high proof pivoting head DE razor passaround

  
Pre ...... PdP Ocean Air Bath Bar
Brush .... Chisel and Hound Malachite w v21 Fanchurian (26mm)
Soap ..... Los Jabones de Joserra Spanish Fern
Razor .... High Proof Aluminum
Blade .... Astra SP
BLdate ... 2024-03-24
Post ..... ETHOS Blood Orange 10% EOS Skin Food Splash
Post ..... Seven Minerals Aloe Vera Gel
Finish ... Amouage Jubilation 40 Man Extrait (2023)


Tonight's shave went better, but it was not much fun.  The shorter, one day growth was easier for this razor to handle.  Unlike yesterday, I could finish the shave, and I walked away with a bloodless DFS.  For some reason, the spring stiffness of this razor is in a middle ground that I find annoyingly hard to manage.  With a Gillette Guard or Mach 3, there is no stiffness.  I press a little and let the head conform to my face and do its thing.  With the one blade Genesis, at least my copy, the spring is very stiff.  If I ever do press, there is audible feedback as the head snaps back.  I find it easy to use the One Blade with a light touch - not like a cart at all - and find the Genesis a smooth and efficient razor (albeit with a high cost of ownership).  With the High Proof, I find that after a short amount of travel, the razor tends to either skip or develop mild stiction, like the kind you can get on a sharpening stone.  It is enough to be annoying.  

It does seem to me that a sharper blade might help, so I will try one more shave, this time using either a BIC or a Feather.

  
Pre ......  PdP Ocean Air Bath Bar
Brush ....  Chisel and Hound Pearl Hologram, V22 Fanchurian (26mm)
Soap .....  ETHOS Succès (F Base)
Razor ....  High Proof Aluminum
Blade ....  Feather
Post .....  ETHOS Succès 10% EOS Skin Food  Splash
Post .....  Seven Minerals Aloe Vera Gel
Finish ...  GFT Curzon Cologne
  
The Feather blade did improve the shave, but the shave was still problematic and disappointing. The Feather partially remediated the issues with skipping and sticktion that I mentioned in my previous post.  I occasionally use a Gillette Mach3 or Guard when travelling.  TBH, I can get a better shave more easily with either of them than with the High Proof.  

I believe I am the end of the line on this pass around, so I will be sending the materials back to andrewjs18.  Finally, I do want to thank both Andrew and the folks at High Proof Razor for respectively organizing and funding this pass around.