Homelike Taiga Adjustable Razor

Dcw7830

Forum GOD!
I may have to invest soon... Damn you guys/enablers! ... If I hadn't wasted my money on 2 new horribly made classic shaving Razors I'd do it now. Live and learn/first world problems etc :scratchhead:. The question is Rex or Taiga?
 

Traffiktiger

Well-Known Member
That gold handled one looks great. Is it a Gibbs?
Oh, and the Taiga is fine but seriously needs a Gibbs design adjustment collar.
Yeah, it is a Gibbs with a brass handle I purchase from Claudio at RazorSharpFittings on Etsy. He does excellent work & is a good guy.

At first, I did not think I would like the adjustment collar on the Taiga, but once I received it, I understood why HLS decided to make the change. The modification to the adjustment collar increases the range of the blade gap without creating a space between the handle & the sleeve, which exposes the post. The prototype Taiga with the Gibbs like dial doesn't look as sleek as the final production model. Also, the balance point is very close to the dial, so it makes it more ergonomic than the prototype. Here are pics of what I mean.

IMG_20200116_182731.jpg
IMG_20200116_183804.jpg
 
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Traffiktiger

Well-Known Member
I may have to invest soon... Damn you guys/enablers! ... If I hadn't wasted my money on 2 new horribly made classic shaving Razors I'd do it now. Live and learn/first world problems etc :scratchhead:. The question is Rex or Taiga?
Taiga is better. It is smoother and more efficient with a less aggressive feel on the higher settings. Taiga is machined as well as the rex. It can easily be broken down to clean & comes with an open comb. It is a better value.
 

Blackie

Forum GOD!
Thanks @Traffiktiger I see what you mean now about the how/why of the Taiga collar design...but...I still like the Gibbs collar better.
Yes, I know...it's hard to please everybody.
Anyway, you have a lovely looking collection there.
 

wintoid

Out of control
Third shave with the Taiga this morning, all with the SB plate.

Shave 1 - maximum setting, 3 passes of ATG for 1.5 day's growth
Shave 2 - setting 4, 3 passes of ATG for 1 day's growth
Shave 3 (today) - setting 6, 3 passes of ATG for 1 day's growth

My findings are that I can use any setting happily. I really like this razor, one of the very very best. What I particularly like is that it's just very easy to use. I couldn't tell you if I'm going steep or shallow, because there's such good feedback that you instinctively find the right angle.

I'm someone who likes things simple. I understand a regular 3-piece razor. For me, an adjustable is a fiddly thing that I don't understand. For example, I don't know what the implications are if the spring loses its bounce.

The Taiga is so good, I will forgive all that. I think I'm likely to just leave it on the maximum setting. I do wonder if I should get the Start.
 

jimthecamera

Forum GOD!
second shave with taiga-swopped the oc for the cc bottom plate-started off with 3.5 then dialled it up slightly to 4 for first pass -same as last time used setting 4 also for atg- but as before-nothing left behind to remove atg-such is the superb efficiency of this new razor-used parma violet soap today and then balm and a splash of violet edt-simply sublime shaving experience- with this razor and on a par with the very best of my previous razors such as the timelsss in 0.95 ti in oc!! never thought I would see the day when I would have to agree that this particular razor is already up there with the very best razors I have ever come across-no issues at all with settings changing-mid shave??- and I tend to grip the handle at the very top-so cannot see it ever being a problem at all-
 

jimthecamera

Forum GOD!
I wish you guys stop talking this up. I've held off thinking it can't be as good as the Start! But it sounds like it is...
just get them both-as neither will ever disappoint-he also has a new baikal model in stainless- for only $86 with 2x interchangeable plates-so 4 settings to play around with- and all machined from solid stainless- not like the Rockwell cast versions!!
 

jimthecamera

Forum GOD!
none to speak of -can hardly feel any blade- when in use- guess quite a neutral blade exposure on the taiga-just the gap that you change between the settings -which actually go from around .5 up to nearly 1.3-if you turn it past the 6 mark and back on to 1 and 2 which act as 7 and 8 settings
 

wintoid

Out of control
none to speak of -can hardly feel any blade- when in use- guess quite a neutral blade exposure on the taiga-just the gap that you change between the settings -which actually go from around .5 up to nearly 1.3-if you turn it past the 6 mark and back on to 1 and 2 which act as 7 and 8 settings
Interesting, mine goes from about 1.2 up to about 1.6 (past the 6 mark). So a slight difference there.
 
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