After wet shaving since 1990 and using a DE since 2005, today was my first shave with a vintage razor, a Gillette Ball-End Tech. Prior to today, my only experience with a DE was a Merkur 33C.
My first impression of the Tech, even before shaving with it, was how it weighed significantly less and had a shorter handle than the Merkur. Once I started to shave with it, I was surprised how gentle it was compared to the Merkur; it's almost impossible to get cut with the Tech! Its gentleness resulted in more work during my second pass and the need for touch ups after that, but this did not take-away from the pleasure of the shave. The position the blade sits on the head, compared to the Merkur, provides the Tech with an extremely smooth shave. In fact, from my experience, the only way the Merkur can produce a shave with equivalent smoothness is to not have a blade in its head.
For this first vintage-razor shave, I used TOBS Avocado cream and a Derby blade, which may have contributed to the Tech's unbelievable smoothness. I'm now going to order a blade sample pack to try out different blades with the Tech; I may even try a Feather. But before that blade pack gets to me, I'll test how the Tech performs with various soaps and creams.
My first impression of the Tech, even before shaving with it, was how it weighed significantly less and had a shorter handle than the Merkur. Once I started to shave with it, I was surprised how gentle it was compared to the Merkur; it's almost impossible to get cut with the Tech! Its gentleness resulted in more work during my second pass and the need for touch ups after that, but this did not take-away from the pleasure of the shave. The position the blade sits on the head, compared to the Merkur, provides the Tech with an extremely smooth shave. In fact, from my experience, the only way the Merkur can produce a shave with equivalent smoothness is to not have a blade in its head.
For this first vintage-razor shave, I used TOBS Avocado cream and a Derby blade, which may have contributed to the Tech's unbelievable smoothness. I'm now going to order a blade sample pack to try out different blades with the Tech; I may even try a Feather. But before that blade pack gets to me, I'll test how the Tech performs with various soaps and creams.
, but never with the tech.
Congrats on a great vintage shave.
