In all honesty, GSBs are much better than Nacets, smoother, and just as sharp. I feel another member to our
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Yet Another Journal of Razors and Blades and Stuff
- Thread starter T Bone
- Start date
The GSB is a top blade one of my favorites. When I first started, I got a sample blade pack. From that sampler the Nacet and the GSB were top contenders. In a shave off the GSB's won due to their smoothness.
Fast forward to the Henson medium. I found the GSB in the Henson lacking. It shaved well but it felt like it was scrapping. I was pointed to the Gillette platinum for the Henson by a fellow B&B member. It worked, the scrapping was gone and a BBS was easily attained.
Fast forward to the Henson medium. I found the GSB in the Henson lacking. It shaved well but it felt like it was scrapping. I was pointed to the Gillette platinum for the Henson by a fellow B&B member. It worked, the scrapping was gone and a BBS was easily attained.
I have a fresh GSB loaded and ready to go for my Sunday shave. I know the Gillette Platinum's very well. They are definitely one of my favorites and it will be interesting to see how the GSB compares.
- Thread starter
- #225
I know they’re notoriously short lived, but I haven’t had any trouble getting 4 shaves out of them in recent history. That’s a week of shaves for me, so I don’t push any blade beyond that.
- Thread starter
- #226
Henson AL13++
Wizamet (3)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
La Toja stick
Southern Witchcrafts Pomona splash
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Not my best work tonight. I was rushing the shave to try to finish before dinner. Usually that just results in a quicker but less close shave, which would be fine, but I got a couple small weepers on the first pass. I guess the Wizzie is rounding into peak sharpness and I wasn’t careful enough. With early blood drawn, I tend to try too hard for closeness. I already drew blood, might as well make it count I guess? So several more weepers on pass 2 (no bad ones at least), and I didn’t even end up saving any time in the end. And still a fair amount of neck and mustache stubble, so a solid but unspectacular 7.5/10 DFS+.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Or, Monday is another shave, I probably won’t shave tomorrow.
Wizamet (3)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
La Toja stick
Southern Witchcrafts Pomona splash
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Not my best work tonight. I was rushing the shave to try to finish before dinner. Usually that just results in a quicker but less close shave, which would be fine, but I got a couple small weepers on the first pass. I guess the Wizzie is rounding into peak sharpness and I wasn’t careful enough. With early blood drawn, I tend to try too hard for closeness. I already drew blood, might as well make it count I guess? So several more weepers on pass 2 (no bad ones at least), and I didn’t even end up saving any time in the end. And still a fair amount of neck and mustache stubble, so a solid but unspectacular 7.5/10 DFS+.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Or, Monday is another shave, I probably won’t shave tomorrow.
- Thread starter
- #227
Henson AL13++
Wizamet (4)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Murphy & McNeil Kells sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Decent shave today. Despite my best efforts, I did get a couple of spots of blood (right jawline, soul patch), then 3 little pinpricks on the mustache as a parting shot as I sent the Wizamet into the bin. It’s still plenty sharp obviously, none of these were over-shaving weepers, but 4 shaves is my limit for a blade. Closeness: 8/10 DFS+
So that’s it for this round - 4 razors, 2 weeks and 2 blades each! I’ll post a comparison of these 4 razors in more detail if I have a chance later, but the 2 Hensons are right next to each other at the top, so next up, probably on Wednesday, I’ll go again with the +++ then ++ one more time, then the Blackbird Lite. I’m done with the Tatara I think, unless I get a taker to trade my Nodachi cap for a Masamune one. Maybe someone will get a Masamune for Black Friday or as a gift and decide it’s too mild.
Wizamet (4)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Murphy & McNeil Kells sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Decent shave today. Despite my best efforts, I did get a couple of spots of blood (right jawline, soul patch), then 3 little pinpricks on the mustache as a parting shot as I sent the Wizamet into the bin. It’s still plenty sharp obviously, none of these were over-shaving weepers, but 4 shaves is my limit for a blade. Closeness: 8/10 DFS+
So that’s it for this round - 4 razors, 2 weeks and 2 blades each! I’ll post a comparison of these 4 razors in more detail if I have a chance later, but the 2 Hensons are right next to each other at the top, so next up, probably on Wednesday, I’ll go again with the +++ then ++ one more time, then the Blackbird Lite. I’m done with the Tatara I think, unless I get a taker to trade my Nodachi cap for a Masamune one. Maybe someone will get a Masamune for Black Friday or as a gift and decide it’s too mild.
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Good report @T Bone ! With your four shave limit per blade I'm wondering what you would consider your best shave. For me it's definitely shave one so that's what led me to being one and done.
- Thread starter
- #229
Ooh, good question! Well, I looked at my google sheet of the last 8 blades, and overall shave quality was all over the place. But then, that makes sense because my shoddy technique is a far more limiting factor than the blade over just 4 shaves, at least for the most part. So that's probably not the best way to answer.
Looking just at the comfort/tug factor, there's not a whole lot of variation, apart from the RK blade last week seeming to crap out on shave 4. The other 7 are all very sharp blades (Nacet, Perma-Sharp, Bic, Wizamet) and I had almost all with a 9 or 10 for tugginess (i.e. very little tug) across all 4 shaves, which is just as likely measurement error as any real difference. The exception was the Blackbird Lite - for some reason, both blades (Nacet, Bic) felt somewhat tuggier there than in the other razors. In that razor, Nacet tugged less on shave 2, and Bic on shaves 2-3. I'm not sure how much of that is signal vs noise, but that's the best I can do!
- Thread starter
- #230
Summary
For the past 8 weeks, I've been evaluating 4 razors to hopefully pick one to upgrade to titanium. I used 2 blades in each razor for about 1 week (4 shaves) per blade. The exception was the Blackbird Lite - the first blade went well enough that I tried the standard plate for a shave to see if it shaved any better than I remembered; I didn't count that shave against the Lite.
All 4 razors are very good, it'll really come down to a gut feeling more than a silly google sheet. And my technique quality is very sporadic, so there's a lot of random variability there, even just depending on my mood, if I'm rushed, if I'm trying to have a conversation at the same time, etc. But since I went through the trouble of evaluating each shave, and it's kinda fun to look at the numbers whether they're especially meaningful or not
, so the results were:
Probably the most surprising thing was that I cut myself less with the Henson +++ than the ++. I thought that third Wizamet shave with the ++ tanked the score, but the +++ had a shave that was even worse. I think I was just more careful with the +++. The ++ took a couple minutes less per shave than any other razor - with everything else being so close, that's why it finished on top (both in my mind and on the google sheet).
For the past 8 weeks, I've been evaluating 4 razors to hopefully pick one to upgrade to titanium. I used 2 blades in each razor for about 1 week (4 shaves) per blade. The exception was the Blackbird Lite - the first blade went well enough that I tried the standard plate for a shave to see if it shaved any better than I remembered; I didn't count that shave against the Lite.
All 4 razors are very good, it'll really come down to a gut feeling more than a silly google sheet. And my technique quality is very sporadic, so there's a lot of random variability there, even just depending on my mood, if I'm rushed, if I'm trying to have a conversation at the same time, etc. But since I went through the trouble of evaluating each shave, and it's kinda fun to look at the numbers whether they're especially meaningful or not
, so the results were:- Henson ++ (6.55)
- Henson +++ (6.49)
- Blackbird Lite (6.16)
- Tatara Nodamune (5.92)
- Safety: Henson +++ > Henson ++ > Tatara > BB Lite
- Closeness: BB Lite > Henson +++ > Tatara > Henson ++
- Efficiency: Henson ++ >> Henson +++ > BB Lite > Tatara
- Post-shave: Henson ++ = Tatara > BB Lite > Henson +++
Probably the most surprising thing was that I cut myself less with the Henson +++ than the ++. I thought that third Wizamet shave with the ++ tanked the score, but the +++ had a shave that was even worse. I think I was just more careful with the +++. The ++ took a couple minutes less per shave than any other razor - with everything else being so close, that's why it finished on top (both in my mind and on the google sheet).
What a terrific post-regular-season analysis! Now the contenders are heading into the championship bracket, I'm excited to see who ends up taking the crown!
Summary
For the past 8 weeks, I've been evaluating 4 razors to hopefully pick one to upgrade to titanium. I used 2 blades in each razor for about 1 week (4 shaves) per blade. The exception was the Blackbird Lite - the first blade went well enough that I tried the standard plate for a shave to see if it shaved any better than I remembered; I didn't count that shave against the Lite.
All 4 razors are very good, it'll really come down to a gut feeling more than a silly google sheet. And my technique quality is very sporadic, so there's a lot of random variability there, even just depending on my mood, if I'm rushed, if I'm trying to have a conversation at the same time, etc. But since I went through the trouble of evaluating each shave, and it's kinda fun to look at the numbers whether they're especially meaningful or not
And for each aspect I considered, from most to least important:
- Henson ++ (6.55)
- Henson +++ (6.49)
- Blackbird Lite (6.16)
- Tatara Nodamune (5.92)
It was close from top to bottom, but especially between the 2 Hensons at the top. Not just the numbers, but I still slightly prefer the ++ to the +++, while I don't plan on using the Tatara again any time soon, at least not in the Nodamune configuration. I will give the other 3 razors another 2 weeks each to see if my opinions change at all. Since the Blackbird Lite did shave the closest, it's worth giving it another look to see if I can repeat that with less blood and less time spent shaving.
- Safety: Henson +++ > Henson ++ > Tatara > BB Lite
- Closeness: BB Lite > Henson +++ > Tatara > Henson ++
- Efficiency: Henson ++ >> Henson +++ > BB Lite > Tatara
- Post-shave: Henson ++ = Tatara > BB Lite > Henson +++
Probably the most surprising thing was that I cut myself less with the Henson +++ than the ++. I thought that third Wizamet shave with the ++ tanked the score, but the +++ had a shave that was even worse. I think I was just more careful with the +++. The ++ took a couple minutes less per shave than any other razor - with everything else being so close, that's why it finished on top (both in my mind and on the google sheet).
Awesome report!! I really love the amount of effort you put in to your research!!
Paul
Your best is more than good enough! What’s clear is that you’re getting a lot more quality shaves out of a single blade.Ooh, good question! Well, I looked at my google sheet of the last 8 blades, and overall shave quality was all over the place. But then, that makes sense because my shoddy technique is a far more limiting factor than the blade over just 4 shaves, at least for the most part. So that's probably not the best way to answer.
Looking just at the comfort/tug factor, there's not a whole lot of variation, apart from the RK blade last week seeming to crap out on shave 4. The other 7 are all very sharp blades (Nacet, Perma-Sharp, Bic, Wizamet) and I had almost all with a 9 or 10 for tugginess (i.e. very little tug) across all 4 shaves, which is just as likely measurement error as any real difference. The exception was the Blackbird Lite - for some reason, both blades (Nacet, Bic) felt somewhat tuggier there than in the other razors. In that razor, Nacet tugged less on shave 2, and Bic on shaves 2-3. I'm not sure how much of that is signal vs noise, but that's the best I can do!
Based on your thoughtful analysis, I don’t see you as a one and done guy.
- Thread starter
- #234
No, I’m a one week and done guy for the most part.Your best is more than good enough! What’s clear is that you’re getting a lot more quality shaves out of a single blade.
Based on your thoughtful analysis, I don’t see you as a one and done guy.
Some day I might pay more attention to longevity, I’m just not all that interested right now.- Thread starter
- #235
Thanks… Yeah, I guess they are. Or maybe it’ll be more like Survivor and I’ll drop another one after this round. I’ll just see how it goes…
Thanks, that’s just me overthinking things. If I was more consistent, I think this would be much easier.
When in doubt, Fixed Four it out.
Happy Thanksgiving T Bone!
Best Wishes and hope you find that grail razor!
Best Wishes and hope you find that grail razor!
- Thread starter
- #238
Henson AL13+++
Gillette Silver Blue (1)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Southern Witchcrafts Autumn Ash sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I only have a few SW samples left so I haven't been using them much lately. I almost forgot how much I enjoy Autumn Ash. Almost. Looking forward to smelling that scent on my hands this afternoon.
GSB is another fine blade. Plenty sharp to take out 2 days growth without much tugging.
Result: 9.5/10 (BBS-)
Weepers: neck, right jawline, soul patch, left mouth corner
Super-close shave, would have been top-notch but for the weepers. The mouth corner was stupidity, the rest were just lightly running a sharp blade over skin in a medium-high exposure razor.
Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow to those who celebrate!
Gillette Silver Blue (1)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Southern Witchcrafts Autumn Ash sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I only have a few SW samples left so I haven't been using them much lately. I almost forgot how much I enjoy Autumn Ash. Almost. Looking forward to smelling that scent on my hands this afternoon.
GSB is another fine blade. Plenty sharp to take out 2 days growth without much tugging.
Result: 9.5/10 (BBS-)
Weepers: neck, right jawline, soul patch, left mouth corner
Super-close shave, would have been top-notch but for the weepers. The mouth corner was stupidity, the rest were just lightly running a sharp blade over skin in a medium-high exposure razor.
Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow to those who celebrate!
- Thread starter
- #239
Thank you, sir, happy Thanksgiving to you! Hope you get that housing situation worked out to everyone's satisfaction!
9.5, wow, you're a really hard grader, so that must have been an exceptionally close shave! Well done!
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