New Wolfman

[Str8Mug]

Well, Aluminum Guerilla is back on the throttle after a small shaving expedition with a newly acquired razor. As my previous posts have denoted, I ordered & received 2 more plates and decided to test out the .84 base plate gap for this mornings shave. Not heavy whiskers today but, enough for a 2 passer and maybe even 3 full passes. I had high hopes for this gap size as I just wanted to see how smooth it can get and yet still be nicely efficient and it delivered in spades. Loaded a Gillette Minora on its 2nd use, some Cedarwood shave cream by The Old Taylor, whipped up some nice suds and had at it.

From the first stroke it was apparent that this was going to be a very smooth shave while still having some blade feel to give good feedback to my ears & eyes. The blade feel is toned down ever so slightly but, you still get a nice friendly and calm helping of it. The .99 gives excellent feel with very good smoothness at every stage of the shave regardless of what pass your on, ATG, WTG & XTG with relative ease. The .84 provides just as good a feedback to the ears but, picks up the smoothness and comfort aspects a notch or two and really brings home the comfort with efficient feel to a real nice level for such a light razor. The ATG pass is where this set up really proves itself to be a champ with lightweight razor enthusiasts and myself. No skipping or deflection as it just mows through stubble with relative ease. I cleared both face & neck with solid passes and felt a DFS finish but, still felt very light patches of stubble around the chin, Sir Adam and along both sides of the sideburns. Relathered for a 3rd pass and the .84 Guerilla mopped up the rest of the stragglers with authority merged with excellent smoothness and overall great comfort. BBS finish that left nothing to look at except meself in the mirror with a poop eating grin. Irritation? Zero. Weepers? Nada. Heat from the alum pass? Zilch. A great, great shave with skin that felt uber smooth, relaxed and clean.

This was nice by the .84 gap. Still can cut with a bit less feel than the .99 but, it gives an extra level of smoothness & comfort over the .99. Feedback is more direct with the .99 at every level of a shave on both feel & auditory senses. It’s a sweet sound but, if you have a slight mishap go a little to hard with it, it can make one pay. The .84 takes that risk and tones it down substantially while still achieving efficient cutting prowes and increasing the comfort level with this set up. James at Wolfman did his homework here and did it very well.

Another shave or two with the .84 to confirm my first shave experience and then onto the .69 gap base plate to see what it can deliver.

Great shaves to all….

 

[razor Ramon]

Well, Aluminum Guerilla is back on the throttle after a small shaving expedition with a newly acquired razor. As my previous posts have denoted, I ordered & received 2 more plates and decided to test out the .84 base plate gap for this mornings shave. Not heavy whiskers today but, enough for a 2 passer and maybe even 3 full passes. I had high hopes for this gap size as I just wanted to see how smooth it can get and yet still be nicely efficient and it delivered in spades. Loaded a Gillette Minora on its 2nd use, some Cedarwood shave cream by The Old Taylor, whipped up some nice suds and had at it.

From the first stroke it was apparent that this was going to be a very smooth shave while still having some blade feel to give good feedback to my ears & eyes. The blade feel is toned down ever so slightly but, you still get a nice friendly and calm helping of it. The .99 gives excellent feel with very good smoothness at every stage of the shave regardless of what pass your on, ATG, WTG & XTG with relative ease. The .84 provides just as good a feedback to the ears but, picks up the smoothness and comfort aspects a notch or two and really brings home the comfort with efficient feel to a real nice level for such a light razor. The ATG pass is where this set up really proves itself to be a champ with lightweight razor enthusiasts and myself. No skipping or deflection as it just mows through stubble with relative ease. I cleared both face & neck with solid passes and felt a DFS finish but, still felt very light patches of stubble around the chin, Sir Adam and along both sides of the sideburns. Relathered for a 3rd pass and the .84 Guerilla mopped up the rest of the stragglers with authority merged with excellent smoothness and overall great comfort. BBS finish that left nothing to look at except meself in the mirror with a poop eating grin. Irritation? Zero. Weepers? Nada. Heat from the alum pass? Zilch. A great, great shave with skin that felt uber smooth, relaxed and clean.

This was nice by the .84 gap. Still can cut with a bit less feel than the .99 but, it gives an extra level of smoothness & comfort over the .99. Feedback is more direct with the .99 at every level of a shave on both feel & auditory senses. It’s a sweet sound but, if you have a slight mishap go a little to hard with it, it can make one pay. The .84 takes that risk and tones it down substantially while still achieving efficient cutting prowes and increasing the comfort level with this set up. James at Wolfman did his homework here and did it very well.

Another shave or two with the .84 to confirm my first shave experience and then onto the .69 gap base plate to see what it can deliver.

Great shaves to all….

View attachment 141070

Can't wait to get my stainless steel version, ordered the 0.84 plate, I hope my experience will be as great as your review

 

[Str8Mug]

Can't wait to get my stainless steel version, ordered the 0.84 plate, I hope my experience will be as great as your review

Congrats and I hope the shaves are awesome. But, although the shave geometry is identical across all Guerilla razors, the weight has to be accounted for. It changes the dynamics on approach and shave technique as your version is Stainless. I also went ahead and ordered another Guerilla but, this one will be in Bronze. I enjoy Bronze/Brass alloy for both its warmth and softness of feel on skin. Some say there is no difference but, for me I can perceive that subtle difference between the two alloys.

Good luck and look forward to your posts & thoughts on the SS Guerilla…..

 

[Estariol]

Congrats and I hope the shaves are awesome. But, although the shave geometry is identical across all Guerilla razors, the weight has to be accounted for. It changes the dynamics on approach and shave technique as your version is Stainless. I also went ahead and ordered another Guerilla but, this one will be in Bronze. I enjoy Bronze/Brass alloy for both its warmth and softness of feel on skin. Some say there is no difference but, for me I can perceive that subtle difference between the two alloys.

Good luck and look forward to your posts & thoughts on the SS Guerilla…..

I assume that Bronze and Brass feel better on the skin because they're better conductors than stainless steel, they absorb and emmit heat better.
NOTE: assumption is the mother of all f***ups, so feel free to correct me if i got this wrong...

 

[Str8Mug]

I assume that Bronze and Brass feel better on the skin because they're better conductors than stainless steel, they absorb and emmit heat better.
NOTE: assumption is the mother of all f***ups, so feel free to correct me if i got this wrong...

You are correct with your assumption because it is an actual fact that in general, Bronze/Brass do conduct heat slightly better than Stainless but, not by a substantial margin. It mostly depends on grade of Bronze/Brass and its content of other alloys such as Copper & Zinc. Higher content of these latter two elements, Copper-Cu & Zinc-Zn will determine levels of conductivity of heat by alloy designation of various Bronze/Brass make up.

But, I will put an asterisk next to your avatar if it makes you feel more comfortable on the criteria of what “assumption” can produce.

Best shaves to you my friend & Cheers….

 

[Str8Mug]

Wonderful shave this morning with the Aluminum Guerilla .84 set up. This one here is looking to be the go to for the daily shaver that wants a near perfect balance of smooth operation and feel on the skin while still delivering a consistent and efficient/effective cutting shave. No disturbance of any kind on the skin and the smooth feeling skin is simply marvelous. I can’t say enough how nicely balanced a shave this set up has given me in just two shaves. Lightweight and maneuverable with just a slight increase on pressure on my part to get the full action and capabilities with this tool is excellent.

I’m big on heavy razors with more substantial feel as Stainless & Bronze will bring that to the shave table. But, I will admit that this little razor that could has changed my way of thinking on the old standard of more weight is key to a successful and comfortable shave outcome. This razor works, period.

Great shaves to all…

 

[Str8Mug]

Another shave in but, this time with the .69 base plate on the Aluminum Guerilla. And let me say just this, I would say that this in recent memory has got to be the easiest razor set up to use that is quite literally impossible to cut, nick, and even irritate your skin with. It’s so easy on the skin that I find it impossible how one can go on and have a bad shave with this tool & set up. Hold up, let me correct myself here on that last statement. I forgot that we are talking about shaving and ANYTHING is possible in the shave world as we have some shavers who shouldn’t have a tool with a sharp implement running it across their faces as they employ little to no logic nor common sense in a methodical and humanely coherent act. Just needed to get that out of the way. But, for the 95% of shave population land (that might be a bit high but, benefit of the doubt I guess) that prefer an extremely easy to use daily that requires little thought or precise shave technique, this is one that deserves considerable thought and consideration. Easy to use but, don’t confuse that with it not being effective because it is. Not as deep and effective as a shave as the .99 which offers considerably more blade feel and the .84 which is slightly less on blade over the .99, the .69 offers sufficient cutting ability and brings efficient to the masses in an absurdly easy to wield shaving implement.

The shave itself was uber comfortable and yet managed to bring down light growth in two passes plus a third as an extended buff & pick ups exercise. BBS quality finish? No but, certainly DFS+ that gives a good and respectable finish/presentation for the day. I don’t expect 8-10 hours of duration but that‘s ok as I just wanted to see how this iteration would do and it proved to be worthy of me classifying it as an easy go to daily where almost mindless action of shave can occur and one more than likely will be just fine without encountering any mishaps (for most, disclaimer here) or uncomfortable exercise. That being said for me, it will probably be the least used plate in the trio as I can perhaps only see it as either I’m late for work early morning and just need to look presentable or, I shaved earlier in the day and need to freshen up for a late evening outing with family, friends and coworkers. Travel razor is also a definite possibility.

Again, if one likes light and comfortable shaving implements that gets the job done with satisfactory results, the .69 is one to consider. It also would/could work, in my opinion with those who have very light growth on a day to day basis or have slower stubble growth from shave to shave.

Ultimately there are 4 important criteria on a shaving implement that will nearly always bring positive results in one’s shave regime. Shave geometry that is geared to the majority of shavers that makes the shave easy and very intuitive and Wolfman I think has it in the Alum Guerilla. Craftsmanship that unites quality and tolerances to near perfection and let’s face it, Mr. Dufour does that with impeccable precision. Blade rigidity & support is key and the Guerilla has that on lockdown. Nothing better in the shave industry when a razor & blade combo cuts through whiskers like nobody’s business regardless of weight or alloy. It’s a thing of beauty. Lastly but, just as equally as important as the other qualities is, affordability. Between $125-$135 US gets you a precision made tool in whatever configuration you desire with 4 optional plates to choose from. You get Wolfman quality at a very competitive price that as a bonus is readily available. That’s right, no waiting and putting your name on a list to order and receive a quality product. People tend to shy away from aluminum because it’s considered to be the cheapest of alloys in the shave world. Yes, it is a more commercially available alloy that is extremely economical to use & manufacture. It does not mean it can’t be made into something that is of quality & precision.

The Wolfman Guerilla works and I wouldn’t give a second thought in recommending this razor to anyone looking for a quality tool that is both affordable and effective. Soon color options will be available to customize to one’s hearts content. This is not only a good razor in the Wolfman stable, it’s an exceptional one that brings all of Wolman’s technical expertise and engineering to the masses.

Great shaves to all…

 

[Str8Mug]

The Bronze Guerilla. Loaded a fresh Feather for tomorrow’s shave. Looking forward to this one…

 

[Str8Mug]

Got it. I’m going to preface this by saying that I have enjoyed every shave that I’ve gotten from the Bronze Guerilla’s stablemate, the Aluminum Guerilla. Wonderfully smooth yet highly efficient with a featherweight touch but, it had/has plenty of punch to knock down whiskers from a day to a full week without missing a beat. It’s that good of a razor, period.

Now we have the Bronze Guerilla. It’s identical in shave geometry to the Aluminum version and is impeccably machined to exacting tolerances as practically all Wolfman Razors are. The Bronze though Gents, it takes that quality of feel and precision to another level. The heft, the look and the total feel brings the razor to the next level in high performance/luxury/world class look & ownership. The handle for one threads so smoothly and easily into the top cap stud that it’s almost fluid like, as if on ball bearings. The Karve Brass has a very similar feel to the Bronze Guerilla in that aspect. The locking of the blade pinched in between the top cap & plate gives that wonderful “crunch” sound when the blade is set and ready to go. The Bronze is obviously heavier than it’s Aluminum alternative but, the balance in hand makes it feel lighter than it really is. Balance point for me is about a finger width and a half below the razor head and is distributed along the whole length of the razor with perhaps a slight weight bias towards the head say 55/45. To me that’s just about perfect for how I like a razor to feel in my hands. It shows the smallest amount of blade tabs on each end just like the Aluminum variant which aids in placing & removing the blade with ease. The top cap blade alignment pins are not long as the base plate pin holes aren’t very deep but, they are precise with virtually no movement of the blade fore and aft once it has been placed in there. There is no difference visually to the Aluminum version once both razors are ready to go. Just the color, alloy and weight. The Bronze handle though smooth, offers a tactile feel to it that once wet and coated in suds & whiskers, I still felt plenty of grip and confident that it would not slip. Very similar to the Aluminum Guerilla, maybe a tad bit better on the Bronze.

I completed 3 passes of unadulterated shave bliss with the .69 plate and not a single issue to mention nor speak of. Glide on the skin with a Feather installed meeting the skin & suds was like sliding on oil. Blade feel was minimal yet the cutting ability paired with the smooth feel on the skin produced the utmost in comfortable and almost mindless strokes for every pass. I can really use the comparison of a hot knife through butter to practically describe what the Bronze Guerilla was doing. It went through the whiskers with ease and with just supreme comfort and confidence in the knowledge that precision & quality was at work during the shave. I can say that the weight and feel of alloy just brings a different dimension to the whole shave experience. It’s almost like an indulgence of having that soft serve sundae with the cherry on top and when you’re done, you just want more. That’s how this shave with the Bronze Guerilla felt like to me.

If the .69 gap was this good, I can only imagine how the .84 will feel like for the next shave. Tomorrow can’t get here fast enough. Wonderful shave that left the widest of grins on my face.

Great shaves to all…

 

[Str8Mug]

Took today off to get a few things done prepping for the weekend and decided to get another shave in. Yesterday‘s shave was a very, very good one even with the milder .69 plate though deceptively efficient in removing whisker effectively & comfortably. Stubble growth is very light and I honestly could go on for the rest of the day and not shave until the evening but, hey it’s my day off and I can do as I please. And honestly, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get another shave in with the Bronze Guerilla.

Same set up as yesterday’s shave with just a different soap which by the way is a great creation from Southern Witchcraft, Grave Fruit II. I’m a Tallow man through & through but, this stuff produces a gorgeous lather that is rich, creamy and super protective, plenty of residual slickness as well. The scent is awesome too.

All I needed was an ATG pass and an extended buff & touch up pass. So super smooth with light blade feel yet it cuts extraordinarily well. The extra heft just aids in keeping pressure to a minimum and the warmth of the Bronze is so good. It feels as if the whisker are being melted away or like being wiped off of my face & neck. Zero nics, weepers or irritation and I was good as new. I can’t tell you how long my face went whiskerless from yesterday evenings shave as I had the light stubble when I awoke this morning at 5:30am. I’ll post an update on this recent shave just to give a point of reference to those who might be inclined to putting weight to that criteria. I will say that it’s a YMMV thing in that everyone has different growth rates when it comes to facial hair so, it might be a moot point to post but, it is what it is.

I’ll skip a day or two just to give the .84 something more to tackle. I hope I can wait that long.

Great shaves to all….

 

[Str8Mug]

Overcast and a very chilly morning. That didn’t stop the Bronze Guerilla .84 from today’s shave. The Feather on its second use was simply magnificent. Blade feel is definitely kicked up ever so slightly (just as in the Aluminum version) but, in the best way possible that translates to a smooth and efficient feeling shave. This is a knockout combo that requires the Feather blade to get a shave or two in before it really smooths out. However, more importantly is the shave head geometry of the Guerilla ‘23 series of razors. Uncanny smoothness with ease of feel on the skin yet viciously tenacious & uncompromising against the whiskers. 2 days growth whittled down easily and comfortably in 2.5 passes without a single incident nor irritation to speak of. The extra weight of the Bronze truly really accentuates the cutting ability of this excellent tool that I feel it’s just as easy and perhaps even easier to achieve great results with the Bronze over its Aluminum counterpart. Truly a wonderful feeling shave that brought efficient yet smooth and calm behavior from this set up. Remarkable razor, really.

I’m going to swap out the .84 bronze plate and drop in the .99 Aluminum plate just for kicks and giggles. If it works well, I’m going to have to pick up the .99 bronze plate as well.

Great shaves to all….

 

[Str8Mug]

Oh, what a shave. Went with the Aluminum.99 plate with the Bronze cap and Guerilla handle. Installed a 2nd use Gillette Minora, made some great suds with PAA’s Sangre De Drago and proceeded to give myself an absolute wonderful shave that had me done in 2 passes. Superbly efficient and still extremely smooth and easy on the skin. The .99 is without question the set up that one would want for moderate blade feel that still manages to combine comfort and efficiency in use. Marvelous shave that left the face & neck rubbery smooth yet calm and undisturbed of any irritation or mishaps even of the smallest nature. A BBS finish at its finest.

I can’t speak nor provide anymore positive accolades for the ‘23 Guerilla. Not one single shave can I say in earnest was either so so or mediocre. The Guerilla is as good as it gets in a quality crafted shaving tool. James at Wolfman Razors has updated this line up into something that works extremely well and that incorporates efficient action with a buttery smooth feel that puts it into rarified territory. Question is, is it crafted so that everyone can use it and get great results? In all honesty, no. There is no one universal shave tool that will work for every living wet shaver on the planet. There are far too many variables for me to list here in this post but, there is definitely enough range in the Guerilla line up to match up to a good majority of those wet shavers to find shave contentment on a daily basis or whatever shave schedule suits them. At the moment there are 3 alloys to choose from and 4 gap sizes to customize the razor to one’s shave needs or requirements. The biggest obstacle is of course price as the Guerilla though perhaps by those that own the higher end WR1/WR2 variants would view the Guerilla as an entry level Wolfman, it’s still a pricey razor with the Aluminum version being the most affordable of the set. It might be cheaper in price to the WR1’s and WR2’s but, the shave pedigree is apparent and the results one can get are still world class worthy of some of the best out there including Wolfman’s own.

Would I recommend it? In a shave heartbeat. Great shaves to all…

 

[razor Ramon]

Finally got it yesterday, do you use the washer? Does the final turn of the handle when you scree it has more resistance? Probably going to shave with it tomorrow

 

[Str8Mug]

Finally got it yesterday, do you use the washer? Does the final turn of the handle when you scree it has more resistance? Probably going to shave with it tomorrow

That's up to you as an option. Tighten it snug. Congrats....

 

[razor Ramon]

That's up to you as an option. Tighten it snug. Congrats....

I’m not really a washer person, do you use it?