Phoenixkh: An Old Man's Continuum....

[Phoenixkh]

Kim, so far, I find the Ares to shave better a bit shallow and the Athena is mostly neutral. I hope that helps you. I don't need my sharpest blades to get a close shaves with either Lambda, they are more efficient than some of my razors.

That’s what I’m discovering as well. It could be the blade wasn’t the best…The previous shave was better and it was the first. I’ve run into blade variations before, but this one was slight. I’ve had some outright duds a few times. You know, the shaves where the brand new blade won’t cut worth a _____!!!! On those few occasions, I’ve binned the blade after just a couple WTG strokes on my right cheek. Thankfully, they are few and far between.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

I think I use my Ares with a similar angle to my Athena. Hard to really gauge angles very reliably when the head is curved like these are, but it seems about the same to me. Like with the Athena, I’m going for the angle that gives me the greatest feedback.

I suggest to use the Perma-Sharps that you know are reliably good for you. It’s not helpful to use a new razor with a new blade, and not know what is causing what - you can get a good shave and not really repeat it because you don’t know any of your kit. Take care to keep the weight off and treat the razor with respect - it’s open comb and a bit different, and you’re so used to the Athena that you’re possibly over-casual with it by now since you know what liberties you can take with it. Once you’re used to the Ares I’m sure you’ll fall into a natural, mindless habit with it too. Both the Athena and Ares are highly effective shavers, but the Athena has the safety bar that would probably stop a bit of excess pressure from bulging your skin into the slots too far, when the Ares doesn’t have that. I shave the same way with both of them, but I’m wondering if your technique on the Athena has relaxed to a point that it is too casual for the Ares. They do have quite heavy heads.

Or maybe you’re just stressed about the election and not shaving as normally as you think you are. Relax, hold the handle lightly in your fingertips, go slowly, be in control - the zen thing happens by itself, later.

My sense of the Ares was always that it has more feel than the Athena during the shave, but doesn’t seem to stress my skin more than the Athena even if it feels as if it would. It’s a funny thing and I’m glad to hear that you also get a different enough experience from them. I agree they are not duplicates, even though the fundamental design and the shave quality are pretty equivalent.

Hope something in there helps.

 

[Teutonblade]

I agree with @Mr. Shavington. I find the shave positions of the Ares and Athena to be fairly similar. Like him, I let the feedback guide me and just look for where the crunchy audio and tactile response is strongest. While shaving with it today I found myself most often around a neutral position or even slightly steeper. My sense is the Ares, like the Athena, does better with a steeper angle and quickly loses engagement with the skin as you move between neutral and riding the cap. FWIW. YMMV.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I agree with @Mr. Shavington. I find the shave positions of the Ares and Athena to be fairly similar. Like him, I let the feedback guide me and just look for where the crunchy audio and tactile response is strongest. While shaving with it today I found myself most often around a neutral position or even slightly steeper. My sense is the Ares, like the Athena, does better with a steeper angle and quickly loses engagement with the skin as you move between neutral and riding the cap. FWIW. YMMV.

I’m going to play around with a more neutral angle next shave with a Perma-Sharp blade. As Richard/ @Mr. Shavington said, I’m very familiar with that blade. I’m confident I’ll get the Ares dialed in with little effort. I love the design. I’m even enjoying the shaves it’s taking to bring out its best. It isn’t challenging in a negative way. I’m having fun……and don’t feel anxious or annoyed. I’ve felt both those emotions with a couple other razors. <eg>

 

[Jay21]

Kim, you were so right about the Bic Astor. I loaded a fresh one this morning and had a very smooth shave. Excellent blade.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Kim, you were so right about the Bic Astor. I loaded a fresh one this morning and had a very smooth shave. Excellent blade.

Whew.... I dislike it intensely when someone follows one of my recommendations and it doesn't work out for them.....

 

[LRod]

Whew.... I dislike it intensely when someone follows one of my recommendations and it doesn't work out for them.....

Touche!

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Whew.... I dislike it intensely when someone follows one of my recommendations and it doesn't work out for them.....

I dislike it when someone doesn't follow my directions exactly, then when they screw it up, they blame me. Its like, do I have to have you write it down on paper? Oh wait, this is 2024, nobody has a pen and paper anymore. Shakes head, it will be a miracle if we survive the 21st century.

 

[thombrogan]

Oh wait, this is 2024, nobody has a pen and paper anymore.

@blethenstrom , @cajunrph , and @huck1680 bought ‘em all

 

[huck1680]

@blethenstrom , @cajunrph , and @huck1680 bought ‘em all

Oh c'mon, that's an exaggeration...it should be "most of 'em"...there fixed it for ya.

 

[blethenstrom]

@blethenstrom , @cajunrph , and @huck1680 bought ‘em all

I am embarrassed to admit that my fountain pen and ink collection is much larger than my razor collection.

 

[Balin]

I am embarrassed to admit that my fountain pen and ink collection is much larger than my razor collection.

You need to get cracking on your razor collection then .

 

[blethenstrom]

You need to get cracking on your razor collection then .

I have learned my lesson at least that is what I hope for.

 

[huck1680]

I am embarrassed to admit that my fountain pen and ink collection is much larger than my razor collection.

Well if you count the inks...then yeah, I have less razors...BUT! If you count the brushes, soaps, bowls, blades etc then I have less pens and inks. It's all in how you look at it.

 

[blethenstrom]

Well if you count the inks...then yeah, I have less razors...BUT! If you count the brushes, soaps, bowls, blades etc then I have less pens and inks. It's all in how you look at it.

View attachment 1940443

I could count each blade as an item and in that case I am safe as well.

 

[tehnothing]

I dislike it when someone doesn't follow my directions exactly, then when they screw it up, they blame me. Its like, do I have to have you write it down on paper? Oh wait, this is 2024, nobody has a pen and paper anymore. Shakes head, it will be a miracle if we survive the 21st century.

When I was working they invariably put me in supervisory positions that I had no business having with my level of patience. If I had to explain something more than three times I lost my shiznit. Actually the third time was when I lost my shiznit. I still have that problem with people I am acquainted with. It still bugs me just as bad.

 

[BigAlVista]

I think I use my Ares with a similar angle to my Athena. Hard to really gauge angles very reliably when the head is curved like these are, but it seems about the same to me. Like with the Athena, I’m going for the angle that gives me the greatest feedback.

I suggest to use the Perma-Sharps that you know are reliably good for you. It’s not helpful to use a new razor with a new blade, and not know what is causing what - you can get a good shave and not really repeat it because you don’t know any of your kit. Take care to keep the weight off and treat the razor with respect - it’s open comb and a bit different, and you’re so used to the Athena that you’re possibly over-casual with it by now since you know what liberties you can take with it. Once you’re used to the Ares I’m sure you’ll fall into a natural, mindless habit with it too. Both the Athena and Ares are highly effective shavers, but the Athena has the safety bar that would probably stop a bit of excess pressure from bulging your skin into the slots too far, when the Ares doesn’t have that. I shave the same way with both of them, but I’m wondering if your technique on the Athena has relaxed to a point that it is too casual for the Ares. They do have quite heavy heads.

Or maybe you’re just stressed about the election and not shaving as normally as you think you are. Relax, hold the handle lightly in your fingertips, go slowly, be in control - the zen thing happens by itself, later.

My sense of the Ares was always that it has more feel than the Athena during the shave, but doesn’t seem to stress my skin more than the Athena even if it feels as if it would. It’s a funny thing and I’m glad to hear that you also get a different enough experience from them. I agree they are not duplicates, even though the fundamental design and the shave quality are pretty equivalent.

Hope something in there helps.

If I were to let politics get to me, I would likely be apoplectic and/or gripping my razor like it were a hammer because I would have lost all fine motor control.

Nope. I just go to the range with my friends Hechler, Koch, Smith, Wesson and Glock, and we have a group therapy session.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I promise to finally get in the third shave with my Ares. I’m looking forward to it.

Theo added a couple of the new design Athena base plates. I need to try them out and see if I notice any improvement. It’s a bit hard to improve the Athena shaves. They are stellar all the time. I’ll keep you posted.

I had already softened the original base plates so my two Athenas are already a bit smoother with the gently rounded corners.

 

[thombrogan]

Hechler, Koch, Smith, Wesson and Glock

Mark, your use of the Oxford comma is top tier.

 

[BigAlVista]

Mark, your use of the Oxford comma is top tier.

If only I had used one...