Aggressive/Efficient Razor Comparison Experiment: The Face Of Fear

Comparison #11

Karve CB SB-E vs. Yates 921-H

Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium

Karve Blade Gap: 1.10mm • Blade Exposure: 0.17mm

Yates Blade Gap: 1.02mm • Blade Exposure: 0.08mm

Here are two razors that are relatively close on paper, those certainly not exact or direct comparisons. The Yates falls kind of in between the D and the E plate from Karve as far as Blade gap goes and it's closer to a C plate in terms of blade exposure. How do they compare shave wise? Let us continue.....*

* Also note, I took on about 14 days growth with this comparison. 

Impressions:

With the Karve, it was incredibly smooth and beautifully efficient with just the right amount of blade feel for me. You can feel it, you know it’s there, but it’s not threatening.

The Yates was perhaps a smidge smoother, with a little bit less blade feel, but I feel the efficiency definitely goes to the Karve. There were a couple spots I had to go over again with the Yates a little bit to get them clean. The end result after the first pass was that the Karve felt a little bit closer.

With either razor after the second pass, you’re out the door if you need to be easily with a DFS. I was bordering on BBS.

If you choose to chase the BBS, after the third pass, you’re there easily with both razors with very little if any touchup necessary as they are both very efficient.

Conclusion:

Overall, I feel like I like the Karve better on all three passes. The Yates does feel like it gets a little bit more blade Feely, maybe a little more scrapey as the passes go on. Maybe that’s because of the hair removal maybe makes the blade feel a little more prominent after the first pass. Not uncomfortable by any means, but I feel like the Karve, at least for me, was a little bit smoother and much more efficient overall. 

***Afterthoughts***

Now, I have seen this mentioned before about polishing possibly making a razor smoother. The Yates is the as machined finished which seems like a light, semi polished finish. The karve was plated by Razor Emporium and then polished very nicely. I'm not sure how much that plays into the smoothness of the razors if at all. 

You aggressive razors guys are brave! I like the Karve B and the C is stepping out. . Have you the R41 to compare!

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You aggressive razors guys are brave! I like the Karve B and the C is stepping out. . Have you the R41 to compare!

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I do it for you guys. Haha. I like a little more aggressiveness/efficiency in my shaves. I see a lot of folks here that like the milder side. I wonder if that is perhaps growing up with or having more access to old school Gillette razors which seem to walk on the milder side for the most part if I'm not mistaken.

I see the C plate is a very popular Karve plate and I'm not surprised at all by that. I started with the C but it just missed the mark for me feel wise. I wasn''t sure if I should go D or skip to the E. I did skip to the E and it is a perfect mix of blade feel, comfort, and efficiency for me. The C plate is very smooth and comfortable, I just like a little more bite in my shave. I honestly don't even find their most efficient plate, the G plate, too much. In either case SB or OC. I do generally reach for the E, though. Or the Overlander.

I do not own an R41 anymore. I had sold it years ago. That one I found to be a bit more blade feely and scrapey than I cared for. And this was a post 2011 model. I wasn't also as into aggressive razors yet, but I think it might still stand. I'd like to try it again, just not sure I want to invest in buying it again. At least not right now when there are other things I'm still interested in picking up eventually.

Brother, i have an Steel R41 head. Wanna trade? If you have anything left for sissy shaver like me.

I will B never use it. Lemmeno

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Brother, i have an Steel R41 head. Wanna trade? If you have anything left for sissy shaver like me.

I will B never use it. Lemmeno

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Haha! let me see what i got. I have some Razorock GC plates around I think the .84 one in SB and OC. I think I sold the .68. I'll look later and see what I have, there is stuff everywhere!!!

Right on!

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