Razor Ratings
Last Updated: April 2026
After deciding to revamp the lather ratings and give it a permanent spot that I could update as needed, I’ve decided the same thing needs to happen with the razor ratings on this site.
Last time I did a full razor rating post was in October 2025. Well, I’ve added 6 more razors since then, and 3 of them are adjustable in some form or another, so I effectively added 12 more razor settings to a list of 6 razors and 11 razor settings.
And, let’s face it, as much as I say I’ve got enough, I think we all know I’ll probably break that vow pretty soon anyway. So I need to be prepared for consistent growth and expansion.
So here goes:
| Photo | Razor | Blade Gap | Blade Exposure | Weight | Handle Length | Material | Rating | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Henson Shaving AL-13+ Mild | 0.68mm | 0.033mm | 38g | 95mm | Aluminum | 4.75 | This is the gold standard among my razors. It performs exactly as its name indicates, as a mild, comfortable shave all of the time, regardless of the blade. It glides well with the right amount of slickness from the lather, and it delivers a satisfying result. If I’m looking for a mild shave, I will always grab this razor before anything else, because I know it will deliver comfort and quality. |
 | Mühle R89 | 0.45mm | Negative | 58g | 92mm | Chrome plated metal alloy | 4.75 | After just one week of shaves, I’m in love with this razor. It’s incredibly comfortable, has an excellent weight to it, and is amazingly smooth. It isn’t hugely efficient, mostly due to the negative blade exposure, but I have yet to get an uncomfortable shave from it. |
 | Henson Shaving AL-13++ medium | 0.85mm | 0.058mm | 37g | 96mm | Aluminum | 4.75 | Again, thanks to its design, it works impeccably, with more blade feel and efficiency than the mild. The handle length is perfect, and I have no problems with it slipping in my grip. |
 | Rockwell 6C plate 3 | 0.48mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | 4.75 | Nicely heavy, it has an excellent smooth stroke. Plate 3 seems to be the sweet spot for a lot of blades, combining efficiency with comfort. This razor just feels like it’s got the refined engineering that it does. |
 | Oliworks M3teorite Medium Plate | 0.76mm | 0.137mm | 40.5g | 90mm | Aluminum | 4.75 | Minimal blade feel, but with more efficiency than the mild plate. The handle is very grippy, and the head has rounded off corners for comfort. |
| Rockwell 6C plate 2 | 0.35mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | 4.75 | Similar to the plate 3 thoughts, but the extra mildness with this plate feels outstanding. With a similar mildness to the Henson mild, this is comfortable and pleasant for just about every shave. |
 | Merkur Progress 500 Adjustable setting 1 | unk | unk | 90g | 89mm | Brass, Zinc | 4.75 | Excellent comfort, delivered more efficiency than I expected from that mild a setting. There was minimal irritation, but it took to good lubrication and glided very well across my skin. |
| Merkur Progress 500 Adjustable setting 2 | unk | unk | 90g | 89mm | Brass, Zinc | 4.75 | Mostly comfortable, close and efficient, with some mild irritation. This felt pleasant and good, and will be a setting I will use frequently. It glides nicely and the weight helps make it sit against the skin. |
 | Feather AS-D2 | 0.40mm | Positive | 90g | 98mm | Stainless Steel | 4.75 | Paired with its Feather blade sibling, this makes for an outstanding combo, with the razor delivering a very comfortable and close shave that really required minimal effort. |
 | Razorock Gamechanger .68-P | 0.68mm | Positive | 75g | 100mm | Stainless Steel, Titanium | 4.50 | Tending more to a medium aggressiveness, this requires a less aggressive blade to give a comfortable shave. But the weight and smoothness are excellent, as is the build quality. |
| Rockwell 6C plate 4 | 0.61mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | 4.50 | A comfortable but slightly more aggressive shave, seeming to be slightly more aggressive than the Henson medium. But the smoothness and weight seem to help balance things and make for a nice shave. |
| Oliworks M3teorite Mild plate | 0.51mm | 0.069mm | 40.5g | 90mm | Aluminum | 4.50 | Almost too mild, but very comfortable. It requires a lot of extra passes, but doesn’t seem to contribute to any extra irritation. Milder than the Henson mild, but not as mild as the Rockwell 6C plate 1. |
 | Goodfellas’ Smile Syntesi | 0.62mm | 0.02mm | 34g | 87mm | Aluminum | 4.50 | Extremely light and small feeling with a short handle. Fortunately, the handle design prevents slipping. The machined aluminum design has left the top cap rough, so it doesn’t glide as nicely on wet skin, but with good lubrication, it works just fine and provides a very nice shave. |
| Oliworks M3teorite Aggressive plate | 1.02mm | 0.206mm | 40.5g | 90mm | Aluminum | 4.50 | Some say that this is a big step up from the Medium, but I didn’t think it was that much more aggressive-feeling. It’s fairly comfortable, with a lot of blade feel, but seems suited to longer growth shave days. |
| Rockwell 6C plate 5 | 0.69mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | 4.50 | With a definitely more aggressive feel, this plate isn’t terribly uncomfortable, but I won’t reach for it first. There’s a lot of blade noise and feel with the Rockwell, especially on the higher numbered plates, and that translates to slightly more irritation. |
 | King C Gillette | 0.76mm | unk | 102g | 101mm | Chrome plated stainless steel | 4.50 | A very nice razor for its price point. But it falls down here because I have better and more comfortable options. I love its weight and smoothness, and don’t mind the handle, even though some people find it too slick. It’s well made and engineered, and is good for those looking for a medium-mild shave. |
| Rockwell 6C plate 1 | 0.20mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | 4.25 | Very mild, and almost too mild. It requires alot of extra effort to get a good shave out of this, but it isn’t really that unpleasant. But given my choice, I’d prefer a shave with plates 2 or 3. |
| Merkur Progress 500 Adjustable setting 4 | unk | unk | 90g | 89mm | Brass, Zinc | 4.25 | I’ve called it deceptively aggressive, because there wasn’t the blade feel that I’d otherwise expect from an aggressive shave. It was aggressive, and not as efficient as I thought there would be from that aggressive a shave. |
 | Parker 55SL Semi-Slant | unk | unk | 96g | 102mm | Brass | 3.75 | Slant razors are, by their very nature, aggressive, and this one is aggressive. With a mild blade and very light technique and the right lather, I can get an okay shave with some irritation. |
 | Van Der Hagen | 0.56 or 0.71mm (unclear) | unk | unk | 85mm | Metal | 3.00 | Cheap in every possible way, even to the point where its manufacturer just says it’s made of metal. It feels imprecise and not well-engineered, and after using better razors, this one just isn’t worth the trouble. |
| Rockwell 6C plate 6 | 0.79mm | unk | 100g | 85mm | Zinc Alloy | untested | I haven’t gotten the guts up yet to test this out, but people say it’s pretty aggressive. |
| Merkur Progress 500 Adjustable setting 3 | unk | unk | 90g | 89mm | Brass, Zinc | untested | The next time I shave with the Merkur, I’ll start out on setting 3. |
| Merkur Progress 500 Adjustable setting 5 | unk | unk | 90g | 89mm | Brass, Zinc | untested | Another case where this is probably too aggressive for me. |
Definitions: Blade gap: the space between the plate and cap of the razor that the blade sits in. Less usually means a milder shave. Blade exposure: How much blade is exposed from under the cap, and comes into contact with the skin. Less (or a negative exposure) will translate to a milder shave.