Brotherhood of the Open Comb

[Azarius]

Great post. I'll try that derby and R41 combo. Sounds interesting.

I have now done two shaves with the Derby in the 2011 R41. I am just loving that combo. I hated Derby blades in my TTO's, and never tried them in any of the open combs. I went to put a new blade into the R41, as I was not liking the SuperMax too much in it (and that is my go to blade). I seen a pack of Derby's in the drawer and figured "why not".

I was so shocked by the results that I called Ken immediately and told him "dude, you gotta try the Derby in your R41". I have been loving the 2010 R41 and to be honest, I was not that much in love with the 2011 model. Now I am thinking it may be the only razor I need, as nothing else compared to the closeness and comfort of this shave.

[bluesbishop]

I posted a article to our google plus page regarding making changes to your shave routine, you can find it here.

For those not signed up on google plus, here is the article:

Your Mileage May Vary

YMMV is one of the most common phrase heard on all of the shaving forums, and one thing anyone new to wet shaving will find out, is what works well for some people may not work well for you.

When trying anything new, remember to just change one variable at a time. A common mistake is trying a new razor with your new shave cream loaded with your new blade. So what happens if the results aren't as great as expected? what do you change? the Blade? the shave cream? Maybe it is that new razor?

We are all guilt of it, but changing things one item at a time is the only way to find that variable that work for that combination which may give the results you are looking for.

Another common mistake is discarding a product because it didn't work well with razor A or razor B. That shave cream you loathed with your adjustable may be just what the doctor ordered with your open comb. I learned that lesson today with a blade I had labelled as "the worse blade ever....dull and not worth shaving with"

My brother had shaved with a Derby blade yesterday, and my reaction is he must be nuts! In my Vintage TTO's and even in the Edwin Jagger DE89 I felt the blade to pull and tug. Today I loaded it into the Muhle R41 and was pleasantly surprised at the smoothness and comfort of my shave.

Not every blade, not every cream will feel the same in every razor. Some people believe that every combo of blades, creams, soaps should work well with every razor, but for me...( remember,,,YMMV) is that nearly ever razor has a sweet spot....a perfect combo for my face and beard type. That doesn't mean I can't use a variety of blades and creams with that razor, but for me, a combo that gives me that perfect balance of smooth and close without irritation.

There are some great product ou there today. In my opinion, we are in the Golden age of wet shaving. Experiment, try something new, enjoy. Because at the end of the shave, we are all just looking for the great shave that starts our day just a little bit better.

Shave well my friends, shave well!

[Snargle]

The last two mornings I shaved with a new combination: a replated (nickel) long comb Gillette NEW head matched with the new Tradere stainless steel handle (just received mine on Monday).

All I can say is WOW!!! Super nice shave, easy three pass BBS, no fuss, no muss, no whiskers. The handle feels great, outstanding balance and ergonomics, and the extra weight (a lot of extra compared to the NEW bar handle) really cranks the performance up a notch.

I can't wait for the release and shipment of the Tradere SS open comb razor head. If it's as good as the handle, it'll be an amazing razor.

[bluesbishop]

The last two mornings I shaved with a new combination: a replated (nickel) long comb Gillette NEW head matched with the new Tradere stainless steel handle (just received mine on Monday).

All I can say is WOW!!! Super nice shave, easy three pass BBS, no fuss, no muss, no whiskers. The handle feels great, outstanding balance and ergonomics, and the extra weight (a lot of extra compared to the NEW bar handle) really cranks the performance up a notch.

I can't wait for the release and shipment of the Tradere SS open comb razor head. If it's as good as the handle, it'll be an amazing razor.

Personally, I think the NEW with any of the after market handles is a hard to beat combo. I would love to try the tradere....but waiting to hear some reviews before I ould commit...that is alot of money for a razor...I can get alot of NEW, Oldtypes, and even a 1904 for that money!

[Azarius]

I posted a article to our google plus page regarding making changes to your shave routine, you can find it here.

For those not signed up on google plus, here is the article:

Your Mileage May Vary

YMMV is one of the most common phrase heard on all of the shaving forums, and one thing anyone new to wet shaving will find out, is what works well for some people may not work well for you.

When trying anything new, remember to just change one variable at a time. A common mistake is trying a new razor with your new shave cream loaded with your new blade. So what happens if the results aren't as great as expected? what do you change? the Blade? the shave cream? Maybe it is that new razor?

We are all guilt of it, but changing things one item at a time is the only way to find that variable that work for that combination which may give the results you are looking for.

Another common mistake is discarding a product because it didn't work well with razor A or razor B. That shave cream you loathed with your adjustable may be just what the doctor ordered with your open comb. I learned that lesson today with a blade I had labelled as "the worse blade ever....dull and not worth shaving with"

My brother had shaved with a Derby blade yesterday, and my reaction is he must be nuts! In my Vintage TTO's and even in the Edwin Jagger DE89 I felt the blade to pull and tug. Today I loaded it into the Muhle R41 and was pleasantly surprised at the smoothness and comfort of my shave.

Not every blade, not every cream will feel the same in every razor. Some people believe that every combo of blades, creams, soaps should work well with every razor, but for me...( remember,,,YMMV) is that nearly ever razor has a sweet spot....a perfect combo for my face and beard type. That doesn't mean I can't use a variety of blades and creams with that razor, but for me, a combo that gives me that perfect balance of smooth and close without irritation.

There are some great product ou there today. In my opinion, we are in the Golden age of wet shaving. Experiment, try something new, enjoy. Because at the end of the shave, we are all just looking for the great shave that starts our day just a little bit better.

Shave well my friends, shave well!

Great article bro, but you broke one of your own golden rules today, as you changed TWO hings today; A Derby and a cold water shave.

[bluesbishop]

Great article bro, but you broke one of your own golden rules today, as you changed TWO hings today; A Derby and a cold water shave.

No..not technically :) I had already did a pass with the R41 loaded with the Derby....so I knew how it performed before trying the cold water shave......you just gave away my next post!!!!! LOL

[jva59]

OK Gang (guys, blokes, chaps). I took the plunge. With the aid of nice user-grade new style purchased from a fellow B&B member, I shaved with an OC razor for the first time this morning. I'm tempted to try to add to the stock of abbreviations in which B&B already abounds. NBAL (not bad at all), PDG (pretty damn good). I thought it was terrific, and look forward to more OC shaves. Thanks for the advice and encouragement!

[Azarius]

Glad to hear that you had a PDG shave (or was it NBAL?) with the NEW.

[bluesbishop]

There are days I think I need more abbreviations than we have at B&B.
My best shave days are RFA ( really friggin awesome) my worst shave days are. TJPS (that just plain sucked) shaves that are ok are simply NTWHA ( nothing to write home about) and my smooth shaves are SAASA ( soft as a strippers ....)

There is only one abbreviation that I refuse to use.... SWMBO......to that one all I can say is really?? Didn't obey my ex for 20 yrs, not gonna start with the GF ( girl friend) now! Lol. And GF or wife is shorter to type then SWMBO!!

[Azarius]

...There is only one abbreviation that I refuse to use.... SWMBO......to that one all I can say is really?? Didn't obey my ex for 20 yrs, not gonna start with the GF ( girl friend) now! Lol. And GF or wife is shorter to type then SWMBO!!

There is a thread where this was brought up, starts here for the SWMBO part. I do not even like typing those letters in that sequence, I feel dirty and violated now.

If I had a wife which I had to ask permission for everything I purchased or did she would quickly become TOIPITWC (The One I Put In The Wood Chipper)

[April Dawn]

I just must snicker.. I wonder if a SWMBO wears the biggest panties in the house .

There is a thread where this was brought up, starts here for the SWMBO part. I do not even like typing those letters in that sequence, I feel dirty and violated now.

If I had a wife which I had to ask permission for everything I purchased or did she would quickly become TOIPITWC (The One I Put In The Wood Chipper)

[jva59]

Well don't hold SWMBO against H. Rider Haggard (or the Mortimer novels), which make terrific reading.

[Azarius]

I always felt that Anne Rice'sQueen Akasha (One of the two of "Those Who Must be Kept), was a rip off of Ayesha (She who must be obeyed). While it makes for good reading, it is a term I would never use for any woman.

I realize that it is meant as light hearted and fun, but it in my eyes, it shows a form of subservience to your wife, and that will never happen. A good marriage is one where the two people are partners, not one that either person is being bossed around.


Enough of this SWMBO stuff...lets talk about Open Combs.

I am anxiously awaiting for the GEM 1912 that is on tour to be delivered. Being that I have never used a single edge GEM before, I cannot wait to give it a spin. I am off work tomorrow, so I may wait until after the mail delivery before shaving just in case it arrives.

[bluesbishop]

I am anxiously awaiting for the GEM 1912 that is on tour to be delivered. Being that I have never used a single edge GEM before, I cannot wait to give it a spin. I am off work tomorrow, so I may wait until after the mail delivery before shaving just in case it arrives.

The GEM OCMM is on my short list of must have razors. Thanks to Johnnie and others, I've got a serious itch to try the GEM. My only issue with SE's is the small amount of blade options available. Doesn't seem to be much of an issue though....almost all GEM owner sing the praises of them.

[Gissy]

The GEM 1912 is just a great razor! I think I could use it every day and have fun with it, but today I went back to my NEW and I love that one just as much. I think they may be the only two razors I will need for the rest of my life. And the NEW seems to be great even with blades that have given me really bad shaves in all my other razors aswell!

[Gissy]

Anyone know what this razor is by the way?

[jamesspo]

I'm going to say that's a vintage Merkur travel razor. Any markings under the head? Mine just says "Germany", and came in a nice little silver plated box.

Anyone know what this razor is by the way?

[bluesbishop]

Anyone know what this razor is by the way?

Hmmm...that looks alot like my 1929 Gillette traveler,,,but the post are different on mine:

[Gissy]

I'm going to say that's a vintage Merkur travel razor. Any markings under the head? Mine just says "Germany", and came in a nice little silver plated box.

I haven't bought it yet. It's on a norwegian auction site for a really small sum of money. I have a bid in and so far I seem to be the only one on that site looking for razors. I have won every auction there on my first bid so far.

[jamesspo]

Hmmm...that looks alot like my 1929 Gillette traveler,,,but the post are different on mine:

I haven't bought it yet. It's on a norwegian auction site for a really small sum of money. I have a bid in and so far I seem to be the only one on that site looking for razors. I have won every auction there on my first bid so far.

Yeah, I think it's the Merkur. Mine has the rounded looking bullets as well. They are very similar. I'm not sure if one was a copy of the other, or they might have had a shared agreement on that design. I'm sure someone knows and will chime in.