Ikon Shavecraft Tech Head Razor with OSS Handle

As aggressive razors go, this is a pretty good razor. For the sake of reference I will compare it to the 2011/2013 Muhle R41. Also for this review I have a thick beard with three days growth, I used a tallow based shaving soap (Mike's Soaps: Pine and Cedar-Wood), a Muhle silver-tip brush, a new Feather blade, and Wm. Neumann Heartwood aftershave.Overall this IKON gives a clean, smooth shave, and feels fairly safe to use. Compared with the R41-11, (or a straight razor for that matter) where a small mistake could produce quite a severe cut, this razor feels like you would have to make a fairly drastic mistake for it to hurt you. It is an excellently engineered shaving tool. The OSS handle is heavy but very well balanced so it does all the work for you.This razor is not more aggressive than the R41-11, nor I would argue the R41-13. Both versions of the Muhle are open combs and take some getting used to, while the Shavecraft is a closed comb and thus possess a wider margin of error. However even being a closed comb, the shave it produces (especially after the second pass) is similar to that of the R41-13. As a point of reference, if the 2011 Muhle is a 9 on the aggression scale, and the 2013 Muhle is an 8, I would say the Shavecraft Tech is around an even 7. But the closed comb nature of the IKON has its advantages. Because of the excellent engineering, even if you are a moderately experienced shaver it provides accessibility to an aggressive shave almost straight out of the box with minimal practice.Truthfully the first pass was nowhere near as close as a straight razor or the R41-11. But after the second pass my scruffy face was very closely and comfortably shaved and my skin was nowhere near as ripped as it is with the Muhle after the second pass. As such this is an excellent razor for three full passes. Whereas with the R41-11 or a straight razor you are for the most part done after two. I’ve always felt that a safety razor that allows for three full passes without opening up any capillaries seems to produce a closer more comfortable shave than one that gets BBS after two. So in that regard I would say this is an excellent razor. Also, unlike the Muhle (either version) which requires a day or two of healing, this razor, because it is a closed comb can be used everyday - especially if you stick to two passes. After the third pass I got to BBS, and I used the Heartwood aftershave and I have to say it was an outstanding shave. No irritation or cuts or weepers. Perfectly clean and comfortable.The construction as well is outstanding. Though the head is made out of an alloy, it sets the blade perfectly and is finely tuned with the OSS handle. The price is competitive (especially when one considers that a similar Above-The-Tie would cost twice as much). I give this razor five stars for comfort, ease of use, and quality. Note: even though this is a closed comb it is still quite aggressive and if you have a thin beard or sensitive skin or are new to wet-shaving there are probably better options out there. But overall I would say this is an extremely well made accessible safety razor that produces a comfortable close shave that most experienced wet-shavers would appreciate. Hope this helps, take care.

Excellent one ..... The last member of my aggressive safety razors group beside Muhle r41 and mercur Futur

I agree with the other reviewer that this seems to be the most aggressive DE razor available in the market today (the 2011 Muhle R41 would, in my opinion, be comparable in aggression, but that version of the R41 is no longer available except via trade/auction).That being said, with some practice, it is very comfortable and incredibly efficient. A super-light touch is key; angle is also incredibly important, as (for me) maintaining a steep angle (handle close to the face) reduces virtually any sense of pulling or chatter.Blades: So far, I haven't had any bad matches with this razor. Clearly ensuring that you have a sharp blade is key, as you'll want those few passes (probably two for most guys, although I've done one on a couple of occasions) to be as productive as possible, without any discomfort. Note that if you do shave across the grain (ATG) for any passes, you may find a bit of resistance in tough areas such as the chin. In that case, you may want to stick with WTG and XTG passes only, saving ATG for areas you know you can shave easily. But I've found the ATG is much easier if your WTG and/or XTG passes are productive, i.e., you remove most of the stubble and the ATG essentially becomes a touch-up pass.Again, as we are always reminded in wet shaving, "your mileage may vary." This razor is not for everyone, as it shares some chararacteristics with single blade/straight razors. But if you're in the market for an instrument that eclipses any DE in the market in terms of productivity-per-pass, I can strongly recommend the Tech.

As far as aggressiveness, I'd say this is about equal with the Muhle R41 2011 which is considered the ultimate beast of safety razors. If you like to live in the danger zone, this is a great razor. Its well made, the handle is solid and heavy and feels really good in your hand. This razor does have a bit of a bite though, so you have to be extra careful

I favor aggressive razors because I only do 1 pass shaves. If I need to shave 3 times, I'm not doing it right.In my opinion, this razor replaces the Muhle R41 as the most aggressive production safety razor on the market.I have both, and the iKon Tech gives me a cleaner and more comfortable 1 pass DFS shave than my 2011 Muhle R41.Their website calls the iKon Tech an "aggressive masterpiece". This razor has given me my best shaves yet, so I will gladly agree.The OSS handle is too large for my hand, and it's ugly as well. It's looks and grip are improved quite a lot however,by putting black rubber O-rings in the grooves at the top and bottom of the handle. Since the razor-head is made from aluminum,a handle in matching metal would be nice. 5 stars for the razor, regardless the handle.Just a word of warning: this is an aggressive razor, requires more skill, and is not for everyone.Toodles.