Injector & SE Party !!!

Last night I got another one of thoses 'Best Shaves of My Life' type shaves....this one also went down amazingly easy...without a thought....I face applied Arko shave stick and hit it with a brush loaded with Williams lather. Then, and heres the surprise..An early Schick E2 with a Long's Drugs rebranded modern Personna....Normally I found the Chinese Schick to improve the shave significantly with the E2, but alas I was out so I loaded a new usually harsh when new Personna....But....the shave was effortless, smooth, close and just about perfect in every way!

 

Those Long Drugstore Personnas are NOS Blades not current ones..I have some..Nice blades an All..

Billy..

 

Really? I guess so....I got these maybe 4 years ago from 'alan' from Arizona....You probably remember him from TOST across the street... I have always really liked these....Which Personna blade to you think they correspond to? They remind me a little of the Schick plus plats, so maybe they were Personnas take on that theme....Thoughts?

 

Aye..They musta been old stock or somthin..They are NOS Personna Chromium blades & that's why you are finding a difference with them..The Older Personna Blades were designed specifically for shaving..The current ones were designed for Labs & Cutting up dead things an All..They change the edge of them for shaving of course but its a secondary kinda thing..

Billy..

 

Todays shave with Toms V2 Injector..

Two Pass Routine..

Hot Water prep & massage with Coconut Oil
Toms V 2 Adjustable Injector
Chinese Schick Injector Blade New
Hans Baier Silver Tip Badger
LEA Tallow Soap Stick
Thayers Original Witch Hazel

I just had my second shave with Toms V 2 Injector this morning..I decided to load it with a Current Chinese Schick Injector blade otherwise known as the Chick Blade..This is the blade that most folks are going to be using in this injector..I have not used a Current Personna blade in it yet but I am going to say this..The Chick blade is a Match made in heaven in this Injector..I would highly recommend it...A personna blade would be fine on the MILD Comb but I wouldn't recommend it on the NOTSO Comb Middle or the WILD Comb Most Aggressive Setting...I am pulling from experience here...That's said...That's just me Talkin...

On the subject of Combs..In the 2nd Pic you will see the 3 Adjustable Combs..They speak for themselves...On the 1st Pic you will see a demonstration on how to change the Comb..This is the way to release the Comb from the razor with 2 fingers pushing it forward equally on either side..It just pops out with ease as Tom has made these to fit like a glove..NOTE...Do not attempt to lift the comb up on one side as it will just jam it up & Do not over tighten the Thumb Screw as it just needs gently Nipped Up ..Its easy Don't make it hard..

I utilized the MILD Comb for the my 1st WTG Pass...The V 2 Injector Chick Blade Combo blew away my whiskers with Ease... The razor is a lot milder here than on the Middle Setting..I would suggest its a tad Milder than a Later Schick Injector & about the same as a PAL Adjustable on about the 2nd setting or so..To me this setting is just perfect & Ideal for a daily shave...Another Thing...The Sweet spot or what I call the "Shy Girl " is a lot easier to find on the MILD Setting..So much so..That I would suggest that anybody that is using this Injector for the First Time I would Highly Recommend that they Do indeed use it on this setting to begin with..

On my 2nd ATG Pass I utilized the Wild Comb..I pushed Toms V 2 Injector to its limits here with Almost a Focused Reckless Abandon.....The V 2 on the WILD Setting is again very Smooth & Quite Forgiving but slightly less so than the Middle Setting..Toms V2 Injector was so efficant on the WILD Setting that didn't require a 3rd Pass..Just a few touch ups is all...I ended up with a Dolphin Smooth all over BBS Result without even trying..It just came about because of the efficiency of Toms remarkable design..I would suggest that its about the same Aggresivness as a Cranked up PAL Adjustable on the WILD Setting but even Smoother..

I am going to Bump my Gums here for what its worth...When Folks get Toms Injector on the Pass Around Do not think of any other Injector..This is not a Schcik, Personna or a PAL Injector..The Chinese & the Buddhists Talk about the Uncarved Block of Wood..In other words Don't hang onto any Injector that you have used in the past..Toms has created an Injector Mans Injector with the characteristics very much like a Ghost..Its such a Friendly Ghost though & I love it..

Billy..

 

another great shave today! Only my second with my SE but it turned out awesome. WTG, the XTG both directions on my face and 2 WTG passes on my neck. Really loving this Ever Ready.
Todays lather was "Maya" by Mason Boutique with my JR 13 brush. Shave was followed by some alum and Nivea ASB. Had roughly half the amount bite from the alum as I did yesterday, hooray for improvement.

 

February 1

Razor: Schick Injector G Type
Blade: Chinese Schick Injector (1)
Brush: Stirling Kong
Soap: Stirling MITA
Post: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel M-bombed, Ice Blue Aqua Velva (M-bombed for added cold)


First shave of a 30 Day focus with Schick Injectors. I have a G a Canadian E and a Golden 500 that I will be using this month all with the Schick blades. Started today with the G type and noticed just how light it is compared to the Executive I have been using the past 60 days. I am so used to the weight of the Executive basically doing all the work for me, the light weight of this one presented a challenge of not using any pressure while shaving.

Began my usual pass and had a little trouble finding the sweet spot of the angle. May have also been fighting the need to put pressure on the razor to compensate for its weight instead of just allowing it to do what it was designed to do. Got a little irritation on the first pass but I think by the time I had finished I had the angle pretty well figured out. Second pass went really smoothly, no irritation at all and the feedback from the razor was much better than during the first pass. I was able to replicate the angle for the entirety of the second pass, and reminded myself of the no pressure rule a few times. A little touch up in the usual places. I ended the day with a DFS shave and minor irritation that really only lit up on my chin and around the Adam's apple, my two main trouble spots.

 

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I agree, the angle on injectors is not "intuitive" to me. I also find it difficult to get a closer shave with an injector. Looking forward to your impressions of the G and especially the E, which I found particularly aggressive and nasty. You can't go too wrong with MITA!

 

Todays shave with the V3

Razor: Bunny or maybe "The Ghost" thanks to @Billyfergie
Comb: NOTSO (middle setting)
Blade : Chick (3)
Soap: Conk Amber
Brush: WD 24MM Synthetic on 3D Handle
Face lathered.
AS: Brut I decided this after the shave cleaning up.

Todays pass was on 2 days growth. I did my standard 3 pass shave. With the exception under my jaw. I went first 2 passes at an angle from XTG last pass full ATG every where. The modified stroke seemed to get those pesky whiskers better with no irritation.

I switched from the WILD comb today to see how it went. Shaving with the Chick blade on NOTSO there is a definite difference from the WILD. I feel that it would be very difficult to cut yourself. I was able to have a tiny bit of pressure where needed with no concern of tugging.
The WILD I use the feather touch.

AS I really prefer a razor that can be more efficient. I am leaning more towards the WILD and NOTSO with the Chick.

Today when I was shaving I was really concentrating on keeping my angle just right. So I was shaving with a nice steady slow stroke. I was using a shorter than normal , going maybe 1-1/2 to 2" once I got the angle. Some things I really noticed doing that was. If my angle was not right I could feel the blade. It is not a tugging sensation. I could just feel it on my face. When the angle was right the blade just whisked across my face. Ghostlike as billy says. It was a pretty cool feeling to say the least.

After a month solid of shaving with it. Today I feel that I really bonded with the razor. This was not my closest shave with it. It was however my favorite shave. I will continue to shave in the same manner short deliberate light strokes.(ok jokes start here)

I don't have much to add. As I feel billy has given a spot on review of what I find.

Tom

 

Great info Billy.....I'll tell you one thing....This blade and my early Schick E2 are a marriage made in heaven....I've had 3 perfect shaves in a row....Right now, this is looking a little like a "Desert Island" set-up waiting to happen...

 

Incredible 'looking' kit, I'll say that right now....But you're a "Party" man so it's an 'Inside Job'.... You know what we want to see, and how we want it to perform....}8^))

 

Twin Blade Shave with Toms V2 Injector..

The Shaving Angle of Toms V2 Injector Compared to a Typical Schick Injector..

Twin Blades in the V 2 ..

My Shave Set up for the Day..

Three Pass Shaving Routine..

Hot Water prep & massage with Coconut Oil
Toms V 2 Adjustable Injector
Gillette Twin Trac 11 Injector Blade New
Hans Baier Silver Tip Badger
French Mosavan Bol Tallow Soap
Thayers Original Witch Hazel

I had a Twin blade shave this afternoon with Toms V 2 Injector..I used the Gillette Trac 11 blades cause the magazine fitted Toms Injector..The others wouldn't fit..Here again this is not uncommon with various injectors & NOS Magazines..All one has to do here is decant a blade into another Magazine..Its common practice with these older magazines..Manufacture's made small differences to their magazines to discourage folks from using other brands apparently..Twin blades can sometimes be a bit more fiddly to load but that's not unusual either..There is ample room to get them in the V2 Injector without running them across the blade stops..

I done my first WTG Pass with the MILD Comb and the twin blades worked very well..I am going to reiterate again that the V2 Injector is more intuitive to use on the Mild Setting...I would advice the folks on the Pass Around to hear me on this one..My WTG Pass was very smooth & comfortable taking down a day & a halves whiskers..For those whom are not familiar with twin injector blades they are notorious for offering a very comfortable shave & they perform in the V2 Injector very well..That said Toms ingenious set up here is so Darn Smooth with a Single blade I didn't notice that much of a marked difference in smoothness as one would find in a Schick Injector...They did perform very well though..These Gillette Trac 11 blades are not as sharp as some other twin blades mind you..

I done my 2nd XTG & 3rd ATG pass utilizing the NOTSO Comb on the middle setting..There was marked difference in Aggression here but smooth as icing on a cake..I feel as if I have been using Toms V2 for a lot longer than I have..I can be very free with Toms V2 as any other injector that I own & maybe then some..Its almost impossible to cut yourself with this razor...Its a very safe safety razor indeed..Once you find the sweet spot the V2 is just like a Hovercraft gently blowing all over the surface of your face whilst mowing down the whiskers like Casper the Ghost..Its as if the V2 is doing nothing ...The razor almost feels like it Hovering all around your face whilst the blade is so comfortable...I have never felt this with any other razor..This is a "One off " experience to the V 2 Injector..In short Toms V2 has its own unique Friendly Casper the Ghost like Characteristic's..

Now talkin about Casper the Ghost..I have been Bumping my Gums the last few days about just how efficient Toms V2 Injector is an All..I have another injector in my collection that I have Bumped my Gums about as well in the past..The Pal Adjustable..Quite a number of folks have trouble using the PAL Adjustable because it is a very quiet & very Subtle & Sensitive Injector..In truth a lot of folks cant use it because they themselves are not Sensitive enough to use it..Toms V2 Injector in my humble opinion falls into the very Quiet & very Subtle & Sensitive Injector Camp that is often the Hall Mark of the Best & very well designed & the most efficient Injector ever made..This takes me on the Pics above..If you look at those Pics above you can clearly see that Toms V2 Injector doesn't shave anything like the shaving angle of any other Injector..The Angle is Closer to a Schick Repeating Razor than anything else but not just quite..The pictures speak for themselves..

I ended up with One of the most comfortable close shaves of my life today...My Face is Dolphin Smooth & I am just about ready to Go to the local Boozer for a Couple of Pints & maybe treat myself to a Lovely Single Malt..Good Karma..

Billy..

 

As fun as it is to have amazing gear, there is no substitute for a close and comfy shave

I have an nib pack of Personna Super Platinum Chrome blades and have found them to be among some of the best out there that I have tried. They definitely have a different feel than the current Personna blades. Sharper and much more smooth imo. I also felt they dropped off in performance a little quicker than current Personnas or Chicks.

 

Thanks for the great pics Billy! Seeing the razor on your face compared with a Schick is a very helpful comparison! Looks like there is another injector I'll be looking at preordering!

 

What a beautiful razor you have created Tom! The look of the new handle design of V3 is stunning to say the least. I also really like the look of the spring plate. Gives it the Schick gold look. You should be very proud of your work sir:wave::hooray:

 

Thanks Billy, I noticed from your pictures that the angle does appear different from the E2 but upon closer evaluation is wonder is that exaggerated just due to the handle design. Toms V2 being straight vs the Schick Injectors E series curved handle.

 

In short YES & NO..The angle is very different...No bones about..

Billy..

 

You are correct. The angle of the blade when making proper contact with your face is 30 degrees. What i tried to do when I designed it was to try and have the back angle of the blade. The side touching your face be about 5 degrees off your face from the first angle. I chose this from my experience machining. That gives the best cutting performance on metal.

It was just an idea.

Tom

 

It works well Tom..Yeah...30 Degrees off the Face..Its a great design..I reckon that's why its so Darn Smooth..Its very Natural..Hey anybody want an Auld Scrapper Alloy F Type that I used to hold in high esteem before I shaved with Toms V 2 Injector..

Billy..

 

I hope you are joking about the F. You will be flooded with requests. Thanks for that complement.

Tom