Al13 / Henson Shaving
The Henson AL13 is a safety razor made by an aerospace manufacturer, and it shows in the approach. Machined from aircraft-grade aluminium to tolerances measured in microns, it clamps a single standard double-edge blade at a fixed angle and, crucially, will not let it flex. Henson's argument is mechanical: a blade that holds its angle chatters and tugs less, which the company says cut razor burn by 77% against multi-blade razors in testing. It weighs 37 grams, takes cheap blades sold anywhere, and is finished in scratch-resistant anodising. Offered in mild, medium and aggressive blade gaps, it suits someone moving off cartridges and subscriptions who wants a near-irritation-free shave and a buy-once tool, and who accepts the small learning curve of holding a fixed angle.
Design intent
- +The central decision is rigidity: rather than letting the blade flex like a multi-blade cartridge, the head clamps a single blade firmly at a fixed angle, which is what reduces the chatter and tugging that cause irritation.
The Henson AL13 is a safety razor made by an aerospace manufacturer, and it shows in the approach. Machined from aircraft-grade aluminium to tolerances measured in microns, it clamps a single standard double-edge blade at a fixed angle and, crucially, will not let it flex. Henson's argument is mechanical: a blade that holds its angle chatters and tugs less, which the company says cut razor burn by 77% against multi-blade razors in testing. It weighs 37 grams, takes cheap blades sold anywhere, and is finished in scratch-resistant anodising. Offered in mild, medium and aggressive blade gaps, it suits someone moving off cartridges and subscriptions who wants a near-irritation-free shave and a buy-once tool, and who accepts the small learning curve of holding a fixed angle.
Design intent
- +The central decision is rigidity: rather than letting the blade flex like a multi-blade cartridge, the head clamps a single blade firmly at a fixed angle, which is what reduces the chatter and tugging that cause irritation.
- +Building it from machined aluminium to aerospace tolerances and using standard double-edge blades makes the performance repeatable and the running cost negligible, turning a precise object into a long-term, low-waste tool.
Trade-offs
- -The minimal blade exposure makes the hold angle less forgiving than a pivoting cartridge, so it takes a few shaves to find and keep the correct angle before it feels effortless.
- -A single fixed blade means more passes for very coarse or long hair than a multi-blade head clears in one, which is why the same razor is offered in milder and more aggressive gaps rather than one universal setting.
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