Long story short, I ordered an AL13++ and they mistakenly sent an AL13+. I offered to send it back but they told me to keep both, so I set up a PIF for a new user in the Newbie forum. A member won it to give to his 17-year-old grandson, which I think is terrific! They asked me to do a side-by-side of the two before I mail it out, though, so today's shave was teh + vs the ++.
I was going to do two of these, with the + first on the left, then on the right the following day, but after today's shave I don't think that is necessary, so tomorrow I will go straight to the ++ versus the Merkur 34C. Over my 13 years of doing this, I've rotated between the 34C, Merkur Slant, DE 89, Gillette vintage Tech, Schick injectors of various vintages, and a few Gillette TTO including the Fatboy. However, far and away, the razor I kept coming back to as my daily driver was the 34C.
I rotate a lot of blades, but my most used daily driver is the Gillette Super Platinum (Black, India), and while I have used a lot of soaps and creams, I decided to break out one of hoarded Tabac original tallow pucks for this (in an Old Spice mug, that you see in the photo, but it's original Tabac!). So nothing changes I will use the blade only once, and I will only use a synthetic brush, either a PAA Amber Aero Lite or a Stirling Tuxedo. After a Thayer's WH application I'll use a Lilac Vegetal splash because NOTHING highlights a lapse in technique like The Veg, and, well, I just love it. I am a charter member of The Knights of the Veg Table (poster #5).
Below is the first shave result, + on left side, ++ on right side. As mentioned switching sides is not needed, so the placeholder for post #3 will be for the AL13++ vs the Merkur 34C tomorrow.
You'll note I am using two Edwin Jagger handles. The Henson razor head is a remarkable and stunning improvement to what is, basically, a 120+ year-old design. They've perfected it. Their handle, IMNSHO, however is a design defect I wish they'd address. Their long handle hits me in the chest or collar bone when doing my N-S pass low on my neck. I don't think the razor needs more weight, but it needs a shorter, fatter handle. Their machined aluminum is very grippy and would be perfect, I don't know why they went with the ridiculously long handle in the first place, but they have stocked a shorter version in the past.
This tells me they have the CNC coding to make them, and adding a few SKUs to their system would be easily managed with inventory software. I've suggested they offer it with both handle options, but did not receive a response. If they do that I will order one, but for now, and for the permanent future if they don't make shorter handles the AL13++ head will live on my DE 89 chrome handle you see here.
I was going to do two of these, with the + first on the left, then on the right the following day, but after today's shave I don't think that is necessary, so tomorrow I will go straight to the ++ versus the Merkur 34C. Over my 13 years of doing this, I've rotated between the 34C, Merkur Slant, DE 89, Gillette vintage Tech, Schick injectors of various vintages, and a few Gillette TTO including the Fatboy. However, far and away, the razor I kept coming back to as my daily driver was the 34C.
I rotate a lot of blades, but my most used daily driver is the Gillette Super Platinum (Black, India), and while I have used a lot of soaps and creams, I decided to break out one of hoarded Tabac original tallow pucks for this (in an Old Spice mug, that you see in the photo, but it's original Tabac!). So nothing changes I will use the blade only once, and I will only use a synthetic brush, either a PAA Amber Aero Lite or a Stirling Tuxedo. After a Thayer's WH application I'll use a Lilac Vegetal splash because NOTHING highlights a lapse in technique like The Veg, and, well, I just love it. I am a charter member of The Knights of the Veg Table (poster #5).
Below is the first shave result, + on left side, ++ on right side. As mentioned switching sides is not needed, so the placeholder for post #3 will be for the AL13++ vs the Merkur 34C tomorrow.
You'll note I am using two Edwin Jagger handles. The Henson razor head is a remarkable and stunning improvement to what is, basically, a 120+ year-old design. They've perfected it. Their handle, IMNSHO, however is a design defect I wish they'd address. Their long handle hits me in the chest or collar bone when doing my N-S pass low on my neck. I don't think the razor needs more weight, but it needs a shorter, fatter handle. Their machined aluminum is very grippy and would be perfect, I don't know why they went with the ridiculously long handle in the first place, but they have stocked a shorter version in the past.
This tells me they have the CNC coding to make them, and adding a few SKUs to their system would be easily managed with inventory software. I've suggested they offer it with both handle options, but did not receive a response. If they do that I will order one, but for now, and for the permanent future if they don't make shorter handles the AL13++ head will live on my DE 89 chrome handle you see here.
