Thursday 18th November
Ganders Goat Soap w/Hop, Sage & Birch
Boots Albany Mentholated (Vintage) Shaving Bowl
Muhle Silvertip Fibre 33K256 23mm
MARS Razor w/Number 9 Plate
Super Shave X (2) SE
Puig Quorum Aftershave
My run through all the plates on this MARS razor almost came to a halt ...
Earlier today, I was made aware of an issue with this razor whereby the cap can inadvertendly flick off. It has not happened to me, but upon close inspection I could get mine to do it if I tightened up just a little more than I usually do. What happens is, the plastic is of a good quality and becomes polished with use and so when the screw is nipped up, it causes the end of the screw to ride up and can (with a little effort on the cap) flick the cap off along with the blade and likely to do so in a place where you do managed to apply a little extra pressure to the cap, like under the nose or just inside the nostrils - certainly places you DO NOT want the blade flying out!
I spoke to Rob at MARS and he was thankful for folks raising this issue and suggested that a small indent where the screw nips up would be sufficient to keep it in place. He's right, although I went a little further and drilled out a hole for the end of the screw to bed into. I have suggested that future versions could include a metal threaded hole to receive the screw end, taking the razor from a good (enough) mechanism to a precision mechanism.
It's all part of the fun of trying out a razor that has so far only shaved the maker's face ... and now a good few of us (chimps) are using it, we're finding all the ways to misuse and break it!
So, the shave ... plate 9!
I've mulled over and over how to say this, but what it comes down to is this: plates 1, 2 & 3 seem to have a relationship with each other that they do not with 4 or 5. I find 2 the median best, as 1 is just too mild while 3 gives the same shave but without the refinement of 2. Likewise, plates 6,7 & 8 seem to have the same relationship with 7 that median best and little relationship otherwise to 5 ... or, 9. I don't quite know how else to put that.
Anyway ...
While plate 8 gave a capable gap to work with, the gap between plate 9 and the blade seems positively yawning! The shave was the first time I found that angle made a difference and most definitely, the danger was removed when the angle was inclined back towards the cap. I did not experience that subtlety with plate 8 and certainly not 7. My guess is 10 will also be ... and more so. It might well be that 10 amplifies that behaviour and so it becomes more obvious to keep the razor orientation from the cap rather than simply what feels like an intuitive angle.
Super single-pass shave with just a little heart-fluttering every time I veered off that perfect angle, made especially so by the most spectacular vintage soap and a good splash of my favourite scented aftershave to finish.
Champion! As we say in these parts.