Yaqi brings a touch of colour to your shave den

As you know I recently unboxed a number of razors by The Wet Shaving Co. (previously called Yaqi Shaving).  In this review we will focus on the Blue Stamford Safety Razor and the Red Devil Safety Razor.

These are both 3 pieces safety razors accommodating standard double edge blades.

A bit before Christmas I purchased the Katana single blade razor which came with a bonus melon head as part of the offer.  Shaving with this razor was a delight.  Comfortable, efficient and easy to maneuvers.  The Melon head with its open comb design on both the top and base plate might appear more aggressive than it really is.  In fact it offers just as much protection as a closed comb, but it allows for a more efficient shave as the hair and cream doesn’t clough up the razor.  The rinsing is also considerably simplified – a touch of hot water and your blade is clear of debris.

Since both the Stamford and Red Devil are equipped with the Melon, I won’t go at length about it as this was already done in the Katana review.  But I will expand on the handles.

These razors are a welcome touch of colour in an otherwise monochromatic world of blacks, greys and silvers. The Stamford is done in a metallic blue and the Red Devil is in red and black.  Note that the Stamford is available in a number of colours: chrome, light weight chrome, slate gray, rose gold and space blue. The paint jobs are well done and I can’t imagine it flaking off or aging poorly.

The Stamford

The Stamford handle is done in a series of rings that cover the length of the shaft.  This is not a very common design and another welcome touch of originality.  It offers a surprisingly good grip.  The razor felt completely secure at all times in my wet hand.

This handle is 9 cm long and will please anyone looking for a longer grip such as myself.

Perhaps the nicest feature of the Stamford is its weight.  Clocking in at 96 gr it is heavier than many other razors.  Why is that relevant?  Glad you asked!  When applying a safety razor to your skin, you want the weight of the instrument to offer a natural pressure for the shave.  When the razor is to light, you are tempted to compensate by adding more pressure in order to help the cutting process.  That could turn badly. At nearly 100 gr, the Stamford has the perfect presence for me.

The Red Devil

Continuing on the theme of colourful razors, the Red Devil is a thing of beauty.   Red accents on the head and handle tip. Which goes to say that classic does not mean devoid of personality!  For this one, the Yaqi branding is stamped on the inside of the base plate making it a tad more discreet.

The Red Devil handle is shorter at 7.5 cm and the grip is a series of rings composed of raised grooves.  This is the more popular type of grip in the industry as it is incredibly secure.

Pricing

I have to make a mention on the price point of Yaqi Safety Razors.  Both the Stamford and the Red Devil are sold for $25 Australian dollars.  Shipping from Australia to Canada is a flat $10.  My first order was before the Christmas rush and it took 4 weeks.  This second shipment was after Christmas and took 2 weeks. This thing was coming from Australia!!! Some of my orders coming from the US into Canada are taking longer.

Having worked with a number of razors ranging in prices from anywhere between $20 to $150, the Yaqi option is incredibly affordable and could easily compete with razors going for double or triple the price.  Yes, wet shaving is hot again and yes it is in many respects a niche industry, but you don’t have to miss a house payment to buy an excellent safety razor.  Yaqi makes top shelf razors at a price point where every man can get one.  In my humble opinion, you would be challenged to find a better quality option.