I wouldn't call either of my new Baili razors a "game-changer" in the milieu of my bathroom, but I have no doubt they're going to take America by storm, in the marketing sense. I couldn't bear to wait for the stubble to come back on my upper cheeks tonight, and had an evening shave, just to see how the TTO measured up. It seemed a little more biased toward going deep and steep, but it's hard to say, since the starting stubble was so light, and it WAS reaching it at fairly low pitch. I didn't choose a very efficient skin prep, yet this razor allowed me to dig repeatedly under my jaw AND do some dry shaving, despite already being a little irritated when glycerin soap was applied.
Not surprisingly, this razor was much more my speed, and a real competitor to my #1, Parker 87R. The Baili has similar heft and flash, but again, is obviously the result of a completely different kind of production. On one hand, every polished surface of the Baili razors, inside and out, is a mirror. I don't think the shaving world has ever seen anything like that! But as previously mentioned, the trade off in mass production seems to be a lack of machine work. A little squeak when the knob is tightened could be perceived as the factory's robot signature. Sounds to me like the same factory as the Weishi, and I think a reference in the early marketing suggested as much.
It doesn't add up to "luxury" quite as convincingly as the heavier Baili 3-piece; but, neither does Parker's TTO formula. And at $20 less, it's a clear winner, unless some other style "speaks" to you. Personally, I'm loving the rose gold finish, something I once suggested for my wedding rings. (Vetoed.)
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