I've been slowly working my way thru a bundle of blades a friend sent me about a year ago.
Slowly because I only shave once or twice a week (blasphemous of course, but SWMBO likes the stubble), and I alternate between my 1961 Super Speed and a 1940's Tech.
Well, I've gone thru Wilkinsons, Derbys, 7 O'clocks, and... well... I was feeling a little like I had a two digit IQ or something. I could never really tell the difference between blade brands - although thankfully I could distiguish between the two razors loaded with the same brand of blade.
Finishing up a brace of 7 O'Clocks, I reached into backstock for the next candidate.
"What came to the top of the pile?" you ask?
Ya, yoo-betcha... the Feathers.
Loaded one in each razor and had at it with the SS.
"Holy SHIT, Batman!!!"
I had weepers galore, even though I'd been careful to use zero pressure. Overall, the shave was terrifically irregular - caused mostly by the shock of the operator, I'm sure.
Most of all, I felt a strong regret that I hadn't chosen the milder Tech for the first test drive.
Showing posts with label Wilkinson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wilkinson. Show all posts
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I'm Back!
Geez...! Has it really been six months since I posted here!? That was a BAD sidetrack.
Anyway, I'm back. I've been shaving every 5 - 7 days in the mean time. Mostly with the Derbys. the current blades are getting close to being finished. I'll hav to come up with some way to objectively rate them. The only thing I have to compare them to is six month old memory of the Wilkinsons.
Lisa and I took a drving trip to S. Dakota in late June - early July. We stopped at numerous antique stores on the way there & back, and I picked up several old Gillettes, a very cool silver and glass shaving mug (probably actually silver plate), and brush.
I'll get photos and publish in a separate post.
Anyway, I'm back. I've been shaving every 5 - 7 days in the mean time. Mostly with the Derbys. the current blades are getting close to being finished. I'll hav to come up with some way to objectively rate them. The only thing I have to compare them to is six month old memory of the Wilkinsons.
Lisa and I took a drving trip to S. Dakota in late June - early July. We stopped at numerous antique stores on the way there & back, and I picked up several old Gillettes, a very cool silver and glass shaving mug (probably actually silver plate), and brush.
I'll get photos and publish in a separate post.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Shave of the Day - Jan. 24
The ShaveMyFace.com resident blade connoisseur, Squire, sent me a stick of Arko Shave Soap a couple of weeks ago (along with a nice sampling of blades and a couple of vials of cologne - see below. Many thanks, Squire!). Due to circumstances I only got to trying it this morning.
I followed his advice and chopped and mushed it up and pressed it into a mug. I have to say, using the trusty Tweezerman brush, I was able to whip up a MUCH better lather than I have with the Williams I've been using up to this point. Went on my face nice & thick, and stayed. There was enough lather left in the mug for a second pass, and even a third, even though I don't do three. The lather remained nice & thick all the way through my second pass as well, another plus. Having the lather thin out or collapse during my second pass has been an issue with the Williams.
All in all, a nice close shave with my Gillette Gold Tech loaded with a Wilkinson blade, and the Arko.
Even more to my delight, the Arko did this at a time when I all of a sudden realized my water softener was out of salt and we've been bathing with a fine clear limestone dust instead of actual liquid H2O. Can't wait to shave again when the water goes soft in a day or two.
One last thing - this stuff is about $1.33 per stick when purchased in bulk (15 sticks) from Amazon.com.
I followed his advice and chopped and mushed it up and pressed it into a mug. I have to say, using the trusty Tweezerman brush, I was able to whip up a MUCH better lather than I have with the Williams I've been using up to this point. Went on my face nice & thick, and stayed. There was enough lather left in the mug for a second pass, and even a third, even though I don't do three. The lather remained nice & thick all the way through my second pass as well, another plus. Having the lather thin out or collapse during my second pass has been an issue with the Williams.
All in all, a nice close shave with my Gillette Gold Tech loaded with a Wilkinson blade, and the Arko.
Even more to my delight, the Arko did this at a time when I all of a sudden realized my water softener was out of salt and we've been bathing with a fine clear limestone dust instead of actual liquid H2O. Can't wait to shave again when the water goes soft in a day or two.
One last thing - this stuff is about $1.33 per stick when purchased in bulk (15 sticks) from Amazon.com.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Shave of the Day - Jan. 18
Back to my trusty Gillette Super Speed and Wilkinson Sword blade - two passes as usual - and back to my near BBS shave. I'll still try the Tech with more aggressive blades, but for now will use up the Wilkinsons that are loaded in both the SS and Tech.
I would like to try the Arko that my "patron" on ShaveMyFace.com sent me before I wear the Wilkinsons out. He recommends pulverizing the stick and pressing it into a mug before using. Will need to do that next.
I would like to try the Arko that my "patron" on ShaveMyFace.com sent me before I wear the Wilkinsons out. He recommends pulverizing the stick and pressing it into a mug before using. Will need to do that next.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Shave of the Day - Nov. 17
Again with the Gillette Super Speed, Wilkinson blade, and Williams soap, lathered by hand. Fifth shave with the blade.
I tried a suggestion I found on the ShaveMyFace.com forum and rubbed the moist but not wet cake of Williams right on my face. I then wet my hands in very hot water and rubbed my face. I got what I felt was a very nice lather (still waiting for the brush to come in the mail).
As always, I did a first pass with the grain. I'm feeling much more comfortable with the razor, getting more used to the heft and balance. I rinsed and relathered, then did a pass against the grain. This pass caused a little irritation. I'm not sure if the blade is getting old or if it was due to technique. I find myself getting a bit nervous and shaky around my adams apple and my chin line. I'd also had several cups of high caffine coffee by this point in the morning, and that may have had something to do with things.
At any rate, I got a reasonably close shave, although not as close as last time. This one was much more irritating as well, along with several red fluid weepers. I did a final hot water rinse to get rid of the lather, then a cold rinse to stop the weepers, and hopped in the shower. I can't yet bring myself to shower before the shave.
I'll continue to hone my technique, and will soon begin trying different soaps and creams. I can see the line of shaving mugs along my sink ledge already.
I tried a suggestion I found on the ShaveMyFace.com forum and rubbed the moist but not wet cake of Williams right on my face. I then wet my hands in very hot water and rubbed my face. I got what I felt was a very nice lather (still waiting for the brush to come in the mail).
As always, I did a first pass with the grain. I'm feeling much more comfortable with the razor, getting more used to the heft and balance. I rinsed and relathered, then did a pass against the grain. This pass caused a little irritation. I'm not sure if the blade is getting old or if it was due to technique. I find myself getting a bit nervous and shaky around my adams apple and my chin line. I'd also had several cups of high caffine coffee by this point in the morning, and that may have had something to do with things.
At any rate, I got a reasonably close shave, although not as close as last time. This one was much more irritating as well, along with several red fluid weepers. I did a final hot water rinse to get rid of the lather, then a cold rinse to stop the weepers, and hopped in the shower. I can't yet bring myself to shower before the shave.
I'll continue to hone my technique, and will soon begin trying different soaps and creams. I can see the line of shaving mugs along my sink ledge already.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Blade Sharpness
I have to admit, these days I shave so seldom that a blade lasts me weeks, perhaps well over a month. I used to push the Mach 3 blades I used as far as I could, way into dullness, just because they were so stinkin' expensive - pushing $4 per cartridge.
However, a down side to this practice is my belief that a blade starts deteriorating after the first shave, due to water and residual whiskers and cream on the blade after that first shave, even with vigorous rinsing and shaking. I think this is time-based, not just due to the number of shaves on the blade. If you buy the theory, a six week old blade with six shaves on it would be in much worse shape than a two week old blade with six shaves behind it.
I think there's something to this, because once upon a time I shaved nearly every day. Only when I began to stretch the time between shaves did I notice that time seemed to be part of the equation when it came to a dulling blade. Of course, part of the problem could well be the fact that a blade used once a week is cutting a longer, heavier whisker than a blade used every day or two.
My DE Wilkinson blade now has four shaves on it over the course of about three weeks, and I think I can tell that it's not as sharp as it was. However, it's still doing pretty well, and that pack of five blades cost me a little over $2. So I'm going to get possibly 100 shaves (two packs, 10 blades, 10 shaves per blade) for roughly the cost of ONE Mach 3 cartridge, which might give me ten or twelve shaves if I push it, the last four or five being quite miserable.
However, a down side to this practice is my belief that a blade starts deteriorating after the first shave, due to water and residual whiskers and cream on the blade after that first shave, even with vigorous rinsing and shaking. I think this is time-based, not just due to the number of shaves on the blade. If you buy the theory, a six week old blade with six shaves on it would be in much worse shape than a two week old blade with six shaves behind it.
I think there's something to this, because once upon a time I shaved nearly every day. Only when I began to stretch the time between shaves did I notice that time seemed to be part of the equation when it came to a dulling blade. Of course, part of the problem could well be the fact that a blade used once a week is cutting a longer, heavier whisker than a blade used every day or two.
My DE Wilkinson blade now has four shaves on it over the course of about three weeks, and I think I can tell that it's not as sharp as it was. However, it's still doing pretty well, and that pack of five blades cost me a little over $2. So I'm going to get possibly 100 shaves (two packs, 10 blades, 10 shaves per blade) for roughly the cost of ONE Mach 3 cartridge, which might give me ten or twelve shaves if I push it, the last four or five being quite miserable.
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