The Great Experiment Begins...

[CzechCzar]

THE BEGINNINGS

As a newcomer to the world of DE shaving, my first reaction, after using my Merkur 38C for a week, was roughly mmmuuuuust haaave mooooreee! My case of AD had began. It hit me hard the first month as I acquired numerous razors, blades, creams, and the accompanying facial products.

It struck me about a week ago that I have yet to determine my favorites. Sure, I used razor x with blade y and cream/soap z for awhile - long enough to learn that I could get a DFS / BBS shave with it - but I never have examined, in as scientific a manner as possible, which one was best.



THE SETUP

I know a couple things for sure. I know how to make a great lather, using whatever brush I feel like. I know I love love love tabac. I know that I work in Silicon Valley, where Friday I can come into work in jeans, a tshirt, unshaven, and not get any weird looks. I know a blade lasts 4 - 6 days. I know I like Derbys well enough, but they aren't my favorite, and I have about 25 of the suckers lying around not getting used.

THE PROCESS

I will put a new Derby blade in each of my razors on Saturday morning, and shave with it through the following Wednesday - five uses. Thursday morning I will put in a new Derby so I can gauge how the shave has changed as the blade grew dull. I'll give my face a Rest on Friday. Friday or Saturday I will write a review of the week's razor and append it to this thread. Saturday I will put a Derby in the next razor and repeat the process.

First up is the Gillette SS. This one was made after the brand got popular. A review will follow shortly after I complete this week... along with pictures of course!

Wish me luck everybody...

 

[CzechCzar]

WEEK #1

Gillette Super Speed, circa 1950s

I was very excited when I started, because this razor is my newest. It came in like-new condition - no idea how the seller managed that - and I was eager to try it out.

It is a very forgiving shave. No nicks, cuts, or irritation, and I was doing 3.5-pass shaves every day. It gave me at least a SAS, sometimes a DFS, every day. The flip side of being a very-forgiving razor is that it is not at all aggressive. I noticed that certain areas of my face, specifically, the upper areas of my neck just below my ears - would always have some residual stubble, even if I shaved in several different directions. My face was notably more stubbly after a day of work than had been the case with some of my other razors.

Although I would eagerly recommend this razor for someone just starting out in the world of DE-shaving, it might be a bit too forgiving for some. It's certainly a beauty, and will probably stay in my arsenal for at least a little while.

I should note that I do not know whether or not the passivity of the shave is a function of the razor itself, or of the Derby blades with which it is loaded. This will be determined next week when I give my Super Speed undated a whirl. Last time I used this razor I got BBS shaves virtually every time...

 

[DSB]

If you're looking for something a little more agressive, you might want to try a Gillette Red Tip!

 

[CzechCzar]

Oh yes, I have one. That's a few weeks later in the rotation. Stay posted...

 

[Sueto]

this is a fun thread. As someone who started using DE razors this past summer I feel like I am going through a similar journey. I haven't quite picked out my favorite yet either. The odd thing for me is that I feel like my Derby blades shave better the 2nd day.

 

[blackfoot]

I find this interesting. Look forward to hearing more.

 

[CzechCzar]

WEEK #2

Gillette Super Speed Red Tip

I have heard people on this board postulating that it is possible to get a BBS shave with any razor. While this may be true, some razors certainly make it easier that others. Case in point: the Gillette red tip.

I was apprehensive starting the week, because I bought and used this razor for the first time before I truly knew how to shave. Needless to say, at the start of this week, I was a bit intimidated. This razor had cut my face to pieces earlier - would it do the same this time around?

A RESOUNDING NO! This is an absurdly good razor when used by a properly-trained expert. On basic 3-pass shaves - not even doing a round for touch-ups - I got a DFS or BBS every time. When I could be bothered to stay an extra 30-seconds to do a quick fourth round, it was BBS every time. No questions asked.

This is an aggressive razor, and this is exemplified by two facts. You can feel the hairs being cut from your face even on the third or fourth pass. Near the end of my shave, when my fingers aren't really able to feel any more hairs on my face, this razor said otherwise. Judging by the feeling of hairs being severed by the razor, I was never done shaving. I could always feel, especially on my jawline, that this beauty could give me more if only I gave her sufficient time. Then again, when I cannot feel a single hair on on the transition point from my cheek to my neck - an accomplishment for me - why bother doing another pass?

Now for the second example of the GRT's aggressiveness. The one time I tried to shave without taking a shower, I used a microwaved towel on my neck. I spent a good five minutes holding it up there, but was obviously rushed, because I got three or four weepers on my neck. Lesson learned - shower first.

In summary, the Gillette Red Tip is a truly amazing razor. If you have been shaving long enough to really have your technique down, I would recommend a red tip to anyone.

 

[82R100]

What happened to Week #2?

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I am a couple week old newbie to all of this. So far my best shave has come from:

Lord Merkur Tech
Personna blade
VDH orange puck
Tweezerman badger brush

my worst shave so far has come from:

Gillette 57 SS
Derby blade
Proraso shaving cream sample
Tweezerman badger brush

I am somewhat stuck...do I stick with what I know works and works well, or keep trying new combos not knowing what you will get?

 

[CzechCzar]

What happened to Week #2?

Typo fixed! Thanks very much for bringing that to my attention. Next week - Merkur 38C.

 

[mahnshooth]

This is a really interesting thread. Since I am still new to DE's it will be interesting to see how the same blade performs in multiple razors. I have only used Derbys so far, but I am about to try another one from the samples I have. Maybe I should document my experiments too.

 

[Hughies_online]

Good thread mate. Well done!

 

[CzechCzar]

Full disclosure guys - I am going on vacation for part of this week and will thus be taking a breakacation from this thread. I will start it up again when I get back. Next up: Gillette undated SS...

 

[valmara1971]

Great stuff here I used my RT SS for the first time today and loved it. Enjoy your break fella.

 

[Sodapopjones]

Full disclosure guys - I am going on vacation for part of this week and will thus be taking a breakacation from this thread. I will start it up again when I get back. Next up: Gillette undated SS...

After the Red Tip, you're gonna kick yourself after you shave with anything else, well except MAYBE a fatboy cranked.

 

[thunderball]

Very good thread...will have to keep checking back to see how things are going!

 

[CzechCzar]

WEEK #3

Gillette Super Speed Undated

Such a deceptive little razor. This was the second razor I ever bought, and the first one with which I was able to have any success. It doesn't look all pretty, doesn't have elaborate decorations. Judging by appearances it might as well be a hunk of junk. But just try it out. I remembered, during the past week, how fun and rewarding learning how to shave with this little beauty was.

It is really, really tough to hurt yourself with this razor. To paraphrase an unknown member on B&B, Gillettes reward good technique instead of punishing bad. Hold the blade at the proper angle, apply just the right amount of pressure, and you will notice a difference. You really have to try to cut yourself.

Onto the specifics of the razor. Did I mention it's perfect?. It's lighter than a red tip, which I like. It's perfectly-balanced. It gives plenty of feedback without causing undue pain, and because you don't have to worry so much about cutting yourself, it's possible to do a three-pass shave quite quickly. On a rushed morning, I could shave in under 10 minutes, and get DFS shaves.

That being said, this isn't a red tip, as much as I'd like it to be. It gives a DFS with three passes, but it takes considerably more time to attain a BBS shave. If BBS is very important to you, you should consider that there are other, more-aggressive razors out there that probably suit your needs better. But this is an extremely fine razor, and I cannot recommend it highly enough, especially for people just starting out.

Oh yeah, as promised, full disclosure: Thursday morning, after putting in a brand-new blade, I got two nasty cuts on my neck. As in, an alum wouldn't stop the bleeding and I had to put on a Band-Aid. Seeing as how I have used this razor many, many times in the past, and never had any problems, with any type of blade, let alone Derbys, I attribute this 100% to an imperfection in the blade. But of course, YMMV.

 

[DeaconKC]

Very fun thread, thanks for your efforts.

 

[CzechCzar]

WEEK #4

Gillette Super Speed "Fat Boy"

I had not used this razor a whole lot since I first bought it, so I was eager to give it a try, keeping all variables constant and just focusing on the shave itself. Physically, this razor is heavier than most of the others - hence the name - but it's still a classic Gillette, so I knew I was buying quality.

One of the most interesting features about this razor is that it is adjustable. Having read up on people's preferred settings, I chose a 4/10. I figured that that is aggressive enough to stand a chance against my beard. When I first started using this razor, I used it on setting 5, and it left my face feeling a bit raw. I had heard that setting 3 was not very aggressive, so I picked 4 as a compromise. As it turns out, that was a very good choice. Setting 4 worked about perfectly for me.

One thing I noticed right off the bat was that the feedback from this razor was more subtle. You can definitely still feeling it slicing the hairs, but it's not quite as sharp a feeling as with any of the other razors reviewed so far. I want to say less painful, though the feeling can't really be accurately classified as pain. Whether or not the minimal feedback is a good thing is up to you. IMHO, it was rather nice, if just as a change. In addition, this razor is a gentle giant, (at least on this setting). I didn't get one weeper in my week of shaving, and this was including the mornings where I didn't get up quite early enough. Very forgiving.

This razor gives a DFS easily on two passes, and a BBS or near-BBS shave on the third. While it may not cut quite as close as the more-aggressive Red Tip, what it lacks in perfect-smoothness it definitely makes up for in ease of use. This one is probably going to the playoffs. Like many of my razors, the Fat Boy is good for beginners, with the added benefit of customization and BBS-shave potential for dorks like me who actually care about getting a perfect shave.

 

[CzechCzar]

WEEK # 5

Merkur HD

My apologies in advance - this post is not all new material. It is a modification and enhancement of a post I made earlier in the week. Hopefully you guys will find it useful and informative nonetheless.

I first began my wetshaving journey with a Merkur 38C. I didn't like it. I found that I was prone to cutting myself. The shaves weren't good, and it left my face feeling... angry. I picked it up awhile ago for the second time, just to try it out to see if my improved technique made a difference. Nope. Although this is a great razor it's just not the one for me. I gave up on Merkur.

I then switched to vintage Gillettes. Unlabeled SS, Red Tip SS, Fat Boy, and on and on. I got much better results, and was happy. I assumed I had discovered BBS, and that the tiny bit of stubble on my neck would always be there, no matter what.

I recently traded my 38C for an HD. I shaved with it this past week to try it out in comparison with the Gillettes. I assumed my experience would be laughable, and I would sell or trade this razor like I did my 38C. But no! - the results were amazing. My face was smoother than I ever imagined possible. My fiance felt my cheek after the first time I shaved with it and just started laughing. My results got better over the course of the week.

Although the razor is forgiving in that it's unlikely to cut you, I have never experienced a shave this close, even when I go to the barber and get a straight shave. Three passes, DFS/BBS no problem. Even my other very good razors, like the red tip, needed some not unsubstantial cleanup after the third pass. I cleaned up using the HD on the one or two occasions where I didn't get BBS in three passes, but the amount of cleanup I had to do was notably less. And I often got BBS after 3 passes, flat.

Juxtapose that with the fact that you have to try really, really hard to get this razor to cut you, and you are left with a winning combination. I know that most prefer a red tip or fatboy over the plain ol' Merkur HD, but my mind is made up, (unless of course I change it).

The one downside to this razor is that the feedback was notably different than with the others. A bit sharper, methinks? Also, by the time that I was using the blade on the fifth day, I could easily distinguish it's age. This razor chewed up the blades faster than the others, for whatever reason, though of course that is not a bad thing, just a difference to note.

One week left - a Gillette NEW - and then a review, and summarization of my findings.