Journey to find my razor preference

[Ohjay]

Date: 2024-05-26
Razor: Gillette USA Fat handle Tech Gold Post-war
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Sagrada Familia tuxedo knot
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Cosmo
Aftershave: Arran Machrie
Passes: 3
Rating: 7.775
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Regressed a bit today. Still got a comfortable shave, just not as comfortable as a few days ago. The quality was worse as well, DFS at best.
Mostly blame myself though since I haven't slept much this weekend and I'm fairly sure that had a negative effect on my shaving.

 

[Ohjay]

I forgot to update after the last shave so it's another two for one special today.

Date: 2024-05-28
Razor: Gillette British Tech Brass
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Huskey
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Cosmo
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 7
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

This shave started out quite good and the Tech did its usually Techy-ness and was smooth and easy to use but it fell off a cliff on the ATG pass. The ATG was very uncomfortable and not a pleasant experience at all.
Quality wise it was an okay DFS and no nicks or weepers.

Date: 2024-05-30
Razor: Gillette British Tech Brass
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: DScosmetic 26mm Tuxedo
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Cosmo
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 7.625
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Fared better today and it was much more comfortable and also on the ATG pass. Quality was also marginally better but again DFS and no nicks or weepers.
But the shave today should be taken with a grain of salt because I wasn't paying much attention while shaving so the rating is an approximation and could possibly be better, or worse.

This Tech has not performed as well as the other Tech which is slightly surprising but I think it's partly down to me and not the razor because I've been preoccupied as of late and have a bit too much on my mind which makes it harder to focus on the shaving. But we'll see, one more shave with this razor & blade combo, then we'll see what I'll do next.
I wanna try the Popular No47 and it has cleaned up fairly well by just using soapy water and toothpaste but I want to give it one or two more cleans and I might have to get some superfine steel wool to get rid of the last few rust stains. The TTO mechanism is better as well, but still gets stuck so I need to dig into that as well.

 

[Ohjay]

Date: 2024-06-02
Razor: Gillette British Tech Brass
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Sagrada Familia tuxedo knot
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Cosmo
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 8.325
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Final shave with the brass Tech and the Astra blade ended on somehwat of a high note with good comfort and best quality yet.
It did struggle a bit on the WTG pass because it had been an extra day between shaves as well as the previous shave not being as close as it normal is, so the stubble was longer which this combo did not like. It kind of felt like it struggled to cut the stubble a bit, but once that WTG pass was done it was smooth sailing, even ATG.
Quality was also great with a very, very near BBS result without weepers or nicks.

 

[Ohjay]

Date: 2024-06-04
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Huskey
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Cosmo
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 7.05
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Wasn't really sure about which razor to use today and ended up using my Merkur 34C, mostly just to have it as a part of the "benchmarks" with the Astra blade since that is the blade I've used with most razors so far.
Anyway, it was an okay shave, perhaps even good. Comfort was good but it was a little bit rough ATG as well as a few patches during the WTG pass. I did end up with 5 nicks though and at least one was due to carelessness on my part.
Quality wise I'd say it was DFS but borderline CCS.

When I started this journey I wrote about the 34C and that I had a feeling of something missing when using it but couldn't quite put my finger on what.
Today I think I might have found a piece of the puzzle, because as I was shaving it hit me that the 34C doesn't have any character, or soul if you will. It's a tool, and it does it's job, but that's it. It's kinda hard to explain and the best comparison I can do is related to guitars.
You can find a guitar that sounds great, plays great, does it's job wonderfully, but it just doesn't have that "it"-feeling that makes it a great experience to play that guitar. But another guitarist that plays the same guitar might get the "it"-feeling because it fits him or her. It's an intangible thing that's very difficult to put into words and describe, but I'm sure we all experience it in some way or another whether it's razors, musical instruments, vehicles, tools and so on.
Anyway, that's what I felt today using the Merkur 34C, it's a tool and it does it's job good, but it just does "speak" to me or give me that "this is it" feeling.

I haven't really thought about it like that before and I will try to keep it in mind when I use the various razors going forward.
But I do think the Sheraton did give me that "it"-feeling, that's why I enjoyed using it so much. We'll see though, if it feels as good when I come back to it.

 

[Ohjay]

Date: 2024-06-06
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: DScosmetic 26mm Tuxedo
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Morado
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 9.2
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Not really sure what happened here to be honest. Got a marvelous shave today. Supremely comfortable, BBS quality, no nicks or weepers.
Just a really, really, really great shave.
The feeling from last shave remains though, this razor just doesn't do it for me, regardless of how good shaves it gives me. It's just a tool, albeit a great tool, but there is no enjoyment from using it.

 

[blethenstrom]

Date: 2024-06-06
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: DScosmetic 26mm Tuxedo
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Morado
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 9.2
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Not really sure what happened here to be honest. Got a marvelous shave today. Supremely comfortable, BBS quality, no nicks or weepers.
Just a really, really, really great shave.
The feeling from last shave remains though, this razor just doesn't do it for me, regardless of how good shaves it gives me. It's just a tool, albeit a great tool, but there is no enjoyment from using it.

Correct me if I am wrong, but this is your second shave using the Merkur 34C in this "rotation". What I have found, even after have been doing this wet shaving for a while, that it takes a few shaves to get back into the groove with a different razor. Rarely do I have the best shave that a particular razor can produce on the very first outing after it has not been used for a while. Personally I am not able to switch razors too much, too quickly because it ends up being too much variability for me. Maybe this is what you are experiencing as well.

I do understand fully though that even though you may get great shaves from a razor that it is not tickling your fancy. We all have those razors that work well, but does not have "it".

 

[Phoenixkh]

I haven’t had any poor shaves lately. I’ll have to work on that. <eg>

 

[blethenstrom]

I haven’t had any poor shaves lately. I’ll have to work on that. <eg>

I have this razor that I can send you that will help you out with that......

 

[Ohjay]

Correct me if I am wrong, but this is your second shave using the Merkur 34C in this "rotation". What I have found, even after have been doing this wet shaving for a while, that it takes a few shaves to get back into the groove with a different razor. Rarely do I have the best shave that a particular razor can produce on the very first outing after it has not been used for a while. Personally I am not able to switch razors too much, too quickly because it ends up being too much variability for me. Maybe this is what you are experiencing as well.

I do understand fully though that even though you may get great shaves from a razor that it is not tickling your fancy. We all have those razors that work well, but does not have "it".

Yeah I totally agree and it is something I've been thinking about as of late, that it takes a shave or two after changing razors to remember the particularities of that specific razor and then the quality improves.
And to that extend I think I am going to stick to the same razor for 9-15 shaves (use 3-5 blades) before changing it up. I think I have said something similar before but didn't stick to it. But now I haven't got an influx of new razors and know which ones I primarily want to get more shaves with, which should hopefully help with sticking to it.


Date: 2024-06-13
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: ASTRA - Superior Platinum
Brush: DScosmetic 26mm Tuxedo
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Morado
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 8.5
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

It's been a week since the last shave, and I was a bit worried about using the Merkur with long stubble because it has always struggled before in that situation. Surprisingly enough I had a great shave, perhaps the experience of using a lot of different razors have helped with my technique after all.
Anyway, it was a very, very comfortable shave, among the best I have had during this journey and no nicks or weepers.
Quality was very good as well and I would have almost said BBS if it wasn't for a few rough spots that I seem to have done a bit of a poor job with.
It did also feel better to use the Merkur, but I don't know if it was the fact that I got rid of the itchy stubble or if the razor had a better "feel". If I had to guess I would bet on the former.

The Merkur will go back in the drawer now and I'll change to one of the vintage razors and use it for a number of shaves. Haven't quite decided which yet, but it might end up being the Sheraton.

 

[Ohjay]

Date: 2024-06-16
Razor: Gillette Sheraton (1937?)
Blade: Personna - Royal
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Huskey
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Morado
Aftershave: Simpson Bay rum
Passes: 3
Rating: 7.4
Rating is a combination of shave comfort and quality

Yep, I went back to the Sheraton. I was a bit curious to see how it would feel to use it after spending some time with other razors.
It was quite a comfortable shave but it wasn't very efficient so there was perhaps more stubble left on the ATG pass than there normally is and that made the ATG pass slightly uncomfortable.
Due to the inefficiency the quality of the shave wasn't amazing either, a very mediocre DFS and I did end up with a couple of nicks.
The last time I used these blades I got quite good shaves so perhaps I do need a shave or two under my belt with the Sheraton again before it gives me the great shaves again, but this was an okay shave all in all.
And yes, I still really enjoy using the Sheraton. It just feels, well, right.