Decided to let the straight razors rest today... Gillette travel tech w/Voskhod blade VDH boars hair Maca root cream Egyptian spice witch hazel Very nice, close shave today. Didn't have to work so I took my time.
08/05 Monday Hot Shower RazoRock glycerin bar Semogue Owner's Club Verglude Gillette Fat Handle Tech Wilkinson Sword Superior 70 Proraso The Tech always delivers a home run of a DFS
Monday 1. Prep: Hot shower, Lucky Tiger Lemon Wash, HOT towel, homemade PSO 2. Brush: Omega 48 Boar 3. Soap: L'Occitane Cade, scuttle-warmed 4. Razor: Merkur 38c Barber Pole 5. Blade: Merkur Super 6. Shave: 3 passes + touch-up 7. Post: Cold water & dry, Pinaud Clubman AS, Pre de Provence Balm + some shea butter cream. Leisurely shave this morn. No rush ,no deadline... just a near BBS!
It's an amazing coincidence, but two days ago my wife decided to try out the extra RiMei razor that I recently purchased and liked it so much that she returned my Gillette black handle Super Speed to me. Just in time for Super Speed week! In light of my beloved black handle being returned I decided to bite the bullet and try out a Merkur blade. I've had two Merkur blades for a while now, but I kept putting off using them for various reasons. The reality is that I don't want to waste a shave on a blade that I believe will perform poorly. The possibility that Merkur blades will live up to their infamy has kept me away, but there are a few nearly universally hated blades out there that I actually like, so Merkurs could do well for me. To give these blades the best possible chance I broke out my C.O. Bigelow and my uber soft EMJ synthetic brush. At the last minute (and after taking the picture) I decided to make it a superlather of VDH Deluxe and C.O. Bigelow. I created mountains of thick, creamy lather and did a three pass wtg/atg/xtg shave followed by a simple cold water rinse. I could almost hear the the Psycho shower scene squeal as I began my shave, but that ominous feeling quickly went away. As it turns out, I managed a BBS shave with zero irritation and zero nicks. My skin was ultra soft and smooth, even without any post shave treatment. I know it's just one shave with a single example of this often reviled blade, but if it continues to perform, then I will have to count myself among the dozen or so folks who actually like Merkur DE blades. Pre: Hot shower and warm water splash Razor: Gillette black handle Super Speed Blade: Merkur Brush: EMJ synthetic Soap: Superlather of VDH Deluxe and C.O. Bigelow Post: Cold water rinse
Good prep and good technique can make an average blade perform well. Glad it turned out to be a good BBS shave.
August 5, 2013 Monday evening shave Prep: Shower/Somerset's pre-shave oil Brush: Thater 4342 Silvertip Cream/Soap: Queen Charlotte's Iced Key Lime Razor: Merkur Classic Long Handle Blade: Feather (2) Two pass shave WTG, ATG Post: Rinse and Ice cube rub Aftershave: Aqua Velva Blue Frank
If you look for failure, you will commonly find it. IMO, Merkur blades aren't bad at all. They are over priced, but don't deserve the reputation they have. I think most of it comes from Noobies using the one banged up blade that came with their new razor. Rather than accept that bad technique had anything to do with it, it is easier to blame the blade and fuel the fire. I am glad that you gave them a chance and like the blades.
Adding my 2¢ to the Merkur blade discussion, I used my first Merkur blade in this morning's shave. It came with my recent Merkur razor purchase. I was hesitant to try it due to the brand's blade rep among a number of DE shavers. I, however, was pleasantly surprised by the feel of this blade in the 38c, and quite satisfied by the ultra-smooth results I achieved—no tugging, pulling, irritation nor blood-letting. After this experience, I wouldn't hesitate to try the brand again.
They're way overpriced and based solely on this first performance I doubt that Merkurs will ever be in my top five, but so far I like this blade. I've managed to get blades that I hate to perform by using perfect prep and ultra slick lather (most notably Derby Extra and Treet Platinum), but this is not what went on with the Merkur blade. It was an effortless shave thanks to the suppa-duppa lather, but it was also a nearly perfect shave thanks to the Gillette razor and the Merkur blade...a case of everything working perfectly together rather than one product compensating for another. I look forward to continuing to test out Merkur blades, but I doubt that I will ever buy them in bulk or fawn over them like I do SuperMax Titanium blades.
I used a Merkur early on when my technique was horrible. I don't seem to want to visit other blades because I get such good results with Personna Lab/Med Prep blades.
My man, I once remember receiving a pack of those blades from somebody but although I received good shaves from them I also received razor burn and occasionally, some weepers. They just ain't for me!
You just have to use what works. Everyone's face is different. It just feels like the Personna Lab with a Gillette Slim, Tech, or Schick Krona is my match made in heaven!
Merkur 37C Voskhod (d2) Vulfix 404 Grosvenor TSD Iced Florida Water SS Dominica Bay Rum Lime + Osage Rub
Tuesday: L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash #6 Horsehair Super Speed/Shark day 2 Arko Ice Mint SC Svoboda AS Balsam Max Refreshing AS Santos de Cartier EDT Five countries helped to make this shave fantastic, actually six. The L'Oreal face wash is made in France, the horsehair brush and the Arko Ice Mint cream are from Turkey, the Svoboda balsam is from Russia, the Super Speed is from the US, the blade is from Egypt, and the Max Refreshing aftershave is from Bulgaria. I wish Canada would start producing more great stuff again!
