I'm a Tech fan at least Fat Handle. I thought it was a STAR. My dad gave it to me in a bakelite STAR case and it had a pack of STAR blades. It wasn't until I got on B&B and glm38 and BBS-1 set me strait that it was a Fat Handle Tech and not a STAR at all. That being the case I've been a Gillette Fat Handle Tech since the 60's ... Just didn't know it.
Calling All Tech Fans
- Thread starter TinyT
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I have a 1931 NEW SC and enjoy how it shaves.
Very clean and smooth.
Brass is in my DNA.
Congratulations on your find!
I am certain you will enjoy shaving with your new Post-war Tech.
I will let you know.
Our beard types are different and your posts have been very helpful to me. Thanks!
Hm. I do have a 1950s Ball Handle English Tech. So far I don't like it. I can go multiple times with the same angle over the same location and get the same sound of cutting hair. I don't want to exclude that my technique is not optimal. My preferred razors are the Old Types and the English No.58 TTO.
You are most welcome.
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- #126
It's just soap residue, I think what looks a bit like rust is actually the clean part of the edge appearing dark in the photograph. If I bothered to wipe the blade it would most likely look as good as new. Its 9 shaves in and requiring some care with technique but I think there's a bit more life in it yet.
What blade are you using? Try a Feather.
In all likelihood you answered your own question. The Tech has a "sweet spot", you just need to find it. A "sharper" blade is not the answer as no blade mysteriously shaves closer as that's not possible scientifically as it's locked into position. A top tier blade will shave smoother (which is actually sharpness).
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- #129
This relates directly to a question I'm trying to get to the bottom of in my journal. Is sharper smoother? It seems that you're suggesting that a smoother feeling blade feels smoother precisely because it is sharper. This is what I find to be the logical conclusion from a theoretical standpoint. I have yet to determine whether this holds true in practice. In fact, I used a Shark blade yesterday, a blade I've not like until now and I was surprised at the smoothness of the shave it gave. However, the resulting shave was not as close as others that have felt significantly rougher mid shave. Of course there could be other reasons for a rougher mid shave feel, lather and technique in particular. It still throws a spanner in the works though.
When it comes to DE blades, this is pretty much what I've been saying all along;
If a blade tugs, I dont believe its because its "dull". I believe the blade coatings to be incompatible with the hair type its trying to cut.
Thats also why I believe Derby Extra blades work so well for me. They're a perfect match for my hair type. I just used one last shave and I'm still amazed how smooth, close and comfortable that shave was. All of my Derby Extra blades are the pre 2015-16 version that no one likes. I'm glad have ~260 of them left.
If a blade tugs, I dont believe its because its "dull". I believe the blade coatings to be incompatible with the hair type its trying to cut.
Thats also why I believe Derby Extra blades work so well for me. They're a perfect match for my hair type. I just used one last shave and I'm still amazed how smooth, close and comfortable that shave was. All of my Derby Extra blades are the pre 2015-16 version that no one likes. I'm glad have ~260 of them left.
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- #132
Thanks, I've just read the original posts and the attachments in brief. It explains a lot. It also appears that 'sharp' or 'sharper' as words don't really mean all that much from a scientific standpoint when discussing the edges of razor blades.
All of this would make the answer to my question is sharper smoother?, no. Smooth is smooth, and it depends on the specific hair hair type of the individual using it. All razor blades are sharp; I might like some more than others, not because they're sharper but because the coatings suit me and my hair type.
All blades are sharp, extremely sharp. They dont all have the same coatings however nor order of which they're applied.
GSB for example is a blade loved by virtually everyone. For me though they're, literally, a bloody nightmare.
GSB. This is a blade I've really wanted to like because so many regard it so highly. I was less than impressed with it in my Brit Rocket as it was a tuck in my first sample pack. In that razor I found it lacking sharpness. I was still unimpressed on first use in my NEW SC, again feeling a lack of sharpness. On second use in that razor it gave me a better shave. Smooth, adequately sharp and I had a comfortable shave using a rather shallow angle.
I had hopes I'd like it even more in this razor.
Oh yes, there was blood. A lot of it too.
First stroke mid ear to the base of my neck it felt really pretty good. Slight tugging at the base of my neck, a little more so than what I would call "normal" with my NEW SC. Enough to make me pay attention.
Slowly work my way across my face repeating the full length strokes everywhere but the face of my chin. Considerable tugging there and on my upper lip. However, I had what I felt was a very close first pass, but I had blood from five different places. Most notably from the right corner of my mouth, and slight irritation on my neck.
Wet my hand, shake off the excess water, wipe and feel to spread out the remaining lather. How surprised I was that I had gone from a 40 grit face to an 80 grit face. Not nearly as close as I had thought.
Lather up to commence the second battle. Patton himself would have been proud. Harsh and tuggy, really uncomfortable and I could see the redness on my neck growing angrily. Blood showing through the lather. I had blood in the lather on my face in 5 places. Blood on my razor from shaving that lather off. Blood in my sink floating in the lather from rinsing the razor. Blood on my brush and in my bowl.
I should add that I had started the second pass with a shallower angle hoping to reduce that harshness, but only increasing the tugging. I shifted to a steeper angle and stopped a lot of the tugging, but this blade became quite harsh for me.
I assumed the 3rd ATG pass would be an easier shave, and to a point I was right, but I knew I wouldnt be able to bear any clean up passes so I stopped after my 3rd full pass.
Even just rinsing with cold water stung and I had to do a lot of it trying to stop the bleeding. Finally I just wiped my face dry with a towel and let it stop on its own. Five minutes later I went back and rung out a wet hand towel and wiped the remaining blood off, then washed the towel out.
I believe the coatings on GSB, on contact with my stubble, flake off and those tiny flakes are like shards of glass and extremely sharp. I have never bled from a shave with any other blade like I have from GSB. For the first stroke with the razor they feel like a Gillette 7 O'Clock blade, sharp and smooth. From there on they get progressively worse through the shave.
The second shave with the same blade is better. I believe because that top coating, whatever it is, is mostly gone. By the 4th shave they might be the best blade on Earth but I'll never know.
Same razor, same soap, same brush, same direction of shave and number of passes, and yet, Derby Extra vastly outperforms GSB for me. How can that be? Its not the sharpness of the blade itself nor my technique because I can have a fantastic shave from a fresh Feather blade and actually prefer the first shave with one over subsequent shaves with the same blade. Theres only one rational explanation, the blade coatings.
This may not be the right way but I usually judge smoothness by noting post shave irritation. Stinging from the alum block or after shave to me suggest the blade isn't smooth. Duller blades that tug give my face a different kind of soreness post-shave. I like blades that don't tug and leave my face sore, while still not irritating my skin. Some really sharp blades almost always leave me with some irritation (looking at you Feather). Some seem to cut just as easy while usually leaving my skin perfectly calm (ex: 7 o'clock yellow). With some less sharp blades I can feel a little resistance but my skin is still calm (ex: Rapira Platinum Lux). Some less sharp blades don't make my face sore but still irritate.
Anyway, I judge sharpness by how easy they cut my chin whiskers and how close my shave feels afterward. I judge smoothness by post-shave irritation.
Edit: I don't judge blade sharpness or smoothness at all unless everything else I'm using is known to perform well in the past. Pre-shave prep, razor, soap, & brush must be known quantities before you can make any conclusions on the blade.
Anyway, I judge sharpness by how easy they cut my chin whiskers and how close my shave feels afterward. I judge smoothness by post-shave irritation.
Edit: I don't judge blade sharpness or smoothness at all unless everything else I'm using is known to perform well in the past. Pre-shave prep, razor, soap, & brush must be known quantities before you can make any conclusions on the blade.
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I struggled with the harshness from Feather blades for a year or more. I even used them in my Regent for the FFFMM using them for a month straight with the same razor, soap and brush trying to figure them out. I failed in that regard but learned much during that month.
Then I bought a tub of Pre de Provence No.63. On the first use of that soap all the harshness I felt from Feather blades was gone. Completely gone.
That was when I discovered a soap that was better for my skin. Just the same as some blade coatings are a better match to your hair type, some soaps will be a better match for your skin type.
Since then, the first blade I use with a new soap is Feather. If it passes the Feather test, it stays on my shelf.
Totally agree that soap is one of the most important parts of getting a good shave. I've got a good selection of soaps that work well for me at this point. Interesting that PdP 63 works well for you. Just proves YMMV for everything in shaving I guess. It didn't work at all for me. I tried it for a couple weeks, never got a good shave from it. Liked the scent though.
Its quad milled and really hard. I had to double my load time with a boar brush to get a lather I liked and didnt even try it with a badger. My synthetic loads it far easier.
Yeah, I mostly used a good synthetic with it since it seems to make about the best possible lather with any soap. I remember even though the lather looked great, it just didn't feel protective. I even tried using the puck like a stick a few times which is usually pretty effective with a hard soap. I used it long enough to be pretty sure I was getting as much as it could give. Still there was always a very pronounced and uncomfortable blade feel. Very similar to DR Harris creams to me in that respect. Just a case of YMMV I guess. Not everything works well for everyone.
Yeah, I agree. Cushion isnt the strongest aspect of PdP.
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- #140
I jest, of course. I remember reading that shave report, I doubt I'll forget it. Fun to read about but not a shave I'd want to emulate.
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