A Thanksgiving Shave

Today was the 13th shave with that same Gillette Silver Blue blade that started out so harshly.

Yet despite its rocky beginnings, today's shave with that blade was actually quite good.

Starting with my c.1948 Gillette Tech, I took an all-oblique-buffing (but with rather slow strokes) first pass using my now-familiar anti-raking stroke pattern.

Then I switched the blade into my uber-mild Weishi 9306-F one-piece (TTO) razor -- my one and only true finishing razor. With it I took an against-grain pass, once again with oblique-buffing strokes and the anti-raking pattern. Then I finished with multiple clean-up strokes after re-wetting my face and re-applying, as needed, used lather from the razor's underside.

(If you're considering shopping for the Weishi 9306-F,
clicking on the graphic, above, gives you an easy path to follow.)

The result was a close shave (not quite baby smooth), with only two pin-point weepers and very little irritation as indicated by my alum block.

So my daily post-shave blade care seems to be paying off. It entails pat drying the blade and then stropping the edges on my oiled palm before inserting into the razor for the next morning shave.

Of course, despite the longevity that the blade appears to be capable of delivering, the first week of shaves is not very good on my skin and beard: too irritating and prone to wound. This means that I won't be buying any additional blades of this brand to replace those in my little sample inventory. However, it has been an interesting experiment to see if a blade that is so poorly matched to my face can be improved over time, which has been the case.

So today I'm thankful for the following:

• My post-shave blade care, which contributes to improving my shaves over time
• My Weishi 9306-F razor, which offers a very low-risk option, when I want to obsessively take many passes and clean-up strokes
• My alum block, which closes tiny wounds, indicates and calms irritation, and does other good stuff too like drying oily skin (which mine is NOT, so when I use it, I apply it to my damp face, let it do its thing, then rinse off and towel dry, after which I apply my desired lotions and balms. Typically I will apply an after shave to smell nice, then a moisturizer/sealer as a finishing treatment.)

(If you're interested in alum, the graphic, above, links to what I believe is the best value

available for an alum block, and includes a nice plastic case.)

So to you I say, "Happy Thanksgiving and happy shaving!"

Merkur Open Comb (15C) and the Gillette Silver Blue Blade

Today was my eighth shave with the Gillette Silver Blue blade. Today I used it in my Merkur 15C open-comb razor.

            The Merkur 15C open-comb, three-piece razor            

The razor is very good; the blade is definitely improving.

The first four shaves with this blade -- even in my most face-friendly razors -- were harsh: both irritating and wounding. However, I didn't quit. Every day after the shave I would perform my customary blade care as follows:

• Dry the blade by patting, not wiping
• Stropping the dry blade on my oiled palm

By the fifth shave, I noticed real improvement, although my face was pretty beat up from the previous shaves. It was from this shave that I began to alternate razors from day to day, alternatively using the Gillette Tech (c.1948) or my Merkur 15C. 

The 15C by Merkur is becoming one of my favorites. Originally when first acquired, I found the 15C to be fine except for third passes against grain. Now since I don't do three passes very often, the 15C has proven to be a real performer. For example, this eighth shave started with the 15C and a with-grain, all-buffing first pass. Then for my second and final pass, still with 15C, I shaved from various directions -- both across and against grain.

With the combination of the 15C and seven previous shaves on the Silver Blue blade (each followed by the afore-mentioned blade care), I finally got a close comfortable shave from the blade. I attribute this to both the seasoned blade and the 15C, which is a clearly a more mild shaver than the c.'48 Tech.

Many months ago, I suggested in an article that the Merkur 15C may be the best all-around razor, about which I was only partially serious. However, today I'm still not uncomfortable reiterating that suggestion. Though because of its mildness it may not easily yield totally baby-smooth shaves on some faces, it brings the following benefits:

• Mild enough for sensitive faces and to safely shave any body hair
• Open comb design easily accommodates hair of any length, which makes it good for body hair, beards, trimming edges of wooly growth, the back of the neck, etc.
• Can shave closely

  To order a 15C, you can click on the graphic at left.

Happy shaving!