Weekly Razor Review

Goodfellas Valynor (Italy)



Yes, the Goodfellas Valynor did proceed the Blackland Osprey; I had the Valynor in hand before the design of the Osprey handle was revealed.

Obviously, it’s the handle that is the standout feature of the Valynor but it is ably assisted by the contrasting polished brass head. The handle has an aluminium outer shell with diamond patterned cutouts machined into it leaving it with a lace like look; after machining, the aluminium outer shell has been anodised in a satin silver and will therefore not tarnish. Screwed in from the handle’s end is a polished brass plug that extends through the handle to past the diamonds cutouts. Visually, the handle has great presence and I’m sure there will be no grip issues. Should soap or any other foreign matter get into the handle, the brass plug can simply be unscrewed, wiped or rinsed clean and reinserted, simple and easy. Goodfellas have a poor track record as far as thread quality goes and the Valynor does nothing to correct that fault, it’s handle fit is sloppy. There are no real standout features to the head: made of brass, thin cap with blade clamping at the outer edge, company name, model and country of manufacture are engraved on the back of the plate.

To be honest, I had no idea what sort of shave the Valynor was going to deliver. It was certainly a relief when that first stroke revealed an efficiency slightly under what a Karve CB Level #D would deliver. There was positive blade feel and the shave was super smooth, all attributes that I admire in a razor. There was ample grip provided by the handle but it did seem to attract a lot of excess lather; no problem, just rinse it away under the running water. I feel I was flushing the diamond laced handle more than I normally do; probably just me admiring that lovely little handle, it certainly is pleasing on the eye. Goodfellas Valynor is a bit of a show pony but at the same time, it is a very honest performing razor. This is a stand out razor that has been let down by a sloppy handle thread.

Blades Used – Crown and Howard

Material – Brass and Aluminium

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 77.9g

Head Width – 43.55mm

Handle Length – 86.10mm

Handle Diameter – 12.98mm

Availability – Goodfellas

Final Word – Exquisite
 
SpeedyPC said:
That’s why I’m not getting one into my den, because, it’s just another bloody razor and the price isn’t worth it spending, unless you’re getting a new computer system.
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I posted this on another board in response to a lot of whipping on the Tedalus because of its price:

Priceless
Oscar Wilde is credited with the quote, "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing".
I see the Tedalus as more of a mirror into our inner shaver than anything else. Many Chinese and Japanese spend literal decades learning how to properly conduct their respective tea ceremonies. Not very economical or utilitarian if all you want is a cup of tea. Likewise, spending 4 hours for two servings of tea doesn't feel very practical, yet the ones I have participated in are highlights of my life (well not the first one, I was still a Western Barbarian :) ).

We have the same thing with our relationship to shaving. Some of us see it as a chore to get through the day (well probably not reading this) and others see it as an avocation - a passionate interest or a secondary area of expertise that brings enjoyment and fulfillment that we spend an inordinate amount of time experiencing and pursuing (but never reaching) perfection. I can shave in under 10 minutes, but I most decidedly choose not to.

I have a kintsugi bowl that from a utilitarian perspective is probably worth a couple of bucks. It is basically broken pottery held together with gold-infused lacquer. Maybe $10 worth of material and a couple of hours of labor. So its actual costs exceed its utility from the get-go. But to me it is priceless. It is beautiful to my eyes. It helps me appreciate the beauty of imperfection and impermanence. It teaches me to value the history and journey of objects, embracing their flaws as part of their overall beauty. It speaks of all who came together, each bringing their skill, experience, and knowledge across time - from the original potter to those who used it, to those who broke it, to those who honored it with the repair.

I see the same thing with the Velocity-ONE - a single person's pursuit of "perfection" achieved through a network of skills, knowledge, and experiences - even in the packaging. Though not on the same scale, the same passion created Tesla, SpaceX, the MacIntosh Computer, and other things where technology, art, passion, vision, and engineering all come together to create something special.

Yes, I ordered one as soon as I saw it and understood it. Probably shouldn't have, my wife says it is my next 10 birthday presents (which is significant as I am 70 :) ). A tool I will enjoy using, looking at, and contemplating its existence. Priceless...I look forward to it being in the family for a long time.

Oh yes, it shaves wonderfully too! Smooth with a very slight blade feel so you know that it is working. Enough heft to shave itself with no pressure. My first shave (Dorco Prime, Barrister & Mann Melange sample) was an enjoyable 3-pass BBS that lasted over 14 hours.
 
Alpha Outlaw Evolution Ti



As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t too much wrong with the first version of the Outlaw, but in 2023 Alpha seen fit to re-engineer it. Its first obvious change is that this Outlaw Evolution is produced in titanium and is said to have been given 300% more blade clamping area, that’s a hell of a big increase whichever way you look at it. Along with other improvements Alpha are now offering two handle lengths, 85mm and 95mm. Of course I selected the 85mm but felt a little let down when the advertisement stated that the handle was machined in titanium, the 95mm handle is made from sweet, sweet titanium. I’m not in the habit of chewing on razor handles so cannot say what sweet, sweet titanium tastes like or if there is much difference. Being titanium, of course the razor felt light with most of the weight in the handle. Its cap has been designed to be minimalist and there is no excess material in the plate. Round blade posts are located on the cap and these mate into blind recesses in the plate. Lather clearance is taken care of by one large cut out on each side of the plate. Alpha have delivered the Outlaw Ti with the best fitting and smoothest feeling threads I’ve ever felt on any titanium razor. There’s a shallow spiralling groove that runs along the length of the handle and deeper circumferential grooves that will provide most of the grip; any grip that may have been provided by the spiralling grooves has been polished out. Other than the recess in the plate and the back of the cap, the whole razor has been polished.

While I was expecting a shave of similar feel to the original Outlaw, it was totally different, but it wasn’t disappointing. Alpha’s Outlaw Evolution Ti delivered a shave of about Karve CB level #C efficiency proportions, but it was the lack of blade feel that really shone through; so little blade and the shave was so effortless? I’m generally a user who appreciates a generous amount of positive blade but the Evolution Ti shattered my theory and delivered a wonderfully smooth and close shave with its relaxed manners. This is a razor that anyone can use but would be ideal for a novice user, providing a comfortable shave and with its easy going ways can be used with confidence.

Blades Used – Gillette Vintage Super Stainless and Howard

Material – Titanium

Blade Tab – Covered

Weight – 64.2g

Head Width – 43.55mm

Handle Length – 85.00mm

Handle Diameter – 12.97mm

Availability – Alpha Shaving

Final Word – Relaxing
 
Barbaros TR4 (Turkey)



Barbaros introduced the TR4 to the market without any fanfare, I stumbled on it quite by accident. It’s a long time since I’ve seen any razor released with a hexagonal handle. Strange really, hex bar stock is readily available and requires minimal machining to be machined into a handle. It might not be quite that easy though, if the flats on the clamped down handle don’t sit square to the head, the handle looks askew, and the razor can feel awkward to hold; no such trouble with the hexagonal Rail handle fitted to the TR4. TR4’s cap is minimalistic with no excess metal but the same cannot be said for the plate, it is quite heavy by comparison even though its back has been radiused out. Barbaros chose to have the blade posts protrude through the plate; they could quite easily have been hidden in blind holes in that thickish plate. Blade clamping is on large flats very close to the edge of the cap. A bright satin finish is presented on the TR4, it’s not far off being a polished finish and is considerably more appealing than their bead blasted finish however machine marks are present on the underside of the cap. Barbaros claim the comfortable shave from the TR4 has been achieved by opening the blade gap to a whopping 1.4mm and then reducing the blade exposure to neutral. I sort of understand the principal but putting a blade in and using it is the only way to confirm or rebuff their claim.

If that’s neutral blade exposure, I glad they didn’t set it up with positive blade. For me, the amount of blade feel was far in excess of comfortable. I would describe the shave as being in more efficient than a Karve CB level #D and not at all smooth. Any razor with that amount of blade feel will certainly deliver a close shave but at the risk of cuts and nicks. Yes, I speak from experience. As soon as the razor is picked up, it feels comfortable in the hand but it’s the weight that stands out, it’s simply too heavy. Annoying when so much material could have been pared from the plate and the handle with so little effort. And Mr Barbaros, while you’re removing weight you could also reduce the blade gap somewhat. What the quality of shave a razor is going to deliver is never revealed till a blade is fitted; after using it, the TR4 did not deliver what I like in a razor.

Blades Used – Gillette Minora and Royal II

Material – 316L Stainless Steel

Blade Tab – Slightly exposed

Weight – 113.3g

Head Width – 42.05mm

Handle Length – 84.92mm

Handle Across Flats – 12.05mm

Availability – Split Seven International Store

Final Word – Not a fan
 
Errol said:
Alpha Outlaw Evolution Ti



As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t too much wrong with the first version of the Outlaw, but in 2023 Alpha seen fit to re-engineer it. Its first obvious change is that this Outlaw Evolution is produced in titanium and is said to have been given 300% more blade clamping area, that’s a hell of a big increase whichever way you look at it. Along with other improvements Alpha are now offering two handle lengths, 85mm and 95mm. Of course I selected the 85mm but felt a little let down when the advertisement stated that the handle was machined in titanium, the 95mm handle is made from sweet, sweet titanium. I’m not in the habit of chewing on razor handles so cannot say what sweet, sweet titanium tastes like or if there is much difference. Being titanium, of course the razor felt light with most of the weight in the handle. Its cap has been designed to be minimalist and there is no excess material in the plate. Round blade posts are located on the cap and these mate into blind recesses in the plate. Lather clearance is taken care of by one large cut out on each side of the plate. Alpha have delivered the Outlaw Ti with the best fitting and smoothest feeling threads I’ve ever felt on any titanium razor. There’s a shallow spiralling groove that runs along the length of the handle and deeper circumferential grooves that will provide most of the grip; any grip that may have been provided by the spiralling grooves has been polished out. Other than the recess in the plate and the back of the cap, the whole razor has been polished.

While I was expecting a shave of similar feel to the original Outlaw, it was totally different, but it wasn’t disappointing. Alpha’s Outlaw Evolution Ti delivered a shave of about Karve CB level #C efficiency proportions, but it was the lack of blade feel that really shone through; so little blade and the shave was so effortless? I’m generally a user who appreciates a generous amount of positive blade but the Evolution Ti shattered my theory and delivered a wonderfully smooth and close shave with its relaxed manners. This is a razor that anyone can use but would be ideal for a novice user, providing a comfortable shave and with its easy going ways can be used with confidence.

Blades Used – Gillette Vintage Super Stainless and Howard

Material – Titanium

Blade Tab – Covered

Weight – 64.2g

Head Width – 43.55mm

Handle Length – 85.00mm

Handle Diameter – 12.97mm

Availability – Alpha Shaving

Final Word – Relaxing
Click to expand...
Thanks for your confidence Errol - by the way guys - shipping to Aus - if Errol gets the thing safely way up in the NT with 700KM++ of unpaved roads then so can you get is safely in any Aussie location. Pop on over to Alpha and use code P&C10 for a nice 10% off any Alpha orders.
 
Aylsworth Apex (China)



Aylsworth’s Apex has a lot to live up to; it’s stable mate, the Dakkarant Ti fitted with the plus plate set the Aylsworth performance level extremely high. Aylsworth announce the Apex as a separate entity to the Drakkant and Kopparkant models but when I saw that it was fitted with a plus plate, my ears pricked; the trademark Alysworth ‘A’ on the back of the plate has the + symbol alongside it. This is a Chinese made razor and after a detailed inspection there is nothing but praise for its machining excellence; its thread engagement is as good as the best. It may be a new model in their product range but there are many distinguishing Aylsworth features shared between the now three Aylsworth models; the recess at the top of the cap being a big give away. Even the handle, while different to the others has a certain Aylsworth appeal about it. Blade clamping is near the outer extremities of the cap but where they position on the plate has been mostly machined out to accommodate the wide lather grooves. There is no excess metal on the cap and very little to complain about on the plate, a hole through the centre of the handle would have reduced the overall weight of the Apex to under 100g. While I’ve never experienced any difficulties with round blade posts, I always appreciate a razor where the extra effort has been made to present elongated posts, they symbolise quality, another plus to the Apex. Machining on the Apex is outstanding and the whole razor is presented in a quality satin finish, including the underside of the cap.

If you’re about to purchase the Apex thinking that you’re in the box seat for a cheap Drakkant plus – you might just be in luck. I’m comparing the Apex to the Drakkant Ti with its plus plate installed as standard because I haven’t used the stainless steel plus plate or the OC in the Drakkant. Apex’s efficiency and blade feel are a small step up on both counts over the Drakkant but it’s barely noticeable. With the efficiency of the Apex slightly above that of a Karve CB level #D and its positive blade feel, the shave was right in my happy spot. To top off these positive points, the shave was both smooth and ever so close, this is a razor I could live with and certainly use daily. Apex’s build quality and its ability to deliver a super smooth shave may sound the death of the Drakkant, but there will always be those users who are anti-Chinese made razors and demand their razor to be manufactured in USA. Mr Aylsworth, you have nailed it with the Apex.

Blades Used – Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinum Black and Royal II

Material – 316 Stainless Steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 105.6g

Head Width – 43.3mm

Handle Length – 88.85mm

Handle Diameter – 12.44mm

Availability – Aylsworth

Final Word – Superb
 
Errol said:
Aylsworth Apex (China)



Aylsworth’s Apex has a lot to live up to; it’s stable mate, the Dakkarant Ti fitted with the plus plate set the Aylsworth performance level extremely high. Aylsworth announce the Apex as a separate entity to the Drakkant and Kopparkant models but when I saw that it was fitted with a plus plate, my ears pricked; the trademark Alysworth ‘A’ on the back of the plate has the + symbol alongside it. This is a Chinese made razor and after a detailed inspection there is nothing but praise for its machining excellence; its thread engagement is as good as the best. It may be a new model in their product range but there are many distinguishing Aylsworth features shared between the now three Aylsworth models; the recess at the top of the cap being a big give away. Even the handle, while different to the others has a certain Aylsworth appeal about it. Blade clamping is near the outer extremities of the cap but where they position on the plate has been mostly machined out to accommodate the wide lather grooves. There is no excess metal on the cap and very little to complain about on the plate, a hole through the centre of the handle would have reduced the overall weight of the Apex to under 100g. While I’ve never experienced any difficulties with round blade posts, I always appreciate a razor where the extra effort has been made to present elongated posts, they symbolise quality, another plus to the Apex. Machining on the Apex is outstanding and the whole razor is presented in a quality satin finish, including the underside of the cap.

If you’re about to purchase the Apex thinking that you’re in the box seat for a cheap Drakkant plus – you might just be in luck. I’m comparing the Apex to the Drakkant Ti with its plus plate installed as standard because I haven’t used the stainless steel plus plate or the OC in the Drakkant. Apex’s efficiency and blade feel are a small step up on both counts over the Drakkant but it’s barely noticeable. With the efficiency of the Apex slightly above that of a Karve CB level #D and its positive blade feel, the shave was right in my happy spot. To top off these positive points, the shave was both smooth and ever so close, this is a razor I could live with and certainly use daily. Apex’s build quality and its ability to deliver a super smooth shave may sound the death of the Drakkant, but there will always be those users who are anti-Chinese made razors and demand their razor to be manufactured in USA. Mr Aylsworth, you have nailed it with the Apex.

Blades Used – Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinum Black and Royal II

Material – 316 Stainless Steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 105.6g

Head Width – 43.3mm

Handle Length – 88.85mm

Handle Diameter – 12.44mm

Availability – Aylsworth

Final Word – Superb
Click to expand...

Thanks AGAIN for another wonderful review @Errol !
 
Errol said:
Aylsworth Apex (China)



Aylsworth’s Apex has a lot to live up to; it’s stable mate, the Dakkarant Ti fitted with the plus plate set the Aylsworth performance level extremely high. Aylsworth announce the Apex as a separate entity to the Drakkant and Kopparkant models but when I saw that it was fitted with a plus plate, my ears pricked; the trademark Alysworth ‘A’ on the back of the plate has the + symbol alongside it. This is a Chinese made razor and after a detailed inspection there is nothing but praise for its machining excellence; its thread engagement is as good as the best. It may be a new model in their product range but there are many distinguishing Aylsworth features shared between the now three Aylsworth models; the recess at the top of the cap being a big give away. Even the handle, while different to the others has a certain Aylsworth appeal about it. Blade clamping is near the outer extremities of the cap but where they position on the plate has been mostly machined out to accommodate the wide lather grooves. There is no excess metal on the cap and very little to complain about on the plate, a hole through the centre of the handle would have reduced the overall weight of the Apex to under 100g. While I’ve never experienced any difficulties with round blade posts, I always appreciate a razor where the extra effort has been made to present elongated posts, they symbolise quality, another plus to the Apex. Machining on the Apex is outstanding and the whole razor is presented in a quality satin finish, including the underside of the cap.

If you’re about to purchase the Apex thinking that you’re in the box seat for a cheap Drakkant plus – you might just be in luck. I’m comparing the Apex to the Drakkant Ti with its plus plate installed as standard because I haven’t used the stainless steel plus plate or the OC in the Drakkant. Apex’s efficiency and blade feel are a small step up on both counts over the Drakkant but it’s barely noticeable. With the efficiency of the Apex slightly above that of a Karve CB level #D and its positive blade feel, the shave was right in my happy spot. To top off these positive points, the shave was both smooth and ever so close, this is a razor I could live with and certainly use daily. Apex’s build quality and its ability to deliver a super smooth shave may sound the death of the Drakkant, but there will always be those users who are anti-Chinese made razors and demand their razor to be manufactured in USA. Mr Aylsworth, you have nailed it with the Apex.

Blades Used – Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinum Black and Royal II

Material – 316 Stainless Steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 105.6g

Head Width – 43.3mm

Handle Length – 88.85mm

Handle Diameter – 12.44mm

Availability – Aylsworth

Final Word – Superb
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We are indeed fortunate to have you on our Forum, @Errol - another great review. (y)
 
REX Sentry (USA)



REX made their entry into the DE slant razor market with the first commercial release of an adjustable slant razor, they have followed up with the release of their Sentry model, a three piece non-adjustable slant razor. If REX were trying to make the Sentry appear upmarket, and it looks like they were, they have failed miserably. As I undone the handle for the first time the thread was looser than I expected on a quality razor but at the same time not smooth and it was seizing. Oil smoothed out the action a little, but the threads still catch sometimes as it is screwed. Both parts of the head just slop together, there is no finesse; how could there be when REX have drilled a ¼” (6.6mm) hole in the plate to accept a 5mm handle post; like fitting a cowboy hat on a turkey. To compound the loose fit issue, the hole in the plate has been counterbored at the back to accept the end of the handle; the hole now looks larger and there is less thickness in the plate to take up any slack; With no guidance from the handle post, locating and positioning of the cap is accomplished by the elongated blade posts mating into corresponding blind slots in the plate. REX have machined the cap to be very light and then delivered a large chunk of metal for the plate, there are many areas where weight could have been trimmed off the plate. A short bulldog handle is fitted and to REX’s credit the handle has been drilled completely through. Machined into the mid-section of the handle is a fancy diamond pattern grip but the end of the handle has been left at a larger diameter with a course, straight knurl like is used on a twist to open razor; totally superfluous and out of place on such a short handle, to say it detracts from the presentation of the razor would be an understatement. Machine marks are visible on the underside of the cap and the back of the plate has a bead blasted look, all other parts of the razor have been very much over polished. This is evident on the handle where the grip from the fancy machining has almost been polished off and the head where the features are rounded. The surprising part of the whole razor is that REX etched their name onto the back of the plate. Indications are that REX are working towards a premium quality luxury razor and if the Sentry was released to test new techniques, there is a lot of room for improvement.



Thankfully with a blade fitted everything screws down nice and firm, but more importantly, square - square for a slant. If you thought I’d come to the end of complaining about the Sentry, you’d be wrong. While the cap has been machined to be very light, it has a tight radiused top that positions the blade cutting edge well behind the top of the cap. This forces the use of a shallow shave angle and makes shaving in tight spots, like under the nose, difficult. When you do manage to get the shave angle right you are rewarded with a shave of under Karve CB Level #D performance and a pleasant amount of blade feel. Smooth, the shave was exceptionally smooth, but overall this razor is just not worth persevering with, there are many far better razors around. A check of the Razor Emporium website reveals no mention of the Sentry Razor; consider yourself lucky that you are unlikely to ever put yourself through the torture of checking one out.

Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Glatz

Material – 316 Stainless steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 100.2g

Head Width – 44.24mm

Handle Length – 75.16mm

Handle Diameter – 12.88mm

Availability – Out of production

Final Word – Piss poor
 
Errol said:
REX Sentry (USA)



REX made their entry into the DE slant razor market with the first commercial release of an adjustable slant razor, they have followed up with the release of their Sentry model, a three piece non-adjustable slant razor. If REX were trying to make the Sentry appear upmarket, and it looks like they were, they have failed miserably. As I undone the handle for the first time the thread was looser than I expected on a quality razor but at the same time not smooth and it was seizing. Oil smoothed out the action a little, but the threads still catch sometimes as it is screwed. Both parts of the head just slop together, there is no finesse; how could there be when REX have drilled a ¼” (6.6mm) hole in the plate to accept a 5mm handle post; like fitting a cowboy hat on a turkey. To compound the loose fit issue, the hole in the plate has been counterbored at the back to accept the end of the handle; the hole now looks larger and there is less thickness in the plate to take up any slack; With no guidance from the handle post, locating and positioning of the cap is accomplished by the elongated blade posts mating into corresponding blind slots in the plate. REX have machined the cap to be very light and then delivered a large chunk of metal for the plate, there are many areas where weight could have been trimmed off the plate. A short bulldog handle is fitted and to REX’s credit the handle has been drilled completely through. Machined into the mid-section of the handle is a fancy diamond pattern grip but the end of the handle has been left at a larger diameter with a course, straight knurl like is used on a twist to open razor; totally superfluous and out of place on such a short handle, to say it detracts from the presentation of the razor would be an understatement. Machine marks are visible on the underside of the cap and the back of the plate has a bead blasted look, all other parts of the razor have been very much over polished. This is evident on the handle where the grip from the fancy machining has almost been polished off and the head where the features are rounded. The surprising part of the whole razor is that REX etched their name onto the back of the plate. Indications are that REX are working towards a premium quality luxury razor and if the Sentry was released to test new techniques, there is a lot of room for improvement.



Thankfully with a blade fitted everything screws down nice and firm, but more importantly, square - square for a slant. If you thought I’d come to the end of complaining about the Sentry, you’d be wrong. While the cap has been machined to be very light, it has a tight radiused top that positions the blade cutting edge well behind the top of the cap. This forces the use of a shallow shave angle and makes shaving in tight spots, like under the nose, difficult. When you do manage to get the shave angle right you are rewarded with a shave of under Karve CB Level #D performance and a pleasant amount of blade feel. Smooth, the shave was exceptionally smooth, but overall this razor is just not worth persevering with, there are many far better razors around. A check of the Razor Emporium website reveals no mention of the Sentry Razor; consider yourself lucky that you are unlikely to ever put yourself through the torture of checking one out.

Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Glatz

Material – 316 Stainless steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 100.2g

Head Width – 44.24mm

Handle Length – 75.16mm

Handle Diameter – 12.88mm

Availability – Out of production

Final Word – Piss poor
Click to expand...
Checked my emails this morning and you’d better believe it, the Sentry is back in stock.
 
Errol said:
REX Sentry (USA)



REX made their entry into the DE slant razor market with the first commercial release of an adjustable slant razor, they have followed up with the release of their Sentry model, a three piece non-adjustable slant razor. If REX were trying to make the Sentry appear upmarket, and it looks like they were, they have failed miserably. As I undone the handle for the first time the thread was looser than I expected on a quality razor but at the same time not smooth and it was seizing. Oil smoothed out the action a little, but the threads still catch sometimes as it is screwed. Both parts of the head just slop together, there is no finesse; how could there be when REX have drilled a ¼” (6.6mm) hole in the plate to accept a 5mm handle post; like fitting a cowboy hat on a turkey. To compound the loose fit issue, the hole in the plate has been counterbored at the back to accept the end of the handle; the hole now looks larger and there is less thickness in the plate to take up any slack; With no guidance from the handle post, locating and positioning of the cap is accomplished by the elongated blade posts mating into corresponding blind slots in the plate. REX have machined the cap to be very light and then delivered a large chunk of metal for the plate, there are many areas where weight could have been trimmed off the plate. A short bulldog handle is fitted and to REX’s credit the handle has been drilled completely through. Machined into the mid-section of the handle is a fancy diamond pattern grip but the end of the handle has been left at a larger diameter with a course, straight knurl like is used on a twist to open razor; totally superfluous and out of place on such a short handle, to say it detracts from the presentation of the razor would be an understatement. Machine marks are visible on the underside of the cap and the back of the plate has a bead blasted look, all other parts of the razor have been very much over polished. This is evident on the handle where the grip from the fancy machining has almost been polished off and the head where the features are rounded. The surprising part of the whole razor is that REX etched their name onto the back of the plate. Indications are that REX are working towards a premium quality luxury razor and if the Sentry was released to test new techniques, there is a lot of room for improvement.



Thankfully with a blade fitted everything screws down nice and firm, but more importantly, square - square for a slant. If you thought I’d come to the end of complaining about the Sentry, you’d be wrong. While the cap has been machined to be very light, it has a tight radiused top that positions the blade cutting edge well behind the top of the cap. This forces the use of a shallow shave angle and makes shaving in tight spots, like under the nose, difficult. When you do manage to get the shave angle right you are rewarded with a shave of under Karve CB Level #D performance and a pleasant amount of blade feel. Smooth, the shave was exceptionally smooth, but overall this razor is just not worth persevering with, there are many far better razors around. A check of the Razor Emporium website reveals no mention of the Sentry Razor; consider yourself lucky that you are unlikely to ever put yourself through the torture of checking one out.

Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Glatz

Material – 316 Stainless steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 100.2g

Head Width – 44.24mm

Handle Length – 75.16mm

Handle Diameter – 12.88mm

Availability – Out of production

Final Word – Piss poor
Click to expand...
You might want to reach out to them; you may have gotten a dud. I just got mine last week after waiting since December. I haven't encountered any of the problems you indicated, and my cap definitely looks better than yours. No issues at all on the screw, smooth and tight as a tick before I did my usual Frog Lube on the threads. It felt like a 30-degree angle to me, but I wasn't paying close attention, just letting the weight of the razor shave in a checkout flight for the new tool (in the midst of testing under 10 USD razors to give away and entice friends away from cartridges). Only one shave, Treet Carbon, but it was a very good shave. Best!
Rich (BB code): 
Rex Sentry 2 by James Stikeleather, on Flickr
Rich (BB code): 
Rex Sentry 1 by James Stikeleather, on Flickr
 
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Errol said:
REX Sentry (USA)



REX made their entry into the DE slant razor market with the first commercial release of an adjustable slant razor, they have followed up with the release of their Sentry model, a three piece non-adjustable slant razor. If REX were trying to make the Sentry appear upmarket, and it looks like they were, they have failed miserably. As I undone the handle for the first time the thread was looser than I expected on a quality razor but at the same time not smooth and it was seizing. Oil smoothed out the action a little, but the threads still catch sometimes as it is screwed. Both parts of the head just slop together, there is no finesse; how could there be when REX have drilled a ¼” (6.6mm) hole in the plate to accept a 5mm handle post; like fitting a cowboy hat on a turkey. To compound the loose fit issue, the hole in the plate has been counterbored at the back to accept the end of the handle; the hole now looks larger and there is less thickness in the plate to take up any slack; With no guidance from the handle post, locating and positioning of the cap is accomplished by the elongated blade posts mating into corresponding blind slots in the plate. REX have machined the cap to be very light and then delivered a large chunk of metal for the plate, there are many areas where weight could have been trimmed off the plate. A short bulldog handle is fitted and to REX’s credit the handle has been drilled completely through. Machined into the mid-section of the handle is a fancy diamond pattern grip but the end of the handle has been left at a larger diameter with a course, straight knurl like is used on a twist to open razor; totally superfluous and out of place on such a short handle, to say it detracts from the presentation of the razor would be an understatement. Machine marks are visible on the underside of the cap and the back of the plate has a bead blasted look, all other parts of the razor have been very much over polished. This is evident on the handle where the grip from the fancy machining has almost been polished off and the head where the features are rounded. The surprising part of the whole razor is that REX etched their name onto the back of the plate. Indications are that REX are working towards a premium quality luxury razor and if the Sentry was released to test new techniques, there is a lot of room for improvement.



Thankfully with a blade fitted everything screws down nice and firm, but more importantly, square - square for a slant. If you thought I’d come to the end of complaining about the Sentry, you’d be wrong. While the cap has been machined to be very light, it has a tight radiused top that positions the blade cutting edge well behind the top of the cap. This forces the use of a shallow shave angle and makes shaving in tight spots, like under the nose, difficult. When you do manage to get the shave angle right you are rewarded with a shave of under Karve CB Level #D performance and a pleasant amount of blade feel. Smooth, the shave was exceptionally smooth, but overall this razor is just not worth persevering with, there are many far better razors around. A check of the Razor Emporium website reveals no mention of the Sentry Razor; consider yourself lucky that you are unlikely to ever put yourself through the torture of checking one out.

Blades Used – Gillette Platinum and Glatz

Material – 316 Stainless steel

Blade Tab - Covered

Weight – 100.2g

Head Width – 44.24mm

Handle Length – 75.16mm

Handle Diameter – 12.88mm

Availability – Out of production

Final Word – Piss poor
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Another perfectly on-point review @Errol. I finally bought a Rex Ambassador long after all the many bugs were ironed out, and it has served me pretty well. As far as the slant versions, adjustable and 3-piece, i have stayed away because of obvious problems in fit and finish.
 
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