Week 3, day 3 - kept thinking yesterday was Wednesday (I hate that!) and had to go back and edit my last entry to day 2. Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Wegmans Traditional, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: D3 TV SS Blade: Derby, day 3, 3 passes Brush: 24mm best fan set in Oscar11 handle Soap: Vintage Old Spice Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson's WH, Old Spice cologne 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Not bad, but I've had better. Chased the baby a bit; I know where the line is, though, and stopped before I ran into irritation trouble. For those who don't know about the razor, D = 1958, 3 = third quarter (Jul-Aug-Sep), SS = Super Speed and TV tells us it was a special version of their '58 SS made as a promotional item for the television show Cavalcade of Sports. Since it was sponsored by Gillette, it was known as Gillette Cavalcade of Sports up until 1960. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Cavalcade_of_Sports
Week 3, day 4 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Wegmans Traditional, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle (finally added Third Day to the mix) Razor: Aristocrat Blade: Derby, day 4, 3 passes Brush: HIS Synthetic Soap: Gold Dachs Sport, courtesy @John Beeman thanks John! Great soap!! Even used Little John, the mug you sent me. Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson's WH, B&BW Noir 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Another Darn Fine Shave. Makes me wonder what, exactly, was going on to cause the neck irritation I had early on. Had to have been poor technique.
Im glad to read this review as someone who would occasionally through derbys in the razor....i wanted to ask a question based on your reviews and i couldnt wait 6 weeks. I know you prefer astra, but now that your getting decent shaves will you keep a few derbys around after the trail?
At the end of six weeks I'll have four Derbys left; they will get used. I have about two, two and a half years of Astra SPs stashed away. I will buy those again, in bulk, when I get close to running out. As for more Derby blades, I won't go out of my way to get them, but if I happen to come across them, I will probably get a pack just for a change of pace. Hmmm... I discovered Astras in a sample pack some six or seven years ago. Haven't bought a sample pack since. This challenge has me wondering what other blades I shrugged off then that may work now.
I believe any consumption of that rum would confound your test results and make your conclusions statistically invalid....
Week 3, day 5 Half way through Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Dirigo Blue Kenya, BLACK. I'm on Spring Break so I'll treat myself to my Dirigo Blue Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: Z1 Ball End Tech Blade: Derby, day 5, 3 passes Brush: Klenzo Nylon D1056 with original nylon knot Soap: Irisch Moos Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson's WH, Pinaud Clubman 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Today's shave blew the theory of Derby doing better in aggressive razors. Most would agree the Ball End Tech is a mild razor. Darn near BBS when all was said and done. Technique, my friends, technique. But you gotta start with good tools, and I'm finding the Derby to be so. Same thing for the nylon brush. It was given to me a few months ago. Good backbone, a little prickly but not too much, and whipped up plenty of great lather. Of course, hard to mess up Irisch Moos.
Nailed the angle with the Tech! Nice. Aggressive razors seen to have a bigger sweet spot with regard to angle.
Week 4, day 1 Prep: Hot showe, hand strop blade Coffee: Dirigo Blue Kenya, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle* Razor: Merkur 34C Blade: Derby, day 1, 3 passes Soap: TSD Tabac Type with lanolin Brush: Omega 49, Big Red Post: Cold water rince, Avon Wild Country ASB, Wild Country cologne 'Stache care: Dirigo Blue CO (conditioning oil), Dirigo Blue 'Stache Wax Again, day one on these blades seem a bit rough. Still, all said and done, not bad. Not bad at all. * Not everyday you'll hear Gordon Lightfoot Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Archies Sugar, Sugar, and Stevie Ray Vaughan The Sky is Cryin' played back to back.
Week 4, day 2 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Dirigo Blue Kenya, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: A1 Blue Tip, extremely mild Blade: Derby, day 2, 3 passes Brush: Semogue 2000 Soap: Vintage Blade House Brand Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson' WH, C&E West Indies Lime 'Stache Stuff: Dirigo Blue CO, Dirigo Blue Wax Not bad. Lather was a bit thin, but serviceable. Typical Blue Tip results - not BBS, but not bad. Just very glad these blades are working well and not giving me six weeks of torture.
Week 4, day 3 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Wegman Traditional, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle, added Bob Segar Radio and The Guess Who Radio Razor: Merkur Travel Razor Blade: Derby, day 3, 3 passes Brush: The Dridecker Soap: L'Occitane Cade Post: Cold water rinse, Dickenson's WH, Brut cologne 'Stache Care: Dirigo Blue CO, Dirigo Blue 'Stach Wax Darn near BBS. Doesn't surprise me with the Merkur. Same head as the HD, but the handle breaks down into two pieces, hollow so one piece fits into the other. Tried a new recipe with the wax. I used some of my CO in lieu of Vaseline to mix in and soften the wax a bit. Same super hold. We'll see how it does as far as conditioning.
Week 4, day 4 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Tea: Scottish Breakfast Tea (change of pace) Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: Late model Super Adjustable (black nylon under base, no date cade) Blade: Derby, day 4, 3 passes Brush: Omega 11574 Soap: TSD Egyptian Spice Post: Cold water rinse, Osage Rub, Curve cologne 'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue Another darn near BBS. I really wanted to hate these blades; just can't.
Week 4, day 5 Prep: Hot shower, hand strop blade Coffee: Dirigo Blue Kenya, BLACK Tunes: Pandora Shuffle Razor: H3 Slim @ 6 Blade: Derby, day 5, 3 passes Brush: Dirigo Blue (22mm TGN best badger knot set in old Eveready handle) Soap/Cream: C&E Sandalwood super lather Post, Cold water rinse, L'Oreal ComfortMax ASB, Brut Attitude just to smell good 'Stache Care: Dirigo Blue 'Stache CO, Dirigo Blue wax Wasn't going to say it, but I will - BBS. Just the slightest bit of tugging while J-Hooking the neck, but no irritation. Two weeks to go, then I'll start the Voskhod challenge with the blades so generously sent to me by @Linuxguile Looking forward to it Andrew!
