Blade versus Razor: Righting a Wrong and Another Experiment for Tomorrow

In yesterday's post, I blamed the Gillette TTO razor for a harsh shave. I was probably being unfair to the razor. Upon further reflection, of the three major elements of a shave -- razor, blade, and technique -- it was probably the blade that was the issue. UPDATE: Or even more probably, the combination of the slighty-more-harsh TTO razor coupled with the uncoated Lord brand blade.

I got a close shave yesterday, but it wasn't pleasurable due to the irritation during the shave, and a bit of burn after.

An open five-pack of Lord Platinum-Class blades. Despite the name, they are NOT platinum coated. They are probably best for those with light beards and skin that is less-easily irritated.

Daily readers of my posts probably know that I use four blades in my shaving rotation: Personna Blue, Astra Super Platinum, Dorco 301, and Lord Platinum Class. Of these four, three have a coating for additional comfort and smoothness of shave. It is the Lord blade that is not coated; the moniker, Platinum Class, is merely marketing hype. At the time I was considering the purchase, had I realized that this blade was uncoated, I wouldn't have made the buy.

So tomorrow, I will again pull the Gillette Adjustable out of the shoe box in my closet, again set the razor to 4, put in a new Dorco ST-301, and repeat my Father's Day shave process -- the only difference being the blade. The Dorco 301s are definitely coated (both platinum and PTFE), and my current hypothesis is that the shave will be less harsh, despite using the TTO design, which I believe is not quite as face-friendly for me as my Merkur two- and three-piece razors (the 33C with the heavier Chinese handle, and the 37C slant).

If the shave goes as anticipated, I will try to find a home for the Lord blades with someone who has a thinner, less-tough beard, and skin not so sensitive.

See you tomorrow for the results.  Happy shaving!