After a week of shaves with my Merkur Classic razor stowed in the closet, and tiring of the nicks and minor cuts that I've been getting from my too-quick morning shaves before work, I pulled out a very mild razor from the closet shoebox, the Weishi 9306-F TTO. I took a couple of three-pass shaves with the Weishi, and got satisfactory results. Of course, my complaint with the Weishi always was the same as that with the Merkur Classic: I could get a nearly-smooth shave in three passes, but not the baby-smooth-in-all-directions smoothness that I love.
Yet there is something to be said for having a shave that doesn't have to be like walking on eggs, afraid at any moment for a nick, cut, or weeper. The Weishi did the job, but left a bit of unnecessary residual irritation. This is why I appreciated the Merkur Classic: I could get an easy, safe shave that was nearly completely smooth even against the grain, and with no skin irritation. I realized that I missed the old, familiar instrument; it may actually be true that absense makes the heart grow fonder.
So I made a new decision. I decided that on work days, when I have no need for the absolute closest of shaves, the Weishi would be good enough, but the Merkur Classic would be better. So back into the shoe box went the Weishi and out came the Merkur Classic -- once again taking its proper place in my bathroom cabinet as my work-day go-to razor. And actually, not even just on going-to-work days; this morning's shave was very satisfying, and I was very happy to have the old Classic back in hand.
This week was also one in which I returned to the familiar USA-made Personna Super (lab-blue) blade. It remains a blade to rely on: sharp, comfortable, durable, and not at all expensive. After a week of shaves, it still had several good shaves in it, but as is my custom, after a full week of shaves, the blade goes into the recycle bank so that I have simple razor-blade-use tracking: every Sunday gets a new blade.
This coming week is once again a Voskhod PTFE-coated (Teflon) blade from the sample pack I bought months ago.
By the way, this morning I made the perfect shaving lather from my Grandad's shave soap for sensitive skin. Normally because I'm in a hurry before work, I make lather that's just a bit wet, which is perfectly fine; I get a good, slick coating and the outcome is uneventful.
However, today, took the time to start with my brush not quite so heavily loaded with water. I had the luxury on a non-work day to add water to my lathering bowl by shaking a few drops at a time off my fingers that I had dipped into the water-filled cup that I initially used to wet the brush in preparation for lathering. The result was an extra-rich, stiffer-than-normal lather. It didn't make any difference in the shave, but it was just slightly more a luxurious experience.
That's it for now. Happy shaving!
Yet there is something to be said for having a shave that doesn't have to be like walking on eggs, afraid at any moment for a nick, cut, or weeper. The Weishi did the job, but left a bit of unnecessary residual irritation. This is why I appreciated the Merkur Classic: I could get an easy, safe shave that was nearly completely smooth even against the grain, and with no skin irritation. I realized that I missed the old, familiar instrument; it may actually be true that absense makes the heart grow fonder.
So I made a new decision. I decided that on work days, when I have no need for the absolute closest of shaves, the Weishi would be good enough, but the Merkur Classic would be better. So back into the shoe box went the Weishi and out came the Merkur Classic -- once again taking its proper place in my bathroom cabinet as my work-day go-to razor. And actually, not even just on going-to-work days; this morning's shave was very satisfying, and I was very happy to have the old Classic back in hand.
This week was also one in which I returned to the familiar USA-made Personna Super (lab-blue) blade. It remains a blade to rely on: sharp, comfortable, durable, and not at all expensive. After a week of shaves, it still had several good shaves in it, but as is my custom, after a full week of shaves, the blade goes into the recycle bank so that I have simple razor-blade-use tracking: every Sunday gets a new blade.
This coming week is once again a Voskhod PTFE-coated (Teflon) blade from the sample pack I bought months ago.
By the way, this morning I made the perfect shaving lather from my Grandad's shave soap for sensitive skin. Normally because I'm in a hurry before work, I make lather that's just a bit wet, which is perfectly fine; I get a good, slick coating and the outcome is uneventful.
However, today, took the time to start with my brush not quite so heavily loaded with water. I had the luxury on a non-work day to add water to my lathering bowl by shaking a few drops at a time off my fingers that I had dipped into the water-filled cup that I initially used to wet the brush in preparation for lathering. The result was an extra-rich, stiffer-than-normal lather. It didn't make any difference in the shave, but it was just slightly more a luxurious experience.
That's it for now. Happy shaving!
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