Product Review AL13 Razor
Well, this is a review I never expected to write. Recently my wife indicated she wanted to get me a new razor to try. It was the Al13 from Henson Shaving. I had not used a safety razor previously. Her boss had got one and swore by it. I was in need of new blades and could not believe how expensive they had become even at Costco. And with the money back guarantee I thought it would be worth a try. I ordered the Henson Al13 in Steel Blue, and also ordered the 100 pack of replacement blades.
Being completely honest after my first attempted shave with the safety razor I was disappointed, or at least underwhelmed. But, based on all the praise the product has received on Facebook, and personal stories I have heard, from my wife’s boss who has always struggled with shaver burn and her manager who uses it for her legs. I had followed the advice on the Henson site and just shaved the way I normally would have, warm water, soak the beard, shave cream and long strokes. I figured I was doing something wrong and went looking for resources on how best to shave with a safety razor. I found this video from Executive Shaving in the UK and it was a life changer:
(Video shared with permission from Executive Shaving.)
I will be honest I watched this 17-minute video twice. And the instructions and advice made a lot of sense. My biggest mistakes were using long strokes, and just shaving once. Using the techniques in this video of short brisk strokes, and constantly adjusting the angle works wonders. And on most days I can get away with a double shave, once with the grain and once across the grain, but if I want a really close shave I do the two shaves with the grain and one across the grain. And this multi-pass method makes sense, I have been using razors with between 2 and 4 blades for over 30 years now.
I can easily state that doing a multi-pass shave with the Henson AL13 provides the closest, cleanest shave I have ever had in my life. I have used almost every disposable or disposable head razor on the market. Several from Gillette, Schick, Wilkinson Sword, Bull Dog, and even Bic. I have tried almost a dozen electric shavers over the last 40 years, and with how thick and wiry my facial hair is they always felt like they were ripping the hair out.
The Henson AL13 gives the cleanest closest shave of my life! It is also the most even shave of my life. I never realized how uneven the hair was cut using a multiblade razor. But I can feel the difference after every shave, and as getting ready to shave again even after 2, 3 and occasionally even 4 days.
At the time I picked up this razor I was not sure it would work for me and did not pick up the stand. I wish I had. After using it for a few days and knowing how good it was I picked up a few accessories:
There are several options for both types of accessories. I like the Blade Bank I picked because it is a sealed container, and the whole thing goes in recycling when filled. The Cover I picked mainly because I liked the leather option over some other products.
My wife commented that the razor was heavy, but I had a special edition Mach 3 that was heavier and I actually preferred the heft. I also prefer a longer handle. But I have acclimatized to both initial concerns.
I will state it again, the Henson AL13 provides the best shave I have ever received. It is as good as a straight razor shave; I have had occasionally at barber shops. It is a well crafter tool and I can see why they say it will last a lifetime. I can easily recommend this product, but highly recommend the video above before first use. I have been using this for over a month now and do not see myself ever going back. In fact, I have recommended we get one for when our son start shaving, and even that our 16 year old daughter give it a try. This razor provides the best shaves I have ever had, and I have been shaving for almost 40 years. I am thankful my wife suggested it and I encourage you to give it a try. And with the money back guarantee you have nothing to lose.
No comments:
Post a Comment