For years I hated shaving so much I grew a beard. No one taught me how to shave and it wasn't until I ran across the King of Shaves oils and later gels - about eight years ago I think - that shaving became, if not a pleasure, at least efficient and not a cause of pain. They came with shaving tips too, which greatly reduced shaving rash and discomfort. When Will King introduced the King of Shaves Azor I bought one, and he was kind enough to send me another. The price of the handle is very cheap really, compared to the Gillettes I previously used as are the blades, and the blades last a lot longer. And they shave well and comfortably. But the handle/whole system always felt a bit flimsy. Not as in poorly made or glued together, just slightly insubstantial, a featherweight.
Yesterday I got a new Azor M from Boots, a day early apparently but the display was nearly empty so I wasn't the only one. This feels, and according to my inadequate kitchen scales is over twice as heavy as the old Azor, is grippier and slightly shorter, but with more business around the hinge area.
The Azor M is above. The other main difference is the skin tensioning pad, which is more than twice a large as the old one and the blades are new too. As a package the new Azor M feels much more secure in use, especially in the crucial early morning period when doubt and uncertainty cloud the day and control of one's razor handle is not unimportant.
That isn't the significant part of using the new M. That is, that the sensation of shaving has disppeared, almost completely. Bizarre. I thought the old Azor was pretty good, especially when the blade cartridge had been in use for more than a week, which is when I really noticed the improvement over Gillette's incredibly expensive offerings.
With the Azor M there is now no scraping at all. For the first time a razor blade really glides over the skin. The difference is extraordinary and very real. My right cheek is very content and the left is now feeling slightly hard done by as it was the control using the old Azor with a fresh blade.
Very well done to Will King's designers and King of Shaves. If they keep this up, I'll soon have no excuse for not shaving at weekends.