Shave #1
Test set up as described here.
Brush = Vie-Long horse
Cream = Body Shop Maca Root
That's a combination that gives me masses of great creamy lather, and this time, bowl lathering, it was no exception.
Pass 1, WTG: Both blades clearly very sharp and smooth, with really not much difference between them. If anything, Red (right side of my face) was a little smoother than Black (left), but hard to be sure. I nicked the top off a tiny zit on the right side.
Pass 2, XTG: Couldn't tell any difference at all - nice smooth pass from both.
Pass 3, ATG: In this pass, Black seemed a little less sharp, as I felt more resistance than from Red - but the difference was pretty small, and if I'd shaved with the two blades a day apart, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Closeness: On just these three passes, Red shaved me closer than Black, without a doubt - feeling against the grain in particular, there is more stubble left on the left side of my face than the right (though in absolute terms, there's not very much) - on a normal shave, Black would have needed more buffing than Red to finish off.
Comfort: Usually I would use an AS splash or balm just as soon as I'd done my cold rinse and patted my face dry, but I'm deliberately waiting 10-15 minutes for these tests. Interestingly, on the right, I can just about feel the presence of the beheaded zit, and no irritation other than that - but there's a slight bit of irritation on my left cheek. Pre-AS, Red left me slightly more comfortable.
AS:Good splash of Arko Aqua AS, and the same fairly low level of tingle/sting on each side (it's a high-alcohol splash). No indication of more discomfort on one side or the other - if I'd splashed the AS straight away, I'd have concluded equal comfort from both blades.
Test set up as described here.
Brush = Vie-Long horse
Cream = Body Shop Maca Root
That's a combination that gives me masses of great creamy lather, and this time, bowl lathering, it was no exception.
Pass 1, WTG: Both blades clearly very sharp and smooth, with really not much difference between them. If anything, Red (right side of my face) was a little smoother than Black (left), but hard to be sure. I nicked the top off a tiny zit on the right side.
Pass 2, XTG: Couldn't tell any difference at all - nice smooth pass from both.
Pass 3, ATG: In this pass, Black seemed a little less sharp, as I felt more resistance than from Red - but the difference was pretty small, and if I'd shaved with the two blades a day apart, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
Closeness: On just these three passes, Red shaved me closer than Black, without a doubt - feeling against the grain in particular, there is more stubble left on the left side of my face than the right (though in absolute terms, there's not very much) - on a normal shave, Black would have needed more buffing than Red to finish off.
Comfort: Usually I would use an AS splash or balm just as soon as I'd done my cold rinse and patted my face dry, but I'm deliberately waiting 10-15 minutes for these tests. Interestingly, on the right, I can just about feel the presence of the beheaded zit, and no irritation other than that - but there's a slight bit of irritation on my left cheek. Pre-AS, Red left me slightly more comfortable.
AS:Good splash of Arko Aqua AS, and the same fairly low level of tingle/sting on each side (it's a high-alcohol splash). No indication of more discomfort on one side or the other - if I'd splashed the AS straight away, I'd have concluded equal comfort from both blades.