Wow! Testing an unknown blade in and unknown ER14. My ER14 was rough on me initially. However, I have since tamed it by learning about riding the cap. Glad you got an acceptable shave with that combo.
Thursday's Shave Proraso Pre Shave Ingram JR #257 Synthetic Micromatic OC Personna Gem CS Personna Pal CS CWR Thayer's Lemon WH Florida Water I started off with Proraso Pre Shave. The Ingram Shaving Cream face-lathered well with the JR #257 Synthetic brush. I did two passes with the Micromatic OC Razor using a Personna Gem and Pal CS SE blades and ended up with a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayer's Lemon WH and then Florida Water AS. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed... This is day four of the blade test. I used both blades again one for each pass, so it is the equivalent of two two-pass shaves for each blade for me. So far the blades have performed well. Maybe not as smooth as a PTFE coated blade, but they are getting the job done without blood or irritation. Tomorrow I am going to go with the Gem by itself in the MMCP. The weekend is for straights and my Gem Jr. with vintage Gem Jr. blades. I will return to testing Monday.
I will shave again tomorrow with the blade but not with the razor. This is suppose to be about the blades so I will use the blade in my Superior 1900, a known razor. The '14 has issues that I have to work on. Though it may have to wait till I get my shaving gear unpacked. Have you stropped your CS blades at all? The blades you are testing from Andrew.
I belly strop my CS blades. I don't know if it helps, but it does insure that the blades are dry before I put them back in the razor.
Jus for the record I feel the same way about the PAL blades. Love them the best even though other blades are just as good. Just because I do. So second shave with the PAL. It did not get any smoother. I have a hi class DFS just like from any good blade but it was rough. No irritation problems though. Used Williams and a OCMM today.
I ask because I found stropping a scrapper blade in my Ever Ready Stropping Machine made it very smooth and useable.
I tried the first stainless blade in the 1912 tonight. Across the street I posted my SOTD, The shave was better than the CVS blades, but there was a bit more tugging. I had about a day and a half growth, so that may account for some of it.
2 February Pre-Shave: Hot Shower Brush: Brush XIV, GarnerPW, 25mm Fan Synthetic Soap: Arko/Williams mix, Homemade stick Razor: Superior 1900 Handle: jayaruh Reproduction Blade: PAL (2) Post-Shave: Cold Water rinse, OSMA Alum block and Clubman Aftershave Photo: Todays shave was better then the last though it still was not very smooth. I did a three passes that left me with a great all the way around shave. I should have my bathroom back next week. At that time I will start stropping the blades to see if that helps with the smoothness.
Friday's Shave Proraso Pre Shave Ingram Oscar11 Synthetic Micromatic Clog Pruf Personna Gem CS Personna Pal CS CWR Thayer's Lemon WH Florida Water I started off with Proraso Pre Shave. The Ingram Shaving Cream face-lathered well with the Oscar11 Synthetic brush. I did two passes with the Micromatic Clog Pruf Razor using the Personna Gem and SE blade and ended up with a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayer's Lemon WH and then Florida Water AS. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed... Day five of the testing. I used only the GEM blade today. It did a fine job with no issues. I cleaned it and belly stropped it before putting it away. I am done with testing for the week. Thanks, Andrew, for the opportunity to try your blades.
The Stainless steel blade, in the 1912, and the Featherweight just simply did not seem to cut. I was experiencing tugging and pulling the entire time. I had a day and a half growth, again this time, but with the cvs blade, the tugging and pulling was almost eliminated. I will test the Carbon Steel blade this week. Probably for the Wednesday, and Next Sunday Shave for camera at least.
I've tested the PAL blades, they didn't work for me. I thought maybe one blade was a dud and used the other PAL with same results. It was a lot of tugging despite the 1912 Razor being my go to that never lets me down. Not comfortable. The Gem CS, not a problem with them and quite the opposite performance. Smooth and easy shaves with no irritation.
I have had two more shaves with the PAL blade in my Superior 1900. Sorry no pictures or write up on the equipment used. But wanted to pass along my finding. Shaves 3&4 with the PAL blade. The blade was still a little tuggy on shave number 3 but smoothed out on shave number 4. My feeling is that the PAL blades are not as good as the PAL Super Blades that come in the pack of 5. I will be trying the other PAL blade once I get my bathroom back and can get to my stropping machine.
BTW, both of the blades that I sent to were carbon steel. I just labeled the Gem so as it didn't get confused with other gem blades that you may have.
@Linuxguile I am sorry to report that after two passes on the fifth shave the PAL blade was no longer cutting it, literally. I still had whiskers that I was able to see in the mirror. I finished off the shave with a GEM Push Button a PAL Super blade.
Lmao, I got confused. I'll do better in the future! Tonight's shave was better using the GEM blade. No irration, and as I posted across the street, bbs. The GEM seemed to cut much better, I did only have one day of growth, so that may be part of it, but I don't suspect that to be the case. I'll follow up with the 1912 ever ready tomorrow to confirm.