My Grande Journey

[Esox]

The Razor.
The Blade. (?)
The Soap.
The Brush.
The Shave. Of Kings.

MMOC/PTFE flipped but I dont remember, lemme scroll. Four!

The same three pass shave as all previous of late with only a single numerous differences.

First pass N>S. Steep. Easy peasy, chili beanie.

Second pass S>N. Steep. Minor buffing under my chin, face of my chin and sides of my mouth. Simple, easy and quick.

Wipe with a wet hand feeling around and found I had as close a shave after two quick and easy passes with the MMOC as I do with the crooked Italian after three passes.

Efficiency: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Third pass ATG. Alternating steep and shallow. Simple smooth strokes, little buffing. No drama. Super comfortable.

Smoothness: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Just for kicks I did a clean up pass the same as I have the last few shaves. Virtually unnecessary but I did hear a couple stragglers close to my left ear lobe get wiped off.

Comfort: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Post shave feel is unsurpassed. No redness, no scratchy raw feeling. Just cool, smooth, tight yet conditioned skin.

Post shave feel: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0. I'm being generous in that. It should really be a -2 if I count all the shaves with it in comparison.

I almost loaded a fresh Feather in that crooked Italian but when I looked at it and remembered the scratchy scrapey feel I said **** it and went with what I know works better than anything else I've yet used.

I personally find very little difference in technique, but the more I use my MMOC the more I think of a DE like sending a boy to do mans job. They both get the job done, but one does it in a more business like manner with more authority.

I said that Sept.27 2018 and I'm still saying it today.

 

[Esox]

Just as an aside to the above post. My left side jawline hasnt been shaved as closely as it is right now for quite some time.

Its good to be back.

 

[JoWolf]

The Razor.
The Blade. (?)
The Soap.
The Brush.
The Shave. Of Kings.

MMOC/PTFE flipped but I dont remember, lemme scroll. Four!

The same three pass shave as all previous of late with only a single numerous differences.

First pass N>S. Steep. Easy peasy, chili beanie.

Second pass S>N. Steep. Minor buffing under my chin, face of my chin and sides of my mouth. Simple, easy and quick.

Wipe with a wet hand feeling around and found I had as close a shave after two quick and easy passes with the MMOC as I do with the crooked Italian after three passes.

Efficiency: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Third pass ATG. Alternating steep and shallow. Simple smooth strokes, little buffing. No drama. Super comfortable.

Smoothness: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Just for kicks I did a clean up pass the same as I have the last few shaves. Virtually unnecessary but I did hear a couple stragglers close to my left ear lobe get wiped off.

Comfort: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0.

Post shave feel is unsurpassed. No redness, no scratchy raw feeling. Just cool, smooth, tight yet conditioned skin.

Post shave feel: MMOC 1. Crooked Italian 0. I'm being generous in that. It should really be a -2 if I count all the shaves with it in comparison.

I almost loaded a fresh Feather in that crooked Italian but when I looked at it and remembered the scratchy scrapey feel I said **** it and went with what I know works better than anything else I've yet used.



I said that Sept.27 2018 and I'm still saying it today.

View attachment 1145159

The MMOC slide, so smooth

 

[Esox]

The MMOC slide, so smooth

It doesnt matter which direction either. I do need to keep reminding myself to slow down because of all that blade exposure. Twice since I've come back to it after my first shave I've cut myself at the top of my right cheek by not being mindful enough of that edge.

 

[JoWolf]

It doesnt matter which direction either. I do need to keep reminding myself to slow down because of all that blade exposure. Twice since I've come back to it after my first shave I've cut myself at the top of my right cheek by not being mindful enough of that edge.

I do need to keep reminding myself to slow down

Exactly what I was saying with a Feather loaded in the Grande. The only time I could even go that fast. I have a Nacet loaded in Lo Storto for next shave. I’m hoping for the same speed, with smoothness of course.
I read a comment you described a possible blade load issue, with the Italian. Did you sort that out Mike?

 

[Esox]

I read a comment you described a possible blade load issue, with the Italian. Did you sort that out Mike?

I have not. I have however, just had a look at it and it looks perfect.

However, when I drop a blade on the cap this is where it sits. Its equal on both sides and the blade itself appears to be sitting level.

After I screw the handle on and seat the blade, then unscrew it and try to take the blade off, this is what happens.

It binds on the threads in the stud and gets stuck which doesnt make a lot of sense because the OD of the threads on the stud are .0173" and the ID of the center hole in the blade is .2". That should leave enough wiggle room for the blade to both drop on and come off the cap easily. I even dropped the cap with the blade seated like in the picture above and it still didnt come off.

My thinking is, if the blade can bind when seated, it can also bind as its being seated. If that were to happen, the edge would have an unnatural bend in it which would lead to the scraping feeling.

 

[thombrogan]

Time for an exchange.

 

[Esox]

Time for an exchange.

I cant see anything wrong with it though lol.

 

[thombrogan]

Seeing the levitating blade strongly suggests it’s beyond acceptable mechanical tolerances despite maintaining esthetic appeal.

 

[Esox]

Seeing the levitating blade strongly suggests it’s beyond acceptable mechanical tolerances despite maintaining esthetic appeal.

I'm thinking the other way. The tolerances might be too tight. It seems more precisely made than my Grande. I donno lol. I'll try it with a few more blades eventually and see. My Grande is very tight with Bolzano blades. Maybe I should try one of them in this one. Or, maybe, Feather will be the perfect fit.

 

[Clay S]

I have not. I have however, just had a look at it and it looks perfect.

View attachment 1145495

However, when I drop a blade on the cap this is where it sits. Its equal on both sides and the blade itself appears to be sitting level.

View attachment 1145496

After I screw the handle on and seat the blade, then unscrew it and try to take the blade off, this is what happens.

View attachment 1145494

It binds on the threads in the stud and gets stuck which doesnt make a lot of sense because the OD of the threads on the stud are .0173" and the ID of the center hole in the blade is .2". That should leave enough wiggle room for the blade to both drop on and come off the cap easily. I even dropped the cap with the blade seated like in the picture above and it still didnt come off.

My thinking is, if the blade can bind when seated, it can also bind as its being seated. If that were to happen, the edge would have an unnatural bend in it which would lead to the scraping feeling.

The way the blade "floats" on the posts makes the blade act like the sheet metal fasteners that go over plastic posts whenever pressed down.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

It might be clear on the screw post, if that was all it's touching, but one or both of the location pegs might be off dimensionally to where they should be. That could quite easily cause it to jam on the screw post.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Try shining a bright torch between cap and blade. Light leaking through the cut out in the blade, should show you which surfaces are clear, and which are causing the binding.

 

[TinyT]

I'm thinking it's just a slant thing.

 

[JoWolf]

I have not. I have however, just had a look at it and it looks perfect.

View attachment 1145495

However, when I drop a blade on the cap this is where it sits. Its equal on both sides and the blade itself appears to be sitting level.

View attachment 1145496

After I screw the handle on and seat the blade, then unscrew it and try to take the blade off, this is what happens.

View attachment 1145494

It binds on the threads in the stud and gets stuck which doesnt make a lot of sense because the OD of the threads on the stud are .0173" and the ID of the center hole in the blade is .2". That should leave enough wiggle room for the blade to both drop on and come off the cap easily. I even dropped the cap with the blade seated like in the picture above and it still didnt come off.

My thinking is, if the blade can bind when seated, it can also bind as its being seated. If that were to happen, the edge would have an unnatural bend in it which would lead to the scraping feeling.

Mike you have described exactly what I have. Mine to a lesser degree. I need to push the blade on and pull it off. I have also read a few comments about the same experience with others. Voskhod, Bic Chrome Platinum, Perma-Sharp, only six shaves and three blades. I have a Nacet loaded for next shave. I carefully checked alignment by eye with bifocals on every blade flip and change. Alignment has always been perfect without any intervention or adjustment. The visible wave or hump in the blade edge has been present in the same place both sides all blades. The blades differences are more pronounced and surprisingly different. More so than I would feel in the Grande. The first two pics show same blade alignment both sides, and this was the case for all blades. The third and fourth pic I tried to capture the hump (not that good with a camera) it is to the left of centre post both sides all blades. These pics are of the loaded untried Nacet. Looking forward to Slantember for more reports on subtleties. Read between all the lines of love.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm thinking it's just a slant thing.

Not really, as it's holding off before it's even got to the cap. The axis on which the three posts lie should be fairly straight, I think

 

[JoWolf]

The way the blade "floats" on the posts makes the blade act like the sheet metal fasteners that go over plastic posts whenever pressed down.

+1

 

[Esox]

I'm thinking it's just a slant thing.

You and me both. Because the cap and base are slanted, the blade doesnt want to be level and square.

Mike you have described exactly what I have. Mine to a lesser degree. I need to push the blade on and pull it off. I have also read a few comments about the same experience with others. Voskhod, Bic Chrome Platinum, Perma-Sharp, only six shaves and three blades. I have a Nacet loaded for next shave. I carefully checked alignment by eye with bifocals on every blade flip and change. Alignment has always been perfect without any intervention or adjustment. The visible wave or hump in the blade edge has been present in the same place both sides all blades. The blades differences are more pronounced and surprisingly different. More so than I would feel in the Grande. The first two pics show same blade alignment both sides, and this was the case for all blades. The third and fourth pic I tried to capture the hump (not that good with a camera) it is to the left of centre post both sides all blades. These pics are of the loaded untried Nacet. Looking forward to Slantember for more reports on subtleties. Read between all the lines of love.

Thats kinda the thing yeah. Not all blades are manufactured to the very same tolerances. All DE blades need to be made to fit, in some fashion, all DE razors. Thats not an easy task given the variability between them over the last 100 years lol.

Bolzano are the only blades I've found tight in my Grande. That didnt affect the shave but its also not a slant either. If my Grande was a slant, Bolzanos likely wouldnt even fit it.

In the end it really doesnt matter much. Is it more efficient than my Grande? Yes, slightly. Is it going to kick the crickets out of my MMOC? Not a chance lol. Oscar De La Hoya vs Mike Tyson.

Not really, as it's holding off before it's even got to the cap. The axis on which the three posts lie should be fairly straight, I think

You think correctly, I think. Futzing with it sitting here typing this, the blade binds on both posts and the stud, I think. The tolerances are so tight that I cant lift the blade straight off the cap. The only way I can get the blade off the cap without turning into the frustrated green monster that likes to SMASH is to hold the blade by the tabs and walk it off one end at a time and I can only do that when I hold the cap down with one fingertip on the stud or I'll lift it right off my desk and may do something I shouldnt, perhaps yet, do lol.

I knew I should have waited for a gold one from a later run. Fatip would have all these little aggravations worked out by then.

 

[Esox]

The Polsilver wouldnt come oooouuuuuutttt!

Finally, I laid a towel on the kitchen counter and started THROWING the cap at it. On the FIFTH throw, I heard the blade rattle and I was able to get the ******* no good piece of **** off so I could load a fresh Feather.

PITA ***/Fresh Feather.
Wickham Shangri La.
Maggard syn.

To keep things on a level field, three passes, one clean up.

A little scrapey, a little harsh. Not a bad shave but the juice sure aint worth the squeeze.

If this Feather blade wont come off like that last Polsilver...

My MMOC is giggling.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Frequent
Annoyances
Tinged
In
Pain