I've just completed my first shave with the 2021 Sailor.
SOTD setup
Rocnel Sailor 2021
Wilkinson Sword Super Sword-edge - Vintage made in England(day 10)
SV Dolomiti Beta 4.0, face lathered.
Simpsons Chubby 1 manchurian
Thayers WH
Amouage Figment
My main comparison razor is the Rex Ambassador which I used yesterday, and have used in my rotation for a bit over one year, n “O” serial number from 2019 version. I'm quite happy using the Rex set on 4, and in general I prefer more blade forward/close shaving razors.
I started the first XTG/WTG pass using setting 3. The closeness of shave was the equivalent of Rex Ambassador set on about 2.5-3, but the comfort, glide and smoothness significantly better. The Rex tends to feel like dragging on my face, the sailor in this instance just glided and scraped off the stubble with satisfying auditable feedback.
Second pass I went ATG through neck area and found it very, very comfortable, and then a nose-to-chin pass (mostly WTG on my face).
Third pass, mostly ATG, dialed up to 4 on the Sailor. The outcome of that was very very smooth without any irritation or discomfort. My upper lip area is the smoothest it’s ever been with any DE in memory, it just shaved so close and smoothly through my toughest area. I couldn't really tell how close it was until I rinsed off my face and had that wtf moment, where you have achieved an accidental BBS and no side effects. I just didn't make any sense how close and comfortable the shave was.
9hours later:
My face has remained smooth and comfortable despite no post-shave product and having used SV 4.0 which is not that moisturizing, once again it makes no sense to me (in a good way).
Neck and cheek area is still BBS, upper lip stubble starting to return.
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It's quite possible the Wilkinson sword blades are skewing my perspective here, as they are generally sublime if the razor is decent. But I've used the same blade rotating between a Gillette New Improved, Rex Ambassador, WR2 1.45 and by far the best shave has been today with the Sailor. I'm not writing off the WR2 as I'm still learning it. Rex's days in my rotation/den are numbered.
The WR2 1.45 OC arrived to me only last week, with that I haven't needed more than 1-2 passes with that yet, so it’s too early to draw fair comparisons there until I dial up the Sailor’s blade gap with another blades.
I’ll try a fresh feather blade soon and and see how that goes.
//note post had been edited on 18/06, correcting mention of WR2 1.55 OC to 1.45 OC