Hey everyone! First time posting here so I apologize if Im not posting in the right sub-forum. I purchased an Above the Tie razor a fair bit ago, probably 6 months or so. My first DE was a Merkur 34c, followed by a Merkur 37c which was and is smooth as butter and more or less is the gold standard for a good shave for me. Shaved with the Merkur for 3 years. Now I was content with my Merkur 37c for some time, however the pot metal and the lifespan of the 37c started to bother me a bit as I kind of am the type of fella who wants to have the one right tool for the job that will last a lifetime and serve me faithfully until the end. Consequently I began to seek out a razor that is both as efficient and smooth as my Merkur along with being built like a tank. Cue Above the Tie. Now their razors are impeccably designed and don't even get me going on the customer service as Matt, presumably the inheritor of the company following Stans retirement, has been as kind and receptive as I could ask of anyone, even my own family. Unfortunately I simply cannot get a good shave with it. Its beautiful, I marvel at the craftsmanship of the razor almost every time I use it and most everyone on this forum or otherwise seems to give it rave reviews. Now ATT as a company is bar none one of the most 5 star, world class companies I can think of and after a fair few interactions with them recently I would not hesitate to recommend ATT to someone looking to invest in a SS DE razor. The customer service I received genuinely is unparalleled. But as I mentioned before I cant get a good shave with it. My prep is the same as it always is (about 3 minutes of soaking my face with warm water followed by letting the lather sit on my face for an additional minute) and this prep was effective with my Merkur so I have to believe it is not at fault. I have tried probably upwards of 10 blades with the razor, despite the Merkur working with almost every blade I put in it. I've utilized the razor at every conceivable angle and all to no avail. Am I doing something wrong? Is there a secret combination I am not familiar with? The razor itself is delightful aesthetically and I want so badly to find a way to make it work as there are only a handful of high scale slants on the market so If I cant make the S1/S2 work I simply am SOL as far as slants go and I really don't think my kinky facial hair would get along with a straight bar. Anyone have any tips for this razor or personal input? Some blades are smoother than others but this razor seems to have an almost unbearable amount of blade feel for me. Albeit the S2 is a little better than the S1. It would be much appreciated fellas! I really dont wanna end up having to sell the razor and would love some tips as its not impossible that i have just been somehow shaving the wrong way with it the whole time lol.
All the best
-Seth
All the best
-Seth