Matching the right blade to the razor

JugV2

JugV2

Simply boring.
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Feb 8, 2011
Location
Tasmania
I have four razors.
Merkur Progress and Muhle R41 I can get brilliant shaves out of with the majority of blades I have tried.
I have a 1958 TTO Gillette and Krona and I am struggling to get a good shave out of them. The razors seem too mild so in a search to match a blade to these razors I intend to put two of each blade in and try them side by side.
If anyone is interested in reading, I will go through a few blades and search for a decent result.
First blades in are Gillette Yellows.
 
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JugV2 said:
I have four razors.
Merkur Progress and Muhle R41 I can get brilliant shaves out of with the majority of blades I have tried.
I have a 1958 TTO Gillette and Krona and I am struggling to get a good shave out of them. The razors seem too mild so in a search to match a blade to these razors I intend to put two of each blade in and try them side by side.
If anyone is interested in reading, I will go through a few blades and search for a decent result.
First blades in are Gillette Yellows.
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Sounds like it will be a nice way to get some quality results! I look forward to the reviews!
 
Yes, would find the comparison interesting.
With non tto razors they are often shimmed to increase aggressiveness. (The edges cut off a used blade and then the shim placed under the good blade.)
You don't heard the being done too often with a tto, but... I have read old Advertizing for the tto's when they 1st came out saying that the aggressiveness could be varied by not Tightning the head down all the way.
Sound like a shim might do the same on a tto too.
 
Lynchy said:
Sounds like it will be a nice way to get some quality results! I look forward to the reviews!
Click to expand...

+1, sounds interesting. IMHO some razors just are able to get good results from the vast majority of blades, whereas others are really hard to match up well. My Adams open comb, Red Tip and Slim are easy to match. Where the Merkur 37c is kinda tricky.

Its a huge generalisation but I feel that 'aggressive' razors generally like sharpness oriented blades....whereas mild razors get better results with all-around/smooth oriented blades.

But its kind of like seemingly EVERYTHING that involves blades......that being that what works for one person will be the complete opposite with another. Incredibly individual things.

You know what would be interesting would be some blind testing........so you'd have to get your missus etc to load your razor up with a certain blade, and then lodge your thoughts based on having no idea what blade it is. I think that percpetion forms a significant part of how a lot of folks rate their blades performance e.g the Personna Lab/Med vs regular situation.
 
This morning I put the Gillette Yellow in both razors.

My brush and cream are the same throughout testing; Proraso tube (old recipe) and Semogue LE Boar.

Prep and lathering is a given with this combo, so I won't waste time explaining that.

I should also state I know what this blade is like in an EJ86, Merkur Progress and an R41.

First is the Krona; a lovely long handled TTO kindly swapped by SYD.

The blade felt ultra safe; as if I couldn't cut myself no matter what I did. I threw this razor around my face recklessly because no matter what I did, it felt like I was shaving with no blade in at all.

I did two passes - WTG and ATG. My lower neck and just below the jawline along from ear to chin are usually the spots I need to go ATG and be very careful with. They are also where I get weepers traditionally (looking at you, Feathers!)

It felt like there was no blade in the razor. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing but I am used to more aggressive razors and like to feel the "chance of a bite" if that makes sense.

So two passes and it did the job - I got a decent workaday shave out of it.

I'd rate the blade a 6/10 in this razor. Could do so much better if it applied itself. Just like my report cards used to read.

Tomorrow I will try the Gillette 58 TTO with the same blade.

Razor used: Krona long handled TTO

Blade used: Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow (made in St Petersburg)

Number of passes/type: 2 passs WTG/ATX

Closeness of Shave: 7/10

Comfort of Shave: 10/10

Post-shave irritation/cuts: Nil

Overall score for blade/razor combo: 6/10

Comments: I rated the comfort higher because it felt like there was no blade in and as a result of that, extremely comfy shave.
 
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This whole concept is a good idea Jug, make sure that as you've stated you keep the other variables (type of prep, soap/cream, brush) the same.

As it's only super early days for what will prolly take you a month or so to do why not knock yourself up a template post format in point form. Like:

Razor used:

Blade used:

Number of passes/type:

Closeness of Shave:

Comfort of Shave:

Post-shave irritation/cuts:

Overall score for blade/razor combo:

Comments:

Will make it easier on you and the reader. Haha otherwise I can see you getting to like the 14th combination and going 'Ah WTF should I write?'....haha that'd happen to me by around the 5th one.

PS. Feel free to completely ignore...as your first post was great anyway! :)
 
Thanks for the advice Nick.

You're right, a template makes sense and is easier on the readers.

Post updated with template.
 
Ok so day two of my test.

Razor used: Gillette TTO 1958

Blade used: Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow (made in St Petersburg)

Number of passes/type: 2 passs WTG/ATX

Closeness of Shave: 6/10

Comfort of Shave: 10/10

Post-shave irritation/cuts: Nil

Overall score for blade/razor combo: 5/10

Comments: The Gillette felt slightly less like I had a blade in the head. A smooth and reasonable shave however. I was left with slight stubble along the jawline.

The two razors - Krona and Gillette - are almost identical in feel and usage. Really, it's near impossible to pick a difference between the two. The Gillette felt maginally less like it was a real razor.

So my summary after trying Gillette Yellows in these two are to move on to something more aggressive.

Tomorrow we test the Personna Israeli Reds.
 
SmallYetDeadly said:
Israeli Red more aggressive than G.Yellow? Are we talking blades or politics?
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heh two things I don't do - discuss politics on a forum, or try and change a woman's mind.

The Israeli Red Personnas are a more aggressive blade from memory - I haven't used them in a year but I do recall they were pretty good.
 
Is it?

I'm not down with the names of all the razors, so happy to be corrected.

Easier to edit this post than start a new one.

Personna Reds:

Razor used: Gillette 1958 Flare Tip (pics above)

Blade used:Personna Red Israeli

Number of passes/type: 2 passes WTG/ATG

Closeness of Shave: 6/10. I really expected to have a closer shave with the Personna. This result is more indicative of the razor than the blade however. It felt like I was dragging the steel edge of the razor over my skin and not the blade.

Comfort of Shave: 10/10. If I can't feel the blade then I can't complain about the comfort.

Post-shave irritation/cuts: None

Overall score for blade/razor combo: 6/10. I know this blade. I know it works well for me in other razors and it's disappointing that this razor does it no justice. At no point could I feel the blade on my skin.

Comments: So this is the second blade in this razor and I gotta say I am expecting further disappointment with the next blade I try in it. I am coming to the realisation that this is a very mild razor and I am probably not going to get any different results with it. However, I will persevere and I want to try a couple more blades in it before I finish with it.
 
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Razor used: Krona

Blade used: Personna Red

Number of passes/type: 2 - WTG/ATG

Closeness of Shave: 7/10 cery smooth close shave with slightly less stubble left this time than with the Gillette Flare

Comfort of Shave: 10/10 very smooth and hardly felt there was a blade

Post-shave irritation/cuts: NA

Overall score for blade/razor combo:8/10

Comments: This combo seems pretty close to what I want, except there is not enough feeling of the blade for my liking. I felt that I had to press the blade down to get the closeness that I did, and I don't like having to press on a razor. I'd rather the head do the work such as the Prgress and Jagger I have used before.

So what blades to try next? I think I will try the Voskhod blade next. I'm not expecting anything great as I think these razors are too mild for my liking.
 
That flair tip is what I call gillette ss (for superspeed). I was using that exact combo (personna red and ss) for a not too pleasant shave. The razor however is my favourite of what I have. It worked fantastic with gillette vintage blades.
 
Its a flare apparently. Picture above.

Sorry I wrote this reply on my Galaxy and didn't type the rest evidently.

What I also meant to write was; I have some Gillette blades kicking around that I haven't used yet, so I will give them a try also.

Did you find that there was a very minimal feeling of the blade on your skin or is that just my technique?
 
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Yes it is a flare. I wish someone knowledgeable would define this. I looked up some pics on mr razor site. It appears there are also gillette rockets in the flare tip. The one I am using is a mid 60's superspeed flaretip.

It is the least aggressive razor I have used. There is a very small blade exposure which for me means there is a narrow window of head angle that will shave. You know the r41 will have the blade touching you at just about any angle, the flare doesn't.
 
bodge said:
Yes it is a flare.............
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Flare describes the shape of the tip. Some might interpret the flare as having flair but that's a different matter all together. Wouldn't put that past Gillette.

Is it an official Gillette name?
 
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