Picture: Fat handle Gillette Tech from eBay
First of all, have you noticed yet that young people are pronouncing "vs." (versus) as "verse"? As in poetry. "Packers verse Chiefs was a great game." It seems dopey to me, but then I'm sure young people of every generation since humans dressed in skins have preferred to do things their elders consider jejune. I'm sure I did.
Comparing my Gillette Tech with my Tatara Masamune—merely my impressions—the Masamune is marvelous to shave with, if you like nonthreatening experiences as I do. It is supremely gentle and extraordinarily smooth, "like shaving with no blade in the razor" as they say. I feel like I can't hurt myself (and in fact haven't yet) and it's gentle on my blemishes where I have to be careful. Satisfying and easy.
The Gillette (I have several, but my main one is a 1939-46 replated by Matt P. at Razor Emporium) is a bit pedestrian by comparison, during the actual shave. More blade feel, a bit more nimble but not as comfortable ATG.
However, even comparing the Tech with a Kai blade on its seventh shave and the Masamune with a fresh Gillette Platinum, the Tech is markedly more efficient. The shave with the Tatara, post-shave, feels a bit like that state with the Tech/Kai five hours after the shave when my whiskers are just beginning to come in again and the "BBS" feel disappears. Of course the Tatara shave is close enough to look good for the day. I do only two passes and a second pass only in some places; I did a full second pass with the Tatara but not a third. Maybe with a third pass it would come closer to the face-feel of the Tech/Kai.
Curious: the Tech/Kai is so efficient that even with 1 1/2 passes, I just don't need a shave the next morning, despite the fact that I prefer to shave every day. The Masamune shave leaves it in less doubt that a shave the next morning would be a sensible idea.
My goal is primarily to be easy on my face, as I have sensitive skin and am prone to irritation. I feel like it might be the most sensible course to shave with the Masamune and a new blade every day. A super-easy good-enough shave that's ready to be restored the next morning. But I will admit to being seduced by the efficiency and excellent closeness of the synergistic Tech/Kai combination. They seem to go together so well, and I do love the fact that when checking WTG I get BBS, which is close enough for me and then some.
Rationally the Masamune is ideal for me. Yet I love the Tech/Kai combo.
MtG
P.S. Note that a Kai does not fit in the Masamune. The center hole in the blade is too small to go down over the threads on the post of the top cap. It's a shame, because the slight extra width of the Kai might improve the Masamune just that little bit more.
Note also that I shave with oil, which I believe has a bit of a protective effect compared to lather. The thing I love best about oil is that my post-shave is two gentle rinses with cold water, blot dry, and done. I actually feel like shaving is good for my face now.
