No Mozart please! And if there has to be Strauss, let it be Richard.
Quest for less technology
- Thread starter blethenstrom
- Start date
No Mozart please! And if there has to be Strauss, let it be Richard.
- Thread starter
- #1,862
Evening shave - 3/23/24
Razor: Swing SB
Blade: Personna Platinum (Germany) (5)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: AV Musk
Rating: 8.5/10, DFS+
First outing with the Swedish Swing razor. It is certainly a more blade forward razor that I am used to and I obviously was not careful enough and ended up with some irritation. I had some missed areas, but it was plenty, almost too close of a shave.
Evening shave - 3/24/24
Razor: KCG
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: Clubman VIBR
Rating: 9.75/10, DFS++
New blade to me in the Tiger Platinum. I know it can be a polarizing blade, but it performed quite well. No issues. Not quite as sharp as the Personna Platinum that I was previously using, but plenty good enough. It was very smooth though. No complaints.
This shaving weekend was a weekend of firsts. First I received a very kind gift from all our own @Guido75. He sent me a box of goodies and I will reveal them as we go along, but the first thing was a Swedish Swing SB razor! I have coveted one of these for quite some time and they are on the more difficult side to find on this side of the pond. @Guido75 actually wrote a very nice review of these razors here.
Review - Swedish Swing SB - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/review-swedish-swing-sb.634943/
Seem like they were made between 1923 and 1952. The Swing razors do not have a date code so it is difficult to tell when it was made. The one he sent me has a Bakelite handle. So how was the shave?
I decided to use the Personna Platinum that had a number of shaves on it with it. I knew from @Guido75 's comments before that this razor is on the more blade forward side and that is a correct assessment. It is certainly a razor that you have to be alert using. It can bite you in a hurry. However, once you master this one it will be a very efficient razor for you. I did put on the KCG handle on it instead of the Bakelite one. I did not want to damage it in any way. This made the razor a bit heavier, but I think more balanced since the Bakelite handle is very light.
My shave went pretty well I would say. I did have a lapse of attention and nicked myself below my left ear. It was not a big deal and it was completely my fault and not the razor. I did my normal 3 passes and I indeed witnessed the efficiency of this razor. It mowed down my 36 hour stubble with ease, but I also think that it scraped off a good layer of skin as well causing me the irritation. I got a very respectable shave, but I could tell that it was a bit much for my skin. Looking at my skin post shave I could tell that the razor scaped off quite a bit of skin. The alum confirmed this to me with some stout assertiveness and that followed my the AS.
It is a razor that demand respect and it is one that I need to learn to use. This seems to be the case for me on any of my more efficient razors. It was however a smooth shaver and I think it will become a staple in my razor stable.
My second new thing this weekend was @Balin 's favorite razor blade bar none! The wonderful Tiger Platinum! I got this blade with my Greencult GC 1.1 razor and I only have a single blade for now. However, I do think that I also have a full tuck left over from my sample pack. I will be using up all those in the next year or so. I decided to play it safe incase this blade was a disaster so I put it in the mild KCG razor and went to town. I could tell it was not up to Personna Platinum in sharpness, but it was not bad either. It was smooth and I had no issues whatsoever to get a great shave with it. I got not irritation and it was plenty close for a DFS++. Now I probably will have to change to a bit more efficient razor later in the week to finish it off, but I do not think that I will have a problem using this blade for an entire week (6 shaves) unless the sharpness falls off drastically or it gets super rough. The Tiger was more like a kitty cat that wanted it's belly scratched.
Happy shaving everyone!
Razor: Swing SB
Blade: Personna Platinum (Germany) (5)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: AV Musk
Rating: 8.5/10, DFS+
First outing with the Swedish Swing razor. It is certainly a more blade forward razor that I am used to and I obviously was not careful enough and ended up with some irritation. I had some missed areas, but it was plenty, almost too close of a shave.
Evening shave - 3/24/24
Razor: KCG
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: Clubman VIBR
Rating: 9.75/10, DFS++
New blade to me in the Tiger Platinum. I know it can be a polarizing blade, but it performed quite well. No issues. Not quite as sharp as the Personna Platinum that I was previously using, but plenty good enough. It was very smooth though. No complaints.
This shaving weekend was a weekend of firsts. First I received a very kind gift from all our own @Guido75. He sent me a box of goodies and I will reveal them as we go along, but the first thing was a Swedish Swing SB razor! I have coveted one of these for quite some time and they are on the more difficult side to find on this side of the pond. @Guido75 actually wrote a very nice review of these razors here.
Review - Swedish Swing SB - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/review-swedish-swing-sb.634943/
Seem like they were made between 1923 and 1952. The Swing razors do not have a date code so it is difficult to tell when it was made. The one he sent me has a Bakelite handle. So how was the shave?
I decided to use the Personna Platinum that had a number of shaves on it with it. I knew from @Guido75 's comments before that this razor is on the more blade forward side and that is a correct assessment. It is certainly a razor that you have to be alert using. It can bite you in a hurry. However, once you master this one it will be a very efficient razor for you. I did put on the KCG handle on it instead of the Bakelite one. I did not want to damage it in any way. This made the razor a bit heavier, but I think more balanced since the Bakelite handle is very light.
My shave went pretty well I would say. I did have a lapse of attention and nicked myself below my left ear. It was not a big deal and it was completely my fault and not the razor. I did my normal 3 passes and I indeed witnessed the efficiency of this razor. It mowed down my 36 hour stubble with ease, but I also think that it scraped off a good layer of skin as well causing me the irritation. I got a very respectable shave, but I could tell that it was a bit much for my skin. Looking at my skin post shave I could tell that the razor scaped off quite a bit of skin. The alum confirmed this to me with some stout assertiveness and that followed my the AS.
It is a razor that demand respect and it is one that I need to learn to use. This seems to be the case for me on any of my more efficient razors. It was however a smooth shaver and I think it will become a staple in my razor stable.
My second new thing this weekend was @Balin 's favorite razor blade bar none! The wonderful Tiger Platinum! I got this blade with my Greencult GC 1.1 razor and I only have a single blade for now. However, I do think that I also have a full tuck left over from my sample pack. I will be using up all those in the next year or so. I decided to play it safe incase this blade was a disaster so I put it in the mild KCG razor and went to town. I could tell it was not up to Personna Platinum in sharpness, but it was not bad either. It was smooth and I had no issues whatsoever to get a great shave with it. I got not irritation and it was plenty close for a DFS++. Now I probably will have to change to a bit more efficient razor later in the week to finish it off, but I do not think that I will have a problem using this blade for an entire week (6 shaves) unless the sharpness falls off drastically or it gets super rough. The Tiger was more like a kitty cat that wanted it's belly scratched.
Happy shaving everyone!
I am glad it worked for you!! I gave up on that blade after 2 shaves so hopefully you get the longevity to you are looking for!
I would say a successful run Boris! I believe my first shave was also paired with some redness. But in the end a fabulous razor indeed.
I am glad it is up your alley. Give it some consecutive shaves to get a better feel for it.
Enjoy!
Guido
Edit - PS I think @mgweatherly has a similar first shave as we did so it must be us and not the razor.
Check. No way to tell. Yours is the same as mine though so that’s a good sign.
Again check. It is more blade forward than a Blackbird with a bigger gap than a Timeless 95 so go figure. I think it competes with both in terms of a smooth and very close shave.
Same here. The Bakelite handle is in its case and I don’t use it. I use a Razorock a Barberpole instead. I can see the KCG handle working very well too.
Hmm…yes it can be exfoliating, but we should also thread lightly with this one. I myself had to learn to release my pressure even more than I usually do.
I am glad it is up your alley. Give it some consecutive shaves to get a better feel for it.
Enjoy!
Guido
Edit - PS I think @mgweatherly has a similar first shave as we did so it must be us and not the razor.
- Thread starter
- #1,866
Oh yes it will see some use here this week with the Tiger since I have now figured out that it is not ferocious and quite harmless. I believe that it will take light touch and I will be just fine. Give me a week's worth of shaves and I'll be good to go.
Based on my statistics the Swing and Tiger go very well together. Tiger blade on shave 8 still have great results in the Swing. Looking forward to your reports!Oh yes it will see some use here this week with the Tiger since I have now figured out that it is not ferocious and quite harmless. I believe that it will take light touch and I will be just fine. Give me a week's worth of shaves and I'll be good to go.
Cheers,
Guido
Way to go @Guido75, again this is what makes this forum more of a family.
This pretty much mirrors what I felt and I initially believe @Guido75 felt as well, not bad, not good, very acceptable. I found that my best shave with the Tiger was the third one, the 4th one was more in line with the first two. Shave 5 is tomorrow. I'll make it to the end of my 5 shaves. I may use the KCG next, as I have a tuck, but that would be another open tuck, but I'm not counting the number of open tucks.
Thanks John - I hope Boris will enjoy it for a long time.
KCG is my number one blade. I haven’t used it often this past year - in part because they are so darn expensive. But to me a fabulous blade.
Cheers,
Guido
I've had my best shaves not using Tiger or Shark blades.. May it continue. <eg>
I have a tuck of Sharks also, maybe that is up next in the rotation.
- Thread starter
- #1,872
Evening shave - 3/25/24
Razor: Swing SB
Blade: Tiger Platinum (2)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: AV Classic
Rating: 9/10, DFS
A bit of a confusing shave. It felt like a good close shave, but the result seems like it was not as close as originally I had thought. I have a lot more stubble showing up 12 hours after the shave than normal. Still it was a comfortable shave, but it felt a bit rough in areas. No irritation though and I am certainly presentable.
Very interesting shave. I went back to the Swing razor with the KCG handle. This time I loaded up the Tiger in it. The WTG felt nice and smooth without any issues and I was making sure I used a light hand. XTG pass went well as well. It felt like it was not being as efficient as I would have expected it. The ATG pass was a bit strange. It felt a bit rough in areas and it seemed almost like there was straggling stubble in areas. I am wondering if the blade was not up for this. I was able to shave though without any irritation, weepers, nicks, cuts so that is a win in my book. I was quite/fairly smooth after the shave. DFS I would say, but here this morning 12 hours after I can tell it was not that close of a shave. I am in the CCS range now I would say. Not sure if the Tiger is the best blade in the Swing for me. I know that @Guido75 had good fortune with that combo, but I may try something else tonight.
I received two packages yesterday. Shave mail, shave mail! I received my order for 200 Personna X-series. These are like bulk packed in groups of 100 in little boxes and not in tucks. I really do not mind that. However, when I looked at the back of the box I found that these are made in Israel. I did not know they made these in Israel. I did know that the more revered Personna blades are made there. I really like these and at ~$18 for 200 it was a bargain I think. When I tested them out a number of weeks ago I even took one out to 11 shaves and it did not even flinch.
I got another shave mail box yesterday and that was my PIF from @shave/brush and the Parker Solo Edge razor. This is a half DE blade razor and I am really looking forward to test it out. He even included a 100 pack of Parker single edge blades! The razor looks brand new and feels and looks great.
Lastly today on a more serious note I would like to add my prayers and thoughts for the families that lost someone in the bridge collapse in Baltimore, MD, US during night. A cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge that is on I-695 and the bridge collapsed. I have driven over this bridge many times. "Luckily" this happened during night when the traffic was light, but still lives were lost.
Razor: Swing SB
Blade: Tiger Platinum (2)
Soap: BSS #1
Brush: RazoRock Hive 24
Aftershave: AV Classic
Rating: 9/10, DFS
A bit of a confusing shave. It felt like a good close shave, but the result seems like it was not as close as originally I had thought. I have a lot more stubble showing up 12 hours after the shave than normal. Still it was a comfortable shave, but it felt a bit rough in areas. No irritation though and I am certainly presentable.
Very interesting shave. I went back to the Swing razor with the KCG handle. This time I loaded up the Tiger in it. The WTG felt nice and smooth without any issues and I was making sure I used a light hand. XTG pass went well as well. It felt like it was not being as efficient as I would have expected it. The ATG pass was a bit strange. It felt a bit rough in areas and it seemed almost like there was straggling stubble in areas. I am wondering if the blade was not up for this. I was able to shave though without any irritation, weepers, nicks, cuts so that is a win in my book. I was quite/fairly smooth after the shave. DFS I would say, but here this morning 12 hours after I can tell it was not that close of a shave. I am in the CCS range now I would say. Not sure if the Tiger is the best blade in the Swing for me. I know that @Guido75 had good fortune with that combo, but I may try something else tonight.
I received two packages yesterday. Shave mail, shave mail! I received my order for 200 Personna X-series. These are like bulk packed in groups of 100 in little boxes and not in tucks. I really do not mind that. However, when I looked at the back of the box I found that these are made in Israel. I did not know they made these in Israel. I did know that the more revered Personna blades are made there. I really like these and at ~$18 for 200 it was a bargain I think. When I tested them out a number of weeks ago I even took one out to 11 shaves and it did not even flinch.
I got another shave mail box yesterday and that was my PIF from @shave/brush and the Parker Solo Edge razor. This is a half DE blade razor and I am really looking forward to test it out. He even included a 100 pack of Parker single edge blades! The razor looks brand new and feels and looks great.
Lastly today on a more serious note I would like to add my prayers and thoughts for the families that lost someone in the bridge collapse in Baltimore, MD, US during night. A cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge that is on I-695 and the bridge collapsed. I have driven over this bridge many times. "Luckily" this happened during night when the traffic was light, but still lives were lost.
Last edited:
I read about that tragedy this morning. Terrible. Prayers are sent.
If you do ever use them, make sure its just to spite me
!!The Tigers are a finnicky beast. Once you think you have them figured out.....
Prayers sent for the affected of that tragedy, Boris. At least it wasn’t worse
- Thread starter
- #1,877
Yeah at least it was not rush hour and people parked on the bridge. We can be very thankful for that. I watched a video and it seems like the cargo ship lost power a bit before it hit the pilon. Then power came back on and smoke was billowing out. I think they lost control of it and they already had momentum and once they got back power it was too late.
I made it through my 5 shaves with them, I did feel 5 was pushing it, which I don't feel on any other blade. Since you share the same affinity with Shark blades I may try that one next. I saw mine are made in the Lords factory in Egypt, did you @Balin have the same experience with Lord Super Stainless blades as you did with the Shark and Tigers?
Just to be clear, good fortune perhaps but it’s obviously no go to blade either. Coincidentally since we’re using that blade in our Bonanza - best shave with the Swing last year was with a Shark blade. Dolphinic according to my notes.
- Thread starter
- #1,880
Yeah I can see that it will not be a go to blade for me either. I think it is lacking, but we will see where this leads. I will follow where it takes me. Note taken that sharks worked well. I will certainly try them out in it.
Similar threads
