More on the Tech and Two-Pass Shaves

My quicker, pre-work morning shaves have been improving. Typically, I inadvertently time the shaves by the 12-minute, half-power microwave cook of my morning breakfast. I start the oven, then do my shave, and on most mornings, I'm cleaning up when the finished-cooking beeper goes off.

The use of the loaner Gillette Tech razor has helped. It is a mild razor but of those in my regular rotation, it is probably slightly more aggressive than the others. Using this in two passes with a little touch up has yielded some close and nearly bloodless shaves. I will still get a pinpoint weeper or three, on a given morning, but given the speed and closeness of the shave, this is a reasonable compromise on my kisser.


I like the Tech, and initially was tempted to go out and bid for one on eBay. Then I reflected on the situation, and pulled back the reins on my razor-acquisition disease; I got things back under control. I really don't need this razor, though I like it. I resolved to continue to get by with what I already have.

The Tech is high quality compared to new equivalents. It is very similar in shaving character to the Rimei RM2003, but there are several differences in which the Tech compares favorably. First of all, the materials: the Tech looks to be brass (the plating being long gone), and the RM2003 has a baseplate of chromed steel, and the top cap is, of course, probably chromed ZAMAK or some similar zinc-based alloy. The baseplate on the Tech is thicker, more substantial. When a blade is sandwiched between the top cap and the baseplate on the Tech, it not only positions the blade positively (as does the RM2003), but the blade is also held uniformly, providing indistinguishable shave character on both edges. The same can't be said about the RM2003, which, in all the models I've tried, shaves more aggressively on one edge than the other.

The design and orientation of the blade in the Tech I find to be ever-so-slightly more irritating than my other three regular razor heads. I guess the slight bit of extra aggressiveness (by comparison) does come with a price.

Using the Tech head has improved my use of my other regular razors. I've become more fond of the RM2003 and the Lord L.6 razor heads, though I still will typically take the maiden shave with a new blade using the Merkur Classic.

I got a very good shave this morning using the Tech head with a sixth-shave Wilkinson Sword blade on the heavy, fat Maggard MR3B handle. I hope yours was as good.

Happy shaving!