(This post was last modified: 05-25-2021, 01:50 AM by gvw755.)
First shave tonight with the Menlo Nealon.
The razor itself was very well machined and finished. The design was interesting in that it had the top of the base plate scalloped in addition to the cap. The curve on the handle was very elegant in design, however the smoothness concerned me prior to my first shave.
Upon closer inspection prior to the first shave, I couldn't help but focus on the gap between the blade and the guard. There definitely was a positive blade exposure, but in addition to this, there was a large area under the blade that could be a problem. The guard was rounded and was raised upward to minimize the space (unlike the Stirling HA), but it was still something that I needed to figure out how to handle while shaving.
The razor came with three handles and so I started with the original production handle which was slightly shorter - the 92mm 4 groove. I started WTG riding the cap a little more than I usually do, and that seem to minimize my concerns with the blade. There was still blade feel to it, and adjusting the angle slightly showed that I was already at the most minimum blade feel I could get. I shaved very slowly, always being aware of what the razor was doing against my face. The WTG pass went very well and I could have stopped there with a near BBS. I decided to lather up again and move to my ATG pass because I was learning this razor. The ATG pass went slightly better, probably because there was less stubble to shave off. I did notice that although the smooth handle did not cause any problems with wet hands, I just could not find a secure enough grip for the razor to feel comfortable in my hand. Tomorrow I will switch to the 97mm waffle handle to see it that improves things.
Although I just needed a touch up, I decided on my usual XTG pass along my jaw line and under my chin. I ended up with a BBS+.
My initial impression of the Nealon is that this is a razor that needs your constant attention. If you are already late leaving the house for an important meeting, pull out your R89, do not pick up the Nealon. However, I must admit that the reward of your constant attention is that you will end up with one of the most efficient shaves of any razor.
Tomorrow, I will use the longer handle and probably experiment with riding the bar on some areas to see if I can get more efficiency by doing that.
This is definitely an interesting razor.