Hi Gus,
I know you have the La Faulx and are a big fan, as I am. So does the Horizon bring anything different to the party?, besides the inherent adjustability which you could argue the La Faulx has with the different plates.
Excuse me amigo for replying so late to your question. Sometimes life & circumstances get in the way of shaving fun and our hobbies. Nothing life changing or detrimental on my end but, as a father of 3 beautiful girls, there isn’t enough of me to go around and satisfy their every whim & desire simultaneously. These are women that range from 19 to 35 years of age. I shouldn’t expect anything less, they’re women after all….
Here is my final early summation on the attributes of the Horizon on how I believe is its purpose and what some potential buyers may expect from this new entry into the SE-AC world of shavers. Short answer though is this. If you have the La Faulx with variable plates from classic to +++ and beyond, you really don’t need the Horizon. It feels marginally nimble in comparison to the Horizon though they are relatively close in weight and overall dimensions. Now, to find out why I’m enamored with this creation, read the copy & paste from another forum that I’ve added here.
Good shaves to you my friend. Hope this gives you a somewhat illustrative comparison to your thoughts between the two razors from Atelier Durdan.
Well, this is the final one that I had to just get in. As I stated yesterday, I needed to see how the Horizon would work with the Feather Pro Super. My intent was to start low and stay relatively low on the dial to compensate for the extra width of the Super blade and the acute angle that the blade provides. Additionally, yesterday’s shave was so good I knew this morning that the shave would be quick & easy as whisker growth though felt everywhere, was very light. Set it on #2 and felt an uber smoothness with minimal blade feel but, that first stroke in I knew I was on ball with angle & approach. That’s what I wanted to continue to tell you that it was smooth, well mannered & uber composed. Well, it went left from the 3rd stroke in and I stopped, loosened the handle and turned it up to between #6 & #7 and went all in without maxing out on the adjustment slide. Almost near perfection in total shave feedback. Precise feel was telling me what was happening in the interaction between razor & skin. Never a moment where I felt the blade would dig in or betray my faith in how the Horizon and its shave geometry would provide precise detail & feedback on what adjustment I would need or not need to make. A slight adjustment to the razor head in bring the safety bar more into play. Just a tad and off to the races. Let me be clear, it’s not a mindless shave or set and forget you’ll be fine moment. Blade feel is there and ever present however, with the weight of the razor and the slight adjustment on angle still managed to keep the shave quite intuitive and carried it into a superb & delightful efficient and still very smooth shave exercise. My face was DFS bordering on BBS at just the end of the first pass with a tiny patch or two on either side of the Apple. A quick cold water splash and face rub pointed out more couple spots on the chin & jawline. Lathered up and went to town on those spots with a lengthy clean up pass, not a full on 2nd ATG finishing pass as all the other areas were absolutely clear. Another cold water rinse, a quick face rub and mission accomplished. A quick alum pass revealed the slightest of heat on the chin and left jawline but, that was gone in 10 minutes or so. Everywhere else was smooth, supple & rubbery soft to the touch. No irritation or heat gremlins anywhere else nor a spec of the precious red liquid. An exquisite and very satisfying shave.
I could shave with this tool for another 2-4 weeks without an issue and really get to know it better to hone it on its particular shave characteristics while also experimenting with blade options as that sole feature alone brings a whole slew of shave performance dynamics that are distinct & uniquely their own. On the Horizon itself, I’d say that in whole or general in my limited use, it’s an exceptionally well crafted & precisely tuned tool for the art or act of shaving. The Artist Club blade brings a totally different aspect to shaving with its wider blade and very rigid nature. One will never complain of an AC style blade being flimsy or unstable. In the Horizon the blade is clamped, locked & loaded with the best in its class. The weight of the razor truly helps in providing undeniable truth in the “no pressure” shave statement with very satisfying results. Feel in hand is substantial without being over the top with a handle that provides very good grip and the ability to allow one to move up or down on it to adjust weight bias to their liking. As I’ve stated before in previous posts, the razor head is quite large, almost 2 to 3 times larger in area than the slim & trim Blackland Vector. And in this facet is where I can see a few shavers look at the Horizon and consider it to be bulky, overweight & cumbersome. Though it feels luxurious and definitely ultra premium with it flowing lines with a slight retro feel to the old GEM like razors, it does not slice & dice or attack tight spots like the Vector, Spirit or Claymore Evo plus others as if they were sports cars attacking a race track like an Audi R8, BMW M5 or a Porsche 911 GT-R but, the Horizon feels & looks more like a M-B E 53 AMG S Class machine. Big, luxurious, powerful and downright premium. The Horizon was not made for those that want lightweight, speed and ultimate maneuverability at a twitch of a finger. No, it’s methodical, deliberate and allows a shaver to soak in the shave routine with a purpose & sole distinction of enjoying a premium world class shaving tool where agility & speed is replaced with grace & power with flat out sophistication. This will NOT be for everyone and I believe it wasn’t intended to be please the general masses shaving tool.
It’s world class, contemporary yet has a retro-modern look and slight feel to it with an ingenious slide mechanism for personalizing one’s specific shave requirements. This is a razor that one does not need to have to receive a clean shave. This is a razor where one WANTS to have a tool that is performance-luxury oriented with a uniqueness in adjustability that is all its own. This razor brings no middle ground to the table of discussion. Either you hate it or, you are enthralled by it and love it. No more to say other than I’m with the latter part of my previous statement. I love this thing….
