Titanium vs. Stainless Steel

For a long while I have operated on the assumption that heavier stainless steel razor handles made my extremely mild Feather AS-D2 heads more efficient: the old saw about "letting the weight of the razor do the work," one of the first lessons learned in wet shaving. However, after a friend said recently that he had decided that stainless steel was just too heavy for him, I began to pay more attention to my own handles, and my impression now - always open to future change - is that my titanium handles actually feel more comfortable and give me a smoother shave than the stainless steel handles, possibly in part because arm and hand muscle loss due to post-polio syndrome has progressively affected my ability to hold a razor with stability while shaving.

What is your experience with one handle type versus the other?

Lately, I have felt quite comfortable with relatively light razor. That could mean a steel razor head with a titanium handle, an aluminum razor head with a steel handle, or some other combination that makes the razor lighter. (Or even an all-aluminum razor.)

I still use heavy razors, too, but I do enjoy light razors and try to apply the very same principles in using them as I would with heavy razors. I definitely don’t feel that a razor needs to be heavy in order to yield good results.

I know what you mean about the potential for fatigue with heavier razors. I think there is a happy medium in there somewhere. If you want to try the extreme end of the light razor scale, try the PAA Bakelite slant. Its almost not there and different acoustics as well.

my titanium razors have eclipsed my stainless ones. i find them to give me a better overall results - not only depilation, but there's no irritation left behind. i was certainly not expecting that...

John, while I do not have a titanium razor/handle, lately I have moved in the direction of lighter razors.  For example, my Roncel I find way too heavy, even with the weight of the razor doing all of the work, and my shaves aren't as comfortable as they are with my lighter razors.  I also feel that I have more control over my shaving movements and strokes, though that could just be a YMMV thing.

Ultimately, the choice is yours and you can always go back and forth whenever the mood strikes.

I believe all the variables in wieght, length and balance of razors are somewhat negated by experience with subtle adjustments dialed in without thinking. That said, if any debilitating
injury is involved it is foolish not to gleen every fraction of advanatage. My only objection to titanium is the tremendous environmental impact in it's extraction. But I have exchanged
carbon credits for shavers by using essentially pre WW2 technology in my clothing and camping goods. I love it whan some ultralight hiking snob whips out his three figure titanium
kettle and freeze dried lasagna and sees me setting up a dutch oven for stew and biscuits with a bottle of wine chilling in the creek.

I LOVED heavier razors with long handles when I got back into this several years ago. Now I prefer lighter razors with shorter handles. I think I feel like I have more control and maneuverability. The exception to that is my ATT S1. I REALLY like my aluminum DOC from PAA at the moment and it is my favorite to use for now. Next month I will go back to calling my Gillette NEW my favorite. I really don't have a set rotation though. I just just look at what I have and make a spur of the moment choice depending on what I feel like that day.

I believe all the variables in wieght, length and balance of razors are somewhat negated by experience with subtle adjustments dialed in without thinking. That  said, if any debilitating
injury is involved it is foolish not to gleen every fraction of advanatage. My only objection to titanium is the tremendous environmental impact in it's extraction. But I have exchanged
carbon credits for shavers by using essentially pre WW2 technology in my clothing and camping goods. I love it whan some ultralight hiking snob whips out his three figure titanium
kettle  and freeze dried lasagna and sees me  setting up a dutch oven for stew and biscuits with a bottle of wine chilling in the creek.

I tend to agree with this, but I'm not carrying a dutch oven when climbing Mt. Rainier or going from the Canadian Border to the Oregon border on the pacific crest trail. Screw titanium though. I have an old ghetto MSR whisperlite stove, and yes, freeze dried food has come a long way from 20 years ago and isn't bad lol.

My preference leans very much toward lighter razors. Aluminum is fine, wonderfully maneuverable, but its softness concerns me, so titanium is my preferred material. I would LOVE to have a v2 Mongoose in Ti. The perfect razor, folks.

Well, these are interesting thoughts. As is probably obvious from the fact that I just got four more UFO stainless handles, I'm not ready to give them up entirely. My initial post was just noting that I seem to feel a little more comfort with the lighter handles right now because of my arm/hand muscle issues. But I also really value the diversity of my various handles and like their different characters.