Showing posts with label head shaving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label head shaving. Show all posts

Friday, October 11, 2019

Headblade Discontinues The Sport and HB3 TripleBlade Cartridges

October 11, 2019 6

I subscribe to HeadBlade’s newsletter.   I admit; I don’t read every single one of them.  But I happened to look at one I received a few days ago.

HeadBlade Email Newsletter
A section titled “End of an Era!” caught my attention. As it turns out Headblade announced they are no longer making the HeadBlade Sport or the HB3 Tripleblade cartridges.   Nooo!
Zoom in of the newsletter
Some of the news I was late to as it looks like Headblade announced the discontinuance of the HB3 blades in blog post back in March 2019.   It looks as if Headblade will no longer be creating new head shaving products based on this technology.   The company will now offer the HB2 blade cartridges for users like me who own, enjoy, and want to continue to use the HeadBlade Sport (or Ghost or Classic or Eclipse).

End of an Era.  HeadBlade stops production on the HeadBlade Sport
By the time I started shaving my head in the late 2000’s the Headblade HB2 blade cartridges had been discontinued.   I had started with the HB3 cartridges.    I didn’t shop online nearly as much as I do now and wasn’t an Amazon Prime subscriber.   I couldn’t find HB3 cartridges as my local Walgreens or CVS so I started using the Gillette Atra blades which the HeadBlade Sport was compatible with.  I have not used the HB2 blade cartridges as of yet.  But based on some social media posts I’ve seen the HB2’s look similar to the Gillette Atra.    

My first, well worn, HeadBlade Sport ... notice the missing wheels and rubber pad.

The discontinuance of the Sport kind of breaks my heart.   This was the first head shaving razor I purchased (and this is before it had the rubberized finger ring).  But I suppose that in order to improve, HeadBlade is looking towards to new and more innovative things.  I’m personally looking forward to what could be coming.   Like I mentioned earlier, I have not tried the HB2 blades yet.  But until my store of HB3’s run out, I’m in no hurry.

Still have a few HB3 Triple Blade cartridges to get by with.



Tags # head shaving # headblade Continue Reading
By on 6 comments:
Labels: ,

Sunday, July 3, 2016

A Little More On HeadBlade's HeadSlick Shaving Cream

July 03, 2016 0
When I first started shaving my head, there was a time in particular that I experienced a bad razor rash.  It was on the left side of my head mostly on my parietal ridge.  I would touch it and it felt like a cluster of small pins penetrating the first few layers of skin on my head.  I hated that feeling. In order to try to avoid, or at least reduce, this with future head shaves; I decided on the spot to start making changes in the routine.  This would ultimately point me to traditional wet shaving, but that’s a different story.
HeadSlick is Still In My Rotation, Usually on the Head Shave Polishing Pass
One of the changes I made was shifting from the canned goo from the dollar store to a new shave cream. I’ve tried many back then, one of which was HeadBlade’s HeadSlick which still remains in the rotation today.  I mostly use it on my head.  But as the tagline says, “use it anywhere you shave” … so I’ll occasionally use it on my face.
Where Can HeadSlick be Used?
I really like HeadSlick and I thought it was a good alternative to an aerosol shaving cream can.  For one I like the slickness of this cream over just about any aerosol shave cream I’ve tried.  In my experience when using some of the really cheap shaving creams it would not provide adequate slickness. As a result, when running a razor over my head, it would invariably get snagged on spot that wasn’t sufficiently lubricated and would wind up cutting myself.  This happened particularly when using the HeadBlade sport.  Since the Sport pushes the blade over the stubble it would catch on section that wasn’t properly lubricated I would get some nasty gouges. 
Applied With The Fingers, HeadSlick Provided a Protective and Slick Coating with a Nice Mentholated Feel. 

This is also a mentholated cream; which is an attribute that I like.  HeadSlick has a fairly strong (my opinion) mentholated feel as well as aroma to it.  Even after the shave and when rinsed off, the cooling feeling that it leaves behind makes it feel as if I can go without an aftershave, though I do use something  just out of habit.   

While it’s probably not really a product for the shave brush fan. Though, in a previous post and YouTube video (below) we did test it to see if it would lather with a brush.  Personally, I was surprised and pleased with the results. 

Overall, HeadSlick is one of those products that will most likely remain in the rotation.  It doesn’t leave my skin feeling dried out after a shave, I like the cooling menthol feeling, and I don’t find it to linger around.  So, I feel that I can use just about any scent of aftershave balm or splash without worrying about a clash of smells.  Because there are a lot of other products in the shave den that I like to use, I'll probably opt for the 5 oz bottle rather than the 8 oz, so I don't keep it opened and on the shelf for too long.
I Use A Number of Other Products in the Routine, So The Smaller Bottle is the Better Option for Me.
Have you tried HeadBlade’s HeadSlick shaving cream? Better yet, paraphrasing what is on the bottle … Do you use it anywhere you shave?  Leave a comment below and let us know.
Tags # head shaving # headblade # shaving cream Continue Reading
By on No comments:
Labels: , ,

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Waterless Shave Gel: Bold For Men

May 21, 2016 0
When TheShavingEdge.com store launched, Bold For Men Dry Shave™ Gel was the first product that we started carrying and it was the first item that we sold.  So, the Bold For Men product is a little special to me. 
Instagram Photo we took and posted a few years ago
I used to experience terrible irritation and razor rash when shave my head.  So, I started looking for products to try.  Here in North Eastern PA, there weren’t a lot of shops that carried an assortment of shaving products so I began to scour the internet.  (Side note: this has changed a little bit since then.  Some of the mass merchant retailers have expanded their breadth of wet shaving products.  Some barber shops and small vendors have also sprouted up that offer a selection of premium shaving and grooming supplies).  I eventually found my way to Bold For Men waterless shave gel.  Having used and become unhappy with the sloppy, canned goop from the dollar store I was really intrigued by a product that stated “No water. No Foam. No Mess.”  
Bold For Men Dry Shave "No Water. No Foam. No Mess"

 Bold For Men Dry Shave™ Gel was released in December 2006 and was designed to act as a pre-shave, shave gel, and aftershave all in one product that does not require water for use.  I found it to be relatively light and it washes off the razor fairly easily. I can’t really pinpoint what it smells like (perhaps herbal cinnamon might best describe it), but it’s a scent that I personally like.  It's not a heavy scent and I found that it doesn't linger even after using it as a aftershave.

 A pre-shave conditioner I thought it was adequate.  I would consider the stubble on my head to be pretty coarse.  So, using the product as a pre-shave treatment on dry skin wasn’t too effective for softening my stubble.  A hot shower is still the method works best to soften my stubble before a shave.  I’ve found that applying as a preshave after my shower was a bit more effective.
Product was a transparent blue green gel. 

 Unfortunately for the shave brush fan, this is not a product that would lather with a brush.  It’s a gel. So this is a product that I applied with my fingers.  Using it the gel without water, I found the glide to be fair.  I’m not sure if it’s my skin chemistry or what, but as the gel would air dry on my head and I found it to become slightly tacky.  Adding a little water or some more gel seemed to reactivate it.  With a little water, the slickness was decent and reminded me of other shave gels in a tube that I’ve tried.  

 Personally, when using the product purely waterless, my head (and/or face) didn’t feel fresh and clean.  After a few uses, I felt compelled to wash any residual or excess of before applying any kind of post shave.  Aftershave-wise I fancy myself more of a splash rather than a balm person.  As a post shave treatment, the Bold For Men waterless shave gel did not give me this bracing sting that I enjoy with my splashes.  As a post shave, I found it to be similar to that of aloe vera gel rather than a mentholated balm or bracing splash. 
What are your thoughts on Bold For Men?
As with anything wet shaving (er … I guess waterless shaving in this case) Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV).  What works well for some, may not be ideal for others.    I like Bold For Men Dry Shave™ Gel for shaving my head and as I mentioned previously, it is a product that is kind of special to me.  However, I personally can’t go completely waterless when shaving.  

 Have you tried Bold For Men Dry Shave™ Gel?  Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

Tags # Bold For Men # head shaving # reviews Continue Reading
By on No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Sir Hare Shave Soaps and Head Shaving Oils

August 04, 2015 0
Since he started shaving his head, Tony (co-founder of Sir Hare) always had a dry scalp. One day he left the house and realized he forgot to put lotion on his shaved head.  He turned to his wife (Sir Hare partner and co-founder), Mindy, and asked if she had any moisturizer with her.  Mindy handed him a purple bottle containing a sparkly emulsion that smelled like something he didn’t want to apply to his head.  At this moment Tony realized that he wanted to find a better way to shave his head that didn't leave it feeling dry.

 Tony recalled reading about people using oil to shave with. As a result, he and Mindy began to experiment by blending different oils together that Tony tried in his head shaving routine. Their kitchen became a lab and his head became the science experiment.   It took months and months of experimentation before they would get something acceptable.  The blends would be too thick, too thin, not moisturizing enough, or smelled funny.  Mindy and Tony kept at it until one day they had one that was just right.  The finished a blend was something that Tony really enjoyed shaving with. It provided a great shave, it smelled really good, and (most of all) his head was no longer dry.

 Like most ideas, Sir Hare started with trying to solve a problem. Figuring if he had a problem with a dry scalp as a result of head shaving, then perhaps others did too.  So Mindy and Tony sought out head shavers and sent samples.  The response was very positive … and with that Sir Hare was born in late 2014 with four different scents of head shaving oil: 
The four different varieties of Sir Hare Head Shaving Oil currently available.
Beach Bum:  A blend of oils with hints of coconut to make you feel like you are relaxing in the sun sipping on a Pina Colada.
Gentleman: reminiscent of fresh and musky cologne.
Lumberjack: Pine and woodsy notes designed to smell like a breath of air from a hike through the forest.
Purist:  made for people with sensitive skin.  Purist does not contain any added fragrances and smells only of its blend of its ingredients 

 Personally I’ve used the Beach Bum scent.  I’ve never with shaved with just an oil.  I’ve used the Sir Hare oil on a number of occasions.  Typically after about two days of growth, I’d massage about a dime sized onto my scalp after a hot shower and proceed to shave with just the oil.  I’ve shaved with a DE razor, HeadBlade Sport or ATX, or a Cobra CR1000.   A couple of the issues that some have mentioned are the blade clogging and difficulties with quickly washing the blade or cartridge.  For me, I usually have these problems if I’m using thicker (usually brushless) shave creams. But, I haven’t been encountering those issues when using just the head shaving oil. I do have relatively strong water pressure, so I’m kind of attributing it to that.  But as they say in the wet shaving world YMMV (Your mileage may very).  So I can see why some may have that problem whereas others may not. 

Sir Hare Beach Bum Head Shaving Oil pictured with some of my head shaving tools

Not too long after launching, Sir Hare expanded into shave soaps. Unfortunately, their first batch was not well received.  During the testing phase, the initial feedback from product testers was positive.  However once the shaving soap was generally released many seasoned wet shavers were citing problems with lathering.  They offered refunds to their customers and went back to the drawing board.

 Sir Hare worked on a new formulation with the wet shaving community. The reformulated soap has received very positive feedback and Sir Hare re-released it in May of 2015. It is currently available in 3 different scents: 

Sir Hare Shaving Soap, currently available in three different scents. 
Third Eye:   A shaving soap with a sweet, warm, rich fragrance of Sandalwood and Vanilla. Sandalwood is known to help realign your mind, body, spirit, and claims to even open your Third Eye; hence the name. 
Classic Barber: A throwback barbershop scent
Drunken Sailor:  A Bay Rum fragrance.  Sir Hare dubbed it Drunken Sailor because many moons ago sailors found a way to use Rum to extract the oil from the Bay leaf which created the fragrance we know and love. 

 I had the opportunity to try their Classic Barber shave soap.  The scent is fairly light and the smell (to my nose) is something that I would describe as a barbershop scent mixed with the light smell of baby oil.  Personally, I found the soap to have a nice, slick, and cushiony lather.  For me, running a badger brush under the hot tap water for a few seconds, shaking out some excess, and swirling it over the soap for about 30 seconds was enough for my regular two pass face shave. 

Sir Hare Classic Barber Shaving Soap Lather
So I asked Sir Hare if there is anything in the making that we can anticipate.  They had mentioned that there are some new scents of head shaving oil and shaving soaps that are planned for the near future.  There are also a few other products that are planned but couldn’t mention much more than that.  I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.  

 Have you tried the Sir Hare Shaving Oil or Shave Soaps? Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know.
Tags # head shaving # shave soap # sir hare Continue Reading
By on No comments:
Labels: , ,

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Welcome to Cobra Country: The Cobra Razors CR1000 2-in-1 Razor

May 28, 2015 0

I suppose the story of Cobra Razors started with a case of RAD (Razor Acquisition Disorder).  But the company’s founder, Chris Coviello, wasn’t intentionally trying to build a razor collection.  Rather, he was in search of a razor that could meet both his head shaving and face shaving needs.

Early Sketch and Whittled Model of the CR1000
After years of looking, Chris settled on two different razors: one for the head and one for the face.  As the story goes, one day he looked at the two razors sitting on the bathroom vanity and thought that there has to be a way to combine the two.  So he began to sketch and make models that would eventually become the Cobra Razors CR1000.

 
Chris Demonstrates How to Use the CR1000

Cobra Razors was founded in 2013, and after close to three years of development the Cobra CR1000 dual use razor was born.  Made in the USA, the CR1000 was designed as a 2-in-1 razor that transforms from a face-shaving razor to a head-shaving razor with the click of a button. With the flick of that button, the CR1000 go from the closed or the “head” position to the open or “face” position (side note: I  think that the open position should be called “strike mode” … I just think it sounds more bad-ass, but that’s just my opinion.)
Open Position of the CR1000 - Personally I Think Calling it the "Strike" Position sounds more bad ass
In the head position the handle of the CR1000 becomes a finger grip for control as the Cobra Blade strikes even the hardest to reach places.  In the Face position, the Cobra Razors CR1000 handle flips out so the razor can be used for shaving the face. 
The CR1000 in Black Pictured with Accessories
The CR1000 includes comes with a Razor Stand, one 4-Blade Cartridge, and one 6-Blade Cartridge. It is available in one of three colors (Clear, Black, and a Lime Green (or Cobra Razors Yellow)) and comes in a uniquely styled Cobra Razors package.

Cobra Razors' Cobra Themed Packaging Pictured with the CR1000 in Clear
The company also offers a line of sundries as well, including 4-blade and 6-blade replacement cartridges, pre-shave glycerin soaps, a Shaving Gel with Aloe, and an Aftershave lotion to help round out the Cobra Razors system.  The philosophy is that Cobra Razors wants to offer a high quality line of products (from pre to post) for an enjoyable shave.
Also available from Cobra Razors: Replacement Blade Cartridges, Shaving Gel, and Aftershave lotion

 Have you tried the Cobra Razors CR1000 or any other Cobra Razors product?  Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know.



Tags # cobra razors # head shaving Continue Reading
By on No comments:
Labels: ,