I can't watch the NFL anymore, been a lifelong Bengals fan too, or the Broncos from my time living out there.
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Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
SucKO's Shaving Log (caution, it will likely suck)
- Thread starter SucKO
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
The Schick G4 66. I used it on Monday which was the 9th use of the blade (Chinese Schick). The blade was giving up after the first pass, I made it through the shave, but had alot of touch ups to get a DFS shave. No irritation or weepers, just took 4 passes to get the whiskers off. I started to actually feel the blade at the end.
I had 9 shaves with the Schick G4 Injector, which in the overall scheme of things is not alot, but I do have some impressions of the razor.
First off, it is a very good razor, I would recommend it to anyone. The following is a subjective and personal review of the Schick Injectors.
The feel of the G4 as compared to a Gillette New or Tech. It is a well made, well designed razor. With the squared off handle and need to place the head flat against the shaving surface, there is really only 1 way to hold the razor. It is a light razor, I haven't had time to weigh it, but others have reported, with a blade in, it weighs around 35 grams. The weight feels evenly distributed over the razor, the shave head is actually light in weight. Due to the light shave head and overall light weight, I did have to use some pressure while shaving. Not a lot, but much more compared to a Gillette New OC, Tech or EJ89.
The Look. Form follows Function with the Schick. It is a gangly, awkward looking thing with bumps and pieces going this way and that. It is not graceful looking, but that does not matter. It is designed for performance, not style or looks. The big, chunky, angular plastic handle is easy to grip and hold and is the most aesthetically pleasing part of the razor. Overall, it is not a sexy beast, more like a beast of burden.
The Schick G Type is an intuitive razor requiring very little practice that was made for someone who wants an uncomplicated, easy, close and comfortable shave in very little time. Place the shaving head flat on the face, and pull. That's all there is to it.
I found the shaving experience with a Schick was exactly like the shaving experience I got using a Fusion cart. That actually makes sense, the Schick Injectors have alot more in common with a modern cart razor then with a Gillette DE razor. If you compare the modern cart razors with the Schick Injectors and the Gillette DEs, one would think the designer of the cart razors were the same people who made the Schick Injectors. It would seem the cart razor was a natural progression of the Schick Injector System.
First a Pic, then my conclusions
The Grand Canyon! Pictures do not do it justice.
The Schick razors have no soul. They have no style or grace, just form and function. They are an automaton designed to give you a good shave, nothing more and nothing less. Its an object you pick up, shave, and put away.
A vintage/antique Gillette has beauty, personality, it is fine jewelry that can be customized with different blades or handles to match its shave to your wants and needs. It has the looks and feel of something substantial and lasting. I can change the shaving angle or how I grip on the handle to change the shaving experience. I am in the lead, the Gillette follows me like a graceful dance partner and together we shave.
The Schick, it dictates how I shave. I feel 90% of the shaving input is from the razor, my choices and desires are none of its concern. That's its function, to give me a good shave in-spite of myself. Schick blades in a Schick razor for a Schick shave.
One of the reasons I switched to using a Safety Razor was for the experience. The decisions on matching razors with blades with angles and learning techniques and skills to produce an overall fun and enjoyable experience. The automaton Schick does not believe in the experience, it believes in a Puritanical shave to remove whiskers. Joy and Fun? Nope, we are here to shave.
In the end, I prefer the exciting, sometimes scary, joyful dance with the Gillette Razors to the souless shave of the Schick.
Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
I had 9 shaves with the Schick G4 Injector, which in the overall scheme of things is not alot, but I do have some impressions of the razor.
First off, it is a very good razor, I would recommend it to anyone. The following is a subjective and personal review of the Schick Injectors.
The feel of the G4 as compared to a Gillette New or Tech. It is a well made, well designed razor. With the squared off handle and need to place the head flat against the shaving surface, there is really only 1 way to hold the razor. It is a light razor, I haven't had time to weigh it, but others have reported, with a blade in, it weighs around 35 grams. The weight feels evenly distributed over the razor, the shave head is actually light in weight. Due to the light shave head and overall light weight, I did have to use some pressure while shaving. Not a lot, but much more compared to a Gillette New OC, Tech or EJ89.
The Look. Form follows Function with the Schick. It is a gangly, awkward looking thing with bumps and pieces going this way and that. It is not graceful looking, but that does not matter. It is designed for performance, not style or looks. The big, chunky, angular plastic handle is easy to grip and hold and is the most aesthetically pleasing part of the razor. Overall, it is not a sexy beast, more like a beast of burden.
The Schick G Type is an intuitive razor requiring very little practice that was made for someone who wants an uncomplicated, easy, close and comfortable shave in very little time. Place the shaving head flat on the face, and pull. That's all there is to it.
I found the shaving experience with a Schick was exactly like the shaving experience I got using a Fusion cart. That actually makes sense, the Schick Injectors have alot more in common with a modern cart razor then with a Gillette DE razor. If you compare the modern cart razors with the Schick Injectors and the Gillette DEs, one would think the designer of the cart razors were the same people who made the Schick Injectors. It would seem the cart razor was a natural progression of the Schick Injector System.
First a Pic, then my conclusions
The Grand Canyon! Pictures do not do it justice.
The Schick razors have no soul. They have no style or grace, just form and function. They are an automaton designed to give you a good shave, nothing more and nothing less. Its an object you pick up, shave, and put away.
A vintage/antique Gillette has beauty, personality, it is fine jewelry that can be customized with different blades or handles to match its shave to your wants and needs. It has the looks and feel of something substantial and lasting. I can change the shaving angle or how I grip on the handle to change the shaving experience. I am in the lead, the Gillette follows me like a graceful dance partner and together we shave.
The Schick, it dictates how I shave. I feel 90% of the shaving input is from the razor, my choices and desires are none of its concern. That's its function, to give me a good shave in-spite of myself. Schick blades in a Schick razor for a Schick shave.
One of the reasons I switched to using a Safety Razor was for the experience. The decisions on matching razors with blades with angles and learning techniques and skills to produce an overall fun and enjoyable experience. The automaton Schick does not believe in the experience, it believes in a Puritanical shave to remove whiskers. Joy and Fun? Nope, we are here to shave.
In the end, I prefer the exciting, sometimes scary, joyful dance with the Gillette Razors to the souless shave of the Schick.
Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
I was going to reply to your post, but first a picture break.
Saw this guy on the street last week, just going about his business with his bird.
You caught me by surprise with your conclusion. I was all ready to state that function isn't everything and there is something to be said for the whole experience, but there it was. Great journal and it cracks me up every time to see a totally unrelated picture break.
Saw this guy on the street last week, just going about his business with his bird.
You caught me by surprise with your conclusion. I was all ready to state that function isn't everything and there is something to be said for the whole experience, but there it was. Great journal and it cracks me up every time to see a totally unrelated picture break.
- Thread starter
- #44
That is a Great Pic!
The Schick just isn't for me. After the 3rd shave, I was just slogging through shaving with it to give it a chance to impress me. It did not impress me. I ended up cheating on it over the weekends with my new lust, a Gillette New SC. Now that is a Great piece of shaving gear
But, I do recognize the Schick as a good razor, and it does have its place in the shaving world.
I have enjoyed reading your journal immensely, and I tend to agree with your synopsis of the injector. But it will shave for sure. I also have a G type. It sounds to me like you are just the guy to appreciate straight razor shaving:
Style and grace abound.
- Thread starter
- #47
Earthquakes...
I get the shivers whenever I think of a straight razor at my throat and BANG a 6.0+.
It may not be rational, but it really freaks me out.
So, I have considered a straight razor, but I could never put a naked blade to my throat.
Also heights, not a fan. But I will wade into a metal plating shop reeking of arsenic with the concrete floor being dissolved. Just my personal brand of crazy says no to straight razors.
BTW, those are some beautiful blades.
Ms Mantis approves
From my backyard, native SoCal mantis. Its alot bigger now and is a female.
Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
- Thread starter
- #48
I have used a Gillette New SC yesterday and today. After alot of thought, yesterday I loaded a new 7-O'Clock Yellow (referred to as Yellow from now on) into it. Previous to this, I had used a Nacet in this razor. Reading reviews and others opinions on the Yellows, I was hesitant to try them in the SC. I didn't know if my technique was good enough to handle a Yellow in the SC. But, I have the tuck of Yellows I have been wanting to try, so I figured, why not?
Yesterday's shave with the new Yellow was a little rough. I used WSP Black Amber Vanille soap. My first WTG pass on the lower part of my neck on the right side, well I did a long sweeping pass..... I wasn't thinking, my evil twin took over, I got cocky? I knew better, yet I still did it. Well, that lit-up the base area of my neck by the Adams apple and a little redness showed up along with 2 weepers. Luckily, that did give me a BBS in that area and no touch ups or other passes were necessary.
I stopped for a second, regathered myself, considered myself lucky I didn't get a bad cut, and moved on. The rest of the shave was with short, light strokes and I was repaid with a BBS shave. As for the 1st use of the Yellow. It was not a smooth shave like I had with the Nacet. Oh, it was sharp, but kinda scratchy like a Derby Extra. I could feel the blade during most of the shave. Overall I got a BBS quality shave, but due to the neck irritation and the scratchiness of the blade, I would rate it as a Poor shaving experience.
I finished up the shave with Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent with Aloe Vera followed by Stirling's Sandpiper AS.
Time for a break, lets stop by a cool Route 66 Cafe located in Seligman, Arizona:
Everyone back in the Motorhome?
Great, onward to today's shave.
I used Stirlings Piacenza Soap and the New SC with the 7-O'Clock Yellow blade (2). This time, I used short light strokes the whole time. The blade felt significantly smoother this shave. It got a little bitey at times, but no nicks, cuts or weepers today! The right side of my neck was still a little tender after yesterday, but it took 1 pass and touch-ups with no worsening of the tenderness or weepers. Followed up with Thayers and P&G New Old Spice.
(Stepping forward center stage, Breaking the 4th Wall) Dear Friends, I do not wish to open this can of worms but I must comment. I have used the old grey cap Old Spice from the 1980s, and the current stuff is NOT the stuff I used in the 1980s. Today's stuff is much weaker and the scent is not as spicy. This new, so called "Old Spice" is a mere ghost of the original, a sad thing indeed
Overall, a BBS quality shave with a Good experience. I am looking forward to tomorrows shave with the Yellow. Since we are talking about the Yellow... I have read some people cork the blade to get rid of that first rough shave with it. I think I will try that next time. But right now, I am leaning towards just using a Nacet or GSB and not worring about a rough first shave with a new blade. We shall see.
Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
Yesterday's shave with the new Yellow was a little rough. I used WSP Black Amber Vanille soap. My first WTG pass on the lower part of my neck on the right side, well I did a long sweeping pass..... I wasn't thinking, my evil twin took over, I got cocky? I knew better, yet I still did it. Well, that lit-up the base area of my neck by the Adams apple and a little redness showed up along with 2 weepers. Luckily, that did give me a BBS in that area and no touch ups or other passes were necessary.
I stopped for a second, regathered myself, considered myself lucky I didn't get a bad cut, and moved on. The rest of the shave was with short, light strokes and I was repaid with a BBS shave. As for the 1st use of the Yellow. It was not a smooth shave like I had with the Nacet. Oh, it was sharp, but kinda scratchy like a Derby Extra. I could feel the blade during most of the shave. Overall I got a BBS quality shave, but due to the neck irritation and the scratchiness of the blade, I would rate it as a Poor shaving experience.
I finished up the shave with Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent with Aloe Vera followed by Stirling's Sandpiper AS.
Time for a break, lets stop by a cool Route 66 Cafe located in Seligman, Arizona:
Everyone back in the Motorhome?
Great, onward to today's shave.
I used Stirlings Piacenza Soap and the New SC with the 7-O'Clock Yellow blade (2). This time, I used short light strokes the whole time. The blade felt significantly smoother this shave. It got a little bitey at times, but no nicks, cuts or weepers today! The right side of my neck was still a little tender after yesterday, but it took 1 pass and touch-ups with no worsening of the tenderness or weepers. Followed up with Thayers and P&G New Old Spice.
(Stepping forward center stage, Breaking the 4th Wall) Dear Friends, I do not wish to open this can of worms but I must comment. I have used the old grey cap Old Spice from the 1980s, and the current stuff is NOT the stuff I used in the 1980s. Today's stuff is much weaker and the scent is not as spicy. This new, so called "Old Spice" is a mere ghost of the original, a sad thing indeed
Overall, a BBS quality shave with a Good experience. I am looking forward to tomorrows shave with the Yellow. Since we are talking about the Yellow... I have read some people cork the blade to get rid of that first rough shave with it. I think I will try that next time. But right now, I am leaning towards just using a Nacet or GSB and not worring about a rough first shave with a new blade. We shall see.
Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
Some people feel sad enough about the change in Old Spice formulation to search our the vintage bottles to use. Time for ebay sucko!
- Thread starter
- #50
I want to try the stuff from India West Coast Shaving sells. I have read the new stuff is different, but I was shocked at how different. The old stuff was like today's Clubman. You had to be careful and not use too much, it had a very strong and lasting scent, very cologne like. This modern stuff, splash it on and its gone in 5 minutes. I guess its the weakness of the scent I dislike the most.
- Thread starter
- #52
Howdy All! Prayers and Good Thoughts to Everyone. Seems August was not a very nice month for alot of people. So far September's attitude has been leaning towards August, but let's all hope and work towards a better month!
Another month's data into the ole shaving logs, and here is how August stacked up:
I got a couple new razors, a Schick G4 and a Gillette New Short Comb (manufactured circa 1932-40). These 2 razors kinda dominated my usage for this month. The Schick G4 is a great razor, but it has no heart or soul, its basicly cartridge shaving. The New SC is a fantastic razor, the best I have tried so far.
My usage changes month to month are shown on the next table:
The percentage of BBS shaves were down this month. I believe the factors were for my face/beard combo, getting a BBS with the Schick G4 and the combo of the EJ89 with the Rapira Platinum Lux are low. Not impossible, but these 2 razor/blade combos only generated a BBS 15% of the time which drew down the overall average. I had no "Bad" shaves, but the 7-O'Clock Yellows gave me 3 Poor quality shaves.
The percentage of Great shaves was also down due to (1) Schick just did not seem to have a Great shave capacity (I got 1 out of 9) and (2) the irritation caused by the 7-O'Clock Yellow carried over for a few days limiting the comfort level of the following shaves for about a week. I got Good shaves, but the residual irritation kept them from being Great.
Picture Break Time! This is a family favorite, it was taken at the Las Vegas Magic Forest in 2005.
Well, it's Frosty and his ......
I got 3 new After Shaves, Old Spice New Formula (Not a Fan but will use), Stirling's Gatlinburg (not my type of fragrance, it is too woody), and Pinaud's Virgin Islands Bay Rum, which I really liked.
The overall running totals so far are:
Oh, here is a cool pic I took years ago, it was taken at San Diego Naval Base:
The Nimitz (CVN68) is on the right, the Ronald Reagan (CVN76) on the left. The picture does not do them justice.
This month, I have a new table, a shaving soap/creme usage. Now the sample size is still very small, and it is an on-going project, but here are the soap usage info I have generated to date:
Well, that's if for now. Everyone be safe, be happy and Have a Great One!
Another month's data into the ole shaving logs, and here is how August stacked up:
I got a couple new razors, a Schick G4 and a Gillette New Short Comb (manufactured circa 1932-40). These 2 razors kinda dominated my usage for this month. The Schick G4 is a great razor, but it has no heart or soul, its basicly cartridge shaving. The New SC is a fantastic razor, the best I have tried so far.
My usage changes month to month are shown on the next table:
The percentage of BBS shaves were down this month. I believe the factors were for my face/beard combo, getting a BBS with the Schick G4 and the combo of the EJ89 with the Rapira Platinum Lux are low. Not impossible, but these 2 razor/blade combos only generated a BBS 15% of the time which drew down the overall average. I had no "Bad" shaves, but the 7-O'Clock Yellows gave me 3 Poor quality shaves.
The percentage of Great shaves was also down due to (1) Schick just did not seem to have a Great shave capacity (I got 1 out of 9) and (2) the irritation caused by the 7-O'Clock Yellow carried over for a few days limiting the comfort level of the following shaves for about a week. I got Good shaves, but the residual irritation kept them from being Great.
Picture Break Time! This is a family favorite, it was taken at the Las Vegas Magic Forest in 2005.
Well, it's Frosty and his ......
I got 3 new After Shaves, Old Spice New Formula (Not a Fan but will use), Stirling's Gatlinburg (not my type of fragrance, it is too woody), and Pinaud's Virgin Islands Bay Rum, which I really liked.
The overall running totals so far are:
Oh, here is a cool pic I took years ago, it was taken at San Diego Naval Base:
The Nimitz (CVN68) is on the right, the Ronald Reagan (CVN76) on the left. The picture does not do them justice.
This month, I have a new table, a shaving soap/creme usage. Now the sample size is still very small, and it is an on-going project, but here are the soap usage info I have generated to date:
Data dump!!! 
Nice shots of the two carriers! Here is a shot I took back in July from aboard the Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)
- Thread starter
- #56
Its been awhile, almost 2 years. I have lurked on and off, but will likely be around now.
Where was I? Did I abandon wet shaving? Did I stop logging all my shaves, and become a hermit in the Sierras?
Nope. I was working on my shaving skills and decided I needed to hone (see what I did there??) my shaving skills, basicly talk less, learn more.
I have a long ways to go, but I think I know where I am going.
As for my logs, I have keep them up to date. As a taste, here is the running totals log through July 2019:
This is 545 total shaves, with 41 shaves this shaving year (my shaving year is June to May). Ya, ya, I know its not necessarily sorted correctly, but due to all the linking of various sheets, etc. its a real pain to resort so I only do it about once a year. Also, for some reason colors are off. But if you look under the Quality column, the colors are explained.
Well, this was just a hello. My next entry will be on the razor/blade combos I have discovered and what my "The One" currently is, but for now, a pic. I got a great pic of the Constructicon Scavenger when they were being a "robot in disguise":
Everyone have a Great One!
Where was I? Did I abandon wet shaving? Did I stop logging all my shaves, and become a hermit in the Sierras?
Nope. I was working on my shaving skills and decided I needed to hone (see what I did there??) my shaving skills, basicly talk less, learn more.
I have a long ways to go, but I think I know where I am going.
As for my logs, I have keep them up to date. As a taste, here is the running totals log through July 2019:
This is 545 total shaves, with 41 shaves this shaving year (my shaving year is June to May). Ya, ya, I know its not necessarily sorted correctly, but due to all the linking of various sheets, etc. its a real pain to resort so I only do it about once a year. Also, for some reason colors are off. But if you look under the Quality column, the colors are explained.
Well, this was just a hello. My next entry will be on the razor/blade combos I have discovered and what my "The One" currently is, but for now, a pic. I got a great pic of the Constructicon Scavenger when they were being a "robot in disguise":
Everyone have a Great One!
- Thread starter
- #57
I have recently gotten the itch to try out the Schick injector razors again. I was actually trying to find an E5 Schick (the one with the locked in spring, no ear flaps on the spring with a black handle), but didn't find one. I did find a mint condition Schick J3 (Gold 500) and a really nice G5 (Turquoise handle). The J3 looked like someone got it as a present, opened the case, closed the case and never used it. I will post photos eventually. Neat thing, the instruction book has a gold foil front.
Anyway, I used the Chinese made Schick blades in the razors. I used the J3 for 8 shaves. The J3 with the Schick Chinese blade was waaayyy too mild for me. I had to heavily ride the bar/comb for 4 passes (WTG-ATG-XTG left-XTG right) to get a semi decent DFS shave. At the normal angle, the razor could not cut the copperwire stubble I have. I got very slight irritation and a couple small weepers, but nothing that lasted beyond my post shave routine. I could feel the razor struggling with my stubble, not tugging or pulling, just not a smooth shave.
After 8 shaves, I decided to try the G5 as it is reported to be more aggressive than the J3. With a fresh blade and Old Spice shaving cream (new production in the tube) I gave the G5 its chance...... well a semi-chance? One pass on my cheek, and that was all I could do. Still the struggling feeling, but I could tell this more aggressive razor was going to give me a bad shave. I decided to see if it was my lather, technique, or a badly aligned Mercury causing this potential bad shave. I loaded up my "holy grail" combo: EJ89 with a 7 O'Clock black. Relathered the strip on my face the G5 cranked through, and made a pass with the EJ89.
Pure bliss, smooth, nice and effective! I got a nice BBS shave. But why? Why what?? No, Why How? Why were the Schicks struggling so much? Looking at at, I think it boils down to the Schick Chinese blades are just not sharp enough for my whiskers. I have found in my double edge razors, my favorite blades are the 7-O'Clock Blacks, Nacet, and the Gillette Silver Blues. I use the Blacks in the EJ89 and the Nacet in my New short open comb and my Black Beauty Super Adjustable (set at 5). My perfect shaving combos seem to be mild razors with sharp blades. I think the Schick Chinese blades just are not sharp enough. A pity.
I wonder if others have ran into this? I may cut this post down and place a topic in the single edge razor forum, but I am hesitant because I don't want to appear to be giving a bad report on the blades or razors, my experiences with the Chinese Schick blades is a total YMMV situation. That is why I like this diary, I can just ramble on and be ignored LOL. Well that's it for now, everyone...
Have a Great One!
Anyway, I used the Chinese made Schick blades in the razors. I used the J3 for 8 shaves. The J3 with the Schick Chinese blade was waaayyy too mild for me. I had to heavily ride the bar/comb for 4 passes (WTG-ATG-XTG left-XTG right) to get a semi decent DFS shave. At the normal angle, the razor could not cut the copperwire stubble I have. I got very slight irritation and a couple small weepers, but nothing that lasted beyond my post shave routine. I could feel the razor struggling with my stubble, not tugging or pulling, just not a smooth shave.
After 8 shaves, I decided to try the G5 as it is reported to be more aggressive than the J3. With a fresh blade and Old Spice shaving cream (new production in the tube) I gave the G5 its chance...... well a semi-chance? One pass on my cheek, and that was all I could do. Still the struggling feeling, but I could tell this more aggressive razor was going to give me a bad shave. I decided to see if it was my lather, technique, or a badly aligned Mercury causing this potential bad shave. I loaded up my "holy grail" combo: EJ89 with a 7 O'Clock black. Relathered the strip on my face the G5 cranked through, and made a pass with the EJ89.
Pure bliss, smooth, nice and effective! I got a nice BBS shave. But why? Why what?? No, Why How? Why were the Schicks struggling so much? Looking at at, I think it boils down to the Schick Chinese blades are just not sharp enough for my whiskers. I have found in my double edge razors, my favorite blades are the 7-O'Clock Blacks, Nacet, and the Gillette Silver Blues. I use the Blacks in the EJ89 and the Nacet in my New short open comb and my Black Beauty Super Adjustable (set at 5). My perfect shaving combos seem to be mild razors with sharp blades. I think the Schick Chinese blades just are not sharp enough. A pity.
I wonder if others have ran into this? I may cut this post down and place a topic in the single edge razor forum, but I am hesitant because I don't want to appear to be giving a bad report on the blades or razors, my experiences with the Chinese Schick blades is a total YMMV situation. That is why I like this diary, I can just ramble on and be ignored LOL. Well that's it for now, everyone...
Have a Great One!
- Thread starter
- #58
This long, rambling post deals with my thoughts on Safety-Razors, be they double edge, single edge or cartridge.
My itch started when I used a 7-O'Clock Yellow in a New SC. My perception was the blade was too "sharp" and "aggressive" for my face, I got alot of irritation. I will never use this combination again.
Then, for some silly reason, I decided to use a 7-O'Clock Black in an EJ89. It was a perfect paring! Great, smooth BBS and DFS/near BBS shaves. Now I know the Yellows are different then Blacks, but I think they are similar enough to draw some interesting conclusions.
I then decided to do some blade comparisons. I would use a blade in each razor. I would use the same prep, soap, brush, etc, and the same blade in each razor. First 2 shaves using the EJ89 (so to limit the chances of irritation), then remove the blade and use it again for 2 shaves in the New SC.
The first test was with a Wilkingson Sword (German). In the EJ89 my perception of the 2 shaves was: Eh, so-so, average, never going to get a BBS, just not "sharp" enough. I then put the blade in my New SC for the next 2 shaves, Wow! Smooth, comfortable with one BBS and one DFS/almost BBS shaves. It did not feel like the same blade.
I then did the same test with a Gillette Platinum (Russian) blade. 2 times in each razor for a total of 4 shaves. I got average DFS shaves from both razors, no spectacular shaves in either one. Interesting....So:
7-O'Clock Yellow/Black = Great in EJ89, Death in New SC.
Wilkingson Sword (German) = So-so, average in EJ89, Great in the New SC.
Gillette Platinum (Russian) = average at best in both.
So this got me really thinking about the whole "Your Mileage May Vary" thing.
The following are my thoughts. To others, they may be right or wrong, interesting or silly, but what the heck, here they are:
When considering shaving with a Safety Razor, I have broken it down into 5 variables.
3 set variables (Exclusive to every individual):
- Skin type (oily, dry, thick, thin)
- Face topography, (cleff chin, jaw angle, lip shape, wrinkles)
- Beard (thickness, density, growth angle)
2 changeable variables:
- Razor (weight, blade gap, rigidity, blade exposure)
- Blade (sharpness, edge profile, edge polish)
A razor's perceived "Aggressiveness" is based upon the design: safety bar or open comb, weight, blade gap, blade exposure, blade angle, how rigid the blade is held in the razor AND the design of the blade.
A blade's perceived "sharpness" is partially based upon the sensitivity of the face, smoothness of the cut, closeness of the cut, AND partially on the design of the blade itself (angle of the grind, polish on the edge, coatings, thickness of the edge).
There is a direct dependency, cause/effect between the Razor and Blade. When all of the above factors are combined, you get the "Perceived Efficiency" of a razor/blade combination.
To add more complexity, the perceived Razor Aggressiveness and Blade Sharpness are moving targets. The empirical perceptions of both are significantly based upon the individual user and their skin/face/beard variables.
BUT, razor aggressiveness and blade sharpness can be ordered quantitatively. One razor, by its design, can be inherently more or less aggressive when compared to other razors. Same with blades, one can by its manufacture be more or less sharper then others.
The quality is what varies. As an example, inherently, by design,
Blade A is sharper then Blade B. When judged on a 1 to 10 scale:
Person A may rank Blade A as a 8 sharpness and Blade B a 5.
Person B may rank Blade A as a 9 sharpness and Blade B a 4.
Quantitatively, Blade A is sharper then Blade B, but qualitatively, the perceived
efficiency is different between 2 different users.
Additionally, when used in a different razor with a different design
(perceived aggression), Person A my downgrade the sharpness of Blade A
to a 6 sharpness and Blade B to a 4 sharpness.
The goal of shaving is to get a smooth, comfortable, no irritation great BBS/DFS shave. This type of shaving experience I am calling the "Comfort Zone".
My thoughts are, this "Comfort Zone" has 2 limiters or boundaries:
The upper boundary, as it were, is based upon the individuals skin type and topography which in turn dictates the maximum aggressiveness of the Razor. For each individual, there will be some razors that will be too aggressive with Blade A. They may get a BBS shave, but also way too much irritation. So they will try a blade that is less sharp, get a CCC shave but with still too much irritation. Finally, a blade that is ranked as smooth, not as sharp, and they get an irritation free shave, but it leaves way too much stubble and gives an unacceptable shave.
In this case, I would classify this razor as too aggressive because there is no blade combination that will result in a decent shave without causing too much irritation.
The lower boundary is based upon the individuals Beard type which will dictate the minimum sharpness of a blade. For each individual, there will be some blades that will not be "sharp" enough no matter which razor is used. This is slightly different then the above example. Above, you got a close BBS shave, but too much irritation. Here, your beard is just too thick/hard that the blade just will not perform. Placed into a more aggressive razor, it may tug, pull and dull quickly but it will not cut/slice. Above, the razor wins, which is bad. Here, the beard wins, which is also bad, just in a different way.
Now we can see the cause/effect relationship of the Razor and Blade and how they come into play when trying to get a smooth, comfortable, no irritation great BBS/DFS shave. We have the 2 directly linked variables we can adjust:
The more aggressive the razor, the less "sharp" a blade will be needed.
The less aggressive the razor, the more "sharp" a blade will be needed.
The Key to a great shave is to match a razor with a blade so that your shaves fall into the confort zone.
Ya, I know...... You have read all this to come to: "The Key to a great shave is to match a razor with a blade so that your shaves fall into the comfort zone." That seems to be pretty common knowledge. You may be thinking, "great, next this doofus will be posting about how using water in wet shaving is a good thing, I want the 20 minutes of my life back!"
Hold On, I admit it may be common knowledge, but I think its an underappreciated backbone of getting a great shave. Soap, brushes, prep, etc don't matter squat if you have the wrong razor for your skin type. You can use a Feather or an Astra, it just won't matter with the wrong razor, There Will Be Blood.
Same with the wrong blade. You can use the most high tech, lazer matched to your face and skin, expensive razor in the world, but if the blade is not "sharp" enough, There Will Be Stubble.
.....
Well, I started this over a year ago, set it aside and never finished it. The Muse has left. But I like what I did up to
this point, so I decided to post it anyway.
Have a Great One!
My itch started when I used a 7-O'Clock Yellow in a New SC. My perception was the blade was too "sharp" and "aggressive" for my face, I got alot of irritation. I will never use this combination again.
Then, for some silly reason, I decided to use a 7-O'Clock Black in an EJ89. It was a perfect paring! Great, smooth BBS and DFS/near BBS shaves. Now I know the Yellows are different then Blacks, but I think they are similar enough to draw some interesting conclusions.
I then decided to do some blade comparisons. I would use a blade in each razor. I would use the same prep, soap, brush, etc, and the same blade in each razor. First 2 shaves using the EJ89 (so to limit the chances of irritation), then remove the blade and use it again for 2 shaves in the New SC.
The first test was with a Wilkingson Sword (German). In the EJ89 my perception of the 2 shaves was: Eh, so-so, average, never going to get a BBS, just not "sharp" enough. I then put the blade in my New SC for the next 2 shaves, Wow! Smooth, comfortable with one BBS and one DFS/almost BBS shaves. It did not feel like the same blade.
I then did the same test with a Gillette Platinum (Russian) blade. 2 times in each razor for a total of 4 shaves. I got average DFS shaves from both razors, no spectacular shaves in either one. Interesting....So:
7-O'Clock Yellow/Black = Great in EJ89, Death in New SC.
Wilkingson Sword (German) = So-so, average in EJ89, Great in the New SC.
Gillette Platinum (Russian) = average at best in both.
So this got me really thinking about the whole "Your Mileage May Vary" thing.
The following are my thoughts. To others, they may be right or wrong, interesting or silly, but what the heck, here they are:
When considering shaving with a Safety Razor, I have broken it down into 5 variables.
3 set variables (Exclusive to every individual):
- Skin type (oily, dry, thick, thin)
- Face topography, (cleff chin, jaw angle, lip shape, wrinkles)
- Beard (thickness, density, growth angle)
2 changeable variables:
- Razor (weight, blade gap, rigidity, blade exposure)
- Blade (sharpness, edge profile, edge polish)
A razor's perceived "Aggressiveness" is based upon the design: safety bar or open comb, weight, blade gap, blade exposure, blade angle, how rigid the blade is held in the razor AND the design of the blade.
A blade's perceived "sharpness" is partially based upon the sensitivity of the face, smoothness of the cut, closeness of the cut, AND partially on the design of the blade itself (angle of the grind, polish on the edge, coatings, thickness of the edge).
There is a direct dependency, cause/effect between the Razor and Blade. When all of the above factors are combined, you get the "Perceived Efficiency" of a razor/blade combination.
To add more complexity, the perceived Razor Aggressiveness and Blade Sharpness are moving targets. The empirical perceptions of both are significantly based upon the individual user and their skin/face/beard variables.
BUT, razor aggressiveness and blade sharpness can be ordered quantitatively. One razor, by its design, can be inherently more or less aggressive when compared to other razors. Same with blades, one can by its manufacture be more or less sharper then others.
The quality is what varies. As an example, inherently, by design,
Blade A is sharper then Blade B. When judged on a 1 to 10 scale:
Person A may rank Blade A as a 8 sharpness and Blade B a 5.
Person B may rank Blade A as a 9 sharpness and Blade B a 4.
Quantitatively, Blade A is sharper then Blade B, but qualitatively, the perceived
efficiency is different between 2 different users.
Additionally, when used in a different razor with a different design
(perceived aggression), Person A my downgrade the sharpness of Blade A
to a 6 sharpness and Blade B to a 4 sharpness.
The goal of shaving is to get a smooth, comfortable, no irritation great BBS/DFS shave. This type of shaving experience I am calling the "Comfort Zone".
My thoughts are, this "Comfort Zone" has 2 limiters or boundaries:
The upper boundary, as it were, is based upon the individuals skin type and topography which in turn dictates the maximum aggressiveness of the Razor. For each individual, there will be some razors that will be too aggressive with Blade A. They may get a BBS shave, but also way too much irritation. So they will try a blade that is less sharp, get a CCC shave but with still too much irritation. Finally, a blade that is ranked as smooth, not as sharp, and they get an irritation free shave, but it leaves way too much stubble and gives an unacceptable shave.
In this case, I would classify this razor as too aggressive because there is no blade combination that will result in a decent shave without causing too much irritation.
The lower boundary is based upon the individuals Beard type which will dictate the minimum sharpness of a blade. For each individual, there will be some blades that will not be "sharp" enough no matter which razor is used. This is slightly different then the above example. Above, you got a close BBS shave, but too much irritation. Here, your beard is just too thick/hard that the blade just will not perform. Placed into a more aggressive razor, it may tug, pull and dull quickly but it will not cut/slice. Above, the razor wins, which is bad. Here, the beard wins, which is also bad, just in a different way.
Now we can see the cause/effect relationship of the Razor and Blade and how they come into play when trying to get a smooth, comfortable, no irritation great BBS/DFS shave. We have the 2 directly linked variables we can adjust:
The more aggressive the razor, the less "sharp" a blade will be needed.
The less aggressive the razor, the more "sharp" a blade will be needed.
The Key to a great shave is to match a razor with a blade so that your shaves fall into the confort zone.
Ya, I know...... You have read all this to come to: "The Key to a great shave is to match a razor with a blade so that your shaves fall into the comfort zone." That seems to be pretty common knowledge. You may be thinking, "great, next this doofus will be posting about how using water in wet shaving is a good thing, I want the 20 minutes of my life back!"
Hold On, I admit it may be common knowledge, but I think its an underappreciated backbone of getting a great shave. Soap, brushes, prep, etc don't matter squat if you have the wrong razor for your skin type. You can use a Feather or an Astra, it just won't matter with the wrong razor, There Will Be Blood.
Same with the wrong blade. You can use the most high tech, lazer matched to your face and skin, expensive razor in the world, but if the blade is not "sharp" enough, There Will Be Stubble.
.....
Well, I started this over a year ago, set it aside and never finished it. The Muse has left. But I like what I did up to
this point, so I decided to post it anyway.
Have a Great One!
You have a very analytical approach. I enjoyed looking through your findings and drawing my own conclusions. Great reading!
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Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
