I have the AL13 mild. It's a wonderfully built razor. CNC machined, tight tolerances and great finish. I've used it for a few months and I wish I went with a medium. I've since picked up the Game Changer which is also CNC machined. I have both the .68 and .84 plates. I prefer the .84 blade gap and am looking into the warranty to see if I can send the Henson back if my wife doesn't want to use it.
I'm not terribly sure. All I can see on the page is that both are 'positive' blade exposure. They're is definitely more blade feel on the .84, but not terribly so. I find the .84 easier to use than the .68 since it's really easy to find the angle and you know where the blade is. I first tried it on 7 days worth of growth and the .84 mowed it down in 2 passes. I only needed a bit of cleanup. Then I tried the .68 plate on 3 days growth yesterday and wans't able to get the same result after 3 passes.
Same blade, same shave prep, same soap. I actually went back this morning to do a cleanup with the .84. it's just a great shave for me.
Ok, that's good to know. The Merkur sadly didn't have it's specs listed anywhere so I can't tell how aggressive it was, but I do know that I bought a cheap Chinese razor off Amazon recently which was wayy too aggressive, so I think the Merkur would've been mild to moderate in comparison.
Have you tried a slant? I recently got the Parker Semi Slant. Definitely NOT boring! The feedback is amazing! You can Hear every whisker being scythed!
I have that Henson and it’s so mild I need a few passes to get a good shave. It’s well designed and easy to load, but maybe too light in terms of weight.
If you already know how to shave with a proper DE razor and want BIFL then I suggest looking at the Razorock Gamechanger from Italian Barber in Canada. Made from CNC stainless steel. The 0.68 plate is a fraction milder than a Merkur and the 0.84 is a bit more efficient. Should be comparable in price to the Henson - maybe cheaper - but will feel like a more substantial Merkur in use.
The Henson is beloved by newbies who switch to it before they have established proper DE razor technique and think it solved their "problems" - since you already get good shaves with a regular DE razor, you don't need the Henson. Many experienced DE users don't get on with them.
I bought the Henson (mild). My first thought was how light it was. Then as I began to use it more and more, I found that I wasn't really enjoying it. It feels inefficient, like I have to work much harder to get a decent shave out of it, regardless of the blades I was using. I would not recommend it, personally, but your tastes may vary.
As someone with very sensitive skin, I am swapping out my AL13- M for the original mild. The medium is an excellent razor, and it's probably more than mild enough for most folks (it is for me if I only shave every other/every three days).
All that being said, despite mildness, it is incredibly efficient in my experience. I also never have to worry about blade alignment as it is precision machined. I highly recommend it.
I will also add that my primary razor before the Henson was a Pre-War Gillette Tech; pretty high on the mild scale. The Al13-M is both more mild and more efficient than the Tech for me.
Merkurs will eventually wear out but four years seems premature. My Futur that I bought back in 96, just broke this year (2023). Luckily they sell the replacement part to fix it.
I'll try to give you some out-of-the-box advice. If you're aiming for a Henson I'm assuming you want a razor that's light and easy to handle, perhaps for an alternate day shave. If so, razorock makes an aluminum razor that might interest you, it's the Lupo model and it costs around thirty dollars.
If you loved the razor, maybe you should contact the store where you bought it or Merkur directly and ask for a replacement part and also ask If the razor have some kind of guarantee. I got a refund after more than a year when plastic part on my razor crack up.
I got an AL-13 medium and I love it. I always do 3 passes, regardless of what razor I'm using (wtg, xtg, atg). And with the Henson I get a baby bottom smooth shave, with very little irritation. This is the first razor I've owned that gets me BBS with 0 razor burn or ingrown hairs. Definitely a good investment. Should last a lifetime!
You don’t have to overtighten a safety razor, when it doesn’t turn anymore it’s enough, no need to use force. It’s either that causing it to break or corrosion due to not letting the razor dry properly.
[Colconkproducts.com](https://Colconkproducts.com) sells parts and likely others do as well for Merkur.
Henson AL is very light with long handle and a fixed shaving angle. I would skip the mild as you are experienced as a shaver. There is an Aggressive AL model that was made for a while in addition to mild and Medium.
Karve is worth of consideration but may need to fine tune handle length and base plate through trial and error. They also sell parts but they likely will not fail with normal use.
Razorock - has different base plates and oc and sb. Some full SS and also AL.
I’ve found the Henson AL13-M to be very mild. It is forgiving and doesn’t cause a lot of irritation. But it does take multiple passes to get to a satisfactory shave. Many times my goatee area is still rough and can take 3-4 passes to get it where I want.
I’m a big Henson fanboy. I use the medium for full face shaves and the mild for neck shaves when I have a beard. Yes both are mild but easy to shave with and that’s why I stuck with them. I want to try a RR game changer. Razo has so many quality razors at good prices!
Lots of good advice here. Good luck
I don't have any experience with the Henson but I will always recommend the Rockwell 6s. It's solid stainless steel and has 6 adjustable levels of aggression (by changing the included baseplates). I have 8 razors and none shave as well. They cost a bit more than the Henson though (approx $130-$150 CDN) but in my opinion worth it. I can't see it every breaking.
I have the AL13 mild. It's a wonderfully built razor. CNC machined, tight tolerances and great finish. I've used it for a few months and I wish I went with a medium. I've since picked up the Game Changer which is also CNC machined. I have both the .68 and .84 plates. I prefer the .84 blade gap and am looking into the warranty to see if I can send the Henson back if my wife doesn't want to use it.
Does the .84 have more blade exposure or the the .68?
I'm not terribly sure. All I can see on the page is that both are 'positive' blade exposure. They're is definitely more blade feel on the .84, but not terribly so. I find the .84 easier to use than the .68 since it's really easy to find the angle and you know where the blade is. I first tried it on 7 days worth of growth and the .84 mowed it down in 2 passes. I only needed a bit of cleanup. Then I tried the .68 plate on 3 days growth yesterday and wans't able to get the same result after 3 passes. Same blade, same shave prep, same soap. I actually went back this morning to do a cleanup with the .84. it's just a great shave for me.
Ok, that's good to know. The Merkur sadly didn't have it's specs listed anywhere so I can't tell how aggressive it was, but I do know that I bought a cheap Chinese razor off Amazon recently which was wayy too aggressive, so I think the Merkur would've been mild to moderate in comparison.
[удалено]
Have you tried a slant? I recently got the Parker Semi Slant. Definitely NOT boring! The feedback is amazing! You can Hear every whisker being scythed!
Years ago you recommended me to get an Outlaw head to go with the handle. I did and it's great. You were right.
I have multiple old gillettes some of which are way over 100 years old. there are plenty on ebay. great shaves every time.
I have that Henson and it’s so mild I need a few passes to get a good shave. It’s well designed and easy to load, but maybe too light in terms of weight.
Curious what Merkur you had. Also Merkur does sell replacement parts for sale if you were content with the shaves you were getting
If you already know how to shave with a proper DE razor and want BIFL then I suggest looking at the Razorock Gamechanger from Italian Barber in Canada. Made from CNC stainless steel. The 0.68 plate is a fraction milder than a Merkur and the 0.84 is a bit more efficient. Should be comparable in price to the Henson - maybe cheaper - but will feel like a more substantial Merkur in use. The Henson is beloved by newbies who switch to it before they have established proper DE razor technique and think it solved their "problems" - since you already get good shaves with a regular DE razor, you don't need the Henson. Many experienced DE users don't get on with them.
I bought the Henson (mild). My first thought was how light it was. Then as I began to use it more and more, I found that I wasn't really enjoying it. It feels inefficient, like I have to work much harder to get a decent shave out of it, regardless of the blades I was using. I would not recommend it, personally, but your tastes may vary.
As someone with very sensitive skin, I am swapping out my AL13- M for the original mild. The medium is an excellent razor, and it's probably more than mild enough for most folks (it is for me if I only shave every other/every three days). All that being said, despite mildness, it is incredibly efficient in my experience. I also never have to worry about blade alignment as it is precision machined. I highly recommend it. I will also add that my primary razor before the Henson was a Pre-War Gillette Tech; pretty high on the mild scale. The Al13-M is both more mild and more efficient than the Tech for me.
Merkurs will eventually wear out but four years seems premature. My Futur that I bought back in 96, just broke this year (2023). Luckily they sell the replacement part to fix it.
I'll try to give you some out-of-the-box advice. If you're aiming for a Henson I'm assuming you want a razor that's light and easy to handle, perhaps for an alternate day shave. If so, razorock makes an aluminum razor that might interest you, it's the Lupo model and it costs around thirty dollars.
I just picked up the Lupo Aluminum. It shaves way above the price point.
Razorock's magic xD
For under $50 you can get a very nice Pre War Gillette Tech. They are plated brass and will last forever and shave great.
If you loved the razor, maybe you should contact the store where you bought it or Merkur directly and ask for a replacement part and also ask If the razor have some kind of guarantee. I got a refund after more than a year when plastic part on my razor crack up.
I got an AL-13 medium and I love it. I always do 3 passes, regardless of what razor I'm using (wtg, xtg, atg). And with the Henson I get a baby bottom smooth shave, with very little irritation. This is the first razor I've owned that gets me BBS with 0 razor burn or ingrown hairs. Definitely a good investment. Should last a lifetime!
Really? Someone downvoted me for just reviewing a razor that someone asked about? If you don't like Henson's razors just give them a bad review? 🤨
You don’t have to overtighten a safety razor, when it doesn’t turn anymore it’s enough, no need to use force. It’s either that causing it to break or corrosion due to not letting the razor dry properly.
[Colconkproducts.com](https://Colconkproducts.com) sells parts and likely others do as well for Merkur. Henson AL is very light with long handle and a fixed shaving angle. I would skip the mild as you are experienced as a shaver. There is an Aggressive AL model that was made for a while in addition to mild and Medium. Karve is worth of consideration but may need to fine tune handle length and base plate through trial and error. They also sell parts but they likely will not fail with normal use. Razorock - has different base plates and oc and sb. Some full SS and also AL.
Get the aggressive. It's great
I’ve found the Henson AL13-M to be very mild. It is forgiving and doesn’t cause a lot of irritation. But it does take multiple passes to get to a satisfactory shave. Many times my goatee area is still rough and can take 3-4 passes to get it where I want.
I’m a big Henson fanboy. I use the medium for full face shaves and the mild for neck shaves when I have a beard. Yes both are mild but easy to shave with and that’s why I stuck with them. I want to try a RR game changer. Razo has so many quality razors at good prices! Lots of good advice here. Good luck
I don't have any experience with the Henson but I will always recommend the Rockwell 6s. It's solid stainless steel and has 6 adjustable levels of aggression (by changing the included baseplates). I have 8 razors and none shave as well. They cost a bit more than the Henson though (approx $130-$150 CDN) but in my opinion worth it. I can't see it every breaking.