Week Two! Double Edge Parker & Lord

After the 16th of March I let my face and beard rest and stopped shaving. I took before and after pictures to give a reference.

I used my Parker double edge razor with a Lord super stainless steel blade. I used the same soap and normal procedures for shaving. I will admit when I first starting using the double edge blades I got cramps in my hands, but this time I didn't. It was an easy shave, as quick as the Mach3 but with much fewer overall strokes.

1.     Smoothness of Shave/Ease: 4 easy to shave, nice to hold. Originally I found these razors made my fingers cramp but now it doesn't seem to bother me.

2.     # of Strokes per square inch: one to two strokes

3.     Skin smoothness – Upper Lip: 5 in no direction can I find stubble

4.     Skin smoothness – Lower Lip: 3.5 some stubble but only up and down

5.     Skin smoothness – Chin: 3.5 some stubble but smooth

6.     Skin smoothness – Cheeks:4 excellent very smooth

7.     Skin smoothness – Jaw Line: 4 awesome shave usually a trouble area but now very nice zero irritation and easy to shave st different angles.

8.     Skin smoothness – Overall:  4 great shave nice and smooth fun and quick.

9.     Skin Irritation: small irritation if at all skin feels tight and smooth. Very small irritation under chin but only when rubbed. Pushed when shaving small cut.

Girlfriends Survey

1.     Skin smoothness – Upper Lip: 4 really smooth

2.     Skin smoothness – Lower Lip: 3

Little roughness

3.     Skin smoothness – Chin: 4

4.     Skin smoothness – Cheeks: 5 5'o'clock shadow less apparent with this shave on checks right after

5.     Skin smoothness – Jaw Line: 4 some roughness in trouble areas near ear and jawline

6.     Skin smoothness – Overall: 4

7.     Skin Irritation: much better not as razor burned less bumps, five o clock shadow less visable.

8.      Nicks/Cuts: two under chin and under jaw 

 Until tomorrow.

Week 1 Picture Summery

March 12, 2011

Problem Area 1 - Directly below jaw line under the ear

Note the raised bumps and small cut

Problem Area # 2 - Below jaw line under right check

More irritation

Razor Blade standing on its last leg

 March 15, 2011

The Slime strip starting to fall off

 March 16, 2011

Last day for this razor!

Control Week 1 Summery

So my overall experience with the Mach3 was better than I expected. Overall for time put into shaving produced an overall smooth shave. I will say using a new razor which lasted about a week an a half (9 days) made the shave much better and towards the end the shave became more irritating and less smooth. Since I assume most people were like me and use Mach3 razors past the recomended replacement schedule. With that replacement blades can get pretty expensive. What do people pay on average for blades? How often or long do you used them?

I shaved regularly generally in the morning, I missed/skipped one or two days due to scheduling and other things going on, like lack of hot water in the shower.



Here is the last Survey My girlfriend and I took.

3.16.2011

Girlfriends Survey

3.     Skin smoothness – Upper Lip: 4

4.     Skin smoothness – Lower Lip: 2

5.     Skin smoothness – Chin: 2

6.     Skin smoothness – Cheeks: 4

7.     Skin smoothness – Jaw Line: 3

8.     Skin smoothness – Overall: 3

9.     Skin Irritation: minor, one area below left side jaw. Light red raised bumps.

10.                         Nicks/Cuts: small cut under jaw line more like a nick.

End of Week

So I haven't Blogger in while. I've been pretty busy studying for a test and getting stuff ready for my new job. I have been shaving regularly, and writing in the survey. Today I shaved and it will be the end of the control week. Some irritation but also good info for the cost of razors. I would not venture to use this razor again.

I have pictures will post later.

In Boston today for the St. Patricks day concert!

Not a Bad Shave.

So this post is one day late, but I was running around yesterday getting stuff done. Drove to my parents place in Haverhill to look at a car I was thinking of buying. A 99 VW Golf, not a bad car, but to much money than I can spend right now. But I digress, back to the task at hand, I shaved again, exactly the same as I did the previous day. I took and will included pictures but due to the similarity of the shave and conditions as well as the crunch for time I dd not include the survey from before. The only slight difference I would mention would be a bit of irritation on the skin.

Here are the pictures:

Begining of Control Week

So this is my control week, I will be shaving everyday with the Mach3 Turbo razor, soap and nothing else. I will be using general shaving practices and methods to simulate an average shavers weekly experience and documenting it semi-scientifically.

BEFORE

Mach3 Turb

After Shave Survey

1 – Terrible  2 – Below Average  3 – Average  4 – Good  5 - Excellent

1.     Smoothness of Shave/Ease: 5. Easy to shave with, able to shave with out looking or much effort.

2.     # of Strokes per square inch: 4 strokes per square inch,

3.     # Strokes per area: 3 separate passes minimum.

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4.     Skin smoothness – Upper Lip:  Smooth in every direction, no irritation, no sensitivity.

5.     Skin smoothness – Lower Lip: Smooth in most directions, Up has small bumps. No irritation or sensitivity.

6.     Skin smoothness – Chin: Very Smooth in every direction, no irritation.

7.     Skin smoothness – Cheeks: Smooth, small amount of bumps, very small amount of stubble

8.     Skin smoothness – Jaw Line: Some bumps, some stubble, Smoother up and down, not as much across.

9.     Skin smoothness – Overall:  4

10.                        Skin Irritation: No irritation or sensitivity. 

11.                         Nicks/Cuts:  Saw one nick near lip while shaving no bleeding at any point.

Method:  Used Mach3 turbo and Almond scented shaving soap and brush, Used typical shaving methods that I used since I first learned to shave. Multiple strokes trying to shave in every direction used brand new blade and vibrating Mach3 handle. Used soap on each shave, (with grain and against grain) 

AFTER

Girlfriends point of view 

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1.     Skin smoothness – Upper Lip:4

2.     Skin smoothness – Lower Lip:4

3.     Skin smoothness – Chin:3

4.     Skin smoothness – Cheeks:3

5.     Skin smoothness – Jaw Line:2

6.     Skin smoothness – Overall: 3

7.     Skin Irritation: none

8.      Nicks/Cuts: none

First Shave

Shaved today, Finally! Used my Parker Safety razor with the Blue Bird stainless steel razor, this is the second time I used the blade which I had previously not had a lot of luck using blades twice. Used the green bottle King of Shaves oil and WOW what a first impression that has left. The blade glided across my face like it was jello! Had almost no irritation after.

I knew I needed to shave today, one for the blog and two for a presentation I am giving to a class at BSU. I had showered last night before bed but knew that I should shower even if it was just to shave.
So I got my parker and said hey lets try the green bottle today. After washing up I grabbed the bottle and read "Use 2 to 3 drops" and laughed. I squirted a nickle size of oil and rubbed it into my face.  i did not apply shaving cream or other products. I started on the right side of my face near my sideburns. (my usual spot for starting.) Using a long light handed diagonal stroke (a method I picked up from straight shaving) that ended at my jaw line I cut my 3 day stubble down to almost nothing. Smooth I thought but then again it always is in the beginning.

I continued across my face and then down eventually under my jaw line, where the most irritation occurs. I was amazed how little I had felt the blade. Even after the second pass going against the grain I still could not feel the usual irritation I get. When I got out of the shower there was no bleeding or pain. It was awesome and I am defiantly impressed by the product. Before I had used the Secret Shave oil which had little impression on me.

Partly the blog will be used to document stuff like this but also try a scientific approach, there are so many variables, in the shower, hot water, old blade, no cream, no shaving in three days etc I will try to control these and provide sound advice that can be used by everyone.

Day Two: A New Job!

I received a call from Cape Air today offering me a job as Captain for the Cessna 402. I am extremely excited. I have only been out of work since Jan 25 but it is nice to have a job again.

Nothing much to report shave wise, the large slice across my face is healing nicely from my recent straight shave. I am going to begin tomorrow shaving again using my DE(double edge) safety razor and will begin the documentation process.

After a half week of that we will start the control testing. My idea of testing the different methods and products needs a control. I figure one week, shaving everyday with a Mach3 the more popular method of shaving today.

I just heard from CapeAir and I was offered a position!! Class date of April 4th! Ill update again later!