First shave for OCtober. So of course I didn't use an OC. Way back on July 11th, I ordered a Q-Shave Parthenon adjustable, thinking I could use it for Adjustable August. At $49 bucks shipped, it seemed like a good deal for a modern adjustable. Well, it didn't arrive until last Saturday, but they threw in 50 Feather blades to make up for the delay. It also included a tuck of Q-Shave branded DE blades, which are listed as made in America. Wondering if they are rebranded Personas. The blades themselves have no markings of any kind. This razor is a good hefty weight, and the finish is nice. The doors and tray seem to be the same design as the Gillette TTO razors. The base of the razor is chrome plated zamask, and the finish is great. The black handle is grippy and nice to use. This razor had some problems with not rinsing well, but this is the third iteration of the design, (which was part of the delay in getting the razor,) and I had no issues rinsing the head clean. This company also makes the Futur clone that has been reviewed as insanely aggressive on the higher settings, so I took my normal cautious approach and put it at setting Neal (9) and got to work.
Stirling Island Man gave its normal good performance, providing a great base for the shave. At that setting it had a ton of blade feel, but unlike classic Gillette adjustable at the top setting, the blade was held firmly and had not chatter. The head handles like a Gillette TTO, so was easy to maneuver everywhere. The razor seems to feel like it weighs about twice what my Black Beauty does, and the handle is longer. Did my first pass of my normal three pass shave, and had a DFS with two weepers where the razor removed some bumps on my chin. Went ahead and started my second pass, watching the pressure and letting the heavy razor do the work. Except for a few trouble spots on my neck, the whiskers were gone. Blade was very smooth and sharp. I called it good after two passes, high grade DFS with three weepers. The Alum had a bit of bite, but the witchhazel calmed it down quickly and closed up the weepers. The Lustray aftershave is mostly alcohol, and I added quite a bit of menthol to it. The alcohol burned quite a bit, but cooled off quickly. I need to give this razor one more shot on a little bit lower setting to see if I can get all three passes in. Then I will move to OC razors.
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