I'd love to know the results first, almost impatient.
But waiting to the end would prevent any bias as ljs said.
But waiting to the end would prevent any bias as ljs said.
Blind edge test! Ugly razors, fine finishes.
- Thread starter Tanuki
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
I think it is better to wait to the end for the full reveal. Cruel, but cryptic, disparagement of the losers is always appropriate.
Sorry if this round has taken off slowly. Life has intervened, with an assist from the postal service and a long delayed family vacation. But I'm peddling as fast as I can!
Sorry if this round has taken off slowly. Life has intervened, with an assist from the postal service and a long delayed family vacation. But I'm peddling as fast as I can!
Roger. I'll keep the secret until we're done. The anticipation is thrilling!
- Thread starter
- #44
[dramatic music...]
Tanuki heads to the den, two SRs in hand. Only one will come out...
[screen fades...]
Tanuki heads to the den, two SRs in hand. Only one will come out...
[screen fades...]
We should make another thread to try and guess the finishes before the reveal. Winner should get some sort of prize haha
No one but myself even knows what finishes are in the competition though. Could be nine different coticules. Could be 1micron vs .5micron vs .25micron vs .1 micron vs .05 micron vs... etc pastes. Could be 9 different swaty's. Could be 9 rocks I found in my garden. No one knows but me. MWAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
- Thread starter
- #47
Tough, tough contest today. Magneto was the favorite going into the den, then burst out of the gate to lead by a nose after pass 1. Both razors did an excellent job of stubble reduction, but Magneto seemed just a tiny bit smoother.
But Karnak had some smoothness in reserve. Pass 2 is always the more difficult for me. It is straight ATG above the jaw and probably has a bigger ATG component in the maelstrom of randomly directed whiskers below the jaw.
Again, both razors did a fine job, but Karnak was clearly the smoothest and most comfortable. The closeness of the shave was indistinguishable side to side, so both razors were holding their edge.
Karnak to the finals. All three first heat razors are oiled and holding in a cool dry spot.
But Karnak had some smoothness in reserve. Pass 2 is always the more difficult for me. It is straight ATG above the jaw and probably has a bigger ATG component in the maelstrom of randomly directed whiskers below the jaw.
Again, both razors did a fine job, but Karnak was clearly the smoothest and most comfortable. The closeness of the shave was indistinguishable side to side, so both razors were holding their edge.
Karnak to the finals. All three first heat razors are oiled and holding in a cool dry spot.
- Thread starter
- #48
Heat 2 is coming. Tanuki shivers as a cold breeze seems to spring suddenly from the dark mansion on the barren hillside. Garden rocks.... The words and the laugh seem to echo, and echo, and echo....
- Thread starter
- #49
I don't think I visited the rock garden today. I did use two new-to-me razors I've christened ME and Hodge. The second heat begins.
Right side: 9/16 (probably a full 5/8 long ago), tang marked Sperry&Alexander Co. New York, show side tang marked MANGANESE
Left side: skinny black scales, approx 4/8, tang marked Nash Hardware Co, Ft. Worth, Tex., show side marked 25 The Hodgson Razor, blade etched (and faded) Hand Forged
It was a pretty straightforward shave today. My first impression is that neither of these razors would have contended in the first heat, though either would have defeated the Silver King. But only time (and more shaves) will tell.
Today it was ME time. Shaved smoother, and just a touch sharper/closer.
I liked Hodge, primarily because it shaved differently than any of my other straights. I'm a sucker for novelty.
It has an unusual, frameback-esque grind and a narrow blade. It did not feel underweight, handled well, and was quite nimble. The deep grind gave it an unfamiliar, but not unpleasant, feel on my face. But it was edged out.
ME, though uglier by far (what's with the 'X' roughly scratched near the pivot pin on each side?), was the clear winner.
Right side: 9/16 (probably a full 5/8 long ago), tang marked Sperry&Alexander Co. New York, show side tang marked MANGANESE
Left side: skinny black scales, approx 4/8, tang marked Nash Hardware Co, Ft. Worth, Tex., show side marked 25 The Hodgson Razor, blade etched (and faded) Hand Forged
It was a pretty straightforward shave today. My first impression is that neither of these razors would have contended in the first heat, though either would have defeated the Silver King. But only time (and more shaves) will tell.
Today it was ME time. Shaved smoother, and just a touch sharper/closer.
I liked Hodge, primarily because it shaved differently than any of my other straights. I'm a sucker for novelty.
It has an unusual, frameback-esque grind and a narrow blade. It did not feel underweight, handled well, and was quite nimble. The deep grind gave it an unfamiliar, but not unpleasant, feel on my face. But it was edged out.
ME, though uglier by far (what's with the 'X' roughly scratched near the pivot pin on each side?), was the clear winner.
Oh wow, I'm LOVING seeing this unfold. Really interesting getting the details on the shave and then checking my notes and seeing what finishes inspired them.
That hodgeson is a razor I've considered selling and wound up keeping for a few years. Those little nimble guys aren't every day shavers for sure... but every once in awhile their agility is aces.
That hodgeson is a razor I've considered selling and wound up keeping for a few years. Those little nimble guys aren't every day shavers for sure... but every once in awhile their agility is aces.
- Thread starter
- #51
I'm going to miss Hodge! Sadly, it was out sharped and out smoothed by Opie today, but if the criterion was fun, Hodge would be in the finals.
It was a bit of a seesaw battle. Hodge got in the first licks and seemed both sharper and smoother than its shave 1 performance. But Opie shaved a little closer, both passes. Opie did not seem as smooth as Hodge on pass 1, but that may have been because it was cutting closer. On pass 2 Opie sailed away.
I don't think the result was due to Hodge's less familiar firm factor. Shaving with it was easy and intuitive, unlike GMW in the first round. I don't know if it is tougher to hone, or if bevel angle might be a factor.
So tomorrow ME and Opie contend for the slot in the finals. I Zambonied the rink with an OCtober ABC thin cap. Ready!
- Thread starter
- #52
Final shave of heat 2 was early, fast, and effective. Both razors were sharp, though a shade off their shave 1 performance. Nice and close all over after two passes.
Smooth feel? It was ME time again. Not by a big margin, but a clear win, no need for photo analysis.
I am sticking strictly to 20/60 on my Tony Miller linen/horse strop. Always Tabac and a mid-size Omega boar for an easily repeatable wet hybrid face/bowl lather. I'm following the same prep routine every day. I allow myself a different prep soap and I do the sideways neck clean up with a different open comb razor. That is it for any daily novelty.
So two finalists selected! Karnak and ME are at rest. I am about to oil the heat 2 razors. Time to check my schedule for a quiet three day stretch for heat 3.
Smooth feel? It was ME time again. Not by a big margin, but a clear win, no need for photo analysis.
I am sticking strictly to 20/60 on my Tony Miller linen/horse strop. Always Tabac and a mid-size Omega boar for an easily repeatable wet hybrid face/bowl lather. I'm following the same prep routine every day. I allow myself a different prep soap and I do the sideways neck clean up with a different open comb razor. That is it for any daily novelty.
So two finalists selected! Karnak and ME are at rest. I am about to oil the heat 2 razors. Time to check my schedule for a quiet three day stretch for heat 3.
Things are heating up in here. Who will prove they deserve the title belt in the Supreme Shaving Smackdown!?!
- Thread starter
- #54
Wasted no time getting to heat 3. The first H3 race is a study in contrast. Bone scaled Solingen Zaliel Cutlery Works "WORLD'S BEST RAZOR" versus an unreadable anonymous alloy scaled orphan. Both 5/8 square points, both plenty ugly. Zal versus Al.
Both razors stropped easily and handled well for shaving. Lather building was fine. That is about as far as the praise is going. Zal went first and set a low bar for smoothness. Al was able to clear that hurdle, but not with a lot of daylight. Zal was noisy and Al was quiet.
I wondered how close the first pass could be, given the tug factor. It was reasonably close, about a tie. The second pass allowed Al to increase the smoothness lead.
Again I doubted the shave could be close, but it actually was close enough after two passes, other than some spots that I probably left early due to discomfort. The area right under my jaw was a prime example of me bailing out. So Al took the win, but no honors.
Where I made them shave, they shaved reasonably closely. But was it worth the annoyance? Not a fun shave. This was on 30 hour whiskers, but after a very close previous shave.
Will Raven knock Al out of the ring next shave? Seems likely, but perhaps Raven was finished this time on a rock from SliceOfLife's garden.
Both razors stropped easily and handled well for shaving. Lather building was fine. That is about as far as the praise is going. Zal went first and set a low bar for smoothness. Al was able to clear that hurdle, but not with a lot of daylight. Zal was noisy and Al was quiet.
I wondered how close the first pass could be, given the tug factor. It was reasonably close, about a tie. The second pass allowed Al to increase the smoothness lead.
Again I doubted the shave could be close, but it actually was close enough after two passes, other than some spots that I probably left early due to discomfort. The area right under my jaw was a prime example of me bailing out. So Al took the win, but no honors.
Where I made them shave, they shaved reasonably closely. But was it worth the annoyance? Not a fun shave. This was on 30 hour whiskers, but after a very close previous shave.
Will Raven knock Al out of the ring next shave? Seems likely, but perhaps Raven was finished this time on a rock from SliceOfLife's garden.
Wow. This is truly thrilling. One more finisher to be introduced. Then finalists. What is around the corner?!
My apologies for the experience. Nothing I sent is something I wont shave with. But there’s definitely a curve on some of these.
My apologies for the experience. Nothing I sent is something I wont shave with. But there’s definitely a curve on some of these.
I love this thread
- Thread starter
- #57
Raven won today, in spite of Al delivering a much better shave than yesterday. Details later, LOTH has a serious honey-do list.
- Thread starter
- #58
A mystery to explore after today's shave. How did Al step up his game?
A few possible factors:
>Prepped with high glycerin Col Conk, rather than yesterday's Proraso green tub.
>Al had now been stropped 20 linen/60 horse twice, plus 10 edge drying laps on cotton twice (after de-oiling and after shave 1).
>I only shaved 21 hours of growth today, not 30.
No matter what the reason, I had a comfortable shave from both Al on the right side and Raven on the left. A major improvement over Saturday's irritation.
Both razors are easily handled. Raven was a little smoother everywhere, both passes.
Raven also seemed sharper going north/ATG on the cheek, but this was also Raven's shave 1 and Al's shave 2. On that basis I declared a sharpness tie.
So Raven has to mix it up with Zaliel tomorrow. If Zal somehow pulls out a win, choosing the razor to advance will be a judgement call, not a clear choice.
A few possible factors:
>Prepped with high glycerin Col Conk, rather than yesterday's Proraso green tub.
>Al had now been stropped 20 linen/60 horse twice, plus 10 edge drying laps on cotton twice (after de-oiling and after shave 1).
>I only shaved 21 hours of growth today, not 30.
No matter what the reason, I had a comfortable shave from both Al on the right side and Raven on the left. A major improvement over Saturday's irritation.
Both razors are easily handled. Raven was a little smoother everywhere, both passes.
Raven also seemed sharper going north/ATG on the cheek, but this was also Raven's shave 1 and Al's shave 2. On that basis I declared a sharpness tie.
So Raven has to mix it up with Zaliel tomorrow. If Zal somehow pulls out a win, choosing the razor to advance will be a judgement call, not a clear choice.
I had an inkling. It’ll make sense (hopefully) once I can reveal the contenders list. In... four shaves if my math is right?
- Thread starter
- #60
Yep. Today will finish heat 3. I might take a brief break before the last three shaves.
Interesting that I have a Karnak and Zaliel in my own assortment of vintage straights. The Karnak is back several slots in the honing/restoration queue. The Zaliel Jassiano, a bit of a shorty, is a respected member of my short and/or skinny posse, the razors who get clean up / line up duty when I don't take the DE easy way.
