Participation PIF - The Mysterious KAI Blades

[Demolition]

Forty-fourth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Maggard 18mm Timber Wolf, Travel-Size
Soap: RazoRock Black Label

Due to the tiny size of the Maggard 18mm Timber Wolf, it needs a fairly heavy load of soap to make enough lather for a full shave. In this case, about ten swirls around the RR Black Label puck and I had enough rich, cushiony lather for my usual three-pass shave.

The slickness was slightly lacking, possibly due to a dearth of water, but that was no trouble, at all. As has become custom, the FOCS/Kai pairing provided a close, comfortable shave. The sensation of dullness has not resurfaced and there was no post-shave irritation.

At this rate, 50 shaves should be doable.

 

[Demolition]

[I lost track and made two entries titled "Forty-third shave". So, this is actually the...]

Forty-sixth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip
Soap: RazoRock Green Label

Normally, the Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip is only a fair performer, due to its inherent floppiness and propensity to hog up lather, but today's outing was actually very good. A moderate load of RR Green Label produced enough thick, cushiony lather for six passes.

The slickness of the lather was excellent, so the FOCS/Kai pairing had an easy time of it. My usual three passes were effortless and irritation-free.

Meanwhile, I tried to clean the blade again. As before, the stains will not budge. It's not affecting the performance, but it's really getting unsightly. Oh well, as long as it's not rusty, then I'll just keep going!

 

[albsat]

How did I miss this post. One of the blades I have always wanted to try.

 

[woodwzrd]

Blade 1 Shave 20

Pre Shave: Hot shower and Stirling Rosemary Mint shampoo bar
Razor: WCS Toothsome head
Blade: Kai (20)
Brush: Maggard Synthetic
Soap: CBL Grassroots Lavender
AS Balm: Fussy Duck Ginger Lime
AS: Pinaud Citrus Musk

I haven't shaved since last Thursday so ?I was expecting a little more of a challenge and possible some discomfort this morning but that was not the case. Shave 20 was just as good as 5 or 10 or 15. With a little longer stubble this morning there was plenty of blade reports but no tugging or discomfort. Just another nice smooth three pass shave.

This was only the second time that I have used the CBL Grassroots Lavender soap and I didn't think it was as slick as some of my other soaps. The Fuzzy Duck balm is almost like a lotion. It feels great on my skin and is absorbed fairly quick. The Citrus musk has kind of a heavy Lemon Pledge punch when you first splash it on but the dry down is quite nice with a lighter musk. I just have a sample size bottle but may have to order a regular size bottle once it is almost gone.

 

[Demolition]

Forty-seventh shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Simpson Special S1 Best Badger
Soap: Tabac

Due to an early in-person meeting, I had to shave before dawn. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I've switched to shaving in the afternoon, so this felt strange. Complicating matters, my face felt puffy and swollen (water retention?).

Washing my face with cold water helped to reduce the puffiness, but I resolved to make a good lather to ensure a comfortable shave. The little Simpson Special Best Badger came through. A few swirls of Tabac generated enough slick, cushiony lather for four passes. This was more than adequate for the FOCS/Kai to smoothly execute my usual three passes without a hint of tugging.

In the end, I was left with another close, satisfying shave with no post-shave irritation. It's just a shame that I had to cover up my handsome, freshly-shaven face with a mask.

Shave 20 was just as good as 5 or 10 or 15.

This echoes what I experienced with this current Kai blade. The consistency from shave to shave is outstanding. Only now, on my 47th shave with this blade, have I detected a slight reduction in sharpness. This mostly manifests as extra buffing, not as tugging, so there's really nothing wrong with it.

50 uses is well within reach. I expect this blade to easily exceed that, though.

 

[JAHE]

Razor: Mühle R41 GS

Blade #2/shave #17 + Blade #3/shave #1

Within the last two shaves, my KAI #2 has lost significant sharpness and today (within shave #17) I decided to change blades between passes as I could literally feel skin irritation starting.

Woooza, what a difference the fresh KAI made in the R41 GS....

Unfortunately, I can not do 25, 30 or even more shaves with a blade (neither with the KAI nor with any other blade), since after a certain point of decline in sharpness, further use causes increasing irritation on the skin of my neck.

However, approx. 15 comfy shaves is a proper number, I guess.

Let's see how far I can push my final blade (blade #3)...

Onward!

 

[Chaucer]

Second shave this morning with my first PIF'd Kai blade (thanks, Grundi). The razor was my ATT S-1--stainless steel but with aluminum baseplate to cut down on the weight. Lather was courtesy of Knightsbridge charcoal cream.

My first shave with this razor-blade combo, and Tabac stick soap, was yesterday morning, and the stubble this morning was noticeably less rough than usual. So something was up, and this morning's shave confirmed that impression. The line from Crocodile Dundee--"That isn't a knife. This is a knife."--comes to mind. If the last blade I used (Shark Stainless Steel in a Tech) was a blade, the Kai is a BLADE. Not quite as smooth as the Shark but much more efficient and still smooth enough so that I got a true and ultra-close BBS with no nicks and no irritation with fewer strokes.

The Kai has a small quirk in use. It's tighter on the center post of the top cap on my S-1, and tightening the razor took more forceful twists than with other blades. So the metal on the Kai must be thicker or stiffer than the metal on other blades. It's not a bug or a feature, just a quirk.

I'll report back on longevity.

 

[Demolition]

Forty-eighth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2
Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Moka Express 26mm Two-Band Badger
Soap: Tabac

Fantastic performances from all aspects of today's shave.

Since I had to rush my shave, yesterday, I decided to go back to Tabac so that I could take some time to savour it properly. Paired with the Yaqi Moka Express Two-Band, I was rewarded with a bucketful of lovely lather. The richness and slickness were extraordinary.

Meanwhile, the FOCS/Kai duo is still producing excellent results. The slight increase in blade-feel from past days is gone. It's possible that the exquisite lather mitigated any flaws in the blade... or perhaps the blade is merely working as intended.

In any case, I enjoyed another superb shave; smooth and comfortable, as it should be.

Side note: The blade is looking rather grungy. Still not certain if this is due to corrosion or the supposedly non-existent coating wearing off. The edges are spotless, so I'll just keep using it as normal.

 

[Demolition]

Forty-ninth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Omega 10005 Boar
Soap: RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore

The Omega 10005 is an enigma. Some days, it barely functions; making a thin, runny lather and hogging it up. Other days, it's an amazing performer, creating scads of rich, protective lather. Luckily, today's outing was of the latter variety. After a couple dozen swirls of RR SMdF, I was rewarded with enough slick, cushiony lather for five passes.

The FOCS/Kai pairing didn't disappoint, either. My routine three-pass shave was excellent, overall. Close and comfortable with no post-shave irritation.

Only one shave short of 50 and this Kai blade is still going strong. Very impressive!

 

[Ted A]

12th & 13th shaves on blade 2.

Razor: Rockwell 6C, plate 4
Brushes: Omega 10049 & Gentleman’s Hardware synthetic
Lather: AOS Bergamot & Cooper & French Fresh Start

I was going to drop in a brag about getting nice, drama-free shaves 12 & 13 with this blade and find myself behind Demolition’s 49. So I’ll just shut up and enjoy my shaves

 

[Demolition]

Fiftieth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Omega 10005 Boar
Soap: RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore

Vitos Classic has always been a great performer for me. A tiny blob of cream explodes into a mountain of dense, creamy lather with barely any effort. It's especially easy-lathering with the Yaqi Aqua Tuxedo (or any of my synthetic brushes, for that matter). Some folks think it smells medicine-y (my Mom says it smells like horse liniment), but nobody can complain about the performance.

Speaking of performance, my 50th use of this Kai blade was excellent, once again. The sharpness has declined in the last few uses, but there has been no tugging or pulling and the blade still glides easily over my skin.

I think that a lot of its longevity can be attributed to the FOCS which is a very forgiving razor, especially with substandard blades. Not to say that this Kai is substandard, though; it has been phenomenal since its first use and I expect it to continue to provide top-notch shaves for some time to come.

I was going to drop in a brag about getting nice, drama-free shaves 12 & 13 with this blade and find myself behind Demolition’s 49. So I’ll just shut up and enjoy my shaves

Ted, I bet that blade will still feel comfortable at shave 25. Keep going!

 

[Ron R]

DE SOTD, Sat, April 10th

Razor: Gillette British Rocket SS- Mfg 1950's, nice milder mid range with a Kai blade. Great results usually.
Blade: Kai SS (3) excellent blade, sharp & smooth with excellent longevity. Wider than a standard Gillette blade by .009" or .0045" per side.
Soap: Razorock XXX - nice fresh scent when it dries down, excellent lather qualities.
Brush: Yaqi red Zebra handle 26mm- excellent lather generator, heavenly cloud like soft tips + gentle scrub + excellent lather painter.
Pre shave: Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser + a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel on the cleaned beard area.
Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave: Razorock XXX aftershave with witch hazel + a dollop of Nivea balm with witch hazel.
Results: CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + no weepers = Excellent shave with my Gillette British Rocket SS with a Kai SS blade.

Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these times!

 

[Demolition]

Fifty-first shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Fine Classic 20mm Angel Hair
Soap: RazoRock Black Label

A quick, effortless "autopilot" shave.

A half-dozen swirls of RR Black Label allowed the Fine Classic to generate enough lather for four passes. Today's lather was a bit wetter than normal, so the cushioning was slightly lacking, but the slickness was out of this world.

The slickness certainly helped the FOCS/Kai duo to glide over my skin. The increased blade-feel from past days was non-existent. All three of my usual passes were trouble-free. In the end, there was no post-shave irritation and my face was left feeling smooth and refreshed.

However, there does appear to be some variability creeping into the performance of this particular Kai blade over the last few shaves. It could be a sign that it's going downhill. Then again, I thought it had gone downhill a few times already, but it has rebounded every time. Further testing is needed, obviously!

 

[Demolition]

Fifty-second shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm Fan-shaped Tuxedo
Soap: RazoRock Green Label

I always get a bit excited when the Yaqi Sagrada Tuxedo Fan comes up in the rotation. It's a great performer and looks amazing, too. Today's lather was equally amazing. Rich and creamy with out-of-this-world slickness.

The FOCS/Kai combo was also superb. Like yesterday, it was smooth and comfortable with no post-shave irritation. I have been buffing slightly more than before, so that might be a further sign that the sharpness is reduced. However, I don't mind doing a little extra work to get a nice close shave.

 

[B_R_A_D]

First shave with Mysterious Kai blade #3.

As a little background, I used a Timeless .95 for the first two Kai blades as I thought it would cut like butter but found that each shave it tugged on my chin, goatee and lip. I got close and smooth irritation free shaves but it tugged like a Derby Extra, it was good but not great. I have coarse hair and only get a max of 4 shaves from a blade, usually 2-3, before it gets too rough and tuggy. The first Kai blade was a dud, got one great shave, with some tugging, then the second shave was so painful, it actually pulled hairs out, I tossed it. The second blade was much better, I got 6 great shaves, with tugging, from it, which is the most I’ve got from a blade. I decided to take a little break so I could try a couple other blades so I could come back to the Kai and have a fresh start.

I decided to follow in the footsteps of @Demolition and try the Kai in the FOCS as he is having solid results with the duo. I recently got the FOCS and didn’t have it when this participation PIF started. I don’t expect to get anywhere close to 52+ shaves like him, but would be ecstatic if I can get a few more then 6, especially if I can get to double digits for the first time. Let’s see how it goes

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale Slant “FOCS”
Blade: Kai Stainless Steel (1)
Brush: Grizzly Bay “Neptune Hurricane” with 26mm Thäter 2-Band Silvertip (Bulb)
Bowl: Captain’s Choice Copper Lather Bowl (Heavyweight)
Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut
Post-shave:
• Omega Alum Stick
• Stirling Coconut Lime Aftershave Splash
• Stirling Coconut Lime Aftershave Balm
Result: 10 / 10

This was my first time trying the Thäter bulb knot with TOBS cream and I got the slickest lather I’ve gotten with TOBS yet. Usually it’s really fluffy and drying by the third pass but today I would have thought it was one of my top soap bases, I was feeling optimistic.

The first two passes, WTG and XTG, were smooth, effortless and trouble free, I was feeling optimistic.

I started the third pass, ATG, on my neck then went to my jaw then cheeks, smooth and effortless. I was feeling very optimistic but I was also getting a little nervous as the Timeless .95 is more efficient so I would expect it to cut my trouble area easier. Time for the moment of truth, it’s go time.

Well, to my surprise, it cut effortlessly through my chin, goatee and lip, no different then the cheeks or neck. The result was BBS all over with no cuts, weepers, irritation, redness or bumps. That was one of the most pleasant shaves I’ve had.

I know it was only the first shave with the FOCS / Kai duo but I’m excited and hopeful for the next several shaves. It was a much better pairing compared to the Timeless .95, so far. Let’s see how the next few go.

 

[Demolition]

Fifty-third shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Blue Marble 26mm Timber Wolf
Soap: RazoRock Blue Label

(It must be Blue Monday, judging by that photo. )

A terrific lather from the Yaqi Blue Marble Timber Wolf/RR Blue Label pairing. Rich and slick with excellent cushioning. This is a typical result which is my the Timber Wolf knot has become my favourite. Always reliable results from this brush.

The FOCS/Kai duo is still performing well, but I think it's finally starting to go downhill. Blade-feel is increasing and I find that I need to buff more, lately. The shave itself is still smooth and comfortable, but not as quick or effortless as previous outings.

There has been no tugging, so I feel that I can continue to use the blade. However, the consistency that I had been enjoying is starting to waver and, as a result, the predictability is uncertain. That is, I don't know whether the next shave will be decent or not. For the last two months, I had been assured of a fine shave, but now I'm just waiting for the blade to go "off".

So, if this really is the end of the road for this Kai, then it had a great run.

 

[wormspank]

Great PIF! I'm in. Thanks

 

[Grundi]

Great PIF! I'm in. Thanks

Sorry, @wormspank, but the PIF Phase is over and all of the blades have been sent; we're on to the Participation Phase.

 

[wormspank]

Sorry, I totally missed that. Thanks again.

 

[JAHE]

Razor: Mühle Rocca R94

Blade #3 / shave #2

Had a flawless and pleasant 3 pass shave today with quite a bit of blade feel in the last pass, but the first passes were super smooth. I almost wondered in the first pass if I forgot to attach the blade...
Almost bbs all over the face.

Have some great shaves!