Gillette New Long Comb: I am truly shocked

[TexOkie Shaver]

Wow, that one looks very clean. I hope you like it!

Me too. If not it goes up on the wall in a shadow box.

 

[Ad Astra]

Thank you fo


Are you referring to the iKon B1? I just ordered one of those.

No, a Gillette Long Comb with black PVD coating - a molecular bonding, not like ceracoat. Great razor.


AA

 

[Razrnewb]

OK, I will confess: I have been kinda mean and dismissive towards "milder" razors. I've only been DE shaving less than 2 years now and have not used very many, only one of which I would consider mild after today's experience. I also never "rotated" razors, each one replaced the one before it, so I was pretty comfortable with each razor.

VDH TTO: way too mild, used it for 2 months (total newb at this point)
Maggard V3: much better but rougher, always felt it around the mouth too much and had to keep going over the same areas, used for 5 months
Maggard V3A: better than V3 but still felt dangerous, used for 6 months
RR GC JAWS 84: the best of them all, yet way rougher with WAY more blade feel, which I came to tolerate and accepted as a necessary evil in order to knock down my tough chin stubble, used for the last 8 months straight

Back in April 2020, I bought a Gillette New Long Comb from fellow B&B member @NoScrubs. When it first arrived, I loaded a blade admiring its deathly accurate blade placement no matter how sloppy I would load the blade trying to misalign it, then ran my finger across it to test for exposure and thought "no way, this thing is way too mild". I put it in my drawer and was glad to have gotten a historical piece of shaving gear for a great price, so it was all good. I've done lots of dumb things in my life, not trying this razor right away was one of 'em.

Then a few days ago I started thinking about what many B&B'ers have been saying "mild razor/sharp blade" after having had a few less-than stellar shaves over my chin area which is almost always a pain in some way. I planned to give the New a try since I knew I didn't have to worry about blade alignment and it has a nice narrow maneuverable head for around my nose, like the JAWS. Examining the razor, the first thing I noticed was that the blade is secured at a shallower angle and more perpendicular to the handle, compared to the JAWS. I knew I was going to have to adjust my shave angle, and was ready. I loaded a fresh Gillette Silver Blue, face-lathered Tabac from a shave stick to perfection with my trusty Maggard Timberwolf synthetic, and ran.

Right off the bat, this razor was 90% more comfortable than the JAWS, so I thought "there's no way it's cutting". Then I'd run my finger across the area I just shaved.....and it was smooth, smoother than my first swipe with the JAWS. Um, WHAT? So I keep going and do everywhere else except the upper lip and chin as usual, and aside from missing a few tough spots on my neck due to the wrong angle, this is the smoothest most efficient shave I've had to date, without question. Then I do the upper lip, super smooth again and LESS tugging than with the JAWS(!). I am truly baffled as to how this is even possible at this point. Then the chin, the dreaded chin, smooth and not irritated in the slightest with almost no blade feel. I rinsed, completely baffled as to how my face was a DFS after one pass with a razor than didn't feel dangerous in the slightest. Did the second pass, which has NEVER been comfortable on my upper lip and chin, of which I had just accepted as "what it is" from what I thought was sensitive skin/coarse hair, or whatever, and I was done, smooth and irritation free.

Maybe someone can explain how this is possible. No huge blade gap, no crazy blade exposure, yet super efficient and comfortable. I am truly shocked, and delighted at the same time. One for the books to be sure!

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My experience was positive as yours. Reviving an old thread here, but found what appears to be a Bostonian with a worn out top cap (otherwise great shape) and placed what appears to an identically matching cap on it off of a New Long Comb that had broken teeth, creating a fully functional Bostonian (same as New Long Comb). I found the shave to be amazing. Much smoother and just as close as a NOS Gillette Old Type, more forgiving of angle and was never once concerned about a nick or weeper. Easy BBS with Mitchell’s Wool Fat and a Platinum Rapira. Seeing a show I’ve had experience with easily bent Gillette OC teeth, I am wondering if there is a modern equivalent to this shave in SS?

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

My experience was positive as yours. Reviving an old thread here, but found what appears to be a Bostonian with a worn out top cap (otherwise great shape) and placed what appears to an identically matching cap on it off of a New Long Comb that had broken teeth, creating a fully functional Bostonian (same as New Long Comb). I found the shave to be amazing. Much smoother and just as close as a NOS Gillette Old Type, more forgiving of angle and was never once concerned about a nick or weeper. Easy BBS with Mitchell’s Wool Fat and a Platinum Rapira. Seeing a show I’ve had experience with easily bent Gillette OC teeth, I am wondering if there is a modern equivalent to this shave in SS?

I am super glad you put together a nice razor that you like!

With that said, I have to be fully transparent when I say that I have moved to using cartridges. (doh!)

It’s always been something minor that has made me try something different. Some soaps were causing me skin blemishes so I tried a garden-variety Gillette Superspeed which ended up making the New feel like a torture device. And then at some point I tried a Gillette Guard for whatever reason and that was it.

As of today my razor is the Gillette Sensor2+ disposable and a can of Barbasol. Easy peasy and comfy!

 

[Razrnewb]

I am super glad you put together a nice razor that you like!

With that said, I have to be fully transparent when I say that I have moved to using cartridges. (doh!)

It’s always been something minor that has made me try something different. Some soaps were causing me skin blemishes so I tried a garden-variety Gillette Superspeed which ended up making the New feel like a torture device. And then at some point I tried a Gillette Guard for whatever reason and that was it.

As of today my razor is the Gillette Sensor2+ disposable and a can of Barbasol. Easy peasy and comfy!

Whatever works! I’ve spent small fortune on $10-50 razors and soaps in the last year figuring that out, and if I’m sensitive, sunburned or crunched on time I don’t hesitate to reach for a Mach 3 or my beloved Braun 7 Series electric. RAD can be as frustrating and expensive as it is interesting and fun. I’m about done, too..

 

[Swingboy8]

(...)
Some soaps were causing me skin blemishes so I tried a garden-variety Gillette Superspeed which ended up making the New feel like a torture device. (...)

Did you try the US/UK Superspeed blue tip before stopping DE razors ?

Because my UK blue tip Rocket is with no doubt the mildest/smoothest (i don't know which term is the right one) razor for the skin i've tried since i started traditional shaving. And it also shaves very well !

For the gents who find a tech not that mild as people usually say and who have sensitive/very sensitive skin, it is probably the razor to get.
Even with this type of skin, i think you could shave twice a day if your beard would grow back very fast...

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Did you try the US/UK Superspeed blue tip before stopping DE razors ?

Because my UK blue tip Rocket is with no doubt the mildest/smoothest (i don't know which term is the right one) razor for the skin i've tried since i started traditional shaving. And it also shaves very well !

For the gents who find a tech not that mild as people usually say and who have sensitive/very sensitive skin, it is probably the razor to get.
Even with this type of skin, i think you could shave twice a day if your beard would grow back very fast...

I always wanted to try a blue tip SS but never found one for a good price. You’re probably right through, I bet I’d like that one.

I own several techs and don’t think they’re as mild as many people claim. It’s an effective razor, but not one I found worth the time compared to other razors. It always felt dangerous on my chin which is the hardest place for me to shave.

My go/no-go test for a razor is using Barbasol Original canned foam. It’s not very slick, but if a razor is comfortable I get a smooth, close, and comfy shave. The only DE that just barely fails this test is a regular Gillette Superspeed. I may seek a blue tip since I have so many DE blades tucked away.

 

[Swingboy8]

I always wanted to try a blue tip SS but never found one for a good price. You’re probably right through, I bet I’d like that one.

I own several techs and don’t think they’re as mild as many people claim. It’s an effective razor, but not one I found worth the time compared to other razors. It always felt dangerous on my chin which is the hardest place for me to shave.

My go/no-go test for a razor is using Barbasol Original canned foam. It’s not very slick, but if a razor is comfortable I get a smooth, close, and comfy shave. The only DE that just barely fails this test is a regular Gillette Superspeed. I may seek a blue tip since I have so many DE blades tucked away.

I think that's really too bad you gave up DE shaving without trying the blue tip, especially if you live the US because it should be much easier to find for you than for us in Europe...

You may find it at a good price in antique stores & also in yard sales, something like that. And if you have some extra luck, the seller will be a lady who doesn't know anything about men's razors so you could make a great deal... (that's my personal method )

 

[Schnitzel52]

Welcome to the good News!
What you experienced, I did too. Don’t pass over these fine razors. Repent and use the good News!

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

I am super glad you put together a nice razor that you like!

With that said, I have to be fully transparent when I say that I have moved to using cartridges. (doh!)

It’s always been something minor that has made me try something different. Some soaps were causing me skin blemishes so I tried a garden-variety Gillette Superspeed which ended up making the New feel like a torture device. And then at some point I tried a Gillette Guard for whatever reason and that was it.

As of today my razor is the Gillette Sensor2+ disposable and a can of Barbasol. Easy peasy and comfy!

Because this post is getting likes I wanted to provide an update once again. I have used the Shick Hydro3 Sensitive for the last 5 shaves in a row and have no plan to go back.

The reason I tried this Shick was that the Sensor2+ goo strip (and almost all of them) get dry and bumpy after a few uses. This model Shick has gel pods below the surface of a plastic guard that prevents this from occurring. I shaved 5 times with this cart and it still feels like new.

This Shick is also way more efficient and comfortable. I am doing one calculated pass and 1 quick touch up pass that doesn’t even require me to lather up again.

Still using the Barbasol too, great stuff, especially combined with the lube gel pods of the Hydro3, but any goo strip really!