Safety Razor Review

Is The Rex Ambassador Adjustable Razor Worth That Hefty Price Tag?

The Rex Ambassador is an adjustable safety razor that’s at the top end budget mark for anyone seeking to purchase a razor offering adjustable settings.

The big question is going to be —–is the Rex Ambassador worth forking out $249.00 USD (£239 GBP – €279 EU) when there are others available costing a third of that price tag? The quick answer to that is yes and no, which you’ll discover within this review.

The big question is going to be —–is the Rex Ambassador worth forking out $249.00 USD (£239 GBP – €279 EU)

For some guys parting with the cost of an Ambassador just won’t make sense at all, while for others it could be a must to have one join their shave supply collection despite the cost. It’s simply based on needs and budget!

Let’s delve into who the Rex Ambassador might be best suited for and give you some facts, shaving experience, and opinions after a month of putting this precision-made razor through its six levels of aggressiveness.

The Brand – The USA based company that makes the Ambassador is the Rex Supply Co. which makes and sells vintage type shaving products that are modernized. Razor Emporium is the company and its people that created Rex Supply Co., which is a separate brand and company.

Rex Ambassador Description & Features

The Rex Ambassador is a fairly new razor on the market that was introduced during 2017 after being announced at The Big Shave S’West event.

Although the Ambassador has only been on the market since 2017, its design and use were born out of ideas based on taking the best out of the old and dearly loved vintage Gillette’s and a Merkur razor (34C). You could say it’s vintage-inspired!

• Materials and Finish – Made from 316L marine grade stainless steel for strength, durability and longevity which most stainless steel safety razors are made with. The stainless steel has a brushed finish.
• Handle – The handle is deeply knurled which provides maximum grip that’s non-slip.
• Closed Comb – The razors bottom edge is known as a closed comb, which means there are no teeth with gaps. The Ambassador has a flat bottom plate.
• Two Parts – To take this razor apart you’ll undo the twist nut at the bottom which will allow the top of the head with a long threaded post to be pulled out.
• Settings – The razor blade gap is adjusted via the adjustable knob under the razor head that has 6 settings in total. Users may also turn the dial to a half setting giving a total of 11 settings. Setting 1 is the mildest, and setting 6 is the most aggressive.
• Blade Replacement – As mentioned this is a two-part razor which is slightly easier when changing blades than a three-part and slightly harder than a butterfly type.
• Blade Gap Range – 0.012″ – 0.051″ (0.3048mm – 1.2954mm).
• Dimensions & Weight – Handle 79mm long x 13mm diameter, head width 44.2mm, overall length 88.7 mm and weight 110g.
• Serial Number – Rex Supply Co. has followed in Gillette’s footsteps and laser etched each model with its own personal serial number. The old Gillette dating system (2018 = N, 2019 = O, 2020 = P and R = 2021, etc.) has been used.
• Warranty – Razors come with a lifetime guarantee.

Here are three settings to give you an idea of the blade gap and aggressiveness from 1 – 6.

How Do I know Which Settings I should Use?

This may take some practice, and most adjustable razors do take a little time to get used to and find the best setting.

The first place to begin is with the lowest setting, and if you find it too mild, then on that current shave, dial it up one setting to setting 2.

After setting 2 dial it up once more to setting three and so on until you find the setting that gives you the closest and most comfortable shave without getting any nasty nicks.

I have done the above, and many others do the same. With a few days of growth users can shave on a setting 3 or higher then reduce down on the next pass dialing the setting down to 2 or 1.

It is also worth noting that generally, the more growth and the tougher the beard, the higher the setting should be.

Those prone to nicks and regularly have small spots might find they pick up nicks and cuts too easily on the higher settings. Then those prone to razor bumps may find the higher settings and only making two passes is better and avoids the irritation caused by the lower settings and more passes.

For those prone to nicks and regularly have small spots might find they pick up nicks and cuts too easy on the higher settings……………

My advice would be to go slow but don’t be afraid to push up to the higher levels to get that super close shave once you get a feel of the razor.

I found this useful guide provided by Rockwell Razors a great starter guide that you can be flexible with.

• Setting 1 – Sensitive skin, spots prone to cuts and nicks, shaving 5 0’clock shadow, start with this when starting from using cartridge razors, body shaving sensitive areas.
• Setting 2 – Somewhat sensitive skin, spots prone to irritation, shaving heavier 5 o’clock shadow, shaving every 1 – 2 days, general body shaving.
• Setting 3 – Average skin, skin that’s sometimes irritated by cartridges, short stubble, shaving every 1 – 3 days, head shaving.
• Setting 4 – Hardier skin, somewhat prone to razor bumps, prone to ingrown hairs, longer stubble, shaving every 3 – 5 days.
• Setting 5 – Hardy skin, coarse facial hair, prone to razor bumps and ingrown hairs, short beards, shaving every 5 – 7 days.
• Setting 6 – Hardy skin, coarse facial hair, prone to razor bumps and ingrown hairs, long beards, shaving every 7+ days.

The wonderful thing about the Rex Ambassador is it really covers very mild to highly aggressive perfectly. It nails it better than most!

How Well Does The Rex Ambassador Perform And Shave?

I am glad you asked! $249.00 USD (£239 GBP – €279 EU) is a lot of dosh to part with for a razor. I paid the £239 reluctantly, so it had to impress me or it was going back.

As always, I spent a month testing out this razor with various days of growth and on different settings, and I was happy to test out head shaving with it as well. Adjustable razors always take more time to get familiar and comfortable with, unlike standard DE razors.

When I first held the Rex Ambassador, it felt and looked like a high quality razor which was a good start.

I used setting 6 on four days of growth and it was a little aggressive for me. I toned it down to setting four which was fine.

Setting 2 was very good on 2 – 3 days growth and shaving my bonce.

The razor on every shave was very comfortable. There was no dragging despite not being chrome plated, and the low profile head was perfect for shaving sideburns and under the nose area.

Unlike an adjustable razor like the Merkur Futur, it is very good at offering blade gap options between mild and aggressive, giving almost any person a level that can work for them.

I love using my Merkur 34C for a mild-medium shave and the Ambassador has a similar feel, only it’s a bit more weighty and offers more grip, which I really like.

Settings two to four are the only settings I need to use for now, which offer enough flexibility in terms of how many days growth I need to shave off.

Like all adjustable razors, I don’t seem to get past only needing two settings, and I am happy with my go-to razors at the moment and use the Merkur 34C for mild-medium shaving and the Muhle R41 for shaving 4 days or more growth. I guess that setting one is similar to the Merkur 34C, and setting 6 is close to the Muhle R41, although there are differences.

Before testing out the Rex Ambassador the best adjustable for me was the Merkur Progress because it offered that mildness when needed. However, now I have shaved with the Rex; it is a much better quality adjustable that offers that mildness and more, which should do for the price.

Look & Design – 10/10

Nothing beats the vintage design of the Rex Ambassador when comparing other adjustable razors. The finish is outstanding and still looks just as attractive as chrome-plated types.

The low profile head and the slightly narrowed in bottom lip of the base plate make shaving in awkward areas easier and should make shaving shapes around beards easy and better.

Making blade adjustments is easy and safe that does not require touching the blade head. It is all done via the handle.

The only thing I could say that is slightly negative about the design is what someone else mentioned –the small red dot for alignment is very small.

Handle and Grip 10/10

The handle is only 79 mm long and the overall length is 88.7mm. This is short and kind of stubby, and the shortest modern adjustable of today, which is great for those that don’t want or need a long handled type, but not so great for those that must have a longer handle.

Transitioning from cartridge razors left me always thinking I needed a long handle. Then when I used the Merkur 34C it changed me and I fell in love with using these stubby types and found I had more control with these rather than what I thought would be less control.

Weight and Balance – 9/10

The Ambassador weighs in at 110g, which is quite hefty for a safety razor and about average for an adjustable type. This is favorable for most wet shaving guys, especially when weight supports letting the razor do some of the shaving work.

A nice balance, with the head taking slightly more of the load while shaving, which makes it function well.

Ease of Use – 9/10

I definitely found using the adjustment mechanism without touching the head a positive attribute and the flexibility of being able to use the razor from very mild to highly aggressive and everything in between made everything as easy as it could be.

Value for Money – 8/10

It’s hard to measure the value for money aspect of a razor that costs as much as the Rex Ambassador. It could be quite easy to write it off as it is overpriced for any razor.

However…………

It is of very high quality, and if it fits the needs of users well enough and they are into their top-quality shaving supplies then it is worth it. It’s also a razor for life!

Any Common Consumer Issues, Complaints or Positive Reports?

There have not been as many reports on the Rex Ambassador compared to other adjustable razors. This is likely due to the fact of the cost and how long it has been on the market.

Most of the consumers have been guys that have used many safety razors and tried other adjustable types, and they all praise the standard of quality and the closeness of its shave.

Final Thoughts – and who is the Rex Ambassador best suited for?

I would suggest the Rex is a razor for those that have used other safety razors and possibly at least one adjustable type. The reason being the quality of this razor would become much more apparent once other razors have been used, which would give it chance to shine.

While it is very expensive –put these thoughts aside about the money for a moment–, then out of any adjustable, the Ambassador wins hands down.

If you’re a fan of adjustable razors then I would be very surprised if the Rex Ambassador didn’t prove to be the best out there you’ve used.

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