Newbie-ish question on blades

[calgarychris]

Hi,

I've been shaving a year, so not a total newb. I'm trying out my new Henson +++ with the RK blades on a day's growth. Up to this point I've been using the R41 which has been amazing across a number of blades, but not so much as a daily driver as it's murder on my face.

So this morning I was shaving and the blade was sort of skipping or stuttering across my face when going ATG. Plenty of lather, I think my technique is okay (obviously could always be better). It's the first time I've really had that, so I'm not sure if it's the razor or the blade. It was clamped plenty tight enough, it wasn't blade chatter. Is it just that the RK blades aren't up to the task for me? Is it the Henson or something else?

I would describe my shave as passable. It's certainly okay appearance wise, but I had to give up going ATG as it was starting to kill me.

I'll try a BIC or Voshkod next time, both of which give me great results, the latter more so my "close to daily" blade of choice.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[fast shaver]

Henson Razors need to be cranked down as far as they can go.
The RK Chromium blade is good but the RK Stainless is junk IMO.
The RK Stainless was not cutting half as good as the Chromium.

 

[spacemonkey42]

@calgarychris, the Hensons love a sharp blade and the RKs they ship with are anything but. Put in a much sharper blade and the Henson will sing. I really love a Nacet or a Perma-Sharp in the Henson, do you have any of those? The BiC would likely be good, but the Voshkod is too dull imho.

Let us know how it goes with a much sharper blade!

 

[midwestshaver71]

Get some vintage Wilkinson Sword Super Swords, or Gillette Platinums or Spoilers.

 

[WhiskerLess]

Henson Razors need to be cranked down as far as they can go.
The RK Chromium blade is good but the RK Stainless is junk IMO.
The RK Stainless was not cutting half as good as the Chromium.

+1 to this.

Happened to me way back. I thought it’s tightened enough. Visually good but nope, blade skipping and got irritation all over.

I soon realized that I have to give it a few more turns. You don’t have to apply brute force, just to the point that the handle won’t turn anymore.

 

[calgarychris]

Henson Razors need to be cranked down as far as they can go.
The RK Chromium blade is good but the RK Stainless is junk IMO.
The RK Stainless was not cutting half as good as the Chromium.

I had it torqued down pretty tight. I wouldn't want to go much further...

These were the Stainless, so perhaps that the issue...

 

[calgarychris]

@calgarychris, the Hensons love a sharp blade and the RKs they ship with are anything but. Put in a much sharper blade and the Henson will sing. I really love a Nacet or a Perma-Sharp in the Henson, do you have any of those? The BiC would likely be good, but the Voshkod is too dull imho.

Let us know how it goes with a much sharper blade!

Yeah thanks - I've got Bics, Feathers, Nacets, and Gilette Blacks, so I guess I can give them a whirl...I really am hoping this isn't a wasted effort - I have the Merkur 34C, which when loaded with a Feather gives about as good a shave as I had today...Is it too much to hope for a very close comfortable daily shave?

 

[NorthernSoul]

Yeah thanks - I've got Bics, Feathers, Nacets, and Gilette Blacks, so I guess I can give them a whirl...I really am hoping this isn't a wasted effort - I have the Merkur 34C, which when loaded with a Feather gives about as good a shave as I had today...Is it too much to hope for a very close comfortable daily shave?

Not at all. It sounds like you are on the way.

People have different preferences with blades, it helps to experiment. I'd probably suggest the Nacet or Perma-Sharp Super (gold/red pack) as a good all around choice for daily shaving with that razor. All of the blades you mentioned are good, though. You shave prep and lather will have a big impact on your daily shaving results, also.

 

[spacemonkey42]

Yeah thanks - I've got Bics, Feathers, Nacets, and Gilette Blacks, so I guess I can give them a whirl...I really am hoping this isn't a wasted effort - I have the Merkur 34C, which when loaded with a Feather gives about as good a shave as I had today...Is it too much to hope for a very close comfortable daily shave?

Not at all! Most of us can easily get DFS shaves and approach BBS with a Henson and a sharp blade. A CCS will be no trouble at all.

Hensons are amazing ATG, among the best. If you are getting skipping, do make sure the head is screwed down, with the baseplate meeting the cap. Look at it from the side. Then if you have skipping, use a more confident, assertive stroke. Do NOT add pressure. That was my initial mistake with lighter razors, I added pressure. Now I love the light weight and maneuverability.

 

[abies]

I don't have any experience with Henson razors, but do like the RK stainless blades. They're not the sharpest but are smooth for me in my razors and I've never experienced anything like what you're describing with them, or any razor or blade for that matter.

I mention this because what you're describing sounds to me like a technique and/or razor and/or razor-blade compatibility issue. Trying a different blade is easy enough if you have them though.

 

[BigJ]

Great advice above!

Blades may be the most YMMV aspect of ‘traditional’ wet shaving. That means a new razor means that I need to carefully go through my blade drawer to decide the best pairings. That said, my ‘top-tier’ in no particular order:
Personna lab (or med prep)
Personna red
GSB
Nacet
Polsilver SI (or Wizamet)
Astra SP

 

[taiga]

All I can say is that I recently sold my Henson +++ because I never got a good ATG shave with it. I shaved with it for 2 months and tried multiple different blades, soap etc.

 

[Dimitri]

You've gotten a lot of good suggestions here. I recently purchased my nephew who just started shaving a Henson mild to get him started on his shaving journey. The razor came with RK's of course, but I gave him a few tucks of Bic CP's as well. He tells me the Bics work better for him, so I think it's very much a blade, and not a razor issue. As an example I had used Feathers in the past in my Merkur Progress and Futur and hated that blade. In my Timeless .95 however, that Feather blade sings.

 

[DesertIguana]

Learning what work for anyone is trail and error.

Keep note of likes, and dislike. Good and bad results.

Sooner or later you will find your perfect or best blade.