I agree completely with your assessment of the Leaf. But the company specifically says it's mostly for shaving heads/legs, not faces. That is what the Twig is for.
I bought my wife the leaf when she was spending a fourture on disposable razors shaving her legs. She fell in love with it and bought a second one to have as a backup. She has no issues at all with it. I would recommend getting the silicon grip they sell as an accessory though, it's slipery. My wife dropped one and broke it since grip is limited without the extra grip installed. Leaf was awesome and fixed it for free!
Oh, cool. I got the Feather razor based on your review of it 3 yrs ago, and I still use it, it's been great. (and a solid upgrade to the Merkur that everyone has). So now any other razors have an extremely tall bar to match to even be considered...
I am very happy to see one of my very top knife reviewers do a review on these razors! I have something resembling a collection of razors including WWII vintage and “The Ambassador.” I agree generally with your assessment of the Leaf, but I just use it as a head shaver and I think it works rather well for that given its pivot. It is cost effective (certainly over the Gillette, “Baldy”) and I often just shave both face and head with the Leaf. When in a hurry. I have a nose trimmer for under the nose and have a full beard anyway. I agree with the reviewer who said to get the sleeve for it.
Never expected to see my favorite knife reviewer reviewing my favorite razor brand : D Glad I got the twig and not the leaf. I got it because it was my first safety razor TH-camrs said it was the easiest to use razor.
The Twig and Thorn Razors with a Feather blade give an excellent shave. Newbies should start with the less aggressive Twig version..The leaf Razor company has excellent customer service. I'm a customer not a paid reviewer. I own both the Twig and Thorn versions smooth close shaves with very little cost for blades.🥰
I use a safety razor every day, but I also use an electric razor. I simply dont always have the time every single morning to go for a "proper" shave, and quite frankly, the electric does a good enough job for me. I still clean up with a safety razor afterwards, but only the details.
"Unless your mustache starts half an inch below your nose" So, good for John Waters, not ideal for the rest of us. But seriously, thank you for doing more to bring attention to the DE community. I've been shaving like this for over ten years now, It makes keeping my beard nice and tidy and makes shaving my head a smooth experience.
Nice review Mr. ....As you said the only one I could bring a positive value for me is the "Twig", In case you have a knob is easy to handle and strech enough to access and so on..
Would love to see you do a review of the Facon Butterfly Safety Razor; picked one up recently for a low low cost with blades and it shaves wonderfully; maybe a more budget safety razor showdown?
I started shaving 50+ years ago with a safety razor my father gave to me. Then there was a commercial that said if you start out shaving like your father, you'll end up shaving like your father. Suddenly the parade of injector razors, disposables, and of course the cartridge shavers with the ever increasing number of blades. Now the trend is back to safety razors. It seems like I may ending up shaving like my father after all. LOL
You should check out the Tatara Muramasa adjustable safety razor. Beautifully made and has a proprietary adjustment moving the safety bar out instead of increasing the blade gap.
i used the DE89 for like 10 years, good shaves but i have 3 spots that not matter what, i always cut or nick myself. i just bought the twig. 2 shaves so far and no nicks. i like it. though i prefer when i get some feedback. i may buy the rockwell F2 if the price goes down
Random jackass here, loved the review! I have both and agree completely on the Leaf model - it's great for shaving my head but forces me to have separate razors for head and face because it's totally unusable for detail work. I'm bummed you didn't like the Twig as much as I do, but glad to hear you genuine thoughts! These were very hyped on social media so serious reviews are valuable for the community.
I've got a small double edge German Van Der Hagen one that is $20 and comes with 5 replacement blades. It's great quality and the blades are crazy sharp/hold a great edge (they say they are ice tempered) , plus you have two sides to use. I've had mine well over a year and still have 2-3 blades left.
You know its funny. Because of our ridiculous laws against folding knives in Germany Ive started carrying fixed blades some years ago. Never looked back. A fixed is just a plain better knife in every conceivable way, expect for convenience of carry. If anyone can make a fixed work for them somehow, I highly recommend at least trying it.
@@neszero (Usually) vastly better ergonomics, better blade geometry for better slicing performance (specifically, taller blades), easier to clean (just rinse & dry), stainless ones are virtually maintenance free apart from sharpening, quicker more intuitive to access and use. Look for one with a comfortable handle & blade stock that isnt overly thick. Some distal taper in the blade helps with slicing performance.
Succinct, and an honest breakdown! Thank you! I'm already a DE user, but going for that quick shave with this hybrid cartridge concept was appealing. I liked the idea of the Leaf triple mimicking a Mach 3 style, and I was just about to try. I understood the issue about tight spaces. What I really didn't see was the inherent design flaw like you said. Think I'll just stick with my DE razors...BBS shave, and 1 blade only for the win. Simple, economical and good for the environment.
Hey Nick... I personally own two LEAF 🌱 Twigs and a LEAF 🌱 Twig Thörn . Which I absolutely love to shave with. Thanks for this video & your exquisite commentary. Cheers from*On The Road* here in Albuquerque New Mexico .
There WAS the Kontakt 'Savier Profilmed 2.0' (from around 2017). This Russian, partly plastic, inexpensive safety razor is said to have used a stacked razor head design made up of one DE blade stacked below two DE half blades. (See 'How to Load Blades in the Saiver Profilmed Double Blade DE Razor') It is probably no longer made. It looks like it could have gotten into tighter spaces. Still, there are several other multi-blade safety razors - GIP TwinBlade, Simbatec Razolution 4Edge, Böker Razolution 4-Edge. Perhaps the first multi-blade safety razors was Ditta Multiplex's 'Mvltiplex Razor' (designed in 1929, see US1920711A), which allowed one to use upwards of FIVE proprietary blades. It looked to be a very premium razor for the time, but it didn't achieve large production numbers due to the high manufacturing costs. (See 'The most collectible safety razor, The Mvltiplex 5 Blade Razor') Supposedly a three blade razor was also offered, but it's not clear if the same manufacturer made this design - and when. Or how long the 'Mvltiplex' was in production. I haven't seen or tried any of these razors. I would like to see how a Leaf Thorn would compare to a RazoRock Hawk open comb single edge razor that uses thicker (more comfortable, yet still aggressive) Feather 'Artist Club' blades. The Hawk SE razor, when using the more aggressive Feather Professional Super 'Artist Club' blades, is one of my favorites.
I’ve implemented several Nick Shabazz recommendations and taking the advice to use instead a DESR vs a cartridge razor is far and away the best one. I’ll never use a plastic cartridge razor again.
I think you need to adjust your terminology to be more “in my opinion” rather than absolute definite facts….check out some of the traditional wet shaving forums and you’ll very quickly see that both of these Leaf razors are INCREDIBLY popular across the board. The 3 blade Leaf is regarded as THE BEST head shaving razor available…period. The Twig (and the Thorn) are regarded as possibly the best single edge razor, especially for the price. When you reference the price, you failed to mention that Leaf have a no questions asked lifetime warrant, which all the other razors you reference do not. The production value of Leaf razors is also superior to other more simplistic DE razors that you reference. There are many many factors to be considered when talking about a safety razor, such as blade alignment consistency, blade clamping quality, blade exposure, efficiency of cutting, ability to clear lather through the razor and not clog, blade chatter, smoothness when shaving against the grain etc etc that you haven’t even touched on. I appreciate the effort for the review, but unfortunately I’m afraid to say you couldn’t be more left of target if you tried. When you state these razors are a fail, and that they should be avoided, you are voicing an opinion that goes against the tide of the vast majority of the enthusiast wet shaving community, and as such you should be more transparent about the depth of your knowledge on the topic for viewer clarity if you are going to make such sweeping conclusions.
I've taken my wife with me to pick up some order at a shaving supplies store once, where the guy was able to sell her the Leaf Leaf (that's a stupid name, I mean the flex-head one) despite her never really thinking to switch away from the multi-bladed monstrosities. It took her like two days to find mild enough blades and figure out the layout, angle, pressure and everything else. I've never heard her complain about anything shaving-related again ever since, which is more than a year now.
The leaf is pretty much useless for my needs. I also recommend skipping the twig and buying the thorn instead (unless you have REALLY sensitive skin or something). It just gives better shaves overall and is the only razor of theirs I would vouch for.
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I agree completely with your assessment of the Leaf. But the company specifically says it's mostly for shaving heads/legs, not faces. That is what the Twig is for.
which would you recommend for a head shave?
i've used a leaf for three years now. It's amazing
I love the Leaf for shaving my head... Never have I had any issues:)
Which one do you use ?
@@Shabazz0047 with the twig Bing a single blade raze it too tricky trying to shave my head.
I bought my wife the leaf when she was spending a fourture on disposable razors shaving her legs. She fell in love with it and bought a second one to have as a backup. She has no issues at all with it. I would recommend getting the silicon grip they sell as an accessory though, it's slipery. My wife dropped one and broke it since grip is limited without the extra grip installed. Leaf was awesome and fixed it for free!
Oh, cool.
I got the Feather razor based on your review of it 3 yrs ago, and I still use it, it's been great. (and a solid upgrade to the Merkur that everyone has). So now any other razors have an extremely tall bar to match to even be considered...
I am very happy to see one of my very top knife reviewers do a review on these razors! I have something resembling a collection of razors including WWII vintage and “The Ambassador.” I agree generally with your assessment of the Leaf, but I just use it as a head shaver and I think it works rather well for that given its pivot. It is cost effective (certainly over the Gillette, “Baldy”) and I often just shave both face and head with the Leaf. When in a hurry. I have a nose trimmer for under the nose and have a full beard anyway. I agree with the reviewer who said to get the sleeve for it.
leaf is more designed for heads. It works really well.
Never expected to see my favorite knife reviewer reviewing my favorite razor brand : D Glad I got the twig and not the leaf. I got it because it was my first safety razor TH-camrs said it was the easiest to use razor.
I love my leaf razor. I wish I bought this when I was in the military. Easy to clean and cheap disposable razors and very smooth shave.
How about trying and reviewing a Thorn at this point?
The Leaf leaf is a great head shaver
The more apt size comparison is the Leaf versus the Mach 3 or Fusion. Since, I think the Leaf is trying to convert cartridge razor shavers.
I haven't used the Leaf or the twig yet, but the leaf looks perfect for shaving my head.
The Twig and Thorn Razors with a Feather blade give an excellent shave. Newbies should start with the less aggressive Twig version..The leaf Razor company has excellent customer service. I'm a customer not a paid reviewer. I own both the Twig and Thorn versions smooth close shaves with very little cost for blades.🥰
Oh, my, as I was just looking this very one!! I’ve been thinking of switching to something just like this! Thank you for reviewing it.
He was aware that the Leaf is specifically designed for legs and heads etc, right?
Ok you got me ill try a safety razer. Just knowing it can get all the "tight" areas is enough for me. Thanks Nick!
I use a safety razor every day, but I also use an electric razor. I simply dont always have the time every single morning to go for a "proper" shave, and quite frankly, the electric does a good enough job for me. I still clean up with a safety razor afterwards, but only the details.
"Unless your mustache starts half an inch below your nose"
So, good for John Waters, not ideal for the rest of us.
But seriously, thank you for doing more to bring attention to the DE community. I've been shaving like this for over ten years now, It makes keeping my beard nice and tidy and makes shaving my head a smooth experience.
The twig is very, very good for maneuvering into tight areas
Nice review Mr. ....As you said the only one I could bring a positive value for me is the "Twig", In case you have a knob is easy to handle and strech enough to access and so on..
Nice stuff. I use an old school double edged safety razor myself so i fully endorse folks switching to such.
Would love to see you do a review of the Facon Butterfly Safety Razor; picked one up recently for a low low cost with blades and it shaves wonderfully; maybe a more budget safety razor showdown?
I started shaving 50+ years ago with a safety razor my father gave to me. Then there was a commercial that said if you start out shaving like your father, you'll end up shaving like your father. Suddenly the parade of injector razors, disposables, and of course the cartridge shavers with the ever increasing number of blades. Now the trend is back to safety razors. It seems like I may ending up shaving like my father after all. LOL
What do you mean by “lesser shave?” Does the Twig not get close?
I have both and rarely use the leaf. The twig is great for head shaving, especially around the ears. For my face, I use one of my DE razors.
Maybe they will revise their design and you will get to turn over a new leaf in the future!
You should check out the Tatara Muramasa adjustable safety razor. Beautifully made and has a proprietary adjustment moving the safety bar out instead of increasing the blade gap.
i used the DE89 for like 10 years, good shaves but i have 3 spots that not matter what, i always cut or nick myself. i just bought the twig. 2 shaves so far and no nicks. i like it. though i prefer when i get some feedback. i may buy the rockwell F2 if the price goes down
I agree about the leaf. It's not only an eyesore, but a huge barrier to function
Random jackass here, loved the review! I have both and agree completely on the Leaf model - it's great for shaving my head but forces me to have separate razors for head and face because it's totally unusable for detail work. I'm bummed you didn't like the Twig as much as I do, but glad to hear you genuine thoughts! These were very hyped on social media so serious reviews are valuable for the community.
Use to use the leaf shaver now using the American made High proof razor great for head shaves
Anyway, great video
I've got a small double edge German Van Der Hagen one that is $20 and comes with 5 replacement blades. It's great quality and the blades are crazy sharp/hold a great edge (they say they are ice tempered) , plus you have two sides to use. I've had mine well over a year and still have 2-3 blades left.
Hint: it's not German. Look up Weishi. Still a great razor, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a premium product.
Nick, I know you don’t normally carry fixed blade knives. I highly recommend the rainier fastpak. It might change your mind on fixed blades for edc.
You know its funny. Because of our ridiculous laws against folding knives in Germany Ive started carrying fixed blades some years ago. Never looked back. A fixed is just a plain better knife in every conceivable way, expect for convenience of carry. If anyone can make a fixed work for them somehow, I highly recommend at least trying it.
@@Olumin37 can you elaborate on what aspects make it superior in your view? just curious as i’ve never given switching to fixed much thought
@@neszero (Usually) vastly better ergonomics, better blade geometry for better slicing performance (specifically, taller blades), easier to clean (just rinse & dry), stainless ones are virtually maintenance free apart from sharpening, quicker more intuitive to access and use. Look for one with a comfortable handle & blade stock that isnt overly thick. Some distal taper in the blade helps with slicing performance.
@@Olumin37 thanks
Succinct, and an honest breakdown! Thank you! I'm already a DE user, but going for that quick shave with this hybrid cartridge concept was appealing. I liked the idea of the Leaf triple mimicking a Mach 3 style, and I was just about to try. I understood the issue about tight spaces. What I really didn't see was the inherent design flaw like you said. Think I'll just stick with my DE razors...BBS shave, and 1 blade only for the win. Simple, economical and good for the environment.
I agree with the criticism of the Leaf. I’d had the Twig and really liked it, so I tried the Leaf. After one try I returned it for a refund.
Hey Nick... I personally own two LEAF 🌱 Twigs and a LEAF 🌱 Twig Thörn . Which I absolutely love to shave with. Thanks for this video & your exquisite commentary. Cheers from*On The Road* here in Albuquerque New Mexico .
other than the leaf, are there any others which can take multiple half blades?
There WAS the Kontakt 'Savier Profilmed 2.0' (from around 2017). This Russian, partly plastic, inexpensive safety razor is said to have used a stacked razor head design made up of one DE blade stacked below two DE half blades. (See 'How to Load Blades in the Saiver Profilmed Double Blade DE Razor') It is probably no longer made. It looks like it could have gotten into tighter spaces. Still, there are several other multi-blade safety razors - GIP TwinBlade, Simbatec Razolution 4Edge, Böker Razolution 4-Edge. Perhaps the first multi-blade safety razors was Ditta Multiplex's 'Mvltiplex Razor' (designed in 1929, see US1920711A), which allowed one to use upwards of FIVE proprietary blades. It looked to be a very premium razor for the time, but it didn't achieve large production numbers due to the high manufacturing costs. (See 'The most collectible safety razor, The Mvltiplex 5 Blade Razor') Supposedly a three blade razor was also offered, but it's not clear if the same manufacturer made this design - and when. Or how long the 'Mvltiplex' was in production. I haven't seen or tried any of these razors. I would like to see how a Leaf Thorn would compare to a RazoRock Hawk open comb single edge razor that uses thicker (more comfortable, yet still aggressive) Feather 'Artist Club' blades. The Hawk SE razor, when using the more aggressive Feather Professional Super 'Artist Club' blades, is one of my favorites.
There's the SHAVENT 3-blade wet razor, which uses half-blades, is made in four variations and is currently available in Germany
Nick, you are killing me. Please review the Herman Micro Sting!
You should start reviewing de safety razors 👍
He's got a handful of reviews on de razors, give it a search if you haven't seen em!
I'm a Henson fan. Not cheap but just waaaay better.
Every time I get a new old Gillette DE razor, I wonder why anyone bothers with anything else.
I’ve implemented several Nick Shabazz recommendations and taking the advice to use instead a DESR vs a cartridge razor is far and away the best one. I’ll never use a plastic cartridge razor again.
I have both: the LEEAF and the Twig!
very cool (as usual). yeah, i'll take the merkur slant!
No Delica size comparison?
I clicked the vid before I even had my morning shave
10:37 we saw it man :D happens to best of us!
I think you need to adjust your terminology to be more “in my opinion” rather than absolute definite facts….check out some of the traditional wet shaving forums and you’ll very quickly see that both of these Leaf razors are INCREDIBLY popular across the board. The 3 blade Leaf is regarded as THE BEST head shaving razor available…period. The Twig (and the Thorn) are regarded as possibly the best single edge razor, especially for the price.
When you reference the price, you failed to mention that Leaf have a no questions asked lifetime warrant, which all the other razors you reference do not. The production value of Leaf razors is also superior to other more simplistic DE razors that you reference. There are many many factors to be considered when talking about a safety razor, such as blade alignment consistency, blade clamping quality, blade exposure, efficiency of cutting, ability to clear lather through the razor and not clog, blade chatter, smoothness when shaving against the grain etc etc that you haven’t even touched on.
I appreciate the effort for the review, but unfortunately I’m afraid to say you couldn’t be more left of target if you tried. When you state these razors are a fail, and that they should be avoided, you are voicing an opinion that goes against the tide of the vast majority of the enthusiast wet shaving community, and as such you should be more transparent about the depth of your knowledge on the topic for viewer clarity if you are going to make such sweeping conclusions.
I've taken my wife with me to pick up some order at a shaving supplies store once, where the guy was able to sell her the Leaf Leaf (that's a stupid name, I mean the flex-head one) despite her never really thinking to switch away from the multi-bladed monstrosities. It took her like two days to find mild enough blades and figure out the layout, angle, pressure and everything else. I've never heard her complain about anything shaving-related again ever since, which is more than a year now.
When Peter Griffin narrates razor reviews on TH-cam 😂😂
Multi bladed razors are a waste. Instead of one edge going dull, you have three or more. It's utter nonsense.
Nope! I’ve used 3 blade leaf, and it’s great with 1,2 or 3, depending on what I want. 2 is a great balance
I think the leaf is meant more for ladies and their legs.
The leaf is pretty much useless for my needs.
I also recommend skipping the twig and buying the thorn instead (unless you have REALLY sensitive skin or something).
It just gives better shaves overall and is the only razor of theirs I would vouch for.
Shaving your forehead? I use a straight razor on my forehead. I hate stubble.
Thanks for sharing bud
is it suitable to use on your balls?
When are you going to stop your day work to do TH-cam videos 24/7 ? We're still waiting Nick...
I think he's only lacking like $20 000 a month on Patreon to do that.
you must be new here
Nice video but enough with the economical, environmental, better for the world crap!
Love the video but not much use to me right now...I've got a beard haha;)!!