View attachment 215483
SOTD 01/18/20
Why does my Rex Ambassador dislike me? My Gibbs #17 Adjustable easily meets my dual criterion (cf face AND head shave proven) even with its short handle. In fact, the handle is shorter and the razor lighter than the Rex which is modeled after it! Clearly, a tool can’t harbor negative feelings. So there must be some aspect of my technique that’s the problem. I’m going to spend the next couple of shaves focusing on the Rex.
The shave today was relatively uneventful. The MWF provided its usual comfortable cushion and the Gibbs delivered a two pass DFS without incident. One point of departure between the original and its homage is that the head design is different with respect to blade exposure and cap curvature. The Gibbs has a neutral blade exposure while the Rex appears very slightly positive, at least on my particular model. Curvature on the cap is flatter than the Rex as well. That may be why a 6 on the Gibbs does provide more efficiency without a corresponding increase in aggression. Both head and face shaves on the Gibbs were completed on setting 6 leaving me feeling quite smooth. If I attempted the same setting on the Rex, I’d end up scalping myself. I can handle a face shave on the maximum setting on both razors. It’s the rear of the dome where the rubber hits the road, or in my case, the blade my scalp. I’ve always shaved the back of my head ATG in one pass. It works fine with the Gibbs, never an issue. Every time I’ve used the Rex in the same fashion it bites. This happens even on a lower setting. The Rex gets four more chances, this time WTG or XTG. If it continues to bite, it goes!
RAZOR: Gibbs Adjustable #17
BLADE: Feather
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a scrub with PAA’s Charcoal-Menthol Cube Preshave Soap
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and finished with Ariana & Evans Post-Shave Serum
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