Nacet Platinum

Day 1: A new day, a new blade. When I made my first pass WTG I thought I had found my new razor. It glided along my face with no pull or irritation. I couldn't even feel the blade. That all changed when I got to my second pass ATG. It was scratchy and irritating and I cut myself in several places I never have before. After this pass the shave wasn't even as close as I like it. Next pass I did XTG and it still wasn't as close as I like it so I did another pass ATG, and it finally felt right. Tomorrow I'm going to try a 3 pass but the 2nd pass XTG and see if the blade performs better. Because of the stark contrast in quality between passes I'm not sure how to rate the blade. I will update the rating tomorrow after I get a better feel for its performance but for now I'm giving it 50/100

Day 2: I am so glad this was not the first blade I tried in my razor. If it was I very well might have given up DE shaving. Even the first pass today felt scratchy and uncomfortable. I tried different blade angles, extra lather and everything else I could possibly think of. It did give me a very close shave but at the cost of a very uncomfortable, cut filled shave. Definitely avoid this blade. If you absolutely must try it first but a sampler pack that contains it. It also has a ridiculously high price point compared to much better quality blades. Final score for this blade is 20/100.

Available on +Amazon.com $25.95 for 100 http://amzn.com/B007Y0W192

Blade Bank

When I first started with DE shaving I was unsure of how to dispose of my blades. Searching the internet I came across many people on forums saying that the just throw them in the trash. I could not believe I was reading this! This puts your trash collectors as well as local children, pets and wildlife at an extremely high risk of cuts and potentially blood borne illnesses such as Hepatitis and HIV (If the shaver is infected) and even Tetanus. In my opinion the best solution to this is to make your own blade bank. Not only does this protect those around you from potential injuries and sickness but it can also be recycled which reduces your environmental impact.

A blade bank is very easy and inexpensive to make. Next time you're out grocery shopping, pick up a can of soup broth (it is important it is just broth and doesn't contain anything "chunky"). Take a well made chef's knife or other wide bladed knife and with the cutting edge facing the middle of the top can (and away from you) gently tap on the butt of the knife. After a couple of taps the knife should break through the top of the can. Continue to tap on the butt of the knife until the opening is wide enough to fit a blade in. Next empty the can down the sink, I would advise against eating it as it could now contain metal shavings. Rinse the can with some hot water to remove any remaining broth to prevent it from stinking. You could also fill the can with water and put it in a pot of water and boil it, this will ensure that the inside of the can is clean and will help remove the label and glue. Be careful handling after you boil as it will retain its heat for longer than you expect it to. To remove the rest of the glue from the can just use a cotton ball and some nail polish remover. If you want to decorate your blade bank i would suggest either spray paining it or finding an old Gillette advertisement on Google and printing it off and covering it with packing tape. Another option is to use the "Olde Time Boxer" meme and putting a joke on it (Razor blades? Oh you mean breakfast!) and printing that out and sticking it on the outside of your can. If you have any other tips for making a blade bank share them in the comments section below. Happy shaving.

Old Time Boxer Meme Generator: http://memegenerator.net/Old-Man-Boxer

Crown Super Stainless

Day 1: I have to say I wasn't really looking forward to trying this blade as I have heard some bad reviews for them. I was underwhelmed by the performance of this blade. It caused me some irritation while I used it but did not provide a close shave. While I did not get any nicks, the quality of the shave left much to be desired. I will continue to use this blade to test the life of it but I would not recommend investing in a large quantity of these blades without trying them out first. 45/100

Day 2: Again I was unhappy with how this blade performed. I tried 4 passes and could not get the closeness I've become accustomed to from safety razors. Even with this worse than average shave my face was still irritated. I would strongly recommend against this blade. 45/100

Day 3: Today was probably the worst experience I have had since I started DE shaving. Started off by adding too much water to my shaving cream and couldn't figure out the right ratio so I ended up with a runny lather. Although this had nothing to do with the blade I took it as a sign of things to come. Turns out I was right to do so, today the blade treated my face like a rototiller treats a lawn, it chewed it up and spat it out. Not only has this blade given me awful shaves since I started using it, it also has a short life. If you have had better experiences with this blade let me know in the comments. For those of you thinking of purchasing a large pack of these blades I strongly recommend against it unless you have used them before and have had good experiences. Because of it's shorter than normal life I am dropping its rating to 35/100. On the plus side, new blade tomorrow!

$16.00 for 100 blades at +Amazon.com amzn.com/B00877HT34

Treet Platinum Super Stainless

Day 1: A new day, another new razor blade. This time around it the Treet Platinum Super Stainless blade. I had never heard of this blade before I got it in my sample pack and so I was a little nervous about this one, maybe it was to sharp or to dull, maybe it was of inferior quality. I put these qualms aside and loaded it up. I was presently surprised by the quality of the shave I got from this blade. As decribed by Amazon it provided a "luxurious shave". An interesting side note: it is one of the oldest brands of safety blades still on the market. It provided the smooth shave of the Big Ben but I only needed two passes to get a nice close shave. I noticed no nicks or irritation after my shave. I highly recommend this blade! 70/100

Day 2: Wow, is this blade ever sharp! I was doing my second pass ATG as I usually do and I felt some slight irritation on my neck. Next thing I know my neck was covered in blood. I don't have an alum block but luckily I had some vasaline on hand and was able to stem the bleeding. Other than that my shave was again quite enjoyable and very close,  a little to close at times. I guess I just have to be a little more careful when using this blade. 70/100

Day 3: Although I got another fantastic shave with this blade, I think it is already starting to loose its edge. I was not able to get quite as close a shave along my jaw bone as I normally do. In addition to this it irritated the skin on my chin on the 2nd pass. That being said I managed not to cut myself today and achieved a close shave. 70/100

Day 4: This blade definitely had some positive and negative qualities. First the good: extremely sharp! Very close shave. Comfortable shave. The bad: short life, this blade was starting to feel aged after day 3 it is time for a new one after day 4. Causes irritation once it starts loosing the edge. Overall I am still goin to rate this blade higher than the Big Ben simply because it only needs 2 passes instead of 3 but even with the extra pass every day the Big Ben still lasted longer. If you have time in the mornings for 3 passes I would sugest the Big Ben.  The price per shave is still very low even with the shorter blade life. Final rating for the Treet Platinum is 68/100

Available on +Amazon.com $15.00 for 100 blades http://amzn.com/B00F7ZL6ZG

L'Oreal Men Expert - Face Wash Icy Gel

I've been trying to expand the blog from just razor blades to other facial care products so when they were handing out samples for this on my campus, I grabbed a hand-full with high hopes. I was incredibly disappointed! It is soap free and claims to eliminate pollution and impurities from the face, refresh skin and make it more supple. All it managed to do for me is turn my face into a dry cracked wasteland from just one use a day. As I've mentioned before I do have issues with dry skin but only in specific places on my face. This dried out those areas to the point where they cracked and bled and made my face flaky where I have never had any problems. It is packed full of 16 different chemicals, 3 of which are dyes, with difficult to pronounce names so who knows what did this to my face. Good news though, my face returned to normal as soon as i stopped using it. The one redeeming quality of this product would be the face freeze. It made me feel alert and felt great! There are tons of other product that will give you this feeling without turning your face into a dried out wasteland and if you really want to experience this feeling I suggest you try one of them. I am giving +L'Oréal Paris France Men Expert Face Wash Icy Gel 5/100.

Available on +Amazon.com $5.99 for 5oz http://amzn.com/B000T1XQXS

Dove Mens +Care Post Shave Balm

As I've previously mentioned, I do not have overly sensitive skin I do however suffer from dry skin, especially on my face, a condition that was passed down to me from my father. Last summer it got so bad I went out and bought myself some very expensive facial moisturizer but that ended up giving me a rash. With the summer just around the corner (and some nagging dry skin from using regular after shave) I decided to switch to an after shave balm. I have to say so far it's turned out to be a fantastic decision. I usually try to support smaller companies by shopping at specialty stores or ordering online, but there are no shaving specialty stores in my little college town and I will be graduating and moving home in a few weeks (yahoo!) so I didn't want to risk not having my order arrive before I left so I went to the local +Walmart  and picked up the only after shave balm they had in stock. I've got to say, it was a fantastic decision. The +Dove Men's +Care Hydrate (also available in sensitive) leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft, smooth and moisturized, it feels almost like running your hand across a warm, squishy granite counter top. Just take a penny sized amount, spread it on your hand then massage into the skin. I have not had any rashes or razor burn break out since I started using it. The scent is very nice as well. It is light and airy and quickly fades but does not disappear and would compliment any summer time fragrance you might wear and would be completely hidden by any winter fragrance making it useful year round. It is widely available at just about any place with a pharmacy and is extremely inexpensive. This is a great tool to have in any mans shaving kit! 85/100

Available on +Amazon.com: $5.27 for 3.4oz http://amzn.com/B00A0J0A8I

Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani - Aftershave & Eau De Toilette

If you have not heard of Acqua Di Gio by Giorgio Armani then you must have been living under a rock since it was released in 1996. It seems that products from this line are everywhere and you probably know someone that owns a bottle or two of the stuff. It is for good reason that this has become one of the most popular men's scents in the world it is utterly fantastic. When I smell it I am reminded of a tropical paradice. It has citrusy overtones with a more floral middle and earthy base notes. Because of this wide spectrum of scents it makes it functional year round. It's sweeter top and middle notes make it light enough for the summer without being overpowering, yet the earth base notes make it dark enough for wear in the colder months. But enough about the scent, how does it function?

As the aftershave is alcohol based it can sting quite badly if you have any cuts from shaving. If you do not like this sensation I would steer you towards the after shave balm by the same name although it can be somewhat difficult to find. I found that my skin felt quite taught and toned after I used this but not so tight as to be uncomfortable. A major draw back of this product is that it really doesn't contain anything that will hydrate your skin so after a few days of use I noticed I had some small flaky patches around my nose. Another major issue with this product is cost, $60.68 for a 3.4oz bottle on Amazon! For me that makes it just to expensive for daily use. If you love the scent as I do you should stick to the Eau De Toilette as you get a much better bang for your buck.

Because of the cost and lack of moisturizing properties I give Acqua Di Gio Aftershave 40/100. The Eau De Toilette is a much better deal if you just want the scent and you do not run the risk of dying out your skin with daily use and so it gets an 80/100

Let me know in the comments if there are any products you would like to see reviewed

Aftershave $60.68 for 3.4oz on +Amazon.com  http://amzn.com/B003VMUM20
Eau De Toilette $83.35 for 6.7oz on +Amazon.com  http://amzn.com/B000C213ES (size options available)

Caring For Your Razor

Since the invention and subsequent rise of plastics most everything in our world has been designed to be disposable and as such we as a society have forgotten how to take care of products that are designed and built to last years or even decades. Such is the case with double edged razors. People need to realize that razors are instruments like a surgeons scalpel and they need to be cared for as such. One of the most common questions I have come across on the online forums is "how do I take care of my razor?" Everyone seems to have a different answer but here are my guidelines for caring for your razor to make it last.

The biggest enemy of the DE safety razor is rust. Whether it is on the blade or the handle, rust is a deal breaker! The best way to prevent rust is to not leave your razor stand in water as water will aid in the oxidation process that produces rust. Adding to the problem is that most tap water is: slightly acidic because of the chemicals added to it, hard which causes a build up of elements like calcium on your razor (and contributes to "soap scum") and slightly salty as salt is added to combat the water hardness but can also lead to corrosion of your razor. The best tip I can offer to add to the longevity of your razor is to put it in rubbing alcohol  after using it and before storing it. There are several reasons to do this.

1) it kills any bacteria growing on it. This is important because most guys will nick themselves at least once a week. Bacteria are very prominent in bathrooms due to the fact that everytime you flush your toilet a small amount of air from the pipes is released into your bathroom. This air contains massive amounts of E. coli and other harmful germs. 

2) it is an excellent solvent. You might read this and think that it is a bad thing because it will damage your razor, but no alcohol does not react with metal. It will however dissolve the soap scum residue on your razor as well as any trace elements left behind from the water. 

3) it is more volatile than water. All this means is that it will evaporate mare quickly than the water would if left wet. 

I would suggest first rinsing your razor and giving it a few solid shakes to remove most i the water. Then rinse your shaving mug/bowl out and put enough rubbing alcohol in it to cover the head of your razor. Then continue with the rest of your clean up as you normally would then remove your razor, shake again, then hang upside down. You will find your razor to be much cleaner if you do this. You can use any concentration of rubbing alcohol, but the higher the concentration the more quickly it will dry. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any additional cleaning tips or tricks please leave them in the comments section. 

Note: do not wipe down your razor after using this trick as the bacteria are killed by the water being drawn out of them (known as desiccation) as the alcohol evaporates. 

Big Ben

Gentlemen the first blade I will be reviewing out of the sampler pack is... Well obviously if you read the title you would know it's Big Ben. I'll start off by saying that it has probably the second most interesting packaging out of the razors in the sample pack, second only the Gillette Goal.

Day 1: I started the shave noticing early on how smoothly it seemed to glide across my skin and while I don't suffer from sensitive skin I'm sure that this would be a big selling point to a lot of men that suffer from such an affliction. I was able to move much more quickly on the broad areas of my face due to the fact I didn't feel it pulling at the hairs. On my second pass (I shave against the grain) I noticed that it did not move as easily as the shark blades and once my second pass was finished I found that I was still left with stubble which never happened with the shark blades. Thankfully I was not pressed for time so I was able to do a third pass and found that silky smooth skin feeling I have become accustomed to and best of all, not a single nick! I found this blade to be a much more comfortable shave then the Shark overall. Since I was okay on time the third pass was not a hindrance on me but I I was a little more pressed for time it could have been an issue. For day 1 I am giving the Big Ben 60/100. Check back tomorrow to read my day 2 experience. I am in the process of writing an entry on handle care as well. Check back in the afternoon to read it.

Day 2: After having used this blade for a day already and learning its strengths (smooth shave) and weaknesses (not as close a shave) I was able to use the blade to its full potential, namely since i knew that it would not provide as close a shave in two passes as with the Shark I was able to go through my shave much more quickly. I made much quicker strokes since i knew the likely hood of nicks was almost non-existent and this made it possible for me to make all 3 passes in about the same time it took me to do 2 passes with the shark blades. That being said I am increasing this blades rating to 65/100. It could be even higher but I want to leave room for potentially superior blades that I may be trying over the next several months.

Day 3: 3 days, 3 great shaves! This blade continues to impress me. Another baby smooth shave without any nicks. Still have not noticed any pulling on the hairs even when shaving against the grain. If this blade lasts the five days that the Sharks did I may have found my new razor blade! Obviously this will not be decided until I finish my sampler pack but for now this blade is certainly at the top of my list! The only draw back is that it is slightly more expensive then the shark blades. Compared to cartage's though the cost is next to nothing. At $15 for 100 blades you're only paying 15 cents a blade or about 3 cents a shave (assuming 5 shaves per blade) compared to about $1 a shave for cartage's. Anyhow, the Big Ben's rating remains at 65/100.

Day 4: What can I really say about this blade that I haven't already? It's almost seems to be like a fine wine in that it's getting better with age. I assume that this is simply because I am gaining a better understanding of how the blade performs and I am subconsciously adjusting my technique. Only other thing I can say about this blade is I got my first nick from it today (gasp) but it was because I was getting a little careless on my third pass and my grip slipped while I was shaving my neck. Little sad that tomorrow is my last shave with this blade, but that just means the potential to find an even better shave. Rating remains at 65/100.

Day 5: This has been an excellent blade and has served me very well for the last 5 days but it is definitely time for a new blade. The need for 3 passes every day definitely cut back on blade life. Although I didn't have any nicks or razor burn today, my face was left feeling slightly irritated which it had not so far while using this balde. All in all this is a fantastic blade and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has time for a 3 pass shave. The blades final rating is 65/100.

Edit: After reviewing some more blades I am increasing the rating to 96/100

Cost: $15.00 for 100 blades on +Amazon.com http://amzn.com/B0047M51WE

Shark Super Chrome

Since this was the first blade I tried I will be assigning it a rating of 50/100. In this case 50/100 is not a failing grade, but rather a jumping off point so I can fairly rank blades while using the shark as a base. I got an extremely close shave but got 1-2 nicks on almost every shave. I did not experience any skin irritation once i learned the technique and my face was baby smooth after applying the after shave balm. Looking forward to trying a new blade tomorrow.

Cost: $9.75 for 100 on +Amazon.com  http://amzn.com/B004RWZ1RE

Background

This is a blog dedicated to documenting my experience testing out different blades with my Parker 99R Long Handle safety razor. If there is enough interest I will continue to review different blades and shaving products once I am done sampling blades. Currently my shaving kit consists of the previously mentioned Parker 99R, +Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut shaving cream, Simply Beautiful 100% badger brush and +Dove Men +Care after shave balm. I started wet shaving about a month ago after my electric razor burned out and immediately fell in love with it. I honed (no pun intended) my technique with the Shark blades included with my razor handle and then ordered a sampler pack of 25 blades (2 of which were Sharks). I will be randomly picking blades out of the sampler and using them for their regular blade life. Some of my blogs will be short as they will be written on the bus. I will be assigning each blade a rank out of 100 after each shave. I have fairly normal beard growth but somewhat tougher skin than normal. Hope you enjoy the blog!

I realize blades are a very personal choice based on your own preferences, skin and beard type but I want to give others a jumping off point for some of their own choices. That being said I also realize that razor blades are a pretty dry read so I will try to work some other stuff (not quite sure what yet) into the blogs. Please let me know what you would like to read about in the comments.

Check out +Art of Manliness for instructional videos on how to shave with DE and strait razors as well as some fantastic articles on being the best man you can be!