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Blade #53: Astor (Greece)
Made by BIC in Greece just like the eponymous brand we’ve just left behind, it remains to be seen whether this is just a rebrand or if it feels like a different blade.In fact, it almost didn’t happen at all – while I do have a single Astor blade at home in Berlin, we came to Greece with carry-on luggage only, so I couldn’t bring any blades and was relying on finding some Astors here in Corfu.
However, they proved trickier to track down than I had hoped and anticipated – while I’ve read reports that they were ubiquitous at one time, I had to scour the pharmacies and supermarkets to find a pack. But, find them I did! In a spiffy little 5-pack.
Round 1 – Maxon ‘Mulgrew’
I thought I would bring this razor complete this time, as it’s very close to the M90a, shaves decently, and I won’t be too upset if i lose it.But maybe I should care more: the first shave with this and the Astor was quite marvellous! Great first pass, no trace of tuginess, smooth and precise.
I’m trying a new 2-pass routine while I’m traveling… first pass with the grain, which for my face pretty much means all downwards, and then a second that is kind of a hybrid of across and against the grain. This saves a bit of time and doesn’t seem to be changing the results appreciably. I’ll keep refining and experimenting!
Round 2: travel hybrid #5 – RR SLOC
Great shave from start to finish! The SLOC head is a joy to use, smooth and easygoing but quite efficient into the bargain.
Round 3: travel hybrid 4 – RR German 37
Really superb shave again – this blade is delivering on all fronts and in all razors so far! My two-pass technique delivered a solid BBS with the slant, which has become a really reliable performer for me as I’ve unlocked its secrets.I’ll keep this blade going a bit longer but actually the next one is likely to be an Astor as well, since I’ve got a few more weeks here, I’m not aware of any other Greek blades on the market, and I won’t be able to take anything else back on the plane. So I’ll just use Astors, and rotate my small selection of travel razors, until I head back to Berlin!