The Week Ahead

This week's blade is the Derby Extra. In the past I have been somewhat intolerant of this blade.

I used it for the first shave of the week in my 1946-1950 Gillette Tech, using a two-pass shave (WG, AG) plus a little fussing. I got a very close shave, but with irritation and a few minor wounds. I was tempted to once again toss the blade and put in a fresh one that I actually like for tomorrow and the remainder of the week, but I desisted. Instead, I put the Derby into the Rimei RM2003 razor head paired with the gold-toned Tech ball-end handle for tomorrow.

It's very difficult to be objective in doing these evaluations. This is why when researchers are doing clinical experiments, they do them double blind; that is, neither the test subject nor the researcher knows which version of the variable in question (in this case it would be a blade) is being used. Of course, I can't do this when evaluating blades; I know what blade I've unwrapped and inserted in the razor.

I have wondered whether my consistent dislike of the Derby Extra blade has been preconceived prejudice -- influenced by my past readings of so many negative reviews. So I'm going to do my best to give this blade the entire week to see if it's just the first shave or two that is a bit rough.


The unrinsed-brush experiment continues, and I must say that I continue to like the results so far. I have been face lathering, and the use of various soaps including not only my usual home-made Grandad's scented with a bit of Aqua Velva as well as the interspersing of Palmolive and Arko has been very pleasant. The lather dries nicely in the brush, and I may not go back to the lathering bowl; I like the simplicity and thriftiness of this current process.


I have also been enjoying my after-shave admixture. I stopped using the moisturizer with sunscreen, and for the last week or so have been using instead an unscented Aveeno moisturizer then mixed with a few drops of either Aqua Velva Ice Blue or Musk after shaves.

Happy shaving!