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But as we know it is the silent but ..........
Ahhh - the famous ninja category. Sneaking up from behind when you least expect it!
But as we know it is the silent but ..........
I've found that the top-tier Russian Gillette blades (Platinum, GSB, Nacet) do not improve after the first shave like some other brands do. They are very consistent from shave-to-shave. If anything, they may actually get slightly worse with each shave. Your findings from today are consistent with my experiences as well.
Date 21.05.2024 366 daily shaves
142/366
Razor Blade Brush Lambda Athena Gillette Nacet (2) Razorock 400 Butterscotch Preshave Soap Postshave Cold splash
KCG Face WashHampshire Wool Fat (8) Cold splash
Proraso Green
Balm
Passes WTG XTG ATG and touch up Process Quality
Blade Sharpness 10/10 (Clean) 5/10 (Sharp) Effectiveness Shave Comfort 8.75/10
(BBS-)9/10 (Buttery Smooth)
Notes:
No fuzz, comfortable and close shave today.
Today I went for the Athena again to check how that one shaves with one of the selected B&B top blades as I haven’t used it before in the Athena. Blade on two shaves including this one so should be sufficiently sharp. According to my shave statistics the blade performs well in the upper ranges of DFS+++ to BBS. Usually. Today it was very comfortable, but I felt sharpness was less than yesterday. So while yesterday’s score could have been a 6, I am slightly downgrading to a 5 - maybe tomorrow will be better again. I say could by the way, because stubble was more than the other days with the Minora which I find interesting considering I shaved with a Blackbird no less. I noticed the slightest patina development in the Athena. Nothing worth buffing already, just noticeable. Not Karve patina rates of development.
The brush continues to be a joy. The weight difference with the solid aluminium version is very noticeable. The knot is soft, splays easily and always delivers a great lather. Soap is superb. Really like the lanolin qualities of the wool fat in combination with the cedarwood scent.
I am finding that my pressure is different left and right in my shave which of course is due to the dominant hand doing the shave on both sides. I think I need to investigate and develop more ambidexterity in my shaves to literally get more even results. I think. For today I am going back and forth between BBS- and BBS. Subtle differences.
Enjoy your shave today!
I am with you on this. That is what lead me to 3 shaves a blade with most blades.I've found that the top-tier Russian Gillette blades (Platinum, GSB, Nacet) do not improve after the first shave like some other brands do. They are very consistent from shave-to-shave. If anything, they may actually get slightly worse with each shave. Your findings from today are consistent with my experiences as well.
I've found that the top-tier Russian Gillette blades (Platinum, GSB, Nacet) do not improve after the first shave
Exactly. After the third shave they fall off a cliff.I am with you on this. That is what lead me to 3 shaves a blade with most blades.
Hmm...I get multiple shaves without any issues with all my blades. The Parker 1/2 blade being the lowest multi-shave coming in at 3 times before binning. Cant say anything to those who don't feel they're getting good shaves after 1 go. I've found that the shaves tend to improve after a couple of rounds. And it's not like my beard is soft, silky or easy to mow either. My skin also doesn't seem to be too sensitive and maybe that's where the biggest reason to do the "one and done" comes in.
Exactly. The easiest way to keep a blade off your Sensitive Skin is to use sharpest blades. Using sharpest blades also improves softest touch. Technique and practice increases efficiency. Higher efficiency reduces strokes and passes.My skin also doesn't seem to be too sensitive and maybe that's where the biggest reason to do the "one and done" comes in
In our introduction or early use of DE blades many of us tried blades in the upper tier of sharpness. Complaining of their harshness and unforgiving skin irritation. It wasn’t the blade it was a lack of technique and practice, in using a very sharp blade. All edges on any new or sharpened blade have an acute angle. Each use will dull that acute angle to an obtuse angle. Irrefutable science or physics. Using a duller blade now requires more pressure and an adjustment in technique to use the duller edge. I guess many like to refer to a dulling blade as being smooth.. I understand the challenge of shavers using a dulling blade to shave with. Any blade in any use does not get sharper or smoother with use. They prefer to use more pressure and adjust their technique in using a duller blade. Reporting on its continuous decline in sharpness until unusable. Tomato season is approaching do you know anybody who brags about slicing them with a dull knife?I'm with Eric.... I've never been able to push any DE blade all the way through the 3rd shave. Every single time I've tried, even as my technique has improved, after the first WTG pass... sometimes, before it's completed, I have to switch out the blade in the middle of that third shave because the pulling, tugging, whatever term you prefer, gets too annoying for me.
I went to two shaves per DE blade but the second shave was never better than the first. I've read, along with most of you, that some blades improve as their coatings wear off... That has never happened for me. Perhaps, it's because I use a series of overlapping short razor strokes and do a 4 pass shave, with two XTG passes, one in each direction... I don't know.. but I agree with the B&B member who said: Life is too short to use a dull blade, or something close to that.
That's because you own a blade factory.I'm happy to be one and done with every blade. All YMMV, but blades do not improve for me after the first shave.
Boris has been snooping again, hasn't he?That's because you own a blade factory.
You did move much closer to him.Boris has been snooping again, hasn't he?
Not just me but the GSBs as well.You did move much closer to him.
Love the camo.
Ahhh - the famous ninja category. Sneaking up from behind when you least expect it!
I can almost see your house from mine now....Boris has been snooping again, hasn't he?
Thanks to @ShavingPrimate I am now the owner of a tuck of GSB. *shiver*Not just me but the GSBs as well.
Feel the power.