No not really it's mine. I just love my dog and thought I wouldn't forget the title for finding it later. So newbie at the DE shaving and today was a set back. I had been having some DFS with GSB's in my EJ DE89 and took some recommendations to try the Voskhod blades. I really concentrated on blade angle tipping it just until I felt it engage my stubble. Pulled skin tight and used short strokes. I haven't seen this much blood since the deer I took over Christmas. With the GSB's I was much less careful and didn't hardly get a rash. I think the Voskhod's won't be coming to the party any time soon.
A Black Lab's Shaving Journal
- Thread starter Anonymous Turtle
- Start date
I found Voskhod to be harsh also. Have you tried a sample pack of blades yet? If you like GSB's you might try Gillette Platinum blades.
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- #3
Thanks for the advise. I just found tryablade and I have a sample pack of Gilliette’s and a few others coming. They’ll be here Monday.
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- #4
Sunday morning shave. Yesterday, on a whim I walked through the grocery store's health and beauty isle and found some Personna made in Germany 10 pack blades. The logo looks like the Personna Israeli Reds but the blades have no markings other than the arrows for pushing out of the dispenser. The packaging also only says stainless steel. So anyway, the shave was mild and took an XTG pass to get a CCS almost a DFS, which shocked me. I am a newbie and technique isn't quite good enough for an ATG pass. None the less the shave was less irritating than I have been having. It was almost an ah-ha moment. So if anyone is bored enough to read this, do you know what Personna blades these might be?
Cheers,
Scott
Cheers,
Scott
They should be the same as the Israeli-made Personna Platinum blades only rolling out of a different dot in the Eurasian landmass.
I have never used Persona blades, but it is my understanding the German blades are different. Because the Persona blades you have only stainless listed on the packaging, they are probably not of the platinum coated variety.
Some stainless blades you might try would be Gillette Nacet, Gillette Yellow and Green 7 o'clock, Shark Super Stainless, Derby Extra Stainless, and Feather Hi Stainless.
Just because one platinum blade doesn't suit your shaving style, I would still give them a chance.
Some of my favorite blades are Polsilver SI, Feather Hi Stainless, Gillette Platinum, GSB, and Nacet.
All of the chrome and Teflon blades I have tried were absolutely dreadful, so I won't bother to even list them.
Some stainless blades you might try would be Gillette Nacet, Gillette Yellow and Green 7 o'clock, Shark Super Stainless, Derby Extra Stainless, and Feather Hi Stainless.
Just because one platinum blade doesn't suit your shaving style, I would still give them a chance.
Some of my favorite blades are Polsilver SI, Feather Hi Stainless, Gillette Platinum, GSB, and Nacet.
All of the chrome and Teflon blades I have tried were absolutely dreadful, so I won't bother to even list them.
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- #7
Monday morning 11JAN21 - Homemade sandalwood pre-shave oil, Cremo Bourbon/Vanilla cream, 17 year old Art of Shaving pure bager brush, EJ DE89 with Personna Med Prep, Thayer's alcohol-free unscented witch hazel and Nivea balm.
I was first impressed by how tightly the blade fit the razor cap. There was hardly any wiggle room and the blade was absolutely centered. The shave was a two pass WTG and XTG with some buffing. A couple of weepers but almost zero irritation and rash. I would say the blades were as comfortable as the GSB but to me they didn't feel as efficient. YMMV as my technique is still improving and changing.
I was first impressed by how tightly the blade fit the razor cap. There was hardly any wiggle room and the blade was absolutely centered. The shave was a two pass WTG and XTG with some buffing. A couple of weepers but almost zero irritation and rash. I would say the blades were as comfortable as the GSB but to me they didn't feel as efficient. YMMV as my technique is still improving and changing.
Welcome to the journals section! I had a Black Lab as a best friend too.
If you like GSB, try Gillette Yellow. Honorable mention to Rapira Platinum Lux, Lord Platinum and Bic Chrome Platinum. All I found to be very smooth.
If you like GSB, try Gillette Yellow. Honorable mention to Rapira Platinum Lux, Lord Platinum and Bic Chrome Platinum. All I found to be very smooth.
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- #9
Sunday morning 17JAN21 - Homemade sandalwood pre-shave oil, 17 year old Art of Shaving pure bager brush, Proraso white tub, EJ DE89 with Personna Iserali Red, Thayer's alcohol-free unscented witch hazel and Nivea balm.
Not bad not great. I am finding that I have to apply some pressure to the razor head to get an efficient pass. But as soon as I do that it’s irritation time. Overall this morning was a CCS with mild irritation that seems to be fading.
Not bad not great. I am finding that I have to apply some pressure to the razor head to get an efficient pass. But as soon as I do that it’s irritation time. Overall this morning was a CCS with mild irritation that seems to be fading.
- Thread starter
- #11
Won’t more blade exposure equal more irritation? Still building me vocabulary of shaving terms.
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An increase in blade exposure from a shim is small enough to not even be noticed. The increase in gap would be more noticeable and thats only ~.002". The greatest enhancement however, is the shim offering the blade more support, increasing blade rigidity and making it less prone to flexing that can cause irritation. The more stable the blades edge, the smoother the shave in my experience. A shim helps the edge be more stable as it meets and cuts through any resistance met with less chance of flexing.
A shim helped my shaves with a Gillette NEW LC about 50%.
Gillette NEW LC Not Cutting It - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gillette-new-lc-not-cutting-it.520246/
A Gillette NEW SC, which is an extremely rigid design, changed my entire outlook.
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- #13
I will be trying this for my face shave tomorrow.
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Cut the shim as wide as possible. Just take the cutting edges off with a pair of scissors and be very careful of where they fall when they are cut off. The wider the shim, the more support it can lend the blade. If it helps, you'll know you need more blade rigidity.
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- #15
Are the NSC’s a vintage razor or are the currently available, at budget prices?
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They’re vintage and available for $15-100usd with many lookers priced at $30usd shipped. At least on eBay 3-7 nights a week…
Yep, to both. Post a WTB ad in the B/S/T when you're able to, and you'll have one in no time.
A close modern equivalent would be the Karve and maybe, the RR Game Changer, both are considerably more expensive though. Few modern razors offer the combination of a small blade gap, .023", an extremely rigid design and, positive blade exposure.
For a considerable step up in efficiency, the Fatip Grande OC is my own personal King of DE's. Its twice as efficient as my NEW SC but the SC is a very gentle yet efficient razor. I can use mine directly ATG first pass at 48 hours growth easily but that takes me 2 1/2 passes, all done ATG, for a 10 hour BBS. My Grande is capable of the same in one pass and a small cleanup for a 12 hour BBS finish.
My Muhle R41 by comparison, with a fresh Feather blade, takes me 3 full passes, WTG, XTG and ATG, and two more cleanups ATG for the same 12 hour BBS finish. The difference being security and ease of use. I can do that shave in three minuttes or less with my Grande where it takes me 15 with my R41.
I picked this one up for $15 on BST New SC
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- #19
Monday morning 18JAN21 - Well I committed the primary sin of engineering troubleshooting. I changed two things at once. I used a new blade and added a shim. Used a Wilkinson with shim in my DE89. Chased a BBS and paid dearly. My neck is on fire and my jaw line was a mess of arterial bleeding. Not really just using dramatic license. Seriously I got greedy and it cost me. My face is nearly BBS though I can’t rub it. I did appreciate the more aggressive shave with the shim.
A shim should make a razor that lacks baseplate support less aggressive by increasing blade stability. I would likely have the same kind of shave if I used a Wilkinson blade again. I dont get along with them very well or any other blades made in Germany.
The more methodical your approach to equipment used, the shorter your road to perfection. Sometimes, learning can be the road to perdition lol, as you've discovered.
Try loading your best blade with a shim and see if it improves your shave.
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