The two really have nothing to do with one another, but having the perfect shave does a lot to make a man feel like all is right with the world. That feeling keeps your prostate healthy and keeps you away from useless saw palmetto products. Somebody asked me about my experience with shaving tech in a cigar bar the other day (typical place such a conversation would occur), so here is what I said:
When it comes to blades, the best blades in the world are Gillette. Schick is crap no matter how much they try to be like Gillette. Schick slices your face up. Gillette won’t cut you – and that is the essence of what makes a good shave. You don’t want cuts on your face when shaving, yet you want closeness.
Gillette doesn’t pull this off because they have the sharpest blades out there, but rather due to their technology. I would venture to guess it has something to do with the angles of the blades and some quality to the steel. Because the 2-blade Good News does as good a job as the Mach 3 and it doesn’t have any special comfort strips or anything. So I think it must be steel treatment and blade angle, etc. Subsequent shavers from Gillette such as the Fusion, and 4 and 5 blades, battery M-powered vibrations… they don’t do any better job then the Mach 3 or the Good News. But the Mach 3 can be used with custom shaving handles as the Good News is a one-piece disposable. So the closest and safest shave with the most style can be attained by using Mach 3 cartridges and a custom handle. I have one made from ironwood that I bought on etsy.com and it rules.
Feather double-edged blades from Japan are the sharpest blades out there, but make a mess of your face even in a fine Merkur handle. Straight-razors are the final level out there, but if you thought your face needed a lot of prep time for a double-edged razor, wait until you see how much is required for a straight-razor shave that doesn’t leave you a bloody mess.
Finally, I will say that every shaving cream or gel I have ever tried sucks. Nothing beats humble soap. Not shaving soap – just soap. One of my friends claims conditioner works well too, and I would bet he is right. I haven’t tried it just yet!
