Anyway on with the shave!
Razor 1 F4 Toggle
Razor 2 E2 Fatboy
Blades - Feather
Soap - Stirling Barbershop
Brush - Fine Stout
Aftershave - Stirling Barbershop
Bowl - Fine
Decided to do a 3 pass shave using short strokes as its been a while since I shaved with the FB and only the 2nd time shaving with a Toggle. I decided to use Feather blades in both razors and be set both on #7 setting to start off with. This kind of make things even and I'd adjust them if needed as I go along. So loaded the blades and whipped up a nice bowl full of thick yogurt like lather. Really like Stirling soap and the Barbershop is one of my favorites in that line.
Pass 1 - WTG: Like I mentioned what I'm using is what I call a short stroke progressive beard reeducation technique and I have two different techniques I like to use this one is more traditional and moves only in the direction that is mentioned so WTG. I started with the Fatboy on my right side and I'm thinking I picked the right setting for me as I had 3 days growth so it had some hair to mow down and it did just that. I notice right away that this Fatboy is a little smoother or should I say has a little better glide than my other standard E2 and my belief it's because of the Rhodium plating which has less friction than Nickel and certainly unpolished brass IMO. Anyway it was a nice pass and the Fatboy had quiet elevator music like feedback as it moved across my face. So nice pass but I've had closer. So on to the Toggle and it was my pre - shave evaluation these two would give me a very similar shave so I expected a duplicate of what I got from the Fatboy. Well first off the Toggle was not singing elevator music but more like 80's rock! The audible feedback was load and it took me completely by surprise. It felt more efficient than the Fatboy as it took down my 3 day growth and although it didn't feel as comfortable in hand as the Fatboy it didn't take me long to get the feel for it as I stopped for a moment and found the balance point on the handle and went back at the shave and it was much better from then on. So concluding the 1st pass. I rinsed and felt the face and I had less stubble on the Toggle side.
Pass 2 - XTG: This pass was ear to nose and again I started with the Fatboy and again nice an quiet but the pass went easy and the Fatboy was a little more maneuverable under my nose than the Toggle but not by a lot but noticeably so. I made a little mistake near my earlobe and nicked myself but a quick seal up with a sceptic pen stopped it cold and I guess it was really small cause it never surfaced again during the shave. Also I haven't used Feathers in a while as I've been using Kai and Polsilver when using a DE razor lately so I felt that little bit of sharp drag that I get with a Feather but so far so good. On to the Toggle.. Once again it was singing like Steve Perry high and smooth and not as loud as the first pass but certainly loader than the Fatboy. At this time I was thinking to myself am I being fair on the settings? are they both comparable on setting #7 or should one be on lets say 5 and the other on 7 for example to do a far comparison but I thought maybe when I post up this shave comparison some members who have more shave time on both razors can voice their experience as far as setting compatibility goes between the two razors so I left them both on #7. Finished the pass and once again less stubble on the Toggle side. So again I'm questioning myself on the settings but I'm this for into it and I decided to finish on this setting.
Pass 3 - XTG: Nose to ear, this pass went faster as there was lest hair to take down and I felt like I could take some longer strokes on this pass. I was happy that so far I wasn't feeling any irritation on either side cause sometimes Feathers can give me a little. The Fatboy was almost dead silent feedback wise on this pass while the Toggle was still singing but more like a soft ballad now. Finished the pass and rinsed and felt my face and based on the way it felt I thought I wonder if the Toggle will pick up a little more hair if I go over the Fatboy side and low and behold it did and because of that I ended up with a BBS what I call level 1 shave on both sides. So to conclude in this shave comparison the Toggle was the winner and I have to say I was surprised as I thought prior to the shave if someone had asked me I'd have probably said the Fatboy would come out in first place in a shave off .. These two are not daily drivers and will go back in the display case for a while before pulling them out again. An for those that know me and are wondering no that was NOT the NIB Toggle I have. That one stays in the display case.
UPDATE: Just noticed the dust on the doors of the Fatboy that must have fell off the plant. My bad for not seeing it before I posted it..oh well it's my OCD setting in..LOL
Any feedback on my settings that I mentioned is greatly appreciated as I'd like to hear other members experiences with these two razors and maybe some thoughts on blades used or not used.
Thank you!
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