As a point of reference, I have the 56, 57, and the Duke 2, all in Best Grade, providing a consistent basis for comparison. I have severed my long-term bond with the Duke 2 in favour of the the 50 series. The 56, especially, is less dense than the Duke 2, provides a smaller splay on the face, and a much softer feel. Whereas the Duke lineup excels in density and a bit of scrub, the 56 and 57 excel in a more luxurious feel, which I have found more to my liking. And the 50 series handles -- stunning to look at, versatile, and an absolute pleasure to use. Need I say more? The 57 has a knot similarly sized to the Duke 2, but is less dense and much softer. The 56, the topic of this review, falls squarely in the "small brush" category and performs far beyond a level its small size may suggest. Nimble, luxurious, versatile, and impeccably engineered. I never thought I'd get a better brush than the Duke 2, but I was wrong. The Duke is now up for sale, and the 56 and 57 rule the shave den. Last, many thanks to Jane and Phil a the Classic edge for top-drawer, personalized customer service and fast shipping. And I always look forward to Jane's handwritten notes with every order -- such nice handwriting! Keep up the good work!
Beautiful 3-piece gold finished safety razor with an open comb on one side & a gentle closed comb on the other side of its head.
As with other customers, if you look at the surfaces of the razor's finish, you can see some minute imperfections or "machining" marks, but they are also quite effectively coated by the razor's finish. After all, these razors are all hand machined by craftsmen in Italy. It does not affect the performance of the razor at all.
It takes quite a few turns to disassemble & reassemble the razor, but there is no wiggle, no loose threads etc. It is rock solid.
The razor is very comparable in size, shape and weight to the famous Merkur 34C HD. YouTube shaving personality, geofatboy gave this razor an aggressiveness rating of a 7 for the open comb side and a 3 on its closed comb side. Compared to his rating of a 5 aggressiveness rating for the Merkur 34C HD, I would say that his aggressiveness ratings are very applicable in comparing both razors.
As I have never used an open comb styled razor before, I let my beard growth grow in a few extra days before trying the Fatip "hybrid" razor. The Fatip website even suggests using a milder blade so I loaded it with a Russian made Astra Green blade.
I noticed the extra aggression right away and because of the unique open comb slats, it rinsed out quite easily. I also used shorter strokes with the open comb side. After I finished shaving, I ran a wetted alum block over my face and compared to my regular shaves, I definitely felt a bit more stinging all over. This simply means that the next time I use the Fatip open comb side of this hybrid razor, I only need to use the slightest of pressure.
Overall, Fatip has a beautiful line of razors... in many different appealing finishes... and for a very good & fair price compared to its competition.
I purchased the barbarossa recently to have a razor to use while my flowing is sent back to be sharpened, and for the tough to reach areas such as under my nose. The barbarossa I received doesn't seem to be able to shave under my nose while using the first 1/2 of the badle. This seems very weird as I assumed with a 5/8 Spanish point it would carry out this job flawlessly. I should still be able to use it in my flowing shed temporarily. I wouldn't recommend it as a primary razor unfortunately. Specifically because it does not preform well for tight to reach areas. I had to go back to my round point for under my nose:(( it also did not come with a hard case like my flowing. Just a cardboard box with a canvas bag. I will be purchasing a leather pouch for both in the future for sure.
Unreal product! I had a Manscape razor before & the Henson’s ease of use & design make the other razors look like they were built by toddlers.
If the price is causing you to pause REMEMBER you will never need to buy those disposable thrash razor again & a 100 pack of razors will last you a year.
JUST DO IT!!
- JG from BC, Canada (real customer)
BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT
Smells great but not overpowering or obnoxious. Lasts a good amount of time as well. An excellent addition to my grooming collection. Thanks again Classic Edge!