The past two days I've continued to test my proprietary shave-soap #6 (SS#6) and the Derby Extra brand blades. Yesterday the blade's fifth shave was in the Merkur slant and this morning in the Merkur Classic (stock handle).
The shaves have been largely irritation free, which is a primary goal of my various soap formulations. The lather that I make is not frothy like whipped cream, and this is done intentionally. The lather is rich, creamy, and spreads naturally in a thin layer on the face. No time is wasted making foamy lather that then has to be "painted down" to an appropriately thin layer for shaving.
Yesterday's shave with the Derby blade in the slant razor was an extremely close three-pass shave, baby-bottom smooth. Today's shave was also three passes, but with the Classic straight-bar razor. Today's shave was comfortable, but not as close as yesterday's -- even with mostly oblique passes. The conclusion is that as the Derby blades have increasing wear, they need the efficiency of the slant-bar razor. Further, the nicely-coated Derby blades seem highly compatible with the slant razor, while I find that over a week of shaving, the Classic straight-bar razor is better suited to other blades such as the Personna Blue.
The SS#6 continues to give a very good shave, and thereby allows me to streamline the ritual. No extensive beard prep required; just a couple of splashes of cool water rubbed on. After the shave, just an alum block rubbed on the rinsed face. Then, finally, a cool water rinse. That's it.
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| Foreground: The Derby Extra five pack. Middle: Merkur razors, 37C slant (left) and the 33C Classic (right). Background: The test puck of my proprietary shave soap, formula #6, which is proving to be a really good one. |
The shaves have been largely irritation free, which is a primary goal of my various soap formulations. The lather that I make is not frothy like whipped cream, and this is done intentionally. The lather is rich, creamy, and spreads naturally in a thin layer on the face. No time is wasted making foamy lather that then has to be "painted down" to an appropriately thin layer for shaving.
Yesterday's shave with the Derby blade in the slant razor was an extremely close three-pass shave, baby-bottom smooth. Today's shave was also three passes, but with the Classic straight-bar razor. Today's shave was comfortable, but not as close as yesterday's -- even with mostly oblique passes. The conclusion is that as the Derby blades have increasing wear, they need the efficiency of the slant-bar razor. Further, the nicely-coated Derby blades seem highly compatible with the slant razor, while I find that over a week of shaving, the Classic straight-bar razor is better suited to other blades such as the Personna Blue.
The SS#6 continues to give a very good shave, and thereby allows me to streamline the ritual. No extensive beard prep required; just a couple of splashes of cool water rubbed on. After the shave, just an alum block rubbed on the rinsed face. Then, finally, a cool water rinse. That's it.
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