Some weeks ago I got a lot of 100 NOS vintage blades from ebay at a nice price. The reason I got it was mainly the inclusion of one sealed pack of Spoilers. Most of the blades are Don Juan with a pack of 5 british Kor-Val (never heard of them), 10 old Gillette thin blades, 2 packs of 5 Smith blades and 1 mystery edge blade.
I have finished testing some Gillette blades and the spoilers are the next (and last) blade for that test. Out of an impulse I decided to try a Don Juan blade before that.
I had read some really bad reviews here, but decided to try them anyway. I put a blade in the alcohol jar I store my razor on Thursday evening and today I got it out to shave. First I did some stropping on my palm since I didn't have a cork around (if you don't know how it is done check the next video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq4wfpT7hc ). I do not strop modern blades, but decided to do so with this vintage one. After stropping four times each edge both ways I loaded it in my fatboy at setting 3.
I followed my normal routine (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166504) and well the results were at least interesting.
First feeling I got was considerable tugging. I was very cautious, felt some hair being pulled, but I could see no blood so I kept on. After finishing my right cheek the tugging feeling was getting less. So I finished the first pass, lathered up again and then the third and some touch up.
After I rinsed the last lather the shave was far from BBS, a near DFS. Not so exciting. A look in the mirror and not even one small blood spot, now that was interesting because of the initial tugging feeling. The time of truth had arrived and the alum block was going to demonstrate how much irritation I got from this old chrome steel blade. I applied once and felt nothing, I applied again to see if I did something wrong and still no reaction. It was the first time I had no stinging from the alum block at all. The Don Juan gave me the most irritation free DE shave yet.
Tomorrow I will try a second shave with the same blade. Based on how it goes I will try a new blade with the fatboy set at 4. If I can get good DFS with no irritation whatsoever the Don Juans are going to become my daily blade until I run out of them.
I have finished testing some Gillette blades and the spoilers are the next (and last) blade for that test. Out of an impulse I decided to try a Don Juan blade before that.
I had read some really bad reviews here, but decided to try them anyway. I put a blade in the alcohol jar I store my razor on Thursday evening and today I got it out to shave. First I did some stropping on my palm since I didn't have a cork around (if you don't know how it is done check the next video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogq4wfpT7hc ). I do not strop modern blades, but decided to do so with this vintage one. After stropping four times each edge both ways I loaded it in my fatboy at setting 3.
I followed my normal routine (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=166504) and well the results were at least interesting.
First feeling I got was considerable tugging. I was very cautious, felt some hair being pulled, but I could see no blood so I kept on. After finishing my right cheek the tugging feeling was getting less. So I finished the first pass, lathered up again and then the third and some touch up.
After I rinsed the last lather the shave was far from BBS, a near DFS. Not so exciting. A look in the mirror and not even one small blood spot, now that was interesting because of the initial tugging feeling. The time of truth had arrived and the alum block was going to demonstrate how much irritation I got from this old chrome steel blade. I applied once and felt nothing, I applied again to see if I did something wrong and still no reaction. It was the first time I had no stinging from the alum block at all. The Don Juan gave me the most irritation free DE shave yet.
Tomorrow I will try a second shave with the same blade. Based on how it goes I will try a new blade with the fatboy set at 4. If I can get good DFS with no irritation whatsoever the Don Juans are going to become my daily blade until I run out of them.
