Participation PIF - The Mysterious KAI Blades

[Grundi]

Actually, I was thinking of sending it back to @Grundi so he can frame it and hang it on his wall!

LOL!! My wife already suspects that I'm a bit obsessed with shaving; and that would be the final deed that would convince her!!

@Demolition, 34 shaves is flat-out amazing!! That is seriously impressive!!

 

[lancre]

LOL!! My wife already suspects that I'm a bit obsessed with shaving; and that would be the final deed that would convince her!!

@Demolition, 34 shaves is flat-out amazing!! That is seriously impressive!!

Wait...She needs convincing?

 

[FarmerTan]

Wait...She needs convincing?

Sorry @Grundi , but this here post is the best one in the thread!

 

[Tanuki]

This aluminum alloy slant razor was torqued by @twhite and came to me courtesy of @PLANofMAN . Tom gave it two caps to vary the blade reveal/exposure, so of course I used both of them in today's Kai outing (number 17).

The Kai rose to the occasion once again. The blade gained a bit of feel and efficiency from the narrower cap. The result was as close as it gets on my troubling neck swirls.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-fifth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip
Soap: RazoRock Blue Label

Excellent performances from all aspects of today's shave.

To be honest, the Yaqi Silvertip has only been a fair performer for me. It's not exactly floppy, but I do prefer a badger brush with firmer backbone (such as the Yaqi Moka Express 26mm Two-Band).

Anyway, I loaded it heavily with RR Blue Label and proceeded to mash it all over my face in anticipation of a mediocre lather, but was pleasantly surprised to receive gouts of extremely rich, cushiony lather; enough for six or seven passes. I guess that's the secret with this brush: Shave angry!

The one complaint that I had with the lather is that it felt a bit dry. As a result, it was not as slick as I like, but adding water didn't seem to help. Luckily, the FOCS/Kai duo didn't seem to mind. As usual, it glided easily over my skin with nary a tug. My three passes were all very smooth and comfortable. Once again, there was no post-shave irritation, so no ASB was required.

@Demolition, 34 shaves is flat-out amazing!! That is seriously impressive!!

I'm extremely impressed with this blade, as well. It has been unfailingly consistent since new. Interestingly, tomorrow's shave will be its 36th use which is four times (4x) the life of the first Kai blade. If it keeps performing at this level, a century should be attainable!

 

[JAHE]

...
tomorrow's shave will be its 36th use ...

If it keeps performing at this level, a century should be attainable!

I guess the Excalibur group should give you a warm welcome!
This being said, is this blade a (going to be) record blade for you?

 

[borwish]

SHAVE NO. 16
3 days growth

Preshave: Warm shower with Kirk's unscented castile bar soap
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Kai
Soap: Palmolive stick
Brush: Stirling Pro Handle Synthetic
After: Stirling Gentleman

Nothing new to report other than another smooth shave yesterday. BBS, 2 1/2 passes, no drama. I might not have been the best looking man in my encounters yesterday, but I was the best shaven and best darn smelling man!

 

[Ron R]

SOTD, Fri, Mar26th 2021

Razor: Kai Style Shavette- well built Zamac razor, still having a little fun with this Shavette, it will bite even with a Protouch.
Blade: Kai SS Protouch guarded(1)- Excellent blade, Sharp & smooth, good all around blade for a newbie & seasoned shaver with sensitive skin.
Soap: Cyril R Salters Indian Sandal wood cream- nice scent with excellent lather qualities. Good post shave skin feel.
Brush: Yaqi Chianti's 24mm- Excellent cream lather generator, heavenly cloud like soft tips+ gentle scrub + great lather painter.
Pre shave: Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser + a dollop of clear Aloe Vera Gel on cleaned beard area.
Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave: Proraso Red Sandalwood with witch hazel + a dollop of Nivea of balm.
Results: CCS,DFS,BbS + no irritation + a couple of tiny weepers= Excellent shave with my Kai style Shavette + a Kai Protouch blade.

Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these times!

 

[woodwzrd]

Blade 1 Shave 17

Pre Shave: Hot shower and Neutrogena face wash
Razor: WCS Toothsome head
Blade: Kai (17)
Brush: Maggard Synthetic
Cream: AOS Peppermint
AS Balm: Nivea
AS: Stirling Executive Man
EDT: Stirling Executive Man

I had an internal interview at work this morning and as I suspected the Kai delivered yet another superior shave. I pulled out the AOS peppermint cream for a nice crisp wake up call which provided loads of cushion an slickness. I have only used this cream a couple of times and I severely overloaded the tips of my brush and probably had enough lather left after a three pass shave for at least two more complete three pass shaves. I'll get it figured out eventfully

After it all I followed up with a healthy splash of Executive Man AS and a few sprays of the same EDT. I thought the Stirling was rather appropriate since I was interviewing for a management position. The interview is done and I am exhausted and ready for a nap haha.

The way this blade keeps going it will be my first blade ever to hit 20+ shaves. I was getting bored with it but now there is a renewed element of excitement involved with it.

 

[JAHE]

Razor: Gillette Super Speed Red Tip

Blade #2 / Shave #9

Greetings,
today's shave was close, but lacked the comfort a KAI regularly uses to give. After three rather harsh passes I finished my shave with a bit of redness on the neck, but the slight irritation dissapeared after the application of a balm within a few hours.

At least, a close shave.

Onward!

 

[Tanuki]

Blade: Kai SS Protouch guarded(1)

Ron R mysteriously snuck a Protouch into this thread. I've done worse than following Ron's lead in the past, but, not being an AC guy...
I simply snapped Kai blade 1 in half , and loaded .5 Kai into my Focus Slim Al shavette for shave 17.5:

Please note the mysterious lighting.

I had Molly and Tenbrooks (Bill Monroe version) going through my head. I pulled out my vintage Rubberset horsie and a Derby stick. In a big race a horse can build up quite a lather. This was not such a big race. I was just smoothing out the stubbly neck, many hours after a quick ten-minutes-to-checkout-time SAS this a.m.

Derby is far from my favorite Turkish shaving stick. I wasn't in training for spurring a great shave from a shavette. But we made it to the finish line with no complaints about the blade and only a few about the jockey.

Next up? Perhaps a clandestine 1/2 Kai shave with the RazoRock Eco I gave my middle son.

'Clandestine Kai', sounds mysterious...

 

[Tanuki]

Thirty-fifth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

I'm on shave 17.5, so Demolition just lapped me! He's riding Tenbrooks, I'm saddled up on Molly.

 

[Ron R]

Ron R mysteriously snuck a Protouch into this thread. I've done worse than following Ron's lead in the past, but, not being an AC guy...
I simply snapped Kai blade 1 in half , and loaded .5 Kai into my Focus Slim Al shavette for shave 17.5:
View attachment 1242307
Please note the mysterious lighting.

I had Molly and Tenbrooks (Bill Monroe version) going through my head. I pulled out my vintage Rubberset horsie and a Derby stick. In a big race a horse can build up quite a lather. This was not such a big race. I was just smoothing out the stubbly neck, many hours after a quick ten-minutes-to-checkout-time SAS this a.m.

Derby is far from my favorite Turkish shaving stick. I wasn't in training for spurring a great shave from a shavette. But we made it to the finish line with no complaints about the blade and only a few about the jockey.

Next up? Perhaps a clandestine 1/2 Kai shave with the RazoRock Eco I gave my middle son.

'Clandestine Kai', sounds mysterious...

I was doing my morning entry's for the different threads and must of got distracted and was reading some of the posts of this thread and hit the enter button(At least it was a Kai blade). Hope you all got a smile or laugh, these blades seem not to last as long as my regular Kai SS DE blades IMO.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-fifth shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Simpson S1 Special Best Badger
Soap: RazoRock Gold Label

As many know, a great lather is a major component of a great shave.

I've always received excellent performances from the tiny Simpson Special Best Badger and today's outing was no exception. A few swirls of RR Gold Label produced gobs of rich, cushiony lather. The slickness was extraordinary, making for an easy-gliding shave.

As usual, the FOCS/Kai pairing performed superbly. All three passes were quick and comfortable. I did have to do some extra buffing after the ATG pass, but not enough to cause any sensitivity. In the end, there was no post-shave irritation. So, another fine shave goes into the books.

Side-note: This was the thirty-sixth (36th) use of this blade and it has been very consistent from shave to shave. Contrast that to the previous Kai that lasted only 9 uses and never provided two good shaves in a row. I'm not sure of the exact reason for the current blade's longevity, but it has certainly exceeded my expectations! Looking forward to many more in the days ahead.

I guess the Excalibur group should give you a warm welcome!
This being said, is this blade a (going to be) record blade for you?

I'm actually a member of the Excalibur Club. I just ran out of room in my signature line.

As for this particular Kai blade, it's a wee bit short of my record... I have an Astra SP currently sitting on 136 shaves, a Gillette Perma-Sharp Super stuck on 99 shaves, and a Viking's Sword at 90 shaves. I also have an assortment of blades in the 30-35 range. I'll be getting back to most of those blades again, some day... probably after all these dang Participation PIFs are over!

 

[Ron R]

DE SOTD, Sat, Mar27th 2021

Razor: Gillette SS (Rocket version)X1-MFG 1952 1st qtr, mild razor, nice razor with a Kai SS blade. Carefree shave this morning.
Blade: Kai SS (1) Excellent blade,Sharp & smooth with great longevity. Wider than a standard Gillette for greater blade exposure.
Soap: Ogallala bayrum & sandal wood, nice mild scent with great lather qualities, excellent post shave feel.
Brush: Omega boar brush- One of my first brushes when experimenting with wet shaving(4yrs ago), funk smell at first and totally tortured that brush to get rid of the animal smell, did everything wrong to break in a boar brush properly. All I can say is it is well made and a good brush when broken in. Bought a new one recently and will try the proper method when breaking a boar in when it arrives! Boar brushes should always be pre-soaked 2 min> for those who are new to wet shaving.
Pre shave: Brush wash my whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser with a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel on the cleaned beard area.
Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups.
Post shave: Witch hazel + Ogallala Bayrum + sandal wood + a tiny dollop of Nivea balm.
Results: CCS,DFS,BbS + no irritation + no weepers = Excellent shave with my Gillette 1952 SS + a Kai SS blade.

Have some great shaves! Stay & think safe in these times!

 

[borwish]

SHAVE NO. 17
3 days growth

Preshave: Warm shower with Kirk's unscented castile bar soap
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Kai
Soap: Palmolive stick
Brush: Stirling Pro Handle Synthetic
After: Stirling Sharp Dressed Man

Not as smooth today. I think this blade is approaching its event horizon. Maybe I'll try a different brand blade for my next shave and then revisit this particular blade. BBS 2 1/2 passes. I had a skin blemish, so I mowed it down with the razor. I didn't feel a thing and there was little blood.

 

[JAHE]

As for this particular Kai blade, it's a wee bit short of my record... I have an Astra SP currently sitting on 136 shaves, a Gillette Perma-Sharp Super stuck on 99 shaves, and a Viking's Sword at 90 shaves.

Wow!

 

[Grundi]

View attachment 1242307
Please note the mysterious lighting.

'Clandestine Kai', sounds mysterious...

Love the mysterious lighting!! Add in some noir detective music, a neon light that's shorting out, and maybe some light rain!!

 

[Tanuki]

Clandestine Kai shave - using the second half of blade 1 snapped in two, but my shave count is messed up! 17.5b? 18? 19?

I loaded the .5 Kai into the RazoRock Eco I gave my second son. He is a bit fastidious so I'm asking neither permission nor forgiveness. Mum's the word.

I have little experience with the Eco. I did a test shave or two before I handed it over to wean him from disposables. That was a while back. Those shaves used the reviled Crown saloon (half) blades that Italian Barber gives away with the purchase of the razor.

How would the Eco work with a real blade?

To make this shave as difficult as possible, I used my Derby stick and my next-to-worst vintage Ever-Ready knot - the mysterious, miraculous Badgerlon. A miracle anyone ever bought one, the mystery is "why?".

The real mystery of today's shave is how, with all the blade feel the Eco/Kai delivered, I got an irritation free BBS with practically no effort. Desultory, nonchalant lathering. Minimizing face/Badgerlon contact is a good thing. Two swift, minimal passes. No buffing, but some minimal 'ATG' clean up of the neck maelstroms.

Boom, done, feels very close, dolphin smooth after the alum tightens the skin, rinse with Richard's Rub, rinse with water, and the bay rum mix just hints at burn.

This razor was designed to shave cheaply and keep carts out of the landfill. With a half Kai it gave me a shockingly good shave without even trying. Derby? Badgerlon?! Nothing can stop the Kai.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-seventh shave with the Mysterious Kai blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Moka Express 26mm Two-Band Badger
Soap: RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore

Excellent performances from all aspects of today's shave.

The Yaqi Moka Express Two-Band only needed a moderate load of RR SMdF to produce enough extra-cushiony lather for at least seven passes. This is yet another soap that I must remind myself to load more sparingly!

The rich, slick lather was a nice complement to the FOCS/Kai pairing. My three usual passes were smooth and trouble-free. There was no buffing needed and there was no sign of any post-shave irritation, so in the end, I was rewarded with another quick, effortless "autopilot" shave.

Side-note: After more than a month of continuous use, the blade is starting to look a bit grungy. Eyeballing it reveals some mottling and discolouration on the surface, particularly where the comb contacts the blade. Looks even worse when viewed under a 16x jeweller's loupe. I'm not sure if this is corrosion, scoring from the cap pressing on the blade, or if it's the (supposedly non-existent) coating wearing off. It's not soap scum, anyway. Dunking it in phosphoric acid and giving it a light polish doesn't remove the discolouration.

Oh well. It doesn't affect the shave, so it's not a big deal. Just another tidbit to store in the memory bank.