My intended razors this week will progressively increase in aggressiveness of razor design. Starting with the Weishi 9306-F (the most mild), I'll move to the Dorco Prime (to continue distinguishing any difference from the 9306), then the Merkur 33, then the Lord L.6 razor head, and then finally to the Rimei RM2003. All of the three-piece razors will be used with the classic handle from the Merkur 33.
My shave soap again this week is from the second pre-production run of Grandad's Slick 'n Creamy Shave Soap for Sensitive Skin, which is just getting comments from the initial users of the sample offering. I'm pleased to say that I've gotten positive feedback saying it's easy to later, slick and creamy, not drying, and rinses cleanly. I've also received suggestions for similar soap formulations with minor tweaks such as adding fragrance.
- Sensitive & thin skin, somewhat loose on neck
- Lots of angles and dips -- paired with a moderately tough beard
- Challenging to get a close, comfortable shave
- Cool-water rinse only, prior to lathering
- Grandad's shave soap for sensitive skin lathered with a boar brush
- (After-shave treatments are specified in each day's notes)
- The Polsilver Super Iridium blade, made in St. Petersburg, Russia
- The day-to-day incremental increase in aggressiveness of each day's chosen razor's shave character, though all typically mild to suit my sensitive skin
What I Learned this Week:
- The Polsilver Super Iridium blade is just a bit sharp and irritating for my sensitive skin, making any attempt at the close shave that I prefer difficult to do without minor blood appearing.
- After about a week of shaves (seven shaves), the blade seems to be dulling slightly and to the point where I might get a shave without weepers, but it's too much trouble to go through a week of spoiled shaves just to eventually get to some that I can really appreciate.
- The Polsilver's sharpness and tendency to irritate my sensitive skin combined with its higher price makes it one that I won't buy in bulk, and am just using the remaining blades from my five-pack sample. (I've given a couple away to friends to try.)
- The difference in shaving character between my Weishi 9306-F and the Dorco Prime TTO razors is too close to call. For me, I think I have to work just a little too hard to get a close shave with either, and, ironically, the mildness of the razors may encourage more pressure against skin engendering just a touch more irritation and a few more weepers than razors with just a little more aggression in their basically-mild character.
- Though I tend to think of the following razors in this increasing order of aggressiveness (though all are extremely mild shavers) -- Weishi 9306-F, Dorco Prime, Merkur Classic (33C) -- they all shave about the same. Yes, there are variations in the daily shave, which are likely random; but they each offer similar capability for a close shave. Of the three, however, I prefer the Merkur Classic, which seems the least grating on my skin.
- The Lord L.6 razor head is slightly more capable than the Merkur Classic. The indication for this is the closer shave that I get on my cheeks with the L.6. However, for my face, the overall best razor with a very sharp blade such as the Polsilver remains the Merkur Classic (33C), offering the best compromise between potential for closeness, and risk of wounds and irritation.
- The Rimei RM2003 razor head is too much razor for my face, when paired with this Polsilver blade.
- For optimal shaving, I need to slow both the rate of my strokes as well as the speed of each individual stroke; that is, I need to counteract my natural tendency to hurry.
Next Week:
The Gillette Wilkinson Sword blade is on deck.
This week's shave journal:
Sunday:The Weishi 9306-F. |
Closeness details: Upper lip - 5.0; Cheeks - 4.5; Lower lip & chin - 4.7; Under jawline - 4.0; Neck - 4.2.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.48, Irritation-4.5, Wounds-3.5
The Dorco Prime, visually a twin for the Weishi. |
Just like last week's Monday shave, I took three passes, with the last being very fussy. Today I used the Dorco Prime razor trying to compare the closeness of the shave on my cheeks with yesterday's shave. Finished with a cool-water rinse, witch hazel splash, and Neutrogena balm. Very difficult to judge for sure, but I don't think the Dorco Prime is shaving much closer than the Weishi; the difference on the cheeks may be due to the essentially double against-grain pass that I took today.
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.2; Cheeks - 4.7; Lower lip & chin - 4.5; Under jawline - 4.2; Neck - 4.0.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.40, Irritation-4.0, Wounds-3.5
Summary rating: 4.08**
The Merkur Classic, model 33C. |
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.5; Cheeks - 4.2; Lower lip & chin - 4.5; Under jawline - 4.3; Neck - 4.7.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.44, Irritation-4.0, Wounds-3.9
Summary rating: 4.20** A pretty good shave spoiled by that nick on my upper lip. :-(
The Lord L.6 razor head on the Merkur Classic handle. |
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.0; Cheeks - 4.8; Lower lip & chin - 4.5; Under jawline - 4.0; Neck - 4.0.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.26, Irritation-4.0, Wounds-4.0
Summary rating: 4.13**
Rimei RM2003 head on the Merkur Classic handle. |
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.0; Cheeks - 4.7; Lower lip & chin - 4.8; Under jawline - 4.6; Neck - 4.6.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.54, Irritation-4.0, Wounds-3.0
Summary rating: 4.02** (A good shave spoiled by significant weepers.)
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.0; Cheeks - 4.1; Lower lip & chin - 4.8; Under jawline - 4.2; Neck - 4.7.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.36, Irritation-4.0, Wounds-4.0
Summary rating: 4.18**
Closeness details: Upper lip - 4.0; Cheeks - 4.8; Lower lip & chin - 4.8; Under jawline - 4.2; Neck - 4.6.
Rating this day's shave*: Closeness-4.48, Irritation-4.6, Wounds-4.0
Summary rating: 4.39** (By far, the best shave of the week, but still diminished by the recurring weepers.)
Closeness -- a separate evaluation is done for each of these five areas: a) upper lip, b) cheeks, c) chin, d) under jaw line, and e) neck; then these five are averaged together for a single closeness rating. The following are the scale criteria:
5 – Smooth when rubbed against grain & other directions
4 – Smooth across grain but not against grain
3 – Smooth with grain only
2 – Not smooth to touch, but appears adequately clean shaven
1 – Not smooth to touch, and stubble apparent
Irritation:
5 – No perceivable irritation
4 – Minor irritation just after the shave, disappears quickly with time or applied balm
3 – Minor irritation that lingers for more than an hour but less than six
2 – Irritation that is perceived throughout the day
1 – Visible razor burn
Wounds:
5 – Absence of any wounds
4 – Pinpoint weepers only
3 – A total of three or less nicks, small cuts, and larger-than-pinpoint weepers
2 – A total of four to six nicks, cuts, and larger-than-pinpoint weepers
1 – Worse than 2, above (first aid, quick!)
Regarding use of tenths of rating points: For closeness or irritation, each additional tenth of a rating point represents about 10% of the shaving area in question. For wounds, it represents gradations within a rating. For example, if I have, say, six pinpoint weepers only, I might give a wound rating of 4. However, if I only have one wound, which is a pinpoint weeper, that would likely get a rating of 4.9.
**Regarding the single-number overall shave rating: To give equal weight to shave closeness and harshness, I now double the shave-closeness rating, then add the values for closeness, irritation, and wounds, and divide that sum by four.
Happy shaving!
No go for the Merkur open comb?
ReplyDeletebtw, I like the Gillette WS blades. Used them in my Merkur OC with good results.
Interesting - as someone with a similar skin type to how you've described yourself, I've been waiting for this review to see if you enjoyed the disocovery of these blades as much as I have.
ReplyDeleteI've tried Feathers, Personna Reds and Med Prep, Derby, Astra SP, and Polsilvers, and find the latter to be the best balance of smoothness and sharpness. I've given them a go in both the Bevel and the AS-D2.
I know it's always the case of YMMV, but now I'm wondering what your favourite blade is - I'll be looking through your reviews to find that answer!
Due to the two preceding comments, I'm writing my Sunday, April 12, 2015 article on my current preferences. Thanks.
ReplyDelete