This is exciting! I'm pulling for the Big Ben. I've never tried it, but I've liked every blade I've tried out of the Lord factory so far (Lord & Shark both in Super Stainless and Super Chrome). I think that factory makes some seriously good blades for very reasonable prices. $15/100 seems expensive for Lord blades. The Platinum is said to be their flagship and it goes for around $10-12/100 shipped.
Blade Wars: Big Ben Super Stainless vs. Rockwell
- Thread starter cw62803
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
I think I may have some of the Platinums around. I'm going to have to give them a try.
I haven't tried them yet, but they are on my list. The four I've tried are very close, but I'd rank them as Lord Super Stainless > Shark Super Stainless > Lord Super Chrome > Shark Super Chrome. I need more testing though. I liked the chromes less in mild razors, but they seem to shine in more aggressive ones.
I thought Shark Super Chrome's were some of the worst blades I've ever tried.
YMMV is absolutely true when it comes to blades.
YMMV is absolutely true when it comes to blades.
It really is, and like I said I don't like them that much in mild razors (Tech & EJ 89), but they were great in a FaTip Piccolo. Blades and razors are so YMMV it isn't funny. This is why we all have so many, right?
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- #26
Shave 5
Used some Noxema for a pre-shave.
Face lathered with my favorite cream, TOBS St. James, and a Semogue 2000 boar brush
blue razor=right side, silver razor=left side
Pass 1 - The blue razor had less drag than the silver
Pass 2 - My Semogue 2000 consumed the lather that was in it, so I added a dab of Nivea Sensitive cream on my face to get a good lather.
Blue: smooth
Silver: A little prickly.
Pass 3: (Another dab of Nivea)
Blue: great pass - smooth, could barely feel any resistance
silver: quite a bit of drag - not so great
winner: Blue
Followed with a splash of Pinaud VI Bay Rum and a dab of Bulldog Original balm. I have the day off today, and I thought about getting a barber shave. Don't get me wrong, I'm fond of my barber and I respect him. He has a great deal of training and 50 years of experience. But I can't imagine I'd get a better shave from him than I just gave myself. I tend to immerse myself into hobbies, and then completely drop them when I find a new one. I learned how to shave with my father's safety razor, but quickly switched to a Trac II as I was a lot smarter, cooler, and more with it than my old man. For convenience, I later switched to an electric razor, and used one for decades. I used to shave while driving to work. (Luckily, I didn't run anyone over.) I can't imagine dropping this hobby, though. My grandfather used a straight razor through his late 80s. I think I'll be using a single blade as long as I am physically capable.
Used some Noxema for a pre-shave.
Face lathered with my favorite cream, TOBS St. James, and a Semogue 2000 boar brush
blue razor=right side, silver razor=left side
Pass 1 - The blue razor had less drag than the silver
Pass 2 - My Semogue 2000 consumed the lather that was in it, so I added a dab of Nivea Sensitive cream on my face to get a good lather.
Blue: smooth
Silver: A little prickly.
Pass 3: (Another dab of Nivea)
Blue: great pass - smooth, could barely feel any resistance
silver: quite a bit of drag - not so great
winner: Blue
Followed with a splash of Pinaud VI Bay Rum and a dab of Bulldog Original balm. I have the day off today, and I thought about getting a barber shave. Don't get me wrong, I'm fond of my barber and I respect him. He has a great deal of training and 50 years of experience. But I can't imagine I'd get a better shave from him than I just gave myself. I tend to immerse myself into hobbies, and then completely drop them when I find a new one. I learned how to shave with my father's safety razor, but quickly switched to a Trac II as I was a lot smarter, cooler, and more with it than my old man. For convenience, I later switched to an electric razor, and used one for decades. I used to shave while driving to work. (Luckily, I didn't run anyone over.) I can't imagine dropping this hobby, though. My grandfather used a straight razor through his late 80s. I think I'll be using a single blade as long as I am physically capable.
Excellent CW. If there were a shaving barber near me I'd probably give it a go just to see what it was like (more about the 'pampering' probably than the actual shave itself).
When I was in the USMC the barbers always whipped out a straight and after applying foam shave cream, used it to clean up the edge of the haircut all the way around. As soon as I got out of the chair I just wanted to go take a nap! It was that relaxing.
When I was in the USMC the barbers always whipped out a straight and after applying foam shave cream, used it to clean up the edge of the haircut all the way around. As soon as I got out of the chair I just wanted to go take a nap! It was that relaxing.
- Thread starter
- #28
My barber still gives me the hot foam/straight razor treatment after a haircut. It's my favorite part.
The only time I've ever had a full barber shave was in the early 80s - my buddy's entire wedding party went. Now I don't know how rough things were for you at Parris Island, but let me tell you, it was brutal. I remember Sam the barber finishing me off with what I thought was Clubman, but was probably Super Unleaded or rocket fuel.
Anyway, I think I'm going to give a barber shave another go. A friend recently retired after 42 years of teaching, so I think I'll take him with me and treat him to a little luxury - he's earned it.
I hope it goes well. The luxury and hot towel part of it was wonderful. Unfortunately, I had a reaction to a chemical in the hot lather that both barbers used (they used something out of a machine). My face ended up red and somewhat itchy for hours afterwards. If I ever want someone to shave me again, I'll make sure they use a brush and shave soap. I don't trust those machines. I want someone to actually make real lather. (FWIW, I also react to cans of shaving foam and gel. I don't think the reaction part is that common.)
- Thread starter
- #31
No reveal yet. At this point, I'm not even sure which blade is wining. At first, the silver razor was giving me better shaves. Recently, the better shaves have come from the blue.
- Thread starter
- #32
Shave 6
Face lathered with TOBS Grapefruit cream - what a luxury!
Silver=right side, blue=left side
Pass 1 -silver: nice smooth passblue - tiny bit smoother
Pass 2 - Silver: OK - a little bit scratchy
Blue - nice and smooth
Winner by a small margin: Blue. It is as if these two blades switched place in the middle of the blade war.
Followed with some Thayer's lemon witch hazel and a splash of my homemade lemon/orange aftershave/tonic/cold cure/wart remover.
Face lathered with TOBS Grapefruit cream - what a luxury!
Silver=right side, blue=left side
Pass 1 -silver: nice smooth passblue - tiny bit smoother
Pass 2 - Silver: OK - a little bit scratchy
Blue - nice and smooth
Winner by a small margin: Blue. It is as if these two blades switched place in the middle of the blade war.
Followed with some Thayer's lemon witch hazel and a splash of my homemade lemon/orange aftershave/tonic/cold cure/wart remover.
Interesting as always on your blade wars. I personally have not tried either blade. It seems that Rockwell blades (unlike the razor) get mostly negative reviews.
- Thread starter
- #34
Oh what a beautiful mornin'
Oh what a beautiful day
I've got some new shaving products
Everything's goin' my way!
Oh, I'm sorry... are you there?
SHAVE 7
Face lathered with my brand new Stirling 26mm Finest Badger brush and Sterling Arkadia soap. Oh, the luxury. I don't go around smelling movie stars (YMMV,) but I smell like a movie star should. Arkadia is a Stirling's take on Terre d'Hermes, and it is absolutely divine.
Pass 1 - Blue: It seemed like the blade had to work hard to get through my beard. A little scrapey.
Silver: Some resistance, but it didn't seem to have as much difficulty cutting through my whiskers.
Pass 2 - Blue: smooth - very good pass.
Silver: Quite a bit of resistance and pull. It feels like this blade has just about had it.
Followed with RR Son of Zeus aftershave, which is also is scented like Terre D'Hermes. Finished with unscented Lubriderm moisturizer. I don't have a particularly close shave, but I smell great. My new badger is lovely and I don't think I've ever used a better soap than the Stirling I used this morning. I bought the replacement puck and pressed it into the bottom of a dollar-store bowl with a screw-on lid. I can't wait to use it again.
Oh what a beautiful day
I've got some new shaving products
Everything's goin' my way!
Oh, I'm sorry... are you there?
SHAVE 7
Face lathered with my brand new Stirling 26mm Finest Badger brush and Sterling Arkadia soap. Oh, the luxury. I don't go around smelling movie stars (YMMV,) but I smell like a movie star should. Arkadia is a Stirling's take on Terre d'Hermes, and it is absolutely divine.
Pass 1 - Blue: It seemed like the blade had to work hard to get through my beard. A little scrapey.
Silver: Some resistance, but it didn't seem to have as much difficulty cutting through my whiskers.
Pass 2 - Blue: smooth - very good pass.
Silver: Quite a bit of resistance and pull. It feels like this blade has just about had it.
Followed with RR Son of Zeus aftershave, which is also is scented like Terre D'Hermes. Finished with unscented Lubriderm moisturizer. I don't have a particularly close shave, but I smell great. My new badger is lovely and I don't think I've ever used a better soap than the Stirling I used this morning. I bought the replacement puck and pressed it into the bottom of a dollar-store bowl with a screw-on lid. I can't wait to use it again.
The Rockwell blades for me typically are rough initially and then smooth out. They also really change depending on the razor I use them in...
- Thread starter
- #36
SHAVE 8
I did a quick one-pass shave before leaving to do my night job.
Face lathered with Nivea Sensitive
The silver razor dragged again. I'm afraid it is kaput. The blue gave me another comfortable pass, and it is the comeback winner of the blade war. The silver started out better, but degraded faster. After a couple of less than excellent shaves, blue seemed to improve. I would recommend the silver for someone who does one or two shaves and then tosses the blade, but blue's longevity wins the day.
I'll open the razors up and reveal the winner when I get home from work.
I did a quick one-pass shave before leaving to do my night job.
Face lathered with Nivea Sensitive
The silver razor dragged again. I'm afraid it is kaput. The blue gave me another comfortable pass, and it is the comeback winner of the blade war. The silver started out better, but degraded faster. After a couple of less than excellent shaves, blue seemed to improve. I would recommend the silver for someone who does one or two shaves and then tosses the blade, but blue's longevity wins the day.
I'll open the razors up and reveal the winner when I get home from work.
- Thread starter
- #37
The Reveal
The winner between Rockwell and Big Ben
In a comeback victory
Due to its smooth shaves, particularly as time went on...
is
ROCKWELL!
The winner between Rockwell and Big Ben
In a comeback victory
Due to its smooth shaves, particularly as time went on...
is
ROCKWELL!
I was pretty sure that your experience mirrored my experience with the Rockwell blades...
- Thread starter
- #39
You called it!
Well this one drops me down to 2 for 4. I'm still not revisiting the Rockwell blades again though. They'll be part of a future "try your luck" PIF. Thanks again for doing these blade wars, they're nice little reads.
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