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September 7 - September 13
- Thread starter Jayaruh
- Start Date
One of the razors collectors want to have is the Walbusch B5. Basically a Merkur Progress with a tilted head. This is a really nice razor, shaves great, as do all Progress, and it looks pretty too, be it with a bit clunky head.
A razor that is under-appreciated is the Walbusch B3. Same head as the B5, yet not adjustable. Razor is all plastic. Pollopas to be precise, kinda like bakelite yet different.
As the B5, this razor was produced by Merkur, who made their own version. I've found three models. V1 has a solid baseplate. V2 a baseplate where the holes for the guiding posts run all the way through. And a version of which I'm not sure if it was before or after V1 that has a solid baseplate with scalloped safetybar.
This is the razor I shaved with today.
Funny thing. I love the B3. It exists as Walbusch, Merkur, Eros, Zorro and then some, and they all shave terrific. Not strange as they share geometry. So when I picked todays razor out of the cabinet, loaded it with a blade (had seen some use), and lathered up, I was really looking forward to a great shave, as I'm used to with these razors. Much to my surprise: mediocre at best. Really weird, as this model normally sets the bar for what a great shave should feel like.
Maybe later this month with a fresh blade, don't know.
A razor that is under-appreciated is the Walbusch B3. Same head as the B5, yet not adjustable. Razor is all plastic. Pollopas to be precise, kinda like bakelite yet different.
As the B5, this razor was produced by Merkur, who made their own version. I've found three models. V1 has a solid baseplate. V2 a baseplate where the holes for the guiding posts run all the way through. And a version of which I'm not sure if it was before or after V1 that has a solid baseplate with scalloped safetybar.
This is the razor I shaved with today.
Funny thing. I love the B3. It exists as Walbusch, Merkur, Eros, Zorro and then some, and they all shave terrific. Not strange as they share geometry. So when I picked todays razor out of the cabinet, loaded it with a blade (had seen some use), and lathered up, I was really looking forward to a great shave, as I'm used to with these razors. Much to my surprise: mediocre at best. Really weird, as this model normally sets the bar for what a great shave should feel like.
Maybe later this month with a fresh blade, don't know.
Jayaruh
Well-Known Member
Menthol Monday's Cold Water Shave
Cold Water Rinse
Palmolive Menthol Shave Cream
Jayaruh #2
2-band Badger
Gem 1912
Personna GEM SS PTFE Blade
CWR
Humphrey's Witch Hazel
Mennen Skin Bracer AS
The Palmolive Menthol Shave Cream was face-lathered well with the Jayaruh #2 Two-band Badger Brush. Two passes and touch ups with the Gem 1912 and the Personna GEM SS PTFE Blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse I finished off with Humphrey's Witch Hazel and Mennen Skin Bracer After Shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...
Razor: Razor: Merkur 34HD C
Blade: Merkur
Soap: Cella shaving soap Buongiorno al Sandalo
Brush: Razorock Plisoft 400
Aftershave: Alepia Pierre d’alun
Aftershave: Cella pre shave gel Buongiorno al Sandalo
Aftershave: Cella aftershave cream antiaging Buongiorno al Sandalo
Blade: Merkur
Soap: Cella shaving soap Buongiorno al Sandalo
Brush: Razorock Plisoft 400
Aftershave: Alepia Pierre d’alun
Aftershave: Cella pre shave gel Buongiorno al Sandalo
Aftershave: Cella aftershave cream antiaging Buongiorno al Sandalo
Jayaruh
Well-Known Member
Tabac Tuesday's Cold Water Shave
Cold Water Rinse
Tabac Shave Soap
Jayaruh #2 2-band Badger
Ever-Ready Peerless
Personna GEM SS PTFE Blade
CWR
Humphrey's Witch Hazel
Tabac After Shave
The Tabac Shave Soap was face-lathered well with the Jayaruh #2 Two-band Badger Brush. Two passes and touch ups with the Ever-Ready Peerless and the Personna GEM SS PTFE Blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse I finished off with Humphrey's Witch Hazel and Tabac After Shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...
How to bring things together ...
Back in the days of old, Merkur produced quite a number of different slants. Besides the well known 37 and 39, there were tilted non torqued ones like the B3 and 75, and torqued ones like the 36 (thin handle three-piece) end the 38 (thin handle two-piece). The 38 name has meanwhile been reused for a "regular" razor.
Also, looking at torqued slants, for some most were slanted top left to bottom right. Merkur, Fasan, Valencia, ATT, all slanted this way. Exception: the Ibsen-type slants. Basically two models sharing the same head, fat handle two piece, or short screw three piece. Sold as Ibsen, Liese, Geniol, ... Sounds like a lot of brands, but they were basically all the same razor, whre Merkur, Fasan, ATT etc are all different takes on the slant.
For some reason, when Merkur started producing their "Superslant" (a monniker never used by themselves), they had one "hybrid" model. Hybrid as in: very much like the former 38: scalloping unlike their other superslants yet like the "ordinary" range of Merkur slants and thin handle two-piece, yet more slanted, and torqued the Ibsen way, also the other way around from all other Merkur slants.
Shaved with this today. Lovely shave. Just lovely.
Back in the days of old, Merkur produced quite a number of different slants. Besides the well known 37 and 39, there were tilted non torqued ones like the B3 and 75, and torqued ones like the 36 (thin handle three-piece) end the 38 (thin handle two-piece). The 38 name has meanwhile been reused for a "regular" razor.
Also, looking at torqued slants, for some most were slanted top left to bottom right. Merkur, Fasan, Valencia, ATT, all slanted this way. Exception: the Ibsen-type slants. Basically two models sharing the same head, fat handle two piece, or short screw three piece. Sold as Ibsen, Liese, Geniol, ... Sounds like a lot of brands, but they were basically all the same razor, whre Merkur, Fasan, ATT etc are all different takes on the slant.
For some reason, when Merkur started producing their "Superslant" (a monniker never used by themselves), they had one "hybrid" model. Hybrid as in: very much like the former 38: scalloping unlike their other superslants yet like the "ordinary" range of Merkur slants and thin handle two-piece, yet more slanted, and torqued the Ibsen way, also the other way around from all other Merkur slants.
Shaved with this today. Lovely shave. Just lovely.