Flexi...first shave.

[Blackie]

My first Pearl Flexi shave today.
Used my Arlington/Speick soap, and a Silver Star blade.
Hmmm...setting 1 just to test the waters...absolutely extremely mild. The razor just managed to remove the lather.
OK, go to 4...better. It's cutting whiskers now, but needs more.
Go to 5...better again. I can hear the razor working now, and it's mowing down the whiskers.
Finished first pass on setting 5.
Go to 6 for last pass? Nah...I had the ss Karve sitting ready with SB plate #F, and a new Silver Star in it.
So finished off with the Karve as is my usual practice.
Tomorrow though I'll set the Flexi on 6 and it will probably stay set there.
This is a nice solid razor (mines a v7) and I checked it on arrival for any misaligned bits (all clear...looks fine).
Very mild on lower settings.
For me it's better on 5 (and probably 6). Very smooth shave though.
The razor is heavy but certainly glides well over the skin.
Worth buying? Well yes, I think so.
Solid, well made, good value, smooth (gentle even).
Shaves at least as good as my 109 Black Beauty, and on 6 will outperform it.
Will I keep it? Yes, I think so. As I get older I may want to dial back the setting to protect my thinning skin.
Just the slightest wee bump and I bruise now. Another of the growing old 'advantages' that some of you will experience one day.
For a new comer to wet shaving then this would be good razor, or (like my mate down the road) someone coming in from cartridge shavers.
I think if Pearl removed the setting 1 and went up to setting 7 this would tick all the boxes.
It's a good razor. Worth buying, worth keeping.

 

[Nanook]

My first shave with mine was with a feather blade set on 6 then a second pass at 4. I didn't need anymore than that. There's a fair bit of weight to it which I prefer in a razor so I'm more than happy with mine. It will be a keeper.

 

[Blackie]

Four shaves in now, and I quite like this Flexi.
Bunged in a new Lab Blue for today...and was rewarded with an excellent shave, helped by Blue Devil 'Lust' soap.
The Silver Star was fine but starting to get a tad sorry after 3 shaves.
I have had 6-7 shaves from Silver Star blades before (in the Karve), so maybe this one was just not quite right.
I always like to finish with the Karve and #F SB plate.
It's neat and nimble, and does shave nice and close.
Yeah, I know some will say I'm doing it wrong by going to a more aggressive razor for the final pass.
I think others do it wrong by winding back for that 2nd (or 3rd) pass. That's like mowing your lawn with the mower set down low, then doing a 2nd pass to tidy the lawn by raising the mower.
What are you actually going to cut then?
You have already cut the grass (or your whiskers) down to a certain level, and decreasing the amount of cut will do nothing.
You are merely just cruising across at a higher level without cutting anything (here endeth the lesson).
So yeah, the Flexi is all that @Errol said, and it certainly works nicely for me.

 

[TroyTools]

I always like to finish with the Karve and #F SB plate.
Yeah, I know some will say I'm doing it wrong by going to a more aggressive razor for the final pass.
I think others do it wrong by winding back for that 2nd (or 3rd) pass. That's like mowing your lawn with the mower set down low, then doing a 2nd pass to tidy the lawn by raising the mower.
What are you actually going to cut then?
You have already cut the grass (or your whiskers) down to a certain level, and decreasing the amount of cut will do nothing.
You are merely just cruising across at a higher level without cutting anything (here endeth the lesson).

Physics trumps theory every time!

 

[bernie01]

I think others do it wrong by winding back for that 2nd (or 3rd) pass. That's like mowing your lawn with the mower set down low, then doing a 2nd pass to tidy the lawn by raising the mower.
What are you actually going to cut then?
[/QUOTE]
+1

 

[Nanook]

Yeah, I know some will say I'm doing it wrong by going to a more aggressive razor for the final pass.
I think others do it wrong by winding back for that 2nd (or 3rd) pass. That's like mowing your lawn with the mower set down low, then doing a 2nd pass to tidy the lawn by raising the mower.
What are you actually going to cut then?
.

Even though that's the way I do it, I agree with your logic.

I mainly do that for my neck. It's quite sensitive and can become red and itchy when shaving against the grain on the second pass. I find go hard early, then dialing it back to clean up any areas I miss the first time works for me.