Italian shaving company Focus has made a 2022 update to the design of their R48 “Dynamic” razor. I bought one to put through its paces.
Background
Back in 2018 I bought a Focus Dynamic R48 razor. It was an interesting concept–a razor with a pivoting head that uses one snapped-in-half double edge (DE) razor blade–but a few issues I had with it:
- The blade loading scheme was awkward and fussy.
- Very mild shave, even for me (and I like mild razors).
- The shave stroke seemed to work better by “pushing” instead of “pulling” the razor.
All-in-all it just didn’t seem to be “ready for prime time” and with the success I was enjoying with OneBlade razors (in addition to some competition from the new Broman razor) I relegated the R48 to the back of the razor drawer.
But as it turned out Focus was not quite satisfied with the R48 either.
A Bit More About Focus And The R48
Focus, headquartered near Milan, Italy, has been in the grooming and hair dressing hardware business for over 100 years. Their barber-focused product lines include combs, brushes, scissors, and other accessories they offer quite an assortment of Italian-made razors–including double edge, single edge, “shavette”-style, and straight-edge razors.
The original R48 was developed as a more convenient way for a barber to perform an irritation-free shave. However the barbers (and many end-users, like me) thought the razor was too mild.
So Focus went back to the drawing board and followed up with their first “Evo” version of the R48. This razor was much more aggressive–a “one-pass-and-done” kind of tool.
Many users said the change “swung the pendulum too far in the opposite direction.”
In 2022 Focus changed the R48 again, making it much less aggressive (though not as mild as the original in my opinion. More on that coming up). They also made additional changes to make blade loading a little less cumbersome.
2022 Focus Dynamic R48 Description And Specs
From the Focus R48 web page:
“Made entirely of aluminum, with high precision machines by removing material. 100% Made in Italy. Built only with high quality aluminum, resistant to wear and rubbing; with further hardening process by surface anodization. Any changes in color tone or slight halos are not to be considered defects as during the anodization it is not possible to control the galvanic process, as this is directly dependent on uncontrollable agents such as humidity, temperature and electrical intensity. The color obtained is therefore a peculiar characteristic of singularity of the processing, not a problem. All parts of the razor and the hook are processed and treated to obtain maximum precision; this is for the thicknesses and the various cutting angles, made almost perfectly. The stainless steel pins are also made on the express project and are mounted on the head of the shaver through a special key that allows an ideal calibration, obtaining during clamping, the locking of the blade between the two parts of the head of the shaver. Without the blade, the head is mobile; but once inserted, it creates a correct thickness that guarantees a perfect tightening of the head and the blade itself. For a correct fixing it is recommended the use of whole universal rices broken in half; this creates in the breaking zone a slight curvature of the ends, which, once resting on the base of the head of the razor, creates a very light pressure during the insertion of the moving head, a desired and indispensable spring effect for precise tightening and correct positioning of the razor blade. The handle is made from a round full of aluminum, using high precision machineries, it is machined to obtain grooves that make the handle of the razor comfortable. Once worked, the handle is anodized in various colors. The attachment of the razor head to the handle is guaranteed by a stainless steel pin which, with the aid of a tensioning spring, allows the head of the shaver to be kept in 25 ° position and during shaving it adapts to the shape of the face with a delicate and precise flow. Dynamic razor weight 33 gr. As an optional we offer the aluminum base to store the razor after use and at the same time helps and facilitates the insertion and assembly of the blade. It is strongly recommended to properly wash the product, to wash the razor well after use, removing soap residues and drying carefully.“
Head Improvements
The most notable change in the 2022 Focus Dynamic R48 razor (besides a milder blade exposure) is a change to the way a blade is held. There are now two “inward voids” on the base plate and the top part of the head has matching protrusions to hold the blade in place. The idea is to make the blade “clamp” better and make blade changes a little easier. See the image above.
Note that blade loading of the 2022 R48 works like the previous R48 versions: it works only with “snapped in half” double edge razor blades, not pre-cut half blades. The head needs the “curl” of the snapped blade corner to help secure it by friction to the razor head.
My Shaves With The R48
The R48 is available in a number of handle colors. I got a red one. Hat-tip to The Superior Shave who have a variety in stock and shipped promptly.
The razor is about 11cm (~4.5 in) and 33 gr (~1.16 oz). Although it is quite lightweight it still feels well-balanced in my hand.
The finger notches near the bottom of the handle are actually quite useful to me and I haven’t had any problems with slippage despite the smooth metal handle.
Blade loading with this version of the razor is easier than the original, but it takes a few blade changes to get adept at it. This might be an issue for a shaver looking for a “convenient” transition from a cartridge razor but if you’re used to changing a blade that isn’t in a cartridge or magazine you shouldn’t have too much trouble.
For my initial shaves I used my “go-to” favorite, a Parker DE blade. Snapping it half (inside the blade envelope!) wasn’t a problem.
I noticed the 2022 R48 has quite a bit more “blade feel” than the original razor I used.
And I think Focus didn’t quite swing the pendulum all the way back to the shave of the original R48. To me the 2022 update is solidly in “middle-of-the-road” territory for aggressiveness. I would call it a 5 on a 10 point scale (where the original razor was maybe a 2).
The “push” vs. “pull” characteristic is still there for me, but less pronounced. I could still get great shaves with ordinary razor strokes.
In any case my initial shaves were “baby’s butt close” (BBS) but with a few minor “weepers.”
As the R48 uses common double edge blades I was able to do some blade experimentation and discovered that Astra (stainless) and RK (available through Henson) gave me BBS shaves as well, without weepers. As with all things blade-related “Your Mileage May Vary” though!
The razor’s small head makes getting into tight areas or detail work easier than other razors with larger heads.
And, like using other razors that have a pivot, the shave is very consistent as well, with few or no missed areas or small rough patches.
Comparison To OneBlade?
Comparisons between the Focus Dynamic R48 and the OneBlade (affiliate link) line of razors is natural, as both use a single blade on a pivoting head. Let’s compare:
Blade
- OneBlade: Feather FHS blade, modified GEM blade.
- R48: half of a DE blade
The R48 has many more blade options. However I think the Feather FHS blade is more “stable” due to its thickness.
Head And Pivot
- OneBlade: hold angle ~30 degrees; pivot travel ~30 degrees
- R48: hold angle ~25 degrees; pivot travel ~30 degrees
While the pivot engineering and designs are quite different, both blades hold and travel about equally. While the OneBlade uses an “active floating” head I think the blade is better “clamped” than the R48.
Construction, Weight, And Size
- OneBlade: Stainless Steel (Genesis); polymer (Hybrid and Core). Handle ~100mm, weight 88gr (Genesis) to 66gr (Core).
- R48: Aluminum. Handle ~100mm, weight 33gr.
The R48 is substantially lighter.
Shave Characteristic
- OneBlade: mild, 2-4 (depending on model) on a 10 scale.
- R48: mid, 5 on a 10 scale.
The OneBlade razor is a “milder” shave.
Price
- OneBlade: $30 (Core), $95 (Hybrid), $295+ (Genesis)
- R48: 70,00€, US ~$60
The R48 is less expensive than all but the Core OneBlade razor.
Summing Up
The Focus Dynamic R48 is an Italian-made razor with a pivoted head that accepts half of a standard double edge (DE) blade. As such it has an advantage of a wide variety of blade brand choices.
Some wet shaving enthusiasts may consider razor pivots a “gimmick” but personally I think they’re one of the few “modern” razor design innovations that can make a difference in a shave. Those who agree with me consider other razors with a head pivot too mild. I think the 2022 redesign of the Focus Dynamic R48 can address both those concerns.
The Focus Dynamic R48 razor is available from Focus in Europe, Fendrihan in Canada, and The Superior Shave in the US.
What do you think of the Focus Dynamic R48 razor? Leave a comment below!
Nice review! I am considering r48 2022 model, high proof razor v1, proof razor v2. Could you compare the focus r48 2022 model to the new and old proof razors in terms of aggressiveness, closeness, blade chatter, and the glide on face?
Thank you!!!
Jarrod at The Superior Shave likely has the most knowledge and experience about the various Focus Razors. I found the “push vs. pull” to be difficult to get used to, but no doubt others feel differently. The Henson razor holds the blade at a similar angle and the head is pitched so that cuts and irritation are minimized. There is no need to snap a blade to load the razor. The choice of a razor is a personal matter based upon many variables and can be heavily influenced by the cream or soap that one uses as well as the blade chosen. The cost of razors has risen and continues to increase making experimentation expensive and inconvenient. Beware of inflated claims and unrealistic expectations!
Great review, as usual. I’ll pass on the Focus. Too many options make ‘Jack’ just another razor. I’ll stick with my present tried and true. Plus, I just bought a Henson.
Thanks for the review
I am tempted to buying one and testing it against the OneBlade BUT:
I cannot distinguish between the 2018 model, the aggressive model and the 2022 model. In their website (www.focuscumbomilano.com), it is not clear which is which. There is the R48-5 in red, then the R48-6EVO in black and the R48-7 in silver.
Can you lease help me out in this ?
The EVO is the aggressive one. But, as Eric Haas mentions, check with The Superior Shave in the US for more info.
Talk to the folks (Jarrod) at The Superior Shave.
I have not used this product.
While you note that the 2022 R48 is less aggressive than the EVO, but not as mild as the original R48, the folks at The Superior Shave claim that the 2022 version is just as mild as the old R48.
This razor looks very tempting to me. But, for now, I will give it a pass–because it may be more aggressive than I want.
The Focus R51 also looks tempting (though the folks at The Superior Shave note that it tends to clog badly). Would love to see you review the Focus R51.
Hi Eric– Yes, I’ve read that the new R48 is just as mild as the original, but that has not been my experience. I have both and to me the newer razor is noticeably not as mild as the original. YMMV. 🙂
Focus Dynamic Razor. I purchased the R50 (stainless steel) sometime ago. I just struggled with it. I hope the recent improvements work well, although I’m probably not going to get one.
Comments are closed.