mojocracker
09-28-2011, 10:34 AM
Having been in full in DE addiction for 19 months now, I have kept a record of all the different DE razors that I have tried.
My preferences have emerged based on shaving results in a quasi-controlled setting, doing my best to manage variables of cream/soap, blade, age and shaving pass-method.
The two favorites that have emerged for me, '30s Gillette New Long Comb and '75 Gillette black handle SS, would seem, at first brush, to be wildly different razors.
Curiously, what the two instruments have in common is a weight around 50 grams. (50 for the New 49 for the Blackie) and a fairly aggressive blade presence.
The other SS's that I tried (all colors from the '50s) gave relatively mediocre shaves and weighed in between 56 and 59 grams, except the aluminum handled blue which weighed 47g but exposed way too little blade for a pleasingly close shave.
My theory is that 50 grams and high blade exposure gives me the best shave. The Blackies, and others have confimed this are more aggressive than the early SS's, even the Red Tip. My guess is this is because cartridges had been introduced by then or it is just happenstance.
Anyone have any other theories?
The Toggle, the Slim, the Jagger DL89 and others in my rothation all deliver excellent shaves. But the finest, easiest and most complete shaving experience for me is with one of those 50g puppies, tilting toward the humble plate-worn long-comb New that is my absolute favorite. It is my "desert island" razor, so to speak.
Of course, YMMV
My preferences have emerged based on shaving results in a quasi-controlled setting, doing my best to manage variables of cream/soap, blade, age and shaving pass-method.
The two favorites that have emerged for me, '30s Gillette New Long Comb and '75 Gillette black handle SS, would seem, at first brush, to be wildly different razors.
Curiously, what the two instruments have in common is a weight around 50 grams. (50 for the New 49 for the Blackie) and a fairly aggressive blade presence.
The other SS's that I tried (all colors from the '50s) gave relatively mediocre shaves and weighed in between 56 and 59 grams, except the aluminum handled blue which weighed 47g but exposed way too little blade for a pleasingly close shave.
My theory is that 50 grams and high blade exposure gives me the best shave. The Blackies, and others have confimed this are more aggressive than the early SS's, even the Red Tip. My guess is this is because cartridges had been introduced by then or it is just happenstance.
Anyone have any other theories?
The Toggle, the Slim, the Jagger DL89 and others in my rothation all deliver excellent shaves. But the finest, easiest and most complete shaving experience for me is with one of those 50g puppies, tilting toward the humble plate-worn long-comb New that is my absolute favorite. It is my "desert island" razor, so to speak.
Of course, YMMV