Around The World In 80 Blades - a shaving journal

[80blades]

Blade #44: Treet Falcon, Round 4:​

RazoRock M90a ‘Nina’​

Input from @slimshavy led me to give the Falcon one more try, so I thought I’d throw it up against something a bit more modern and assertive, and settled on ‘Nina’. As usual, she performed brilliantly! The blade is definitely still a bit tuggy, but in combination with the razor’s balanced precision (I still love this strange handle and am so glad I stumbled on it!) it was quite a nice shave – though once again it took some time and persistence. But there was no blood or irritation, and the result was a satisfying, instantly comfortable near-BBS, so there’s really not much reason to complain! Still, I’ll be moving on next shave – 4 was OK, but I don’t need more.

Time for another whizz-bang roundup of some more of jazz’s finest female artists!

Lovie Austin, born Cora Taylor in 1887, was a classically trained pianist who began playing professionally in vaudeville, where she accompanied blues singers such as Ma Rainey, Ethel Waters and Alberta Hunter. She co-wrote the classic song “Down Hearted Blues” with Hunter, which was a hit for Bessie Smith. She was one of the few female bandleaders of her time, recording for Paramount Records with her own band, the Blues Serenaders. She also worked with Louis Armstrong and was a major influence on Mary Lou Williams.

Billie Pierce, born Wilhelmina Goodson, was one of six piano-playing sisters from Florida, who grew up playing religious music but were drawn to ragtime, blues, and jazz. She began playing piano professionally at the age of 15, and accompanied blues singers such as Ida Cox and Bessie Smith. She moved to New Orleans in 1930, where she became part of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in the 1960s and 1970s. Her style has been described as a “potent mixture of barrelhouse, boogie-woogie, and ragtime”.

Dorothy Donegan was at home in the stride and boogie-woogie styles, but also played bebop and swing as well as classical piano. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and began playing professionally at the age of 14. She was a protégé of Art Tatum, who called her “the only woman who can make me practice”. She performed throughout the U.S. and abroad for over sixty years. She was best appreciated live, where she offered kaleidoscopic sets that mixed her singing, dancing, and off-color jokes with flamboyant and virtuosic piano excursions.

Hadda Brooks pianist, vocalist and composer, who was billed as “Queen of the Boogie”. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she found work as a pianist for a tap dance studio. She began recording for Modern Records in 1945, and her first single, “Swingin’ the Boogie”, which she composed, was a regional hit. She sang and played piano in several films, such as ‘Out of the Blue’, ‘In a Lonely Place’, and ‘The Bad and the Beautiful’.

Alice Coltrane, also known by her adopted Sanskrit name Turiyasangitananda, was an accomplished pianist and one of the few harpists in the history of jazz, who recorded numerous albums as a bandleader, beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She was married to the jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, with whom she performed in 1966–1967. She was one of the foremost proponents of spiritual jazz, and her eclectic music has been influential both within and outside the world of jazz; she has also recorded several albums of Hindu devotional songs.

Toshiko Akiyoshi was born in 1929 in Liaoyang, Manchuria, to Japanese colonists, and moved to Japan after World War II. She began playing piano professionally in Japan, moving to the U.S. in 1956 and becoming the first Japanese student at Berklee College of Music. She was married to, and performed and recorded with, saxophonists Charlie Mariano and Lew Tabackin, composing and arranging for both; leading her own big band, she was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine’s annual Readers’ Poll. One of the most influential jazz musicians of her generation, she has infused Japanese culture, sounds, and instruments into her music.

Diana Krall is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer who has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. She is the only jazz singer to have had eight albums debuting at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums, winning three Grammy Awards and eight Junos. She has collaborated with Ray Brown, Tony Bennett, and Elvis Costello (who she also married).

Topping even Diana’s haul, Norah Jones has won nine Grammy Awards and sold more than 50 million records worldwide!. She is the daughter of legendary Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar, began playing piano at the age of five and signed with Blue Note Records in 2001. Her debut album, Come Away with Me became a global hit and won eight Grammys. With a country flair to her jazz, she has collaborated with other artists, such as Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton – as well as, more eclectically, the Foo Fighters, Outkast and Danger Mouse.

Once more, there are too many to make an absolutely comprehensive list… so I’ll finish with quick nods to Myra Melford, Elaine Elias, Lorraine Desmarais, Cleo Brown, Renee Rosnes, Junko Onishi, Keiko Matsui, Aki Takase, and Julia Hülsmann!

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King​

Round 1: RazoRock Old Type ‘Fats’​

Learning from past mistakes, I decided to start this new blade with a razor I know to be fairly mild and not liable to bite; that said, I had the days’ growth on so I didn’t want to go *too* mild. ‘Fats’ is probably my mildest open comb, so it seemed like a good fit.

As it turned out, there was no need to be so cautious as my first impression is that the blade seems much like the ‘7 Days’ from a few shaves back – nicely balanced, sharp enough to feel efficient but still pretty mild-mannered. In fact, the first pass was the tiniest bit tuggy, and certainly offered a lot of feedback to let me know it was working. Still, a fairly easy and pleasant shave, with the second and third passes reminding me how much I enjoy the Old Type and leaving me an irritation-free BBS with a couple of barely noticeable weepers.

So, we’ve covered stride pretty thoroughly, what’s left? The Boogie-woogie masters! We’ve mentioned it in passing a few times now it’s time to dig into the style.

Influenced by earlier piano styles such as ragtime, barrelhouse, and honky-tonk, ‘boogie-woogie’ was kind of an offshoot of blues that emerged in the South and Midwest of the United States. It’s characterized by a fast and rhythmic pattern of repeated notes (called “ostinato bass”) in the left hand, while the right hand plays melodies, riffs, and improvisations based on blues scales and chords.

Our first guest is one of the earliest pianists associated with the term, Jimmy Yancey. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he learned to play by ear from his older brother Alonzo, who was a ragtime pianist. He also learned to sing and dance from his father, a vaudeville performer. He toured across the United States and Europe as a child prodigy, performing at Buckingham Palace for King George V in 1913. Returning to Chicago, he performed at house parties and clubs, influencing younger pianists like Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons. His distinctive left-hand bass pattern became known as the “Yancey Special”, named after one of his songs; his right hand was always exploring, unpredictable and eccentric. His wife Estella Harris (Mama Yancey) was a blues singer, and they performed together on radio and at Carnegie Hall in 1948.

Meade Lux Lewis was born in 1905 and started playing the violin as a child, but switched to the piano after his father’s death. His most famous work, “Honky Tonk Train Blues”, was recorded in 1927 and became a hit in the late 1930s, when he was rediscovered by record producer John Hammond. He performed at the landmark concert From Spirituals to Swing at Carnegie Hall in 1938, along with his friends Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson… they formed a trio that toured and recorded extensively, inspiring something of a boogie-woogie craze. Lewis also appeared in several movies, including New Orleans (1947) and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), where he played piano in a bar scene. He died in a car accident in Minneapolis in 1964.

Also born in Chicago, Albert Ammons (1907-1949) was a close friend of Lewis – the two drove taxis together in the 1920’s. He formed his own band, the Rhythm Kings, in 1934, and recorded his first boogie-woogie songs for Decca Records in 1936 – his version of “Swanee River Boogie” sold over a million copies! Along with Lewis and Johnson, Ammons also performed regularly at the Café Society, sometimes with Benny Goodman or Harry James. Ammons was one of the first musicians to record for Blue Note Records, a new jazz label founded by Alfred Lion in 1939; he recorded several solo and duet pieces with Lewis for Blue Note. He also appeared in a short animated film called Boogie-Doodle in 1941. Yes. it was called Boogie-Doodle. I’m not making this up.

The third member of the famous trio, Pete Johnson (1904-1967) was born in Kansas City, Missouri, where he learned to play the piano by ear. He started his musical career as a drummer, but switched to the piano and formed a duo with Big Joe Turner, performing regularly at Kansas City clubs and speakeasies; their 1938 song “Roll ‘Em Pete” was one of the first rock and roll records. Johnson appeared, along with Ammons and Lena Horne, in a short film called Boogie Woogie Dream in 1944. Johnson had considerable technique and command of various styles, but in later life faced significant health issues including several strokes that impaired his ability to play.

One of the first recordings to use the term ‘boogie-woogie’, and indeed to feature spoken instructions for the dance – directing “the girl with the red dress on” to “not move a peg” until told to “shake that thing” and “mess around”! – was Pine “Top’s Boogie” by Clarence ‘Pinetop’ Smith. Born in 1904 in Troy, Alabama, he worked as a musician and comedian on the vaudeville circuit, and accompanied blues singer Ma Rainey. He moved to Chicago in 1928, where (I’m sensing a pattern here) he met all the other pianists we’ve just been introduced to. He also recorded with his wife Sarah Smith, who was a blues singer. He was shot and killed in a bar fight in Chicago in 1929, which is tragically young but definitely the most rock’n’roll death we’ve heard about so far!

While it was eventually absorbed into jazz, along with stride and other early styles that form the basis for later developments and crop up in the playing of Oscar Peterson and others, Boogie-woogie is very accessible and has always maintained an enthusiastic following, and it’s not so uncommon to hear someone break into a rollicking pattern on a public piano!

 

[80blades]

* three days' growth ... gotta spell-check these a bit more carefully!

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King, Round 2:​

RazoRock German 37 ‘Thelonius’​

Another shave on 3 days’ growth, getting to be a bad habit… busy busy busy! However, Thelonius and the King blazed through it on the first pass like it was nothing at all! They do seem to get along… I’m not sure if Monk was the ‘king’ of jazz pianists but something like it. Unmistakeable, and this razor is doing his name justice! Second and third passes equally impressive and enjoyable, dare I say exhilerating! A perfect shave, a BBS result, and a joy from start to finish.

So, we’ve covered stride and boogie-woogie, bebop and hard bop, swing and West-coast, cool and and avant-garde and free jazz, we’ve been to Brazil and Cuba… are there any themes left to explore? Where else can we go? Why, New Orleans of course! Let’s start with its most flamboyant character, the one and only Dr. John!

Born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. in New Orleans in 1941, he started his musical career as a session guitarist and pianist in the 1950s, eventually developing a distinctive style blending New Orleans blues, jazz, funk and R&B. He adopted the persona of Dr. John, a voodoo healer, after a gunshot wound damaged his left ring finger.

Dr. John rose to fame in the late 1960s with his debut album Gris-Gris, which featured the hit I Walk on Guilded Splinters. He went on to record more than 30 albums, collaborating along the way with The Band, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton and winning six Grammy Awards into the bargain. He was also a cultural ambassador for New Orleans, promoting its music and heritage through his performances and philanthropy.

Next, essential to any survey of New Orleans jazz and mentor to pretty much every other name on the list, Professor Longhair! Born n 1918, he learned to play piano by listening to records and radio broadcasts. He started his musical career in the 1940s, playing in clubs and mixing blues, boogie-woogie, rhumba, mambo and calypso rhythms into an intoxicating gumbo. His career faltered somewhat in the 1960s, when he worked as a janitor and struggled with gambling addiction, but he was rediscovered in the 1970s by a new generation of fans and musicians, receiving a posthumous Grammy Award in 1987 for his album House Party New Orleans Style.

The Quincy Jones of New Orleans music, Allen Toussaint was not only an accomplished pianist but a songwriter, arrander and producer for everyone from Dr. John and The Meters to Robert Palmer, Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney. Toussaint remained an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, described as “one of popular music’s great backroom figures”. You may never have heard of him, but you’ve almost certainly heard his work in one form or another!

A more familiar name, Ellis Marsalis Jr. was a pianist and educator who is best known as the patriarch of the musical Marsalis family, including his sons Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason, all of whom became prominent jazz musicians. He also recorded several albums as a leader and a sideman, showcasing his elegant and lyrical style. In addition to his own family, he was a mentor to many other New Orleans musicians including Terence Blanchard and Nicholas Payton.

Fats Domino, also known as Antoine Domino Jr., was one of the pioneers of rock and roll music, selling more than 65 million records and influencing artists like Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Little Richard. He also helped define the New Orleans sound, a blend of blues, boogie-woogie, jazz and R&B. Wildly charismatic, his hits Blueberry Hill and Ain’t That A Shame (among others) have become timeless classics.

A protegé of Fats and Ellis Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. hardly needs an introduction. He was a child prodigy, playing piano with local jazz bands and recording his first album at the age of 10. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, he has won three Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards for his musical and acting achievements. He has also been a vocal advocate for his hometown of New Orleans, especially after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when he co-founded the Musicians’ Village, a community for displaced musicians.

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King, Round 3:​

Leresche 501 Mount ‘Ahmad’​

Not quite as perfect a shave as I’ve grown accustomed to with this vintage beauty, this was nonetheless extremely good, and I suspect the tiny flaws that I have to dock a mark for were down to my own distraction and lack of focus. The first pass was typically fabulous, with none of the slight tugginess this blade has displayed up to now, and the rest was still exemplary by the standards of most razors… it’s just that I’ve come to expect flawless perfection from the Leresche at this point, and this was just a hair off of it. The blade is not *quite* as sharp as others I’ve used, and perhaps that’s part of it too. Still perfectly enjoyable and a very nearly BBS result.

We’ll have a shorter list today and for the remainder of the series, as we’re getting down to the last few artists I want to showcase here – but worry not, I have left some of the best until last, including the wonderful Vince Guaraldi!

Very much in the zone of Ahmad Jamal and Bill Evans – elegant, understated and consummately tasteful - Guaraldi is best known as the composer and pianist for many a Peanuts TV special, and especially for his iconic and delightful theme ‘Linus and Lucy’. His singular and charming music for Peanuts featured catchy melodies, playful rhythms and a distinctive blend of jazz, Latin and classical influences.

Born in 1928, Guaraldi played with various bands and artists in the San Francisco Bay area. He gained recognition in 1962 when he won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition with ‘Cast Your Fate to the Wind’. He was then hired by producer Lee Mendelson to create music for Peanuts, which became his most famous and beloved work. Sadly, he died of a heart attack at age 47, leaving a legacy of music beloved by generations of “children of all ages”, as the saying goes – including me!

I wanted to add an appropriate, currently active pianist to join the others on the list for this razor (Ahmad Jamal, Wynton Kelly, Hank Jones and Vince) and I believe the right choice is one of my favorite pianists at the moment, the wonderful Emmet Cohen. Born in 1990 in Miami, Florida, he started playing piano at the age of three and has performed and recorded with jazz legends including Christian McBride, Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Georges Coleman and Benny Golson.

Cohen is known for his virtuosic technique, expressive touch and eclectic repertoire, Cohen built up a substantial audience online during the Covid-19 pandemic by live streaming from his home in New York, leading his trio (featuring bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole) with a changing cast of NYC jazz luminaries both young and old. These ‘Live from Emmet’s Place’ videos are highly recommended – an intimate and playful presentation of wonderful musicians getting through a tough time together by making great music.

 

[80blades]

In related news, the great Ahmad Jamal has just passed away! A few days ago, at 92, so I guess it was coming, but still. The elders are leaving us, one by one...

I can't put external links here but there's a very good obituary on NPR dot org, if anyone's interested.

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King, Round 4:​

1950’s Apollo ‘Art’​

Busy days left me with 4 days’ growth to plough through this morning, and I thought I’d see how Art got on with the King. I started by dialing out the ‘quasi-adjustable’ handle a bit further than I have in the past, for a bigger blade gap. The result: a superb shave! Much better than expected all around.

OK, the slight tugginess of the blade was exacerbated somewhat by the heavy growth, but it was not unpleasant and the Apollo dealt with it quite efficiently, leading to a very enjoyable 2nd and 3d passes. I dialed the handle in a bit for a milder effect each time, leaving me with a very smooth BBS – no blood, no irritation, virtually no alum sting! A most satisfying shave all around. I’ll have to remember that.

So, as we are winding down, who can we add to complete the list of virtuosic characters already associated with this razor (Art Tatum, Lennie Tristano, Jaki Byard)? I have a couple of ideas…

Richie Beirach started playing the piano at the age of five and studied both classical and jazz piano. He took lessons from Lennie Tristano and later attended the Berklee College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Music Theory and Composition in 1972. He began working with Stan Getz and Chet Baker and formed a long-lasting musical partnership with saxophonist Dave Liebman in the groups Lookout Farm and Quest. He has also recorded as a leader and a sideman for ECM, Trio, Storyville, and Sony Japan. Influenced by Art Tatum, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea and his classical training, he is also known for his original compositions, including “Leaving” and “Elm”, which have become jazz standards.

Steve Kuhn was born in 1938 in New York City, and like Beirach, started playing piano at age five – and he also studied classical music as well as jazz. Influenced by Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, Kuhn has had a long and prolific career, playing with many jazz luminaries, including Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Kenny Dorham, Stan Getz, Art Farmer, Sheila Jordan and Steve Swallow. He has recorded over 50 albums as a leader or co-leader, including Trance, Ecstasy, Remembering Tomorrow and Wisteria. Kuhn is also the composer of what might be the most quirkily-named jazz standard of all: ‘The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers’!

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King, Round 5:​

RazoRock Teck II – ‘Oscar’​

Well, with a timely shave for a change – just my usual 2 days growth – it was time to see how ‘Oscar’ got along with the Treet King. And, predictably, the ‘gentle giant’ did his thing – smooth, easy, mild to a fault, but with a bit of patience, a wonderful result. Those who like a sense of danger in their shave, or are in a hurry to get the thing over with and move on, should probably steer clear, but if you’ve got time to luxuriate in one of the smoothest shaves going, I can recommend it.

This will be the penultimate ‘jazz report’ as I’m down to the last few names I want to highlight! Two on the board today: Jimmy Rowles and Billy Taylor.

Jimmy Rowles was born in 1918 in Spokane, Washington, and was active from the 1940s to the 1980s, exploring various styles including swing and cool jazz. He was known for his lyrical touch, harmonic sophistication and witty humor, and particularly sought-after as an accompanist, especially for female singers. Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Ella Fitzgerald all employed his tasteful support, with McRae calling him “the guy every girl singer in her right mind would like to work with”!

Rowles also worked with other instrumentalists, including Lester Young, Stan Getz and Joe Pass. His best-known original tunes are ‘The Peacocks’ and ‘502 Blues’.

Billy Taylor was a pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator who critic Leonard Feather once called “the world’s foremost spokesman for jazz.” As house pianist at New York’s legendary Birdland club, he performed with Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, among countless others. Taylor appeared on hundreds of recordings and was also a prolific composer, writing over 300 songs, including ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free’ – an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in America in the 1960s recorded by numerous artists, with Nina Simone’s incomparable rendition becoming an enduring classic.

He was also a pioneer of jazz education, teaching at various universities and through his Jazzmobile program, and hosted the radio shows ‘Jazz Alive!’ and ‘Billy Taylor’s Jazz at the Kennedy Center’ on National Public Radio. He received many honors and awards, including the National Medal of Arts and Downbeat Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award – as well as a Grammy, an Emmy and a Peabody award. He performed at the White House seven times and was appointed to the National Council of the Arts. I think jazz has very few more qualified ambassadors!

 

[80blades]

Blade #45: Treet King, Round 6:​

RazoRock SLOC ‘Keith’​

Last shave for this blade, I think! It’s been solid and consistent, and delivered a couple of truly excellent shaves. Add today’s to that list! As it has a few times before, the SLOC hit the sweet spot instantly, and was a great fit for the King. No tugging, easy first pass, very nearly BBS after an equally enjoyable second, and the third sealed the deal. No blood, instant comfort. What’s not to like here? Nothing that I can see. Tempting to just hit repeat and do it all again, but the road is calling my name again… or something like that!

Here we are, too, at the end of my Giants of Jazz Piano survey. It’s been quite a journey! I didn’t really know what an epic thing I was getting myself into, but as it gathered steam it felt worth doing somehow and I’m glad I followed through, as I managed to reacquaint myself with a few greats I’d nearly forgotten. Here are the last three, fitting the Adventurers theme I set out for this razor (well, all jazz musicians are adventurers in a sense, as that tension between tradition and exploration is part of what makes jazz tick!)…

Django Bates is a British musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, band leader and educator, born in 1960. He plays piano, keyboards and tenor horn, and is known for his innovative and eclectic style, combining elements of jazz, classical, rock, pop and world music. I’m pretty sure I saw him live once, at the Montreal Jazz Festival years ago, but I haven’t been able to nail down the date.

Bates, “one of the most talented musicians Britain has produced” according to one critic, has been involved in many musical projects, such as Loose Tubes, Human Chain, Delightful Precipice, StoRMChaser and Belovèd. He has also composed music for orchestras, films, theatre and dance, and holds professorships at a number of universities.

Esbjorn Svensson was a Swedish pianist and composer, born in 1964. I know for sure I saw him live, in Berlin a few months before he passed away, tragically, in a Scuba diving accident in 2008. Svensson started playing the piano at the age of five, and later attended the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he graduated with a degree in jazz. In 1990, he formed a trio with his childhood friend Magnus Öström on drums. In 1993, bassist Dan Berglund joined the trio and the Esbjorn Svensson Trio (e.s.t.) was born.

Influenced by Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Thelonious Monk, as well as classical composers such as Bach and Ravel, Svensson was known for his compositions that combined jazz with elements of rock, pop, classical and electronic music – creating a distinctive sound for his trio that appealed to a wide audience beyond the jazz genre. Their international breakthrough came with the 1999 album ‘From Gagarin’s Point of View’; subsequent albums including ‘Good Morning Susie Soho’, ‘Strange Place for Snow’, ‘Seven Days of Falling’ and ‘Tuesday Wonderland’ were also critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

Finally… we come to the only person on this list who I know personally: my friend, colleague, and fellow adoptive Berliner, Larry Porter.

To be clear, there are lots of other wonderful jazz pianists in this city, some of whom I know, and countless more throughout the world who I mostly don’t… and many are deserving of mention by way of talent and experience… but I have to stop somewhere! And while I’ve seen a bunch of the greats on my list, and met a handful of them, exchanged a few words perhaps… Larry is closer than anyone I know to the main current of jazz tradition. He’s also a truly extraordinary musician.

Larry was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1951, started playing the piano at the age of six and studied at the Eastman School of Music and the Berklee College of Music, where he founded the group Children at Play with Tom van der Geld in 1971. He has lived and worked in New York, Munich, Barcelona and of course Berlin, and has played with jazz legends including Thad Jones, Archie Shepp, Chet Baker and Art Farmer.

Larry also plays a number of other instruments including rebab and sarod. These are traditional lutes from Afghanistan and India; he encountered them during his travels in Asia in 1976, where he studied with Ustad Mohammad Omar. He has developed a unique style combining folk traditions with elements of classical Afghan and Indian improvisational styles, and has recorded an album of traditional Afghan music ‘The Magical Rebab of Larry Porter’. He has incorporated the rebab, particularly, into his own jazz crossover music, especially on the album ‘Silk Road Blues’. A prolific composer and arranger, he has written for various formats such as vocal, chamber, solo piano and big band.

I guess that’s a wrap! Not sure if I’ll go back to just talking about shaving, but something tells me I’ll find another tangentially related theme before too long…

 

[80blades]

TRIGonometry, part 1​

Blade #46: Trig Silver Edge (Pakistan)​

​

A tale of three Gillette TTO masterpieces…​

Round one: Gillette Rocket HD 500 ‘Herbie’

I just noticed that I missed a trick here! Herbie Nichols could have joined Herbie Hancock… Ah well, no matter. That ship has sailed!

Anyway, I felt like this would be a good razor to start a new blade off with, and wouldn’t you know it? I was right. Fabulous shave from start to finish! Not entirely surprising, I already knew what an absolutely stupendous razor this is, and I figured the Trig wouldn’t be too far off its Treet brethren – for it is made by the same company, likely in the same factory in Lahore, Pakistan. It has the same double-paper wrapping (branded without, simple within) and ink printing.
In fact I think it might be a bit better, hard to say after one shave but this was was a particularly flawless one, with no sign of the mild tugginess that some of the Treet blades displayed. Just sharp and smooth for days. Well, hopefully for days anyway! Let’s find out…

Round two: Gillette Slim 1963 ‘Bud’

It’s been a while and it seemed like a good day to revisit this fine piece of engineering from half a century ago! I started on setting 7, which felt about right with this blade and did a fine job on the first pass. I forgot to dial it down for the second pass, which was certainly efficient… but realized afterwards and took it down to 3 for the final pass and cleanup.
I can’t say it was *quite* as perfect as the previous outing with Herbie, this one left me with a couple of tiny weepers – nothing alarming, nothing the alum couldn’t deal with and no lasting irritation, but still. The result was as close and smooth as anyone could ask for though! A splendid razor and an excellent blade, no complaints.

Round 3: Gillette Flare-Tip Rocket ‘Bill’

I needed another reliably gentle shave as I was performing in the evening and didn’t manage to shave until afternoon. It’s been a while since I had this little beauty out for a spin! And again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it was another display of effortless perfection!

I'm rather glad, in the end, that I ended up with this late-model Flare-tip, which has a lower profile than most. This means it has a slightly different head geometry to the HD (and to my Parat/Aristocrat Jr) - it's a tiny bit gentler and even easier to get into the tight corners under the nose. It's really an exquisitely balanced little razor and I'm happy to have made its acquaintance!

 

[80blades]

TRIGonometry, part 2​

Blade #46: Trig Silver Edge (Pakistan)​

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Three open-comb classics!​

Round 4: Fatip il Storto ‘McCoy’

Time to try this blade out with something a bit more assertive – the Fatip has given me some superlative shaves, and I’m quite attached to it, but it’s capable of doing some damage if one is not careful and focused on the task at hand.

I would say today’s outing was somewhere in the middle of that continuum – neither blissful perfection nor a misfire. I did end up with a weeper or two, but it was still quite enjoyable and the result was as close as you like, with no irritation. Not in top 5 territory but still quite satisfying.

Round 5: Gillette New LC ‘Jellyroll’

Great shave! My history with this razor is hit-and-miss. My very first shave with it was glorious, and there have been some other good ones in the mix as well but I did go through a bit of a phase where it seemed to be leaving me with a bit of redness and irritation. Probably user error, as is often the case, and as I’ve learned and developed I think I’m hitting the sweet spot more often these days, by using less pressure and better angles.

In any case, I’m happy to report that this was a return to form, with the only issue being that I re-opened one of the little weepers from last time, on my chin. Regardless, I am enjoying this blade immensely, and it seems like it’s still got some legs!

Round 6: Leresche 510 Mount (aka 51) ‘Ahmad’

There was really no question as to which razor would complete this trio. There’s a bit of magic about this one for me, as previously mentioned – I don’t know what it is, perhaps the combination of the low profile and that slight dip in the middle teeth, between the raised end-pins… But whatever it is, it works – uncannily well, and today was no exception. Pure enjoyment and satisfaction, the kind of shave (again) that makes me feel a little sorry for people who are not with the program as it were. Life should be as perfect as this shave!

And so it’s time to bid a fond farewell to the Trig, and move on!

 

[80blades]

Blade #47 – EuroMax Vertice (United Arabic Emirates)​

It’s a short hop across the Gulf of Oman to the United Arab Emirates, where these blades are branded and marketed (thought they seem to be made in India) – and we are back in a country I’ve visited personally. In fact, I spent quite a bit of time there, as I had a gig playing piano in the Skyview Bar at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai – the iconic one designed to look like a great big sail, and one of the tallest hotels in the world. So for a little over 4 months I played 200 meters over the Arabian Gulf, with a wonderful little trio.

It was a strange time, and it’s a strange place in many ways, rather artificial and isolated, and it was summer and so hot outside, sometimes nearly 50 degrees Celsius, that life consisted of shuttling from one air-conditioned space to another (often a mall). Furthermore, the whole place is built on rather disturbing layers of privilege, inequality and exploitation, and while as a performer with guest status at the hotel I was somewhat insulated from this, there was a gnawing feeling of being tied up in it all somehow and I wasn’t too sad when it ended.

Still, it was fun, and an experience, and a brief glimpse at the world of the very wealthy clientele of a ‘seven-star’ hotel, whatever that is supposed to mean (I can’t say it was all that enticing, to be frank. They all seemed rather bored and annoyed much of the time!). And from my limited experience exploring the rest of the country, it’s quite beautiful – as long as you like deserts, which happily I do!

Anyway. As mentioned, these blades are made in India, evidently by SuperMax. Let’s see if they stand up to the generally fairly high quality of the Indian brand’s own offerings, at least according to my survey. (Note: they aren’t necessarily particularly premium in terms of presentation, with the packaging being a bit on the rough and ready side… and at the risk of foreshadowing, in this case the ink printing began to run and smear off by the second shave, as can be seen in the photo…)

Round 1: DOC ‘Erroll’​

Quite a good shave! A bit tuggy on the first pass on 3 days’ growth, but that’s forgiveable, especially in light of the quality of the rest of the experience. No weepers, no irritation at all, almost zero alum sting… overall really pleasurable! I’m happy to have made friends with the DOC again… and if this first shave is a portent of things to come, I think the EuroMax and I are going to get along just fine.

Round 2: Gillette Tech ‘Red’​

I wish I could say this was up to the same standard as the last outing, but I’m not quite able to do so. The first pass was really quite tuggy indeed, and I think some of the blame for that has to fall to the blade. The second pass was better, and the result of everything was quite acceptable, near-BBS and no blood, but it was simply not as enjoyable a shave as I’ve become accustomed to. And since the last shave with this razor was tremendous, and I don’t feel like I dropped the ball… yeah, it’s the blade. I’ll give it a last whirl with something else, but otherwise… time to move on!

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Round 3: Gillette Featherweight Tech ‘Horace’​

Oof. Not sure what to say about this one. It was… quite terrible, if we’re being honest. I wanted to like the EuroMax, and I tried, but basically it had one good shave in it and then it became a tuggy disaster. Again, it’s not the razor – Horace is really very mild and has given me excellent shaves. And it wasn’t me. It was the blade. It’s simply not good, at least not for more than one shave. No blood, but no fun either. I think it’s the second-worst blade I’ve tried in this whole series – the worst being the Tatra Carbon Steel. Avoid!

Oh well… you can’t win them all! Time to move on and forget about this one. I have another EuroMax blade here, but I don’t know if I’ll ever use it… once bitten, twice shy!

 

[80blades]

Blade #48: Gillette Minora Platinum (South Africa)​

Time for a somewhat bigger jump than we’ve made for a while, geographically speaking… let’s head south, across the Arabian Sea, leaving the African coast to our right and rounding Madagascar, finally coming to South Africa!

Minoras are not currently manufactured there – this one would have been made in St. Petersburg (we’ll get there eventually!) – but they used to be, before Gillette bought the brand, and were made in Gillette’s factory there in the 1950s. They were also apparently manufactured in France, which makes a fun connection with our next port of call… In any case they are still marketed and sold in South Africa, and I’ve seen postings incidating that they are so ubiquitous that the brand name is effectively a proprietary eponym (or generic trademark) for razor blades generally.

I’ve never been to South Africa, though I would very much like to go… and its complex history is widely known and well documented, so let’s move right along to the blades! They are double-wrapped, unlike many Gillette offerings, and the overall presentation is of a higher order than any I’ve used recently. The paper outer is brightly coloured and, I think, quite attractive; there was a bit more wax/glue (hard to tell which sometimes!) on the one I tried than I like, but manageable. Ink printing on the blade itself.

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Round 1: RazoRock M90a ‘Nina’ (with ‘Bateson’ handle)​

What a difference from the last shave. Superb! From the very first stroke, it was clear this is a premium product and, paired with this excellent razor, I was in for a treat. What else to say? 10 out of 10, no blood or irritation, virtually no alum sting at all, BBS result in 3 very easy passes. No buffing required, no awful tugging or scraping. Once again, life should be like this shave. Doesn’t give me much to talk about, but sometimes that’s for the best…
Let’s see if it holds up for a few more like this!

Round 2: Gillette Aristocrat 1948 ‘Duke’​

This razor is not included in the photo above because it’s one of a few that I’ve left with a local repair and replating specialist to be refurbished! This is something I’ve been considering for a while, and it just felt like the right time to see if someone with more experience and wherewithal than me can bring them more fully back to life, as it were. I’ll report on the results when I have them back in hand!

(If you’re in the Berlin area and looking for someone to do this kind of work, a search for ‘razors and more Berlin’ should take you to his website… I picked up something new from him while I was there – more details on that one soon! – and the work seems excellent to me, so hopefully I’m not jumping the gun in recommending him, but in any case I can confirm that he’s very knowledgeable and a very nice guy)

There’s always a bit of danger around this razor for me, as I know it’s a) a little on the aggressive side out of the box, and b) a bit compromised, I think, as the combs are a bit bent out of shape – which is one of the things being worked on. Intrepid readers may recall that I’ve kind of tamed it with shims, which helps a lot, but I’m never quite sure what I’m in for – I’ve had a couple of wonderful shaves from it, and a couple that were, well, not quite so perfect. In a continuing theme, this was somewhere in the middle.

The first pass was quite excellent, and took care of business with aplomb. I really like the blade, it’s smooth and sharp and not tuggy at all. Subsequent passes were quite pleasant but I did end up with a weeper or two, so I can’t give top marks, but the result was more than acceptable. I think I’ll try something a tadbit milder for the third kick at the can and see how that goes!

Round 3: Ming Shi 2000S ‘Randy’​

This was a bit of a hurried affair, as I let time get away from me and needed to power through a shave before leaving the house. I mean, I didn’t have to, nobody would have cared (one of the advantages of being a self-employed musician; let’s not talk about the disadvantages just now!)

Anyway, I decided I had time for two quick passes, and I have a fair amount of growth on, so I set the Ming Shi to 6 for a bit of efficiency. Loaded up with the Minora it did an admirable job with the first pass, except that I managed to give myself a solid nick just below one ear, which proceeded to bleed for the rest of the shave, until I could get some styptic on it.

The second pass, at a lower setting, was fine, but only fine – not really especially enjoyable or noteworthy, and it made me think that perhaps the time has come to take a few razors out of rotation. I don’t think this one is really bringing anything special, and maybe I should focus on the ones that do a bit more, as I certainly have a few.. And with a blade this good, the shave should be spectacular, no?

Who’s next?

 

[80blades]

Blade #48: Gillette Minora Platinum (South Africa)​

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Round 4: Gillette Aristocrat Jr / Parat ‘Count’​

Let’s see, where were we? Oh yes: “with a blade this good, the shave should be spectacular, no?”… You mean, like, for example, this one?

Why yes indeed, that’s exactly what I mean!

I started with a little less growth than usual, and felt like a mild razor would get the job done – and holy freholi, did the Count ever deliver the goods.

Not much more to say except, yeah, this is the kind of shave I want to have with a blade this good. It was flawless, completely satisfying, 10 out of 10. The kind of shave that makes me want to do it every day.

I still feel like the handle on this one is a tiny bit small and light; this is not a chunky head by any stretch, it’s certainly a whole lot smaller than the Ming Shi for example, but it feels big in comparison to the diminutive handle. The HD (same head geometry) and Flare-Tip (slightly lower profile) seem a bit more balanced overall, but this is nitpicking territory. I can still get a straight-up fabulous shave from this one, so why complain?

And at the risk of belaboring the point … This blade is fantastic. Highly recommended!

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Round 5: RazoRock Old Type ‘Fats’​

Good shave. Not spectacular. Just good. No complaints, but no fireworks. Just a solid shave. The blade is still doing its thing!

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Round 6: Gardette, French copy of a Gillette New RFB?​

Really good! This razor, a new acquisition, seems to me to be a copy of a New RFB (‘raised flat bottom’ – the base plate is heavier and more solid than on a standard New like my ‘Jelly Roll’), made in France – but I’m not able to find much information at all about the company or when it might have been made. It seems quite well made, from what I can tell!

The handle seems to be a version of the spiral handles that featured on many a Tech over the years (though never on an RFB from what I can tell), but in brass. This is great because it’s a nice design as far as I can tell Gillette never made one that wasn’t aluminum. Nothing against aluminum, but this is a nice, solid brass piece replated (or rather ‘refreshed’, according to the listing) in palladium, a close cousin of rhodium with many of its benefits. So this one should outlast me if I take reasonable care of it!

It was a fine first shave, of course it always takes a bit to get used to a new razor, and this one seems to have a quirk of blade alignment whereby one edge is a bit more exposed than the other, which is actually not such a terrible thing if one keeps an eye on which side one is using and handles it accordingly – it gives you two different degrees of mildness/efficiency to work with.

So I had a couple of tiny weeper spots around my neck, which stopped immediately with a bit of alum, and otherwise the result was excellent – a good way to put this blade to bed and transition to our next contestant!

 

[80blades]

Blade #49: Nacet NOS (France)​

Vive la France!

What can I say about France that others haven’t said a million times before, and better (or at least with a charming accent)? Well, not much, but I have been there, a few times, though never for more than a few days at a time. It’s a country with a long, complex history and a rich culture, famous throughout the world for its epicurean delights as well as for its landscape, architecture, art, music, literature, film, fashion… I could easily go on. It would probably be easier to list the areas where France has *not* made enormous contributions to world history and culture than those in which it has!

Also: it’s always interesting cracking open a New Old Stock blade, knowing that there are likely a fairly small number of these left in the world and there will never be more, so it’s good to be mindful and appreciate the moment.

There seems to be a fair bit of confusion around the Nacet brand, but from what I’ve been able to gather it’s an old American trademark, originally used by International Safety Razor out of New Jersey and subsequently bought by Gillette, who registered its use in 1939. Then it was manufactured in a few places, including France, and marketed mainly in the middle east – possibly the reason for its famous crocodile logo (though there are also versions with elephants and hippos, and one with a double crocodile! I’m not sure I would want to take on any of these animals armed only with a razor blade, but it takes all kinds I suppose).

In any case, yes, this one was made in France – it says so on the back of the packaging! – and has no Gillette branding at all, which differentiates it from modern Nacets made in St. Petersurg.

There are also indications that Nacet was something of a budget brand back in the day, not to be confused with the premium product sold under the name today, and so my expectations are modest.

Regardless. Let’s stick with my new (well, new to me) French razor to baptize this hopefully fine french blade!

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Round 1: Gardette ‘RFB’​

So how did it fare? Pretty well, all things considered. A bit tuggy but not too unpleasant. Very slight lingering ‘scraped’ effect but no redness or lasting irritation. Far from terrible but not exactly buttery-smooth. Not as good as the Minora, but that’s hardly surprising. I’ll give it another chance or two.

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Round 2: Gillette ‘Featherweight’ Tech ‘Horace’​

This was done in a bit of a hurry, a two-pass affair that was surprisingly good. Again, it’s not a particularly smooth blade but it’s not a garden rake like the Tatra CS, and it’s better than the Euromax as well. The result was not BBS but perfectly acceptable, with no blood or trauma…

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Round 3: RazoRock SLOC ‘Keith’​

Well, I have to give credit where credit is due: This was a wonderful shave! I wouldn’t recommend this combo to someone who really needs efficiency to be satisfied… but if you’re patient, willing to put in the time and care and sink into the experience, and like a perfect BBS result with no blood or irritation and not a hint of alum sting… well, that’s what I just had!

I guess it’s kind of like French food… it’s probably not for you if you’re in a hurry, but if care and time is taken to get it right, it’s a pretty deluxe experience!

I was on 3 days’ growth and for sure the blade was working hard on the first pass around the chin, but it still wasn’t uncomfortably tuggy, just not blazingly fast. And I can’t argue with the result – instead, I’m just going to enjoy it!

 

[80blades]

Blade #49: – Nacet NOS (France) continued​

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Round 4: RazoRock German 37 Slant ‘Thelonius’​

The French and the Germans, being neighbors, have a lot of shared history. While not all of it has been amicable, obviously, much is made these days of the generally positive, co-operative relations between the two nations – there’s even a Franco-German Day – January 22nd – to celebrate it! Let’s see how the French blade gets on with the German razor (I could have used the Apollo, but of course I didn’t plan this in advance, I’m just riffing).

As it turns out it was almost a replay of the last shave with the SLOC – slow and steady, working hard around the chin, but a fine result! The slant is a little more assertive than the double open comb, and as a result it might have been a tiny bit quicker and easier to get to BBS… and there was a tiny bit of alum sting to support this theory, but no matter! It was still a very enjoyable shave and I’m not quite ready to move on yet… And I have a rather splendid idea for how to wrap this one up!

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Round 5: Leresche 510 Mount ‘Ahmad’ – refreshed!​

This is one of the razors I left with Sebastian at Razors and More, and since I have it back now (he was fast!) and it’s a great, vintage French razor it makes sense to say goodbye to a vintage French blade (just as I began with the Gardette).

Mostly Sebastian worked on the handle, replating it in the original silver, but he did a little work on the baseplate as well, refining the initial work I did straightening the comb and touching up the nickel there with palladium, and polished the cap a little more as well. Now it looks as great as it shaves!

Of course it didn’t magically make the Nacet ultra sharp and smooth, but I think it brought out the best in it, and this was as good a shave as I think it is capable of – still a tiny bit tuggy around the chin, but overall enjoyable and a solid result. Not exciting, not one for the ages, but a good, clean shave.

And so we leave France behind, for now, though there will be a brief return before long!

 

[80blades]

Blade #50: Bolzano Superinox Inossidabile​

Ahh, Italy. A country I’ve spent some quality time in – mostly in Tuscany, which I have an abiding love for, though Venice was of course a highlight as well. Without going into rapturous detail, there is much about the Italian approach to living well that I can relate to. It’s a place that tends to get under your skin.

Once when on a day trip with a friend – the famous Carlo, who has graced this journal before – we stopped after a hike in the mountains at a place he knew – not really a restaurant, seemingly just friends of his who lived on a farm nearby that he thought might be able to provide us with a meal. They apologized profusely that they did not have much to offer, and wished they had known we were coming and could have prepared something better. The provisions that then appeared were indeed simple, but literally everything – bread, cheese, sausages, tomatoes, and of course wine – was so preposterously flavorful that it stands out in my memory, 20 years later, as a truly wonderful meal.

Similarly, with some ‘travel friends’, one of whom was a chef from the USA, at a restaurant that served a ‘set menu’ where we could choose from various starters and main items… they ended up bringing everything for everyone because they were so proud of it and they wanted to show it all off. The care and focus and pride in doing things well seems to be a deeply ingrained value, and I have a lot of respect for that.

And of course there is a rich shaving tradition in Italy, and many of the trappings of the enthusiast’s kit and ritual derive from it. Interesting that there are not many blades on the market! But let’s see what the most popular brand has to offer!

“Bolzano Superinox Double Edge Blades are among Italy’s best selling razor blades for almost 100 years. These stainless steel blades are made by using Italian production equipment and an advanced titanium plating which gives a superbly smooth and comfortable shave.”

(I don’t know if these blades were originally made in Italy – perhaps even in Bolzano – but apparently they are now made in Germany, by Feintechnik in Eisfeld, Thuringia. Whether they are still made with ‘Italian production equipment’ or not, I have no idea!)

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Round 1: Fatip F.O.C.S.​

Holly Macaroni, what a shave! The clouds parted! I felt the earth move under my feet!

Again, this one made me want to tell everyone I know still scraping away at themselves with plastic cartridges, look here! This is possible! A shave can be like this! Sort of like how I feel when I pull a perfect shot from my La Pavoni… Why on earth you you choose to drink flavorless brown water when this is available?

Speaking of espresso, yes, I thought the best way to start with this Italian blade was with my finest (and for the moment, only) Italian razor. And they obviously got along rather well – as if made for each other, which may not be far from the truth. Fatip razors are “TOTALLY made in Italy”, according to their website, “by the artisans of Premana” – which is in northern Italy, not so very far from Bolzano.

Anyway. Geographical musings aside, this was one heck of a shave!

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Round 2: Gillette Aristocrat 1948​

Well, this was a bit of a gamble – I wanted to see what Sebastian was able to do with this razor. To be fair, he made a disclaimer – while he was able to straighten one safety bar that was bent out of shape, and touch up a few spots of plating in the head assembly, there seems to be something wrong with the center bar that he couldn’t fix, and as a result the blade is just not held firmly, so my strategy of shimming remains the only way to use it without the blade shifting as it shaves, which seems sub-optimal.

It was, nevertheless, a decent shave. Not glorious and life-affirming like the previous one, but decent, despite some roughness on the first pass (with minimal shimming, as a test) and a couple of small weepers. And I can’t argue with the result: smooth, irritation-free and virtually no alum sting, which was unexpected!

I’ll be traveling for the next few weeks, so my usual kit will be replaced with a mobile one, and a considerable more limited selection of razors… I’ll be looking forward to getting back to my vintage lineup, but for next little while it will be a steady diet of things I’m a bit less invested in!

 

[80blades]

Blade #50: Bolzano Superinox (Italy), continued​

First of all, I must apologize for the long gap(s) in posting! I was travelling, I’m travelling again, and sometimes there is just too much going on to make time to post. However, I do keep shaving, and scratching out a few notes, so I’ll try to catch up a bit here.

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Round 3: travel hybrid #1 – RES Caesar​

I only brought one handle with me on this trip – a long, thin one that came with my mystery Maxon. I don’t know why I chose that one, but I’m stuck with it for now! Anyway, I have a few different heads to choose from, and this is the first up: the Roman Empire Shaving copy of a DE89. It’s given me good shaves before. How will it get along with the Bolzano?

Not bad, not bad. A bit tuggy around the chin on the first pass, on 2 days’ growth – I can’t say this is the sharpest blade I’ve ever used, and maybe it likes open combs better – I’ll try one of those next.
But subsequent passes were enjoyable, and it was a decent, near-BBS result with no weepers, minimal alum sting, no irritation. Can’t really complain, even if it didn’t leave me dancing around the room!

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Round 4: travel hybrid #2 – RazoRock Old Type​

Well, the open comb was not the magic secret that unlocked an effortless perfect shave – that was just a one-time thing with the Fatip apparently – but it was a decent, enjoyable shave. A bit tuggy again, nothing terrible but it’s always a bit disappointing. No blood, no trouble, it took some work but a decent result was achieved. Minimal alum sting, no irritation. I can certainly work with it!

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Round 5: travel hybrid #3 – RR/Baili Teck II​

About the same but in fact, weirdly as this is a very gentle razor, a bit less tugginess and an even-closer-to-BBS result, with no blood or irritation. Still took some doing, it wouldn’t satisfy the efficiency crowd by any stretch, but again it’s a shave I can easily live with.

I think maybe it’s time to move on though, as I kind of doubt this blade is going to surprise me with another shout-it-from-the-mountaintops Perfect Shave… but I’ll remember that first one for a while!

Wherever could we be off to next?

 

[80blades]

Blade #51: Muster Quality (Pakistan/Italy)​

These blades appear to be made by Treet in Pakistan, but branded and sold by Muster-Dikson who are based in Milan, Italy – to be specific, in Cerro Maggiore, “a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 kilometres northwest of Milan”, according to Wikipedia. Intriguingly, it continues: “On 25 August 1946 Benito Mussolini’s corpse was hidden in the town, remaining here until 30 August 1957″…

Since 1976 there has also been a connection with Canada (where I am currently travelling) in the form of an office in Toronto, but I am not aware of the blades being sold there.

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Round 1: travel hybrid #4 – RR German 37​

No tugging here! Smooth and supple throughout, a great shave! A few weepers, one from looping off a blemish that needed a bit of styptic but otherwise a very slick experience and a great BBS result!

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Round 2: travel hybrid #5 – RR SLOC​

Another fabulous shave! Maybe even better – anyway no weepers, smooth sailing and a glorious BBS finish! Pretty much got it done in 2 passes, to boot! (A little cleanup under the chin but otherwise two was enough!)

I’m liking this blade a lot – I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this is just excellent stuff! I’m going to try something a bit more adventurous for the next round…

Round 3: travel hybrid #6 – SLOC top cap with RES Caesar baseplate.​

Time to start mixing and matching the razor components I have here. Why? Because I can! Because it’s there!

Anyway, Frankenrazor or not, this was a really great shave! I will have to remember this combination – 4 days growth and no issues at all. It’s kind of a strange combination, to have a grooved ‘open comb’ top cap with a solid safety bar, but it certainly got the job done and in fact I would try it again if the opportunity arises!

Round 4: travel hybrid #7 – SLOC top cap with Old Type baseplate.​

Well shoot, this was very, very good indeed. Maybe even better than the last one. I guess it makes a bit more sense too, as it’s kind of a double-open-comb variant, just with the longer teeth of the Old Type versus the shorter ones of the SLOC. Anyway, a great shave is a great shave no matter how you, err, slice it!

Round 5: travel hybrid #8 – RES Caesar top cap with RR Old Type baseplate​

Pretty good. This was a quick 2-pass shave as I had limited time but it did the job. I kind of just tried this combination it because it was possible, but in truth it probably doesn’t really accomplish much as the two top caps are very similar anyway. But, a good shave nonetheless.

Round 6: German 37 Slant head again.​

Really, really good. 4 days growth mown through like it was nothing at all, and then precise, efficient and smooth for the subsequent passes. Love this combo (with the Muster I mean)!

Round 7: Old Type head again​

Not bad, limited time so a 2-pass and the results were great, but the blade is definitely working harder than at the beginning of our time together. It’s been great, but I think it’s time to move on!

 

[80blades]

Blade #52: Bic Chrome Platinum (Greece)​

Well it was time to move on, and this will be an interesting move because we are heading to Greece! And also, we are going to Greece!

Yes, once again I will (before long) be physically in the same country as the blade I’m shaving with was made… However, I’m not there yet, so I’m going to use the BIC as a warm-up act to get me in the mood. I’ll leave further musings on all things Greek, then, until we actually get there.

BIC blades seem to be made in Greece, but the company is French (very Phrench!), or at least associated with France, so this is also – as mentioned previously – a brief return.

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Round 1: Gillette Tech ‘pre-war’ (circa 1940ish), refurbished​

GREAT shave. Seriously, if this shave is anything to judge by, well, I can say a few things: a) I really like this blade, b) it really likes this razor, and c) this razor finally feels as good as I’ve always wanted it to, thanks to a replating of the head in palladium (and the handle in gold, for good measure!)

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Round 2: RazoRock M-90a ‘Nina’ (diamond handle)​

I had a few days’ growth on, and was happy to note that this razor got through it every bit as easily and smoothly as I have come to expect… speaks well of the blade too! No trouble at all, and the rest of the shave fell in line after that. Quite marvellous! Other reviewers have given me to understand that BIC blades don’t have a lot of staying power, so we’ll have to see. However, for a second shave on a thick crop of whiskers, this was certainly no slouch!

I didn’t get a photo for the next three shaves but hey, we all know what they look like at this point! So I will just include the shave write-ups here.

Round 3: Gillette Rocket HD ‘Herbie’​

Fantastic shave overall. I did notice that the blade seemed to struggle a little on the first pass, which was only on 2 days’ growth, so perhaps there is something to the reports that the BIC doesn’t last a long time… well, we’ll find out soon enough!

However, 2nd and 3d passes were smooth and easy. This razor is such a pleasure to use, it’s really close to ideal for me, and Sebastian’s cleanup has made it look as nice as it shaves – he got rid of all the spotting that I had not managed to eliminate, and polished it up nicely into the bargain. The plating on the handle is getting a bit thin and you can see a bit of brass beginning to show through – more on one side than the other – but it’s not a problem for now, and might not become one until someone else owns it!

Round 4: Gardette RFB copy​

Thought I should go for an open comb. 2 days’ growth, and a French razor as a nod to BIC’s French background. The blade struggled a bit in the first pass again but not too badly. Nice smooth feeling to this razor and it doesn’t play badly with the blade. I want to like it but the blade alignment issue is challenging – it’s really impossible to get the blade exposure even from one side to the other, so I have to pay close attention to which side is which, as one of them is substantially more assertive than the other. The less efficient side is very smooth indeed, the other borderline aggressive. But, the result was pretty good, a very close shave in the end but with a tiny bit of redness and mild irritation around the neck. Almost done with this blade, will try one more thing.

Round 5: Apollo ‘Art’​

This was my last shave before heading off again, this time (as per the previous post) to Greece (in fact, to Corfu, which is a bit nerve-wracking as the island is one of a number of places in Greece struggling with wildfires in this historically hot summer, but they are nowhere near the airport or where we will stay for a few days, and of things get more dangerous we will just fast-track our departure for the mainland; we will be visiting family there and this trip was planned before the fires broke out and is looking overdue due to Covid, so while we struggled with the decision on the end it seemed like it wouldn’t really help anyone for us to cancel…)

Anyway, I’m already using a Greek blade, so it seemed appropriate to use the Apollo, the most Greek razor i have (if only in name!)

They were in fact a great fit! I dialed the handle back a bit to provide a little more blade exposure for the first pass (on two days’ growth), and it actually seemed more efficient than either of the last two shaves – but still smooth and enjoyable. Two more passes at progressively tighter settings and a near-BBS was achieved with no blood or other issues. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

So I’m not sure, in the end, if the BIC actually wears out any quicker than other blades. Maybe it’s just very particular about what kind of razor it gets along with! It seemed particularly well suited to the Apollo, in any case! It was a nice shave to see it off, as well!