Weekly Razor Review

Errol said:
Shield DE Cerakoted (China)



I was studying the head profile of the DE Cerakoted Razor and thinking how flat the profile of the head was. It was then I noted that there will be very little curvature of the blade when everything is all clamped down, there will be some, but the blade will sit almost flat. Like every Shield razor I’ve ever used, the DE Cerakoted is well made and there is a lot to like about its quality although the thread engagement is a bit on the loose side, but it is smooth and positive. The weight of the handle is out of proportion to the head; it would have been quite easy to have drilled a 7mm hole in the end of the handle and it could have easily been 70mm deep; that would have helped balance the razor considerably. A wide diamond pattern runs most of the handle’s length and that will ensure good grip. There are no blemishes to the Cerakoted surface, and it presents in an unblemished matt black finish.

Brilliant - there is no other way to describe the shave delivered by the DE Cerakoted Shield. Marginally more than Karve CB level #C efficiency and one of the smoothest shaves you’re ever likely to enjoy; this is a razor that I would eagerly grab to use every day of the week, and continue using. Even though I appreciated the shave I would like to see the handle being lighter, not a smaller diameter, but lighter. As suggested above, a hole drilled in the end of the handle would provide the solution. My ideal Shield Cerakoted DE razor would feature a stainless steel head and with a lightened titanium handle, that would go a long way in balancing the whole package. I ended up having four shaves with the DE and the Ceracoted finish did not even begin to polish in that time. Titanium is resilient to all chemicals likely to be encountered during a shave, so the Cerakoted finish is really not there for anything other than to look good, and it certainly does that to perfection. This razor is well worth seeking out.

Blades Used – Gillette Nacet and Gillette Super Thin
Material – Titanium – black Cerakoted finish
Weight – 69.6g
Blade Tab – Slightly exposed
Head Width – 42.54mm
Handle Length – 90.10mm
Handle Diameter – 13.43mm
Availability – AliExpress
Final Word – What a great razor
Click to expand...
I am finding I am liking the new razors with almost flat blades (the Assassin is another one). I see more of them lately - or maybe it's the new car effect - buy one and suddenly you are seeing them everywhere.
 
Carbon Shaving Cx .71 Mild – 2025 (USA)



I would like it known that I appreciate Carbon Shaving razors. That, however, has not always been the case, I was one of the early buyers in the very first batch of Carbon Cx razors back in 2019. My feelings on that first Cx is that it was a reject from the second’s bin. It was sold as a premium razor; machine marks, poor thread engagement, poor polished finish and marks on the finish that required me to hand polish the razor just so I could use it. One thing that Cx did do was to deliver a bloody great shave. Every Carbon Shaving product I have used since has delivered an excellent shave and I have used all plates except for their .71(Mild) and that will change after this review. Also pleasing to see is that every Cx I have purchased since has been up to the standard I would expect of a premium razor.

What I decided to do last year was to purchase the basic Carbon Shaving Cx and check how it compared to the original, there was one notable difference to the original specification, I selected the .71(Mild) plate. Where to start, the 2025 Cx version is so different.

  • Polished finish – Very good, there are some machine marks under the cap, but they do not stand out
  • Threads – They are not bad, but I’ve seen better so I’d give them 8.5 out of 10
  • Plate – Where the original Cx plate was a regular solid affair, Carbon Shaving have made a name for themselves with their web design. Large sections of the plate have been machined out leaving enough framework to function. As an added bonus, there would be a small weight reduction.
  • Handle – While the handle retains the distinctive Carbon Shaving shape, the design has been refined and given some angled leads and grooves to break up the squarish look of the original.
  • Weight – There has been a slight reduction in weight, down by 5g to 87g, a commendable weight for any full stainless steel razor.
Two pucks of blades were included with the razor, Gillette Silver Blue and Astra Green. My garbage bin hasn’t yet turned up its nose in accepting Astra Green blades, so I’ll be using the Silver Blue for the first shave. I’m not sure what I was expecting from the .71 (Mild) plate but there was certainly nothing wrong with the result. Sure, it was on the mild side of the ledger but still very usable; I’m estimating Karve CB level #C with just a hint of blade feel. As for smoothness and comfort, you couldn’t ask for better. This basic version of the razor is very much handle heavy, but Carbon Shaving are ahead of the pack and have been producing super lightweight, composite carbon fibre handles for special models for a long time. I rate the Carbon Shaving razors with the best razors available and now that I have used every efficiency plate in their range, that estimation has not waned. It seems strange to me that here in Australia Carbon Shaving razors have not received the attention they deserve, I would have thought that there would be more than I’ve seen around. They are good.

Blades Used – Gillette Silver Blue and Rapira Platinum Lux
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 87.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 40.73mm
Handle Length – 91.82mm
Handle Diameter – 12.99mm
Availability – Carbon Shaving
Final Word – A truly great razor
 
Errol said:
Carbon Shaving Cx .71 Mild – 2025 (USA)



I would like it known that I appreciate Carbon Shaving razors. That, however, has not always been the case, I was one of the early buyers in the very first batch of Carbon Cx razors back in 2019. My feelings on that first Cx is that it was a reject from the second’s bin. It was sold as a premium razor; machine marks, poor thread engagement, poor polished finish and marks on the finish that required me to hand polish the razor just so I could use it. One thing that Cx did do was to deliver a bloody great shave. Every Carbon Shaving product I have used since has delivered an excellent shave and I have used all plates except for their .71(Mild) and that will change after this review. Also pleasing to see is that every Cx I have purchased since has been up to the standard I would expect of a premium razor.

What I decided to do last year was to purchase the basic Carbon Shaving Cx and check how it compared to the original, there was one notable difference to the original specification, I selected the .71(Mild) plate. Where to start, the 2025 Cx version is so different.

  • Polished finish – Very good, there are some machine marks under the cap, but they do not stand out
  • Threads – They are not bad, but I’ve seen better so I’d give them 8.5 out of 10
  • Plate – Where the original Cx plate was a regular solid affair, Carbon Shaving have made a name for themselves with their web design. Large sections of the plate have been machined out leaving enough framework to function. As an added bonus, there would be a small weight reduction.
  • Handle – While the handle retains the distinctive Carbon Shaving shape, the design has been refined and given some angled leads and grooves to break up the squarish look of the original.
  • Weight – There has been a slight reduction in weight, down by 5g to 87g, a commendable weight for any full stainless steel razor.
Two pucks of blades were included with the razor, Gillette Silver Blue and Astra Green. My garbage bin hasn’t yet turned up its nose in accepting Astra Green blades, so I’ll be using the Silver Blue for the first shave. I’m not sure what I was expecting from the .71 (Mild) plate but there was certainly nothing wrong with the result. Sure, it was on the mild side of the ledger but still very usable; I’m estimating Karve CB level #C with just a hint of blade feel. As for smoothness and comfort, you couldn’t ask for better. This basic version of the razor is very much handle heavy, but Carbon Shaving are ahead of the pack and have been producing super lightweight, composite carbon fibre handles for special models for a long time. I rate the Carbon Shaving razors with the best razors available and now that I have used every efficiency plate in their range, that estimation has not waned. It seems strange to me that here in Australia Carbon Shaving razors have not received the attention they deserve, I would have thought that there would be more than I’ve seen around. They are good.

Blades Used – Gillette Silver Blue and Rapira Platinum Lux
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 87.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 40.73mm
Handle Length – 91.82mm
Handle Diameter – 12.99mm
Availability – Carbon Shaving
Final Word – A truly great razor
Click to expand...
Great (as always) unbiased review. I totally agree with your last paragraph and after being “enabled” 😂, I make no secret that my Carbon CX Graphite with Original plate is now the only “modern” DE razor that I’ve kept and owned or used, it’s that good IMO.
 
Errol said:
Shield DE Cerakoted (China)



I was studying the head profile of the DE Cerakoted Razor and thinking how flat the profile of the head was. It was then I noted that there will be very little curvature of the blade when everything is all clamped down, there will be some, but the blade will sit almost flat. Like every Shield razor I’ve ever used, the DE Cerakoted is well made and there is a lot to like about its quality although the thread engagement is a bit on the loose side, but it is smooth and positive. The weight of the handle is out of proportion to the head; it would have been quite easy to have drilled a 7mm hole in the end of the handle and it could have easily been 70mm deep; that would have helped balance the razor considerably. A wide diamond pattern runs most of the handle’s length and that will ensure good grip. There are no blemishes to the Cerakoted surface, and it presents in an unblemished matt black finish.

Brilliant - there is no other way to describe the shave delivered by the DE Cerakoted Shield. Marginally more than Karve CB level #C efficiency and one of the smoothest shaves you’re ever likely to enjoy; this is a razor that I would eagerly grab to use every day of the week, and continue using. Even though I appreciated the shave I would like to see the handle being lighter, not a smaller diameter, but lighter. As suggested above, a hole drilled in the end of the handle would provide the solution. My ideal Shield Cerakoted DE razor would feature a stainless steel head and with a lightened titanium handle, that would go a long way in balancing the whole package. I ended up having four shaves with the DE and the Ceracoted finish did not even begin to polish in that time. Titanium is resilient to all chemicals likely to be encountered during a shave, so the Cerakoted finish is really not there for anything other than to look good, and it certainly does that to perfection. This razor is well worth seeking out.

Blades Used – Gillette Nacet and Gillette Super Thin
Material – Titanium – black Cerakoted finish
Weight – 69.6g
Blade Tab – Slightly exposed
Head Width – 42.54mm
Handle Length – 90.10mm
Handle Diameter – 13.43mm
Availability – AliExpress
Final Word – What a great razor
Click to expand...
Top review as always Dear @Errol. The Shield Cerakoted DE does deliver in spades. Its an awesome razor.
 
Errol said:
Carbon Shaving Cx .71 Mild – 2025 (USA)



I would like it known that I appreciate Carbon Shaving razors. That, however, has not always been the case, I was one of the early buyers in the very first batch of Carbon Cx razors back in 2019. My feelings on that first Cx is that it was a reject from the second’s bin. It was sold as a premium razor; machine marks, poor thread engagement, poor polished finish and marks on the finish that required me to hand polish the razor just so I could use it. One thing that Cx did do was to deliver a bloody great shave. Every Carbon Shaving product I have used since has delivered an excellent shave and I have used all plates except for their .71(Mild) and that will change after this review. Also pleasing to see is that every Cx I have purchased since has been up to the standard I would expect of a premium razor.

What I decided to do last year was to purchase the basic Carbon Shaving Cx and check how it compared to the original, there was one notable difference to the original specification, I selected the .71(Mild) plate. Where to start, the 2025 Cx version is so different.

  • Polished finish – Very good, there are some machine marks under the cap, but they do not stand out
  • Threads – They are not bad, but I’ve seen better so I’d give them 8.5 out of 10
  • Plate – Where the original Cx plate was a regular solid affair, Carbon Shaving have made a name for themselves with their web design. Large sections of the plate have been machined out leaving enough framework to function. As an added bonus, there would be a small weight reduction.
  • Handle – While the handle retains the distinctive Carbon Shaving shape, the design has been refined and given some angled leads and grooves to break up the squarish look of the original.
  • Weight – There has been a slight reduction in weight, down by 5g to 87g, a commendable weight for any full stainless steel razor.
Two pucks of blades were included with the razor, Gillette Silver Blue and Astra Green. My garbage bin hasn’t yet turned up its nose in accepting Astra Green blades, so I’ll be using the Silver Blue for the first shave. I’m not sure what I was expecting from the .71 (Mild) plate but there was certainly nothing wrong with the result. Sure, it was on the mild side of the ledger but still very usable; I’m estimating Karve CB level #C with just a hint of blade feel. As for smoothness and comfort, you couldn’t ask for better. This basic version of the razor is very much handle heavy, but Carbon Shaving are ahead of the pack and have been producing super lightweight, composite carbon fibre handles for special models for a long time. I rate the Carbon Shaving razors with the best razors available and now that I have used every efficiency plate in their range, that estimation has not waned. It seems strange to me that here in Australia Carbon Shaving razors have not received the attention they deserve, I would have thought that there would be more than I’ve seen around. They are good.

Blades Used – Gillette Silver Blue and Rapira Platinum Lux
Material – 316L Stainless Steel
Weight – 87.3g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 40.73mm
Handle Length – 91.82mm
Handle Diameter – 12.99mm
Availability – Carbon Shaving
Final Word – A truly great razor
Click to expand...
Well detailed take on the carbon CX Mild. Sadly, the Carbon is one of those super popular razors that I just didn't care much for. Superb design, construction and finishing make it a premium product alright but most shavers get it wrong by believing that the ++ is the most aggressive. I had the whole shebang in the Ti once and discovered that the blade exposure is reduced when the blade gap goes up in the carbon razors. Used all plates for three months before moving the whole set on at a song.

While the razor regardless of blade gap was super smooth always, only the Standard base plate had decent efficiency for me. The ++ was a nightmare with me needing three passes and a ton of touch ups just to get a decent shave. This was one razor I was happy to see gone.
 
Bladerunner7 said:
Well detailed take on the carbon CX Mild. Sadly, the Carbon is one of those super popular razors that I just didn't care much for. Superb design, construction and finishing make it a premium product alright but most shavers get it wrong by believing that the ++ is the most aggressive. I had the whole shebang in the Ti once and discovered that the blade exposure is reduced when the blade gap goes up in the carbon razors. Used all plates for three months before moving the whole set on at a song.

While the razor regardless of blade gap was super smooth always, only the Standard base plate had decent efficiency for me. The ++ was a nightmare with me needing three passes and a ton of touch ups just to get a decent shave. This was one razor I was happy to see gone.
Click to expand...
It would be a boring old hobby if we all liked the same gear.
 
Delta Echo Gillette Slim Adjustable H1



I was fumbling through ebay when I came across this revamped Delta Echo Gillette Slim H1 for sale. It had my name written all over it, I’ll find room to shoehorn it into my collection somehow, somewhere. I would never refurbish a razor that was in, or very near pristine condition, however if the old girl had seen plenty of use, I’d have no objection to having it revamped to give it a new lease on life. Now the colour scheme on this razor is not something I would normally consider, but it was already done and there’s little doubt that it will stand out in any crowd, black Cerakote with red highlights. A certificate accompanying the Slim is dated 2016 and the razor looks like it has not seen a blade since it was revamped, I’ll make amends to that pretty soon.

Gillette Slims are a common razor and are readily available on the second hand and BST markets, so I won’t go into too much detail on the razor itself. Suffice to say that it is a Gillette adjustable razor; anyone who has ever used a Gillette adjustable will know immediately the message I’m trying to convey. Slims are a twist to open adjustable with 9 different setting, the odd numbers are displayed and there is a dot for the even numbers. A positive click informs the user of their selected setting, ensuring that once set it is not going to be accidentally moved. As expected of a revamped razor everything has been tuned and works to perfection. At 10mm diameter the handle might look thin but in practice the razor was easy to control and affords good grip.

It’s a long time since I’ve used a Slim razor but I have fond memories of that encounter so I’m really looking forward to sampling the Slim again. Position #6 seemed like a good place to start but as it turned out the result was under Karve CB Level #D efficiency; up to position #7 and there was a corresponding increase in efficiency but it was not till I switched to position #8 that I found what I was looking for – Karve CB level #D efficiency. At just over Karve CB level #D efficiency, position #9 may be too mild for some but for me I don’t require any more aggression. There is a noticeable step in efficiency as you progress through each setting and a proportional increase in positive blade feel as you reach the higher settings. At no time does the blade feel become overpowering, it remains well matched to the efficiency level right through the range. I’m sorry to say but all other makes of adjustables are pretenders, all playing catch up in the adjustable razor world; Gillette got the formula right and never strayed too far from what they knew worked. Get yourself a mint, a low milage or a refurbished Gillette adjustable, there’s ample out there, you won’t be disappointed.

  • #1 – Too mild for me
  • #3 –Karve CB Level #B – pleasant blade feel
  • #5 –Karve CB Level #C – pleasant blade feel
  • #7 – Just under Karve CB Level #D – pleasant blade feel
  • #9 – Over Karve CB Level #D – pleasant blade feel
Blades Used – Gillette Super Thin and Gillette Super Stainless
Material – Brass
Weight – 70.6g
Blade Tab – Exposed
Head Width – 43.7mm
Handle Length – 80.76mm
Handle Diameter – 10.08mm
Availability – Out of production
Final Word – A pleasure
 
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