Goodfellas Smile Styletto V2 SS Review
Hi everyone. Fresh out of the shower, one day’s growth, and today is an Italian shave day. The razor: the Goodfellas Smile Styletto V2 in 303 stainless steel.
I’ve had this razor for a while and tested it before, but today I’m using it for the first time. My German shaving buddy also sent me a Styletto V1 to review, so I have both on the shelf. The V2 SS has a noticeably bigger blade gap and more positive exposure than the V1 in aluminum. That aluminum V1 was very mild. Based on the data for this V2, I was hoping for medium-efficient. Let’s see if it delivers.
The Razor
Specs: 303 stainless steel, 108 g, blade gap 0.88 mm, positive exposure 0.37 mm. Those numbers look like they belong on an aggressive razor. Goodfellas says this is milder than the Mühle Rocca, which I always thought was a tough shave. Gap doesn’t say everything, though.
The head is thin. Machine finish, not high polish. The pins feel a touch thicker than usual, so the blade sits perfectly aligned with no overhang. Very clean assembly. You can see “Goodfellas Smile” and “Version Two” marked on the bottom cap.
As of the day I filmed this, the aluminum version is €79.95 and the stainless is €94.95 on the Goodfellas website. Just €15 more for stainless. Not a bad deal at all. I’ve linked the product page in the video description.
The Setup
For the blade, I’m using a Filoso. Barry from the shaving community sent me a pack of these nearly two years ago. A reliable choice for me.
The brush is one I put together myself: a cashmere boar knot set in a red 3D-printed handle, gifted to the channel by Ugur. Love this brush.
The soap is a Franken mix. I took an Estelle and Stefan Alpha soap base in vegan formula (not tallow) and loaded it with Goodfellas Smile Orange Empire, which a buddy gave me. This combination comes out milder than the Orange Empire straight, and that’s better for my skin. Citrusy scents can tingle on me. The mix is warmer, creamier. Smells like a creamy orange.
The shaving bowl is a Roger Quinn design, 3D printed and gifted to the channel by Uwa. This is the second-biggest size and every brush I’ve tried fits in it. The printing files are in the video description if you want to have a friend print one for you.
Post-shave today is Proraso aftershave balm for sensitive skin, given to the channel by Dambiro. If you shop at Dambiro, code chris10 gets you 10% off. Nothing in it for me unless I buy something too, so that’s just for you. And I’m finishing with a Pereira cologne in orange blossom, also from Uwa. I think it’s Turkish. Abdullah, you probably know this one. Let me know in the comments.
First Pass
Soap loads fast. You won’t need much. With these two bases together you could call it a French-Italian blend.
First pass with the grain. So far: no blade feel. None. That genuinely surprised me with a 0.37 positive exposure. This feels like the Edwin Jagger DE89 in the hand and on the face. Nearly no blade shadow, either. The V2 improved on the V1’s blade grippiness and you can see the difference: the blade sits cleaner, more precise, better aligned.
Aggression with the grain: 5 out of 10. Very close. Very smooth.
After rinsing: 95% done on one pass. Just a little left in the usual spots, mostly where I wasn’t perfectly on angle.
Second Pass
Plenty of soap left in the bowl for pass two. Against the grain.
Against the grain, I’d put it at 5.2 to 5.5 out of 10. The upper lip under the nose is always my tough spot and yes, I felt a little blade there. No nick. Very smooth and forgiving everywhere else.
The head rinses clean between passes. I remember trouble with the V1 when lather got a bit thick, working to clear the head. The V2 is much better there.
I want to mention my late friend Erchan. He had trouble with the original Styletto too. I think he would have loved this version. Miss you, buddy.
Verdict
Cold water rinse. BBS. Baby butt smooth.
Smooth, mild, and efficient. A little blade feel on the upper lip against the grain, but that’s my spot with every razor. No fault of this one.
The head is machine-finished. There’s a touch more grab on the skin than a mirror-polished head would give you. For a result like that, I’ll take it every time.
Who is this for? Technique matters here. You need to know your angles and your pressure. The price is beginner-friendly, €94.95 for a stainless Italian razor is hard to argue with, but I’d say make it your third or fourth razor if you’re just starting out. If you already know you’re staying in wet shaving and you love mild razors that still get the job done, this one is yours. Buy it.
Great razor. Great shave. I’m happy.
Thanks for watching, everyone. I hope you’re all doing fine, and if not, get well soon. Leave a comment, give me a thumbs-up if you found this useful, it really does help the channel. Subscribe and share if you haven’t yet. Stay healthy, and I’ll see you next Thursday. Bye-bye.