Not what I have come to expect from Razor Emporium products. Uncanny drag after using pre-shave soap and tried with pre-shave oil. I may return, and it may be because I did not upgrade to one of the finishes; either way, disappointed.

I thought I was going to love it because of the blade exposure measurements they listed on their website. The geometry, which promised a great shave, was one of the things that attracted me most to buy it. What I like: The weight. Letting it glide over my skin feels like shaving on autopilot. What I don't like: The blade clearly sticks out from the head; it doesn't have a neutral exposure—it always sticks out more than the head anyway—which you can feel while shaving, and I was looking for something actually neutral. I have to tighten it very hard; to get the blade to bend in a way that it doesn't stick out so much and cut me, I have to torque it really tight. This leads to my last point: by tightening it that hard, I'm afraid the threads will strip very soon, especially since it was already difficult to screw the handle into the head properly right out of the box. Nothing is perfect and I get that; but it’s not what I expected based on the description on their website. I had in mind that it would be a higher quality razor than the Henson but with a comparable smoothness. Now I'll have to buy the Henson to see if it shaves better and has less blade feel.

After years of trying different safety razors, the Yates Winning has become the benchmark I compare everything else against. It doesn't wow you with aggressive blade feel or flashy design tricks. Instead, it quietly delivers one exceptional shave after another. The defining characteristic is how incredibly smooth it feels. Blade feel is almost nonexistent, yet the razor is far more efficient than its mild personality suggests. The fixed shaving angle practically guides itself, making it almost impossible to use incorrectly. Once you find the angle, it feels like the razor is gliding across your face rather than scraping it. What impressed me most is how forgiving it is. Paired with a Gillette Silver Blue blade, I consistently get close, comfortable shaves with virtually no irritation. The head creates a slight "suction" sensation against the skin that initially feels unusual, but it quickly becomes one of the reasons the razor feels so controlled and planted. It inspires confidence. The machining and stainless steel construction are excellent, and the razor has enough weight to let gravity do the work without ever feeling cumbersome. It rinses easily, holds the blade securely, and simply disappears during the shave—which is probably the highest compliment I can give any razor. If you're looking for an aggressive razor that constantly reminds you there's a blade on your face, this isn't it. The Winning is about effortless comfort, consistency, and refinement. It's a razor that encourages good technique instead of punishing imperfect technique. I've used Merkur razors and other well-respected DEs, but the Yates Winning is the one I keep reaching for. It's one of those rare products that lives up to its name. For me, it's a forever razor.

I tried this razor previously with several aggressive blades (Feather, GEM, Iridium), but today, I backed off and I used a Treet Carbon Steel "Black Beauty" blade and it provided one of the smoothest, nick free, comfortable shaves I've ever had with a DE razor over the past 6 years. Nice weight and balance in the hand and the blade provided an exceptional close smooth, 2 pass shave, this will definitely go into my rotation for a daily driver and up to a 3 day growth of beard. Thank you REX for having the foresight to continue the Yates brand of razors. It is a SS winner, you can't beat for the price.