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The Dollar Store Razor Challenge

Look who’s having quotation problems now!
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Got mine in the mail today. I will start using it next week. Gonna try and do my speed shave tomorrow but i am using a Straight for that as that is what i would reach for if i was on a time crunch.
 
This evenings shave was........... interesting.

So this was my set-up for the night. I knew the shave probably wouldn't be good and all the sawdust in a tightly climate controlled building has been making my skin very dry to begin with, so I went with good software.



After loading the blade into the razor, I channeled my inner Rich with a very heartfelt and concerned "Oh dear!!"
This thing has some serious blade exposure and nasty alignment issues even with the blade in straight.....






There are also some weird gouges that are in the handle that got let through and plated over.



So for the "shave"....
Left the soap open during my shower because that stuff just smells so amazing. That was getting me looking forward to this shave.
I didn't shave last night, so I had a good growth going. Lathered up the CBL leaving a little wet so it was nice and slick, thinking this should be great!
Started the first stroke with the razor and that's when it all went bad...
It cut... well... removed whiskers, but it felt like I was waxing instead of shaving. I know I was getting something because I could see them in the lather, but it wasn't very close.
Suffered through the rest of the first pass being very careful. The one thing I will say for it, is that I had no issues reaching under my nose. Usually a TTO gives me problems because the cap is too thick and my nose has been broke to many times that it doesn't fit well. Since the blade sticks up 3 inches above the top cap on this thing I think I even trimmed my nose hairs all the way back to my throat just shaving my top lip.

Lathered back up and went to do a second pass.......
I will use all of the blades this came with just to be fair in the challenge, but I may not get 3 shaves out of the pack.... I started the second pass and all it did was pull my skin. It wouldn't even cut anymore. I know I have tough whiskers and blades don't last as long for me, but DANG!!
I pulled it out and it wouldn't even cut into a callous when I ran my thumb across the edge. It had gone from somewhat cutting to wouldn't cut butter in one pass.
Put a new blade in and managed to finish the second pass. No way I'm doing any clean-up after this.

Still have a fair amount of stubble left, so definitely not a close shave despite nearly using a straight razor.
Then I made the mistake of applying a healthy dose of Captain's Choice AS. With no acting training whatsoever, I flawlessly recreated the scene from Home Alone.
I will do my part and finish the tortu...uhhh.... challenge, but I think I'd rather have another kidney stone if I had a choice.
 
So ... it sounds like things went about par. I got mine in the mail today. I’ll start the challenge early next week.
 
1/26/2019 - Shave #3

Today I really wanted to pull out one of my straights and have a go, but I did the expected thing instead. I had shave #3 with the Assured combo. But this time I decided to go for broke...

I normally do only a two pass shave...

Today I went with 4. (1 north-to-south, 2 east-west, and 1 south-to-north.)

I came away BBS+. It wasn't DSBBS or even HCBBS. There was too much lasting tenderness for that. But, my skin has been really smooth all day. It was a good shave with only a single pin prick of red on my chin (which is apparently my favorite place to nick myself since that is where I get most of them). The blade really performed. I felt it wanting to bite down but managed to ride the cap and readjust on the fly so it didn't. Had there been less residual irritation this would have been one of my best shaves ever.

Honestly, I think the blade is decent. The razor leaves something to be desired. I will have to compare it to my Van Der Hagen/Weishi TTO.
 
Remind me what those are again? The acronym listing shows DBBS as Dolphin Baby Butt Smooth, but doesn’t explain those. Maybe it needs an update.

pretty sure the first one is the newer dolphin based acronym but no clue on the other
 
I believe the first I’d Dolphin Smooth, and the other is Eric’s Heel Clicking.
These are some great reviews to read whilst I try to not giggle and wake mama!
 
Well I am glad that some of you are finally seeing it my way. The razor leaves much to be desired and the blades are just horrible! I think I will get my third shave in with the razor tomorrow but with a new Assured Blade.

And Shawn...AWESOME analysis! thanks for pointing out the issues with high resolution close up photos!
 
Those photos look familiar. I see you had the same alignment/exposure I had at first. I played with the razor, opening and closing until I could get it closed so tight the lifter pressed the blade against the silo doors. I was able to achieve a bit more angle that made a huge difference. Kinda like a Fat Boy has that special final 1/4 turn, this one needs a little extra tightening.

I shaved with the Wilkinson’s sword blade yesterday and, although it felt better off the bat I got more weepers. Based on longevity the WS wins.

edit: Dave, your razor looks great!. Great positive vibe during the shave. You make a good point, the audible feedback tells you to keep scraping away at it.

...Neckle area?
 
I did notice the extra quarter turn thing before I even put the blade in. Mine would tighten down, then you could actually feel it sort of click as it got that last little bit. Part of the problem is that the doors are so put of alignment that they push against each other keeping one up slightly above the other. They meet in the middle, but if you push one the other will pop up slightly, then push the other and it reverses. Kind of like a sheet metal warp, you just keep chasing it.

I'm starting to have this desire to bow out of this years exchange though... Guess it doesn't matter because if I did, a certain someone already has my address and would most likely be "generous" enough to send a box anyhow so I wouldn't "miss out" on anything.
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The video is in post-production... I should mention it is messy .. and long.. I should have put in an intermission. I wouldn't put it in the Gear Noir genera. Not even Lawrence of Arabia or Dr. Zhivago long. A bit shorter than a sitcom minus the commercials

Have to figure out how to shorten up these productions and actually put together a good shave while filming
 
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