The Mongoose: ouch, ouch, ouch!

Oh, Mongoose, you feral rascal. After a nice week with my new OneBlade (and two first shaves with the Feather SS straight this past weekend), I was craving a bit more challenge this morning. Still loaded with a Feather Pro (probably shave four on it?), things seemed to be going well — light touch, nice and careful — but after my final rinse, I look up and: boom, about seven weepers. Ugh. This razor is playing hard-to-get for me.

To be fair, I don't have any persistent irritation or razor burn, which is good, though my face doesn't feel as comfortable and content as it has after the OneBlade shaves. The Mongoose did shave very close very quickly though, which is good.

Since the weepers were along my jawline and on my neck, I suspect I'm running into problems with the correct angle on curves, probably especially in ATG directions. It's notable that this was more weepers than I've gotten from my Feather SS so far. I know some guys find the Mongoose to be easy and mild, but this is far from my experience right now. This razor can really bite!

Please do not give up yet! I also have a B3 Goose and it also have a bit of play. It took me almost three months to get to know this creature. I was very close to selling l or trading it so many times. However, once I intentionally paid very close attention to every step from preparing my face to making and applying lather to ensuring the lightest pressure possible, I felt what many Goose enthusiasts love this razor for. Aggressive, yet delicate and efficient shaving beast! In my experience, when I have enough energy to pay attention to every single detail, I am rewarded with the smoothest possible shave without any irritation or bleeding. The moment, I skip even a slightest detail, I pay in blood! The overall experience is perhaps the closest to my straight razor shaving experience. At this point I do not see this razor going anywhere. Hope it helps!

Alex

That is indeed encouraging and reassuring, Alex. Thank you!

I hope this smooths out for you, onethinline! You seemed to be on a roll with the Mongoose for a while!

Please do not give up yet! I also have a B3 Goose and it also have a bit of play. It took me almost three months to get to know this creature.

Alex

I admire your patience, Alex, but mine is lacking. If I can't get up to speed on a razor within a week, it's into the bin or the animal shelter's thrift store down the road.

If a razor can't lock up the blade firmly without relying on the handle pressure against the plate to do it, that razor has a design &/or manufacturing flaw imho.

I never had a problem with my Goose, and I own V1. Design flaw? Well, if I use that rational, then every two or three piece razor I own is flawed, since they use the handle pressure to lock the blade in place.

Just because something doesn't work the way one wishes, it doesn't mean is flawed. This is one of those YMMV type of situation and not general in any way.

Sorry it didn't work for you Mr. B!

Sorry it didn't work for you Mr. B!

No, no, your inference. I have never owned the Goose. I was speaking generally though. The pressure from the handle locks the vertical motion in a 3 piece. The tolerances, otherwise, should handle the lateral blade movement, not?

Sorry it didn't work for you Mr. B!

No, no, your inference. I have never owned the Goose. I was speaking generally though. The pressure from the handle locks the vertical motion in a 3 piece. The tolerances, otherwise, should handle the lateral blade movement, not?

Oh, cool. I would suggest try one, it is a good stable razor. I can't speak of the newer versions, but my V1 is solid in every way. I have never encountered any blade movement regardless of what handle I use with it, be the stock handle or a UFO.

Hm yeah to clarify, the play I was noticing in the head wasn't the blade (it seems well-secured), but rather that the top cap slides forward and back, just a bit, relative to the base plate, until everything is screwed down tight. This means there's a small range for where the base plate and its guard will sit relative to the top cap and blade. Sounds like making sure the backs of the top cap and base are aligned is the trick. But the blade itself seats well on the top cap.

Hm yeah to clarify, the play I was noticing in the head wasn't the blade (it seems well-secured), but rather that the top cap slides forward and back, just a bit, relative to the base plate, until everything is screwed down tight. This means there's a small range for where the base plate and its guard will sit relative to the top cap and blade. Sounds like making sure the backs of the top cap and base are aligned is the trick. But the blade itself seats well on the top cap.

That's it

Hm yeah to clarify, the play I was noticing in the head wasn't the blade (it seems well-secured), but rather that the top cap slides forward and back, just a bit, relative to the base plate, until everything is screwed down tight. This means there's a small range for where the base plate and its guard will sit relative to the top cap and blade. Sounds like making sure the backs of the top cap and base are aligned is the trick. But the blade itself seats well on the top cap.

Got it now, David. Your clarification made it clear.