocnel razors have traditionally been overweight and mild shavers, and the DE 304 very much follows this patten. This is a budget razor so the chances of Rocnel doing anything to reduce its weight are slim. Efficiency was above Karve CB Level #A and the blade protrusion was neutral, defiantly not my cup of tea. It’s not enjoyable when you have to continually keep scraping over an area to get something like a half decent shave, then you end up with razor burn and feel like you need another shave a few hours later. Fitting a Feather blade did not improve the shave much. Time to stick a bomb up its bum, so out with the shim. If I was expecting real improvement in efficiency, I never got it. Sure there was a small increase in performance but not enough to go anywhere near satisfying my requirement for a quality shave. Every time I undone the handle to rinse out, the cap, plate and blade part would company and want to play propellers; the blade locating pins are set low, so as soon as the handle is unscrewed a little, they disengage and free everything up. It’s a simple chore to undo the handle and reassemble everything, but it’s a pain. There is nothing to write home about when describing the razor; it is one razor I could take or leave, so I’m leaving it.
Blades Used – Glatz and Feather
Material – 304 Stainless Steel
Weight – 131.9g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.41mm
Handle Length – 90.07mm
Handle Diameter – 13.98mm
Availability – Rocnel
Final Word – It’s a dud
Bummer....... Wasting money on a dud.Rocnel Model DE 304 (Turkey)
Standing out like the proverbial brick outhouse is the completely flat back to the plate, no machining whatsoever, there is no engraving, no lather clearing channels, no relief, nothing. It takes time to accept that a plate can be made so simply, a couple of reliefs on the top of the plate for blade clearance, a couple of chamfers, a blind holes for the blade posts and I’d better not neglect to mention the hole for the handle post, that’s it. Rocnel have picked up the outer protrusions in the blade cut out for positioning the blade posts, thus the blade posts are a lot smaller diameter and set lower than those normally seen. The 304’s cap is a bit more conventional, light weight with large, but wasted flats for blade clamping, I say wasted because they overlap the narrow chamfer on the plate by quite a large margin. A simple but functional handle completes the build. While the finish is presentable, there has been no attempt at improving what was dropped from the CNC machine. Unlike some companies with El Cheapo razors where costs are reduced by machining their caps from flat stock and end up with shave angle dictating heads, Rocnel have supplied a cap with a circular aspect.
Designers spend a lot of time, effort and money in coming up with ways to clear lather to allow the blade to perform at its full potential. After sampling the DE 304 where no attempt at all has been made to clear lather through the plate, I’m starting to wonder why. If I’d not seen for myself that there was no lather channel in the plate of the DE 304, I would not have guessed while it was being used. Under the fitted blade there is a relatively large cavity and I’m thinking that it is there to gather and disperse the lather, the system works. Rocnel razors have traditionally been overweight and mild shavers, and the DE 304 very much follows this patten. This is a budget razor so the chances of Rocnel doing anything to reduce its weight are slim. Efficiency was above Karve CB Level #A and the blade protrusion was neutral, defiantly not my cup of tea. It’s not enjoyable when you have to continually keep scraping over an area to get something like a half decent shave, then you end up with razor burn and feel like you need another shave a few hours later. Fitting a Feather blade did not improve the shave much. Time to stick a bomb up its bum, so out with the shim. If I was expecting real improvement in efficiency, I never got it. Sure there was a small increase in performance but not enough to go anywhere near satisfying my requirement for a quality shave. Every time I undone the handle to rinse out, the cap, plate and blade part would company and want to play propellers; the blade locating pins are set low, so as soon as the handle is unscrewed a little, they disengage and free everything up. It’s a simple chore to undo the handle and reassemble everything, but it’s a pain. There is nothing to write home about when describing the razor; it is one razor I could take or leave, so I’m leaving it.
Blades Used – Glatz and Feather
Material – 304 Stainless Steel
Weight – 131.9g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 41.41mm
Handle Length – 90.07mm
Handle Diameter – 13.98mm
Availability – Rocnel
Final Word – It’s a dud
Have a drink @Errol
Bladerunner7
Member
@Errol, Excellent and detailed review as always. The underneath of the base plate reminds me of the Muhle Rocca. The lather clearance was okay with the Rocca while holding the head sideways under a running tap. Theo made it much smoother and easier with his Athena design. I would have thought that Rocnel would have done something even better or cooler.
The worst I've found is the Timeless 0.95 where the lather channel is particularly difficult to clean. Fortunately my rainwater doesn't leave much (if any) crud on my razors, but I had to resort to one of those skinny bottle-brushes made for cleaning stainless drinking straws to clean out the .95 when it came from the previous owner. The shave was worth it, though.
That's why I don't recommend the Timeless razor, because, of the lather channel build up inside along the safety bar is particularly difficult and a real pain in the ass to clean.The worst I've found is the Timeless 0.95 where the lather channel is particularly difficult to clean. Fortunately my rainwater doesn't leave much (if any) crud on my razors, but I had to resort to one of those skinny bottle-brushes made for cleaning stainless drinking straws to clean out the .95 when it came from the previous owner. The shave was worth it, though.