I really have come a long way ... easier BBS ... Only took 10 years lol

[Mr. Shavington]

There are all kinds of theories about how to get a perfect shave.

They all are correct . . . to some people. None are correct to all persons.

So what does that tell us? Personal experimentation is the key to shaving success.

I think this says it all. If you do the exact same thing every time you will get the same outcome. Whether you use different equipment to force yourself to adjust, or keep your equipment the same and try different techniques, you can improve through experimentation.

 

[Eben Stone]

@JCinPA just curious if you've tried the Merkur 34C + 7 O'Clock Super Platinum blade combo again since you've achieved the shave black belt.

Any other noteworthy combos you've found with all that new gear?

 

[JCinPA]

Hahaha, I actually have not, which is funny. I should. I used that combo daily for five years, then went nuts with razors and blades for the last several months. I'll stick a 7 O'Clock Black in there tomorrow and see how I like it. I did not shave this weekend, so have a 2-day growth to try it on. I have a vintage Gillette Spoiler in there now.

 

[JCinPA]

@Eben Stone Wow, Ed, I should have gone back to my daily standard. I've been having so much fun playing with various razors and blades the last few months, then coming back to the 34C and putting a vintage blade in it. This morning I put a 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (black) in it and what do you know?

I spent about an extra 5 minutes and got a very comfortable BBS. They may not last a week, but the Gillete 7 O'Clock blacks are as close and comfortable as any of my vintage blades, for sure. The vintage (Gillette Spoiler or Schick Plus Plats) are smoother, and last longer, but are no closer, and if your technique is good, really no more comfortable.

But all the experimentation has improved my technique, apparently. BBS used to cause me much irritation. Now, none at all!

 

[Eben Stone]

@Eben Stone Wow, Ed, I should have gone back to my daily standard. I've been having so much fun playing with various razors and blades the last few months, then coming back to the 34C and putting a vintage blade in it. This morning I put a 7 O'Clock Super Platinum (black) in it and what do you know?

I spent about an extra 5 minutes and got a very comfortable BBS. They may not last a week, but the Gillete 7 O'Clock blacks are as close and comfortable as any of my vintage blades, for sure. The vintage (Gillette Spoiler or Schick Plus Plats) are smoother, and last longer, but are no closer, and if your technique is good, really no more comfortable.

But all the experimentation has improved my technique, apparently. BBS used to cause me much irritation. Now, none at all!

I've already retried my R41 and iKon Tek before PIFing them, and Gillette New LC, so I thought I was pretty good in terms of retrying some of my earlier setups. However, I just realized I had kinda forgot about a little monster hidden away in one of my drawers. The RR Hawk V3-OC. You've inspired me to let the Razohawk out of it's cage.

 

[DE Shaver]

I'm of the position it is the workman, not the tool, that primarily determines the outcome. Granted, have decent gear is nice but ultimately they cannot overcome poor technique. It's surprising what you can get out of mediocre equipment with a good shave approach.

 

[JCinPA]

I'm of the position it is the workman, not the tool, that primarily determines the outcome. Granted, have decent gear is nice but ultimately they cannot overcome poor technique. It's surprising what you can get out of mediocre equipment with a good shave approach.

This is inarguably true, IMO. I can now get a great shave with about anything I pick up, Tech, slant, FatBoy, DE89, 34C, vintage Schick injector, late model Schick injector. That was a lot less true ten years ago, and I do think settling in with the 34C for five years to hone technique did something good for me.

But, eventually one comes to like certain tools better than others, and after all my recent experimentation, I've come down to the Merkur 34C and my E-4 Canadian Schick injector as my two favorite tools. I'll play with the others from time to time, but I think most of my shaves will be on those two. I'm not one to set up a "rotation" simply because I have a bunch of razors. For example, my birthday razor is a Gillette Red Tip, but I'm not fond of aggressive razors, so except for using it for a week around my birthday, it does not see much use.

I'm glad @Eben Stone reminded me to try my old favorite blade again, too. I had started using the vintage blades I've amassed almost exclusively and had left the 7 O'Clock Blacks to languish in the drawer. For me, the Super Plats are great blades. Not quite as comfy as a Spoiler or Schick Plus Plat, perhaps, but still very smooth and comfortable and closer than the vintage blades for me.

It's been fun playing the field for the last few months, but I'm going to settle back down now, I think.

 

[musicman1951]

Some people will say something like - well it's not the razor's fault, it's your technique and bla bla bla, because they think that if they can get a great shave then everyone else should be able to, but it's not always about the technique alone. If that was the case, then most of us would be using pretty much the same razors and blades and there wouldn't be a need for the manufacturers to keep making all kinds of new blades or razors all the time with different efficiency and comfort.

Everything matters. Technique is certainly the most important (great shaves using poor technique sounds pretty unlikely to me), but it's not everything.

I can get a DFS with just about anything, but there are combinations that simply cannot get me to BBS, and other combinations that would require 6 passes (which ain't gonna happen). There are combinations that get the job done with less comfort than I like, and others that would put me on the cutting edge of disaster the entire shave.

So no, technique isn't everything, and equipment will never be everything. After many years of experimenting, and a not insignificant learning curve, I've found a good combination for my face/beard/technique. My Wolfman with a PolSilver SI gives me a BBS virtually every time with the traditional 3 passes - no touch ups, one trip of the razor over each patch of skin per pass.

Can you do the same with the $15 used razor from eBay and a 9 cent blade - absolutely, if that's the right combination for your face/beard/technique.

 

[Medivh]

Everything matters. Technique is certainly the most important (great shaves using poor technique sounds pretty unlikely to me), but it's not everything.

I can get a DFS with just about anything, but there are combinations that simply cannot get me to BBS, and other combinations that would require 6 passes (which ain't gonna happen). There are combinations that get the job done with less comfort than I like, and others that would put me on the cutting edge of disaster the entire shave.

So no, technique isn't everything, and equipment will never be everything. After many years of experimenting, and a not insignificant learning curve, I've found a good combination for my face/beard/technique. My Wolfman with a PolSilver SI gives me a BBS virtually every time with the traditional 3 passes - no touch ups, one trip of the razor over each patch of skin per pass.

Can you do the same with the $15 used razor from eBay and a 9 cent blade - absolutely, if that's the right combination for your face/beard/technique.

That's pretty much my point. Good technique is obviously very important, but it's not the only factor that leads to a great shave. For instance, cartridge razors are extremely easy to use, but lots of people get skin irritation, ingrown hairs and other issues despite the fact that they have been shaving with cartridge razors for years and should at least have a decent technique if not great. It's just like you said - some blade and razor combos just work much better than most, regardless of the price or if the razor is DE, SE or even SR.

 

[muzichead]

I am in the "Technique isn't everything" category firmly today!!

My goal has been BBS every shave out in the past 5yrs since I started with a DE and the journey "had been" what I thought unattainable until about 2+yrs in after I had been through about 25+ razors that I thought were the ones but alas, they weren't!! It wasn't until I picked up a Ti Timeless .95SB from a BST ad that it all just seemed to click for me. It was 1st shave nirvana from the onset... That razor has served me very well since!! That was almost 3yrs ago and until recently, was the only razor I owned!!

Fast forward to about 6 months ago and I finally gave in and bought a Ti Blackbird from @Hannah's Dad that didn't quite get along with the Ti version and wanted to go back to the SS version and haven't looked back since. I am pretty much a minimalist to begin with and the reason I don't still own all those razors I've had in my possession as I feel, if they aren't being used they should go to someone that can use them and be happy as well. That person just wasn't me!!

I'd have to say the TiBB has received the lions shave of use since acquiring it but I do still use the Ti95DC pretty often. The difference between them I've learned is the Ti95DC is much smoother overall and the TiBB is more efficient. I think it is a very good balance and both razors do what's most important to me...a 16-20hr BBS in 2.5 passes every shave out!! If its not a BBS shave I feel cheated and not worth the time I spent to shave and as I mentioned in the beginning, BBS is the goal for me every shave out!!

@JCinPA Great thread!!