Today is yet another really close pairing to close out week one.
The Merkur 25C is the long handle open comb version of the better known 23C. In the picture below it is on the left.
The blade is the same Feather that was in the Merkur 1904 for the last pairing so it is shave number three. I used the same Stirling Weekend in Malibu and let it sit with warm water longer than in yesterdays shave yet the result was pretty much the same; a nice smelling but otherwise uninteresting lather. It is slick but simply has no body or cushioning presence.
Today's brush may well be my favorite boar, a nice old EverReady as I start on the bottom shelf brushes. It's the two tone on the far left bottom shelf.
Unfortunately, just as with the pairing of a Gillette Old against the Merkur 1904, this too was really close. Both shaves in this pairing were two pass and touchup PDG that even got those areas that are often a problem. There was no scratching, no tugging, no pulling, no nicks, no cuts and no abrasion. Aftershave was Clubman Bay Rum.
Yet there has to be a winner! All three judges scored it close, two giving an 9.2 score and the Russian judge giving a 9.1 score to the "Merkel". A protest has been filed asking the Russian's vote be thrown out since it is a Merkur not Merkel. The Russian judge threw down his cards and left the building crying "Elvis Lives and is living in Moscow!"
So how should it end? Well the New LC is gold and pretty and has a wider handle so I will give this one to the New LC but by a split decision.
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The last razor I bought was the next to last razor I will ever buy!