Testing a Kai blade in my milder razors.

[EclipseRedRing]

I have seen a few posts suggest that a known sharp blade such as a Kai is preferable if you have a few days of beard growth. I would think that for any shave you are removing the hair at the surface of the skin, regardless if you have a one day, three day, or one week growth. If the beard was so long it was clogging the razor you would have to rinse more frequently, but it should not make a difference to the actual cutting ability of the blade. Surely the bristles in a five day beard are no tougher than in a one day beard, certainly not at skin level where the hair is cut. Is it just a personal preference or some unconscious thing that becomes true simply because you believe it, which of course is totally fine, or is there some logic to it? To be honest I would probably choose a Feather, a Kai, or a Bic to remove a long beard growth, I am just not sure why

 

[Phoenixkh]

Just passing along information...

All Gillettes are designed such that you put the safety bar on your face without the blade touching and lift the handle until it just removes lather. The weight of gravity pivots the blade edge away from your skin when the bar is resting on it. Removing lather successfully, at first, is more important than feeling like you are shaving. You might look down as you rinse and discovers dozens of little dark spots in the lather! Point being, if you use this technique, it doesn't matter if the blades is 50% wider than standard because you are lifting until it touches down and no more. There is a certain amount of lift for each razor that should remain the constant as you navigate across an uneven terrain. Lift up, pull down. Like a window squeegee.

thanks, Aaron. That's how I start out.... lift until the blade engages... and keep it steep. But after reading your post, I realize, I find that angle and just make an attempt to repeat it... I don't lift every time. That makes sense.

I'll try that on my next shave. Thanks for taking the time to give me some guidance. Heaven knows, I need it.

 

[APBinNCA]

But after reading your post, I realize, I find that angle and just make an attempt to repeat it... I don't lift every time. That makes sense.

Obviously the goal is to be able to pick up the razor after every stroke and replace at the correct angle for the next. I find that maintaining a loose grip right at a point where the handle wants to pivot down annoyingly the best place to start as it forces you to remember to lift slightly at the beginning of each stroke. Eventually you move your grip downward to a more neutral balanced point and raise your arm in a way that doesn’t change the angle except that the bar touches down a fraction before the blade. If you feel the blade and not the bar at the beginning of the stroke, you have to train yourself to immediately drop your shoulder. I suspect the extra width of the Kai blade is causing it to touchdown before the bar with every stroke, adding up to a lot of irritation by the end.

 

[Rosseforp]

it should not make a difference to the actual cutting ability of the blade.

Should, is a good word. Just like getting a helper should help you get the job done faster.

Is it just a personal preference or some unconscious thing that becomes true simply because you believe it, which of course is totally fine, or is there some logic to it?

Could it be the skin has more time to recover?

~doug~

 

[anoop]

Kai was my go to blade with my AS-D2 until I stumbled upon a seller on eBay offering up the discontinued Gillette Platinum Plus (made in Brazil). Gillette Platinum Plus has given me some of the best shaves ever but I will run out in about 8 months and can no longer find them on eBay. When I try the Kai now, I find it way to unrefined. With Kai, if I attempt 3 passes, I get skin tears. Has almost never happened with the Gillette Platinum Plus. Kai is definitely a fatter blade. I do like that it is free of any wax/glue which keeps the inside of the razor head from getting sticky.

 

[Slock]

I tested the Kia blade in my favorite razors.

More Kai blade Trials.

After testing out the Kai blade in my milder razors. I though I would see how they do in my three favorite razors. The Kai blade had a more dramatic effect on my most mild razors than compared to my favorite razors. I was expecting to be able to review my impressions on each of my three favorite...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[anoop]

I tested the Kia blade in my favorite razors.

More Kai blade Trials.

After testing out the Kai blade in my milder razors. I though I would see how they do in my three favorite razors. The Kai blade had a more dramatic effect on my most mild razors than compared to my favorite razors. I was expecting to be able to review my impressions on each of my three favorite...

www.badgerandblade.com

My experience is similar in that the KAI is an average performer. Its best feature is no glue.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

The Kai blade is a little bit wider than most DE blades. Many believe using a Kai will make your razor more aggressive or efficient. I thought I would experiment using the Kai in three of my mild razors.
What I want to see is if I get a BBS shave with the Kai. I am almost certain I can get a DFS shave with a Kai.
The GSB blade is the blade I use most and is what I will be comparing to in this exercise.

1. The post war Tech.
This razor is too mild for me when I use a GSB blade. It is really difficult to get a BBS with a GSB blade. I can whip that razor around my face with little fear of cuts or weepers. I can feel the blade much more using the Kai. This will bite if I’m not careful, I definitely have to pay more attention shaving with the Kai. Still, I found a BBS shave elusive. Around the jawline there is still some stubble. A DFS is all I could achieve with the Kai.

2. RazoRock SLOC
This is a mild razor for me just like the post war Tech I can whip this one around my face with not much fear of damage to my face. When I put a Kai in the SLOC in it transformed into something entirely different. I really had to pay attention and riding the cap was needed. There was a lot of blade feel. With a three pass shave and a little touch up I achieved a BBS shave.

3. Edwin Jagger DE89
This was my first DE razor. I used it for a year before buying another DE Razor. I consider this razor a little more than mild. Maybe a medium or medium mild. This razor never shaved my neck well. I put a Kai in and took it for a spin. This razor felt like an old hat. The Kai blade didn’t seem to make it any more aggressive. Hold on around the mouth the blade starting catching skin I needed to be more careful. I thought I might have cut myself but I was lucky no blood. I would say the efficiency was improved. This might be a better combination for me. The verdict is BBS and a near BBS. on the neck.

Conclusion.
The Kai blade will change your razors into a more efficient or aggressive razor. Of the three razors I tried the Kai in it improved the Edwin Jagger the most. The SLOC gave me a BBS with the Kai. However, I thought it had too much blades feel. The post war tech was more efficient but I still struggles to get a BBS finish.

I am not a vintage razor guy so I didn’t realise this immediately, but I now observe that the Gillette Tech secures the blade with four corner posts, same as a Wolfman WR2. This means Kai blades will not fit the razor, since the blade tabs on Kais are narrower than other blades.

That is why you found the Kai blade can bite in your Tech. The blade is not aligned because it isn’t secured between the posts. Take a closer look at the Kai blade in your Tech and you will see this. You might be able to align the blade manually and hold it straight when you screw the handle on - it still won’t be aligned precisely, but it may be close enough to shave without cutting your face.

 

[apasteris]

After reading this I feel at the moment kind of a weird one in the sense that I tried a Kai in my Muhle R41 and it was really tuggy and uncomfortable. Not a good combination. At some point I wouldn’t mind trying it in something different. But it is definitely for me not a good blade for that razor.

 

[anoop]

Kai was my go to blade with my AS-D2 until I stumbled upon a seller on eBay offering up the discontinued Gillette Platinum Plus (made in Brazil). Gillette Platinum Plus has given me some of the best shaves ever but I will run out in about 8 months and can no longer find them on eBay. When I try the Kai now, I find it way to unrefined. With Kai, if I attempt 3 passes, I get skin tears. Has almost never happened with the Gillette Platinum Plus. Kai is definitely a fatter blade. I do like that it is free of any wax/glue which keeps the inside of the razor head from getting sticky.

Tried it yesterday after a really long time. Given the harshness I don’t think I will go back to KAI as my regular blade once I’m done with the Gillette Platinum Plus. I will have to look for something else that is smoother.

 

[awk_m4]

I loaded a fresh Kai in my Henson this morning and really happy with the results. At some point I will give this blade a go in my Gillette Fatboy

 

[DEgeezer]

Of the two Japanese blades (Feather & Kai), I much prefer Kai. At least for me, Kai blades stay sharp far longer.

 

[CCS]

And there you have it: Kais suck. No, Kais are the best!

It's the same ol', same ol' on shaving forums.

 

[Eric_75]

Of the two Japanese blades (Feather & Kai), I much prefer Kai. At least for me, Kai blades stay sharp far longer.

I agree. Feather blades get rough for me quick.

 

[CCS]

I agree. Feather blades get rough for me quick.

I wonder how it is a sharp blade gets "rough"? I read this now and then here and elsewhere and I find that in the razors I use Feathers in, they are just sharp and smooth. I toss all blades before they go sideways so I've never experienced what you're talking about with a Feather blade (which is why the make up my largest stash of razor blades). Just like a knife, I want my razor blades to be razor sharp. Using Feathers in good razors like Gillette Techs and the Feather AS-D2, I've only gotten smooth shaves and I'm fair completed with a medium-light beard.

 

[Ron R]

And there you have it: Kais suck. No, Kais are the best!

It's the same ol', same ol' on shaving forums.

That is never going to change because people who shave are opinionated on shave gear and it will always be that way IMO.
Some folks who find the Kai rough when trying them for the 1st time I'm thinking they might of not realized it slightly wider a blade and if they are using the same razor for years when shaving will more than likely used same pressure and method as their other standard blades are my thoughts. They are a good blade and I have found them sharp & smooth with excellent longevity.

 

[silverlifter]

I wonder how it is a sharp blade gets "rough"?

The extreme sharpness is a tradeoff with a very, very acute bevel that degrades/deforms quickly when it encounters rough whiskers. I get two shaves out of a Feather, after that they are too tuggy and rough to be any good.

I can see how they work wonderfully for people with lighter beards, presumably the target market, but my preference is for a blade that is marginally less sharp (not really noticeably), but with a bit more stability at the edge.

 

[CCS]

The extreme sharpness is a tradeoff with a very, very acute bevel that degrades/deforms quickly when it encounters rough whiskers. I get two shaves out of a Feather, after that they are too tuggy and rough to be any good.

I can see how they work wonderfully for people with lighter beards, presumably the target market, but my preference is for a blade that is marginally less sharp (not really noticeably), but with a bit more stability at the edge.

Interesting and thanks for the explanation. I don't follow a lot of the fine detail stuff that many members are interested in. I wonder if Feather blades are designed for the Asian market vs. America and the rest of the world where coarser beards may be more common than Asia?

 

[silverlifter]

Interesting and thanks for the explanation. I don't follow a lot of the fine detail stuff that many members are interested in. I wonder if Feather blades are designed for the Asian market vs. America and the rest of the world where coarser beards may be more common than Asia?

That is my assumption. That and the fact that the Japanese tend to like wicked sharp anyway...

 

[reformedshavr]

I'm really glad I registered and found this thread ..... I'm pretty new to DE shaving, and am working my way thru blade samples. Tried the KAI last night in my Fatboy and almost took it out. Dialed back from 4 to 3 and finished, but was assuming the KAI was too aggressive. I'll give it a go at 2 or 1 and see how that goes.