A carnival of technology

I’ve had my Merkur double-edge single-blade razor for a couple weeks now, and I really like it. I’m not really sure what the point is in having edges on both sides, and the differences from a double-blade razor took a little bit to get used to, but I no longer feel like I’ve scraped off the top of my face and replaced it with cheap lotion whenever I shave.

The razor took a little getting used to. It has a good heft to it, and it’s that weight that controls the pressure of the blade against the skin rather than needing any additional push, so I got a nice case of razor burn on my first shave. It also takes a little more work to control the angle of the blade than a modern disposable razor cartridge. While a Gillette whatever basically sits flat against your face with the blades angled appropriately within the assembly, this razor has a greater freedom of movement and requires some control to keep the blade angled properly. It’s not as bad as using a straight razor, since the safety razor housing provides a guide, but it takes a little more thought and concentration than a flat cartridge.

The shave I get from this thing isn’t as “smooth” as what I had from Gillette, but I don’t really mind. As I mentioned, I don’t feel like I’m mutilating my face by cutting whiskers below the skin in the name of an unnaturally close shave. I get a bit of a five-o-clock shadow now, which is kind of neat. My face isn’t going to be compared to silk sheets or baby butts or whatever else appears in those ridiculous commercials, but for once I feel great. If I have to shave in the evening before a date, so be it. Maybe I’ll keep going along this line and get one of those fancy brushes at some point.