Monday 22nd February
French Pink Clay & Charcoal Face Soap
Wickham 1912 South Sea Spray Shaving Soap
Semogue SOC Butterscotch (Boar)
Muhle Rocca R95
SuperMax Titanium (2)
Alvarez Gomez Agua de Colonia
Second run with this new-style SuperMax Titanium and I had to ditch it afterwards! I'll explain why ...
Simply, while my first shave was a single pass with a lot of touch-up, this second shave required two passes to get as shaved as I am used to with my regular single pass routine. Upon relieving the razor of the blade, it was found to be unable to cut the skin on the top of my thumb, an area I use for testing blade sharpness.
That said ...
This is an exceptionally forgiving blade with very good smoothness. I could probably have gone on for a third shave quite happily if I was a multi-pass shaver, as I would be oblivious to its shortcomings as a single pass shaver.
That, I think is the key to this blade - it will deliver a very easy shave for literally everyone, certainly once, most likely twice (given most folks are multi-pass shavers or at least with the grain then against the grain) and very likely a third or more given that criteria. It's smoothness would mask any inefficiencies. I think if I were feeling a bit sensitive from a bad shave, I'd happily load one of these, enjoy a gentle shave and get myself back to normal, most likely ditching the blade after that one shave.
For that, it very much has its place.
Final thought: given the new equipment that SuperMax have, particularly their "new sputtered technology" which is used to apply the titanium and platinum edges to their blades, this is the blade that I think is the spirital successor to the SuperMax Blue Diamond Titanium.
EDIT: After an hour or two, I have to say that face-feel is really quite wonderful! I rather regret ditching it after two, so went to the blade to double-check and it is indeed not sharp enough to cut a test area that I use and the edge of the blade actually feels smooth when (somewhat foolishly) running a finger down it. It's done! But, curiously, could probably do another three pass shave without irritation. Go figure!