Great Progression: Ming Shi Diamond

The Ming Shi 2000S (Futur clone) seems to require a fairly fresh blade to operate, at its low, low natural angle of attack. The supplied blade seemed up to the demand -- despite the initial weeper and over-exfoliation -- for a few shaves. And I guess that's what it takes for someone like me to experience no tugging. But once that performance was over, I put the blade through its paces.

Next down the ladder was the equally new and nearly as exfoliating Dorco PL-602 disposable. I've come to the belief that it's just the top cap made of ABS, and the rest a cheaper polystyrene, not that that's a huge distinction. It works well, the way an aluminum handle works with a plated zamac screw, but aluminum on aluminum might bind and strip. An evil kind of genius that meets the market where it's at, because let's face it, everybody IRL is shaving with disposables. That rock solid screw mechanism gives a gap adjustment allowing the close shave I am accustomed to -- and which BiC cannot supply. But it's only a couple more shaves after the 2000S before the blade nosedives into my skin. I could ride it the full month like a BiC Sensitive, but it wouldn't be a close shave.

Moving the blade to "Stella," Baili BD-177, was much too extreme. I couldn't feel the blade at all WTG! (My Tabac might have been a little dry.) So I tried the Rimei, which was fine for a couple more shaves, but notably more injurious to the skin than any of the other razors when it reached a perceptible limit. I must have used the Super Speed then, but honestly, I can't remember... such an underrated workhorse!

The blade ended up in my Slim, the ultimate dull blade milker. Set to "5," it's about 60% as aggressive as a Tech -- and that's pretty damn mild, which is what you need to keep a dull edge from diving into your face. I got through the better part of a week with a relatively shallow BBS. You know what the deal killer was? Sharp stubble. I got perfectly even stubble at bedtime, but it got sharper as the blade exceeded the bounds of the Slim's geometry.

Finally, today I gave the Weishi a shot. I guess I can't write off that damn razor, after all. Another nice shave, with a lot of scrubbing, but not quite BBS.

And that's where the story ends, because it's got to be BBS everyday, now. The Ming Shi blade was smooth in every razor from extremely low to extremely steep natural angles, high edge exposure to low. The Ming Shi 2000S and Weishi razors aren't even razors I would normally use. Got to get me some more of these! They're labelled MP-036 "Super White," and a diamond is pictured, so we'll just translate that to "Diamond." Good news for DE shaving, to see China putting forth such good product.