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Broman SE Razor

The only razor you'll ever need?*


Regular readers** of this blog will know that I'm a fan of SE razors***. So I always have my eye out for anything new on the market. Imagine my delight and joy****, then, when the good ship Broman hoved into view on the clear horizon of wet shaving and waved its SE razor like a flag in my face. It was a flag with a picture of the razor on it, a flag capable of speech. And that flag was saying Look at me, Dave Shaves, look at me. And buy me.


So I looked. And, somewhat inevitably, I bought it.




In brief:

It's a single-edge razor with a pivoting head that uses half DE blades. In the picture to the left you can see it with the head open ready to receive a half blade. The website for the razor states that it's easy to use and I can't disagree with them. It's very easy to use. Flip the head open, load the blade (and the razor comes with ten half blades stored rather neatly in the included stand) and away you go.





What's it like to shave with?

Yes indeed, let's get straight to the point. I could go on here about how I whipped up a sumptuous lather, how I prepared my face***** for the shave using Proraso pre-shave cream and how I lost myself for several hours in a luxurious shave. But the truth is it wasn't quite like that. I was in a hurry, desperate to get into bed and begin the process of staring up at the ceiling through the darkness, picturing in my mind's eye the terrible havoc I would wreak, armed with two clawhammers, on our AWOL builder's own bathroom, as he had royally screwed ours and left us, a household of six, with only one working bathroom and toilet. I reached for my Mr. Hobbs Shave Cream (reviewed elsewhere on this site), wet my face, applied the cream and then embarked on one of the quickest, cleanest, most comfortable shaves I've had since I started shaving the old-fashioned way.


If you're in a hurry, the Broman razor is perfect. The head of the razor pivots so you can attack your face in a somewhat gung-ho fashion, as I did, and not really have to worry about cutting, slicing or gouging yourself. It's the perfect combination of single-edge and cartridge razor, but without the horror of ten, twelve or fifteen-blade***** cartridges and it gave me a great shave in two passes.


Would I recommend it?

Absolutely. For speed and quick, clean efficiency, yes I would definitely recommend it. You really can up your speed with this razor without fear of injury.


On the other hand, though, I can't see myself using this razor for, say, a slow, luxurious, Sunday afternoon shave when everyone's out and I have the bathroom to myself for an hour. That's the time for a straight razor or a vintage SE. But the Broman is perfect for when you need to get up and go or, as is usually the case for me, for when you want to collapse into bed face down and weep bitter tears of regret for allowing builders into your home into the pillow but don't fancy doing so with stubble on your face.


Is it really the only razor you'll ever need?

See my comments in the footnotes. But, in brief - no. I can't see wet-shave fans abandoning their razor collections for this. But I can see them adding this razor to their collection and I would actively encourage them to do so for the reasons outlined above. And if you haven't read the reasons above, why are you starting here instead of the beginning?


Why did the dinosaurs die out?

Hmmm. That's a tough one. I really don't know - I mean, who can, for sure? But have a read of this. It might give you some pointers.


Can you include a link to an article about 7 ancient sites that some people believe were built by aliens?

Funnily enough, yes. Yes I can. Click on this link here.



* Look, Broman, it's a nice marketing ploy but come on, really? You're talking to a wet-shaving enthusiast here. And this wet-shaving enthusiast is a bit of a demon when it comes to collecting razors, as most wet-shaving enthusiasts are. It's unlikely that any shaving fan is going to go, 'Oh, look. This is definitely the only razor I'll ever need. I might as well just sell off all the other razors I've so lovingly and painstakingly acquired. There's no point in having them now that I've got the Broman.' Don't get me wrong - I'm a fan of the Broman, so if you're reading this bit before you've read the full review, don't be fooled by my tone. I really like the razor. But one of the reasons I like traditional shaving is the scope it gives for collecting razors and brushes and soaps - and more razors, more brushes and more soaps - and, consequently, the pleasant emptying of my bank account.


** If there are such readers of this blog.


*** ' ... a fan of SE razors.' Yeah, right. And DE razors. And shavettes. And straight razors. Really, that should just say ' ... a fan of razors.'


**** And it was deep, deep joy. Unbridled joy, in fact.


***** As opposed to anyone else's face.


***** I'm exaggerating for comic effect, obviously.


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