Chinese Razor Month

No, this isn't a little known celebratory month.

I'm about to conduct a month using only my Chinese razors. The collection consists of:

Ming Shi 2000s
Ming Shi 3000s
Weishi Adjustable
Yaqi DOC
Yaqi Monster Hybrid
Yaqi Chrome Scalloped

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Unless a bloodbath ensues, each will be used for 3 shaves with a Gillette Winner blade. This will be the only common element.

I'm also going to give all my 'cooling' soaps and creams a run out so the following will be used for the first 8 shaves:

LEA Menthol
ESC Fuar Ach Snog
Extro Freddo
Proraso Green
Dead Sea Shave Maelstrom
Signature Soaps Eboracum
P&B Denali
Ingram Green

I'll report on my findings here.

What do we hope to learn from this endeavour? No idea. I doubt this thread will be of use to anybody but I haven't really got a lot better to do in these days and evenings of lockdown. If somebody reads this and is enabled to buy a Chinese razor and a 'menthol' soap, my work here is done.

Also worth noting that I'm easily distracted and there's every possibility I won't see this through.
Good Yuck i hope it dosent go all wong
sorry i mean pete tong
Whatever you know what i mean lol
 
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Razor: Yaqi Slant
Blade: Gillette Winner (2)
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 2B 22mm
Soap: TFS Vecchia Torino
Pre: Proraso Red
ASL: Proraso Red
ASB: LEA

Yesterday's 2 pass with this razor was so close, I only needed a single pass today. I like this head - it's a keeper. I've mentioned it in an earlier post but the toast scraping sound (a la 1912) is really satisfying. It's not for the faint hearted but is a rewarding head for those that don't mind a head that can bite.

Up next is the Yaqi Katana which will be mounted on the Alpha Bravo handle.
 
I'm certainly enjoying the Yaqi Katana at the moment ...

I'm shaving maybe every week to ten days at present and the Katana is just perfect! It's the kind of shave I'd reach for my 1912 over any double edge razor in my collection but the Katana is really doing it for me. 12 days taken off this evening. Very little clogging.
Now that's some praise!
 
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Razor: Yaqi Katana
Blade: Gillette Winner (1)
Brush: Dscosmetics 2B
Soap: Tabac
Pre: Proraso Red
ASL: Proraso Red
ASB: Tabac

Firstly, I need to apologise for the delay in posting here. I've been using the ATT G1 for the last 8 shaves. What a phenomenal razor that is. Beautifully smooth and efficient. Also an absolute twat to load and dismantle but that's half its charm. It set a high bar for the SE Katana (yes, I know they're different blades but you know what I mean).

On to the Katana. Alignment was easy to get right when assembling and the WTG pass started well. It faced 48 hours of growth and felt tuggy around my chin and lips. It removed a lot of hair though. The XTG pass was similar in terms of 'tugginess' but it still delivered a DFS shave from 2 passes.

I think this razor would benefit from a sharper blade. I can certainly sense the potential with it. For the sake of this experiment, I'm going to complete a second shave with the Winner though.

Off topic but I don't really rate dscosmetics brushes. I know many people do but I've never had one that I've actually liked.
 
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Razor: Yaqi Katana
Blade: Gillette Winner (2)
Brush: Oumo SHD Manchurian
Soap: P&B Imperial Rum
Pre: Proraso Wood and Spice
ASL: Floïd Suave
ASB: LEA

Another shave with the Katana and I can safely say I like this razor head. I'm still convinced it would perform better with a sharper blade though. I'll report back here at some point in the future once I've tried that. There's too many new razors in the den to go continue with this.

I do like P&B Imperial Rum. Great scent, great performance. I think I'm in a minorities though that doesn't like these densely packed badger brushes with high backbone. I don't rate this Oumo brush and I certainly wouldn't buy another one.
 
A Small `and late addition !

Whilst sorting through some cupboards last week I came across a Razor head I had never tried and completely forgotten ! So with a busy weekend Running and working on the house , I wanted a quick shave on Sunday (Having not shaved Saturday)

The head was kindly sent to me by Chris @Boycie83 some time ago and I believe it is a Yaqi beast , the first thing you notice is there is quite a bit of blade exposure but not crazy , it also have a DOC style top cap with lather slots.

On to the shave I loaded it with a new Polsilver Lodz, started off riding the cap a little as was cautious of the blade exposure , an unnecessary fear it is a very blade forward razor but not in my opinion crazy , I like assertive razors and don't mind blade feel , if you don't like blade feel you are not going to enjoy this.

For me I would place it in that sort of R41 category of razors , assertive but comfortable , a great little razor in my opinion and it will definitely be featuring some more on my DE shaves.
 
I loved reading this thread. And of course have ended up buying two razors, another soap, and another brush. It will be a lot of fun comparing my results with everyone else's. Boycie should be on commission from the Chinese department of exports.
In the years ahead I believe we'll see some of these Chinese brands go from being cheap novelties to matching and exceeding the incumbent brands for quality and innovation. There will, I believe, always be a place for artisans and traditional brands, but the Chinese will increase their quality and remain inexpensive. Be interesting to see how that plays out. Not just in razors, obviously.
 
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