FIVE passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (2)
Indian Old Spice Fresh Lime ASL
I'll keep it short today. As the shaves with the OneBlade were so incredibly smooth and irritation free, I decided to do an additional ATG pass to see what would happen. Not much really. Maybe a little more sting from the old alum block. The de-spined GEM blade was as sharp and smooth as during its first use. No deterioration at all. Same blade again tomorrow.
Spectacular! De-spined GEM blade - the One Blade for the OneBlade.
First a quick update on yesterday's shave: It was good, but not as long lasting as the first shave. I think the Feather blade was not doing its job properly anymore towards the end.
Today's shave was a bit all over the place. I didn't go exactly as planned. Planned was something like:
Shower
Geo F Trumper Coral skin food
Hot towel
Wickham Super Smooth English Rose
Face lather with Omega 49 brush
Four passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG with OneBlade and a carbon Feather FAS blade (1)
Tüff Sensitiv ASL
Geo F Trumper Coral skin food.
I got as far as the face towel without incident. Then the Omega 49 just didn't want to produce a nice lather on my face. So I grabbed a Plisson synthetic brush and bowl lathered. That went much better. I decided to use a Feather carbon FAS blade for a laugh. Those blades are truly crap in Valet razors. Tuggy and scratchy. So I started to shave one cheek WTG and no surprise: tuggy and scratchy. Don't even think about using this type of blade. Removing the blade with wet fingers is not recommended by the way. You won't hurt yourself, but you don't get any grip on the blade and it won't come out. Cleverly, I had de-spined a Gem SE blade before the shave and made sure it fits in the OneBlade. So there we go: change of blade after 10 seconds. And what a change it was! What a difference! The Gem blade is smooth as butter and sharp as … a very sharp thing. Sharper than the Feather FHS I dare say. From past experience in SE razors they will last more than just a single shave. And they cost a quarter of what the Feather blades cost. This might be the one blade for the OneBlade.
The first three passes go OK, but the lather is still not perfect - a bit dry and the OneBlade head doesn't have enough glide. So I decide to forget about the lather and just use Somersets Maximum Glide shaving oil instead. I don't normally like moving a razor across my face and not remove lather. I like to see what I've already done. But this was fun - where there was not enough glide before there was an abundance now. Maybe I'll do a shaving oil only shave with the OneBlade tomorrow. Btw: the OneBlade handle is a bit slippery when wet and very slippery when used with oily fingers. Never happens with my rubber handled Schick N3. Stainless steel.. style over function
After four passes with the de-spined Gem blade in the OneBlade I have only one word to say: Spectacular! The shave is effortless and so thorough that I might have to skip a shave tomorrow for lack of beard. Alum block and ASL gave a little sting, but not much.
I think I'll have a couple more shaves with the same Gem blade to see if it lasts for a couple of days. If it does there might be a “WTT Feather WS-D1S for OneBlade†thread on BST
As I've got more than 100 Gem blades, I might de-spine some and add them to the pass around if the is interest. I think Billy might have one or two de-spined Gems already - is anyone else interested?[/QUOTE
I am cool..I have plenty of Gem blades...You know that doesn't surprize me one bit about the Gem blade performing better in the OneBlade...The Gem blade is a far superior blade...Always will be regardless of the razor an all...
I am cool..I have plenty of Gem blades...You know that doesn't surprize me one bit about the Gem blade performing better in the OneBlade...The Gem blade is a far superior blade...Always will be regardless of the razor an all...
The FHS was actually very good on the first shave, but went downhill on the second. A blade that lasts just one shave needs to be either very cheap or have no competition. The FHS has cheaper competition that lasts longer. The carbon FAS blades are truly rubbish though.
Tomorrow I'l un-spine a bunch of GEMs for adding them to the pass around. I hope that works alright while wearing disposable gloves. I don't want to touch the blades for hygiene reasons. Then I'll design a blade wrapper template for the printer, so I can wrap them up individually. What should I use for authentic glue spots?
The FHS was actually very good on the first shave, but went downhill on the second. A blade that lasts just one shave needs to be either very cheap or have no competition. The FHS has cheaper competition that lasts longer. The carbon FAS blades are truly rubbish though.
Tomorrow I'l un-spine a bunch of GEMs for adding them to the pass around. I hope that works alright while wearing disposable gloves. I don't want to touch the blades for hygiene reasons. Then I'll design a blade wrapper template for the printer, so I can wrap them up individually. What should I use for authentic glue spots?
Seems odd then that the whole concept and design of the razor is built around just one naff blade or is that clever marketing and one way of cashing in on the concessions for the razor?
Day five with the OneBlade
Yesterday's shave was just amazing. The smooth feeling just lasted and lasted. Even by midnight there was hardly any stubble to be felt. The shaves from this razor are as good as they get. On to shave number three with the de-spined GEM blade.
Shower
Hot towel
Somerset Maximum Glide shaving oil
Four passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (3)
Tüff Sensitiv ASL
YSL Kouros EdT
Today I decided to use shaving oil only. I hardly ever do this. Not seeing lather being removed just feels weird. In theory you can't tell where you have already shaved and where you haven't. In practice I always shave my face in the same order and I won't miss any bits as long as I follow my routine. The shaving oil provided a lot of glide for the OneBlade's head. This make shaving with the OneBlade very straightforward and pleasant. As I noted before, you should make sure there is no shaving oil left on your fingers. The razor will be very slippery. otherwise.
The OneBlade is a very good razor indeed and delivers one excellent shave after the other. I'm still debating it is worth that much money though.
The de-spined GEM blade was sharp and smooth again on its third outing. It's so much better than the default Feather blade. Same blade again tomorrow. I'll pass the razor on when the blade gives up or on Monday, whatever comes first. [emoji14]
I have de-spined six GEM blades and put them in individual home made wrappers. That should be enough for everyone on the pass around, with two blades going back to @Nico1970 as a thank you.
Day five with the OneBlade
Yesterday's shave was just amazing. The smooth feeling just lasted and lasted. Even by midnight there was hardly any stubble to be felt. The shaves from this razor are as good as they get. On to shave number three with the de-spined GEM blade.
Shower
Hot towel
Somerset Maximum Glide shaving oil
Four passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (3)
Tüff Sensitiv ASL
YSL Kouros EdT
Today I decided to use shaving oil only. I hardly ever do this. Not seeing lather being removed just feels weird. In theory you can't tell where you have already shaved and where you haven't. In practice I always shave my face in the same order and I won't miss any bits as long as I follow my routine. The shaving oil provided a lot of glide for the OneBlade's head. This make shaving with the OneBlade very straightforward and pleasant. As I noted before, you should make sure there is no shaving oil left on your fingers. The razor will be very slippery. otherwise.
The OneBlade is a very good razor indeed and delivers one excellent shave after the other. I'm still debating it is worth that much money though.
The de-spined GEM blade was sharp and smooth again on its third outing. It's so much better than the default Feather blade. Same blade again tomorrow. I'll pass the razor on when the blade gives up or on Monday, whatever comes first. [emoji14]
I have de-spined six GEM blades and put them in individual home made wrappers. That should be enough for everyone on the pass around, with two blades going back to @Nico1970 as a thank you.
Day six with the OneBlade
It's such a miserable, cold day today, that I'm going for a summer themed shave
Shower
Lucky Tiger Lemon Cream facial cleanser
removed with a hot towel
Faena Mastic shaving soap
face lathered with Omega 49 boar brush
bowl lathered with Omega 46751Hi-Brush synthetic
Four passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (4)
Cella Colonia Classica
The fourth outing of the de-spined GEM blade.
Faena Mastic soap is like a Greek holiday in a tub. Mastic is a unique scent, but I somehow get it. I love it. I tried to face lather it with the big Omega boar with disastrous results. I'm not sure why, but I just didn't get a nice lather, so I swapped to my multi-coloured Omega Hi-Brush and bowl lathered. Lots of perfect lather was the result.
I still find it slightly irritating that you need to use some pressure to keep the OneBlade's head pivoting properly. Mind you, this doesn't cause any problems or irritations whatsoever, but I like to shave with a very light touch. Pressure just feels wrong. But to see the head pivot around the chin while maintaining the perfect angle is quite something and the results speak for themselves. You still need to move the razor so that the angle is almost right, but then the pivoting head does the rest. Maybe I should try one of those new Flexball things
The end result was yet another super smooth face. Towards the end, going ATG under the nose I might have detected the slightest bit of tugging from the GEM blade. I'll use it again tomorrow for the fifth time and see how it goes. So far the blade has done 25 passes and is still better than the Feather after 6. To be continued...
Day six with the OneBlade
It's such a miserable, cold day today, that I'm going for a summer themed shave
Shower
Lucky Tiger Lemon Cream facial cleanser
removed with a hot towel
Faena Mastic shaving soap
face lathered with Omega 49 boar brush
bowl lathered with Omega 46751Hi-Brush synthetic
Four passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (4)
Cella Colonia Classica
The fourth outing of the de-spined GEM blade.
Faena Mastic soap is like a Greek holiday in a tub. Mastic is a unique scent, but I somehow get it. I love it. I tried to face lather it with the big Omega boar with disastrous results. I'm not sure why, but I just didn't get a nice lather, so I swapped to my multi-coloured Omega Hi-Brush and bowl lathered. Lots of perfect lather was the result.
I still find it slightly irritating that you need to use some pressure to keep the OneBlade's head pivoting properly. Mind you, this doesn't cause any problems or irritations whatsoever, but I like to shave with a very light touch. Pressure just feels wrong. But to see the head pivot around the chin while maintaining the perfect angle is quite something and the results speak for themselves. You still need to move the razor so that the angle is almost right, but then the pivoting head does the rest. Maybe I should try one of those new Flexball things
The end result was yet another super smooth face. Towards the end, going ATG under the nose I might have detected the slightest bit of tugging from the GEM blade. I'll use it again tomorrow for the fifth time and see how it goes. So far the blade has done 25 passes and is still better than the Feather after 6. To be continued...
Reading some threads on the OneBlade there seems to be a sorta consensus that it was designed to use pressure like a cart system..Might be good for folks to take what you are sayin on board cause it sounds correct..
Five passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (5)
Yardley Citrus Wood EdT
The fifth outing of the de-spined GEM blade.
Another attempt at face lathering with the big Omega 49 boar - this time with Truefitt & Hill No.10. Plenty of great, slick lather is the result. Not bad, this face lathering - when it works.
I was only planning four passes today, but the five pass shave I did a few days ago was so brilliant and there was plenty of lather left for a fifth pass that I just went for it.
At the very end of the previous shave I sensed a little tugging going ATG under the nose. The same happened today, but again, only ATG under the nose. No much else to report about the shave: smooth, smooth, smooth. I even used the Yardley Citrus Wood EdT as an aftershave. The EdT contains more alcohol than a normal aftershave and can string severely after a rough shave, but not today.
Unlike the Feather blade, the GEM blade degrades very slowly, not suddenly. I think I'll use the blade again tomorrow and compare with a fresh GEM blade the day after.
So far the blade has done 30 passes and is still better than the Feather after 6. To be continued...
Five passes WTG/XTG/XTG/ATG/ATG with OneBlade and de-spined GEM blade (5)
Yardley Citrus Wood EdT
The fifth outing of the de-spined GEM blade.
Another attempt at face lathering with the big Omega 49 boar - this time with Truefitt & Hill No.10. Plenty of great, slick lather is the result. Not bad, this face lathering - when it works.
I was only planning four passes today, but the five pass shave I did a few days ago was so brilliant and there was plenty of lather left for a fifth pass that I just went for it.
At the very end of the previous shave I sensed a little tugging going ATG under the nose. The same happened today, but again, only ATG under the nose. No much else to report about the shave: smooth, smooth, smooth. I even used the Yardley Citrus Wood EdT as an aftershave. The EdT contains more alcohol than a normal aftershave and can string severely after a rough shave, but not today.
Unlike the Feather blade, the GEM blade degrades very slowly, not suddenly. I think I'll use the blade again tomorrow and compare with a fresh GEM blade the day after.
So far the blade has done 30 passes and is still better than the Feather after 6. To be continued...
Great write up as usual ..Brilliant...You have done the ground work for all of us I reckon..I feel as if I know this razor already & I aint got me Paws on it Yet..
Teaser
Phew. I just finished the first draft of my final verdict on the OneBlade and it's going to be a long one. I think I know the razor well enough now to do this, as right now I'm mainly checking how long the GEM blade lasts.
The final conclusion did surprise me...