Differences are more pronounced with a seasoned blade.
EIGHTH ANNUAL "One Blade in February" Challenge - 2017 Edition
- Thread starter goby
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Differences are more pronounced with a seasoned blade.
Another Polsilver SI report. Shaves #19 and #20 in the books. The last week of shaves has been about the same. Additional effort with extra passes and touch up required to get a close shave. Giving attention to pressure to avoid any irritation of nicks. I am at a crossroads, I can use this blade but the shaves are becoming a chore. First pass is difficult with tugging and next passes take effort and just are not pleasant. I am going shave to shave now but may be bowing out.
That makes a lot of sense. I've tried blade flipping before and never really noticed a real difference until today. Then again, the farthest I ever took a blade before this month was around 10 shaves. I have lots to think about here and it's all just making the shaving experience more interesting to me. It makes me wish I could shave more often, but I'm already doing it daily.
Shave 25; Feather #25 + Merkur HD completed and still getting a good shave from this blade. It has settled down and not as keen an edge but the results are good. I am feeling it takes more force to cut the stubble so the razor does not feel like it is gliding as easily as before. Cannot complain about the results though.
Shave 25...Polsilver SI...NEW SC...
Face and head shave...
The Fatboy worked great yesterday level 9, so double shimed my SC. Took the blade gap from .023 to about .031.
This blade is done but it still works with a little work, it is smooth and dull. I was able to get a BBS shave everywhere except above my lip and my soul patch area, where it is DFS. My small briar patch on the left side of my chin is borderline. I went at it pretty hard, the blade just won't BBS those areas at this point.
The blade gap increased definitely helped.
3 more to go...
Face and head shave...
The Fatboy worked great yesterday level 9, so double shimed my SC. Took the blade gap from .023 to about .031.
This blade is done but it still works with a little work, it is smooth and dull. I was able to get a BBS shave everywhere except above my lip and my soul patch area, where it is DFS. My small briar patch on the left side of my chin is borderline. I went at it pretty hard, the blade just won't BBS those areas at this point.
The blade gap increased definitely helped.
3 more to go...
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E-1 Fatboy set to 9 Feather (25)
Head shave and beard line cleanup
The Feather has really been going downhill the last few days. If this wasn't one blade February I would toss it, but I think it will make it to the end. I'm still getting CCS results, but it's taking more work. I have to spend a little more time on my lather, go slow, and keep a shallow angle for the first pass. Second pass and cleanup still go smooth an quick though. I'm sure with more time and a third pass I could still get DFS results, but I'm a 2 pass shave kind of guy.
Head shave and beard line cleanup
The Feather has really been going downhill the last few days. If this wasn't one blade February I would toss it, but I think it will make it to the end. I'm still getting CCS results, but it's taking more work. I have to spend a little more time on my lather, go slow, and keep a shallow angle for the first pass. Second pass and cleanup still go smooth an quick though. I'm sure with more time and a third pass I could still get DFS results, but I'm a 2 pass shave kind of guy.
Twenty-fourth Shave of February
Blade: Polsilver SI (24)
Razor: Mühle R41 head on Knockout Bakelite handle
View attachment 764215
Thanks to @rabidus pointing out that the R41 may give more "blade chatter" than the previous razors I've used with this lovely blade... I've just had a super-awareness shaving session.
The result was a wonderful shave (and BBS again). The blade continues on its second "sharper," and this time also "smoother," phase.
Thanks rabidus, you're the man!
Glad I could help!
Gillette Old Type, ball-end handle, thick cap
Gillette Platinum-Plus (25)
Burma Shave boar brush
VDH/KMF, face lathered
Master Well Comb Blue and Mennen Afta Fresh skin conditioner.
First use of the Ball-end Old Type. For some reason it feels like I got a closer shave than with my Single Ring. I had to shorten my strokes considerably for pass number one, to keep the tugging down, but the second pass and clean up was good. Mild alum sting, but no visible irritation or redness.
Gillette Platinum-Plus (25)
Burma Shave boar brush
VDH/KMF, face lathered
Master Well Comb Blue and Mennen Afta Fresh skin conditioner.
First use of the Ball-end Old Type. For some reason it feels like I got a closer shave than with my Single Ring. I had to shorten my strokes considerably for pass number one, to keep the tugging down, but the second pass and clean up was good. Mild alum sting, but no visible irritation or redness.
Shaves 17 and 18 with the Kai.
Yesterday's shave (#17) was another with the iKon X3.
Today's shave (#18) was part of the Old vs. New Grudge Match, so I used the same Kai edge in both heads as I shaved. There was a pronounced difference between the two heads with the New being much more comfortable. I generally like the shave with the New over the Old but I'm wondering whether the fact that I'm using a more mature blade edge amplifies the difference.
Yesterday's shave (#17) was another with the iKon X3.
Today's shave (#18) was part of the Old vs. New Grudge Match, so I used the same Kai edge in both heads as I shaved. There was a pronounced difference between the two heads with the New being much more comfortable. I generally like the shave with the New over the Old but I'm wondering whether the fact that I'm using a more mature blade edge amplifies the difference.
Shave number 21 with this Shark Superior Stainless, shave 69 since I started using the blade.
Shave #20 - KAI Captain Titan Mild
It's not the blade . . . it's me!
Cal was kind enough to confirm my suspicion - that my issues around shaves 13-14 were largely because of my having gone over to a soap I'm just not very good at lathering (there's a period of practice coming up soon . . .), and when I went back to my standard tallow soaps (and paid attention) the blade was more than able to get through my usual 3-pass routine without giving me any issues during the shave itself.
But over the last few, the alum block has been telling me that there's a growing amount of irritation -- not major, but not usual, either.
I know I said I'd go to 25 to see what happened there, but I think I'll get another two shaves from the blade in the month and then move on. Partly I'm just eager to put a new blade in and see what those first 7 to 10 shaves are like in comparison to what I'm getting now. And partly I'm thinking 22 on an SE is a lot like 44 on a DE . . .
It's not the blade . . . it's me!
Cal was kind enough to confirm my suspicion - that my issues around shaves 13-14 were largely because of my having gone over to a soap I'm just not very good at lathering (there's a period of practice coming up soon . . .), and when I went back to my standard tallow soaps (and paid attention) the blade was more than able to get through my usual 3-pass routine without giving me any issues during the shave itself.
But over the last few, the alum block has been telling me that there's a growing amount of irritation -- not major, but not usual, either.
I know I said I'd go to 25 to see what happened there, but I think I'll get another two shaves from the blade in the month and then move on. Partly I'm just eager to put a new blade in and see what those first 7 to 10 shaves are like in comparison to what I'm getting now. And partly I'm thinking 22 on an SE is a lot like 44 on a DE . . .
Day 25 - Today I learned that going to a different soap can really change your results. The blade's performance was very similar to how it was yesterday, but I was able to nail down another BBS shave today when on my last blade flip, I only managed a DFS+ at the same point (I flip every 3 shaves). The only difference this time is that I started to 3017 a new soap -- RazoRock XX.
There's a lot to say about having enough soap to lather up properly. My fading puck of Haslinger was still doing very well, but I was probably severely underloading and my lathers weren't quite as slick and protective as I'd have liked. Being that I used the XX once before today, I was working off a full tub and had lots of soap to work with.
Minimal burn from alum in a couple spots, but nothing I haven't done with fresher blades. I've actually gotten more burn from this blade when it was fresher. This blade will last until the 28th for sure. I have one more shave on this side of the blade, then I'll flip for the 27th and 28th to finish the month.
There's a lot to say about having enough soap to lather up properly. My fading puck of Haslinger was still doing very well, but I was probably severely underloading and my lathers weren't quite as slick and protective as I'd have liked. Being that I used the XX once before today, I was working off a full tub and had lots of soap to work with.
Minimal burn from alum in a couple spots, but nothing I haven't done with fresher blades. I've actually gotten more burn from this blade when it was fresher. This blade will last until the 28th for sure. I have one more shave on this side of the blade, then I'll flip for the 27th and 28th to finish the month.
Shave number 22 with a Gillette Silver Blue in my I2 Slim. Today my soap was Bluebell Peppermint.
Shave #21: Polsilver SI, E1 Fatboy, Omega 80266 boar, PannaCrema Vetiver soap.
I was really thinking about bailing out at 20, shaves 12-20 have been increasing in effort needed for a close and comfortable shave. I really didn't want to start a new Polsilver to finish the month and I am starting a new theme for March so I think I will hang tough and try to finish February with 24 shaves on the PSI.
How about that @1Cal and @rabidus?
I was really thinking about bailing out at 20, shaves 12-20 have been increasing in effort needed for a close and comfortable shave. I really didn't want to start a new Polsilver to finish the month and I am starting a new theme for March so I think I will hang tough and try to finish February with 24 shaves on the PSI.
How about that @1Cal and @rabidus?
Personally Steve, I wouldn't even consider it. If I wasn't having a great shave, and the reason appeared to be the blade (more than one day running), I'd ditch it.Experimentation is great. But if I find something simply isn't working for me (after fair trial) I'll stop doing it. That's my two cents.
Day 25/Shave 5
Blade- Shark Super Chrome
Razor- Asylum Evolution
Brush- 22mm TGN Finest Banded Badger set into homemade handle (aka St. Helen's)
Soap- Tabac
Aftershave- Pinaud Clubman Special Reserve
Blade- Shark Super Chrome
Razor- Asylum Evolution
Brush- 22mm TGN Finest Banded Badger set into homemade handle (aka St. Helen's)
Soap- Tabac
Aftershave- Pinaud Clubman Special Reserve
Day 25
Shavecraft Tech / Polsilver Stainless (31)
Shavecraft Tech / Polsilver Stainless (31)
Twenty-fifth Shave of February
Blade: Polsilver SI (25)
Razor: Mühle R41 head on Knockout Bakelite handle
The Polsilver SI's blade feel has gone back to "normal/like-new" (vs. "sharper and smoother") today.
Yet another really nice BBS shave.
Blade: Polsilver SI (25)
Razor: Mühle R41 head on Knockout Bakelite handle
The Polsilver SI's blade feel has gone back to "normal/like-new" (vs. "sharper and smoother") today.
Yet another really nice BBS shave.
Open the Fatboy to level 9 and have at it!
