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BOOM! Behold, The Ascension SELECT!

Oh baby, am I so excited to finally release this one! A Killer NEW Version of one of our most popular razors, The Ascension! Since we originally re-introduced the DOC design to the shave world 8 years back, it has always been our goal to make it a kind of a "Peoples Razor".

"I’m not one to write reviews, but this new razor needs global acclaim! This is my 6th razor purchased from Phoenix Shaving and it is far and away the best piece of workmanship to date. It ticks all the boxes - knurling, weight, finish, knurling, beauty, machining, did I mention knurling? I have a few dozen razors in my den and I’m afraid the others may be dust collectors for a while! Whatever the time, trials and tribulations spent on this masterpiece - trust me, you did real good!"

~ Mark A Todd, Long Time Customer

No doubt we were pretty successful at that or at least making it a household name among wet shavers and even catching the eye of other vendors! But if you're a newb, you probably don't remember a time before the DOC, but there was...until a small artisan, us, took a chance on it. Since then we have released many a version of this EPIC, classic design, but finally I feel like The DOC has truly arrived!

Meet The SELECT

The Ascension SELECT possesses all the great features of our classic CNC Machined models and then some; Greater Adjustability, Durability, Weight, Grip and even some Flare! It's really an attractive razor at nearly half the price!

Handsome Gunmetal Plating
A Nylon Buffer Ring (2)
Adjustable Zinc Alloy Head (w/ the exact geometry as the Ascension)
Grippy 316L Stainless, CNC Machined Handle with a removable flare tip!

Find More Color Tips HERE!

Flare Tip?

Remember our S-42 "Purple Tip"? This was our homage to the Red and Blue tip vintage super speed razors from Gillette. When both colors are combined, you get purple so it seemed a fitting color for our tribute.

[See Add-On Color Tips in Drop Down Menu]

We released a few variations of the purple tip handles over the years and folks really flipped for them. However due to the fact that I was doing all the painting and baking by hand I couldn't keep up with the growing demand...so eventually we shelved the project. Every now and again we'd release a few Symmetry Purple Tips here and there but nothing too crazy. But in the back of my mind I was always planning on bringing them back...just wasn't really sure what that would look like.

What It Looks Like or The SELECT Tip

Finally, that day has arrived and now, not only are the tips an homage to the concept of the colored tips of yesteryear, but the complete handle is an homage to the original Gillette Red Tip! Many of you know this is one of my favorite handles of all time, it's absolutely gorgeous! Seriously, this handle is both elegant and badass all at once! (is that even possible?)

Tweaks

Not only did we choose to make this handle beefier, but also longer to meet the modern shavers needs (3.5"). I also thought it wise to add a tad more grippiness to the knurling in an effort to give the user more control over the shave at sink or in the shower. This also makes for a more relaxed newb knowing this baby won't be slipping from their grasp mid shave! Both men and women love this handle!

Removable Color Flare Tips

You read right my friend, you can mix and match the tips! Each SELECT comes with a gunmetal tip but if you want to add a little zing to your next shave, consider adding on one of our color tips! We now offer 7 color options; Classic Gillette Red, Classic Phoenix Shaving Purple, Burnt Orange, Mystical Mustard Yellow, Alien Grey, Desert Turquoise, & Sci-Fi Blue.

When Size Matters.

If you prefer a shorter handle just take the tip off! This is also a cool feature for travel too, if space or weight is an issue!

Tell Me More About This Handle Doug.

As I mentioned above, the handle is CNC machined and constructed of no bs 316L Stainless Steel. 316L Stainless Steel has a few, most EPIC differences when compared to the cheaper, more popular 303 & 304 Stainless Steel.

Type 316L steel is an austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steel that contains between two and three percent molybdenum. The molybdenum content increases corrosion resistance, and improves resistance to pitting.

Type 316L grade stainless steel is particularly effective in acidic environments. This grade of steel is effective in protecting against corrosion caused by sulfuric, hydrochloric, acetic, formic, and tartaric acids, as well as acid sulfates and alkaline chlorides.

In short, we could have gone cheap on this handle but we opted against that to deliver a truly superior product to newb and Old Dog shaver alike!

Now let us dig into the features once more on how these gosh darn "Twist Adjustables" work, followed by the specs.

Twist - Adjustable?

Yes my friends, you read right, this razor is indeed an adjustable...fo' real!

ad·just·a·ble əˈjəstəb(ə)l/adjective: able to be adjusted.

ad·just·ment əˈjəstmənt/noun: a small alteration or movement made to achieve a desired fit, appearance, or result.

Since the release of our Aluminum Ascension I have heard different fine fellas refer to this razor as different things; pseudo adjustable, semi adjustable, etc...my friends, you make a twist within a given space of tension till it alters the feel and aggressiveness of the blade to a custom position of your liking. That, by definition is an adjustment...thus making it an adjustable, a "Twist Adjustable". Not to be confused with a classic, dial turn, fixed point adjustable razor. This is just another kind of adjustable, not pseudo, not semi, but adjustable by intent in its own design.

We really tried to get the most out of the design and geometry.

First off, though this razor resembles our original DOC I promise you, this is a whole different animal. Unlike the Original DOC, The Ascension SELECT is not mild when set snug on the handle but slightly more aggressive and efficient.

Not aggressive like our DOC Evolution (2015-16), but more than our original DOC (2013), and not in a bad way at all, but in a smooth way. That said, you can easily change and adjust the blade angle with a simple twist of the handle and in turn, customize the aggressiveness and feel of the shave. (see what I did there?)

You see, after years of selling the DOC I observed it really didn’t take much to close up the blade gap by over tightening the handle, which many newbs tend to do. Snug rather than tight was always the best way with that razor…and that got me thinking, How Can I Explore This More?

So, once again we went back to the drawing board and unlike the DOC Evolution, we added a little more shape and curvature to the base plate. This would force the blade to act as a form of flat tension spring which applied just enough push-back to allow for a more tight and seamless adjustability in the space of a 1/4 turn of the handle. Note: While a similar technique can be done with other 3 piece razor designs it is really the exaggerated, intentional shape/curvature of the top and bottom cap that will dictate how effective it actually is.

Unlike a traditional adjustable razor, the Ascension does not lock into fixed points. Which I find gives the user even more, subtle control in finding their own unique Sweet Spot. There is more intuition relied upon with this new design that actually feels a bit Zen or Jedi for sure, but once you start using it, I know you will really fall for the twist action.

NEW Buffer Ring Action!

Always dabbling with the Ascension I got to experimenting with nylon washers and in doing so, I discovered I could get even more of a turn out of the handle. This not only amped up the aggressiveness but also gave greater adjustability without sacrificing safety. [See Instructions on box]

Black Or White Buffer Ring? [What Do You Think?]

I decided to include two different washers with this first release. I'm not sure if this is true or not, and if you know please reach out, but I found they each performed differently. This led me to conclude the colors indicated tensile strength...of course this could all be in my mind. So I leave this part to you my dear customer. I look forward to your feedback and insight. [Audience participation is important to us!]

Other Tweaks

Anyone who has followed us and what we do, knows that I absolutely love the double open comb design and often wondered out loud, publicly why no one has actually explored it more. I mean the self-lubricating action of the top cap really does function as the Original Grand Shave King Razor claimed.

It captures lather and water in the top cap channels and redistributes a trail of it evenly on the skin during the pass, much like a lawnmower leaves a trail behind it. For this reason both the DOC and Grand are known to be the best buffing razors out there. I really thought including this concept in every razor was a no brainer…

Yet the DOC Evolution of 2015-16 was the only time I believe it was further explored? Regardless, we kept at it and knew this new adjustable experiment would be yet another variation on the classic top cap open comb design.

Longer Caps & Divots

We chose to also lengthen the top and bottom caps so as to encase the blade tabs. This was not the case with The Original DOC & Grand Razor…so we decided we would make this modern tweak and consideration in the design of The Ascension.

We also chose to keep what I believe was just decorative indents on the side of the Original DOC cap design. However these curious divots would now serve a real purpose, and that is a secure rest for your thumb and forefinger when Twisting the razor. In slippery, soapy conditions these indentations prove to be highly effective and provide a virtual no-slip grip.

The Perfect Shave is Just A Twist Away!

The Ascension SELECT Safety Razor Specifications:

Starting Blade Gap: 500 Microns Complete Razor Approx. Wt. 104 grams/ 3.07 Oz Handle Length: 3.5" Complete Razor Length: 3.80"

Material: 316L Marine Grade Stainless Steel, CNC Machined Handle. Gunmetal Plated. Head: Zinc Alloy, Gunmetal Plated Includes: Nylon Buffer Ring

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The Symmetry Open Comb Safety Razor