Yates921

B&R Machine is a full service machining company specializing in precision CNC Milling, Turning, Grinding, Machine Assembly and Sub-Assemblies. As leaders in the CNC Machining Industry we focus on partnering with progressive companies to provide quality manufacturing starting from supplied drawings, samples or prototypes.

Yates razor

Yatesprecision

Wetshaving - isn't all shaving wet? Somewhat. Wetshaving is how barbers used to get the ultrasmooth shave of legends. The secret isn't more blades and more canned goo but a single wicked edge. Shaving is 50+ days of a woman's life and 85+ for a man's. Do you want to spend that time hating or enjoying what you are doing? The better way is wetshaving; come and see what "they" didn't want you to know.

We believe it is important to listen closely to our customers' needs as we look for ways to add value. We take pride in building strong relationships with customers over the long term.

Our Quality Assurance Department checks for the customers' quality clauses on purchase orders and certifies all components meet the standards before leaving our premises.

Wolfmanrazor

Custom safetyrazor

Preface: I learned about Yates Precision Manufacturing from watching a prolific YouTuber in the shaving community, SinatraLennon. While his signtaure Merica razor was branded by the Wet Shaving Club, Yates has always manufactured the Merica. Anyways, I slowly gravitated towards watching reviews of the Merica razor and Yates products in general. There were a couple of motivating factors that lead me to buying this. Firstly, I was getting bored of vintage Gillette Techs. Secondly, I wanted to see what the hype was about with stainless steel razors. At $95 this is one of the cheaper options on the market. Thirdly, Jake at Yates seems to be a well respected machinist, business owner/operator, and he manufactures his razors 100% in house at his Pennsylvania shop to boot. In my short time of being in the wet shaving community, it seems to be very tight knit. Yet, there have been a few slimeballs businesses who try to make money from bad practices, and I have not sensed or seen ANY of that from Yates.

Karverazor

Disclosure: I purchased this from Yates Precision Manufacturing with my own money with a 10% discount at the end of December 2023. Nobody is compensating me for this review and I'm not an affiliate for anybody. This is for the community and my own amusement. I have 25 shaves with this razor as of the time of this review.

Yatesmachine

Overall Impressions: I am super happy I bought this razor. I was not let down in the slightest and I am always excited to use it. It is the only razor I have used since I received it. This is a no nonsense, extremely well made Merican razor (see what I did there?) for the price and makes for a great daily shaver for somebody who does not need or want a super aggressive shave. I would recommend this razor to anybody, whether you've never shaved with a DE, want to explore stainless steel options, or just want to expand your addiction collection. This is a great razor and will last you forever.

Tolerances: When Yates calls themselves "Precision Manufacturing", do not doubt that for a second. The top cap and base plate fit together so precisely unlike anything I have ever seen. It is even more apparent when you load a blade and assemble the razor. I never double check if the blade is lined up because I know it will be perfect every time, no questions asked. However, sometimes the threads take a minimal amount of lining up to get it to screw in, but yet again once the threads start they are smooth. My guess is that since the threaded portion of the handle does not have a chamfer, it takes the slightest effort to make sure it is aligned before threading down.

Since 1971 we have worked with many industries including Aerospace, Automotive, Automation, Telecommunications, Military, Mining, Printing, Medical and others. This experience positions our skilled workforce as leaders in manufacturing complex components with tight tolerances.

Shaving with the Merica: With a 0.021" blade gap and a neutral exposure, this would be considered a razor on the mild-medium side. I feel the blade slightly when shaving, but it does not feel aggressive in the slightest. The angle is also pretty intuitive IMO. There is not much guessing when it comes to shaving. If you have the correct angle, then it will cut. If not, then it will not cut. Because of the lower gap and exposure, do not expect to get a good one pass shave after No Shave November. Nonetheless, this is an efficient daily driver or even for those who shave 2-3x/week. You can ride the cap a little bit, but that is where my only "complaint" comes from. When I first started using this razor and as others have reported, there can be a "drag" or "resistance" sensation. Whether that is from the finish, or the angle and size of the top cap, it is sometimes noticeable. I only noticed this phenomenon when my lather was not hydrated enough and my angle was suboptimal. When I started using a fixed angle and actually made a proper lather, my problems almost disappeared entirely. Weird how that works... So it wasn't as much of a complaint about the razor, but a learning curve. Keep in mind I have the bead blasted finish. I have read that some people feel no dragging at all even for the Stonewash finish, and I have also heard people experience "dragging" on the As-Machined finish. So take what you will from that.

Packaging: The razor comes inside a small burlap sack along with a tuck of Tatra Platinum blades. If you are expecting a nice reusable tin that can be put on display or organized easily for storage, then you will be disappointed. I never put much thought, nor care about the packaging so this does not bother me in the slightest.

Addendum: I completely forgot to mention the magnet in the bottom of the handle and that is because I forget it is there sometimes. While it is a nice addition to the razor and meant to safely handle blades, I almost find myself going out of my way to use it when I do remember it. Some people love it and I can see why, but I have never had any blade handling issues in general. A nice accessory, but not as useful as I thought and wanted it to be.

Appearance, Finish, and Feel: I opted for the bead blasted finish, which lays between their "As-Machined" and "Stonewash" finish. The bead blasted finish is extremely smooth and does not feel rough at all... dare I say it feels silky? Anyways, the bead blasted finish hides most of the machining marks. However, if you inspect the razor under a microscope you will still see them. It is barely perceptible on the bottom side of the top cap, but even that is being extremely nit picky. You would not even notice it unless you were actively looking for it. The spiral machining and indentation on the handle makes it very easy and comfortable to grip. The overall finish is handsome and functional.