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Participation PIF - Swinging The Legendary Viking's Sword Blade

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Blade #1 Shave #21
Razor/Blade: Gillette 1917 Standard/ Viking’s Sword blade
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia
Soap: Razorock Plague Doctor
A/S: Lucky Tiger Bay Rum
 
6th shave this am with VIking Sword blade #3 in my pre-WW2 Tech. It was a smooth and close shave of 2-days growth. But efficiency had diminished enough that I called it quits with the blade at the end of the shave.

10th and final shave with this blade today. I could have held on for another couple of shaves, but efficiency had deteriorated. This blade lasted longer than my other Viking Swords had. The difference may be the super-slick Tabac stick soap I used with this blade.
 
Well, it looks like things have slowed down in here. So, I'm going to offer a wrap-up of my testing.

You may recall that I had been using Viking's Sword blades on and off for several months before the Participation PIF started. I posted my impressions in an earlier thread, then started to test a new Viking's Sword blade in a different razor.

To my surprise (and probably to yours, as well), I'm still using the same blade that I began the test with on November 12, 2020! My last shave with the blade was on February 9, but it isn't finished, yet. I only paused my testing because I joined the Mysterious Kai Participation PIF.

Therefore, here's my shave journal entry for February 9, plus some comments/speculation and my overall conclusion about the Viking's Sword:

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Ninety-first shave with Viking's Sword blade #8

February 9, 2021
: An excellent performance from all aspects of today's shave.

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Blade: Personna Viking's Sword
Brush: Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip
Soap: RazoRock Black Label

"The Yaqi 24mm Silvertip was especially good, today. Sometimes, it takes a bit of effort to generate lather, but a fairly light load of soap and only a minimal effort was needed to make enough rich and particularly slick lather for at least five passes. My customary three passes were all very smooth and comfortable. The FOCS/Viking's Sword duo glided effortlessly over my skin. Overall, this qualifies as an "autopilot" shave. I am continually surprised by the longevity that this blade has exhibited; the 100th use is well within reach. As usual, there was no post-shave irritation, therefore no ASB was required."

Despite that rosy-sounding entry, it hasn't all been clear sailing. Over the last three months, there were a few ups and downs. For example, around the 60th use, the blade became intermittently tuggy for three consecutive shaves and I almost gave up on it. I discussed this with @fast shaver and we agreed that I should keep pushing for 100 shaves, just for the hell of it. I was willing to experiment (read: suffer) but, oddly, the blade smoothed out. This time, we joked that my face was acting like a strop! :laugh:

Well, whatever the case, here we are. This blade is still providing close, comfortable shaves and it seems likely that it will exceed 100 shaves and keep on going. I'm attributing this entirely to the FOCS. As noted in my earlier post, I had never been able to get more than 6-8 decent shaves with a Viking's Sword with any razor. However, the FOCS is such a forgiving razor that it has been able to moderate blades that I had previously written off as unusable. As a side-effect, the longevity of every blade that I've tried in the FOCS has greatly increased.

Anyway, this might be just as much of a testimonial about the FOCS as it is about the Viking's Sword. My conclusion is that they make an excellent match and will be part of my rotation going forward.

Once again, a hearty thanks goes out to @Grundi and @Space_Cadet for organizing the Participation PIF. I'm sure that we can all agree that their generosity has been legendary! :thumbup:
 
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First shave with the Viking last night and it was good a little tuggy but that may have been due to poor lather ( just got done a 12 hr shift) The shave was Schick Krona , Viking blade ,Captains Choice Nor Easter soap , Pre was a hot shower. After shave was Lucky tiger followed by Avon Bay Rum . I will post more shaves with this blade as I feel I didnt give it fair chance since I did a hurried lather that wasnt good. But still didnt get any nicks and a DFS to boot.
 
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Its finally done but what a ride......Blade #1 Shave #23
Razor/Blade: Gillette 1917 Standard/ Viking’s Sword blade
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia
Soap: Razorock Plague Doctor
A/S: Lucky Tiger
 
Second shave was better used the same set up as before except for the soap which was M&M Trinity . Alot smoother this is shaping up to be a good blade . Thanks again to Grundi for allowing me to p
 
10th and final shave with this blade today. I could have held on for another couple of shaves, but efficiency had deteriorated. This blade lasted longer than my other Viking Swords had. The difference may be the super-slick Tabac stick soap I used with this blade.

6th shave this morning with blade #5, in a Tatara Masamune open comb. Like the other blades in this tuck, the blade could be sharper. But the shaves have been smooth, irritation-free and reasonably close. There’s been little or no loss of performance. I might get another 3 or 4 shaves out of the blade, which is at least average longevity for me.

As I’ve said in earlier posts, my current soap (Tabac stick) and cream (Knightsbridge charcoal) are very, very slick, and the blade seems to benefit from that advantage.
 
+1. Soaps and creams can really up the performance of blades!

+1 to that. I’m starting to believe that really slick skin makes any razor and blade perform like an all star—well, almost any razor and blade.

BTW, I still don’t understand what’s meant by a “cushioning” soap or cream.
 
BTW, I still don’t understand what’s meant by a “cushioning” soap or cream.
Answering only for me, what I think it means is making the blade less harsh, while keeping the efficiency. When trying the KAI blades, the blade is slightly wider (when measuring the cutting edge to cutting edge) creating more blade exposure, which translates into a more aggressive blade. Anyone with sensitive skin may have skin irritation after shaving with one. Cushioning (or protection) from the soap or cream, to me, would give added protection to minimize the harshness of an aggressive blade or razor.
 
Answering only for me, what I think it means is making the blade less harsh, while keeping the efficiency. When trying the KAI blades, the blade is slightly wider (when measuring the cutting edge to cutting edge) creating more blade exposure, which translates into a more aggressive blade. Anyone with sensitive skin may have skin irritation after shaving with one. Cushioning (or protection) from the soap or cream, to me, would give added protection to minimize the harshness of an aggressive blade or razor.

Good explanation. Thanks. I test it out when I start trying the KAIs, which will be in the next couple of weeks.
 
I still used one of these blades yesterday and today Uses 5-6???
Razors were new RR Lupo 0.72......good 2+ face shave minimal irritation
Today: Karve w new C closed plate, a bit more blade feel.
SV
Mistura brush
Witch medicated
Speick AS

My skin has been irritated since I had a gap of 11 d no shaves and then I experimented w a new toy.......not good.
But these two shaves were OK, the Lupo is great!

Debating if I open the last Kai and stick it to the new Gold Fatip Piccolo Slant??? Tried an old and it wasn't great and then a new Nacet and it wasn't either......shaves were okish but not great.
 
I just used one, no clue how many shaves, but used and more than I usually do.
Face shave:
Razor was 1/2 Fatip OC slant and the other half Fatip OC bar (I never liked this one).
MDC
EJ 25mm synthetic (1st use).... brush is OK but it is NOT worth the $$$ difference vs chinamans
Witch medicated
Speick AS
Speick AB

2+ SHAVE, close and smooth. This was a good shave, but in now way the best. And this is because the razor, there is all this hype about it....., to me it's not better than an EJ 89. Standard OC Fatip is way, way better, more efficient and smoother.

These blades are gr8. I fear they will vanish from the market.....
 
Not sure I had mixed these 2
Blade not sure how many uses found on sink side
Muhle R41
CK6 Doppler....
Omega boar big one
witch medicated
Speick AS
P Provence balm

This was a 2+ head and then face shave. Smooth close no irritation. I do get really good shaves w R41....maybe should use more frequent..... Blades are the bomb.
 
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