Gillette Platinum razor blade – a review

The Gillette Platinum blade commands a loyal following and I can see why. It proved to be a very sharp blade that gave a smooth and comfortable shave even with my ordinary preparation. Even on my third shave there was no pulling or dragging. Although not the cheapest blade in the test, the Gillette Platinums have the advantage in that they are generally available. I live in a small village but my local grocery has them in the Toiletries section. They are $7.00+ for a ten pack but it is good to know that, in a pinch, I can buy a quality blade and don’t have to settle for house brands.

Sarah Palin’s War on Science

I couldn’t resist passing along a link to this story in Slate Magazine.  Here’s an excerpt from Christopher Hitchens’ article on Sarah Palin and her stated views on science.

This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured. And those who prate of spiritual warfare and demons are not just “people of faith” but theocratic bullies. On Nov. 4, anyone who cares for the Constitution has a clear duty to repudiate this wickedness and stupidity.

Merkur razor blade – a review

The testing of the Merkur Platinum Stainless blade came to an abrupt halt. I tried to keep to the regimen I had established but I eventually decided it wasn’t worth the effort. The first shave with the Merkur was terrible with the blade pulling and dragging across my face. I adjusted my Fatboy but it didn’t help. By the end of the shave I felt as if I had shaved with an industrial blade made for paint scraping.

Now I was prepared to bravely press on and complete the obligatory 3 shave test, even though I was dreading remaining 2 shaves. And then I realized that the Merkur had already failed the test, at least to my mind.

I probably don’t do the world’s best prep before shaving. Usually I do a thorough wash with a hot, soapy wash cloth; a rinse with the same cloth; and then set about lathering. For the Merkur test I had taken a long, hot shower, and, knowing I would be shaving immediately after, soaped my face twice. Since I shave within 5 minutes of showering, this should have been ideal conditions for a fine shave. The Merkur delivered a terrible shave even under these conditions. That being the case, I declared the Merkur test complete.

Crystal Platinum razor blade – a review

I had read a lot about the Crystal blade and I knew they had a big following. After my 3 shave trial with the blade, I know why. This is a very nice blade, sharp but giving me the right amount of feedback so I can effectively control the razor. Also, my third shave with the Crystal felt as good as the first one. I found that 3 shaves was the maximum number for the Derby but when I retired the Crystal it was only to comply with my self-imposed testing regimen. I was certain that there was at least one more good shave left in that blade, perhaps more. I am looking forward to seeing how many shaves I can get from the Crystal but that will have to wait until I finish testing my current supply of blades. I am only on the third blade of the test, but I could certainly see the Crystal as being my everyday blade.

Derby Extra razor blades – a review

Blade two was the Derby Extra, selected because of all the comments, on the wet shaving message boards and elsewhere, about how this is a good blade for beginners. The Derby immediately solved the problem I had with the Feather, namely, lack of face feel. The first shave with the Derby was comfortable and, although obviously not as sharp as the Feather, effective. Even taking a third pass in some areas did not cause nicks or razor burn. The quality of shave did wane during the third shave. Three seems to be the maximum number of shaves I can expect from the Derby. Overall, this is a forgiving blade that gives a controllable and comfortable shave. It’s too early to tell if this will be my “go-to” blade, but it’s likely I will use this blade again.

Feather razor blades – a review

Feather razor blades come from Japan.  They have the reputation of being the sharpest double edge razor blade available.

My three day trial with the Feather blade left me wondering if the move to DE was a good idea. The Feather may well be the sharpest blade in the market but it presented me with a serious problem right from the beginning. I had absolutely no “face feel”, no feedback from the blade. Maybe some would like a shave so “smooth” that it feels like the razor is just removing the shave soap, but not me. I like to know what’s happening at the skin level when I shave. I played with the adjustment but it didn’t seem to matter.

With no feedback, the shaving experience was not good. Nicks and razor burn became the rule, not the exception. After three days my face looked like I just survived a car crash without a seat belt.

I may revisit Feathers some time in the future using the milder Gillette Slim adjustable razor, but right now, with so many options to choose from, I don’t think Feather blades figure large in my DE future.

Double edge shaving – the return

I am a long time wet shaver. Except for a couple of years when I had a Norelco electric shaver, I have always used a blade for shaving. After the Norelco died, never to be replaced by another electric, I moved to a Gillette double edge safety razor, type not remembered. Eventually, I started shaving with a Wilkinson Bonded razor, still my favorite, but eventually that disappeared from the marketplace and I was sucked into the fraud that is multi-blade cartridge shaving.

Last fall I decided I was tired throwing away pressurized cans of gel once a month or so and had my wife buy me a shaving bowl, soap, and brush from Old Dominion Soap Co. for Yule. It was only a short step from there to abandoning the Schick Xtreme 3 and its $2 a week cartridge addiction to moving back to double edge (DE) shaving.  Since then, I’ve come to realize that every drug store and discount department store has a toy section that is full of things that are either sharp or wonderful smelling. The mundane has now become fascinating.

My wife thinks of my recent foray into DE shaving as a hobby and she’s probably correct. My primary motivation was to stop spending $100+ per year on shaving cartridges. A few weeks after returning to DE shaving, I have a nice stable of DE razors, 2 years supply of blades, and about 11 bottles of AS & balm. Shaving has gone from a boring task to be completed as quickly as possible (at any cost) to something more like a sport. Razorgames anyone?

I will be using this category of the blog of my evaluation of the blades I am using on my journey back to economical shaving. These are just my impressions meant, at most, the more informed reviews that occur on other boards. Still, I thought it might be of some value to document my experiences as I work my way through the West Coast Shaving sampler.

My methodology is to use each blade for three shaves only, using my recently acquired Gillette Fatboy F4 (made in the fourth quarter of 1960) set at 5 (unless other settings are advisable). My choice for the first outing, the Feather Hi Stainless Platinum Coated.  Check back for my experience with this highly regarded blade.

Hello world!

Don’t Panic!  In spite of the blog’s name you haven’t stumbled upon a coven of Satanists.  Neither will you find existential angst presented here.  The title, simply too dramatic to not use, refers to a geographic reality.  I live in rural, southeast Michigan, an hour or so west of Detroit.  If I climb into my car, on good roads and in good weather, I can drive to Hell, Michigan in sixteen minutes.

This blog is mostly for my friends and anyone else who cares to drop in and read a message or two.  The topics covered will be mundane; the manly rituals of wet shaving; drinking wine, beer, and distilled spirits; and cigar smoking.  Restaurant reviews will occur occasionally, as will reviews of plays, movies, books, and music.  So for now, “Don’t Panic!” and welcome.