So after a discussion of Derby blades, Chris @Bama Samurai all but threw the gauntlet down in front of me to give Derbys another go. In my sig line is this statement - You just gotta learn how to use the tools ya got. It wouldn't be there if I didn't believe it. I also believe a bad tool is a bad tool and no matter how good you are, you ain't gonna learn how to make it work. Here's the thing about Derby blades and that last statement, there are folks out there who are making the blade work and actually like Derby blades. I figure if they can learn how to use 'em, by golly I'm gonna learn. I've picked up the gauntlet and purchased a 10-pack at the local Sally's Beauty (very disappointed they stopped carrying Clubman Bay Rum, I was going to try some of that, as well). I have 31 DEs. My plan is to use the Derby just like I use my Astra SPs - hand strop a new blade and in on Monday, 3-pass shave, hand strop, into Tuesday's razor for another 3-pass shave. Repeat every day and toss after Friday's shave. The Astra SP gives me at least a Darn Fine Shave in EVERY DE I own. Just because I want a chance to brag/show off a little, here's the line up for my next 30 Derby shaves (I hope I can learn this blade and make it through all 30!): Merkur 34C w/ red mallee burl handle Stahly* Shick Krona M3 English Gillette Knack Late 40s SS Sheraton Y4 Ball End Tech Merkur 34G W4 Black Tip OLD Type Merkur Futur @3 G1 Fatboy @6 D3 TV SS Aristocrat Z1 Ball End Tech Merkur 34C A1 Blue Tip Merkur Travel Late 70s Super Adjustable H3 Slim @6 D1 SS (not the TV) NEW Type long comb Fat Handle Tech Merkur 11C A4 Red Tip L3 Travel Tech Parker 80R R1 Black Beauty S2 Black Handle SS H4 Blue Lady Star Gillette *the Stahly has the working wind up vibrating handle, but 1) I don't think it does anything to improve the shave and B) I find it (the handle) too large for my liking. I'll put the Stahly head on my Fat Handle Tech handle. The head is fantasti! (For those who actually counted, yes, there are 30. I mentioned 31 - it's an OC Grafco, a rebranded Merkur very similar to the 11C) Soaps and brushes will remain in rotation as they have been. We shall see. Wish me luck!
Those sure are a lot of razors to work through. I hope it goes well for you Steve. You're actually inspiring me to give them a shot in my R41.
A little background about me and Derbys. I tried them back in 08 when I started using a DE (was always carts since I started shaving back in '74, '75) and they (Derby) tore up my neck. So I put them on the back shelf, worked on my technique, and pulled them out a couple three years later - same results. Haven't used Derbys since.
I've had good results in a Weishi, Feather Popular, Utopia and Maggard. Great results when used with Cadet OC. I predict that it will be serviceable in almost your razors, but may struggle a bit in the less aggressive models. Good luck with your test. When you finish at the end of the month, I will celebrate by Shaving with Derby, Arko and the worst razor I can find. I believe that technique is paramount, and am excited you're investigating this in a controlled way.
Speaking of technique and aggression, I was thinking about that the other day. Could it be possible to come to a point with your technique, that with proper technique ("proper" meaning you get the best a razor has to offer, poor technique is still technique) razors deemed agressive could be "tamed" to give a milder shave? Just a thought, but I think so.
Yes. If you lower the angle of attack you will close down the gap and effectively tame the razor. It's my belief that most irritation is caused by the blade bevel scraping the skin at high angle (>25or30deg), and that most newbies try Derby early on and hate it because they apply cartridge grip angle, pressure and technique to DE--that's a recipe for a bad shave.
Week 1, day 1 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Maxwell House Breakfast Blend, black Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: Merkur 34C with red mallee burl handle from Elite Razors Blade: Derby, day 1, 3 passes Brush: 24mm silvertip set in red mallee burl from Elite Razors Soap: Bath house soaps - Mud & Minerals, a pretty good soap from Hot Springs, AR Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson's WH, Curve 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Blade felt a bit rough to start, but darn near BBS with no irritation. Always seem to get my best shaves from my HDs.
The next blade for my trial in the Blackbird is a Derby. I'll check back in on this in a few days. In my limited experience, the Derby blade provided a decent shave in a Tech and a New SC, but not in a LC or in my Weber. I probably have about 5 packs of Derby blades, so I hope they work in the Blackbird, ya know, cause I might run out of blades in the next 10 years or so...
Week 1, day 2 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Maxwell House Breakfast Blend, black Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: Stahly head on Fat Handle Tech handle Blade: Derby, day 2, 3 passes Brush: HIS synthetic Soap: TSD Brut Type Post: Cold water rinse, Brut ASB, Brut cologne, Brut pit stick 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Not bad. Not bad at all. Yes, I am pleasantly surprised thus far.
I hope you don't mind me chiming in...as some of you may know, I recently did a blade trial and Derby was one of the blades I tried. This post may be of absolutely no value, but after my very unscientific trial (I used 1 Derby blade for 1 week (7 shaves) in my trusted Gillette Heavy Tech, I concluded the following: I like this blade [Derby] …a true gem among blades! But as you will read, it has limitations. My first day with the Derby I found it a bit edgy, but nothing more than I would have expected first day with any new blade. I managed to pick up three micro-weepers on my first shave. In this instance I blame the archer, not the arrow. By the second shave and for the next 4 shaves the blade was smooth, sharp and very pleasant. I used the blade for 7 days as part of my trial but I would not recommend using it beyond 5 days. After the 5th day I could detect problems with sharpness. Sharpness: 6/10 ; Smoothness: 8/10 ; Comparison to Astra SP [my usual blade] in terms of overall performance and comfort: Very similar in terms of sharpness (at its peak) but one notch smoother than the Astra. The problem with this blade is it lacks staying power. I can easily get 7 sharp and smooth shaves with an Astra SP. This is why I give the Derby a 6 for sharpness. If someone is satisfied changing their blades every 3, 4 or 5 days then this is a wonderful blade.
Excellent! Good to hear as I put a new blade in every Monday, 3-pass shave every day, then toss after Friday's shave.
Thanks. Arko is in the rotation. Can't say I'm crazy about the skeeter-be-gone smell, but the stuff whips up an incredible lather! Only because of the scent, once this is gone, no more.
This kinda goes back to what we talked about before - learn the razor, tame the razor, and it is no longer aggressive. But to your question, the Stahly is only slightly more aggressive than the Tech. I really like it and always glad when it comes up in the rotation.
The Pandora Shuffle consists of in alphabetical order: 38 Special Radio 70s Rock Radio B.B. King Radio Big Band Radio Blues Rock Radio Bob Marley Radio British Invasion Radio Christian Rock Radio Classic Rock Album Tracks Radio Classic Rock Radio Delta Blues Radio Eric Clapton Radio Glenn Kaiser Radio Gordon Lightfoot Radio High Tide (70s) Radio Joe Bonamassa Radio John Denver Radio John Lee Hooker Radio Michael W. Smith Radio Molly Hatchet Radio Muddy Waters Radio 60s & 70s Summer Hits Radio Petra Radio Resurrection Band Radio Stevie Ray Vaughn Radio The Beach Boys Radio The Monkees Radio The Moody Blues Radio Yes Radio Thoughts?
