The Wanderer's Journey

[AimlessWanderer]

34 hour growth

Brush: Edwin Jagger 19mm best badger
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

This brush is definitely starting to break in. Not only is the scritch increasing (it really felt quite prickly today), but the knot is starting to feel larger too. That prickly feeling will fade in a few more shaves, and the knot isn't feeling so large as to be cumbersome, just... more full, but without adversely affecting the flow.

Very promising. I think this is definitely the right brush to run solo next month.

Razor: Game Changer 68
Blade: New Lord Platinum



I walked into the bathroom, looked at the razor containing the Shark Super Stainless, and thought "nope, don't want that". Nor did I fancy using another unknown plain stainless blade. So I went straight back to the bedroom and fished out a new pack of untried platinum blades.

I switched back to the Game Changer 68 for the first shave, as I didn't want to be trying an unknown blade in a largely unknown razor. I know the 68 well enough, to gauge whether I can tolerate more bite or not. However, this first shave suggests there should be absolutely no qualms about moving to the 84-P tomorrow, so long as the eyes and fingers are working well enough to be handling naked blades.

This is not a super sharp blade, but certainly far better than the Shark blade I used yesterday. It strikes me as a middle of the road comfortable blade, rather like Derby Extra, Gillette Platinum, or SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium, which will both give me 8 to 10 great shaves. Sometimes more. The Gillette Platinum will typically last longer, but generally won't feel any sharper. Were this Lord blade any sharper, I would be tempted to keep it in the 68-P for longer, but it feels perfectly safe to move to the wider mouth razor straight away.

A very enjoyable shave indeed. I am glad to have put the Shark behind me, and moved onto something that feels like a proper razor blade again.

Back in the land of happy shaves.

Good to be home again.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

So the "new blades" shave tally for 2024...

Derby Usta - 20 shaves
Lord Classic stainless - 9 shaves
Shark Super Stainless - 4 shaves
Shark Super Stainless (2nd try) - 2 shaves

 

[Eric_75]

34 hour growth

Brush: Edwin Jagger 19mm best badger
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

This brush is definitely starting to break in. Not only is the scritch increasing (it really felt quite prickly today), but the knot is starting to feel larger too. That prickly feeling will fade in a few more shaves, and the knot isn't feeling so large as to be cumbersome, just... more full, but without adversely affecting the flow.

Very promising. I think this is definitely the right brush to run solo next month.

Razor: Game Changer 68
Blade: New Lord Platinum

View attachment 1796703

I walked into the bathroom, looked at the razor containing the Shark Super Stainless, and thought "nope, don't want that". Nor did I fancy using another unknown plain stainless blade. So I went straight back to the bedroom and fished out a new pack of untried platinum blades.

I switched back to the Game Changer 68 for the first shave, as I didn't want to be trying an unknown blade in a largely unknown razor. I know the 68 well enough, to gauge whether I can tolerate more bite or not. However, this first shave suggests there should be absolutely no qualms about moving to the 84-P tomorrow, so long as the eyes and fingers are working well enough to be handling naked blades.

This is not a super sharp blade, but certainly far better than the Shark blade I used yesterday. It strikes me as a middle of the road comfortable blade, rather like Derby Extra, Gillette Platinum, or SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium, which will both give me 8 to 10 great shaves. Sometimes more. The Gillette Platinum will typically last longer, but generally won't feel any sharper. Were this Lord blade any sharper, I would be tempted to keep it in the 68-P for longer, but it feels perfectly safe to move to the wider mouth razor straight away.

A very enjoyable shave indeed. I am glad to have put the Shark behind me, and moved onto something that feels like a proper razor blade again.

Back in the land of happy shaves.

Good to be home again.

I've never got along with Lord Platinum blades. I've tried them in different razors from several different batches and they never felt right to me. Ah, well.

 

[Jay21]

I’ve only tried two Skark blades: Platinum and Chrome. I bought the Platinum for Shark Week at the recommendation of this website and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a nice blade and is much better for me than the Chrome. It also follows the pattern of those who like the Platinum are more unlikely to like the Chromes or Stainless. YMMV and maybe the Platinum will work better for you than the Stainless. Based on what I’ve read, I have no desire to ever try the Stainless.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've never got along with Lord Platinum blades. I've tried them in different razors from several different batches and they never felt right to me. Ah, well.

Blades are ridiculously subjective.

Some folks consider the Gillette Platinum to be like a lightsabre, and the pre-2017 Derby Extra to be like shaving with a teaspoon, whereas they both feel like they're on the same playing field to me. I think the only way I might try the rest of the Shark Super Stainless again, is snapped in half in the Dovo shavette. Even then, I'm not entirely convinced I'll enjoy them.

So far, my thoughts on Lord blades generally, is they they are middle of the road. Not dreadful (bar that last pack), and not exceptional, just comfortably acceptable.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I’ve only tried two Skark blades: Platinum and Chrome. I bought the Platinum for Shark Week at the recommendation of this website and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a nice blade and is much better for me than the Chrome. It also follows the pattern of those who like the Platinum are more unlikely to like the Chromes or Stainless. YMMV and maybe the Platinum will work better for you than the Stainless. Based on what I’ve read, I have no desire to ever try the Stainless.

I might have gotten a bit of a duff pack. I have certainly had better plain stainless blades from that factory. I won't be rushing out to get another pack of them to try though. There are just far too many more enjoyable alternatives.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

38 hour growth.

Brush: Edwin Jagger 19mm best badger
Soap: Wickham Cashmere
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

That was the final shave of this serving. I need to rummage through the soap drawer, and pick out something that's not too potently scented, to run me through next month's fixed four. Possibly one of the Phoenix and Beau soaps I haven't started yet.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (2nd shave)

Back to the 84, now that I know the blade is safe to be there. Very pleasant shave. I think this blade benefits from being in the slightly wider mouthed razor.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

23 hour growth.

Brush: Edwin Jagger 19mm best badger
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Iceni
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

After rinishing the Wickham's Cashmere serving yesterday, I needed a nice simple scented soap to stick with through March. I opened and stuck my nose in Collider, Interlinked, and Iceni, three Phoenix and Beau soaps that I haven't tried yet. Iceni was the cleanest scent. A simple citrus, musk and resin scented soap. So I served up a heaped teaspoonful. If that doesn't see me through all next month, it is no hardship to serve up a little extra.

It yielded a pleasant and unobtrusive scent, and the usual great performance. That'll do nicely.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (3rd shave)

Very easy shave today. Not super close. I can "find" some hints of remaining stubble if I search hard enough, but it was comfortable and effortless. I may have slightly overshaved in a small area on the right hand side, due to my autopilot not factoring in that I'm not using the 68-P head. No harm done though, just a little friendly reminder that I have yet to discover the operating boundaries of this new razor.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

23 hour growth.

Brush: Vulfix No.10
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Conventional Bowl Lathering

I went back to this cheapo brush today, because I didn't want to tire of the Jagger too soon, if I am to be using it all next month. The brush really did feel cheap today, and bore testament to every pound I didn't spend on it. I have read some scathing reports of the Vulfix London Series mixed brushes, and I can only assume that those poor individuals got one like this (but thankfully all my London series brushes are very good).

it feels like a full brush when dry, but when wet, it feels like half the bristles are absent. Yet it still delivers the lather. So while it feels cheap, it still does the job. That said, I think the bristles are clumping weirdly, even with a near liquid load. I have combed it, and will continue to do so, as I have a suspicion it will stop doing that in time, and the bristles will eventually start acting more independently. Maybe another shampoo might help...

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (4th shave)

Today's lather was good. Yesterday's was great. That does make a significant difference with this blade. Yesterday yielded a great shave. Today's was OK. The result is excellent, but the blade felt a little lacklustre along the way. Not dull. Not tugging. Just ... you know those people at work, who turn up on time every day, and always do a reliable job that you know will be up to standard each and every time, but they look damn miserable all the time they're doing it ... well, it feels like that.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Today's lather was good. Yesterday's was great. That does make a significant difference with this blade. Yesterday yielded a great shave. Today's was OK. The result is excellent, but the blade felt a little lacklustre along the way. Not dull. Not tugging. Just ... you know those people at work, who turn up on time every day, and always do a reliable job that you know will be up to standard each and every time, but they look damn miserable all the time they're doing it ... well, it feels like that.

I think that is why it's my favorite blade. In a blind test, I wouldn't be able to tell a New Lord Platinum from a Gillette Platinum.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I think that is why it's my favorite blade. In a blind test, I wouldn't be able to tell a New Lord Platinum from a Gillette Platinum.

I remember Gillette Platinum blades as being a little sharper than this one, and fairly long lasting. Too early for me to say how this one will compare for me. Once I hit 10 shaves, I should be able to make a better guess.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

49 hour growth.

Brush: Vulfix No.10
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Layering

I lathered with plain tap water today. No citric acid adjustments. The lather was better than yesterday. My water qulities do fluctuate, and no doubt my lather will let me know when I need to start adjusting it again. I took a slightly different tack of painting on a littly bit of pasty soap for the first layer, then going with a very wet lather for the second layer. That wasn't premeditated, just the chaos of the moment. It worked well though.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (5th shave)

The lather was better, and so the blade behaved better. No surprises there. I don't think it's going to be a favourite of mine, but it's comfortably in the realm of perfectly adequate.

 

[Raven Koenes]

I remember Gillette Platinum blades as being a little sharper than this one, and fairly long lasting. Too early for me to say how this one will compare for me. Once I hit 10 shaves, I should be able to make a better guess.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

About 55 hours growth, I think. All I know for certain, is the shave was sometime today, but before me typing this.

Brush: Vulfix No.10
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Bowl Lathered

This brush still doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up. It does seem to have started changing though. Sometimes it felt tired and worn out, like it had lost half its bristles, sometimes it felt quite plush and efficient, and occasionally an ineffective mop.

Yet somehow the lather was excellent.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (6th shave)

The blade felt very good today, but I don't know how much of that was just because the lather was so good today.

This is all despite a totally cack handed fumble, and rather cringingly dropping the razor. Or maybe because of it. Maybe bouncing the razor off the rim of the sink and into the submerged ceramic lather bowl, will become the new "blade corking".

The klutz-drastic handling, less than enchanting blade and brush, and attention span which today seems to be as short lived as a fart bubble in the bath, yielded a truly excellent shave.

I really don't know how I manage it, sometimes.

 

[thombrogan]

This brush still doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up.

Same and I’m 51

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Maybe bouncing the razor off the rim of the sink and into the submerged ceramic lather bowl, will become the new "blade corking".

You kinetically realigned the crystalline lattice of the steel. it's the next big thing

 

[AimlessWanderer]

You kinetically realigned the crystalline lattice of the steel. it's the next big thing

For a moment, I did think I might have made a crystalline lattice of my lather bowl...

 

[AimlessWanderer]

About 46 hours growth, I think.

Brush: Kent BLK4S Silvertex
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

I wasn't in the mood to continue wrestling with the Vulfix No.10 today, and I am saving the Jagger in Best for next month's fixed four. As such, I opted for the new Kent synthetic. Flawless performance and lather. Sometimes a change of brush can take a shave or two to adapt to. Not today. Everything was very intuitive, and it felt very luxurious in comparison to the No.10.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (7th shave)

Yesterday I said the blade felt particularly good. Today it felt even better. It started it's life feeling distinctly average, and has taken till the 6th and 7th shave to start feeling very good. So much so, that this razor (for maybe the first time), felt noticeable more hungry than it's 0.68mm gapped sibling. Probably because it was no longer having to compensate for blade deficiencies.

The gap didn't feel like it was too much, but maybe more than I need, or maybe just more than I am used to. I was on the cusp of feeling like I should probably back off a bit... but I never did. I'm now even more curious as to what it will feel like next month with a German Wilkie installed.

While the 84-P does certainly help an ailing blade regain a little lost efficiency, it also feels like it may allow a keen blade to make overshaving errors, which the 68-P would not. That's not a knock on either razor, rather more justification of the benefits of having both base plates to hand.

 

[blethenstrom]

About 46 hours growth, I think.

Brush: Kent BLK4S Silvertex
Soap: Phoenix and Beau Sanskrit
Method: Conventional Face Lathering

I wasn't in the mood to continue wrestling with the Vulfix No.10 today, and I am saving the Jagger in Best for next month's fixed four. As such, I opted for the new Kent synthetic. Flawless performance and lather. Sometimes a change of brush can take a shave or two to adapt to. Not today. Everything was very intuitive, and it felt very luxurious in comparison to the No.10.

Razor: Game Changer 84-P
Blade: New Lord Platinum (7th shave)

Yesterday I said the blade felt particularly good. Today it felt even better. It started it's life feeling distinctly average, and has taken till the 6th and 7th shave to start feeling very good. So much so, that this razor (for maybe the first time), felt noticeable more hungry than it's 0.68mm gapped sibling. Probably because it was no longer having to compensate for blade deficiencies.

The gap didn't feel like it was too much, but maybe more than I need, or maybe just more than I am used to. I was on the cusp of feeling like I should probably back off a bit... but I never did. I'm now even more curious as to what it will feel like next month with a German Wilkie installed.

While the 84-P does certainly help an ailing blade regain a little lost efficiency, it also feels like it may allow a keen blade to make overshaving errors, which the 68-P would not. That's not a knock on either razor, rather more justification of the benefits of having both base plates to hand.

This is what I did for the longest. Starting it with the .68p and then after a number of shaves switch to the .84p. It worked out like a charm.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

This is what I did for the longest. Starting it with the .68p and then after a number of shaves switch to the .84p. It worked out like a charm.

It's looking like it could be a prudent strategy for me too. Starting with a fresh Wilkinson Sword in the 84-P next month, could be confirmation.

I have no doubt I will be able to get a fantastic shave from that pairing when the grey matter is fully functional. I need to assess how safe I might feel with the 84-P and a keen blade, when my cognition and coordination are impaired.