This is, quite honestly, a time killer post. So if you are after more substantive information I respectfully suggest you spend your time elsewhere ‘cause this won’t help 
It’s no secret that we all, at one time or another, experience a bewildering crappy shave. We know our technique hasn’t changed, we’re using (most often) the same soaps we have for a while, probably even using trusted/preferred blades. And yet, out of nowhere we get a total ***-just-happened shave.
If we’ve had a black cat cross our path or perhaps been caught under a bad moon then perhaps we get a lamentable string of crappy shaves. The questions mount and we try to pare down the offending variables because, really, who wants an unsatisfactory shave?
Is the soap not performing?
Am I rushing the shave?
Was my angle off?
Was the blade bad?
Are poltergeists messing with me?
I had used the same daily driver I’ve used for about 6 months, a Merkur 38C with a brand spankin’ new Astra SP blade. Lathered up with one of my tallow soaps using my horsehair brush, took my usual absurd amount of time to face later simply because I like it . . . don’t judge.
Went through the first pass and rinsed off—seemed like there was an unusual amount of stubble left considering completion of the first pass. Odd, but, whatever. On to the second pass . . .
Rinsed off—well, this is unsettling. Still a very unusual amount of stubble left. Not cool . . . not happy.
I trust my Merkur, and have never had a problem with Astras; soap was caressing my face like a warm lover.—you know, as opposed to a cold one.
Then I did something monumentally stupid. I stood there and stared at the razor, like I expected it to suddenly reveal it was part of some unfunny prank. I looked at the blade, checked to be sure the cap was tightened down, turned the razor over and over in some insane quest to find a flaw that didn’t exist.
I’ll show you, I thought to myself., then grabbed The Major.. I can eyeball the blade gap on it and tell—even with my eyesight—this is a more aggressive razor. Had a Shark SC blade in it with 4 uses on it. Only used this razor a few times so far as it’s way more aggressive than the Merkur. First two times I did a nice slice-and-dice job on my face and broke out the styptic pencil for the first time in many months. One could have been forgiven for mistaking the area around the tip looking like peppermint chip ice cream. The Major shaves well but he’s demanding of refined technique, which apparently I don’t possess . . . yet.
So, I rinse out the Merkur and wipe it down, disaenchanted for the first time ever. I wanted to give it the ‘dad’ lecture: “You know you have so much more potential. It’s like you didn’t even try! I’m so disappointed in you.”
Picked up the brush and painted on another nice coat of lather, then picked up the Major and looked at it in the mirror, reminding myself to go very slow and use zeeeerrrrooooooo pressure. Third pass is ATG, so the judges may award extra points for increased difficulty if the shave is well executed.
Barely held the razor between my fingertips and ever so carefully listened to the audible feedback as it cleaned up what the Merkur/Astra couldn’t seem to do. Ohhhhhh yeah . . . that’s the stuff!
I set the razor down and wanted to do an Olympic dismount flourish, you know, like when they stick a landing then slowly raise their arms and stand erect. But that would have been premature, and truly ridiculous. The real proof was in the rinse and post-shave.
On went the tepid water, off came residual lather. So far so good. Fingertips seemed happy. Towel dry and then a Thayer’s splash, dry down, and . . . easily a DFS+. No weepers—bonus!
After my brief post-shave exultation I began to ponder the potentials for the poor first two passes. Did I rush it? Was my angle off? The Astra blade was on its third use, so shouldn’t have been dulled yet—was perhaps the blade an odd faulty one?
This morning I was determined to slow things down, to make sure my technique wasn’t the issue. Reached for the Merkur again, and went nice and slow, paid close attention to feedback, and whaddya know—-wound up with a much better result this time. Still took three passes, but it seems I was being a little too cavalier with my strokes, and probably the angle.
What did I learn from this?
I need to slow things down and not take my technique for granted. Also, that taking up a straight razor, for me, is a certain Yellow Brick Road to Suture City.
Better shaves, gentleman! I thank you for your time.
It’s no secret that we all, at one time or another, experience a bewildering crappy shave. We know our technique hasn’t changed, we’re using (most often) the same soaps we have for a while, probably even using trusted/preferred blades. And yet, out of nowhere we get a total ***-just-happened shave.
If we’ve had a black cat cross our path or perhaps been caught under a bad moon then perhaps we get a lamentable string of crappy shaves. The questions mount and we try to pare down the offending variables because, really, who wants an unsatisfactory shave?
Is the soap not performing?
Am I rushing the shave?
Was my angle off?
Was the blade bad?
Are poltergeists messing with me?
I had used the same daily driver I’ve used for about 6 months, a Merkur 38C with a brand spankin’ new Astra SP blade. Lathered up with one of my tallow soaps using my horsehair brush, took my usual absurd amount of time to face later simply because I like it . . . don’t judge.
Went through the first pass and rinsed off—seemed like there was an unusual amount of stubble left considering completion of the first pass. Odd, but, whatever. On to the second pass . . .
Rinsed off—well, this is unsettling. Still a very unusual amount of stubble left. Not cool . . . not happy.
I trust my Merkur, and have never had a problem with Astras; soap was caressing my face like a warm lover.—you know, as opposed to a cold one.
Then I did something monumentally stupid. I stood there and stared at the razor, like I expected it to suddenly reveal it was part of some unfunny prank. I looked at the blade, checked to be sure the cap was tightened down, turned the razor over and over in some insane quest to find a flaw that didn’t exist.
I’ll show you, I thought to myself., then grabbed The Major.. I can eyeball the blade gap on it and tell—even with my eyesight—this is a more aggressive razor. Had a Shark SC blade in it with 4 uses on it. Only used this razor a few times so far as it’s way more aggressive than the Merkur. First two times I did a nice slice-and-dice job on my face and broke out the styptic pencil for the first time in many months. One could have been forgiven for mistaking the area around the tip looking like peppermint chip ice cream. The Major shaves well but he’s demanding of refined technique, which apparently I don’t possess . . . yet.
So, I rinse out the Merkur and wipe it down, disaenchanted for the first time ever. I wanted to give it the ‘dad’ lecture: “You know you have so much more potential. It’s like you didn’t even try! I’m so disappointed in you.”
Picked up the brush and painted on another nice coat of lather, then picked up the Major and looked at it in the mirror, reminding myself to go very slow and use zeeeerrrrooooooo pressure. Third pass is ATG, so the judges may award extra points for increased difficulty if the shave is well executed.
Barely held the razor between my fingertips and ever so carefully listened to the audible feedback as it cleaned up what the Merkur/Astra couldn’t seem to do. Ohhhhhh yeah . . . that’s the stuff!
I set the razor down and wanted to do an Olympic dismount flourish, you know, like when they stick a landing then slowly raise their arms and stand erect. But that would have been premature, and truly ridiculous. The real proof was in the rinse and post-shave.
On went the tepid water, off came residual lather. So far so good. Fingertips seemed happy. Towel dry and then a Thayer’s splash, dry down, and . . . easily a DFS+. No weepers—bonus!
After my brief post-shave exultation I began to ponder the potentials for the poor first two passes. Did I rush it? Was my angle off? The Astra blade was on its third use, so shouldn’t have been dulled yet—was perhaps the blade an odd faulty one?
This morning I was determined to slow things down, to make sure my technique wasn’t the issue. Reached for the Merkur again, and went nice and slow, paid close attention to feedback, and whaddya know—-wound up with a much better result this time. Still took three passes, but it seems I was being a little too cavalier with my strokes, and probably the angle.
What did I learn from this?
I need to slow things down and not take my technique for granted. Also, that taking up a straight razor, for me, is a certain Yellow Brick Road to Suture City.
Better shaves, gentleman! I thank you for your time.
