Damn Comfortable Shave

[Akis]

...or throw it in the garbage...

Jim i really hope you're joking on this...

Scent aside where do you list the soap if lets say MdC and WK is a number 10 to you ?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Jim i really hope you're joking on this...

Scent aside where do you list the soap if lets say MdC and WK is a number 10 to you ?

Well, I'm not sure. I think scent aside I'd have to use it a few times to assess it and to make sure I had it dialed in well, so all I can offer are initial impressions and observations.

As I mentioned it is extremely hard. I suspect that even though I loaded it a pretty long time it would be better to load it onto the brush maybe twice as long as I loaded. So, I'd say that if I were going to use it again (which I certainly would do if its scent weren't so bothersome to me), I might load the brush for a minute or something like that. I like to use a soaked but shaken brush. My brush today was a boar, but not a very stiff boar; not that it lacks backbone, but it is not backbone heavy like a Proraso Pro. I'd try a backbone heavy brush were I going to try the soap again.

I like that it is a hard soap, but it is really hard. No demerits for that.

My first step after loading is always what I call the spackling phase. Long ear to ear length painting strokes and such, just to get "enough" soap on my beard so that it looks like spackling. I don't think I loaded it quite long enough to do that, and I may have had a tad too much water on the brush. Anyway, more loading would be good with this soap, more than I did.

Next, I dip the brush's tips and add water and build lather. The Soapy Science video says it doesn't need a lot of water, but I know my skin and whiskers need a very well hydrated soap. I was both attending to the lather's properties and to the directions from the video. I may have consequently under-hydrated the soap compared to how I usually do it, but I certainly hydrated it as much as it took to make a rich, foamy, creamy lather. I liked how the lather looked and felt.

It seemed to me the lather was quite slick. Like between my fingers and on my palms, etc. Also, it seemed slick on my face and neck. However, it also felt like there was some drag, considerable drag. I can't say if this was the razor or the soap. With a gun to my head I'd say the razor, but I'm almost guessing. I'm not sure how a soap can be slick and also have drag, but I'm just telling you my observations and impressions and trying to be complete with them.

The residual glide (after the lather looks gone) was less than what I'm used to with soaps like MdC and Wholly Kaw and other soaps I think of as excellent. Again, this could be the razor. Or, a hydration issue.

My guess is I would like Soapy Science better (scent aside) with the extreme degree of hydration I usually shoot for. Will it hydrate to that degree without becoming runny? I have no way of knowing. I'm perfectly willing to think the soap would be fine (scent aside) had I hydrated it like I usually do, but I don't really know that.

It doesn't make sense to me to rate or compare with others Soapy Science after one use of it. I really wish I liked the scent enough to use it again and get it dialed in. My guess is it's a good soap. I do not give any soap a demerit based on scent. Sometimes I give a bonus point for a great scent, but mostly I don't all that much care about scents as much as I care about performance. That changes is the scent really bothers me, and this scent does.

With Tabac I knew after one use that I liked the performance, but I also knew I really hated the scent. Soapy Science is more difficult. I don't hate the scent like I hate the smell of Tabac, but I dislike the scent enough to not use it again. I don't feel comfortable saying I like the performance of SS because I'm pretty sure it wasn't well dialed in for me. It is not the easiest soap to dial in, I think, but so what? It might be the best soap ever once dialed in, and I won't find out because of the scent.

The scent here is the big deal. I don't know the soap well enough nor have it dialed in sufficiently to know how it performs dialed in. I don't think I could make myself use this soap again, but that is 100% scent based. The scent is not weak. I would say the scent is to my nose on the powerful side (and that's okay with me if I like the scent).

The soap comes in a perfectly fine plastic screw top jar which is a bit oversized for the amount of soap. I give it a bonus point for that. The jar is not as nice as the MdC jar, but what jar is? It's not as nice as the jars I bought at Maggard, but it is still a perfectly acceptable shaving soap jar. The puck is large and seems like it would last a very long time being as hard and dense as it is.

I think it is really very, very impressive for an 8th grader to come up with a soap as good as I suspect this one might be, and I wish I could try it some more to dial it in, but I'm unwilling to buy another jar to fulfill that wish.

It would be wrong for me to say others wouldn't love the soap's performance or scent, but, well, you see what I'm saying I hope...

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Raven Koenes]

I've gotta get one of those razors.

Talking about a one pass face shave now, aren't we? Where's the video of his neck shave? Wonder how much practice it took to master that, but it looks like he's got it down pat!

This is a very funny video, Rave.

Happy shaves,

Jim

You're welcome Jim. That's an excellent very slick move. I wonder if he was using Mdc. That soap is so good "You don't need no stinking tekneek"lol. Though he seems to have technique down in spades. My biggest issue with Mdc is my wife. She knows how much it costs. When she says if I buy it she'll stick it where the light doesn't shine on me. Does that mean don't buy it, or don't let her catch me buying it? I can't get Mdc out of my head.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

You're welcome Jim. That's an excellent very slick move. I wonder if he was using MdC. That soap is so good "You don't need no stinking tekneek"lol. Though he seems to have technique down in spades. My biggest issue with Mdc is my wife. She knows how much it costs. When she says if I buy it she'll stick it where the light doesn't shine on me. Does that mean don't buy it, or don't let her catch me buying it? I can't get MdC out of my head.

Rave, this is for your wife. And, you, of course.

My wife doesn't ask what stuff costs, usually. If she does I usually don't tell her. I say something subtle like, "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you," which we both know means, "If I tell you, you'll have to kill me." At least I think I know that, and want to be safe. She has an ice pick.



I'd like to say MdC is inexpensive on a cost per shave basis, but I don't know that is true. This post, linked, and others in the same thread are fairly convincing to the contrary although I'm not entirely convinced. I would guess you've done the experiments and the math, Rave, knowing you.

The real expense in soaps for me though is a totally different matter. I have either purchased myself or been given by my wife soaps which I've used once or twice or three times. Some of these I know I wouldn't use again unless I lost my sense of smell entirely and lived alone. One simply won't lather, period. Several just aren't worth using if there are any better soaps around.

I've told my wife to buy me no more soaps. She has no clue what to buy. The truth is I don't always know in advance of buying myself. I get it wrong too often. Way wrong. Soaps which simply don't ever get used.

This is the really sad expense in soaps. It's a total waste of money (except as an experiment or trial). For what I wasted on these soaps I could have purchased at least two or three jars of Martin de Candre.

It would be impossible for me to argue that my money wouldn't have been better spent on MdC.

Since I just yesterday used once an ~$25 with shipping new puck which I know I will never use again, I might not be over buying stuff that I shouldn't buy. Why don't I only buy soaps I know are top tier, soaps I know I really love, soaps I know I will use, and enjoy, soaps which give me superior shaves every day of my life?

Besides the money, life is short. I know $70 is a ton to spend on a soap, but I've bought all sorts of stuff that cost more and gave me less.

• Dinners in restaurants where the food wasn't very good nor was the service.
• Shoes that ended up not fitting well and weren't worn.
• A Thater Premium Boar brush; wasted money.
• Gifts for my wife she didn't like and couldn't return.
• A family night at the movies with popcorn, Cokes, and candy. The movie was terrible. The seats were uncomfortable. The people around me talked, but not enough to drown out the dialogue.
• Gas money to take my wife shopping for junk we don't need and end up not using.

All sorts of ways to misspend money, right.

To me, money spent on a shaving soap I know I will love is money very well spent. I derive a lot of pleasure from using some soaps, soaps which also give me a superior shave, soaps which seem better for my skin, soaps which are expensive for shaving soaps, yes, but so what.

Rave, I think the truth is your wife wants to buy you a jar of MdC for Father's Day. Maybe she should read this post. Martin de Candre is a sure bet for you, Rave. Why take a chance and waste money when there's a known winner.

Happy shaves, my friend,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave was intentionally experimental.

Here's my kit.

Anything missing?

I compared the Single Ring (left) with the Old Type (right).

I swapped the blades. The blade which was in the Old Type yesterday was in the Single Ring today. This was to make sure what I noticed yesterday wasn't a function of the blade. Both blades were Blue Diamonds.

I used both razors, swapping them around at will and/or randomly and/or deliberately. My objective was to compare them across the board, on various parts of my face and neck, and during the various passes. The fairest possible comparison shave was the goal.

I formed a number of conclusions based on today's shave.

• My Single Ring is a pretty good razor, but my Old Type is a lot better.
• The Single Ring is smoother riding its cap than at the neutral angle or a steep angle, but it is less smooth by miles than the Old Type.
• Going from my Single Ring to my Old Type is easy, but it's hard to go back.
• My Old Type is better across the board, but the Single Ring is not really bad.

There is a clear winner. Hands down. No real comparison.

I am unlikely to use the Single Ring again, and way likely to use the Old Type a lot!

Why?

One difference is, I think, is the teeth. In this photo the Old Type's teeth may be a bit wider. They are certainly blunter on the tips. I'm more sure of this feeling the tips with my fingers than I am looking at the razors, but I think it is apparent in the picture.

However even really riding the cap the Single Ring is not as smooth as the Old Type. When a shallow angle takes the teeth out of the equation the SR still is not as smooth.

If anything I think the Single Ring may have a slightly thinner cap and baseplate. Does that matter? I doubt it, but I'm no expert.

I don't see much to help here other than what's already been said.

Looking along the razors from a certain angle I believe there is a very small bow in the Single Ring causing a gap in the center of the razor above the handle. It's very small, but it's there unless I'm seeing things. I am unable to take a photograph which shows it quite as well as I'd like.

This is not the blade which was in the razor today. This blade was in the Old Type today.

This might be the best photo, and it's lousy. The rest are in the next post. Maybe one of them is better.

At least with my photography...

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I believe this shows the bow.

This, too, I think.

Not this one. Not to my eye.

Maybe a little.

This may show the bow, too.

Maybe one of these, or more than one, shows the bow in the middle of the blade. The bow changes everything, I'd think. There may be other things you see in these photos that I wasn't even looking for.

I'm thinking the Single Ring I acquired was damaged.

I will continue the search for an undamaged Single Ring and another excellent Old Type. I'd like to have my current Old Type replated (maybe), but not unless and until I have another really good shaving Old Type or Single Ring or some other DE razor I really like to shave with.

No, I'm not saying anything even relatively bad about my injectors. They're great. I'm just into the Old Type right now. Also, it is at least conceivable I like the Old Type more than the injectors, but don't go thinking that's a conclusion. It is only a possibility. I have also in transit a modern razor which may be an excellent shaver; I'll hold off on talking about it until I've received it and used it, but it has really good reviews and wasn't expensive.

Anyway, these are the lousy pictures, but maybe they're good enough to tell us something.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Link.

I need to see if mine looks just like this one. I think it does. I have no case.

Close, but no cigar. My handle is longer, by the amount of the neck above the ring.

Link.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Tokyospike]

One man’s damage is another man’s design. Seems to me the OT would be the ‘winner’ in any case.

 

[Esox]

I grows on me, how much I dislike the scent.

Even more insidious than Tabac! lol

Does that mean don't buy it, or don't let her catch me buying it? I can't get Mdc out of my head.

Then I guess that means Rave, you'll have to buy some and take your lumps if and/or when the time comes. Just dont tell her you're The King or it might end up worse than imagined lol.

Spend the same on her, but I'm sure you know that play and its also a dead giveaway lol. Now that you have me thinking about it, considering your wife is a Kebekker, you're screwed LOL. You wont be able to act nonchalant now even if you try.

RIP buddy.

Maybe one of these, or more than one, shows the bow in the middle of the blade. The bow changes everything, I'd think. There may be other things you see in these photos that I wasn't even looking for.

Its really hard to see any bends or bows in the base plate without it being against a straight edge.

My nephew has looked at several of his collector friends Single Rings and he said virtually all have a bend to some degree in the base plate and a crack in the handle at the neck.

The Aristocrat Single Ring he now has, has neither. Its perfectly straight, has no crack and the gold plating is intact. Thats one of who knows how many different specimens he's seen.

Mine was bowed and yet shaved a dream. Now its straight..er, maybe it wont lol.

 

[Esox]

Whats different about the neck on the razor in the picture above and virtually every other pocket or travel Old Type I've ever seen?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

One man’s damage is another man’s design. Seems to me the OT would be the ‘winner’ in any case.

Why?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Whats different about the neck on the razor in the picture above and virtually every other pocket or travel Old Type I've ever seen?

Well, mine is different looking and longer. I think there are differences which are only apparent as you examine various examples of the type. That's the stuff collectors love. I'm just learning some stuff so I can find what I want to shave with.

Compared to a week ago or less I know a lot more about SR and OT Gillettes, but I still know about a thimble full. Whereas some guys are already super-SR fixers.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Raven Koenes]

Then I guess that means Rave, you'll have to buy some and take your lumps if and/or when the time comes. Just dont tell her you're The King or it might end up worse than imagined lol.

Spend the same on her, but I'm sure you know that play and its also a dead giveaway lol. Now that you have me thinking about it, considering your wife is a Kebekker, you're screwed LOL. You wont be able to act nonchalant now even if you try.

RIP buddy.

I know, I know, I'm doomed. It is a good thing to go out with a soft silky bbs though? Right?

 

[Esox]

Well, mine is different looking and longer. I think there are differences which are only apparent as you examine various examples of the type.

Remember the difference between the Single Ring neck and the typical Old Type neck. Which one does that razor have? I'll leave the why does it have that to a collector, but I know which I prefer.

I know, I know, I'm doomed. It is a good thing to go out with a soft silky bbs though? Right?

If you're going to go, go in style. lol

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Remember the difference between the Single Ring neck and the typical Old Type neck. Which one does that razor have? I'll leave the why does it have that to a collector, but I know which I prefer.

Mine has the OT neck. What do I win?

I like the DR look better.

 

[Esox]

What do I win?

The greatest prize of all, knowledge.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The greatest prize of all, knowledge.

 

[Tokyospike]

Why?

Well, first off, I make it a policy not to answer questions beginning with the word ‘why’ - much less questions consisting only of the word ‘why.’ Such questions have no real answers. If you ask me why the sky is blue, I can actually explain how blue-wavelength light is most common wherever you look up at the sky. Then you ask why is it that blue-wavelength light is most common, and I can explain how blue light has a higher frequency than other colors and so gets absorbed by gas molecules and then radiated out. Then you ask why blue light has a higher frequency . . . and on and on until we get to a ‘why’ that has no real answer.

I’ll make an exception, though . . . the OT ‘wins’ from my point of view because the sum of your & Mike’s comments and description seem very clearly to say that if I were to run out and get one, I would be most likely to be happy with an OT over a single ring.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Well, first off, I make it a policy not to answer questions beginning with the word ‘why’ - much less questions consisting only of the word ‘why.’ Such questions have no real answers. If you ask me why the sky is blue, I can actually explain how blue-wavelength light is most common wherever you look up at the sky. Then you ask why is it that blue-wavelength light is most common, and I can explain how blue light has a higher frequency than other colors and so gets absorbed by gas molecules and then radiated out. Then you ask why blue light has a higher frequency . . . and on and on until we get to a ‘why’ that has no real answer.

I’ll make an exception, though . . . the OT ‘wins’ from my point of view because the sum of your & Mike’s comments and description seem very clearly to say that if I were to run out and get one, I would be most likely to be happy with an OT over a single ring.

At this point Mike and I have not much at all combined experience with SR and OT razors, but our experience is growing. Based on what Mike has said about his experience and what I know of mine, I suspect the OT razors will end up being in my, one day in the future, informed opinion the winner and perhaps the best DE razor ever made as Toby C has been quoted as saying (and I've seen his comments myself recently to that effect).

However, I've also read the opinions of gentlemen who vastly prefer the SR over the OT for its shave qualities.

My guess is there is huge variation particularly perhaps in the SR razors. Slight differences from year to year or model to model or what? Quality control? Damage over the decades? I have no idea really.

I like my OT a lot better than my SR but the jury is still out.

In any case, happy shaves, Spike,

Jim

 

[Esox]

I would be most likely to be happy with an OT over a single ring.

...and yet, they're both the same...