By now, if you’re a regular reader, you will remember hearing the name “Dreadnought” multiple times in the past. As one of my honorable mentions for 2012, UK-based Dreadnought is one of my favorite shaving companies out there. Not too long ago they sent me a Dreadnought cut throat razor (or a “shavette”–but cut throat sounds cooler), and I’ve been pretty pumped about it ever since. According to them, after the shaving scene in Skyfall, demand for these razors went through the roof, causing them to put out their own version. This razor is unreleased in the U.S. and you’re getting a first-look here.
Notice that this razor is not a pure straight edge razor, which works great for me because while I enjoy alternative means of shaving, I don’t want to mess with honing a blade if I can get around it. While the look (and use) of a cut throat razor is similar, the blade itself is a double edge blade broken in half and inserted into the shavette.
The Dreadnought cut throat razor has a plastic handle and a steel body. This means the razor is extremely light where it needs to be, which is great because you want these razors to be as light as a feather if you don’t want to cut yourself.
The action on this razor is so much fun. The top hinge is sturdy and substantial, the pivot point is sticky enough so it won’t move unless you want it to, and the curved handle is a perfect fit for your hand. These aspects really take all error out of the razor and into your hands. In other words, the razor really lets you do what you need to do, and you won’t feel like you’re trying to fiddle with it in the middle of your shave.
The shave itself is fantastic, and I have no real complaints there. I’ve had a few shaves with this bad boy now, and I haven’t cut myself yet. It’s definitely slower on the flat parts of the face (around your cheeks), but it is so much better than safety razors around the curved parts of your face (your chin and neck). It might just be a personal preference, but I tend to cut my chin easier with a safety razor than with this cut throat razor.
With that said, I think a disclaimer is in order. This razor is not for beginners. If you’re looking for a change from your cartridge razors, for whatever reason, I would not start with a cut throat razor–any of them. Start with a safety razor and get used to the almighty 30 degree shave angles first, before you use this and cut yourself. These razors aren’t named “cut throat” razors because they have never cut someone’s throat. It takes a very delicate and experienced touch to use these.
Overall, though, the Dreadnought cut throat razor is pretty boss. Not only are you going to get twice the life span out of your double edge razors, you might even end up with a better shave.
