1st Open Comb experience thanks to a generous PIF

[magicman22]

I recently was the proud recipient of a Gillette new short comb open razor from dcobranchi, one of our generous members here, in a recent Father's Day PIF!

First of all it was my first pif I have ever received and it is also my first open comb razor. So I wanted to post my results for others to see and maybe learn from. Heck, I will probably learn too!!

My wet shaving background: I started my wet shaving journey about 1 and a half years ago and started with the Merkur 34c HD. I have since bought a Gillette Fatboy, Gillette Tech, and an Edwin Jagger DE89. I had mixed thoughts on the 34c from the beginning. Some days we got along better than on other days!! Then I fell in love with the fatboy and out of curiosity I got the Tech. Finally, the EJ de89 was bought because I found a great price and just wanted to see what all the talk was about this razor.

My favorite razor in my very small collection is........drum roll please..........the EJ de89!!! It is so smooth and the perfect weight!

So I receive the Gillette new short comb and decided to try a Lord super stainless blade in it. This blade does pretty good for me in all of my razors. The first stroke with the Gillette new/lord blade combo wanted to pull the hairs and not cut the hairs. So thinking it was the wrong angle I focused on getting the correct angle but every time I tried to take a stoke it would only pull......ouch. I didn't even get 1/3 of my first wtg pass done before I put the Gillette new down and finished with the EJ de89!

I was shocked at the results I got after seeing a lot of people recommend the Gillette new short comb and also knowing the luck I had had in the past with any of the Lord blades.

The razor laid on the shelf for about 5 days and I told my self I was going to give it another try today. I took the lord blade out and popped in a Feather blade. The shave was a night and day difference. I had the correct angle determined in the first stroke with no pulling like the last time. I did my normal 3 pass shave and really like the results. No irritation and no weepers and got better than a DFS. It might be one of my closer shaves.

I have never noticed such drastic results by just changing the blade. Of course my experiences are limited to just a few (similar) razors. This is a brand new order of the Lord blades (100 blades)....hope I didn't get a bunch of junk ones!!

I hopefully will keep posting my results here for my next few shaves with the Gillette new short comb.

I want to thank dcobranchi (also known as Daryl the Mad Scientist) for the great PIF opportunity.

 

[KindestCutofAll]

Keep us posted, I'm looking to purchase one to add to my collection.

I have several Gillette Closed Comb and TTO's. I am interested in you camparisons.


Thanks
Jim

 

[magicman22]

So yesterdays shave consisted of the rough Lord SS blade and I put it in my EJ de89. It still felt rougher than I ever remember. I am just hoping I have one bad blade...not my whole lot of 100!!!

So today's shave I went back to the Gillette New with the same feather blade. Used Razorock XXX and had another great shave...I had one tiny weeper. No irritation. I also feel it is just more natural feeling to use this razor. For me the New and Feather blade combination is working great.

I will post again tomorrow because I plan on using the Gillette new for sure....just can't decide what soap or cream to use

 

[kaiseris]

I had a similar experience with Gillette New and Lord SS blade few days ago. It didn't feel sharp or smooth. I gave it second try - same thing. Bined the blade after that. Not sure I ever try them again in any razor.

 

[duokun]

I love my Gillette NEW. I received mine from a generous member as well and or me it has become one of my most used razors. I am glad you found a blade that works well with it.

 

[kingfisher]

I wasn't a believer in the idea that certain blades work better in certain razors until about two days ago.

I put a Gillette blue into my Fatboy for the first pass. Tugging and pulling. Terrible feeling blade. I finished the pass, then switched the exact same blade out of the Fatboy and into my long-comb NEW for the second pass.

Nothing but smooth, comfortable sailing. Not a bad blade that needed to be binned, but a blade that worked considerably better in one razor than in another. I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't happened to me.

And yes, the open comb razors are awesome. My main shaver is the "poor-man's Joris" (a FaTip head on a Tradere handle).

 

[celestino]

Congrats and welcome to the world of the Open-Combs.

 

[magicman22]

Third with the Gillette New using the same feather blade. I chose Van Der Hagen Deluxe shaving soap and my normal Simpson Colonel.

Once again the razor performed great providing a nice irritation free shave. This razor could knock out my other favorites and be a the top contender. I am already wondering how great one of theses razors would with a new re-plate job!! I hope to have continued success...stay tuned...

 

[magicman22]

UPDATE!!

I did my fourth shave with this razor and feather blade and it was a great shave.

Fifth shave with a new feather....great shave
Sixth shave......great shave
seventh shave.....great shave
eighth shave.....great shave

Do you see the trend. I am extremely happy so far with this razor. I have enjoyed my Fatboy and DE89 the most but this razor is taking their place in the rotation. (not much of a rotation when you only use 1 razor!!!)

What i would like to do is: Buy a Gillette new short comb razor that is in great condition with no bent teeth and probably re-plated OR buy a Gillette new short comb that is a good candidate to be re-plated with no bent or missing teeth and have it re-plated myself.....then this razor I have now would make a great pif for someone else to try!!!