Marmot Den in
Alpine Meadow @Fayetteville GA
(12-08-2021, 03:36 AM)HighSpeed Wrote: I did the Schick in an MMOC shave today, and the results were interesting, but not like anything I remember, and not as encouraging as Dave's. Chat's with Grandpa is one of my favorite soaps - FWIW I'm a big Hub City fan - but I started feeling irritated part way through the second pass. The lather was fine, the blade was brand new, and the blade feel was almost glass smooth. Nevertheless, I redoubled my attention to angle and pressure, finished the pass, and lathered up for pass #3. However, I saw after a few strokes that pass #3 was not going to end well, so I called it quits and assessed the damage.
There were two skin results: (1) four small nicks, three of which stopped with the cold water rinse, and the last of which succumbed to a dose of witch hazel, and (2) some mild but noticeable irritation, which lasted for a few hours. OTOH, the shave results were astounding: A two pass BBS except for two small "touch-up opportunities", which I would have dispatched if there was something serious on the line, and if I not been asleep at the "Hey, you can put this baby to bed" switch. But the real kicker is this: I don't get two pass BBSs. Had I the records, I'm pretty sure I could count on one hand the number of two pass BBSs I've gotten in the last 10 years. Go figure?
For the time being at least, I've ruled out gear related causes on two counts. First, I've used all the gear except the blade many times, and it's possible but unlikely that I developed an allergy to a product that has always worked for me. Second, the blade was a fresh Schick; I can't remember ever having a problem with a fresh Schick; and this Schick exhibited no bad blade symptoms - no tugging, biting, or scraping at all.
Having provisionally ruled out gear related causes leaves user error. The first thing that occurred to me was pressure. We have been very busy for a while now, and while I'm happy to report that it has been "good busy", it still makes me wonder if my concentration has slipped more than I realized. Of course it could be any number of other things, but I can't think of one (except maybe sudden allergy development) that would feel so good and account the extraordinary - for me - result.
I am stumped gentlemen, and your thoughts are invited. My curiosity is piqued too, which means that, at intervals which give my skin any necessary rest, I will be doing some personal science. I have mentally pencilled in some possible experiments, the first of which, subject to discussion, may be using a differently branded but also familiar soap, taking a fresh Schick from a different cartridge, and cleaning and disinfecting the razor.
Thanks for listening.
Super detailed report; read it a second time...felt like I was there!
I did this very shave (MMOC w/ injector blade) on Monday and noted in my report a bit of irritation. I didn't go into much detail, as I was rearing to talk about lather eating boars. Thinking back now, the irritation triggered during the second pass. The first pass was pretty clean and I was think, heck ya! Maybe I got a bit cocky or relaxed a bit on the second pass. I think on second or subsequent passes, an even lighter touch is required due to the fact that the first pass had the benefit of longer whiskers that protected the skin (if that makes any sense). After all, the MMOC demands a certain amount of respect at all times, like a coiled rattler ready to strike! And I've got some wicked memories of rattlers while living in Montana during my late high school days!
Anyhow...those are my ramblings...and that's all I have to say about that!
Bryan
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