Naked Armor Solomon Straight Razor Kit, Japanese Steel Shaving Set, Brown

I have wanted to use a straight razor for a while now and when I came across this kit I thought it would be the perfect time to take the leap. I was looking for something not cheap but no too expensive either, it seems you could spend a lot of money on straight razors these days. I saw a few other for $500 for just the razor alone. Maybe one day, right? Anyway, this kit seemed like the perfect chance to get started and I was right. Everything in one box. I grabbed a mug out of the kitchen to mix the soap and hot water and later realized this was called a scuttle. Once I got the mix right, thanks to the great PDF that these guys sent me, I was ready to rock and the experience was (and is) awesome. Soap creates a great lather and the razor perfectly cut through my stubble. The brush worked great too. I travel some and liked the matching travel case, nice touch that I didn’t see in any other kits. Let’s break it down. WHAT I LIKE - Blade is really sharp, I shaved with it straight out of the box. - Great package with minimalist design & elegant. - Solid stainless steel straight razor, clean. - Beautifully matching travel case and strop. - Nice soap and brush, I like the idea of not killing badgers. - BONUS: Cool free PDF with tons of great articles. - BONUS: Free one-day shipping for Prime (love Amazon Prime). WHAT I DON'T LIKE × I wish there was shaving bowl with the kit. × Shave brush was simple. They should upgrade this. × Get rid of all plastic, there wasn’t much but even a little is too much. PACKAGE - Wood box that you can reuse. - Nice presentation. - - - - - Summary: I highly recommend this straight razor. it was sharp and ready to roll out of box. Delivers as promised. Excellent and fun experience.

I spent quite some time researching straight razors. Normally I don't lend a lot of credence to negative reviews or overly positive ones. However, in this case I liked the product presentation and the positive comments. The negative comments I didn't ignore but I was willing to take the chance. An expensive chance! When I placed the original order, I noted that the picture of the product I asked was different than what I ordered. I was assured that I would get the one I ordered despite the picture. I did get the product that I ordered...or so I thought. A couple of things bothered me. One, the blade brand name was not on the blade but on the shank. Part of the selling point for me was that look. Disappointing. But the real problem was that the blade was not sharp out of the box as advertised. I tried the blade on my forearm hair...didn't cut one hair! I wet my arm hair and tried again....no hair was cut! I attempted to sharpen the blade by stroping. Twenty five strokes each way. Same result. Shaving with a straight razor is something that I really want to do. I actually ordered a much less expensive razor before I ordered this kit. However it was already shipped so I couldn't cancel the order. My intent was to return the less expensive blade once I received your product. I must admit that I was sold on your presentation, reviews and video. It looks good. I'm not one to give up and I'm willing to give the company another chance to field the product they advertised. I spent a lot of money on this blade and I am still a fan of the straight razor. I would like for you to stand behind your product and make this right. I would like a sharp blade and a blade with the Naked Armor brand on the blade as advertised. Thank you for your attention in this matter.

**edit** Ok, so my first review was not so happy (see below). However I felt compelled and obligated to update it after my experience interfacing with the company. After my review posted Naked Armor contacted me very apologetic that I was not satisfied with my purchase. They offered me a full refund and sent me a brand new kit free of charge, plus sent me a scuttle set. The new razor I got was everything I expected and more. I have to say I'm impressed. Not only did they do all this but they also told me they were contacting the manufacturing plant to let them know what they sent out was unacceptable and they promised to increase their quality control. In summary, cheers to you Naked Armor for standing behind your product and delivering true customer service. Wow...incredibly disappointing. Where to even begin. I guess from the beginning. Upon unboxing the first thing I noticed was dust all over the box I'm assuming from the factory. Second was the obvious cheap quality and mass produced charm of the box itself. Opening the box revealed several contents out of place. Not a big deal just obvious sloppy design. Then there's the blade...omg the blade. Advertised as shave ready, not...even...close. Swear to the Lord above my hunting and kitchen knives shave better. Let's see, oh yeah, grind marks. Are you kidding me? Sell me a razor for $160 and there's still grinding marks on it?! (See attached pictures for proof) The "golden brass" was grossly discolored. And to top it all off it was dirty from the milling process still. Obviously never cleaned. DO NOT buy this product. I will be returning.

I just received it today. I have never used a straight razor before but I have always wanted to learn the skill of using one. I was back and forth on what brand to get, if I should get a kit, or if I should purchase just a razor to see if I even liked shaving with a straight razor. I read a lot of reviews, some good, some bad but one thing that stuck out with yall was the fact that you always contacted/resolved any issues someone had with your product. I was nervous while I waited for the kit to show up but I am happy to say I am very pleased with the quality upon my initial inspection. I am active military with 12 years of metal working experience on aircraft so I am familiar with a wide variety of aluminums and steels. The grind and polish on the brass and steel look really good. The edge of the blade is amazing as well. I love the quality of the box along with the layout of it’s contents. The strop has a small blemish in it but it’s not bad at all. The soap can had a dent in the bottom from being dropped but that is no problem as well. I love the wood handle with the polished aluminum end cap of the shaving brush and the laser etched logo is a nice touch as well. I love the brass and wood combination on the handle of the razor. I look forward to shaving with it for the first time and I hope that it lasts me long enough to pass it down to one of my children or grandchildren one day.

Awesome. Very nice kit.

Blade is not shave ready as advertised. I tried to shave with it and it *barely* cuts my forearm hair. It doesn't stand a chance against my much coarser facial hair. Upon inspecting the blade I realized that the backside of the blade has next to no bevel, similar to another reviewer with uneven bevels who said that's a problem that apparently can't be fixed. Getting in contact with customer support now. Other reviews seem like they've at least had good experiences with their customer support, but it's just a pain that you basically have to go through to delivery processes to get a good product. Poor quality control. Update: I texted the number they provided for customer support regarding blade sharpness. I've returned the item to amazon and received a refund without ever getting any sort of response from their team. Just go on Razor Emporium and buy your stuff there. I paid 60 dollars more to get the same items all at a higher quality, as well as a lather bowl. Also their customer service was responsive when a packing issue warped my strop. A new one is already in the mail.

So my wife bought me razor kit for my birthday. First time using a straight razor which was a success as I shaved with it. The razor is a good quality and every item in it is fantastic except for the box that it came in with. What disappointed me at first was the fact that as I was opening the box I noticed it didn't have any sort if bubble wrap around it. Figuring that for an item as pricey as this the packaging would be one thing they look out for. The black cover of the box was bent from a corner. I looked uncovered the black cover and took the box out. What I noticed was that the box appeared to have what looked like glue particles sort of spread around the box. Another thing I noticed that set off is that the box doesn't close properly. There is a gap when you close the box (despite you emptying the contents inside the box). The last thing I noticed was that the foam cover that are glued inside the box to hold the items in their place was coming off on the upper lid of the box. And quite frankly the edges of the box looked worn out. For this reason I give it a 3 star product. For the price you pay for this item I expect a little more in how the item is package to product the item that you paid for. Also I was looking forward to the box because I heard it was one I'd the things that made the razor kit a must grab item. However, the razor is great for a first time shave. The brush was awesome. The soap smells great. The strop appeared in great condition. Sadly the packaging of the item was a huge let down for me. I may consider looking into a different brand in the future.

Edited: it is only right that I add to my review. After the the problems I had with the order, the company went above and beyond to make a customer happy. I will be sharing the name of Naked Armor not for the product but for the care they have for their customers. Older post: The product came in a really nice package. Well organized pretty display. The razor was not shave ready so head the feast of the other reviews. The other problem I had with the razor is that the blade would hit the top of the metal part of the scales whenever it would be reseated. Not good for the blade at all. Great weight, well balanced, the metal I think is a little poor for straight razors. The other problem I never used a shave soap that burned the whole time and 6 hours later after rinsing washing and putting of aftershave no relief at all. That was the most uncomfortable shave ever. The soap never lathered but foamed up and sudsy like dawn dish soap. The smell however was amazing. The shave strop is to flimsy and cheap. The brush bristles are to rigid.