Pass Around Atelier DURDAN
- Thread starter Holyzeus
- Start date
Holyzeus
Forum GOD!
EU. Passaround
1. @Olive *Completed*
2. @Ventastic *Completed*
3. @J349 *Completed*
4. @zealshaver *completed*
5. @Tjebbe *Completed*
6. @tramal *Completed*
7. @koenfucius “Completed”
8. @Gian *Completed*
9. @Belfont *Completed*
CLOSED
U.K.
1. Holyzeus * Completed *
2. p.b *With*
3. slapo
4. Wayne
5.Boybunny
1. @Olive *Completed*
2. @Ventastic *Completed*
3. @J349 *Completed*
4. @zealshaver *completed*
5. @Tjebbe *Completed*
6. @tramal *Completed*
7. @koenfucius “Completed”
8. @Gian *Completed*
9. @Belfont *Completed*
CLOSED
U.K.
1. Holyzeus * Completed *
2. p.b *With*
3. slapo
4. Wayne
5.Boybunny
p.b
Forum GOD!
Five shaves in with the Durdan: once on the 0.8 plate (Feather) and then twice each with the 1.0 and 1.2 plates starting with the Ti top cap and then using the matching top caps which weight more (Wizamet).
Conclusion 1: don't like the Open Comb side. Normally I'm fine with OC but this feels harsher without any difference in efficiency and twice I've cut myself on the OC but been fine on the SB side.
Conclusion 2: Swapping between the matching top cap and the Ti one made no difference to the shave other than I preferred the less head-heavy and lighter Ti top cap each time just from the balance.
Conclusion 3: I like this razor
more to follow
Conclusion 1: don't like the Open Comb side. Normally I'm fine with OC but this feels harsher without any difference in efficiency and twice I've cut myself on the OC but been fine on the SB side.
Conclusion 2: Swapping between the matching top cap and the Ti one made no difference to the shave other than I preferred the less head-heavy and lighter Ti top cap each time just from the balance.
Conclusion 3: I like this razor
more to follow
slapo
It's... alive!
I received the razor yesterday, just didn't get around to posting, as I wanted to have better light to take these:
On the titanium base plate, there are mug-like stains, which I found odd that they were there to begin with, as they were noticeable right after I opened the box (just daylight had already waning too much by that time).
Whether the brass tarnish visible on the teeth is there because of too long a Barbicide soak or something else, I don't know.
I don't have brasso on hand, only Barkeeper's Friend, and I'm not sure whether @Atelier Durdan would prefer to keep them as they are just so they could examine them after the passaround ends.
@Holyzeus @Atelier Durdan Should I try getting the tarnish off the brass plate or leave as-is?
On the titanium base plate, there are mug-like stains, which I found odd that they were there to begin with, as they were noticeable right after I opened the box (just daylight had already waning too much by that time).
Whether the brass tarnish visible on the teeth is there because of too long a Barbicide soak or something else, I don't know.
I don't have brasso on hand, only Barkeeper's Friend, and I'm not sure whether @Atelier Durdan would prefer to keep them as they are just so they could examine them after the passaround ends.
@Holyzeus @Atelier Durdan Should I try getting the tarnish off the brass plate or leave as-is?
p.b
Forum GOD!
The brass plates were polished with a very soft toothbrush and a gentle metal polish before packing so that patina is from direct contact with the foam packing sheet. Please feel free to polish them out as they were not there on Wednesday.
Not sure about the titanium though, the rings are clearly concentric with the machining marks. Strange.
Not sure about the titanium though, the rings are clearly concentric with the machining marks. Strange.
p.b
Forum GOD!
Final conclusions from me.
The Durdan featured a couple of ideas that I'd use if I were designing a razor for my personal use. Firstly the hollow handle: I like razors around 70-80g and most SS razors with solid handles come in about 100g. I'd partially hollowed out my Blackbird Sabre handle which saved about 16g, but the chamfer limits the bore hole to 7mm diameter. The Durdan handle is properly hollow so even the full steel razor only weighs 85g, with the hollow handle, steel base plate and titanium top cap it's just 79g.
The other feature I really liked was the contoured underside of the razor. Many manufacturers leave the base plate flat which saves on machining time but adds weight. The profile of the Durdan base plate is the same as the top surface that clamps the blade thus removing a lot of material, adding machining time but removing unnecessary weight.
The jump in aggression between 0.8 - 1.0 - 1.2mm gaps is noticeable and I think 1.2 is perfect for me (I suspect the 1.4mm would be too much as I cut myself twice with the 1.2 which is unusual for me). I was able to get really comfortable but close shaves with the 1.2 Durdan and found the safety bar side the most comfortable. An excellent razor and I'm now very excited about the SE razor from Atelier.
Thanks to Atelier Durdan for the chance to experience this DE razor and Holyzeus for managing the pass-around.
The Durdan featured a couple of ideas that I'd use if I were designing a razor for my personal use. Firstly the hollow handle: I like razors around 70-80g and most SS razors with solid handles come in about 100g. I'd partially hollowed out my Blackbird Sabre handle which saved about 16g, but the chamfer limits the bore hole to 7mm diameter. The Durdan handle is properly hollow so even the full steel razor only weighs 85g, with the hollow handle, steel base plate and titanium top cap it's just 79g.
The other feature I really liked was the contoured underside of the razor. Many manufacturers leave the base plate flat which saves on machining time but adds weight. The profile of the Durdan base plate is the same as the top surface that clamps the blade thus removing a lot of material, adding machining time but removing unnecessary weight.
The jump in aggression between 0.8 - 1.0 - 1.2mm gaps is noticeable and I think 1.2 is perfect for me (I suspect the 1.4mm would be too much as I cut myself twice with the 1.2 which is unusual for me). I was able to get really comfortable but close shaves with the 1.2 Durdan and found the safety bar side the most comfortable. An excellent razor and I'm now very excited about the SE razor from Atelier.
Thanks to Atelier Durdan for the chance to experience this DE razor and Holyzeus for managing the pass-around.
Holyzeus
Forum GOD!
EU. Passaround
1. @Olive *Completed*
2. @Ventastic *Completed*
3. @J349 *Completed*
4. @zealshaver *completed*
5. @Tjebbe *Completed*
6. @tramal *Completed*
7. @koenfucius “Completed”
8. @Gian *Completed*
9. @Belfont *Completed*
CLOSED
U.K.
1. Holyzeus * Completed *
2. p.b *Completed*
3. slapo *With*
4. Wayne
5.Boybunny
1. @Olive *Completed*
2. @Ventastic *Completed*
3. @J349 *Completed*
4. @zealshaver *completed*
5. @Tjebbe *Completed*
6. @tramal *Completed*
7. @koenfucius “Completed”
8. @Gian *Completed*
9. @Belfont *Completed*
CLOSED
U.K.
1. Holyzeus * Completed *
2. p.b *Completed*
3. slapo *With*
4. Wayne
5.Boybunny
slapo
It's... alive!
I've been delaying posting this, because I wanted to get more than two shaves done... so now I have three.
I've used the same Asco Platinum blade for all three shaves, almost exclusively using the OC sides.
Before the first shave, I had about 5 days of growth, so enough to make decent use of the OC side.
I went with the 1.2 head on the right side of my face, and the 0.8mm head on the left side. I was surprised to find that I could hardly tell the two plates apart, with the 1.2 plate having marginally better flow through, but they seemed comparably efficient that day.
I did end up with a bunch of weepers on both sides, and then when doing touch-ups, I realised I had been pressing down with the razor quite a lot. I wondered why that was, until I realised I had used too much water with the red Proraso cream and ended up with very little glide, and I think I'd just used the extra pressure to keep the razor on the skin.
I also tried a few strokes with the SB sides, but thought they clogged too fast, although they had been quite comfortable.
I tried the same heads but on opposite sides of my face two days later. This time, I used more of the red Proraso cream (about double the amount for the same amount of water) and it went better, but still found myself pressing down a bit with the 1.2 plate, again to make up for the lack of glide. Because of that, I had a few small weepers on the 1.2 side, but none on the 0.8mm side, where I somehow resisted to press down.
Suffice to say, I only started using the cream, never having used it before, so I haven't quite figured out the right ratio.
For the third shave (yesterday), I think I had about 4 days of growth, and used the 1.0mm steel head and the 1.2 brass head. I went for a soap I had the ratio worked out for, and the results were much better. No weepers this time around, and after three passes, both sides were BBS (other than one or two small spots that I missed). I tried the SB side again as well, but it still clogged a touch too fast.
Today, I realised I've been neglecting the back of my neck for about two weeks and started looking like a properly hairy primate there, so I put the 0.8 mm plate to work. The SB side clogged up with just a couple of strokes (as expected), so I just used the OC and it made it easy.
I'd like to get one more shave in, but so far:
- I'm not keen on the SB side. It clogs up way too easily for me, even with thinner lather. It is quite comfortable, though.
- The OC sides were performing quite similarly for me, enough so that I could hardly tell the difference between them.
- Even the 0.8mm OC side didn't really clog (presumably also thanks to the short teeth and generous gaps between them).
- I quite like the finish on the razor parts, but prefer the matte finish of the steel head.
- The handle is nice, but I wouldn't mind a grippier surface finish.
Overall, the OC sides reminded me of Stando's Cat Claw in how smooth and pretty efficient they were.
Having said that, because of the similarity, I'm not sure I'll be buying, even if I'm somewhat tempted.
I've used the same Asco Platinum blade for all three shaves, almost exclusively using the OC sides.
Before the first shave, I had about 5 days of growth, so enough to make decent use of the OC side.
I went with the 1.2 head on the right side of my face, and the 0.8mm head on the left side. I was surprised to find that I could hardly tell the two plates apart, with the 1.2 plate having marginally better flow through, but they seemed comparably efficient that day.
I did end up with a bunch of weepers on both sides, and then when doing touch-ups, I realised I had been pressing down with the razor quite a lot. I wondered why that was, until I realised I had used too much water with the red Proraso cream and ended up with very little glide, and I think I'd just used the extra pressure to keep the razor on the skin.
I also tried a few strokes with the SB sides, but thought they clogged too fast, although they had been quite comfortable.
I tried the same heads but on opposite sides of my face two days later. This time, I used more of the red Proraso cream (about double the amount for the same amount of water) and it went better, but still found myself pressing down a bit with the 1.2 plate, again to make up for the lack of glide. Because of that, I had a few small weepers on the 1.2 side, but none on the 0.8mm side, where I somehow resisted to press down.
Suffice to say, I only started using the cream, never having used it before, so I haven't quite figured out the right ratio.
For the third shave (yesterday), I think I had about 4 days of growth, and used the 1.0mm steel head and the 1.2 brass head. I went for a soap I had the ratio worked out for, and the results were much better. No weepers this time around, and after three passes, both sides were BBS (other than one or two small spots that I missed). I tried the SB side again as well, but it still clogged a touch too fast.
Today, I realised I've been neglecting the back of my neck for about two weeks and started looking like a properly hairy primate there, so I put the 0.8 mm plate to work. The SB side clogged up with just a couple of strokes (as expected), so I just used the OC and it made it easy.
I'd like to get one more shave in, but so far:
- I'm not keen on the SB side. It clogs up way too easily for me, even with thinner lather. It is quite comfortable, though.
- The OC sides were performing quite similarly for me, enough so that I could hardly tell the difference between them.
- Even the 0.8mm OC side didn't really clog (presumably also thanks to the short teeth and generous gaps between them).
- I quite like the finish on the razor parts, but prefer the matte finish of the steel head.
- The handle is nice, but I wouldn't mind a grippier surface finish.
Overall, the OC sides reminded me of Stando's Cat Claw in how smooth and pretty efficient they were.
Having said that, because of the similarity, I'm not sure I'll be buying, even if I'm somewhat tempted.
Atelier Durdan
Forum GOD!
I am happy to announce that I welcome Chloé by my side who will be in charge of assisting me in finishing the razors.