fhalden
"Like BarberDave… I make my own fun”
Thanks so much for these posts! I've really learned a lot!
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
The Shaving Cadre
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Slants
- Thread starter gvw755
- Start date
Thanks so much for these posts! I've really learned a lot!
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Clouds
Shave Member
On Sunday before last I used my favourite Slant, the Walbusch B5 and posted the following comment on our local shaving forum...
(Also posted here in SOTD - not the comment though)
To my knowledge - this is the only "blade gap" adjustable slant. They mated the Walbusch B3 with a Merkur Progress and awesomness is what popped out. It was patented in 1937. This is such an easy shaver and by far my best shaving slant and as a result gets used quite a bit. I pretty seldom use it with the heavier adjustment knob. If Merkur produced these again, I'm pretty sure that they would be an instant success.
(Also posted here in SOTD - not the comment though)
To my knowledge - this is the only "blade gap" adjustable slant. They mated the Walbusch B3 with a Merkur Progress and awesomness is what popped out. It was patented in 1937. This is such an easy shaver and by far my best shaving slant and as a result gets used quite a bit. I pretty seldom use it with the heavier adjustment knob. If Merkur produced these again, I'm pretty sure that they would be an instant success.
gvw755
0
So @Clouds SOTD brings up my next group of slants for me to shave with - the Humpbacks.
I briefly mentioned the humpbacks when I talked about the diagonal slants. I decided to group them together and take them one at a time. The first thing us slanted folks discuss is what constitutes a humpback? Many will say that any razor with one side of the cap higher than the other side is a humpback. This would include the Mulcuto razors with just a slight hump. Others, like me, will say that there really has to be a big and flashy looking hump.
The purpose of the humpback was to allow you to find the proper shave angle and to keep the handle straight while shaving. PAA took great effort to explain this when their Alpha Ecliptic frist came out. If you follow the simple instructions and keep the handle perpendicular, you will get an effortless and brainless shave. It is no wonder I enjoy these a lot.
So this is my limited collection of humpback slants (l to r):
Unmarked Humpback told to me that it is a Lutz as told to him by a reliable source (which I don’t know either person)
Merkur 75
Windrose overweight clone of a Walbusch B3
Eros clone of a Walbusch B3 (the B3 is the non adjustable common folks version of the B5 that Clouds has)
PAA Alpha Ecliptic clone of an earlier Walbusch
Tonight’s shave was with the Lutz humpback. This is a diagonal razor that does not have an angled screw post and so the cap is a good candidate to make a frankenrazor. However, for tonight, I kept everything stock. As mentioned above, following the rules, WTG and ATG passes went quickly and was very efficient. The only problem was under my nose, where the humpmade things a little hard to shave going WTG. I made up for this area with my ATG pass.
In the end, I got a two pass BBS without any effort.
I briefly mentioned the humpbacks when I talked about the diagonal slants. I decided to group them together and take them one at a time. The first thing us slanted folks discuss is what constitutes a humpback? Many will say that any razor with one side of the cap higher than the other side is a humpback. This would include the Mulcuto razors with just a slight hump. Others, like me, will say that there really has to be a big and flashy looking hump.
The purpose of the humpback was to allow you to find the proper shave angle and to keep the handle straight while shaving. PAA took great effort to explain this when their Alpha Ecliptic frist came out. If you follow the simple instructions and keep the handle perpendicular, you will get an effortless and brainless shave. It is no wonder I enjoy these a lot.
So this is my limited collection of humpback slants (l to r):
Unmarked Humpback told to me that it is a Lutz as told to him by a reliable source (which I don’t know either person)
Merkur 75
Windrose overweight clone of a Walbusch B3
Eros clone of a Walbusch B3 (the B3 is the non adjustable common folks version of the B5 that Clouds has)
PAA Alpha Ecliptic clone of an earlier Walbusch
Tonight’s shave was with the Lutz humpback. This is a diagonal razor that does not have an angled screw post and so the cap is a good candidate to make a frankenrazor. However, for tonight, I kept everything stock. As mentioned above, following the rules, WTG and ATG passes went quickly and was very efficient. The only problem was under my nose, where the humpmade things a little hard to shave going WTG. I made up for this area with my ATG pass.
In the end, I got a two pass BBS without any effort.
gvw755
0
Tonight I shaved with the Merkur 75. This was my first diagonal razor and an interesting one. Unlike the other humpbacks, the Merkur has a symmetrical cap and not an asymmetrical one like the others. It did have a hump that ran the entire length of the cap and did define the proper shave angle. The problem with it being symmetrical is that the cap did not help you with the proper angle for the handle. When I first started learning to shave with this razor, I changed the handle to something that was not white only because it was too easy to lose the angle of the handle since it blended well with the lather on my face.
It is still a challenge to shave with this razor, however it does give a smooth shave. Efficiency is less than what I prefer, however it still ended up as a two pass plus touch up BBS.
It is still a challenge to shave with this razor, however it does give a smooth shave. Efficiency is less than what I prefer, however it still ended up as a two pass plus touch up BBS.
gvw755
0
Next up is my Windrose B3 clone. Folks referred to the original long handle Merkur 39 as the sledge hammer because of it's size and weight. Believe me, the Merkur is a distant third to this guy (I will show you the second place sledge hammer next week). Because the screw post is straight on this diagonal razor, my favorite frankenrazor mod for it is to use an OC base plate on it. It does require a washer on the screw post just to make sure it will secure the base plate. This effectively cuts down the weight of the head significantly and adds another OC variant to the slants.
WTG with this extreme humpback head was not an easy thing for tight spots, but for every other place, laying the cap against your face made sure you had the proper head angle and proper handle alignment. ATG could have been easier in the tough spots if the cap wasn't so heavy, but overall it gave a very comfortable and efficient shave. Tomorrow I will be shaving with the Eros which is a bakelite version of this same B3 design, however I will be keeping that stock just so I can compare the two base plates.
WTG with this extreme humpback head was not an easy thing for tight spots, but for every other place, laying the cap against your face made sure you had the proper head angle and proper handle alignment. ATG could have been easier in the tough spots if the cap wasn't so heavy, but overall it gave a very comfortable and efficient shave. Tomorrow I will be shaving with the Eros which is a bakelite version of this same B3 design, however I will be keeping that stock just so I can compare the two base plates.
gvw755
0
Today I shaved with my Eros B3. I kept it the way I got it just as a reference to the Windrose frankenrazor from yesterday. As expected, the razor was very light and maneuverable. WTG pass had mostly the same problems as last night where the hump was so pronounced that it took a while to get under my nose. Unlike the Windrose, I was not able to take advantage of the weight to help with my shave. Not a major problem as the light bakelite allowed me to adjust the pressure as needed. ATG required some adjustment as some problem areas required more attention. Like the Windrose, the Eros head allowed me to find the proper shave angle and kept the handle straight without much effort.
Though not as efficient as the Windrose, it still produced a two pass plus touch up BBS.
Though not as efficient as the Windrose, it still produced a two pass plus touch up BBS.
Techichi
0
This is a very nice looking razor as well. Another slant to be on the lookout for.
So please tell me these posts will continue, Les!
gvw755
0
Well, we come to the end of the humpback series of razors. Tonight was the PAA Alpha Ecliptic which is a clone of an earlier model Walbusch (who was the creator of the B3 and B5). No fancy compound bumps and curves, just a straight pyramid shaped head. Worked great as it gave the exact angle of the head against the face and it kept the handle straight, two things yo always heard me mention with diagonal razors.
WTG pass was effortless except for the area under the nose. ATG pass was also smooth and took care of the hard to reach place under the nose when going WTG. It was not as efficient and did take more touch up, but still a good two pass plus touch up BBS.
Beginning Sunday, I will shave with my last series of slants, and this should be interesting as two of them arrived within the week and I have not shaved with either yet.
WTG pass was effortless except for the area under the nose. ATG pass was also smooth and took care of the hard to reach place under the nose when going WTG. It was not as efficient and did take more touch up, but still a good two pass plus touch up BBS.
Beginning Sunday, I will shave with my last series of slants, and this should be interesting as two of them arrived within the week and I have not shaved with either yet.
gvw755
0
RR slants
So my month of slants is finally coming to an end, and what better way to end it than with my first $100+ CNC machined stainless steel razor that is also still the best shaving slant I own and one of my top five best shaving razor. Of course I speak of the Razorock Wunderbar.
The Wunderbar had a very humble beginning when the Italian Barber folks came across a bunch of NOS cased unknown bakelite slants and started selling them. Folks that had no idea what a slant was were suddenly greatly impressed by the shave of it. I was lucky enough to find one a couple of years ago that was at a reasonable price (about the cost of a tank of gas for my car). It was generally accepted by folks that knew all about slants that this unknown bakelite slant was probably made by Globusmann a long time ago.
So what happened next was that Italian Barber tried to clone this razor in metal and called these models the Stealth and Kiyara, of which there were different versions made in both aluminum and stainless steel. Because these were prototypes, there were not many made of them and so now if you find them at all, they are going for a car payment or even a mortgage payment.
Recently, the Indians introduced their latest slants, which happened to be a clone of the Stealth. Being one of little pride and littler resources, I got one of those just to have a bridge between the unknown bakelite slant and the Wunderbar.
Originally, I thought this was going to be a short series of shaves with the mystery bakelite slant, the Indian clone of the Stealth, and my original Wunderbar.
Things changed last week when I got the current version of the Wunderbar. Early in 2019, Razorock came out with this newer version of the Wunderbar. It was basically etched with the name and serial number on the bottom of the base plate to be consistent with the other RR razors, but when I asked if there were any other changes, I was told that there were some minor changes that was a result of simplified manufacturing. I always wondered if these changes changed the shave characteristics, however I wasn’t willing to spend another $130 to find out. Now I can compare my Wunderbars.
Two days ago, I got a v.4 aluminum Stealth, and so now I have something to compare my Indian clone to.
So now I have my expanded line up for the final days of my Slapril. From left to right:
Unknown bakelite slant that started all of this (which I refer to as razor zero since we are in the COVID mode)
RR aluminum Stealth v.4
POS Indian clone of the Stealth
Original Wunderbar
2019 (current) version of the Wunderbar
First up is the unknown bakelute slant (razor zero). Like all bakelite slants of the time, this razor was very light and very easy to handle. It’s distinguishing mark is the “fins” at the bottom of the safety bar. Other than a trademark feature (of which there is no trademark), this design feature does not seem to have a purpose.
I started tonight's shave going WTG. The razor was very light and maneuverable and quite efficient. Almost immediately I noticed that the fins at the bottom of the guard had an annoying tendency to hold the lather at the guard instead of passing it somewhere else. I don't know if it was meant to do this by design. I know that many other bakelite razor heads had no lather slots and let the lather pass through to the other side, and so maybe there really was a purpose besides forcing me to rinse more often. First pass went very well and cleared away more than it felt it did. The domed head did make it hard to go WTG under my nose.
ATG pass also went well, however I did have to stretch more under my chin because of the lightness of the razor. I did find out that because of the fins, ATG under my nose was a bit of a challenge, however I did end up with a two pass plus touch up BBS. I can see now why folks that bought this razor as an introduction to slants were impressed enough for Razorock to experiment with making a metal version of this razor.
Tomorrow and Tuesday, I will be comparing the POS Indian Stealth clone with the real one, and for the last two days of Slapril, I will be comparing the original Wunderbar with the 2019 version. Should be interesting since I have not shaved with the Stealth or the 2019 Wunderbar yet.
So my month of slants is finally coming to an end, and what better way to end it than with my first $100+ CNC machined stainless steel razor that is also still the best shaving slant I own and one of my top five best shaving razor. Of course I speak of the Razorock Wunderbar.
The Wunderbar had a very humble beginning when the Italian Barber folks came across a bunch of NOS cased unknown bakelite slants and started selling them. Folks that had no idea what a slant was were suddenly greatly impressed by the shave of it. I was lucky enough to find one a couple of years ago that was at a reasonable price (about the cost of a tank of gas for my car). It was generally accepted by folks that knew all about slants that this unknown bakelite slant was probably made by Globusmann a long time ago.
So what happened next was that Italian Barber tried to clone this razor in metal and called these models the Stealth and Kiyara, of which there were different versions made in both aluminum and stainless steel. Because these were prototypes, there were not many made of them and so now if you find them at all, they are going for a car payment or even a mortgage payment.
Recently, the Indians introduced their latest slants, which happened to be a clone of the Stealth. Being one of little pride and littler resources, I got one of those just to have a bridge between the unknown bakelite slant and the Wunderbar.
Originally, I thought this was going to be a short series of shaves with the mystery bakelite slant, the Indian clone of the Stealth, and my original Wunderbar.
Things changed last week when I got the current version of the Wunderbar. Early in 2019, Razorock came out with this newer version of the Wunderbar. It was basically etched with the name and serial number on the bottom of the base plate to be consistent with the other RR razors, but when I asked if there were any other changes, I was told that there were some minor changes that was a result of simplified manufacturing. I always wondered if these changes changed the shave characteristics, however I wasn’t willing to spend another $130 to find out. Now I can compare my Wunderbars.
Two days ago, I got a v.4 aluminum Stealth, and so now I have something to compare my Indian clone to.
So now I have my expanded line up for the final days of my Slapril. From left to right:
Unknown bakelite slant that started all of this (which I refer to as razor zero since we are in the COVID mode)
RR aluminum Stealth v.4
POS Indian clone of the Stealth
Original Wunderbar
2019 (current) version of the Wunderbar
First up is the unknown bakelute slant (razor zero). Like all bakelite slants of the time, this razor was very light and very easy to handle. It’s distinguishing mark is the “fins” at the bottom of the safety bar. Other than a trademark feature (of which there is no trademark), this design feature does not seem to have a purpose.
I started tonight's shave going WTG. The razor was very light and maneuverable and quite efficient. Almost immediately I noticed that the fins at the bottom of the guard had an annoying tendency to hold the lather at the guard instead of passing it somewhere else. I don't know if it was meant to do this by design. I know that many other bakelite razor heads had no lather slots and let the lather pass through to the other side, and so maybe there really was a purpose besides forcing me to rinse more often. First pass went very well and cleared away more than it felt it did. The domed head did make it hard to go WTG under my nose.
ATG pass also went well, however I did have to stretch more under my chin because of the lightness of the razor. I did find out that because of the fins, ATG under my nose was a bit of a challenge, however I did end up with a two pass plus touch up BBS. I can see now why folks that bought this razor as an introduction to slants were impressed enough for Razorock to experiment with making a metal version of this razor.
Tomorrow and Tuesday, I will be comparing the POS Indian Stealth clone with the real one, and for the last two days of Slapril, I will be comparing the original Wunderbar with the 2019 version. Should be interesting since I have not shaved with the Stealth or the 2019 Wunderbar yet.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Had a chance at a Wunderbar once but timing was off. Big regrets......
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Hope it's okay to crash the Slant party with my shave today ?
Monday April 27, 2020
2020 Shave # 125 ( 539 Consecutive Shave Days )
Razor: Gratiot Krect Spiral Slant
Blade: Wizamet (?)
Brush: Cadre Legacy Brush
Soap: Lakewood Smokeberry
Aftershave 1: Humphrey's Alcoholado Maravilla 70
Aftershave 2: Barbasol Pacific Rush
Fragrance: Azzaro Visit
Today I considered a video but 1) I had nothing to jabber about on my mind (Que the jokes and gif's) 2) I wanted to focus more on the shave than video chat and timing of the video. Translation = I wanted to just enjoy the shave and I did. I focused on the angle instead of just being on automatic and took Smokeberry which is an AMAZING scent and stronk for a spin with the Krect Spiral Slant. I had after deep reflection and hesitation to say it my BEST shave I have EVER had since my shaving Journey started back in 2008. INCREDIBLY close and ZERO irritation to a point the Dave's Dolphins would be totally confused and jealous. Since I used a real RARE razor I decided to use a RARE aftershave as well and topped off with Pacific Rush and Azzoro Visit. Feeling Great and smelling Better...................................watch out world !!!!!!!! Oh wait..............................social distancing and stay at home...................................Watch out anybody on my hill in Kentucky !!!! Have a great day Cadre !!!!
Monday April 27, 2020
2020 Shave # 125 ( 539 Consecutive Shave Days )
Razor: Gratiot Krect Spiral Slant
Blade: Wizamet (?)
Brush: Cadre Legacy Brush
Soap: Lakewood Smokeberry
Aftershave 1: Humphrey's Alcoholado Maravilla 70
Aftershave 2: Barbasol Pacific Rush
Fragrance: Azzaro Visit
Today I considered a video but 1) I had nothing to jabber about on my mind (Que the jokes and gif's) 2) I wanted to focus more on the shave than video chat and timing of the video. Translation = I wanted to just enjoy the shave and I did. I focused on the angle instead of just being on automatic and took Smokeberry which is an AMAZING scent and stronk for a spin with the Krect Spiral Slant. I had after deep reflection and hesitation to say it my BEST shave I have EVER had since my shaving Journey started back in 2008. INCREDIBLY close and ZERO irritation to a point the Dave's Dolphins would be totally confused and jealous. Since I used a real RARE razor I decided to use a RARE aftershave as well and topped off with Pacific Rush and Azzoro Visit. Feeling Great and smelling Better...................................watch out world !!!!!!!! Oh wait..............................social distancing and stay at home...................................Watch out anybody on my hill in Kentucky !!!! Have a great day Cadre !!!!
gvw755
0
That Krect is a great one. I have two of the last three piece version (well technically they are all three piece, but mine is not the hook and latch version). USA did not come out with many slants in the old days, but the Krect is one of the best and can match most other slants from anywhere. 
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Seriously thinking of sending this out for a replate as the brass is showing thru on the head etc.That Krect is a great one. I have two of the last three piece version (well technically they are all three piece, but mine is not the hook and latch version). USA did not come out with many slants in the old days, but the Krect is one of the best and can match most other slants from anywhere.
gvw755
0
So tonight begins the undercard to the main event for Slapril - POS clone Stealth vs Real Stealth.
For a very long time, the slant razors coming out of India were copies of the Merkur 37, however a couple of years ago that changed and the copies were of the Razorock Stealth. This was unusual because the Stealth never made it into full production, and most of the prototypes were machined aluminum, with the exception of a few stainless steel razors. The Indian version was cast metal and very heavy. Add on a big chrome plated brass handle and you have something that can compete with the Windrose clone of the B3 slant which I featured last week. Both razors were heavy, and way overweight and could double as a carpenter's finishing hammer. From the picture above, I don't have to point it out to you. How will this brute perform compared to the original Stealth?
The POS Clone won the coin toss (it's actual name is the GBS) and elected to go first. It wanted an early score to get the Stealth off balanced. Remember, I never shaved with the Stealth before and tomorrow night will be the first time, so the clone's strategy might backfire by giving me some familiarity with a metal version of the original bakelite razor.
WTG felt very mild on the left side of my face and slightly rougher on the right side. I checked to see if there might be a problem with blade alignment and adjusted the blade to see. I finished off the WTG pass realizing that this razor needed to ride the safety bar a little more than I usually do. The first pass was surprisingly efficient considering how mild it felt. ATG went a little better now that I adjusted my angle. The razor did take more effort than usual to keep the proper angle mostly because of the weight. After two passes, it did require almost a full WTG pass to clear up whatever was left. In the end, it was a two and a half pass BBS.
For a very long time, the slant razors coming out of India were copies of the Merkur 37, however a couple of years ago that changed and the copies were of the Razorock Stealth. This was unusual because the Stealth never made it into full production, and most of the prototypes were machined aluminum, with the exception of a few stainless steel razors. The Indian version was cast metal and very heavy. Add on a big chrome plated brass handle and you have something that can compete with the Windrose clone of the B3 slant which I featured last week. Both razors were heavy, and way overweight and could double as a carpenter's finishing hammer. From the picture above, I don't have to point it out to you. How will this brute perform compared to the original Stealth?
The POS Clone won the coin toss (it's actual name is the GBS) and elected to go first. It wanted an early score to get the Stealth off balanced. Remember, I never shaved with the Stealth before and tomorrow night will be the first time, so the clone's strategy might backfire by giving me some familiarity with a metal version of the original bakelite razor.
WTG felt very mild on the left side of my face and slightly rougher on the right side. I checked to see if there might be a problem with blade alignment and adjusted the blade to see. I finished off the WTG pass realizing that this razor needed to ride the safety bar a little more than I usually do. The first pass was surprisingly efficient considering how mild it felt. ATG went a little better now that I adjusted my angle. The razor did take more effort than usual to keep the proper angle mostly because of the weight. After two passes, it did require almost a full WTG pass to clear up whatever was left. In the end, it was a two and a half pass BBS.
gvw755
0
So tonight was the Stealth's turn. This was a v.4 which meant it was the last aluminum version from the Razorock Skunkworks before slants disappeared totally only to reappear a couple of years later. Compared to the GBS clone, the Stealth was light, well balanced and well made. Kind of like comparing a Ford F150 with a Mazda Miata.
WTG pass was surprisingly similar to the clone. On the left side of my face, the shave was very mild, and this was riding the bar more than I usually do. the surprising thing was that when I started on the right side of my face, it was equally mild, and so no blade alignment problem with this razor. ATG pass took some effort and a little more pressure than I wanted to use. The razor was very light and so I could not use the weight of the razor to coax a better pass. The big difference was that after two passes, there was only some minor touch up. This razor definitely displayed the distinctive design of the early Razorock razors like the Mamba and Baby Smooth, where there was almost no blade feel, but still came out with a very efficient shave. So with tonight's shave being a two pass plus minimal touch up BBS, I have to declare the winner to be the Stealth v.4.
The clone has officially been relegated to hammer and self defense duties.
Stay tuned for the final shave off of Slapril when the Original Razorock Wunderbar goes up against the 2019 version. Here is a preview:
WTG pass was surprisingly similar to the clone. On the left side of my face, the shave was very mild, and this was riding the bar more than I usually do. the surprising thing was that when I started on the right side of my face, it was equally mild, and so no blade alignment problem with this razor. ATG pass took some effort and a little more pressure than I wanted to use. The razor was very light and so I could not use the weight of the razor to coax a better pass. The big difference was that after two passes, there was only some minor touch up. This razor definitely displayed the distinctive design of the early Razorock razors like the Mamba and Baby Smooth, where there was almost no blade feel, but still came out with a very efficient shave. So with tonight's shave being a two pass plus minimal touch up BBS, I have to declare the winner to be the Stealth v.4.
The clone has officially been relegated to hammer and self defense duties.
Stay tuned for the final shave off of Slapril when the Original Razorock Wunderbar goes up against the 2019 version. Here is a preview:
gvw755
0
So we come to the end of Slapril and what would have ended with my favorite slant of all times (and one of my favorite razors of all time) suddenly becomes a shave off between the original and 2019 edition. The original Wunderbar was introduced in June of 2016 and I remember sitting at my computer around the time it was to go on sale and continually refreshing my screen until the "sold out" button showed "add to cart" and I ordered one. This was my first stainless steel razor above $100 and might have been only my second slant razor (first one being the Merkur 39c).
When I got it, I was amazed at the quality of the workmanship and the balance. In early 2019, Razorock came out with a new version of the Wunderbar. By then they had come out with a whole line of machined stainless steel razors and started to standardize the design by putting the name of the razor and a serial number on the bottom of the base plate. the 2019 Wunderbar had this feature and "some minor changes" mostly to simplify manufacturing. For me, some minor changes could also mean tweaking the geometry which could affect the shave, but I wasn't willing to spend $130 again to find out. Recently, I came across one on a BST for significantly less and so I got it.
For the purpose of comparison, I used the HD handle that came with my recently acquire v.2 Hawk and screwed my original Wunderbar head on it (left) so I could compare it to the 2019 Wunderbar, which came with a HD handle. The first two pics showed almost no difference, however the last pic showing the cap and base plate showed where the differences were. The 2019 Wunderbar (top) not only had the name and serial number on the bottom of the base plate, but the area around the screw post and alignment pins were widened. The lather slot were also widened on the 2019 version.
Okay, enough talk about the Wunderbar, is there any noticeable difference between the two?
Tonight, the 2019 Wunderbar won the coin toss and allowed the original Wunderbar to have the first shave out of respect for his elder. Even before the shave, a shout out to @GearNoir for commenting on the brush. Eric's brush performed great in whipping up the perfect lather and matching the beautiful lines of the Wunderbar.
WTG went extremely well. No blade feel and no effort and I could have walked away with a one pass DFS+. However, why waste great lather sitting on a beautiful brush? ATG pass also went comfortably and efficiently. I did some minor touch up afterwards, but not enough to write about. So I have to call tonight's shave a two pass BBS.
Tomorrow I will end Slapril with the 2019 Wunderbar and I am hoping for an equally smooth and efficient shave with no surprises.
When I got it, I was amazed at the quality of the workmanship and the balance. In early 2019, Razorock came out with a new version of the Wunderbar. By then they had come out with a whole line of machined stainless steel razors and started to standardize the design by putting the name of the razor and a serial number on the bottom of the base plate. the 2019 Wunderbar had this feature and "some minor changes" mostly to simplify manufacturing. For me, some minor changes could also mean tweaking the geometry which could affect the shave, but I wasn't willing to spend $130 again to find out. Recently, I came across one on a BST for significantly less and so I got it.
For the purpose of comparison, I used the HD handle that came with my recently acquire v.2 Hawk and screwed my original Wunderbar head on it (left) so I could compare it to the 2019 Wunderbar, which came with a HD handle. The first two pics showed almost no difference, however the last pic showing the cap and base plate showed where the differences were. The 2019 Wunderbar (top) not only had the name and serial number on the bottom of the base plate, but the area around the screw post and alignment pins were widened. The lather slot were also widened on the 2019 version.
Okay, enough talk about the Wunderbar, is there any noticeable difference between the two?
Tonight, the 2019 Wunderbar won the coin toss and allowed the original Wunderbar to have the first shave out of respect for his elder. Even before the shave, a shout out to @GearNoir for commenting on the brush. Eric's brush performed great in whipping up the perfect lather and matching the beautiful lines of the Wunderbar.
WTG went extremely well. No blade feel and no effort and I could have walked away with a one pass DFS+. However, why waste great lather sitting on a beautiful brush? ATG pass also went comfortably and efficiently. I did some minor touch up afterwards, but not enough to write about. So I have to call tonight's shave a two pass BBS.
Tomorrow I will end Slapril with the 2019 Wunderbar and I am hoping for an equally smooth and efficient shave with no surprises.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Nice stuff Les. I will not miss a Wonderbar if it should show up again in the BST for reasonable price.