Rapt_up DE shaving journal - The journey begins

[AimlessWanderer]

Welcoming thoughts or insights from others on next step in razor progression since I seem to have fairly high tolerance so far to aggression/efficiency.

Progression? Sounds like an excuse for shopping to me

I don't buy into the notion of beginner and advanced razors. They're just razors, and you either have one that works well for you, or you don't.

My primary razor is an Edwin Jagger DE3D14, which many would call a beginner razor. After I got settled in with that, and got good with it, all any other razor can do, is get me to exactly the same place... once I've figured what changes I need to make in my technique to get there. What's progression when you can already get completely stubble free with zero irritation?

For this month, I'm using a Game Changer I was recently given, and I'm enjoying it. It isn't shaving better than the Jagger, but I am still finding it a very enjoyable razor to use. I haven't gotten good with it yet though, and when I do, I will probably find that I'm all out of sorts with the Jagger, because I have been calibrating myself to something else.

Any change of kit, may need a change of technique, as the goalposts will have moved. If you want to buy something new, go for it. Something spendy? Something shiny? Something in fancy materials, made on CNC machines? Absolutely, treat yourself. Enjoy. But don't call it progression. Progress is how much better the lump of meat at the other end of the handle performs.

That's just my personal bias though. I'm just a shaver, not a shopper or collector. You must follow your own path, and find your own happiness with it

For full disclosure, I spent about 20 years with a black plastic Wilkinson Sword Classic razor, then about 10 years with my Jagger, so I'm pretty clueless about most of the razors out there. Aside from this Game Changer and a Merkur Open Comb razor, I've been disappointed with everything else I tried, as it just took a boatload of effort to get right back where I started. I get the best results with the kit I know best.

 

[Jayson74]

If your thinking more blade feel (dislike the term more aggressive) the lupo might be an option. I have an aluminum Lupo you can borrow for a spin. I am pretty sure it is more blade forward then the Gamechanger 68. It is a light weight razor if that is an issue.

 

[thombrogan]

@Rapt_up , if you read up on the “Gillette slide,” you can hold any DE at a slight angle (one corner slightly ahead of the other to reduce the blade’s effective cutting angle to a sharper/narrower one. With a helical slant razor, there’s usually also increased rigidity, but that’s only one factor out of many.

I would think more practice with your RR GC JAWS 0.68 will get you all the minimalist closeness you crave, but Level 3 Super Slant, Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant, Merkur Progress, Mühle 2013-R41, Blackland Blackbird (open comb, right?), or a barber razor could give you the increased blade feel and potentially related efficacy you desire.

 

[Rapt_up]

Progress is how much better the lump of meat at the other end of the handle performs.

Absolutely... I guess I wasn't suggesting progression in a one is better than the other, but more as a fit for the personal skill level I have. I was concerned about blade feel and potential to cut myself when I started this, but I guess my experience to date is showing me that I'm less concerned as I go, and your guidance has helped me understand better how to manage and develope those skills. I like having nice tools that give me joy in their use, and don't cause me discomfort. So I'd rather put the time into developing the skills with one... Lol... And yes I'm sure that most of our fathers and grandfathers used basic razors and got very good with them. Thank you for your your pragmatic insight as always.

I would think more practice with your RR GC JAWS 0.68 will get you all the minimalist closeness you crave

Well that's good to know, and I intend to stick with this for awhile.. Just thinking towards where I go if I decide I still want "more".. Lol and yes the list is endless and if I wait there will be another new better razor.

 

[thombrogan]

The list of “ultimate razor you’ll ever need” is ever growing and older models are rediscovered all the time. Maybe one (or thirty…) will be a huge step up. — that’ll be for you to decide

 

[Rapt_up]

Finally had time to get to record my shave today, thin lather, in the shower, RR GC68 Jaws. was rushing today. No nicks or weepers, not quite as smooth shaving today, I think didn't get the blade right to the skin today. No irritation to note, not as close today either. The blade is maybe also a bit less sharp than it was since its the same Bic blade for awhile, has 8 shaves on it now.

 

[Rapt_up]

Used the Aluminum Lupo today, because I had it loaded with a new Nacet, and didn't want to jump out of the shower because I forgot to put a new blade in the RR GC 68 Jaws.
Thin lather, slick with some PAA Ck-6 Danaid.

Shave was comfortable, definitely less blade feel than the GC 68 Jaws, and also less "efficiency". I've been doing sort of one and half passes with the shower shave, and the Al Lupo really needed closer to three to get as comparably close shave as I had been getting with the GC 68 Jaws.

But still a very satisfactory shave, just a lot more passes and skin time. Even so, virtually no irritation. Definitely not as close along the underside of the jawline.

 

[Rapt_up]

Today's shave, in the shower, new Nacet in the RR GC68 Jaws. CK-6 lather, felt excellent very smooth, I was at a bit shallower angle for a bunch of it since it felt so smooth, very little pulling or irritation. Basically one and a half passes. Shave finished up supper happy, then noticed after I got out of the shower that I had a couple pin pricks on the transition from neck muscle to esophagus, and 2 weepers by my jaw scar.
3 things different today, new blade, shallower angle, and slightly thicker lather than the last couple days these conspired to give me much less feedback than I had been getting and so a couple spots got "over shaved". ... One step at a time...

Overall a good shave, DFS+ territory.

 

[Rapt_up]

Additional thoughts, I don't think I get a closer shave with the shallower angle, but it certainly pulls less, and I have less intense feedback about what is happening. Which means I need to pay closer attention if I'm going to shave that way.

 

[blethenstrom]

And inks to go with the pens
.. Lol

Before you know it you have boxes full of ink......and pens....

 

[Rapt_up]

Before you know it you have boxes full of ink......and pens....

I resemble that remark, been a pen guy for a couple decades, kinda got to a place where I have a few special favorites, and inks that I use ... Noodlers mainly, although my go to blue-black ink Legal Lapis has been out of production for a long time now, I stocked up.

Around a dozen pens, a few Lamy, a couple Pelikan, a couple Stipulae, some antiques...

 

[blethenstrom]

I resemble that remark, been a pen guy for a couple decades, kinda got to a place where I have a few special favorites, and inks that I use ... Noodlers mainly, although my go to blue-black ink Legal Lapis has been out of production for a long time now, I stocked up.

Around a dozen pens, a few Lamy, a couple Pelikan, a couple Stipulae, some antiques...

For me my large ink collection came about from the discovery of ordering European, mainly Diamine, through uk online vendors. I live in the US and Diamine here runs about $7.50 for a 30ml, but if I order a bottle from the uk it runs $2.50-$3 and shipping is reasonable and easily makes up for it. R&K, Parker, Pelikan and Lamy is less costly through them as well. I have even gone into colors that I never would have thought I would like. For example, I love R&K Alt-Goldgrun in a nice stub. there is just something about it.

When it comes to pens I am a cheap kind of guy. I do have my fair share of Safaris, Kaweco, Pilots (mainly Prera) but I have many more Jinhao and Wing Sungs. If they write well I am good with that. No frills.
-Boris

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Another tight arse here. All my pens are low cost (under £20), and all but one are metal bodied with slip caps (not a fan of plastic bodies, threaded sections, or shaped sections). Also, everything either takes std international cartridge, Parker cartridge, or slurps from a bottle. So Diamine and Parker pretty much handle all my refuelling needs.

I only tend to keep three inked though, most of the time. One blue or black primary ink, a second dark ink (green/brown/purple/maroon), and a brighter ink for contrast. This small array will keep me going for years!!!

 

[blethenstrom]

Another tight arse here. All my pens are low cost (under £20), and all but one are metal bodied with slip caps (not a fan of plastic bodies, threaded sections, or shaped sections). Also, everything either takes std international cartridge, Parker cartridge, or slurps from a bottle. So Diamine and Parker pretty much handle all my refuelling needs.

View attachment 1617857

I only tend to keep three inked though, most of the time. One blue or black primary ink, a second dark ink (green/brown/purple/maroon), and a brighter ink for contrast. This small array will keep me going for years!!!

Good to see that I am not the only one....

 

[Rapt_up]

Its great to have found this place and have it cover so many common interests.




For Todays shave I got the CK-6 moisture content much wetter, and I tried something a bit different. One side was the RR GC 68 Jaws and the other was my Al Lupo shimmed up one blade thickness (the Al is approx .58 gap, the shim should add approx .1 to that making it closer to a .68 gap Lupo.) Both razors used Nacet blades with one shave on them.

The results were fascinating and surprising to me. I got a much smoother, easier shave with the Lupo than I ever had when it was not shimmed, a bit of blade feedback , but no pulling and just the right amount of noise/feel to let you adjust angle. In fact I think this was my easiest shave ever with a DE. And the results are right up there with among my closest DFS+ shaves. And the least irritation ever in a shave, in 40 years.

The RR GC 68 Jaws by contrast had significantly more pulling/blade feel. I got a weeper on my neck, and a dot of blood and an irritated spot on my jaw where the goatee area starts. Slightly less close than the shimmed Lupo too.

I really didn't anticipate there being such a difference, and certainly not in the way it went with the shim actually making the razor smoother and easier to use, and to me less blade apparent... I'm still at a loss... Other than now I'm thinking I'm going to keep shaving with my shimmed Al Lupo. See if it behaves this way consistently. I'm definitely considering picking up a stainless Lupo 72 and see if it is a similar experience....

As I think about it I wonder if it has to do with a better supported blade closer to the blade edge with the shimmed Al Lupo. The shim being under the blade doesn't back the blade up while the whiskers connect and pull the blade, but the shim I'm sure pushes against the cutting blade and pretensions it. I cut the shim very close, taking just the bevel (approx 0.5mm?) off each edge.

 

[thombrogan]

It could be more rigidity from the shim in your Lupo — that’s my guess — and the JAWS 68 side could be from being used to the lighter Lupo moments prior. Again guessing. In every case, please heal quickly.

 

[Rapt_up]

Thanks! Its minor, I'll be good to go tomorrow again. I think I actually acheived BBS behind the corner of my jaw on the Lupo side where my general shave ends up being ATG for the single pass. Never had no stubble there before.

If it really is the greater rigidity then its very significant the impact that has on the shave..

 

[thombrogan]

It’s one factor of so many, but can make a big impact.

 

[Rapt_up]

Especially on the feel of the blade.

 

[Rapt_up]

Update for yesterday's shave, since I didn't have time to record it. Friday I shaved in the shower with the shimmed Al Lupo, my lather was much too watery. So it wasn't quite shaving with water, but it wasn't as slippery as it could have been.

Still a satisfactory shave, not quite as close as Thursday, but respectable, no weepers, or nicks, just a good shave, and even with the very thin not slick lather, still no irritation, and very little pulling. I'm thinking that there is a significant trade off here that probably plays into most razor designs.

How do you support the blade close to the edge as reasonable without compromising efficiency, and ending up with only mild razors? I'm sure this is the result of the thoughts that made Henson, and similar designs. The Blackland Era is another.

I actually ordered a Blackland Era, a while back with the #1 SB plate and #2 OC plate as those were all they had available. My thoughts are that one of those will probably suit my wife (if it doesn't suit me). Besides if it doesn't appeal I'm sure I can find someone who wants it.

It arrived last night, interestingly there was an error in packing my order and I still don't have the #1 SB but the #2 OC is here, so I'm tempted to try it out. I really like the aesthetic of the razor, and it supports the blade quite close to the edge. Closer than any of the other razors I have tried so far.