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The Next Cobra.... Hiram by Classic Shaving.

Just came in today. The handle is gorgeous with a nice polish finish and grip. And this thing is BEEFY! Debating on whether to get a quick shave with it or not as I want get some more shaves in with the Enoch. Oh heck with it. I’ll get a shave in with the Hiram-Cobra in a bit. Very reminiscent of the Occam’s & OREN, the head that is with a 2 dot top plate which is right in the middle and my preferred plate on the previous two versions.

Again, a bunch of goodies and extras thrown in from Mr. Webster and CS. Much appreciated.....

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Interesting. I never liked the shave from the cobra, so I doubt I’d like this. But as a widow’s son, I’m intrigued by the name Hiram, of this razor.....

and the scaled look of this razor triggers the snake lover in me, that drew me to the cobra initially.
 
Love the idea but not loving that its an OREN successor instead of just a normal, full headed AC SE. Hope it shaves better than the OREN...the handle at least is an improvement.
 
Gus, is the top the exact same as the Oren?

Yes it is my friend. The tolerances though are a bit tighter. There’s less flex or the “floating blade” in the Hiram as compared to it’s predecessors. Still there, just not as much. I think that’s a definite plus...
 
Love the handle on this razor as it sports a high brushed like polish that gives it a nice luster without having that mirrored look. I’ll get right to it here Gents. A smooth, comfortable and mishap free shave in 3 relaxing passes plus a buff around the chin and Sir Adam. If you have shaved with either an Occam’s or O.R.E.N. razor, you almost get the same feel with the Hiram as with the aforementioned previous two razors. The difference here is the handle that aids in giving a better overall feel in shave as one gets a bit more weight and balance with the Hiram. The floating blade design is still there but, the handle allows one to apply the right amount of pressure as it feels more substantial in the hands. And because of that, the blade engages more directly on ones skin for a more thorough cut of the whiskers. With the Occam’s & O.R.E.N razors I had to fiddle with positioning of my hand on the handle to get a good feel of what the razor was doing and that took some time to adjust to as the blade “floats” in the razor head. With the Hiram it was quick and more direct in engaging the hairs to be cut. The series of Occam’s razors in my experience have produced the least amount of irritation that I have experienced in shaving next to the Paradigm Ti SE and the Hiram is no exception here. Just a real smooth operator.

If you liked the way its predecessors shaved but, weren’t to keen on the handle design and how it felt the Hiram definitely gives a better grip and substantial feel to the others. This razor is HEAVY. If you don’t like size and weight, this might not be your thing.

Does it shave like the Legendary Cobra Classic? No, the Enoch is the one that shaves very close to that iconic razor. And honestly, there is nothing else out there that can shave quite like the Cobra. I think the Hiram improves on overall shave feel from the previous Occam’s designs minus the Enoch. Also, with the Hiram I can grab a 3 dot plate from either the Occam’s or O.R.E.N and amp up the cutting factor and feel if I need to. Perhaps I’ll try that next and see how if that improves on shave efficiency and quality. Do I like it? Yes. A lot? No but, there’s room to experiment with top caps and blades and that is always a plus in my book. I like options and the Hiram gives me that...

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January 11, 2020
Hiram with 3 dot plate
Feather Pro
Simpson CH2 Synthetic
SV Manna di Sicilia
Shave Soap & Aftershave


My new Hiram razor arrived Thursday so I wanted to try it out this weekend. After 2 weeks with the Enoch, I wanted to have more blade feel than I thought the 2 dot plate would provide. Since I have the extra top plates from the OREN I went with the 3 dot plate and a fresh Feather Pro. The Hiram has the same floating head design as the OREN. However, the movement of the blade has been reduced. With a rich slick lather of SV Manna di Sicilia, I went with a traditional 3 pass shave. The 3 dot plate did provide increased blade feel but nothing at all remotely aggressive. When using the OREN, I always felt the need to add pressure but the increased weight of the Hiram makes pressure less of an issue. So how does it shave? It depends on what one is looking for. This razor effortlessly delivered a drama free BBS shave. At no time did I feel I could cut myself. If you are looking for a replacement or a substitute for the Cobra the Hiram is not your razor. I would suggest the Enoch instead. If you tried the OREN and didn't like it I would move on. While the Hiram head has a perceptible different feel, it is only an evolution of the OREN V2 head. The Hiram goes into the group of razors that deliver a near perfect shave with almost no thought or technique. I am more than happy that I used my coupon from the Enoch to get the Hiram for $59. I hope everyone has a great Saturday.
 
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