Around The World In 80 Blades - a shaving journal
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- #22
Hilarious! And in fact, true - I've recently become aware that the total cost of a laboratory rat for medical research purposes is... staggeringly high.
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- #23
The Hills Are Alive... Tatra, part 2
Night and day.
I've never been in the High Tatras, but I've been in the high Himalayas, and I can report that the difference between day and night in the mountains is extreme and sudden. As soon as the sun goes down (or more accurately, slips behind one of the giant massifs surrounding you), the temperature plummets, fast, and you need to find shelter and, hopefully, warmth.
I'd love to say that the difference between the Tatra in the RazoRock and the Tatra in the DOC was like that... but sadly, it wasn't. At all.
I'm not sure what else to report except that, even after only one day's growth (less than 24 hours, in fact!), in a razor that has been in my experience reliably mild and forgiving, this was a rough and unpleasant shave. No cuts, nicks or weepers, so again there's that to be said in its favour... but not much else. Perhaps it's simply not sharp enough to cut skin?
My tagline today is 'The Hills Are Alive...' and at the risk of stretching a metaphor (something I rarely pass up the opportunity to do!) I have to say that where the Tiger Platinum 'sang', its mountain cousin is more of a guttural, angry screamer. The sound was not the pleasant ringing of hairs being neatly and efficiently sliced, more a terrible scratching, like scraping two rocks together.
Still, I managed to eke out a passable shave from it, and while the after-effects are again not exactly pleasant, I think I can restrain myself from resorting to torture metaphors, so I guess that's progress?
Nevertheless, this is not a blade I will ever use again (thankfully, I only had one of them). And if I ever come across another one this bad, I won't give it a second chance. This may be a journey of discovery, with ups and downs, but life is too short to shave with terrible blades - at least, not twice!
I don't know how these Tatras might perform in other uses "around the home, as well as in industry" but as far as I'm concerned, nobody should ever, ever shave with them.
Time to move on! And the nice thing about the High Tatras is that... they border on... Poland!
Night and day.
I've never been in the High Tatras, but I've been in the high Himalayas, and I can report that the difference between day and night in the mountains is extreme and sudden. As soon as the sun goes down (or more accurately, slips behind one of the giant massifs surrounding you), the temperature plummets, fast, and you need to find shelter and, hopefully, warmth.
I'd love to say that the difference between the Tatra in the RazoRock and the Tatra in the DOC was like that... but sadly, it wasn't. At all.
I'm not sure what else to report except that, even after only one day's growth (less than 24 hours, in fact!), in a razor that has been in my experience reliably mild and forgiving, this was a rough and unpleasant shave. No cuts, nicks or weepers, so again there's that to be said in its favour... but not much else. Perhaps it's simply not sharp enough to cut skin?
My tagline today is 'The Hills Are Alive...' and at the risk of stretching a metaphor (something I rarely pass up the opportunity to do!) I have to say that where the Tiger Platinum 'sang', its mountain cousin is more of a guttural, angry screamer. The sound was not the pleasant ringing of hairs being neatly and efficiently sliced, more a terrible scratching, like scraping two rocks together.
Still, I managed to eke out a passable shave from it, and while the after-effects are again not exactly pleasant, I think I can restrain myself from resorting to torture metaphors, so I guess that's progress?
Nevertheless, this is not a blade I will ever use again (thankfully, I only had one of them). And if I ever come across another one this bad, I won't give it a second chance. This may be a journey of discovery, with ups and downs, but life is too short to shave with terrible blades - at least, not twice!
I don't know how these Tatras might perform in other uses "around the home, as well as in industry" but as far as I'm concerned, nobody should ever, ever shave with them.
Time to move on! And the nice thing about the High Tatras is that... they border on... Poland!
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- #24
Blade the fourth: Polsilver Super Iridium
Or, a tale of two new friends
Night and day, take two. This time for real! I went from the worst blade, and worst shave, of my life (the Tatra carbon steel)... to the best of both!
To start from the beginning... Polsilver Super Iridiums are something of a legend, and many swear by them in one or another if their manifestations, as the best blades ever (as always, this is a very subjective thing).
They were originally made in Poland in the Communist years, in Lódz... but sadly the company went out of business and/or was bought out by Gillette, and are now made, alongside their alternate brand Wizamet, in St. Petersburg.
The blade I have here is not, unfortunately, a NOS Polish one - these are rather difficult to come by and much prized - see the Unobtanium thread... Rather, it's a new Russian-made one, but hopefully at some point I will talk down an original one and pay another visit!
In any case, once again, since there are no rules here other than the ones I set myself, I'm letting Polsilver represent Poland rather than Russia - which, as we will see soon enough, is rather well enough represented in the DE blades scene.
I don't have a tuck or other packaging, so my single blade is in a plain white wrapper, with a pair of wax dots to hold it all together, and is minimally branded with ink.
And to explain my subtitle (two new friends)... Today is not just a new blade for me, I'm also trying out a new pre-shave prep, the Ice Cube from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements, which is a mentholated soap that goes on - and apparently should not be rinsed off - before the main shaving later, with which it interacts and, err, mentholated - to a quite exhilarating degree!
First impressions of both: wow. To quote Rick Blaine in Casablanca, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
Since they were both new to me, it's hard to separate exactly which was responsible for the difference and to what degree, but I think it's safe to say that it's a bit of both. But since we're mostly about the blades here... I think this blade might be magic! It's just as sharp as the Wilkinson Sword but smoother, cleaner somehow, and the first pass was sheer delight (and *refreshing*!). Smooth, precise, and not a nick or a weeper in sight.
And so it continued, though a few small weepers did appear on the neck in the second and third passes. But the comparison to scraping away at my face with the Tatra, which was really like shaving with a cheese grater, this was downright joyful. The menthol from the pre-shave cube lingered through the whole shave, providing a refreshing lift that I could easily get used to.
Another thing I could get used to: a solid BBS shave, with almost no effort, minimal alum sting and zero irritation afterwards. Nothing.
I'll give it a couple more rounds (I'm looking forward to it in fact!) but at the moment I have to say, if this were a race to find my perfect blade, this Polsilver would be in... Pole position!
Or, a tale of two new friends
Night and day, take two. This time for real! I went from the worst blade, and worst shave, of my life (the Tatra carbon steel)... to the best of both!
To start from the beginning... Polsilver Super Iridiums are something of a legend, and many swear by them in one or another if their manifestations, as the best blades ever (as always, this is a very subjective thing).
They were originally made in Poland in the Communist years, in Lódz... but sadly the company went out of business and/or was bought out by Gillette, and are now made, alongside their alternate brand Wizamet, in St. Petersburg.
The blade I have here is not, unfortunately, a NOS Polish one - these are rather difficult to come by and much prized - see the Unobtanium thread... Rather, it's a new Russian-made one, but hopefully at some point I will talk down an original one and pay another visit!
In any case, once again, since there are no rules here other than the ones I set myself, I'm letting Polsilver represent Poland rather than Russia - which, as we will see soon enough, is rather well enough represented in the DE blades scene.
I don't have a tuck or other packaging, so my single blade is in a plain white wrapper, with a pair of wax dots to hold it all together, and is minimally branded with ink.
And to explain my subtitle (two new friends)... Today is not just a new blade for me, I'm also trying out a new pre-shave prep, the Ice Cube from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements, which is a mentholated soap that goes on - and apparently should not be rinsed off - before the main shaving later, with which it interacts and, err, mentholated - to a quite exhilarating degree!
First impressions of both: wow. To quote Rick Blaine in Casablanca, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
Since they were both new to me, it's hard to separate exactly which was responsible for the difference and to what degree, but I think it's safe to say that it's a bit of both. But since we're mostly about the blades here... I think this blade might be magic! It's just as sharp as the Wilkinson Sword but smoother, cleaner somehow, and the first pass was sheer delight (and *refreshing*!). Smooth, precise, and not a nick or a weeper in sight.
And so it continued, though a few small weepers did appear on the neck in the second and third passes. But the comparison to scraping away at my face with the Tatra, which was really like shaving with a cheese grater, this was downright joyful. The menthol from the pre-shave cube lingered through the whole shave, providing a refreshing lift that I could easily get used to.
Another thing I could get used to: a solid BBS shave, with almost no effort, minimal alum sting and zero irritation afterwards. Nothing.
I'll give it a couple more rounds (I'm looking forward to it in fact!) but at the moment I have to say, if this were a race to find my perfect blade, this Polsilver would be in... Pole position!
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- #25
Polsilver Super Iridium - round 2
No clever bylines today... just a quick SOTD report!
I decided to give the DOC the day to itself again, to see how it got along with the Polsilver, and unsurprisingly, they played rather nicely together! I'm still a bit in awe of this blade, how they got it so right, and, ermmm, why all blades are not like this, given that it's possible.
Same lovely effortless glide - I must admit, a bit smoother in terms of overall 'face feel' (is that a thing?) than the DOC with the Tiger Platinum. I'm not sure how much of that, again, is due to the blade and how much to the Ice Cube pre-shave, as the latter does seem to improve the lather of my usual soap (Speick), giving it a rich creaminess that I didn't realize it was lacking... but I suspect the blade plays a part as well.
One of the weepers on my neck from last shave had become a bit of a tender spot (possibly stemming from an ingrown hair or similar from the Tatra debacle? I'm only speculating, but happy to blame all sorts of things on that ghastly excuse for a blade, as it richly deserves whatever abuse can be heaped on it), and this was re-opened on the second pass and required a bit of alum to calm it down, but otherwise it was smooth sailing.
Again, a great result and I'm definitely nowhere near finished with this blade! Next time out, let's see how it fares with one of my less-used razors...
No clever bylines today... just a quick SOTD report!
I decided to give the DOC the day to itself again, to see how it got along with the Polsilver, and unsurprisingly, they played rather nicely together! I'm still a bit in awe of this blade, how they got it so right, and, ermmm, why all blades are not like this, given that it's possible.
Same lovely effortless glide - I must admit, a bit smoother in terms of overall 'face feel' (is that a thing?) than the DOC with the Tiger Platinum. I'm not sure how much of that, again, is due to the blade and how much to the Ice Cube pre-shave, as the latter does seem to improve the lather of my usual soap (Speick), giving it a rich creaminess that I didn't realize it was lacking... but I suspect the blade plays a part as well.
One of the weepers on my neck from last shave had become a bit of a tender spot (possibly stemming from an ingrown hair or similar from the Tatra debacle? I'm only speculating, but happy to blame all sorts of things on that ghastly excuse for a blade, as it richly deserves whatever abuse can be heaped on it), and this was re-opened on the second pass and required a bit of alum to calm it down, but otherwise it was smooth sailing.
Again, a great result and I'm definitely nowhere near finished with this blade! Next time out, let's see how it fares with one of my less-used razors...
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- #26
Polsilver SI, part 3
(and another new friend!)The Roman Empire Shaving Caesar (gunmetal edition) is a *very* cheap copy of, it would seem, a Muehle R89 / EJ DE89, almost certainly made in China but branded and sold by Razor Blades Club. I grabbed it on a whim because, as others have noted, the asking price is almost worth it just for the generous selection of included blades, and because from the few reviews I’ve been able to find, it seems the quality of the razor itself is actually quite good.
From an initial look over the finish, I can confirm this – while not quite at the level of the RazoRock, it’s much, much better than the finish on the Lord L6 which I paid the same price for – and with 20 quality blades included instead of 5! It would not be an exaggeration to say this puts the L6 to shame on all levels of presentation (great packaging too, for what it’s worth!). But that doesn’t, of course, mean it shaves better, so we’ll see.
The Polsilver is on shave 3 and, after the usual prep – hot shower plus Ice Cube pre-lather – I set to work on 2 days’ growth. And at this point my mind was a little blown.
This is, for me, simply a great razor, at least with this wonderful blade loaded up. Smooth, deeply satisfying glide, efficient enough to get the job done, and not a weeper in sight. It’s a pretty mild head, so doubtless it would be less efficient with some other blades I can think of, but still. The handle, while nicely weighted and balanced, is a little slippery with very shallow knurling, but I didn’t find it problematic and I still prefer it to the KCG’s smooth barberpole handle.
I decided not to switch to the DOC in order to check it out as a finishing razor, and that was excellent too – worked a charm for both detail work around the nodey and a little buffing in the rough patches. This was quite simply a 10 out of 10 shave for me.
The fact that it can be had for so little – the razor was practically free, and the Ice Cube looks set to last me 10 years at the rate I’m using it – is kind of beyond comprehension. The Caesar is going into main rotation, and replaces the King Gillette which I gifted to my son (he’s not quite ready for it yet, but I figure we have to plant the seeds of real shaving early!)
Of course the Polsilver is an easy blade to get a great shave from, so I’ll have to see how it fares with other blades – at some point, because this blade is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down!
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- #27
for "around the nodey" read "around the nose".... 
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- #28
Polsilver SI part 4
The Cheap and Cheerful ChallengeSince I made comparisons to the Lord L6 in the last entry, I thought I should give it a chance to defend itself this time out, so in went the Polsilver. I actually used the handle from the Caesar as I’m not a huge fan of the super light aluminum of the L6’s own, but the head has given me a good shave with the right blade, so it was an opportunity to go back to back with another budget option.
left: Roman Empire Shaving Caesar; right: Lord L6
Of course it’s also possible then the blade is starting to wear out, but I find that unlikely as it’s considered a blade with decent longevity, and I’m not going to bin it without checking back with a known pairing to be sure.
No, my hunch is just that it’s not as flexible a head as my others. This was a tuggier and ‘scrapier’ affair, though the blade still has an edge because it also gave me a couple of nicks, which I’m not accustomed to.
I was left with more irritation than I’ve had in a while, as well, though after it subsided the shave was close enough, let’s say a BBS- with the half point taken off because I didn’t want to push things under the chin at the risk of further injury.
Still, for now, for me, with this blade and given the difference in finish and presentation, the Emperor squarely beats the Lord for the budget crown (with all the irony that statement implies)!
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- #29
Polsilver Super Iridium, round 5
Never write off a champion!Ok, that’s maybe a bit hyperbolic but it’s my tiny tribute to Rafael Nadal who defied all the odds to come back from 2 sets down against Daniel Medvedev, arguably the best hard court tennis player in the men’s game at present and 10 years his junior – mere weeks after coming back from major, chronic and career-threatening injury, and recovering from Covid, to win the Australian Open and a record-breaking 21st major tournament. Simply unbelievable, yet somehow, given his gladiator’s spirit on the court, also inevitable.
Having written that, it’s definitely a bit rich to make a comparison with a razor blade, but hey, I’ve committed now, so yes: reports of the Polsilver having passed its best-before date were definitely premature!
Back in the RazoRock for a first pass that was very nearly as flawless as the first time around. Smoothly, clinically efficient, and maybe even a touch gentler on the skin, as my neck – which the L6 had left a bit raw, I have to say – was unscathed.
Switching to the DOC for second and third passes, and the results were similar: perhaps a touch more resistance than before, but no trouble and a clean result, with no nicks or weepers at all and only the slightest feeling of having scythed away two days’ growth.
All in all, five stars!
I’m unsure what to do next, as I’d like to see if I can get a few more high quality shaves from this wonderful blade, but I’m also getting the itch to move on. However, I just may have found a solution…
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- #30
Blade the 5th: Polsilver Stainless NOS
Rather than retire the Polsilver SI directly, I decided to try something new: a bit of back-and-forth with an older, original Polish blade from the Lodz factory.
Unfortunately this is not an original Super Iridium, just a Stainless, so the comparison won't be as close, but it seemed worth doing anyway, before we set sail for distant shores (where will we end up next?).
This is not intended as an objective 'Blade Wars'-style cage match, just my own musings and observations.
And I can say right up front: this is a *very* different blade, at least for me. I loaded it up in the RES Caesar which gave me such a perfect shave with the SI the other day... and wowzers, was this a different experience.
(yes, that's my lovely baby grand piano in the picture!)
I would actually call this one of the roughest, tuggiest blades I've ever used... but strangely, in a different way than the Tatra Carbon Steel. This was rough, but not brutal. The only thing in my limited experience I can compare it to is a Gillette Platinum , which gets mostly wonderful reviews but which I found tuggy and difficult.
Having said that, there were no weepers, no irritation, and with perseverance, I was able to extract a respectable shave from it. It took 4 passes - the 3d left me in CCS land (close, comfortable shave) and I wanted to see if I could get to DFS territory, which was successful. And strangely, for a blade that felt distinctly rough-and-tumble, it left me with no redness or irritation around the neck - let alone the PTSD that the Tatra inflicted. (Post-traumatic-shave-disorder?)
Again, the only time I've experienced that combination - rough, tuggy blade feel but quite a pleasant result - was with a Gillette Platinum. Who knows, it - and this - might have been dud blades. Eventually I will find out, as I have more of both... but not today!
So for the next few shaves I'll probably go back and forth between this and the SI to see what I can learn. Maybe the Stainless will be happier in a different razor? Only one way to find out...
Rather than retire the Polsilver SI directly, I decided to try something new: a bit of back-and-forth with an older, original Polish blade from the Lodz factory.
Unfortunately this is not an original Super Iridium, just a Stainless, so the comparison won't be as close, but it seemed worth doing anyway, before we set sail for distant shores (where will we end up next?).
This is not intended as an objective 'Blade Wars'-style cage match, just my own musings and observations.
And I can say right up front: this is a *very* different blade, at least for me. I loaded it up in the RES Caesar which gave me such a perfect shave with the SI the other day... and wowzers, was this a different experience.
(yes, that's my lovely baby grand piano in the picture!)
I would actually call this one of the roughest, tuggiest blades I've ever used... but strangely, in a different way than the Tatra Carbon Steel. This was rough, but not brutal. The only thing in my limited experience I can compare it to is a Gillette Platinum , which gets mostly wonderful reviews but which I found tuggy and difficult.
Having said that, there were no weepers, no irritation, and with perseverance, I was able to extract a respectable shave from it. It took 4 passes - the 3d left me in CCS land (close, comfortable shave) and I wanted to see if I could get to DFS territory, which was successful. And strangely, for a blade that felt distinctly rough-and-tumble, it left me with no redness or irritation around the neck - let alone the PTSD that the Tatra inflicted. (Post-traumatic-shave-disorder?)
Again, the only time I've experienced that combination - rough, tuggy blade feel but quite a pleasant result - was with a Gillette Platinum. Who knows, it - and this - might have been dud blades. Eventually I will find out, as I have more of both... but not today!
So for the next few shaves I'll probably go back and forth between this and the SI to see what I can learn. Maybe the Stainless will be happier in a different razor? Only one way to find out...
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- #31
Polsilver SI, round 6
Back to familiar ground, I thought I'd try this blade out in the Ming Shi, set to a modest 3. Not much to report: it's still shaving quite well, perhaps a bit off its maximum but still better than a lot of blades at their best.
If you look closely in this picture, you can see little numbers, 1 and 2; on the other side they are 3 and 4. I've noticed this before on Derby Extras, and wondered about it - is the implication that you use each side once, for 4 shaves? It's a bit silly really, as obviously it's possible to get quite a few more shaves than that out of most blades, and I usually switch sides liberally throughout a shave, to spread the wear around... but to each their own I suppose!
Back to the shave... perhaps thinking about such pressing issues, I spaced out on the second pass and went straight for ATG (against the grain), which was actually fine and didn't seem to cause any undue stress, though there was a bit more resistance than either a) an XTG second pass, or b) an ATG 3d pass after same.
I switched to the DOC for a 3d pass to do some some buffing and detail work, and the result was wonderful, near-BBS, barely a hint of alum sting, no irritation. All around, a great shave!
I will try the Stainless again next but I'm not quite sure yet what to put it in... the Ming Shi for an objective comparison? Or the RazoRock as a kind of baseline test. Ahh, choices!
Back to familiar ground, I thought I'd try this blade out in the Ming Shi, set to a modest 3. Not much to report: it's still shaving quite well, perhaps a bit off its maximum but still better than a lot of blades at their best.
If you look closely in this picture, you can see little numbers, 1 and 2; on the other side they are 3 and 4. I've noticed this before on Derby Extras, and wondered about it - is the implication that you use each side once, for 4 shaves? It's a bit silly really, as obviously it's possible to get quite a few more shaves than that out of most blades, and I usually switch sides liberally throughout a shave, to spread the wear around... but to each their own I suppose!
Back to the shave... perhaps thinking about such pressing issues, I spaced out on the second pass and went straight for ATG (against the grain), which was actually fine and didn't seem to cause any undue stress, though there was a bit more resistance than either a) an XTG second pass, or b) an ATG 3d pass after same.
I switched to the DOC for a 3d pass to do some some buffing and detail work, and the result was wonderful, near-BBS, barely a hint of alum sting, no irritation. All around, a great shave!
I will try the Stainless again next but I'm not quite sure yet what to put it in... the Ming Shi for an objective comparison? Or the RazoRock as a kind of baseline test. Ahh, choices!
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- #32
Polsilver Stainless, round 2
I decided to go back to the RazoRock for this one, just because it's been a while and I miss it. It's really a great razor, and if it were my only one, I think I could be happy with that.
The first pass was a bit better than with the Caesar, likely because the slant is a bit more aggressive and efficient... but still not as smooth or clean as I'd like.
Second pass was somewhat better, and I'm still a bit mystified as to how a blade can be that tuggy while leaving no irritation... still, not exactly inspiring.
I switched to the DOC for a final ATG pass and some buffing, and in sum was able to do in 3 passes what took 4 with the Caesar: extract what for most people would be a perfectly acceptable shave, DFS but not BBS.
And once again, no cuts, nicks or weepers at all, which is good.
However, as much as it pains me to say it, this is for me just a tuggy blade and not enjoyable enough to keep shaving with. Oh well, the road leads ever on and on, and all that!
I decided to go back to the RazoRock for this one, just because it's been a while and I miss it. It's really a great razor, and if it were my only one, I think I could be happy with that.
The first pass was a bit better than with the Caesar, likely because the slant is a bit more aggressive and efficient... but still not as smooth or clean as I'd like.
Second pass was somewhat better, and I'm still a bit mystified as to how a blade can be that tuggy while leaving no irritation... still, not exactly inspiring.
I switched to the DOC for a final ATG pass and some buffing, and in sum was able to do in 3 passes what took 4 with the Caesar: extract what for most people would be a perfectly acceptable shave, DFS but not BBS.
And once again, no cuts, nicks or weepers at all, which is good.
However, as much as it pains me to say it, this is for me just a tuggy blade and not enjoyable enough to keep shaving with. Oh well, the road leads ever on and on, and all that!
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- #33
Polsilver SI, round 7
This blade is the little engine that could! (I do realize that people push blades into double digits routinely, and sometimes further, but it's new territory for me so I'm excited!).
For the sake of a direct A/B comparison, I used the same setup as last round with the Stainless, and I can definitely say the the Super Iridium on its 7th shave blows the Stainless on its second clean out of the water. A first-round knockout, no comparison.
This was basically as smooth and satisfying as all the others (not including the outlier on the L6, which is looking worse and worse the longer this blade goes on) - just a joy to shave with. I did pick up a couple of weepers on the neck, due to small skin blemishes I wasn't careful enough with, but otherwise - no issues at all, very little alum sting, no irritation after the fact, and a wonderful near-BBS result.
I'm tempted to just keep shaving with this until it starts to slow down, but that might take a while, so I may have to put it aside (but not in the blade bank!) and move on - but I have a solution in mind to keep it in play a little while longer...
This blade is the little engine that could! (I do realize that people push blades into double digits routinely, and sometimes further, but it's new territory for me so I'm excited!).
For the sake of a direct A/B comparison, I used the same setup as last round with the Stainless, and I can definitely say the the Super Iridium on its 7th shave blows the Stainless on its second clean out of the water. A first-round knockout, no comparison.
This was basically as smooth and satisfying as all the others (not including the outlier on the L6, which is looking worse and worse the longer this blade goes on) - just a joy to shave with. I did pick up a couple of weepers on the neck, due to small skin blemishes I wasn't careful enough with, but otherwise - no issues at all, very little alum sting, no irritation after the fact, and a wonderful near-BBS result.
I'm tempted to just keep shaving with this until it starts to slow down, but that might take a while, so I may have to put it aside (but not in the blade bank!) and move on - but I have a solution in mind to keep it in play a little while longer...
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- #35
Blade the Sixth: Wizamet Super Iridium
So, after a bit of a break (I got busy for a while there, so while I was still shaving I didn't manage to post).... we're staying in Poland a little while longer - although since this blade is made in Russia these days, I guess you could say we're straddling the border... and pretending Belarus/Ukraine/the Baltics aren't in the way... or maybe the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast... or something.
I may switch back and forth with the Polsilver a bit, and let's see how they stack up, but first let's get to know this one a bit. I was actually going to save it for a return trip at some point - yes, I have enough blades for 2 circumnavigations - but I've decided that hey, life is unpredictable and who knows when I'll actually be back this way! So I may as well take in the scenery, as I've heard the Wizamet is not one to miss.
Now there are those who say that this blade is actually identical to the Polsilver SI, like*really* identical.... and then there are people who say it isn't, and who swear they can feel a difference. I am not going to commit to one side of this argument or the other, except to say that they certainly *look* identical.
Or I should say, *nearly* identical: where the Polsilver says 'Super Iridium (R)', the Wizamet says 'Super Iridium (TM)'. Not sure what this means, but there it is. I have these as single blades, so I can't say what the tucks they came from looked like, but in this case it was likely something like this:
I went with exactly the same setup as the previous shave (and the first with the Polsilver SI) for at least a degree of objectivity - the RazoRock Slant, with the DOC on finishing duty. What can I say? Like the first round with the Polsilver, this was very nearly a perfect shave - every bit as gorgeously sharp and smooth and effortless, and remarkably gentle about it too. I did three passes including some buffing with the DOC and the result was a deeply satisfying BBS.
If I'm honest I was left feeling a little raw on the neck afterwards, but I suspect this was because I was having so much fun that I got a bit carried away at the end... And there were a couple of raw spots (not exactly weepers, at least as I define them)... But this gave me the opportunity to try out my new styptic stick, which tidied them up nicely. A bit of alum sting but all in all, very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to a few more great shaves here before it's *really* time to move on...
So, after a bit of a break (I got busy for a while there, so while I was still shaving I didn't manage to post).... we're staying in Poland a little while longer - although since this blade is made in Russia these days, I guess you could say we're straddling the border... and pretending Belarus/Ukraine/the Baltics aren't in the way... or maybe the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast... or something.
I may switch back and forth with the Polsilver a bit, and let's see how they stack up, but first let's get to know this one a bit. I was actually going to save it for a return trip at some point - yes, I have enough blades for 2 circumnavigations - but I've decided that hey, life is unpredictable and who knows when I'll actually be back this way! So I may as well take in the scenery, as I've heard the Wizamet is not one to miss.
Now there are those who say that this blade is actually identical to the Polsilver SI, like*really* identical.... and then there are people who say it isn't, and who swear they can feel a difference. I am not going to commit to one side of this argument or the other, except to say that they certainly *look* identical.
Or I should say, *nearly* identical: where the Polsilver says 'Super Iridium (R)', the Wizamet says 'Super Iridium (TM)'. Not sure what this means, but there it is. I have these as single blades, so I can't say what the tucks they came from looked like, but in this case it was likely something like this:
I went with exactly the same setup as the previous shave (and the first with the Polsilver SI) for at least a degree of objectivity - the RazoRock Slant, with the DOC on finishing duty. What can I say? Like the first round with the Polsilver, this was very nearly a perfect shave - every bit as gorgeously sharp and smooth and effortless, and remarkably gentle about it too. I did three passes including some buffing with the DOC and the result was a deeply satisfying BBS.
If I'm honest I was left feeling a little raw on the neck afterwards, but I suspect this was because I was having so much fun that I got a bit carried away at the end... And there were a couple of raw spots (not exactly weepers, at least as I define them)... But this gave me the opportunity to try out my new styptic stick, which tidied them up nicely. A bit of alum sting but all in all, very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to a few more great shaves here before it's *really* time to move on...
- Thread starter
- #36
Wizamet Super Iridium, shaves 2-5
Since I’ve fallen behind a little, I’m going to post abbreviated reports for a few shaves in one post here, so as not to lose track.Shave number 2: Since the Roman Empire Shaving Caesar made such a great impression on my, I decided to try out their Augustus model, which is a Gillette Tech clone that is, unbelievably, even cheaper than the Caesar, with a similar generous blade selection of 4 tucks (20 blades)…
Unfortunately, I can’t say it was as pleasurable an experience as the Caesar, with this blade at least. It seems a tad more aggressive, and the result was a rougher shave with a bit more lingering irritation. I will likely try the razor again at some point, but perhaps with a milder blade.
Shave number 3: Once again it seemed prudent to let the DOC have the floor for a full shave… and the results were predictable – very pleasant, easy and mild but got the job done with style and very few issues (I’m still getting a few weepers on the neck from the last pass, which I think is because I’m pushing it a little too hard). If this were my only razor, I could be happy with it.
Shave number 4: I thought I’d take the Caesar for another spin with the Wizamet, to see if I could replicate the excellent experience with the Polsilver… And… yes, I could, and did! Another basically perfect shave! Glorious. It is really crazy that, at least with a blade like the Wizamet, a razor can be this satisfying for this price…
Shave number 5: Or for this price! Hadn’t touched base with the Ming-Shi for a while, so at a medium setting of 4, how did it fare with the Wizamet? Beautifully. Again, I find the size of the head and the guards on the blade-ends make it a bit less ideal for finishing work, so the DOC stepped in to pinch-hit, but otherwise… no complaints!
- Thread starter
- #37
Polsilver SI, shave 8
This was going to be another round with the Wizamet on a different razor, the mysterious Maxon, but I discovered something I've not seen before: the blade simply didn't fit into the razor! The spacing of the posts on the razor head and that of the holes on the blade were somehow incompatible, and thus my plan was scuppered.
Out of interest, I tried the Polsilver and found the same issue - which perhaps lends further credence to the theory that the two blades are identical. This is increasingly my own feeling at this point; I believe they are both now manufactured by Gillette in St. Petersburg, and are in any case based on the same originally Polish-made blade, so I'm really not sure why there would be a difference.
So instead I decided to try the Polsilver with the Ming-Shi, to make a back-to-back comparison with the Wizamet's last outing.
Once again, the razor impressed me, I've really come around to it. And the Polsilver did not disappoint! I would say it is now definitely slowing down a bit from it's initial state; however, it still gets the job done rather nicely and while perhaps not quite as sharp or smooth as when it was new, it is still a long way from harsh or unpleasant.
I used the Ming Shi for all three passes today, and the result was perhaps a bit shy of BBS - I wasn't quite as assertive on the neck, as it's been a tender spot lately - but still firmly in DFS territory and quite pleasurable, with no lingering irritation at all.
Someone on the forum here, who claims they can definitely feel the difference between the two blades (I can't), says they can reliably get 7 good shaves from the Polsilver and only 4 from the Wizamet. I'm pretty sure there's more in both of these blades, but eventually I'll have to move on... but I think I'll see if I can push the Wizamet a bit further first. It's hard to leave such great blades behind!
This was going to be another round with the Wizamet on a different razor, the mysterious Maxon, but I discovered something I've not seen before: the blade simply didn't fit into the razor! The spacing of the posts on the razor head and that of the holes on the blade were somehow incompatible, and thus my plan was scuppered.
Out of interest, I tried the Polsilver and found the same issue - which perhaps lends further credence to the theory that the two blades are identical. This is increasingly my own feeling at this point; I believe they are both now manufactured by Gillette in St. Petersburg, and are in any case based on the same originally Polish-made blade, so I'm really not sure why there would be a difference.
So instead I decided to try the Polsilver with the Ming-Shi, to make a back-to-back comparison with the Wizamet's last outing.
Once again, the razor impressed me, I've really come around to it. And the Polsilver did not disappoint! I would say it is now definitely slowing down a bit from it's initial state; however, it still gets the job done rather nicely and while perhaps not quite as sharp or smooth as when it was new, it is still a long way from harsh or unpleasant.
I used the Ming Shi for all three passes today, and the result was perhaps a bit shy of BBS - I wasn't quite as assertive on the neck, as it's been a tender spot lately - but still firmly in DFS territory and quite pleasurable, with no lingering irritation at all.
Someone on the forum here, who claims they can definitely feel the difference between the two blades (I can't), says they can reliably get 7 good shaves from the Polsilver and only 4 from the Wizamet. I'm pretty sure there's more in both of these blades, but eventually I'll have to move on... but I think I'll see if I can push the Wizamet a bit further first. It's hard to leave such great blades behind!
- Thread starter
- #38
Wizamet SI, round 6
Not too much to report here. I went with the RazoRock slant, and at first everything felt much the same… A smooth start, no issues.
However, as the shave went on I started to feel like the blade was rougher and grabbier than it has been, and by the end (I did all 3 passes on the same razor) it was feeling almost unpleasant.
Although the result was a decent enough shave, I was left with a kind of sand-blasted feeling, and I have to say I feel like in the end this blade didn’t quite have the longevity of the Polsilver!
One blade of each is obviously not enough to base a judgement on, so I won’t necessarily say I’m on board with the different-blades-after-all theory, but it was enough for me to decide it is, in fact, finally time to move on!
Poland was good, overall. But, the road goes ever on and on!
- Thread starter
- #39
Blade the seventh: Rapira Swedish Supersteel
Time for another moment of Narrative License! Once again, foregoing geographical accuracy for the sake of the story, we have a blade that is made somewhere else - in this case, Russia - standing in for a country based on a somewhat tenuous link. But that's never stopped me before, so... welcome to Sweden!
Rapira is a brand of the Mostochlegmash company, based in Moscow... and we'll be getting there soon, but in the meantime, because this blade has Swedish in the name (I have no idea if the steel used actually comes from Sweden... or perhaps all the steel they use comes from Sweden, but they just like the ring of 'Swedish Supersteel'... and hey, so do I!)... it's allowing us a quick side-trip to Scandinavia.
I've actually been to Sweden, once, briefly, for a crazy circus wedding (I have spent much of the last 20 years working in circus and varieté shows, and have many friends and colleagues in the business; two of them, one a Swedish contortionist, decided to get married, asked me to come and play some music as part of the festivities, and it seemed like an opportunity not to be passed up)... which was Giant Craziness and impossible to really adequately describe to anyone who wasn't there.
I believe there have been DE blades actually made in Sweden, but I don't know if they still are and in any case have been unable to source any. There is definitely a long history of superb straight-razors made there, and I guess the steel is justifiably renowned. But I digress!
I popped it into the RES Caesar and, after the usual prep, got to work. What can I say? It was rather good! Smooth and enjoyable. Perhaps not the very sharpest blade I've ever used (Feathers exist, after all!), or even the smoothest, but a very fine combination of the two and a good fit, it would seem, for the razor. Three pleasant passes, a bit of buffing, a satisfying BBS result, and no noticeable irritation after the fact. What's not to like?
So let's see how it fares for a few more shaves, and in some other razors, but for a first impression, it's two thumbs up from me!
Time for another moment of Narrative License! Once again, foregoing geographical accuracy for the sake of the story, we have a blade that is made somewhere else - in this case, Russia - standing in for a country based on a somewhat tenuous link. But that's never stopped me before, so... welcome to Sweden!
Rapira is a brand of the Mostochlegmash company, based in Moscow... and we'll be getting there soon, but in the meantime, because this blade has Swedish in the name (I have no idea if the steel used actually comes from Sweden... or perhaps all the steel they use comes from Sweden, but they just like the ring of 'Swedish Supersteel'... and hey, so do I!)... it's allowing us a quick side-trip to Scandinavia.
I've actually been to Sweden, once, briefly, for a crazy circus wedding (I have spent much of the last 20 years working in circus and varieté shows, and have many friends and colleagues in the business; two of them, one a Swedish contortionist, decided to get married, asked me to come and play some music as part of the festivities, and it seemed like an opportunity not to be passed up)... which was Giant Craziness and impossible to really adequately describe to anyone who wasn't there.
I believe there have been DE blades actually made in Sweden, but I don't know if they still are and in any case have been unable to source any. There is definitely a long history of superb straight-razors made there, and I guess the steel is justifiably renowned. But I digress!
I popped it into the RES Caesar and, after the usual prep, got to work. What can I say? It was rather good! Smooth and enjoyable. Perhaps not the very sharpest blade I've ever used (Feathers exist, after all!), or even the smoothest, but a very fine combination of the two and a good fit, it would seem, for the razor. Three pleasant passes, a bit of buffing, a satisfying BBS result, and no noticeable irritation after the fact. What's not to like?
So let's see how it fares for a few more shaves, and in some other razors, but for a first impression, it's two thumbs up from me!
- Thread starter
- #40
Swedish Supersteel, round 2
In an attempt to get a ‘baseline’ impression of the blade, I thought I’d try it in the RazoRock slant / DOC combo that I’ve used at least once with pretty much all the blades so far. And in a not-surprising non-twist, it was excellent!As above, pretty much a perfect outing for this blade that I have to say I’m really rating so far. It may be one of those that gets a bit sharper on the second time out, possibly due to some of the coating wearing off, but it did seem sharper today (though it could also just be that the RR is a bit more efficient than the Caesar). But smoother too! Just a pleasure all around, and the final pass with the DOC was the icing on the cake. Virtually no alum sting and an irritation-free result!
Not much else to report – aside from some trepidation about the timing of my planned itinerary heading towards Russia at this particular moment in time.
