Kingbeast's Lair

Summary

About a year ago I started looking for other shaving options.  A friend named Gary used a double-edged safety razor and suggested that I give it a try.  He prompted that the blades are cheap and you could still get a close shave.  After doing some research I decided to give it a try.

I decided on the Dreadnought razor based on reviews that it was good for beginners and easy to clean.  I went with a Dreadnaught brush and shaving cream as well.  At first I was not getting a close shave so I watched some videos and posted a bit about it on Facebook.  That is when one of my friends, Steve, said that the blade really makes a difference in the resulting shave.  I was dubious at first.  The next time we met Steve gave me a plastic bag full of various double-edges razor blades!  He also recommended a different brand of shaving  cream.

That was the start of this project.  I decided to test out the razor blades to see if they really did make a difference and to see which ones I liked best.

This project is not very scientific,  Here are the parameters of my testing.

• I used my Dreadnought Razor and Dreadnought Vanguard Brush only.
• I used only the new shaving cream that Steve recommended.  It is Omega Shaving Cream.
• I tested each blade for four days.  After each shave I wrote a small note or comment about how it went.  When I finished with the blade I gave it a rating.
• I tested only 1 of each blade.
• All blades were tested on my face only.  🙂

Reviews

I will be rating the blades from 1 to 5 stars.  5 stars is the best rating.  I will start with 1 star blades then move to the 5 star blades.  The format for each review is:

Name – Packaging – Comments

1 Star

• Derby Extra Super Stainless – Plastic box with paper sleeves – The first day the blade grabbed.  The second day the shave was worse.  The last day the shave felt like it was ripping my skin.  It felt dull.

2 Stars

• FEATHER Hi Stainless – Plastic box with paper sleeves – Cut myself the first day.  This blades easily nicked me.  Second shave was ok.  Cut myself again on last shave.
• ASTRA Superior Platinum – Paper box with paper sleeves – First shave super close.  Light scrapes on second shave.  Third shave was fine but last shave was very rough.
• Vidyut Super-Max Platinum – Paper box with paper sleeves – Pulled a bit the first day.  Bit rough and a nick on the second shave.  Two nicks on fourth shave.

3 Stars

• Dreadnaught – Plastic box with paper sleeves – Tears a bit on the first two shaves,  Not close on third shave but four shave was nice.
• Gillette NACET Stainless – Paper box with paper sleeves – Pulled a bit on the first shave.  Scraped a bit on second and third.  Fourth shave is fine.
• Gillette GOAL – Paper box with paper sleeves – Nice slick first shave!  Pulled a bit on the second and more on the third shave.  Fourth shave was rough.
• Derby Extra – Plastic box with paper sleeves – Not a bad first shave.  Second shave not close and a nick.  Third was rough and fourth was a tad abrasive.

4 Stars

• ASTRA Superior Stainless – Paper box with paper sleeves – Clean start.  Good second and third shaves but not real close.  Bit rough fourth shave but close.
• Blue Bird – Plastic box with paper sleeves – Started rough but ended first shave cleanly.  Very nice second shave but bit rougher on third and fourth shaves.
• Shark Super Chrome – Plastic box with paper sleeves – Nice first shave and last shave,  Second and third shaves pulled a bit and felt irritated.
• Shark Super Stainless – Paper box with paper sleeves – Great first and second shaves but bad third shave with a nice and not close.  Nice last day shave.

5 Stars

• TRIG Silver Edge Stainless – Paper box with paper sleeve – First shave was good but second shave was GREAT!  Close and no irritation at all.  Got minor nick on last day but the shave was close.
• ASTRA Platinum – Paper box with paper sleeve – Best first shave of the set!  Second shave was nice but bit rough.  Great third and fourth shaves with slick finish.
• BIC Chrome Platinum – Paper box with paper sleeve – Great first shave with no pull.  Good close second shave. Fine final shave but dull feel at end,
• Gillette 7 O’Clock – Paper box with paper sleeves – Great first shave!  Second shave was close with no pull at all.  Beautiful third shave and perfect 4th shave.  My favorite blade of the test.

Does The Blade Type Really Manner?

The short answer is yes…but not critically so.  You can see that I rated more of the blades 4 and 5 stars.  These are all acceptable to me.  I bought 100 of the Gillette 7 O’Clock and 100 of the TRIG after my test wrapped up.

To be honest, the change in shaving cream might have ended up being a bigger change.  The Omega shaving cream is a great product.  It lathers just right and one bowl lasts a LONG time…like 6 months!  Highly recommended.

Wanted to close by thanking Steve for the bag of blades so I could run this test.  I am really glad I went through the effort to switch to double-edged blades as it will end up saving me money and I find the act of shaving a bit more enjoyable.

[  Author’s Note: This is the episode synopsis for the 27th session of the Dark Waters Rising campaign.  This is my take as to what happened during the session.  Please let me know if there are any comments or corrections.  ]

A Message

Winston is contacted by Ernesto.  The mobster had a body deposited to a parking garage at one of his hotels.  Ernesto wants Winston and MD to investigate, clean, and lose the body.  The hunters examine a body that has been killed and stuffed into a garbage bag.  The body is one of Ernesto’s pimps named Jonny Tang.  Jonny’s head is smashed open in the same fashion as MD’s friend Six.  On his head is drawn the letter “L” in blood.  Ernesto explains that the body is a message from one of his former bartenders named Ray Morales.  Ray’s girl, Lana, is one of Jonny’s whores.  Ernesto called Ray a loser in front of Lana.  He thought Ray should work harder before demanding a promotion.  Apparently Ernesto took over the La Luxure when first Ray’s manager then owner die under mysterious circumstances.  The owner left the place to Ray in his will.

After speaking with Ernesto, MD and Winston head off to the motel to speak to Jonny’s girls.  Lana explains that Jonny came to her acting like a “bigshot”.  Ray’s girlfriend seems upset and suggests that Ray has “changed”.  Lana explains that several months ago when Ray was working he was visited by this “bald little man that works for a newspaper”.  The hunters make the connection to Tim Williamson.

Bonfire Bash

After discussing the facts the group decides to setup surveillance on the La Luxure.  While at the restaurant Winston and Kirk observe four large men speaking to Ray and Mike.  The men are from the Constantin camp who are running the still.  They appear to be asking Ray for more money to product and deliver the moonshine.  Mike moves forward as if he might engage the four men when Ray stops him.  Surprisingly Ray then retrieves a briefcase full of cash and hands it to the men.  When the four men have left Mike asks Ray why they did not just kill them.  Ray tells Mike that he is not sure he could had done it!  When Ron views the video he is sure the men are not normal and suggests that they are moving in a reptilian fashion.

At midnight Ray leaves the restaurant in a limo with Mike and Lana.  The three are quickly followed by the hunters.  The limo drives out of town to a small campground.  As the hunters stop their cars many other cards approach the campground and drive inside.  Each driver appears to be under the control of the moonshine!  The PC act quickly.  Ron and MD sneak through the wood into the campsite.  Kirk jumps into the back of a pickup truck of one of the moonshine drivers.  Stone and Winston cleverly dilate their eyes then drive into the campground as if they are under the influence of the moonshine.

At the site is a large pentagram with a bonfire in the center and small braziers at all points of the mystical star.  Near the bonfire is Ray, Mike, and a sheep.  After examining the circle Stone realizes that Ray is going to attempt to summon a very powerful loa.  He plans to use the moonshine victims as mana for his Black Magic ritual!  Stone also finds the verbiage calling for Outer Dark energy!  Stone concludes that Ray does not realize how much power he will be releasing and calls for the hunters to act.  Ron rushes out of the trees and kick over one of the braziers.  MD knocks a knife out of Ray’s hand before he can sacrifice the sheep!  Kirk stands up and kills Mike with a barrage of assault rifle fire!  Stone uses his telekinesis to grab Ray and throw him out of the magic circle.  This gives Winston the opportunity to coat him in one of his magical oil slicks.  As Ray tries to get his bearings small black circular portals open releasing floating mechanical torture dogs!  These floating beasts move to attack the hunters.  After escaping the dogs Kirk looses a volley at Ray that breaks down his shield then kills him.

As Ray dies his spell fades, the dogs vanish, and the controlled people begin to wake up.  With that the group leaves the scene.  While they did not get the still they dealt with a large roadblock in the form of Ruby Ray Morales and hit large friend Locomotive Mike.

[  Author’s Note: This is the episode synopsis for the 26th session of the Dark Waters Rising campaign.  This is my take as to what happened during the session.  Please let me know if there are any comments or corrections.  ]

Research

After the trip to London the team reviews all of the data that they have collected.  Anne has compiled a report of the last time red lightning struck.  The report centers on a Nazi concentration camp known as Bergenvalden and the occult experiments conducted by an associate of Dr Mengele.  This associate, Dr Heimglimmer, did a ritual that tore open the fabric of reality to the Outer Dark.  Only actions by a group of Allied mages presented things from getting worse.  This led Anne’s investigation in two directions.  First it led to one of the ingredients that the other team used.  They used tears from on the ghostly test subjects that haunt Dr Heimglimmer who reportedly haunt him.  The souls of these mages also act as permanent guardians of the breaches.  These mages continue to view the Outer Dark and should act as another component if they can be collected.

Kirk remembers an article in a smaller Texas newspaper.  A week ago Dr Heimglimmer died in a small town.  The small Texas town of Rosetta was shocked when they discovered that a famed Nazi was found in a quaint neighborhood.  The hunters feel like they can track Dr Heimglimmer’s souls then the ghosts that haunt him.

Rosetta, Texas

Once in town the heroes visit the former residence of Dr Heimglimmer.  After MD distracts a neighbor by telling them he is doing an extermination job they search the house.  With some help from Flo the ghost they find a hidden basement.  The basement includes a mystic circle with walls that are covered in hieroglyphics.  There is a body lying in the circle with a toe tag.  It quickly animates into a powerful revenant akin to a mummy.  MD and Kirk shoot is to no effect!  Stone blasts with it with lightning that sends it reeling!  The revenant approaches Stone and crushes his chest sending him flying into a nearby wall!  The damage from the revenant has nearly killed the tough mage.  Kirk sets up MD with a flaming arrow that he makes using oil form a canopic jar.  The shot lights up the creature!  Anne races up the stairs and using a mirror turns the sunlight on the creature sending it up in flames!

When Anne comes out of the basement she sees a projection of a black ghost in the room.  Outside a car appears and two gentlemen jump out.  One is a local police detective and the other is the local coroner.  When the coroner sees Stone he recognizes him and tells the detective.  The police officer then turns on some sort of power of Horus!  They are Nazis!  Anne was covering the police officer and take a shot nailing him in the leg.  The now rapidly moving officer hits Anne with a shot before MD and Kirk can coordinate to take him down with some well timed shots.

Last Rites

Anne calls his old team for help cleaning up the scene.  The DOOR team scrubs the scene noting a picture of an old woman on Dr Heimglimmer’s nightstand and a second secret room filled with Nazi paraphernalia.

With Storm’s finding spell the group locates Dr Heimglimmer’s soul.  It appears to be held in a skeletal hand which has been buried under his mystic circle in the basement.  After digging up the hand Stone studies it with his magical sight.  The hand is holding an immense amount of magic and must be carefully defused.  As Stone starts his work two ghosts appear.  One is a little girl named Aimee.  The other is Rabbi Chayim Brummer who helped the mages at the concentration camp.  As Stone finishes the spell the two ghost slowly vanish while crying tears of relief that are captured by a prepared vial.

The heroes leave with another ingredient and clues to at least two more…