Have you ever fell out of love with a certain razor?

[HXCnikka]

Lately I have been becoming more unhappy with my Vikings Blade Emperor. I think once the "love at first sight" faded, I started noticing some not so great things about this razor. Starting with the adjustment ring. Mine is loose and when I finally do get it locked in, it just becomes loose again if I adjust it. I know I could just leave it at one setting for all my passes, but that defeats the purpose of why I bought it. I spend so much time messing with the adj ring that I might as well just use my RW 6C, which is my favorite razor. The other gripe is with the weight distribution of this razor. In my hands the weight falls back towards the handle and I'm constantly adjusting my grip. Now it could be because it is the heaviest razor I have so my technique is too tuned to lighter razors, but it just feels like the weight needs to be more in the head of the razor. And finally, it is just not as efficient as my Rockwell or even my Chieftain 5 BC which uses the same head minus the straight bar side. I'm trying to love this Emperor, but as the inconsistent shaves keep happening I might just have to shelve it and move on.

Has this happened to anyone else with a particular razor that you were just so excited to get?

Thanks for reading my vent.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Lately I have been becoming more unhappy with my Vikings Blade Emperor. I think once the "love at first sight" faded, I started noticing some not so great things about this razor. Starting with the adjustment ring. Mine is loose and when I finally do get it locked in, it just becomes loose again if I adjust it. I know I could just leave it at one setting for all my passes, but that defeats the purpose of why I bought it. I spend so much time messing with the adj ring that I might as well just use my RW 6C, which is my favorite razor. The other gripe is with the weight distribution of this razor. In my hands the weight falls back towards the handle and I'm constantly adjusting my grip. Now it could be because it is the heaviest razor I have so my technique is too tuned to lighter razors, but it just feels like the weight needs to be more in the head of the razor. And finally, it is just not as efficient as my Rockwell or even my Chieftain 5 BC which uses the same head minus the straight bar side. I'm trying to love this Emperor, but as the inconsistent shaves keep happening I might just have to shelve it and move on.

Has this happened to anyone else with a particular razor that you were just so excited to get?

Thanks for reading my vent.

Yep!

Feather AS-D2

.............Too Mild..............

 

[HXCnikka]

Yep!

Feather AS-D2

.............Too Mild..............

Ouch! That one has a $$$price tag on it too.

 

[CarloMNL]

Yep!

Feather AS-D2

Same here. I like mild but the $200 Feather didn't shave any better than my $30 Tech and unlike my Tech, if I left a blade in the razor for three days straight, I'd surely find mild rust on the baseplate.

Gillette TTOs. Really nice looking razors and I thought every guy needs at least one Superspeed. Turns out the head is a little too thick for me to maneuver along my mustache area.

Merkur Progress. Same comments as the Gillette TTOs.

Muhle R89/EJ DE89. The design taught me how to use a DE but after so many years, I figured it really isn't mild and it isn't all that efficient.

 

[OhioBob]

I know I will have some who disagree with me on this one, but the Gillette Super Speed, Slim and Fatboy were razors I thought I just had to have but I wasn't that impressed once I used them for a while. Same went for the Schick E, G, L and the M's. I could get a close shave, but stubble appeared in 7-8 hours. Guess I am one who gets along better with the modern razors although some of those have disappointed me too.

Trial and error seems to fit for finding the RIGHT razor. What works for one, may not work for you.

 

[kingfisher]

Same here. I like mild but the $200 Feather didn't shave any better than my $30 Tech and unlike my Tech, if I left a blade in the razor for three days straight, I'd surely find mild rust on the baseplate.

Gillette TTOs. Really nice looking razors and I thought every guy needs at least one Superspeed. Turns out the head is a little too thick for me to maneuver along my mustache area.

Merkur Progress. Same comments as the Gillette TTOs.

Muhle R89/EJ DE89. The design taught me how to use a DE but after so many years, I figured it really isn't mild and it isn't all that efficient.

Mild correction; what you see inside the AS-D2 if you leave a blade in it isn't rusting, per se; it certainly isn't rusting of the razor, which is MiM stainless steel and then is coated in chrome. It is probably the most rust-resistant stainless steel razor on the planet.

The spots you see are call "tea stains," and they come from rusting of the BLADE, not the razor. The reason they develop on the AS-D2 and not on a Tech is likely because the AS-D2 encloses the blade completely, which doesn't allow the blade to dry completely if left in the razor.

By the way, tea staining is easily removable and doesn't harm the razor in any way.

 

[Possum092]

These guys! Hope I never cross paths again with these blue bad boys.

 

[emwolf]

There are several that I have fallen out of love with, primarily the more aggressive razors in my den. I'm dialing down to a about a medium level nowadays

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Mild correction; what you see inside the AS-D2 if you leave a blade in it isn't rusting, per se; it certainly isn't rusting of the razor, which is MiM stainless steel and then is coated in chrome. It is probably the most rust-resistant stainless steel razor on the planet.

The spots you see are call "tea stains," and they come from rusting of the BLADE, not the razor. The reason they develop on the AS-D2 and not on a Tech is likely because the AS-D2 encloses the blade completely, which doesn't allow the blade to dry completely if left in the razor.

By the way, tea staining is easily removable and doesn't harm the razor in any way.

Exactly right KingFisher!

And I knew all this going into the DE wet shaving hobby too. Which is why, after every shave, I take apart the razor and do this.

I always let all the hardware dry including the blade. These days, I've been using my Rex Ambassador, but I do the same thing. I am surprised I never got a picture of it, but I take the top apart, take the blade out, clean everything up, and let dry on a paper towel, just like I did my Feather AS-D2. After several hours, of letting it dry, I put it back together, and hang it on the stand.

 

[Possum092]

Exactly right KingFisher!

And I knew all this going into the DE wet shaving hobby too. Which is why, after every shave, I take apart the razor and do this.

I always let all the hardware dry including the blade. These days, I've been using my Rex Ambassador, but I do the same thing. I am surprised I never got a picture of it, but I take the top apart, take the blade out, clean everything up, and let dry on a paper towel, just like I did my Feather AS-D2. After several hours, of letting it dry, I put it back together, and hang it on the stand.

You’ll wear the threads out first doing this everyday. Probably not, but it does take extra time and effort. Any blade tea staining will wipe off 316 SS with a soft cloth on blade changing day.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

You’ll wear the threads out first doing this everyday. Probably not, but it does take extra time and effort. Any blade tea staining will wipe off 316 SS with a soft cloth on blade changing day.

Well, thats what a warranty is for right? Truths is, I don't even use my Feather AS-D2 anymore, just too mile of a razor for my course whiskers. And truth is, I got a lifetime warranty on my Rex Ambassador, if that happened to it, I would not hesitate to use it, because a razor thread should not strip out just making it 3-finger tight. I got a Merkur Futur coming in the mail Monday, can't wait to try that one out for my Monday shave.

 

[Possum092]

Well, thats what a warranty is for right? Truths is, I don't even use my Feather AS-D2 anymore, just too mile of a razor for my course whiskers. And truth is, I got a lifetime warranty on my Rex Ambassador, if that happened to it, I would not hesitate to use it, because a razor thread should not strip out just making it 3-finger tight. I got a Merkur Futur coming in the mail Monday, can't wait to try that one out for my Monday shave.

Best wishes for great shaves from your new razor. Cheers.

 

[CarloMNL]

Mild correction; what you see inside the AS-D2 if you leave a blade in it isn't rusting, per se; it certainly isn't rusting of the razor, which is MiM stainless steel and then is coated in chrome. It is probably the most rust-resistant stainless steel razor on the planet.

The spots you see are call "tea stains," and they come from rusting of the BLADE, not the razor. The reason they develop on the AS-D2 and not on a Tech is likely because the AS-D2 encloses the blade completely, which doesn't allow the blade to dry completely if left in the razor.

By the way, tea staining is easily removable and doesn't harm the razor in any way.

So that's what tea stains are. I keep hearing the term but never really understood it. Thanks for the correction.

Yes, the stains were easy to remove. A toothbrush and some toothpaste were all that were needed.The recurrence just bugged me to no end. Now I know how to prevent it.

 

[HXCnikka]

These guys! Hope I never cross paths again with these blue bad boys.
View attachment 1448840

 

[Benzadmiral]

I know I will have some who disagree with me on this one, but the Gillette Super Speed, Slim and Fatboy were razors I thought I just had to have but I wasn't that impressed once I used them for a while. Same went for the Schick E, G, L and the M's. I could get a close shave, but stubble appeared in 7-8 hours. Guess I am one who gets along better with the modern razors although some of those have disappointed me too.

Trial and error seems to fit for finding the RIGHT razor. What works for one, may not work for you.

Periodically I get that way with the '62 Slim, my first vintage razor. The Merkur Progress and Fatip Open Comb Slant are marvelously efficient, smooth shavers. Then I come back to the Slim as I did today with a 36-hour beard and a new Astra blade, setting 7 for all 3 passes, and I love the Gillette all over again.

 

[slim6596]

Gillette Slim: love the looks, hate the shaves
Rex Ambassador: shaved rough no matter what I did
Vikings Blade Emperor: left my face raw every time
Merkur Progress long handle: nice shaver, handle threw the balance off for me

 

[njpaddy]

EJ Chatsworth Barley: going back a dozen years, it had been on my want list for some time but it was expensive. I finally splurged. It was a gorgeous razor, but after years of shaving with carts, SuperSpeeds and a Merker 34G, I could not adjust to the length and weight of this razor and sold it to another member at a loss after only a couple of shaves.

Fatboy and Slim: adjustables drove me crazy. I was always fiddling with settings, before and during the shave, and never found one I liked. I think I gave one to a relative and sold the other.

 

[selbedj]

I was a Henson shave until I tried the Yates 921. Sold the Henson after that. Great razor but liked the Yates better.

 

[Lord NSIC]

fell in love with the looks of the Gillette Super Adjustables, and then I got one. The first one was a 1969 SA 109 with the metal adjuster plate--it was rode hard and put up dirty and wet and had green soap caked in, on and around it with a serious case of drop handle, but I got it cleaned up and one shave in and the handle broke clear through at the crimp. I "fixed" it by using a piece of 12 gauge electrical wire wrapped around where the crimp crumbled and it will shave, just not that well. Next, I over paid for a 69 SA 84 that needed cleaning, but I was able to get the knob to open and the last 1/4 turn to work, but it will jam in the closed position often; needing a soak in Dawn to open it up. Next I got a "no date code" SA 109 with the straight knurling and nylon adjuster plate--contrary to my expectations (I expected the metal one to last/hold up better than the nylon one), it is very smooth opening, closing and the last 1/4 turn is always butter smooth, but to this point, the shaves have been only "meh," but it's loaded with an English Wilkie for Friday. Then I got another "rode hard and put up wet SA 109" for dirt cheap -- it cleaned up and the doors opened/closed and last 1/4 turn was there, but sometimes it won't open when you hold the upper handle and twist the TTO knob to open it; the head will turn with the TTO knob, so you have to hold the head of the razor w/towel before the doors will open. My opinion born from experience is the SAs did not age well, do not tolerate abuse like the other Gillette Adjustables -- steer clear of grungy fixer uppers and you might stand a chance of keeping it serviceable. photos of all 4 below in order:

 

[Hunter1063]

Mingshi 2000s adjustable, which I sold!