SuperMax Titanium Blade Combinations with Razors

Merkur 37C slant.

I have found the SuperMax Titanium (SMT) blade to be a reasonable choice for my face and beard. However, as always, that blade-choice question can't be properly answered without considering in what razor will this blade be used.

Rimei RM2003.

My experiences are as follows:

Weishi 9306-F

At the more aggressive end of the scale, I've used the SMT blade in a slant razor, my Merkur 37C. My experience with this razor-blade combination is that if I go for a close shave, I'm likely to get weepers. Even going for a moderately-close shave presents some weeper risk.

Merkur 33C Classic

When I put this in my Rimei RM2003 razor, again, it's just slightly too aggressive when I go for a close or moderately-close shave, and weepers tend to bloom.

Ahhh, the Gillette Tech (c.1948) is just
right for me with the SMT blade.

When I go significantly milder, such as my Merkur 33C Classic, or my mildest razor, the Weishi 9306-F, it doesn't shave quite close enough without a bit too much work, too many strokes, and perhaps a bit too much pressure.

But when I pair this SMT blade with a Gillette Tech, specifically my c.1948 version, like Goldilocks found
mama bear's chair and porridge, it's just right for me.

Happy shaving!

Update on the Unrinsed-Brush Experiment

For many months now, I've been shaving with an inexpensive badger brush and NOT rinsing it after each shave. In fact, I don't rinse it at all. After the shave I just hang it to dry as is.

My inexpensive, un-rinsed badger brush after
this morning's shave. No worries, mate!

Prior to the next shave, I merely run a bit of tap water in my cupped left hand, and lay the dried-soapy brush in it to dampen the wispy dried lather to keep it from floating off during use. Then just before I face lather, I drizzle a bit of tap water directly into the bristles.

Here's an update on the results so far:

To this point, the experiment is a COMPLETE success.

My little badger brush has always been soft, but as a face-lathering brush (my preferred method), has always lacked a bit of backbone. The dried soap in the brush has solved that problem.

Another issue was that the badger brush would just occasionally shed a bristle. Again, problem solved. The soap near the base of the brush acts as an additional binder, keeping the bristles in place. I haven't lost a bristle since I stopped rinsing the brush.

Although I don't really believe that I've saved any significant money by not rinsing unused soap down the drain, I've certainly reduced some unnecessary waste that would have otherwise been run down the drain. I also haven't increased my shave-soap usage; I've probably decreased it a bit.

Despite dire warnings from at least one so-called expert (ha ha), there's no discernible downside. The brush hasn't seemed to suffer; in fact, as I said above, it may be better off.

Would I recommend this no-rinsing of the shave brush as Gillette did way back in the 1920s? I would. However, as always, "you pays your money, and you takes your choice."

Happy shaving!