Weishi Adjustable Simplifies Razor Choices

I don't collect double-edge (DE) razors. Although I'm sorry to say that you might not know that given the large number of DEs that I actually still own -- and that is despite my months ago passing along to others many DEs that were not optimal for my beard and face.

But now all of my remaining DEs have been banished to a box up in a bedroom closet. All of them except one, of course.

This is because my latest razor acquisition, the new, jet black Weishi adjustable is the one-size-fits-all-blades razor that is the best of the bunch for my face. It adjusts mild enough to give me a comfortable shave with the sharpest of blades. It adjusts aggressive enough to provide a close shave with a nearly-worn-out blade. It shaves smoothly enough that I don't complain about the uncomfortable shaves of virtually all the other one-piece (butterfly-opening) DEs that I've used over the years -- including the very mild non-adjustable Weishi 9306 model.

I appreciate simplicity. Why have ten DEs or even two, when one is the best of the bunch and meets all my face shaving needs?

Even my smooth-shaving Parker Variant is packed up in that bedroom closet. That's because it just doesn't dial down mild enough for me when I'm using virtually any sharp, new blade. Even shimming the Variant -- previously my best DE option -- has been something of a compromise because it still leaves a relatively long top-cap-to-safety-bar span, which makes it easy to nick skin on the sharp contours of my chin or at the jaw line. For me, unmodified, the Variant was a risky razor -- likely to draw a little blood -- with virtually any new blade even at its mildest setting. It was only after my blade had mellowed after several shaves that the Variant, without modification, would be a welcome DE choice for my daily shave.

Simplicity is the watch word -- simplicity driven by function. As someone said long ago on a different subject: "why choose hamburger when you can have steak?" And for my face the new Weishi adjustable is steak at a hamburger price. No shimming necessary. Sufficiently adjustable for any blade to give a good shave.

Simplicity is a good thing to enjoy. 

Happy shaving! (I am.)

Modifying Alcohol-Based After-Shave Lotions

I have several bottles of alcohol-based after-shave lotions. Some are common drug-store products such as Aqua Velva after shave, while others are more boutique products like Pareidolia, with its fresh, modern scent, or Sin, a no-fragrance-added splash, which has an initial fresh alcohol- or vodka-like scent -- and both of these (and others) are available from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements.

Like many, I think that alcohol-based after shaves may be a bit harsh right out of the bottle despite their sanitizing effect and bracing sting. Here's how I've turned these products into welcome daily after-shave options:

I ordered via eBay a couple of ounces of menthol crystals. Then I went to my local pharmacy and bought a bottle of generic witch hazel.

Then I took a re-purposed Greek yogurt container (#5 plastic, which is heat tolerant and safe for microwave-oven use), put a couple of menthol crystals in it with just a bit of witch hazel, and, using the kitchen microwave oven, carefully melted the menthol into the witch hazel.

I poured the mentholated witch hazel from the yogurt cup into a little bottle that I bought in the travel section of the personal-products department at my local Target store, and added plain, un-doctored witch hazel to fill the bottle about 80% full. I then completely filled the bottle full with the alcohol-based after-shave product of my choice.

The result is a diluted alcohol after shave that still has the same fragrance as the full-strength version, but is milder, more soothing, and has a nice menthol-cooling effect.

Try it, and let me know what you think.

Happy shaving, happy after-shave splashing, soothing!

I include this link, above, to the new Weishi adjustable DE razor because I think it's the perfect, mild adjustable for men that find other adjustable razors just a touch too aggressive at their mildest settings. I suggest you read my remarks about the razor in my articles that immediately precede this one before you purchase, or read my review under the name, DNH, in the Amazon reviews for this listing. This razor has become my daily driver, and I've found new enthusiam for my daily shave because of this instrument.

Razor Review: The Replacement Weishi Adjustable Arrived Yesterday

I had my first shave with this replacement Weishi adjustable razor this morning after giving it my usual, careful new-razor inspection. The following is the verbatim review that I posted to the amazon.com sales listing for this razor:

Finally, FINALLY an adjustable razor that adjusts mild enough for men with sensitive or easily-nipped skin, who shave every day. Due to its unique adjustment range, this razor can accommodate blades from the sharpest right out of the package to those with many shaves and are at the end of their useful life.  This is an adjustable razor with a shaving character that has long been called for. It is not without its quirks, however.

Likes:
+ The adjustment range is broad enough to get a very close shave, but also gets mild enough for those occasions when aggressive is not called for.
+ The blade mounts uniformly in the razor with even reveal and exposure
+ The blade exposure is negative -- meaning that the blade edge sits slightly below the shave plane formed by the safety bars and top cap, safely within the cove of those bars and top cap; it's a true safety razor
+ The razor can provide a close shave by making the razor adjustment setting more aggressive, or by adjusting to a less-aggressive setting and using more aggressive techniques such as razor buffing or J-hooking

The razor has its quirks:
- To open the butterfly doors wide enough to mount a blade without risk to its edges, the razor must be set to maximum aggression
- To close the butterfly doors once a blade has been inserted, the razor's aggression setting must be dialed down from the maximum setting; if this isn't done, one of the butterfly doors gets hung up on a non-edge portion of the blade, and the doors won't close completely!
- It doesn't have lather slots (a.k.a. gutter slots), but this does not affect the shave adversely. (Other much more expensive razors also lack this feature: notably the Merkur brand Progress and Futur models.) The lather and stubble removed from the face simply accumulates on the underside of the razor head and is easily washed away as is normally done. The razor does NOT clog as some might be tempted to claim.


I can confirm my observations because I returned the first Weishi adjustable thinking that the above-mentioned blade-loading quirks were a one-time quality-control failure. However, the second razor was EXACTLY the same. So I give this product four, not five, stars for its quirks. After all, the vintage Gillette adjustables were similar in design (although, unfortunately, more aggressive in overall shaving character) but did not have this razor's blade-insertion peculiarities.


That said, I accept the quirks because I think the quality of the shave-head design and the range of adjustment are unique among affordable adjustable double-edge (DE) razors. 

If you can live with its quirks (I can and will), I highly recommend this instrument. I have owned MANY DE razors, and have gone exclusively to adjustables for their flexibility in shaving character. I currently own a Parker Variant, a Ming Shi 2000S (designed after the Merkur Futur), a Gillette Slim, and now this Weishi. This new Weishi has replaced my Variant as my preferred, go-to daily shaver.

                     

'Nuff said.  Happy shaving!

New Razor, Fresh Enthusiasm

Despite the quirkiness of my particular Weishi adjustable razor (I hope its replacement isn't as quirky in its opening and closing requirements), I've found new enthusiasm for shaving with this adjustable razor that, finally, FINALLY, has an adjustable range that more closely meets my particular needs.

I had originally planned to return to my Parker Variant for today's shave. This would have allowed me to compare its shave to the Weishi adjustable. But I just couldn't. I couldn't resist another shave with this razor with a shave character that seemingly was designed with guys like me in mind, who need and appreciate razors with milder shave character.

This morning using a Dorco blade for its sixth shave, I took a with-grain first pass with the razor set to 4 (out of 7).

The second pass saw the razor set to 5 for a cross-grain pass.

The third pass strictly against the grain and the final clean-up strokes were done with the razor on 6 (of 7!!!).

I got a very close shave with minimal irritation and skin insult. I had a couple of very tiny pin-point weepers on my lower neck, which isn't bad for a close shave.

The mildness of this razor's adjustment range allows me to "sneak up" on a close, comfortable shave using its full range of adjustment capability. For very sharp blades, the lower end may be called for. Older blades nearing the end of their life cycle may allow for the most aggressive settings that this instrument can provide.

                     

I'm already looking forward to tomorrow's shave.

Happy shaving!

Update on Weishi Adjustable

It may help if you first take a look at my article from yesterday, which featured initial commentary on the new Weishi adjustable double-edge razor (DE).

I decided not to settle (if I don't have to) for the poor mechanical quality of the Weishi adjustable DE. Oh, I really like the way it shaves, but its mechanics of opening and closing the butterfly doors are just not acceptable (if I can do better with a replacement).

Hoping that I just received a poorly build version that slipped through Weishi's spotty quality control, I began the process of returning the instrument, and purchased a second, with the idea that it might operate better.

So we'll see. I'm still using the original one shipped, and will complete its return to the seller once the replacement arrives.

I'll keep you informed as to the outcome. Stay tuned!

Happy shaving, too!

Mild Adjustable Razor Options

I been keeping to myself lately, not writing in this blog, because I've been experimenting.

As you may know, I prefer razors on the milder side because of my skin's propensity to get easily nipped. I also prefer adjustable razors -- such as the Parker Variant, vintage Gillette adjustables, the Merkur Progress or Futur, and now the new Weishi adjustable -- for a couple of reasons:

• They allow me to adjust the aggressiveness of the razor as the blade evolves through its life cycle from the first shave to its last, which is usually somewhere between shaves 14 and 21
• They allow me to adjust mid shave to deal with more difficult areas of my beard including those that are more susceptible to wounds and those that require more aggression to shave closely

As I've written many times and in more than one venue (here and Sharpologist.com), unfortunately most adjustable razors don't dial down to be sufficiently mild for my face, when using a blade with few shaves on it. 

Underclocking My Gillette Slim

So once again I pulled out my closeted Gillette Slim for what I believe to be its final chance to be an option for me. In factory-stock configuration, it has consistently been too harsh and too aggressive for me. But here's why this instrument has gotten one final trial:

The Slim can be modified with the release of a catch and the turn of a dial. By using a firm, thin tool such as the point of a metal nail file, depressing the catch in the slot just above the Slim's adjustment ring, the adjustment ring disengages from the razor's adjustment mechanism. By keeping the catch depressed, the adjustment ring can be revolved 360 degrees, and when the catch is released, you have dialed in another adjustment range for the razor. When doing this simple modification, by rotating the adjustment ring in one direction, the razor becomes ultra aggressive at all settings. By rotating in the opposite direction, the razor becomes ultra mild. (For more detailed instructions and images, do an Internet search on something like Overclocking Gillette Slim.)

This modification to the Slim's shaving character to make it more aggressive (though I honestly don't know why anyone would need to do that) is known as overclocking (which I believe was originally a term referring to computer-chip use). By logical extension, some refer to the more-mild modification as underclocking (though no analagous term applies in the IT world).

So I underclocked my Slim and used it for a few shaves. Unfortunately its shave character became ridiculously mild -- so much so that I said, "f--- it," set it back to factory adjustment, and parked it back in bedroom closet with my other shaving gear that I don't use.

The New Weishi Adjustable Razor

Though the Slim modification wasn't successful for me, I got word from a well-known shaving celebrity that Weishi had come out with a one-piece (TTO) adjustable razor along the lines of the old Gillettes. So my wife kindly ordered me one as a gift, and I've been getting acquainted with this new instrument.

(The link, above, is provided for those who are early adopters or those who are merely curious about the new Weishi adjustable razor.)

Though the razor I received is not built with the precision of a Swiss watch in terms of its adjustment mechanism and butterfly-door works, it is symmetrical and parallel in the key aspects of its shaving geometry. I will be providing a detailed review in the future, but for now here are some preliminary observations:

The good:

• I find the adjustment range of this razor to be near ideal. It is very mild at one extreme and more than aggressive enough (for me) at the other.
• It provides for any shave closeness that I need using any blade in any aspect of its life cycle, while offering the safety of a true safety razor.
• Despite not having lather slots (a.k.a. gutter slots), it shaves like any other DE. Yep, the lather builds up on the underside of the razor head, but it doesn't clog.
• I has nice heft.
• The grippiness of the handle is great.

Not a Swiss watch:

• The butterfly doors only open wide enough when the adjustment ring is on 7 (max aggression).
• The butterfly doors hang sometimes on the non-edge of the blade, and need some fiddling to close on occasion (brute force is NOT called for!!). [CORRECTION: The doors don't hang on the blade. The razor setting must be reduced from max aggression to close the butterfly doors.]
• The jet-black coating is not quite as slippery against skin as, say, chrome plating, when doing final clean-up strokes without adding more lather, just water.

That said, guess what razor will be my daily driver for the foreseeable future. Yep, the Weishi Adjustable.

I had a great third shave this morning, capped by one of my favorite after-shave soothing products, Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements' Black Bot Star Jelly Aftershave. I love the classic scent, the slight menthol cooling, and the smooth, soothed feeling of my skin that it leaves.

Happy shaving!