GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY

[JoWolf]

Tuesday May 19
SHAVE #8
Gold Grande
Voskhod (1)
OUMOBRUSH-SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot gel tip - OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle 26mm, 60mm loft Measured 46mm loft from glue bump
RazoRock Pre - Shave Soap - Charcoal Lime
Martin de Candre Rose Shaving Soap
Alum Block
Hyaluranoic Acid
Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic
Pinaud Lilac Vegetal

It is just shaving, but then BOSC came along. In the end however, all razors do the same thing in the same way with the same blades. I like a razor that suits me and my technique. I want the razor to match me and how I want to shave. I dont want to match the razor, although I can if need be.


Gold Grande is that razor for me. Best looking razor I have, most efficient, smoothest, amazing balance. It gives an exceptional, comfortable shave. I’ll continue using the other two open combs. They are not in the same class as the Grande. I cannot use them the way I use the Grande. First off neither razor comes close to the Grande‘s balance. Grande’s teeth are the most comfortable. Grande shallow and steep angles are more intuitive. It is the most maneuverable razor of the three.

I prefer night shaves, always have. DE shaving ten months in. I have a good grip on brushes and soaps. The Grande keeps getting better. I’m where I want to be. All aspects of my shave mesh smoothly. The Rose I liked the first time and this time more. The fragrance comes on and than nicely fades into the shave. Using a silvertip for decades has spoiled me. This brush performs well in all categories. The dog bowl I’m using for samples blows me away, it works so good. First face pass I wanted to revert back to steep angle and short quick strokes which is my preferred style. In cart shaving I used medium to long strokes flexing my wrist. A Mantic YouTube I watched is where I learned short strokes with a locked wrist. I have naturally become quick and it just works real good for me. The Grande is so comfortable in my hand, I don’t really feel the razor at all. I take quick swiping strokes and I just feel the blade edge I just know where it is. That is the best way I can describe it. Going through six day whiskers was smooth with almost no audio. The steep angle was the way to go and I could have easily done a two pass DFS. I was not trying to get that close. Pass two for a split second I started to consider shallow or steep. Reflexively I started shallow and pass three was also shallow. Hardly any clean ups no buffing at all. No alum feed back, above average BBS. I have never tried to shave my preferred style and technique with the open combs. I was nervous with all them teeth. Now I think I’m real nervous to use a razor without no teeth.

The first head pass I used a hybrid stroke kind of half steep half shallow. I can start steep and finish shallow or vice versa all in the middle of a short stroke. I am not sure if I described it right. The second and third passes were all shallow. I did not think or try to choose any type of a stroke or angle everything was reflexive and it really felt like I was observing a shave. First head shave ever, no clean ups no buffing, BBS. I just don’t see myself looking for a razor a brush or anything else. This might not be my end game, but I am in the ballpark. I will be ordering a back up Gold Grande.

 

[Esox]

Gold Grande is that razor for me. Best looking razor I have, most efficient, smoothest, amazing balance. It gives an exceptional, comfortable shave. I’ll continue using the other two open combs. They are not in the same class as the Grande. I cannot use them the way I use the Grande. First off neither razor comes close to the Grande‘s balance. Grande’s teeth are the most comfortable. Grande shallow and steep angles are more intuitive. It is the most maneuverable razor of the three.

I prefer night shaves, always have. DE shaving ten months in. I have a good grip on brushes and soaps. The Grande keeps getting better. I’m where I want to be. All aspects of my shave mesh smoothly. The Rose I liked the first time and this time more. The fragrance comes on and than nicely fades into the shave. Using a silvertip for decades has spoiled me. This brush performs well in all categories. The dog bowl I’m using for samples blows me away, it works so good. First face pass I wanted to revert back to steep angle and short quick strokes which is my preferred style. In cart shaving I used medium to long strokes flexing my wrist. A Mantic YouTube I watched is where I learned short strokes with a locked wrist. I have naturally become quick and it just works real good for me. The Grande is so comfortable in my hand, I don’t really feel the razor at all. I take quick swiping strokes and I just feel the blade edge I just know where it is. That is the best way I can describe it. Going through six day whiskers was smooth with almost no audio. The steep angle was the way to go and I could have easily done a two pass DFS. I was not trying to get that close. Pass two for a split second I started to consider shallow or steep. Reflexively I started shallow and pass three was also shallow. Hardly any clean ups no buffing at all. No alum feed back, above average BBS. I have never tried to shave my preferred style and technique with the open combs. I was nervous with all them teeth. Now I think I’m real nervous to use a razor without no teeth.

The first head pass I used a hybrid stroke kind of half steep half shallow. I can start steep and finish shallow or vice versa all in the middle of a short stroke. I am not sure if I described it right. The second and third passes were all shallow. I did not think or try to choose any type of a stroke or angle everything was reflexive and it really felt like I was observing a shave. First head shave ever, no clean ups no buffing, BBS. I just don’t see myself looking for a razor a brush or anything else. This might not be my end game, but I am in the ballpark. I will be ordering a back up Gold Grande.

Very well and beautifully said. You've grasped the essence of what a Fatip Grande is and I completely agree. @Raven Koenes will enjoy reading your words as much as I do, although he may shudder at your choice of blade lol.

I've called the Fatip Grande, on more than one occasion, the best DE razor on Earth and the King of DE razors.

Its not false praise. Its perfection, plated in gold.

 

[thombrogan]

You guys with your ultra-snazzy gold Fatip razors. If I had a nickel…

…I do and it’s flipping awesome!

 

[Esox]

If I had a nickel…

Maybe a bag of nickels lol.

 

[JoWolf]

Monday May 25
SHAVE #9
Yaqi Chrome Mellon
Voskhod (1)
OUMOBRUSH-SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot gel tip - OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle 26mm, 60mm loft Measured 46mm loft from glue bump
RazoRock Pre - Shave Soap - Charcoal Lime
Martin de Candre Rose Shaving Soap (sample)
Alum Block
Hyaluranoic Acid
Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic
Pinaud Lilac Vegetal

Quote From shave #8

I cannot use them the way I use the Grande. First off neither razor comes close to the Grande‘s balance. Grande’s teeth are the most comfortable. Grande shallow and steep angles are more intuitive. It is the most maneuverable razor of the three.

Actually I can and do use them the same way. Once I got over my Open Comb fear. The difference since I am now using my preferred method of quick short strokes is a much faster face and head shave. I am not trying to shave faster. From trying to shave carefully (which didn’t work out for me) and I don’t plan on doing that anymore. The italics are truer than ever. The Yaqi is a fine mild open comb razor. Since it does not possess the efficiency of the Grande. It requires more strokes and way too much buffing to get my desired BBS. It is a good buffer. Efficiency removes or minimizes buffing. The Voshkod is flipped for shave twelve and that will complete this razors journey. The shallow angle because of the extra lather channels is more comfortable than the GC.68OC. I was looking into a different lighter handle but it is pointless to me. The efficiency is too far behind the Grande.

Since I didn’t know I shave in an automatic mode. I observed more of what I was doing. Six day growth is becoming my comfortable normal. All three razors move through first pass with only the slightest drag compared to the second and third passes. The Voshkod I use for two face and head shaves and then bin. I flip the blade between uses. This is my smoothest blade. My first pass face and head I use a steep angle. However first pass wtg on the crown I start the stroke shallow and switch to steep mid stroke. I do not know how or when this hybrid stroke found its way into my shave. I surmise it just happened because of the skull angles and it certainly works well. I use these hybrid stroke exclusively on my head passes. Passes two and three face and head are pure shallow angle. The face and head shave were comfortable enough BBS shaves. My surprise was the amount of extra strokes and buffing compared to the Grande. Once again I am happy journaling because it allows me to see and realize what I am doing.

The Martin de Candre Rose Shaving Soap I dialed in better on my third time out. The second and third passes without pre shave provided excellent cushion and a slick film under the lather. The fragrance sparks up on initial lathering but fades seamlessly into the shave. Their rose is a very real fragrance to me. The post shave feel, comfortable skin. A very slight tightness on the heavier buffed areas. I like this soap. Three head and face shaves and the sample is still a big lump. I’m thinking nine plus face and head shaves. If I used this soap with my present brush rotation that would be in two months. I have three more MdC samples. It’ll be a year before I decide which one I would buy. On the other side of the coin. If I am only doing five or six face and head shaves a month. Maybe I should only be buying samples in the first place. The four I have now are going to be around more then a year.

RazoRock Pre - Shave Soap - Charcoal Lime, I do like this pre shave. I can barely smell the lime. The pre shaves add that little extra slickness, whisker hydration, whisker cleansing. I’m always shaving around a five day growth. Pre shave and post shave routines are more important than the shave. With skin conditions and sensitive skin my pre and post routines improved with DE shaving. I have healthier and more comfortable skin with DE shaving.

The Oumo Silvertip easily exceeded my expectations. The lather performance is great I used a little top up before my three head passes. The brush has a very nice soft comfortable scrub. It splays easily and is a very good painter. The SHD or super high density knots Oumo says, they are ten percent more hair. Compared to my thirty-four year old Plisson it has all the attributes and brush feel I have been accustomed to. There is an increase in knot size, density, backbone and what surprised me, it’s softer than the Plisson. So yeah like the old brush on steroids. I could go thirty years with this brush no problem. This would be my desert island brush. I do like the horse and boar hairs as they provide different dynamics and comfort. They also wear more and mellow with age. Silvertips do not change very much over the years.

 

[thombrogan]

Grande’s teeth are the most comfortable. Grande shallow and steep angles are more intuitive. It is the most maneuverable razor of the three.

Not having the GCOC, but having the other two and other safety razors, I completely agree on the Fatip Grande’s teeth being most comfortable.

 

[JoWolf]

Not having the GCOC, but having the other two and other safety razors, I completely agree on the Fatip Grande’s teeth being most comfortable.

They also look more comfortable as they are rounded. The GC.68OC teeth look the harshest and they are. I have only recently started to use shallow angle on my second and third face passes. Using less teeth. The Grande with it’s perfect weight and balance still delivers the most efficient and comfortable shallow stroke of the three. The last pass on my head is like after five plus passes and six latherings into the shave. If a razor is too light, too heavy or a wonky balance it can feel like an anchor at this time. The Grande still feels fresh and moves nimbly.

I am moving towards exclusively using the Grande. Probably try out a few other Fatip’s.

 

[Esox]

You'd have to try pretty hard to better the efficiency level of an OC Fatip. My GEM Bullet Tip matches it while being slightly smoother. My MMOC is twice as efficient while being as smooth but its a much more difficult razor to learn.

 

[thombrogan]

I’ve been staring at the Fatip Testina Gentilé (@TinyT posts pics of a gold one here), suspect the Grande and open-combed Piccolo plates are as good as it can get.

I only wish the cap on my Fatip Grande was flatter.

And now I want a GEM Bullet tip more than before.

 

[Esox]

I’ve been staring at the Fatip Testina Gentilé (@TinyT posts pics of a gold one here), suspect the Grande and open-combed Piccolo plates are as good as it can get.

I only wish the cap on my Fatip Grande was flatter.

And now I want a GEM Bullet tip more than before.

Piccolo and Grande OC razor heads are the same, only the handle is different. I found the Piccolo handle too short, too thin and, oddly, slippery. As I shaved, because the handle has fairly sharp vertical fluting, it would slowly slide down through my fingers and I was constantly readjusting my grip. I dont need to grip my Grande nearly as tightly and it stays put just fine.

I'd appreciate a thinner cap...

Bullet Tips are plentiful and inexpensive. I've seen them cased for under $30. Its a very underrated razor and one of my 3 most favorite. The only quibble I have with mine is a fresh PTFE is pretty much done after the 4th shave. It just doesnt offer the blade exposure to remain as effective after that for me. I suppose I do have one more slight quibble. If I use it at the design angle, with the cap flat against my skin, because the cap is flat, it can vacuum lock to my cheeks and my neck lol. When that happens the razor is basically stuck and I have to stop. To elminate that, I use it just slightly steeper to keep the back half of the cap above my skin. Three passes with little to no buffing and a 12 hour BBS every time. The exact same shave I have with my Grande and a fresh Feather, yet slightly smoother and slightly more gentle on my skin. Using it and my MMOC long term, my skin improves over using a DE.

The other side of that coin is, by the 4th shave a PTFE blade is pretty much at the point of perfection for my MMOC. Shaves 5-10 are the best shaves I get and have ever had.

This is one reason I think they should have been sold in sets. Father & Son GEM Razor sets would have been a fantastic gift idea. The Bullet Tip is the perfect GEM for the son to learn with and when he's done with the blade, his father could carry on with it in the MMOC.

 

[JoWolf]

You'd have to try pretty hard to better the efficiency level of an OC Fatip. My GEM Bullet Tip matches it while being slightly smoother. My MMOC is twice as efficient while being as smooth but its a much more difficult razor to learn.

I think I’m moving into the Fatip barn. I really haven’t had enough DE experience to know where I would be on the Grande learning curve. The efficiency is becoming harder and harder to follow with the GC and Yaqi. The Grande comfort is already out of sight. This must be the time to dump the wannabes. I never said I had a heart of gold. I said I had a Gold Grande

 

[Esox]

I think I’m moving into the Fatip barn. I really haven’t had enough DE experience to know where I would be on the Grande learning curve. The efficiency is becoming harder and harder to follow with the GC and Yaqi. The Grande comfort is already out of sight. This must be the time to dump the wannabes. I never said I had a heart of gold. I said I had a Gold Grande

The Yaki I've heard is quite mild so likely nothing can help its efficiency. The GC OC however, I would think should be pretty efficient. They have slightly positive blade exposure along with slightly more gap than a NEW SC so it should be slightly more efficient than the SC. My NEW SC however, is half as efficient as my Grande and to increase efficiency I need to increase pressure at a neutral angle which irritates my skin very quickly because of the gap.

To me, all the comfort and smoothness of my Grande is directly related to the lack of blade gap. If mine had gap I wouldnt enjoy it at all.

Now I'll have this in my head the rest of the day. It could sure have worse things in it.

 

[JoWolf]

The GC OC however, I would think should be pretty efficient.

It is efficient. Out of frustration I put a lighter Chinese handle on the GC OC for the last shave. I enjoyed the lighter weight but there is no favourable balance to the razor. I may have shaved as efficient as the Grande but with far less comfort. Then there’s the part where this razor has the least comfortable teeth of the three. It isn’t one thing. The Grande has it all and I surrender.

 

[Esox]

It is efficient. Out of frustration I put a lighter Chinese handle on the GC OC for the last shave. I enjoyed the lighter weight but there is no favourable balance to the razor. I may have shaved as efficient as the Grande but with far less comfort. Then there’s the part where this razor has the least comfortable teeth of the three. It isn’t one thing. The Grande has it all and I surrender.

A quick polishing of the teeth may solve that issue, but its an issue that shouldnt be present in the first place.

I surrendered to my Grande on my first shave with it so I completely understand. Three years ago September.

I started right side mid ear at the base of my side burn and as soon as the razor moved, I knew.

 

[TinyT]

I suppose I do have one more slight quibble. If I use it at the design angle, with the cap flat against my skin, because the cap is flat, it can vacuum lock to my cheeks and my neck lol.

I immediately thought of this, lol.

 

[Esox]

I immediately thought of this, lol.

Hahaha.

Javier Bardem was really good in that movie. The low ratings still surprise me. Thats a great movie.

 

[JoWolf]

A quick polishing of the teeth may solve that issue, but its an issue that shouldnt be present in the first place.

I surrendered to my Grande on my first shave with it so I completely understand. Three years ago September.

The first time I used the Grande he bit me behind the ear. We are good friends now though.

 

[TinyT]

Javier Bardem was really good in that movie. The low ratings still surprise me. Thats a great movie.

Yep. Totally.

 

[Esox]

The first time I used the Grande he bit me behind the ear. We are good friends now though.

Its very easy to become complacent using a Fatip. It doesnt take long for that false sense of security to change into complete security though. I'd have to mess up pretty badly to bring blood with mine these days. The problem with that is, once I get use to it again and move back to the MMOC, I bleed lol. My Grande makes me lazy. My MMOC reminds me of that.

 

[JoWolf]

Its very easy to become complacent using a Fatip.

It wasn’t complacency. It was my first Grande and early open comb shaves. Since I was fearful of the teeth. I went against my instincts and tried to shave in a safe manner(whatever that is but it didn’t work for me) even though I persisted with it for a half a dozen shaves. Every time I listen to the bad angel and go against my instincts Big Trouble. I’m ok now though.