View attachment 218947
SOTD 02/25/20
Yesterday I shaved with my Muhle R41 (2011) with a Feather blade, and while I received a BBS shave, I did experience some level of skin irritation on my neck and on the left side of my head. So today I broke out my new H&S No75 with its new shorter handle. I did not like a long handle, and therefore traded the longer 3.75” handle that came with the razor for the older shorter handle. The owner, Aji was happy to oblige. The jury is no longer out on this razor for me. It has a rather narrow sweet spot, which increases the difficulty of its use in my dome shaves, given my arthritis, and doesn’t seem that efficient for me. YMMV!
I received my new aluminum Alpha Shaving T400 brush handle with two ferrules from Hong Kong two days ago. I ordered two knots from Maggard’s - a synthetic and a 70/30 Badger Boar. The beauty of this brush is that it allows one to use multiple knots with the same handle. I mounted the synthetic knot which arrived first in one ferrule. I’ll mount the mixed knot in the other when it arrives.
I lathered up with the new brush after my cold water rinse and had at it with the H&S No75. Everyone raves about this razor’s smoothness. I’m not sold. It doesn’t possess as wide a sweet spot nor is it as efficient as my current modern favorites:
1. Colonial Silversmith
2. Blackland Vector
3. RazoRock SS DLC Coated Lupo
4. Rex Ambassador (narrow sweet spot, but incredibly smooth and efficient)
The first WTG pass was completed with two minor weepers on the left side of my head which my styptic dealt with. I proceeded gingerly with the second XTG pass and succeeded in generating a nick to the right of my Adam’s Apple. I guess I should rename today as bloody Tuesday. Again my styptic came to the rescue. My third ATG pass was completed without any new wounds, but things were nowhere near as smooth as I would have hoped, requiring some additional cautious buffing leading to a fourth nick and what can best be termed a CCS.
This was my 4th and most likely last shave with this razor. I just have too many razors that work better for me. This one’s going on the block in my upcoming den clearing. All I can say is I feel clean and refreshed after this very unsatisfactory shave.
RAZOR: H&S No75
BLADE: Wizamet Super Iridium
PREP: Cold Water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T400 w/ Synthetic Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Old Spice Fresh Lime Splash. I finished with A&E Post-Shave Serum to treat my irritated shave surfaces.
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