Several months ago my friend gifted me with an iKon El Jefe artist club SE razor. He kept telling me how much he loved the shaves from his. He warned me about the blade placement defect in the razor so I knew how to correct that problem ahead of time. He also included a couple of Feather artist club blades. While I got a decent shave from the combination, I could see the promise of the razor but the shave was nothing special.
I then decided to try a couple of other AC blades that, for me, ranged from meh to awful (KAI Milds). Then, through a post I saw here on DFS, I decided to give the Schick Proline P-30 blades a try at the same time I got both my friend and me a RazoRock Satin Silver HAWK AC razor. Many of you know that the HAWK is as light as the El Jefe is heavy. I used the Schick Proline first in the HAWK and then in the El Jefe and even though the dynamics of the two razors are different, the shaves that I got from both with this blade were amazing. This morning, after a full seven shaves (four with the HAWK and three with the El Jefe) I decided to retire the blade, though I probably could have had more excellent shaves from it. Every one of the week's shaves, and no matter with which of the two razors, was BBS and completely irritation free. There was not so much as a weeper with any of the shaves. These blades have made me completely rethink my Artist Club SE razors, from just okay to really looking forward to using them. I now have a RazoRock HAWK stainless steel DLC coated razor on the way to me and am looking forward to trying a Schick Proline in it.
I realize that everyone has favorites and what works great for one may not work so well for others. However, while I have one or two other blades that are new to me to try, I don't know if I'll even bother anytime soon.
By the way, I palm strop my blades but artist clubs are so narrow that it is difficult, and somewhat dangerous, to do. However, my friend made me a mini stropping board and it makes the job easier.
I then decided to try a couple of other AC blades that, for me, ranged from meh to awful (KAI Milds). Then, through a post I saw here on DFS, I decided to give the Schick Proline P-30 blades a try at the same time I got both my friend and me a RazoRock Satin Silver HAWK AC razor. Many of you know that the HAWK is as light as the El Jefe is heavy. I used the Schick Proline first in the HAWK and then in the El Jefe and even though the dynamics of the two razors are different, the shaves that I got from both with this blade were amazing. This morning, after a full seven shaves (four with the HAWK and three with the El Jefe) I decided to retire the blade, though I probably could have had more excellent shaves from it. Every one of the week's shaves, and no matter with which of the two razors, was BBS and completely irritation free. There was not so much as a weeper with any of the shaves. These blades have made me completely rethink my Artist Club SE razors, from just okay to really looking forward to using them. I now have a RazoRock HAWK stainless steel DLC coated razor on the way to me and am looking forward to trying a Schick Proline in it.
I realize that everyone has favorites and what works great for one may not work so well for others. However, while I have one or two other blades that are new to me to try, I don't know if I'll even bother anytime soon.
By the way, I palm strop my blades but artist clubs are so narrow that it is difficult, and somewhat dangerous, to do. However, my friend made me a mini stropping board and it makes the job easier.