What's new

Hang's Harangues

1619577595969.png

Tatra Carbon Long hole (1 and done) & Tatra Platinum Premium Stainless Blade (4)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Aqua Velva After Shave

I decided to try the other Tatra sample, the carbon steel blade. It was HORRIBLE. I tugged myself through half a WTG pass and had to stop. My whiskers were slamming on the brakes. I swapped in the other (stainless) Tatra and what a relief. The beautiful glide was back. No touch-up after the 3rd pass tonight - but STILL got weepers. I think my problem is shaving with the C open comb as though it were the easy-breezy straight-bar, Tech-like B plate. Apart from that - nice close shave.

Tatra is the name of the range in the Carpathian Mountains that forms much of the frontier between Slovakia and Poland. My son got to visit there in pre-plague days and loved it. Here he is in the glorious Tatras:

1619577749960.png
 
1619695866975.png

Tiger Platinum Premium Stainless Blade - Jevíčko, Czech Republic
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Aqua Velva After Shave

A respectable DFS. I took a very light touch and limited myself to 3 gingerly passes with no additional touch-up, partly to ensure healing, partly to learn how to better respect the razor. This resulted in less damage and a bit less closeness than the previous few shaves. This blade felt every bit as good as the Tatra Premium. I attribute the closer Tatra result to additional strokes rather than the blade.

The Tiger Platinum appears to be Czech Blades' flagship blade. Here's the one TV commercial, in which our hero - so impressed with the blade - cannot keep himself from shaving everything else around; causing us to worry about his cat's welfare.

 
1619840089851.png

Tiger Platinum Premium Stainless Blade (2)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Ace Silvertip Badger Brush
Mennen Skin Bracer After Shave

A very solid DFS+ and no damage. A very light touch-up post ATG pass, but only under the chin. This has been one of the better shaves in terms of result. That third pass felt harsh, but no visible damage and AS sting only moderate.

Several minutes afterwards I noticed a couple of missed whiskers just below the nose. I couldn't stand it. With a guilty heart, I went and grabbed the razor and, with an extreme shallow angle, went after them bone dry and against the grain. I think I got away with it...
 
1619963560104.png

Tiger Superior Premium Stainless Blade - Jevíčko, Czech Republic
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Ace Silvertip Badger Brush
WSP Tobacco After Shave

3-pass+ shave. A near-solid DFS, with one momentary red dot. In the past, I seemed to find that "platinum" coatings were not as good to me as non-coated blades, so I hoped to find the non-platinum Tiger to be a more comfortable experience than the platinum Tiger. During the XG pass, I thought "maybe not". During the ATG pass, I had to concede "definitely not". Maybe not worse, but not better in terms of smooth comfort. I have a carbon steel Tiger I could also try, but I'm already pretty sure it will be every bit as terrible as the other carbon blade I had the misfortune to encounter recently.

My Czech Blades conclusion is that the new premium blades are an excellent fit with the Karve C OC plate, but I hope to find something even better. I still want smooth ATG action, non-threatening touch-ups, and incredibly close finish, and not a compromise between them. Gotta keep looking.
 
View attachment 1261030
Tiger Superior Premium Stainless Blade - Jevíčko, Czech Republic
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Ace Silvertip Badger Brush
WSP Tobacco After Shave

3-pass+ shave. A near-solid DFS, with one momentary red dot. In the past, I seemed to find that "platinum" coatings were not as good to me as non-coated blades, so I hoped to find the non-platinum Tiger to be a more comfortable experience than the platinum Tiger. During the XG pass, I thought "maybe not". During the ATG pass, I had to concede "definitely not". Maybe not worse, but not better in terms of smooth comfort. I have a carbon steel Tiger I could also try, but I'm already pretty sure it will be every bit as terrible as the other carbon blade I had the misfortune to encounter recently.

My Czech Blades conclusion is that the new premium blades are an excellent fit with the Karve C OC plate, but I hope to find something even better. I still want smooth ATG action, non-threatening touch-ups, and incredibly close finish, and not a compromise between them. Gotta keep looking.

If you think that a blade suits you, but it is not as sharp as you'd prefer, perhaps you could try some different techniques to increase the effectiveness, if you feel like. For example, the Gillette slide helped me get a bit more comfort in tougher spots and the result was closer. I transferred the technique to straights now and use slicing, diagonal or likewise strokes at certain spots.

Once you're past the first few months of DE shaving, I feel it's worth trying out the so-called advanced shaving techniques (j-hooks, buffing, slide).
 
1620097759465.png

Kai Stainless Steel Blade
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Ace Silvertip Badger Brush
Fine Platinum After Shave

I went back to an old favourite blade to see if there was any magic there. After the fact, I reviewed shave #19 of this thread (Kai plus Karve C) and saw that my experience here was pretty similar. Good close result but with a burn.
 
1620216920030.png

Kai Stainless Steel Blade
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Aqua Velva After Shave

Early females showering away the hot water + Impatient attitude + Experimenting with dryer lather + Skipping the XG pass altogether = Very mediocre shave with nasty upper lip weepers - the kind that leave tiny scars of shame for everyone to see. Today may be the first time I wear a mask without anger.
 
991-original.jpg
Kai Stainless Steel Blade (3)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Wholly Kaw Fougère Mania Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Fine Platinum After Shave

I had to keep the door shut for this one and so was working mostly blind with the mirror fogged up. Also, I tried going in opposite directions for the XG pass (👃to 👂 - I don't think it was better). Borderline DFS with some stache weepers.
 
1620486193332.png

Kai Stainless Steel Blade (4)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Stirling Almond Cream Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Aqua Velva After Shave

Decent DFS, some light momentary damage. I keep trying to figure out what makes my shaves feel slightly less than perfectly comfortable lately. Typically, I feel a bit burned as I lather up for the second pass. Bristles? Blade? Chemicals? Today my suspicions turned to the soap so I switched to Stirling. No Eureka moment though. No need to whine though. I look and feel presentable enough.
 
1620617195272.png

Kai Stainless Steel Blade (5)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Stirling Almond Cream Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
Fine Platinum After Shave

Not so good tonight. I took my time with the lather and got it particularly rich. First 2 passes went very well and the third pass was butchery, leaving some big weepers (fortunately stopped up easily) and more than acceptable stubble. I don't know why, but I'll choose to blame the blade and see how things go with a new one next time.
 
Last edited:
1620734436298.png

Feather Hi-Stainless Blade
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Stirling Almond Cream Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
WSP Tobacco After Shave

I broke the emergency glass and tried a new Feather. No blood. I gave the blade maybe more respect than I should, resisting a touch-up pass and settling for a slightly sub-DFS result. Big AS sting. I like this AS.
 
1620880549079.png

Feather Hi-Stainless Blade (2)
Brass Karve Razor, OC C Plate
Stirling Almond Cream Soap
Semogue 2010 Pure Badger Brush
WSP Tobacco After Shave

Excellent shave with some very light damage above the lip. This is the closest shave I've had in a long time. Spots of BBS here and there in a superior DFS result. I gave it the thorough post ATG touch-up and was not punished. Huzzah!
 
Top Bottom