Janus razors Modern Machined Stainless Steel Adjustable Toggle

Incredibly impressive! I give you all the props on this project!!

Out of curiosity- what processes are being used here? CNC milling / lathing entirely? Or are you stamping / forging any parts?

Keep up the good work!

Matt


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I think he said cnc

Very interesting. I’ll definitely follow their progress

A new update email came out today with prototype pictures pretty exciting if it can be replicated in production


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For non-subscribers, here is a bit of info from their latest news update. A very nice in-depth overview on what is going on and potential price point(s) sometime in April....




Welcome to the March 2018 Newsletter
March was a good month. Here's a summary of what Janus Razors has been up to, and a chance to geek out on what I have learnt on Adjustability.

I verified once more using a hybrid prototype (3D printed parts + machined parts) that the design fixes are it - blade clamping is firm, and the toggle break-away is smooth. I then buttoned up some dimensions and gaps one more time before giving the greenlight for machining. The ultimate verification will be when everything in the assembly is machined. The machinist is on track to finish remaking the parts the 2nd/3rd week in April. There’s a fine line on how hard to I can push. I have excellent camaraderie with my machinist, and I wanna keep building the goodwill which I will need in spades for production, and other projects I have in the works.


Since the shop making the prototypes will handle production, prototyping is not as speedy as it could be; the prototyping decisions are biased by production considerations. For example, even ‘minor’ changes like adding a round to prolong tool life or changing a dimension to widen the pool of readily available and affordable machining tools call for reexamining dimensional fit and stack-ups of the surrounding/mating parts and assembly fixtures.



Remaking some parts opened the opportunity to revisit ergonomics. The length of the Janus Razor is now on par with the Super 109, an ergonomics favorite of mine. This ‘endless’ tweaking sometimes makes me feel like an artist who doesn’t know when to put down the brush. I always succumb to this primeval instinct.




I knew there was stuff to learn when I started. Learning is exciting to me, and when it stops, my interest wanes! I will admit I was dismissive at first. This isn’t Triple Bypass or Rocket Science! Seriously, how hard can remaking a shaving razor that was mass produced in the 50s be? It should be easier to do now? Right? Elon is landing rockets side by side, and his Falcon Heavy with the Tesla Roadster and Starman payload is orbiting the Earth. Now that is hard. “It took Gillette a bunch of years to get the design right” is my feel-good pick-me-up coping mechanism for taking longer to nail the design.
All Gillette was up to with its Adjustables was varying Blade Exposure to accommodate uniqueness in skin sensitivity, hair coarseness, stubble length and shaving skill.

Blade Gap and Blade Angle are just means/variables to an end/response, Blade Exposure. Understandably, Blade Gap is commonly used by folks to characterize aggressiveness because it is readily observable, and easy to accurately measure.  

Blade Exposure is a function of Blade Width (the varied brands have slightly different widths), Bridge (to center the blade for uniform ‘hang’ on both sides of the head), Door Geometry, Safety Bar Geometry, Blade Angle and Blade Gap. This sounds mathematical, but it can’t be calculated. It is measured either in 3D CAD or using a high-resolution image.

Measuring Blade Exposure in 3D CAD gives you an estimate at best because it assumes nominal parts (parts made exactly to target) even though we know that all manufacturing processes have variation. 3D CAD simulations that account for +/- tolerances in the parts, give a corridor for Blade Exposure.

Blade Exposure measured from a high-resolution image is also an estimate at best. How does one measure thousandths of an inch in an image with a mix of crisp and blurry edges? Simply put, Blade Exposure is the response you should give a damn about, yet it is difficult to measure. I know that doesn’t inspire confidence.
So, how aggressive will the Janus Razor be?

The Janus Razor head geometry is such that even at 1, the Janus Razor has positive Blade Exposure (0.001”); this affords some efficiency even at 1 because of the reduced passes/strokes when compared to a razor with negative exposure. Few folks, especially those with sensitive skin, might stick at 1 and 2. I can foresee Newbies not dwelling here long, and migrating as soon as their technique improves.



At 5, the Blade Exposure is 0.005”.At 9, the Blade Exposure is 0.009”. I consider settings 7 through 9 to be pro’s pro territory. Straight razors users could hang with no consequences. I don’t myself venturing that high. Remember, Blade Exposure will float some, although tightly because of the nature of the geometry of the constituent elements and the tight tolerances.The Janus Razor owner’s handbook has the full table of Blade Gap, Blade Angle and Blade Exposure for all the settings. Sir Jackie Stewart, a three-time Formula 1 Champion, coined the term “Mechanical Sympathy”. He believed that you get the best out of a racing car when you have a good understanding of how it works – man and machine in harmony. Understanding how these key parameters change, and by how much, should help the user get to amazing shaves quicker.What’s up in April? The machinist is on track to finish remaking the parts the 2nd/3rd week in April. I have been spending quality time on the BOM, and as soon as I have a reasonably accurate cost estimate, you will be the first to know the price range.As always, do not hesitate to drop me an email, and please share.

Thanks for subscribing!
Cheers!

Janus RazorsCopyright 2018 Janus razors LLC, All rights reserved.

I haven't the slightest interest in the Gillette but this is shaping up to be an interesting razor. I really appreciate his process here.

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I haven't the slightest interest in the Gillette but this is shaping up to be an interesting razor. I really appreciate his process here.

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Couldn't agree more. But, I do like the Gillette Toggle and the design concept that Gillette pioneered. I think with today's advancement in tooling and the manufacturing process, (3 axis, 3+2, 5 axis, etc. having machines along with CAD, CAM, G-code programming and DRO) the short comings of the design and its flaws of yesteryear can be improved upon with today's hardware & software. Big advantage over stamping, casting and even machining via set up stations for every step of the process for roughing and finishing. A lot tougher back then when you had to set up 3 to 4 machines/stations (Chop saw, Lathe , Drill press and Grinders) from start to finish. Consistent repeatability was very difficult to achieve as compared to today's preciseness and modern "digital" tech bonanza.

I don't assume that that's what the founder of Janus Razors is doing, but with today's equipment and what seems to me to be a very thoughtful and methodical approach, it's not impossible to achieve.

Wow
I have heard the toggle was the worst shaving razor Gillette made.
I can see where the wear might be an issue with the toggle design
But still it sounds interesting
I bet it would be the cost of several pennies to buy one.
Ron

From the May newsletter:

Let’s talk price! Two options - Passivated and PVD coated (‘white gold’, ‘yellow gold’ and ‘black gold’) priced at $525 and $625 respectively. The Janus Razors tee is $25.

Discuss.

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Ouch, but I still want one. I guess I’ll just have to save a little


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