Can't explain it. I put a new Ted Pella-Personna blade in it, and fought with it the whole time. First and second pass left way too much stubble for the third pass, so I put it down and finished with another razor. The only difference was I had a two day growth instead of the typical one, but my beard is not extremely thick. I double checked the blade, and it was seated correctly. I'll give that razor another shot, but not for awhile.
Feather makes blades for the GEM? I didn't know that. You should try Personna/Gem blades in it, and hold the razor's head against your face while shaving.
Dang! I meant Personnas. Had no problems with the Damaskeene. This Micromatic is a puzzle. Maybe I'll switch to another new blade, and repeat...
I fail with most things on my first try. Usually I have to work at something new for quite a while before becoming proficient.
I have used three different Micromatic's--the "bullet tip", the open comb, and the Clog-pruf. The bullet tip was too mild. I need a certain level of efficiency for my razor to use effectively or else I have to go over the same area multiple times, which is never good. The open comb is great but I found it to be the most aggressive of the bunch, requiring more care during use. Not a daily shaver but works great for a week's worth of beard. The Clog-pruf is just about the perfect balance for me. Of the few SE blades available for these razors, the GEM PTFE is mandatory. No other blade has come close to providing the same sharpness and smoothness. The carbon steel blades are uncomfortable for me. Key to successful technique when I use one is maintaining an extremely shallow angle, with the razor cap just a bit off the skin surface. Anything steeper and it begins pulling and gets uncomfortable. Good luck.
I use a Gem blade in my Clog Pruf. Keep the angle shallow. The instructions actually says to lie the head flat against the skin, but I find this ineffective. Start there, but lower the handle until you just sense the blade. This is a good starting position. The MMOC's are terrific shavers and with the right blade and practice, will afford you a great shave.
Microadjustments in your angle seem to be more critical with SEs than with DEs, so experiments are often required before nailing one down. Then, with practice, muscle memory for each one becomes automatic and each provides a unique and enjoyable experience. "The technique trumps the tool. Always." Obi-Who Kenosha, Star Track, 1976.
I'm going to pay more attention to the angle. I left so much stubble every pass, I must have just been scraping the tops of the whiskers from too steep an angle. That's all I can figure.
After my first two shaves with the MMOC razor, I wasn't sure if I'd keep using it. The shaves were a bit rough, but after using a combination of the razor head flat on my face, and slightly changing the angle, I now get nice BBS shaves with it. It's just a matter of technique, which for each shaver can be different.
Not sure I have your patience. I used it again this afternoon for the second worst shave of my life. Only slightly better, but I only had a single day's growth. Way too much growth left behind on the first two passes. I finished with my now trusty Schick L Gold Tone. Like betting on a one horse race with that razor. I'm keeping my eye out for more of those. The other issue with the Micro is it's about useless under my nose. I have a goatee/mustache with space between the mustache and my nose. No way that big head can get in there at any but the most steep angle. So, this razor will be going on the shelf for the foreseeable future. I'll be trying my other Super Speed tomorrow, and a couple other new acquisitions after that.
It's possible that your skin, not being accustomed to what the Micromatic can do, was still somewhat raw today. So while our tips may have improved your technique a bit, your face still wasn't ready for it. Go ahead and park it for a while but don't give up on it yet. Come back to it in a few months or so. Guaranteed it'll be a whole different experience.
Is the Micromatic that much different from the Damaskeene? The Damaskeene was a nice shave. I wonder if the blade itself was the problem? Can you get a bum blade?
A bad blade can happen. But the MMOC is a much more aggressive razor than the Damaskeene, or any other 1912 type, IMHO.
When you guys say "more aggressive", does that mean that more of the razor blade is actually exposed?
This is just one guy's thoughts but you sound familiar to me. When it comes to SEs, I finally settled on the 1924, which I don't recommend to you for the same reason you're wisely putting the MMOC on hold: like the Micromatic, the 1924 ranks near the top in aggressiveness yet is also staggeringly efficient. They both just need learned, which demands patient experience. The reason I share this: around 15 years ago the '24 is the very first vintage razor I ever tried. Guess what? I was too eager and it tore me up bloody. I was used to Schick disposables and, honestly, was totally clueless. So I swore off of the' 24. Hated it. Yes, even feared it. It was "a bad razor" and none of the (back then) Old Timers could tell me otherwise. Then about four years ago I reassessed it in light of my vastly improved technique. Now the '24 my #1 single edge razor, hands down, proving that the razor was never the problem. My inexperience was. Long story short, your posts about the MMOC remind me of my very first posts here about the '24. So don't write anything off at this point. Different tools require different learning curves. + + + In the meantime, for the best mix of efficiency and comfort you can't go wrong with your Damaskeene or (not to throw gas on your RAD but I will anyway) the 1914 with "Lift Here" stamped on both sides of the curved hood. They're tops in the efficiency+comfort category, imo. I have most of the other usual Gems and Ever-Readies but they're all relatively mild and/or less efficient and/or unweildy for me to enjoy so they don't see much use.
