Need an explanation of travel phenomenom.

[tvphotog]

Explain me this, guys. I went on a 20 day trip recently to Europe. Aside from the mental anguish of spending money at $1.58 to the Euro!...I found something positive that I cannot replicate here...a daily BBS shave without irriation.

I was using T&H Rose cream, my standard Merkur HD and Crystal blades. After about a week, I realized I was getting the above close shaves without the need for alum, without any irritation. When I can back home, I started to get neck irritation, weepers on the neck and a general irritation over my face.

Different water? Subconscious tension at getting back to work and putting more pressure on the head? I tried hard to prevent the latter, but to no avail.

I should add that I have two HD's...one that I travel with and a second at home. Could there be such a difference between two of the identical razor model?

 

[mace]

Explain me this, guys. I went on a 20 day trip recently to Europe.

Did You visit all of the roughly 69+ nations, provinces, overseas territories, dependecies, etc, etc, or just stay in one or two countries

I was thinking that it might help to know the countries visited but as I write this I realise that even the southern part of little Sweden have water going from soft to very hard, so.....

The joy of being on vacation (ignoring $-euro) combined with the change of razor perhaps??

I'll send You some water if You want

mace

 

[SepticTank]

The obvious thing to try is your travel razor instead of your home razor... if that makes no difference then something else about the shave must be the answer - quite possibly the water. (I know from spending a couple of days at my in-laws left me with heaps of scum on my razor, which over time must make a difference, but in a couple of days no discernible difference - the only thing changed there was the water)

 

[tvphotog]

Did You visit all of the roughly 69+ nations, provinces, overseas territories, dependecies, etc, etc, or just stay in one or two countries

I was thinking that it might help to know the countries visited but as I write this I realise that even the southern part of little Sweden have water going from soft to very hard, so.....

The joy of being on vacation (ignoring $-euro) combined with the change of razor perhaps??

I'll send You some water if You want

mace

France and Italy were the places I got to. I think I'll just have to visit Sweden to try the water, I think that's a good excuse to go.

 

[BatNastard]

I think the water is the most obvious variable if all other things are equal. That or the food is so good you have a steadier hand...

 

[tclevela]

I'll reply with the dumb guy answer.

You were so focused on living in the moment (being in Europe) that you forgot to focus on your shave. Meaning every morning you just 'shaved' without thinking about it. I know it reads Zen like but that's my guess. I lived in Germany for a couple of years and their tap water is lousy! So it wasn't a change in water for the better.

 

[JackinNC]

Its gotta be the razor. Even among the same make and model, even a modest difference in how the head closes and the blade bends will make one razor more aggressive than the other.

My guess is that your travel HD will give you a BBS at home, despite being bored by the common, everyday surroundings.

Jack

 

[talibeard]

Water can turn from soft to hard within a 10 km (6 mile) radius. My guess too is that the difference is in the razor.That, or the mystic Old World magic at work here.
My bet is on the razor!

 

[huntmol]

I've also heard that the humidity makes a large difference in a shave to some people. Maybe you went from an area with high humidity to low?

 

[tvphotog]

For those of you who suggested that it was the razor, you were right. I checked the razor I was using at home (as opposed to the one I enjoyed on the trip.) The blade was being held at a slant, with one corner of each edge protruding about 1-2mm more than the other.

I called the vendor who immediately suggested an exchange, which I will do. I had also ordered a gold plated HD, which I found held the blade straight, but with one edge extended 2mm on one side and 3-4 on the other. I am returning that for exchange as well.

My question is how bad is the QC on Merkur razors? Bad I suspect. The vendor promised he would check head alignment before sending the replacements.

I really like the HD shave. It's a shame it's going to be hard to reproduce it.

 

[polod]

Yes, I agree, Merkur makes some great razors, like the HD my favorite, but they really have to step up the QC and possible make the razor out of better materials, then they would have a winner for sure. I love the look, feel and shaves I get from the HD. The biggest problem Merkur has is the plating issue, a lot of times, seams, and flakes of metal after casting aren't properly removed when they buff the parts after casting. This leaves fine flakes around seams especially the edges on the head of the razor, razor threaded post, then the plating goes over these flakes, the flakes come off very easily, exposing the bare metal underneath. This problem only applies to the heads of the razor, haven't seen any problems with the handles or knobs.