Hiram Commander 3 dot plate with a Schick Proline. A very nice shave with one of the more intriguing designs to ever come out of Classic Shaving & its creator, Luke Webster. We know the handle is inspired by the legendary Classic Cobra merged with an Occam’s head & plate design. Weird? Most definitely but, that’s in a way the beauty of this razor. I can see how one can say that it was an afterthought of design in a laboratory experiment that kind of went wrong yet, the result of those two concepts and designs actually produced a very capable razor. The floating blade design still works as intended in the Hiram giving a comfortable yet highly efficient feeling shave. I’ve used all the plate options and have had excellent results with 2 out of the 3 used as the 1 dot was just a bit too mild for my own use. A Schick Proline with a 2 dot is as smooth a shaver out there. Very easy on the skin and can easily be a daily shaver. With the 3 dot it ups the shaving prowess ever so slightly with a bit more cutting performance that is still very comfortable and easy on the skin. However, with a Feather Pro Super in either 2 or 3 dot options turns it up in more blade feel and superb cutting ability that the Schick Proline just can’t match. The Super now works brilliantly especially with more hair growth as less passes are required to achieve a magnificent BBS finish. Downside is more blade feel and just a touch of loss in smoothness & comfort but, for a shave veteran that enjoys blade feel, it’s a trade-off or compromise that one is ready to accept. Can it draw blood? Of course but, no where near what the original Classic Cobra can do in a lapse of concentration or slip up with a Super installed. The Cobra will not forgive if you get crossed up or wander in thought while shaving. It will bite and at times bite viciously if the mind and technique are not in the shave game frame.
The Hiram is not a duplicate of the Cobra but, it has enough on the performance side to get you close enough while being a more easier, comfortable and nearly quite as distinct in looks as the Original Classic. It might take a bit getting used too with its obnoxiously large and heavy handle plus the floating blade design can be slightly disconcerting to some as most shavers hear some rattling and think there is a defect in a razor but, with minimal patience and a willingness to think out of the box from traditionalist thinking (rigid is better theory in which I’m a firm believer as well), this tool shaves exceptionally well and makes no excuses about it. Solid shaver that works as the designer intended it to do.
Great shaves to all….
The Hiram is not a duplicate of the Cobra but, it has enough on the performance side to get you close enough while being a more easier, comfortable and nearly quite as distinct in looks as the Original Classic. It might take a bit getting used too with its obnoxiously large and heavy handle plus the floating blade design can be slightly disconcerting to some as most shavers hear some rattling and think there is a defect in a razor but, with minimal patience and a willingness to think out of the box from traditionalist thinking (rigid is better theory in which I’m a firm believer as well), this tool shaves exceptionally well and makes no excuses about it. Solid shaver that works as the designer intended it to do.
Great shaves to all….
