The Next Level Razor by Razorock

[Str8Mug]

Went into today’s shave with a couple of changes that I’d mentioned yesterday. The handle was swapped out for the smaller, hallowed out handle from Razorock which helped a bit for better balance while still keeping that same near perfect tactile grip of the razor. The Feather blade was replaced with a fresh KAI blade and though the change wasn’t eye opening or a gamechanger so to speak, I can’t deny that it did help in increasing shave efficiency with a touch more of welcomed blade feel. Sometimes one does not need a total or complete departure of the norm to achieve a preferred result or specific gain and that is a real truth in shaving. Thousandths of an inch positive or negative in numeric value can make a substantial difference in how a shave tool reacts to an individuals input via shave technique. Was it a night vs day difference? No however, the gain was noticeable on overall performance in specific terms, giving me real time cause & effect data/info during the shave. The NL 112+ still maintained its inherited smoothness by design and ease of use while giving me just a tad more information on feel and audible effect on what was happening between steel & skin. A true 3 pass shave with just a slight touch up & buffing action around the chin & apple area. No irritation, nics or weepers of any kind on both face & neck. In hand with the shorter handle it did feel more comfortable and I was actually able to get more assertive with technique & pressure in a good way while moving the Next Level with relative ease and good speed. Not that anyone should shave with speed as the sole criteria, rather speed in how I could move back & forth without having to worry about the razor being to assertive or aggressive in design. The blade & handle swap was an improvement for me from start to finish especially in the ATG pass as it was very smooth and effective in slicing whiskers comfortably. Stability & the rigidity that the Next Level holds is quite good without an ounce of blade chatter during any specific pass. Mind you, I’m just dealing with light stubble from every day shaving so far so, that potential problem has not reared itself as of yet. With a few more days of growth, maybe it becomes a different story but, I don’t see that really being an issue as the blade is clamped quite well for my use in the Next Level. I can’t speak to the effect of the shave on longevity as I shaved only about an hour ago. I will update or mention that outcome soon or in my next shave detail.

 

[Str8Mug]

Whenever I am doing homework on a razor that I'm interested in, these are the reviews I pay attention too.
I always skip past the gushing and look for the slightly less than positive, I then look for common themes and even though they are never my driving factor one way or another at least I go in or out with my eyes open so to speak.

Thank you! Too kind my friend. Cheers amigo…

 

[Str8Mug]

A very satisfying shave this morning with the Next Level 112+ & KAI blade pairing. I would like to note that yes, I changed the handle again but, went with a lighter Titanium made one from DScosmetics. I was looking to see if I could improve on the balance and weight bias even further over from yesterday’s shave set up with the hollowed handle SS version by Razorock. I will admit, the increase in balance was marginal however, with the stainless steel head of the NL 112+, there was a slight gain in weight bias towards the head assembly that points to my preference in weight distribution. It just feels better for my technique and style of shaving. This shave was just as good as yesterday’s shave while feeling a slight increase in smoothness perhaps from the blade having had a use already on it that helped in contributing to that effect. Another 3 solid passes of excellent comfort & smoothness from the NL with a short buff & clean up pass in the usual spots. I would undoubtedly state that this was the best shave to date with this razor as it produces & delivers solid carefree, smooth & ultimately comfortable shaves. The change to the Ti handle gave an overall balance that was more to my liking and contributed to a more pleasant shave experience while still exhibiting excellent tactile grip & feel. No mishaps of any kind were experienced during the shave and ultimately, that’s the desired result for every wet shaver and in that, the Next Level has met the criteria. However, I will say that even with the couple of changes implemented yesterday with both a wider blade and shorter handle that gave an overall better feel, the duration of my shave was still 7-8 hours at best. Again, some will find that satisfactory and others like myself will be left wanting for more on the specific topic of shave duration/longevity. Even though there is a nice gap size with positive blade exposure, the window of adjustment to get a precise cutting feel & effectiveness in my experience so far is quite narrow. One has to make a concerted effort in keeping it in that zone or else cutting ability is effected if lost until one finds that specific angle again. Some razors offer an easier go of it while some others don’t. For me, the Next Level requires a more concerted and disciplined effort in maintaining that cutting edge effectively throughout ones shave. That’s just me gents and I don’t speak for anyone else and their specific experience with said razor.

In conclusion and to be fair, the razor is impeccably crafted & engineered. For me, clamping power is more than sufficient for my shaving needs. Precision & tolerances are practically flawless in every aspect of the design. Excellent lather channel exits do the job wonderfully of clearing shaved whiskers & lather away from the shaved area. Rinses clean and easy with a quick under the faucet run or a quick splash in ones bathroom sink. Removal & install of the blade is as easy as it gets and though I’ve only used two specific blades in the Next Level, both fit in there precisely with the KAI blade being slightly wider, it still fit perfectly.I’d assume that practically all blades will do the same regardless of brand. I’d like to point out that even though the razor head assembly looks like they completely cover the blade tabs, I actually do feel just the slightest hangover on both sides when handling the head assembly with the KAI blade installed. Can’t say if that was the case as well with the Feather as I never bothered to check for that while it was in use. Honestly, for those that want a set and forget razor that in this gap shares a close shave resemblance on its smooth & mild mannered demeanor to a Post-War Tech, this a well made modern day version of it. As such for me, I would need something a bit more “aggressive” in the Next Level line up if I were to continue on this crusade of finding a more suitable razor that delivers on the characteristics that I pursue or desire. Comfort, ease of use & longevity are the big three for me. The NL 112+ meets only 2/3 of that criteria for me. A fine razor for sure but, just falls short of my expectations & wants. Big kudos to Razorock though for making an incredibly affordable with this type of quality & precision for the regular joe to experience. They are the best in the business on that front.

 

[DesertIguana]

If I had $100.00 burning hole in pocket might spring for one, but the Question is what EXPOSURE.

 

[Ventastic]

If I had $100.00 burning hole in pocket might spring for one, but the Question is what EXPOSURE.

Didn‘t you get your tax back?

 

[J349]

Razorock NL135 • BIC • Bruji 27x52 • Aesop Sori Yanagi Bowl • Haslinger Calendula • Proraso Cypress & Vetyver



Nice first outing with this Next Level 1.35, inside my expectations, with a medium efficiency with this blade. Usually when I try a new razor I’ll do just two passes, with and across the grain, to check if it cuts even, and was pleased to check that I had a uniform shave without trying, didn’t find it angle sensitive, an auto pilot shaver it seems. I’ll keep experimenting in the next few shaves.

 

[Str8Mug]

Took a few days off from shaving to get in some longer growth and see what the Next Level can do with the wider KAI blade installed. Took on 3 days worth of stubble and it produced a good result. A traditional 3 pass shave with an extended buff and clean up pass was required to get the face & neck fully whisker free to my satisfaction. I did give myself a little bit of heat and irritation especially along the jawline and underneath the chin as some whiskers just didn’t want to let go of the epidermis. I won’t blame the razor for the heat gremlins as that was specifically more of my doing as I used a bit more pressure and adjusted with angles to get at those stragglers. I will say that I believe I got a better performing shave from the NL 112+ as I actually found a good feel for it while using it angled closer to the guard than my other previous shaves. Perhaps the KAI blade may have had some influence on that but, I just wanted to point that out as the shave was actually quite good. It was smooth & comfortable during the 3 passes with a DFS result. I just happened to push it to get a full on BBS results however, I suffered somewhat the consequences of taking it past the point of no return. Mia culpa. I stand though on what I’ve stated in previous postings in that this razor, the Next level 112+ is an extraordinarily smooth shaver with a natural comfort that is designed into it. Efficiency for me was not at the level that I expected however, for those that enjoy a care free shave without putting much thought into the exercise would find this razor a very viable option for a well made & crafted modern day daily shaving tool. Even though it didn’t work perfectly for me, I do believe the Next Level to be a very good razor and an exceptional value. Will I look into the future to see if Razorock delivers a higher gap in the “+” size options? Maybe, if it’s at least a 1.35 or 1.55 offered in the plus exposure variety. If not, I’ll just be a bystander until that does happen.

 

[Str8Mug]

MR "More Reveal" top cap is set to drop in the coming days from Razorock. Might just be the answer for more shave feel in getting better results and accustomed with the Next Level Razor. No specs as of yet but, it was mentioned on their FB feed. Just might snap one up along with a higher gap base plate if they become available as well.

More details about the MR top cap. Plus, a new size will be offered in a 1.75++ base plate….

9 OPTIONS AVAILABLE (7 Bases and 2 Top Caps): Use Drop Down Menu to Choose:

1. Next Level Top Cap
2. NL112: 1.12 mm blade gap with 0.000 mm blade exposure (MILD)
3. NL135: 1.35 mm blade gap with 0.000 mm blade exposure (LOW SIDE of MILD-MEDIUM)
4. NL85: 0.85 mm blade gap with +0.025 mm blade exposure (MEDIUM)
5. NL112+: 1.12 mm blade gap with +0.102 mm blade exposure (LOW SIDE of MEDIUM-AGGRESSIVE)
6. NL135+: 1.35 mm blade gap with +0.102 mm blade exposure (MEDIUM-AGGRESSIVE)
7. NL150++: 1.50 mm blade gap with +0.165 mm blade exposure (LOW SIDE of AGGRESSIVE)
8. NL175++: 1.75 mm blade gap with +0.1905 mm blade exposure (AGGRESSIVE)
9. Next Level MR Top Cap - The MR stands for ‘More Reveal’. Some Next Level users mentioned they wanted the ability to vary their shaving angle more during a shave. The MR top cap allows for this extra angle variation while maintaining the exact same blade gap and blade exposure. As you can see in the product photos, we achieved this by making precise geometric changes to both the shape and the width of the cap.