Howdy!
Old time lurker, since 2007 or so. *waves*
Just wanted to relate my DE experience, as I twirl what just came in the mail today, a y-code 1978 black-handle Superspeed. It's all nice and shiny and devoid of soap scum, and I just popped a Feather in it. I will resist the urge, and I shall shave tomorrow, not right now. (Maybe I should, first time with a Feather in one of these, I may really do a number on my face with it ;o)
My first shaves in latter third of the 80's were with DE, a Superspeed black-handle I had "borrowed" from an uncle who had abandoned it in favor of a Schick injector. Barbasol and Foamy is what I used.
Then I joined the USAF in 1989, and it was double and triple-blade face rakes with Edge gel after that, until around 2007, when I came back to DE shaving.. I had lost that Superspeed, so I got one, black-handle again, from Ebay. The first couple of shaves were a bit awkward as my fingers tried to remember the old razor vs. the face rakes, but by the 3rd or 4th shave it was business as usual. Only this time I was also using shave soap and a badger - a vulfix of some sort, forgot what it is. Still have it. I don't think it's silvertip.. may be the grade just under silvertip.
Then in 2009 the razor broke. Went to open it to pop in a new blade, and something went "doink" in it, and the doors just flapped in the breeze. At that point I said let's try the new, so I got a Merkur Barberpole (38C long blue handle) and a Dovo brush and razor stand.
I uh... it's been 9 years, and I'm not happy with the Merkur. I've tried Feather, the odd Gillettes when I find them, ASR (Personna?) (used to make 'em for Publix supermarkets).. feather and ASR so far are the best, but ugh, I'm sorry, fellas, I know a lot of you love Merkur, but I can't. My first reaction was "dang, this thing needs a bit of pressure to cut.." and "Dang, it's heav-y" and "Dang, I really gotta bladebuff with this thing."
9 years and I never got used to it. I even used an electric for 3 years and came back to DE 3 months ago. Yeah, I know. An electric.
So last week, in celebration of a new job after 2.5 years of very lean times, I got me a y-code Superspeed, it just arrived. And I also have an English Tech with nickel-plated brass handle on the way (no date code, but has the full bar on the head). Can't wait to try that, the only Gillette DE I know is the Superspeed. Should be here next week.
Why is the Merkur so @#@$ heavy? I abhor artificial heaviness. Old watches were light. New watches are heavy. Old pens were light, new pens are heavy. I guess it's for added appearance of quality? I mean, I just put these two on the scale... the Merkur with Feather is 3.5 oz. The Superspeed is 1.9! Now, I don't have great big lumberjack hands, so I guess the smaller, thinner, lighter Super is just naturally better suited for my fingers to work.
A visual comparo shows the Super puts out a little bit more blade, but more importantly, the edge on the Super doesn't make a perfect arc from cap to blade to bar -- the Super "steps" out a little. Hard to explain, even harder to photograph.
Can't wait to give the Super a go tomorrow morning. With barbasol, because I really only have time for badger and soap on weekends.
Anyway, that's my story... I'm really here to learn more about the Tech, it seems that is a very deep rabbit hole.
Why "Machetero?" Well, I'm not a radical Puerto Rican separatist activist. But I am from Puerto Rico. And a few years ago visiting a Puerto Rican friend, he saw me shave with the Merkur, while he used a 5-blade face rake, the Fusion.. he just looked at me and went "Tu eres bien machetero" -- basically, I'm shaving with a machete, from his POV. I just chuckled and carried on. I know the truth. One edge beats 5.
Old time lurker, since 2007 or so. *waves*
Just wanted to relate my DE experience, as I twirl what just came in the mail today, a y-code 1978 black-handle Superspeed. It's all nice and shiny and devoid of soap scum, and I just popped a Feather in it. I will resist the urge, and I shall shave tomorrow, not right now. (Maybe I should, first time with a Feather in one of these, I may really do a number on my face with it ;o)
My first shaves in latter third of the 80's were with DE, a Superspeed black-handle I had "borrowed" from an uncle who had abandoned it in favor of a Schick injector. Barbasol and Foamy is what I used.
Then I joined the USAF in 1989, and it was double and triple-blade face rakes with Edge gel after that, until around 2007, when I came back to DE shaving.. I had lost that Superspeed, so I got one, black-handle again, from Ebay. The first couple of shaves were a bit awkward as my fingers tried to remember the old razor vs. the face rakes, but by the 3rd or 4th shave it was business as usual. Only this time I was also using shave soap and a badger - a vulfix of some sort, forgot what it is. Still have it. I don't think it's silvertip.. may be the grade just under silvertip.
Then in 2009 the razor broke. Went to open it to pop in a new blade, and something went "doink" in it, and the doors just flapped in the breeze. At that point I said let's try the new, so I got a Merkur Barberpole (38C long blue handle) and a Dovo brush and razor stand.
I uh... it's been 9 years, and I'm not happy with the Merkur. I've tried Feather, the odd Gillettes when I find them, ASR (Personna?) (used to make 'em for Publix supermarkets).. feather and ASR so far are the best, but ugh, I'm sorry, fellas, I know a lot of you love Merkur, but I can't. My first reaction was "dang, this thing needs a bit of pressure to cut.." and "Dang, it's heav-y" and "Dang, I really gotta bladebuff with this thing."
9 years and I never got used to it. I even used an electric for 3 years and came back to DE 3 months ago. Yeah, I know. An electric.
So last week, in celebration of a new job after 2.5 years of very lean times, I got me a y-code Superspeed, it just arrived. And I also have an English Tech with nickel-plated brass handle on the way (no date code, but has the full bar on the head). Can't wait to try that, the only Gillette DE I know is the Superspeed. Should be here next week.
Why is the Merkur so @#@$ heavy? I abhor artificial heaviness. Old watches were light. New watches are heavy. Old pens were light, new pens are heavy. I guess it's for added appearance of quality? I mean, I just put these two on the scale... the Merkur with Feather is 3.5 oz. The Superspeed is 1.9! Now, I don't have great big lumberjack hands, so I guess the smaller, thinner, lighter Super is just naturally better suited for my fingers to work.
A visual comparo shows the Super puts out a little bit more blade, but more importantly, the edge on the Super doesn't make a perfect arc from cap to blade to bar -- the Super "steps" out a little. Hard to explain, even harder to photograph.
Can't wait to give the Super a go tomorrow morning. With barbasol, because I really only have time for badger and soap on weekends.
Anyway, that's my story... I'm really here to learn more about the Tech, it seems that is a very deep rabbit hole.
Why "Machetero?" Well, I'm not a radical Puerto Rican separatist activist. But I am from Puerto Rico. And a few years ago visiting a Puerto Rican friend, he saw me shave with the Merkur, while he used a 5-blade face rake, the Fusion.. he just looked at me and went "Tu eres bien machetero" -- basically, I'm shaving with a machete, from his POV. I just chuckled and carried on. I know the truth. One edge beats 5.
I particularly like Ice Sport for summer, reminds me of 4711. Musk for winter. Ice Blue for whenever. I still have a bit in a glass bottle!
