Thank you all so much for the feedback, definitely will use the Nivea first.I might use my mach 5a few times to allow recovery. Not giving up. You did a fine job at honing my razor. I do enjoy using the strop. I will give the counter technique a go!
Thanks for the info from your post! My TI from the factory I would say is very sharp. If I was to run it with the grain on the hairs on my arm without even touching the blade to my arm, the hairs seem to stick or cling automatically to the blade. Almost like they're velcrowing (is that even a word?) themselves to the blade, and they seem to make a pop noise and jump right off my arm. The blade makes a nice noise as well. It glides quite nicely across my face and neck and the hairs melt off my face. I do love the shave I get from it. My fiancee told me last night after I shaved after I got home from work, that my face felt like a babys butt. Just about 15 minutes ago when she was laying next to me, she was rubbing her cheek against mine cause she likes how soft it still is - and here it's a day later!
I think you'll find that there are many variables that affect price. In my rotation I have an $18 Chinese-made razor that shaves as well as my $100-$200 razors. However, the Chinese razor has little aesthetic appeal -- something my more expensive razors have in abundance.
