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ELEVENTH ANNUAL "One Blade in February" Challenge - 2020 Edition

Razor blades are so flimsy that you can use a regular pair of scissors. I take about 2-3 mm off each side.

I don't know if there's a trick to it, but I make sure to take the edge off in one snip. If you use multiple snips, sometimes the shim's edge turns out slightly jagged. It's okay if they're a little wavy.

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That is exactly my procedure.
Be sure to protect your eyes accordingly. The "sliver" of the blade might "fly around" when you cut the blade.
 
  • Vintage Merkur 11 open-comb razor
  • NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (18)
  • Godrej Shave Round w/ an Acca Kappa boar, face lathered
  • Nivea Deep Comforting After Shave
Switched out razors. Got a stellar shave. The Merkur is a little more aggressive than the Gillette Blue Tip, but still what I would call a mild shaver, especially for an open comb razor.

I love my Merkur 11. I have a goodly number of razors. Only a few I don't like. Most I like and enjoy using, and a fair number of them give me a great shave. So picking a Top 5 or even a Top 10 would be tough. But the Merkur is special. Primarily for the effortless shaves it provides, but also for the fact of acquiring it in the first place. Special.
Merkur11.jpg
 
...still BiC blade (8)...still shaves like day 1.
- proraso white
- Nivea AS
- Gillette Tech fat handle
- Omega boar
 
Switched razors on Sunday. Now a SLOC is on duty. Unfortunately shave no. 14 turned out to be a quite unpleasant shave. Making my mind I got to the conclusion that I might have choosen an inaccurate shaving angle for the SLOC...
Today - shave no. 15 with the Wilki- I adjusted the shave angle (steep angle approach, handle almost in parallel to the face). The shave was close and joyful. It appears a steep shaving angle is the way to go for me whilst shaving with the SLOC. Needless to say the blade obviously was not the reason for the bad shave on Sunday.
 
SOTD
  • Antica Barbieria Colla
  • Re-knotted Rubberset 203
  • L2 Flare Tip (Q2 1966)
  • Gillette Nacet (18)
  • WH w/menthol, LTFT
  • Stirling Bay Rum ASB
  • Vintage Avon Moonwind Cologne
I use a standard (six-sided) die to track blade usage. I flip the blade after every sixth shave - back to "1", flip the blade. This may help longevity and it may not. Either way, it's now a ritual and the Nacet is still going strong.
 
Shave #7 with the 1970 (P4) Gillette Super Stainless blade. This time, loaded into a '58 TV Special. Still smooth sailing. :thumbup:
 
Tuesday 18th Feb

Razor blades are so flimsy that you can use a regular pair of scissors. I take about 2-3 mm off each side.

I don't know if there's a trick to it, but I make sure to take the edge off in one snip. If you use multiple snips, sometimes the shim's edge turns out slightly jagged. It's okay if they're a little wavy.

That is exactly my procedure.
Be sure to protect your eyes accordingly. The "sliver" of the blade might "fly around" when you cut the blade

Good information, gentlemen. I think I was trying to remove too little metal, on the grounds that the wider the shim was, the more it would contribute to blade stiffness. Two ideas, muddled up in one bad implementation.

Anyway I got my blade back, after trepidly unscrewing the bent-up plastic shim from the Merkur head. I liked the DIY blade-gap adjustment, but need to make much better shims, so decided to go for the R6 option:

Preshave: Hot facecloth, H & B Vitamin E oil
Brush: None
Soap: Gillette Mach 3 Gel lathered in a bowl
Razor: Rockwell 6S, Plate R6
Blade: Astra SP (19)
Postshave: Warm rinse, Nivea Sensitive Balm, Boots Freshwood AS.

That went OK. R6 plus the worn-in blade gave me a perfectly good CCS. My fear of using R6 is gone. I think I have completed the Rockwell school of not being scared of bigger blade-gaps. :001_smile
 
  • Vintage Merkur 11 open-comb razor
  • NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (19)
  • Real Shaving Company Age Defence Traditional Shave Cream w/ gifted handmade badger brush, face lathered
  • Murray & Lanman Florida Water
Cruising to the upcoming 21-shaves milestone. Still getting CCS in two passes. Feeling the blade a little bit in the Merkur. I don't call it tugging. Just feel the blade cutting.
 
Wednesday 19th Feb

Rockwell 6S, Plate R6
Blade: Astra SP (20)

Post-shave felt rough; Nivea Balm to the rescue. I think this blade has fallen off its plateau. I'll give it another chance with #21 on R5.
 
Shave #19 on the Shark Super Chrome today. I think I'm using too steep an angle, I'm getting some irritation which is unusual, but very close and long lasting shaves.

Still has more drag than a platinum coated blade, but not unbearable, and it has not changed much since the first shave.

Will definitely get though the month and probably at least another month on this blade.
 
  • British Flare Tip Rocket razor
  • NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (20)
  • Glycerine soap pre-shave
  • Monsavon shave soap w/ a Fine badger brush, face lathered
  • Stetson Caliber After Shave Balm
Stellar shaves continue.
 
Since I only shave three days a week, I'm on shave #8 with the 1970 (P4) Gillette Super Stainless, loaded in a '47 Aristocrat.

No problem for this classic blade!!!
 
Last Night's Shave:
Prep: Wash face with PAA Cube 2.0
Pre-Shave: Wet face. Apply PAA Cube Mentholated
Soap: Aion
Brush: Paul H Films synthetic
Razor: Blackland Vector
Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild ProTouch MG(6)
Thayers WH Toner Rose Petal & Witch hazel splash
Aftershave : MAOL Frankenlime
Moisturizing: GD Rejuvenating Serum
 
Thursday 20th Feb

Rockwell 6S, Plate R5
Blade: Astra SP (21)

Got a SAS, but found myself going over the same areas too many times. I think it's time to retire this blade. More than half the month is a good result.
 
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