- Joined
- Tuesday July 2, 2013
First shave with the Asylum RX.
On Tuesday evening, I poured a cup of tea down my throat. The problem was, it was the outside! So I start the shave testing with a light burn to the side of my neck. No blister, but skin pink and tender so please bear this in mind.
Appearance
Beautifully made razor. Excellent finish, with detailing very precise and cleanly machined. The overall impression is quite head-heavy and this is down to the relatively short handle. The aesthetics might have been improved with an additional 10mm on the length of the handle. It is, nonetheless, an impressively made razor.
Ergonomics
The blade fitting technique is a little different to most. It is a more elegant solution than the 'clamping plates' approach of most other manufacturers but it is also somewhat more fiddly. Blade positioning prior to closing the razor is a bit tricky and this is not helped by the shallow depth of the locating posts. I would like to see these more pronounced on a putative 'Mk. 2' version. Nothing here that a some practice doesn't help though. Balance of the razor was pretty much as expected from the appearance. Balance point was very close to the head and the razor will apply its own pressure if left to do so. I used a little 'negative pressure' to avoid damaging the skin where burned.
Shave
Soap - TFS Arancio Amarro, bowl lathered.
Brush - custom, with 'Tuxedo' synthetic knot.
In the light of the sensitive neck area, I deliberately chose a lot milder blade that I would normally use. I went for one of the supplied Feather Softguard blades. In other razors, the Mongoose in particular, I would not have got a reasonable shave with a blade like this. I was therefore quite surprised to find that the sensitive skin was not further irritated and that the shave quality was very good. Bear in mind here that I was aiming for a VERY light touch and expected to leave a little palpable bristle. This did not happen and I ended up smooth skinned with zero irritation. As I write (early afternoon) I can feel a faint touch of re-emergent bristle, about two hours earlier than usual. This is an excellent result and speaks of a very efficient razor. Alum sting was minimal and I used Trumpers Coral Skin Food as aftershave treatment.
Overall
An excellent first shave despite adverse circumstances. Tomorrow, by which time my skin will be normal, I will be using a Feather Pro blade which has seen a week's previous use. This should be a more realistic test for me.
On Tuesday evening, I poured a cup of tea down my throat. The problem was, it was the outside! So I start the shave testing with a light burn to the side of my neck. No blister, but skin pink and tender so please bear this in mind.
Appearance
Beautifully made razor. Excellent finish, with detailing very precise and cleanly machined. The overall impression is quite head-heavy and this is down to the relatively short handle. The aesthetics might have been improved with an additional 10mm on the length of the handle. It is, nonetheless, an impressively made razor.
Ergonomics
The blade fitting technique is a little different to most. It is a more elegant solution than the 'clamping plates' approach of most other manufacturers but it is also somewhat more fiddly. Blade positioning prior to closing the razor is a bit tricky and this is not helped by the shallow depth of the locating posts. I would like to see these more pronounced on a putative 'Mk. 2' version. Nothing here that a some practice doesn't help though. Balance of the razor was pretty much as expected from the appearance. Balance point was very close to the head and the razor will apply its own pressure if left to do so. I used a little 'negative pressure' to avoid damaging the skin where burned.
Shave
Soap - TFS Arancio Amarro, bowl lathered.
Brush - custom, with 'Tuxedo' synthetic knot.
In the light of the sensitive neck area, I deliberately chose a lot milder blade that I would normally use. I went for one of the supplied Feather Softguard blades. In other razors, the Mongoose in particular, I would not have got a reasonable shave with a blade like this. I was therefore quite surprised to find that the sensitive skin was not further irritated and that the shave quality was very good. Bear in mind here that I was aiming for a VERY light touch and expected to leave a little palpable bristle. This did not happen and I ended up smooth skinned with zero irritation. As I write (early afternoon) I can feel a faint touch of re-emergent bristle, about two hours earlier than usual. This is an excellent result and speaks of a very efficient razor. Alum sting was minimal and I used Trumpers Coral Skin Food as aftershave treatment.
Overall
An excellent first shave despite adverse circumstances. Tomorrow, by which time my skin will be normal, I will be using a Feather Pro blade which has seen a week's previous use. This should be a more realistic test for me.