Matsilainen
Forum GOD!
When I first shaved with the iKon SBS (not sure if this model should still be designated as a ShaveCraft or not), I was sufficiently impressed to immediately order another one.
The SBS is surprisingly efficient for the relatively mild razor that it is. The blade tabs are completely covered (although I honestly don’t mind them in razors that leave them exposed). The open comb side leaves a good bit of lather behind, which I believe was one of the purposes of early open comb designs. And there is a degree of adjustability to the razor, as the base plate can be flipped, and there’s an open comb and a safety bar onboard.
However, for a razor head that is made of some kind of proprietary aluminum alloy, this is a heavy piece of metal. Although it is a relatively smooth shaver, it still requires some attention in order to avoid little nicks and irritation. And then there was the fact that it has a satin finish, whereas most of my razor handles are shiny. Not that that’s a big deal, but it’s nice when things either match or contrast well.
So I decided to polish one of my SBS heads. I did so by hand, using Flitz polish paste and two grades of steel wool: #00 (very fine) and #0000 (super fine). I thought it would be a lengthy process, but surprisingly, I completed most of the work while watching two periods of an ice hockey game. The results aren’t perfect, but I’m quite happy with them. Some pictures follow. The first one shows an unpolished SBS next to my polished one.
The SBS is surprisingly efficient for the relatively mild razor that it is. The blade tabs are completely covered (although I honestly don’t mind them in razors that leave them exposed). The open comb side leaves a good bit of lather behind, which I believe was one of the purposes of early open comb designs. And there is a degree of adjustability to the razor, as the base plate can be flipped, and there’s an open comb and a safety bar onboard.
However, for a razor head that is made of some kind of proprietary aluminum alloy, this is a heavy piece of metal. Although it is a relatively smooth shaver, it still requires some attention in order to avoid little nicks and irritation. And then there was the fact that it has a satin finish, whereas most of my razor handles are shiny. Not that that’s a big deal, but it’s nice when things either match or contrast well.
So I decided to polish one of my SBS heads. I did so by hand, using Flitz polish paste and two grades of steel wool: #00 (very fine) and #0000 (super fine). I thought it would be a lengthy process, but surprisingly, I completed most of the work while watching two periods of an ice hockey game. The results aren’t perfect, but I’m quite happy with them. Some pictures follow. The first one shows an unpolished SBS next to my polished one.
