Cutting Both Ways
Now for something a little different; while people flock here to read about Fred Phelps, or about a military manual, about which I hope to post more in a few days, a little nugget of pearly wisdom I was reminded of this morning, while shaving.
I have a couple of 1950’s Gillette Super Speed razors, still considered by many among the best double-edge safety razors ever made. I rarely use them, because I generally get better results - the elusive nick- and irritation-free baby’s-butt smooth shave - with an old Gem Micromatic single-edge razor. Every once in a while, out of some sort of shame that I can’t seem to master one of the most common and straightforward of shaving instruments, I try a Super Speed again.
In part, getting a good shave from a safety razor is all down to skill and experience; nobody has ever doubted there’s a learning curve. That said, there are other factors at work, and one of them - blade geometry - turns out to be really, really important.
As with most things in life, your mileage may vary, but I’ve found that, for me, the secret to a good shave with a double-edge Super Speed razor is to not tighten the handle down all the way. As you do so, you literally flex the blade into a more and more bowed shape, beyond a certain point creating a considerably less ideal angle. Just tight enough that nothing is loose seems to work best for me, with either Gem or Derby Extra blades.
Just something to keep in mind, if you’re new to wetshaving, or just unsatisfied with a good old Gillette razor.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.