Maxwell June vs RazoRock Recurve RC80: USA vs Canada
Hi everyone. I just came out of the shower, one day’s growth as always, and it’s time to shave it off. Today we’re doing the comparison shave I promised: USA versus Canada. The Maxwell June against the RazoRock Recurve RC80.
I covered the Maxwell June on my German channel last week. Today is the English version. This one goes out especially to a viewer who asked me for this comparison. He’s somewhere in a Russian-speaking country, and I’m hoping YouTube’s auto-dub did its job for him.
The Razors
The Maxwell June I’m using today has the standard cap. Not the sensitive version and not the aggressive one for expert shavers. The standard cap (pilot testers have been calling it the Medium) is the only one currently available to buy. The other variants exist but aren’t on sale yet.
The RazoRock Recurve RC80, I want to be clear, is a prototype. You can see it stamped right on the razor. This is one of the very first ones made, back when RazoRock still wasn’t sure they’d go ahead with the production run. They did. And it says RC80, not the plus version. Just the 80.
Both razors are stainless steel, but the spec isn’t identical. The RazoRock Recurve is 316L Marine Grade stainless. Maxwell June describes theirs as 316 stainless steel.
Blade gap: the Maxwell June sits at 0.88mm with neutral blade exposure. The RazoRock has a 0.8mm gap with a slight positive exposure of 0.025mm. That 0.025mm is going to show up in the blade feel numbers.
Weight: RazoRock at 106g, Maxwell June at 104g with a hollowed handle. Nearly even. Handle length is where they split. The Maxwell June is 83mm, about 3.3 inches, and it is short. The RazoRock goes to 100mm, 4 inches, hollow. Similar heft in the hand from similar weights, as you’d expect.
Knurling: the Maxwell June has strong, grippy knurling. The RazoRock is a bit lighter in texture but still solid. I had no slip with either one.
Blade clamping is excellent on both. No chatter from either razor. The Maxwell June uses three-point clamping. The RazoRock uses a longer post design with double clamping. Different approach, same result: the blade sits flat and quiet.
One honest note on glide. Neither razor is polished or chromed. Both have a machined matte finish. Dry, or against any dried residue, I’d call glide a 6 out of 10 for both. Get good soap on your face and they’re fine. Don’t try a dry cleanup stroke.
The Soap and Lather
Today’s soap is an unscented base from Blaine at BC Soaps and Such. His shop is on Etsy; I’ll link it in the description. It’s a tallow base and it loads fast. I’ve tested it on my German channel. There are two versions: the regular formula and a TACL version. The TACL is thinner, more oily, made for straight razor glide. For a DE shave I went with the regular. It lathered well and the cushion was very nice.
Blaine is 27 and an amazing artisan. Really good stuff.
I scented the soap with a few drops of Pete’s bay rum scent oil from Hendrix Classics and Co. It’s a fresh bay rum, not clove-forward. Orange, light spice, pleasant. Pete makes his strong, so two or three drops in the soap is plenty for me. If you know the Stirling Bay Rum, this one sits in that territory but a bit fresher. I love it.
Bowl today is the George, a leather bowl by Max at Spot Prints, used together with a scuttle from Ian. The brush is an Ikon handle with a DS Cosmetics Great Wall knot, 24mm, synthetic badger-fiber. Very soft with good backbone. Perfect for a bowl lather.
Blade is the Wilkinson Sword, German-made in Solingen. Similar production to the German Personnas, as far as I know.
First Pass
I started the first pass with the RazoRock side. With good soap on the face it glides perfectly. The positive exposure gives you more feedback, and more efficiency. Blade feel: I put it at 4.5 to 5.
Then the Maxwell June side. Very close. Nearly the same blade feel on pass one. Neutral exposure, so you don’t feel the blade asserting itself the same way, but the result is just as clean. Nearly BBS on both sides after one pass. The Maxwell June side needed just a touch more over one spot against the grain.
Both razors: amazing first pass. Very close shave. I re-lathered and went again.
Second Pass
Maxwell June first. Great audible feedback. No blade chatter. Very smooth. Autopilot is the right word. You find the angle and the razor just goes.
Then the RazoRock. Today I felt that positive exposure on the second pass more than the first. Not uncomfortable, but you’re aware of it. That’s the nature of 0.025mm positive versus neutral. More assertive, more efficient.
Post-shave I kept it simple: the Science aftershave balm, nothing else. It was over 34 degrees Celsius here today, muggy on top of it. My skin was already reacting to the weather. I had one small spot from a pimple that had nothing to do with either razor. Cold water rinse and done.
The Verdict
Both razors: BBS in two passes. This was a great comparison and a very tough one.
Efficiency winner: the RazoRock Recurve RC80. That positive exposure does real work. Blade feel against the grain I put at 5.2 to 5.25 for the RazoRock. For reference, my Edwin Jagger DE89 sits at a 5.0 for blade feel. The RazoRock is right there or just past it.
Smoothness winner: the Maxwell June. Neutral exposure, no chatter, just glides. Against the grain: 4.8 to 5.0. You feel the razor working for you, not at you.
Glide: the RazoRock had a slight edge there too. It’s a little shinier on the surface, a bit more refined machined finish.
Angle tolerance: the Maxwell June is forgiving if you’re still dialing in your technique. The right angle feels almost built in. The RazoRock rewards you more once you know what you’re doing.
Overall: it’s a draw. Two winners in different categories. If you want efficiency, the RazoRock. If you want smoothness, the Maxwell June. Both reach BBS in two passes with good soap and a sharp blade.
On price: both are around $100 US. Check the Italian Barber website for the RazoRock Recurve. These aren’t beginner purchases by price, but the performance is genuinely there.
Thanks for reading, you guys. Drop a comment and let me know which one you’d pick. Happy shaving!