Have we found the perfect daily driver? Let’s take a closer look.
Overview and Features:
Pretty standard head, nothing fancy. Average blade bend, average blade reveal, very minimalistic and modern design with a grooved safety bar. The lather channels are ok, but given the mildness of this razor, they’re not meant to drain several days of growth. The machining and finishing feel immaculate to the touch, no sharp corners on the base plate and very tight tolerances. The handle might be the most controversial part of this razor, Tatara definitely leaned more towards the aesthetics rather than functionality on grip. The exposed blade side tabs were a bummer for me on a razor at this price point, but I guess they’re meant to make the disassembly easier as they protrude very little. Nice touch having the sphere at the end of the angle that locks in the base plate hole so that you don't need a nylon washer to avoid scratches.
Feel:
Here is where things get interesting. The main peculiarity that sets this razor apart right away is the negative blade exposure, which leads to basically no blade feel. As someone with incredibly sensitive skin, I swear that this is one of the only razors which I can use without counting passes, and even apply pressure. The skin stays absolutely unbothered under the blade and that’s a very strong point for Tatara. Still, I can get decently close even avoiding ATG. Super stable blade, zero chatter and smoothness for days.
Final Thoughts:
Exceptional build quality and feel. Excellent daily driver that also works on 2 - 3 days of growth with no problem. I would be hesitant to recommend it to a beginner as it still requires decent technique to get the most out of it, and at that price point I’m afraid people would expect it to “shave by itself”. The required angle is more like 45°, rather than the typical 30°. It’s definitely aimed more towards men that don’t seek for crazy closeness and aggressiveness, but instead prefer the “unbothered” skin feel after their shaves (if you ever tried a straight razor you know what I mean). Between experienced hands, super simple learning curve. Price? I would have expected 316L for that amount of money, but given the European manufacturing, the overall experience and the customizability with the open comb plates and Nodachi parts make it reasonable.
Specs:
- Material - 303 Stainless Steel
- Making Process - CNC Machining
- Surface Finish - Satin/Blasted
- Razor Type - Double Edge Open Comb
- Blade Gap - 0,63 mm
- Blade Exposure - Negative 0,13 mm
- Total Weight - 85 g
- Handle Length - 89 mm
- Handle Thickness - 11 mm
- Blade Side Tabs - Exposed
- Made in Portugal
As always, feel free to ask any question or further information down in the comments and let me know if there are any specific razors that you would like to see on this series. Thanks to whoever took their time to stop by!
