Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Just on a whim I walked into a Sally's the other day and grabbed some blue pack Personnas and a "Magic" shavette. This morning I gave it a go, the first time I have used a shavette in quite a long time.
First, the "razor". It didn't hold the half DE blade straight. More blade was exposed at the heel end then at the toe. It was nowhere near as solid as the Feather AC. In fact, it even had a slight rattle when shaken. Now that you could hear, but you could feel it. Pinning was by brass tubing used as roll pins or rivets. Scales, meh.
Lathered up with VDH and a tiny blop of Godrej Lime and my 28mm Virginia Sheng silvertip and went after it. First of all, I had forgotten how effortlessly a half DE blade cuts. We always say, "no pressure" but with the shavette it must be remembered that means "REALLY, no pressure." So you don't get much feedback unless you have a very thick beard. The lack of feedback gives me sort of a shooting into a dark room feeling and I have to feel the shaven skin and verify that it is shaven clean. The "spine" of the shavette is sort of thick and I simply laid the spine right against my face along with the blade, and the angle, still lower than I normally use with a straight, was great enough that the Personna had no problem cutting all whiskers on the first pass. I didn't even do a second pass, but then again, I usually don't with a straight, either. No cuts, just two tiny weepies on my lower neck. I have been in the habit of simply going N-S on the entire neck in spite of the fact that under and just to my left of my adams apple, this is nearly ATG. Well, I paid for it there, with just enough blood to be seen but not enough to make a blob or drip. Alum application was uneventful, no ants biting feeling. AS was VIBR and I remembered how alcohol AS set me on fire after shavette shaving before. This time it was only slightly more burney than after a good straight shave.
It is always interesting to once again try a piece of shaving gear that you have previously used and given up on or set aside. Yes, of course I still prefer straights. It is definitely the superior way to shave. But now I got a shavette and I will keep it for travel.
NEWBS: Remember, just wipe the lather off with the blade flat against the face. The whiskers will come with it. Take your time. Think about each stroke of the blade. Don't go ATG except MAYBE on a third pass. A single pass should be quite enough if you take your time and if you have a nice fresh blade.
Final analysis: I went in to this shave thinking of it as "Stunt Shaving", but it actually went off okay and the "Magic Razor" proved to be a cheap and cheesy but practical and effective shaving tool in the hands of a reasonably experienced operator and with a good blade.
First, the "razor". It didn't hold the half DE blade straight. More blade was exposed at the heel end then at the toe. It was nowhere near as solid as the Feather AC. In fact, it even had a slight rattle when shaken. Now that you could hear, but you could feel it. Pinning was by brass tubing used as roll pins or rivets. Scales, meh.
Lathered up with VDH and a tiny blop of Godrej Lime and my 28mm Virginia Sheng silvertip and went after it. First of all, I had forgotten how effortlessly a half DE blade cuts. We always say, "no pressure" but with the shavette it must be remembered that means "REALLY, no pressure." So you don't get much feedback unless you have a very thick beard. The lack of feedback gives me sort of a shooting into a dark room feeling and I have to feel the shaven skin and verify that it is shaven clean. The "spine" of the shavette is sort of thick and I simply laid the spine right against my face along with the blade, and the angle, still lower than I normally use with a straight, was great enough that the Personna had no problem cutting all whiskers on the first pass. I didn't even do a second pass, but then again, I usually don't with a straight, either. No cuts, just two tiny weepies on my lower neck. I have been in the habit of simply going N-S on the entire neck in spite of the fact that under and just to my left of my adams apple, this is nearly ATG. Well, I paid for it there, with just enough blood to be seen but not enough to make a blob or drip. Alum application was uneventful, no ants biting feeling. AS was VIBR and I remembered how alcohol AS set me on fire after shavette shaving before. This time it was only slightly more burney than after a good straight shave.
It is always interesting to once again try a piece of shaving gear that you have previously used and given up on or set aside. Yes, of course I still prefer straights. It is definitely the superior way to shave. But now I got a shavette and I will keep it for travel.
NEWBS: Remember, just wipe the lather off with the blade flat against the face. The whiskers will come with it. Take your time. Think about each stroke of the blade. Don't go ATG except MAYBE on a third pass. A single pass should be quite enough if you take your time and if you have a nice fresh blade.
Final analysis: I went in to this shave thinking of it as "Stunt Shaving", but it actually went off okay and the "Magic Razor" proved to be a cheap and cheesy but practical and effective shaving tool in the hands of a reasonably experienced operator and with a good blade.
