Using all my asymmetric razors in one shave
No, I’m not going to try a shaving using all my symmetric razors.
Extremely nice shave this morning, beginning with The Shave Den’s Pre-Shave Balm—my last use for a week, since I now begin the “week without” phase—and MR GLO.
I got an excellent lather once more using the little horsehair Vie-Long brush and the Zach vigorous-loading method. Otoko is a very nice shave soap, and those who know shavers might want to consider this as a gift: not something he would be likely to stumble across.
Okay, now to the meat of the shave: a Shark Chrome blade in the OSS and the same Personna 74 tungsten-steel blade in the S3S. I started with the open-comb side.
The two razors do not feel the same: the greater head mass of the S3S has a definite effect. Also the S3S open-comb side is more distinct from the straight-bar side than in the OSS, which the two sides feel more the same.
The first pass went quite well. The longer handle of the OSS feels to me slightly more comfortable than the shorter Bulldog handle, but I would not have noticed had I been using them in separate shaves. I bet the threads are the same so handle switching is possible, but I’m happy also with the Bulldog handle.
The second pass with the straight-bar side went equally well. Both of the razors do extremely good work, smooth and comfortable.
The polishing pass also was fine. The S3S is formidable, without a doubt, and I like the OSS equally: it feels lighter than the S3S, but still quite substantial.
A splash of Paul Sebastian, and I’m set. Terrific razors.
That S3S looks like a mighty fine razor, but the price is a large deterrent. It’s almost the same as a PILS.
The Otoko I’ve found doesn’t need to be lathered enormously like other soaps. It works better if the lather is left a little wet and then you’ll notice the effects on the ATG pass = smooth. Bruce Everiss has had some great success shower shaving with Otoko perhaps for the same reason.
J Dogg
25 October 2011 at 8:33 am
The Ikon looks incredible and while I travel with an Edwin Jagger DE89.Barley, I prefer slightly longer handles despite my small hands. Go figure.
zaine_ridling
25 October 2011 at 8:32 pm