The Chinese "Matgicol" Super Platinum

[AshleyC]

In keeping with this Chinese blade phase I seem to be going through...

A bit ago a QShave Futur clone arrived with a lone tuck of blades declaring Swedish Quality. Today I gave the "Matgicol" a try in my .84 GameChanger.

Swedish Quality! Not sure what that is supposed to mean. Likely just marketing, as they don't think putting "Chinese Quality" on something will have folks lined up at the door and snaking around the block.

Well, these are pretty good. If I'm inclined to think of the Sunekos as "The Chinese Polsilver", then these Matgicols can be thought of as "The Chinese Astra Green". The Russian Astras being the reference. Haven't tried the Indian ones...and don't have a reason to at this time.

Sharp, smooth and comfortable experience. I think a big part of this is because the GameChanger .84 is a mild shaver and Arko! is just a great, slick soap. A soap easy to take for granted or even dismiss because it is inexpensive. There are tons of artisinal soaps costing a lot more that don't perform half as well.

A third day growth shave, 3 passes and cleanup. A lot of cleanup because it is a mild razor. But BBS on the face and 90% BBS on the neck. Alum was mild. Witch hazel, then a mild splash of Clubman Bay Rum.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0X3CyY

With shipping, 100 runs $11.23 at this time. I'm well fixed for blades currently, so I won't be ordering any. I will do a longevity test on this blade just for excrements and giggles.

 

[Theodore]

I admire your adventurousness! And it seems to have paid off more than once now.

I have to admit, I think I prefer the totally made-up brand names, to the ones where they take a real word and put a spin on it. "Matgicol" is an utterly brutal display of phonetic realpolitik, whereas Suneko means nothing to me but "good blade".

 

[Itzflame002]

I'm terrified but I just might join you in this bloody (pun intended) adventure!

 

[AshleyC]

I think the word for it is less "adventurousness" and more likely "chintzyness".

Or perhaps more akin to having a scratch-off lottery ticket gambling addiction. The Sunekos I purchased because the claim of "Amorphous Diamond" just seemed like such an over-the-top, outrageous claim. The PearlMax blades, already gathering dust and rightfully so, were purely impulse.

I got these Matgicols (yes, I HATE that name too) purely by happenstance, with a Futur clone that will gather dust too. But like "Amorphous Diamond", the claim of "Swedish Quality" demands a look. For the Scandinavian people are famous for their ostentatious braggadoccio, and jaw-jutting, chest puffed out strutting and posturing.

 

[AshleyC]

I'm terrified but I just might join you in this bloody (pun intended) adventure!

That wrapper looks like something you'd find in Ho Chi Minh's shave den during the Vietnam War. Very vintage-ish.

But remember, just as Oscar Wilde used to say, that which does not kill us, makes us stronger. What razor are you thinking about committing seppu...er...using that blade in?

 

[BigJ]

Great review!! (And I do not care whether it was ’adventurous’ or ‘chintzy,’ still a great review!)

 

[Itzflame002]

That wrapper looks like something you'd find in Ho Chi Minh's shave den during the Vietnam War. Very vintage-ish.

But remember, just as Oscar Wilde used to say, that which does not kill us, makes us stronger. What razor are you thinking about committing seppu...er...using that blade in?

i'm fairly new to the DE shaving world, i only own Two DE razors. a LORD S625 and a baili clone of the super click that i got off TEMU.

 

[AshleyC]

i'm fairly new to the DE shaving world, i only own Two DE razors. a LORD S625 and a baili clone of the super click that i got off TEMU.

I wasn't sure what you meant by the "super click", so I looked it up. Interesting razor.

Is there a razor online that you find yourself going back to over and over to look at? Thinking of buying? Or are you fine with what you have?

 

[Itzflame002]

I wasn't sure what you meant by the "super click", so I looked it up. Interesting razor.

Is there a razor online that you find yourself going back to over and over to look at? Thinking of buying? Or are you fine with what you have?

i've been eyeing out either the twig or the leaf for a little while now, but honestly with what i have i could die a happy man, my beard is not full yet (i'm 20 years old )and my whiskers are not coarse so any old cheap DE plastic razor and my go-to Nacets do the trck just fine!

 

[AshleyC]

I certainly hope you stick with this minimalist approach to shaving gear!

Coming here is certainly going to make it harder to stick with the basics. Like when people post stuff like this.

My second shave with the irritatingly spelled Matgicol(2) blade, Swedish Quality was late this morning.

Shower, Cremo Creme, alum, witch hazel, and English Leather aftershave.

I wanted to try the blade in something more aggressive and blade feely than the GameChanger .84, so the Timeless bronze open comb was the obvious choice. The official razor of Nepalese Gurkha infantry regiments.

If it isn't, it should be. For like the lore of the Gurkha kukri fighting knife, the Timeless bronze cannot be used and then put away without first drawing blood.

This was a fine 2nd shave on this blade. DFS overall. Chasing BBS on the neck with the Timeless bronze is not recommended, especially around the Adam's Apple.

But the blade is still sharp. I did get four minor weepers, but that is just expected with the Timeless.

Alum was lively. The English Leather splash was, well...not quite excruciating. But it was an exercise in stoic indifference.

 

[TheBigL]

I've seen these for a while, but never committed to buying any. For one, the listings I saw put them at double the price of other popular brands. Otherwise, I couldn't figure out how to say it.

 

[AshleyC]

I've seen these for a while, but never committed to buying any. For one, the listings I saw put them at double the price of other popular brands. Otherwise, I couldn't figure out how to say it.

Honestly, if I'm going to order blades off Aliexpress because I need blades, they will be Sunekos. Maybe these if I need a little boost to get to free shipping from a vendor who carries the Matgicol in addition to other items I am primarily buying. These are really quite good eleven cent (after shipping) blades. I have much poorer performing blades with much more known names in my drawer.

And I suspect I'll order small quantities of the weird blades just for thread posting material.

 

[Babou]

@AshleyC Thank you very much for your experiences with Chinese blades

 

[AshleyC]

Used another Matgicol this morning and I have to walk back that "Chinese Astra Green" thing I wrote earlier.

No, these aren't as sharp or smooth as an Astra.

 

[cranewarrior]

Used another Matgicol this morning and I have to walk back that "Chinese Astra Green" thing I wrote earlier.

No, these aren't as sharp or smooth as an Astra.

Get some Jifuli and review them. LOL. I don't know why I find these obscure brands interesting myself.

 

[AshleyC]

Get some Jifuli and review them. LOL. I don't know why I find these obscure brands interesting myself.

I actually do have some in the shopping cart. And some Cloud blades. Just haven't checked out yet.

 

[cranewarrior]

I actually do have some in the shopping cart. And some Cloud blades. Just haven't checked out yet.

Some English bloke reviewed the Cloud blades on YouTube. His summary is that they are OK for the price but not outstanding or worth seeking out. If you're on a budget, fine.

Chinese blades take some work to buy. It's a lot quicker to just buy it from (say) Amazon and the prices are likely to be just as good on competing blades like Dorco or Treet that have already been imported and will be shipped from a domestic warehouse.

 

[TheBigL]

Get some Jifuli and review them. LOL. I don't know why I find these obscure brands interesting myself.

I have some of those. I haven't tried them yet.

 

[AshleyC]

I ordered a 200 pack of the Jifuli two hours ago. List price was $11 and change. I piggybacked them on an order for a Yaqi Bohemian.

They only had 3 of those left, on sale, so can you blame me?

And Aliexpress does this "coin" thing where they award you daily coins for checking in and browsing. It is an "operant conditioning" psychological manipulation, but I had enough coins amassed that the 200 Jifuli blades were free and there's no shipping. So why not?

I'm thinking I need to do some kind of a 12 step sabbatical on shaving purchases this new year.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..."

 

[NorthernSoul]

Maybe "Matgicol" is the Chinese accent phonetic spelling of "magical"? I have no idea. Swedish steel I have heard about, maybe that is what the Marketing Department had in mind. Definitely something lost in translation.