SoS: March 21, 2016 - March 27, 2016

It's fantastic Paul, it literally smells like campfire. It lathers white and abundantly but where it really shines for me is it's cleansing ability, when I rinse it off I'm squeaky clean. Highly recommended.

 

OK Thanks......great name, that's for sure! Is it just a shaving puck, or can you buy it as a regular block(for the hands)?

 

It's a bath soap bar, I'm not sure if it can be used for shaving. I post it on my SOTD because its routine for me to shave first then shower and then apply cologne.

 

I guess that would be a cold water shave ? LOL Beautiful photo

 

Oh OK..well, I'd be using it as a hand-soap. I'm, probably one of the few here who has rarely used shaving soap pucks. (So far, anyway).

 

Beautiful serene photo.

 

Thanks Robert!

 

I really like how you can pull out red in your photos Robert!

 

SOTD
March 21, 2016
Prep: Hot Shower. Noxzema
Razor: Merkur Futur (3)
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Lather: Stirling Spice
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Rose Petal WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: CF Trade Winds
Slick shave. Stirling Spice is very nice. The Futur was a joy to use once again, setting 3 seems to be my happy medium. CF Trade Winds is very healing and a lively Old Spice.
Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try

 

Only if you create your own blend using Cryogen as the base like I did. Required a boatload of Lemon and Lime EO to mask the overload of menthol crystals they use and being adventerous I added half a teaspoon more of menthol which was a mistake when trying to use TSD subzero as a preshave and using Cryogen, Arctique, Alcolado Glacial or Osage Rub as aftershave. Made that mistake the first time I used this batch, face was so frozen my checks hurt and almost felt frostbitten so now I use a menthol laden preshave.

 

March 21,2016

Razor: Unknown 3 piece
Blade: Personna Blue
Brush: VDH Badger
Cream: Proraso White tube
Pre Shave oil: Homemade
AS: Nivea Balm

Tried my first 3 pass shave. Cut down on what little irritation i normally have, think that maybe that is the wave of the future (at least for this razor). My 1st pass ATG, went off without a hitch(no blood), just smooth sailing all the way. The 2nd pass a WTG, and a few slant moves here and there around trouble spots. Smooth as silk. 3rd pass was watered down a little, which allowed me to see and feel my way around, making all kinds of strokes, in every direction. Outcome: You guessed it................. BBS! This little 3 piece razor really does it`s job. I`m sure it is a tech(unknown brand). But i like it.

Bill

 

Hahahaha! Good one, Andrew and thank you for your kind words.

Thank you.

 

VERY nice Roby. Top notch job all the way.

Bill

 

Quit doing that! I`m begining to grow envious.

Bill

 

SOTD 3/20/16
Prep: Hot Shower/ Nivea Men's Original Face Wash
Pre-Shave: PAA Ice
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Brush: Brushcraft 24mm Custom Silvertip
Razor/ Blade: Merkur 37c Slant/ Personna Lab Blue (1)
Astringent: Witch Hazel
Post-Shave: Nivea Sensitive Cooling Balm
Aftershave: Fine American Blend
So sadly, I am back from sunny California and back in frozen Boston. Spring break is over and I now have the final push of the school year. This shave was excellent. The lather was so slick and thick and had no problems loading up. Still working in this Silvertip brush but it is amazingly soft and can still load up soap. Feeling good today. Have a great Monday!

 

Thank you Bill. I'm glad your new mystery razor is working so nicely for you.

 

SOTD - Menthol Monday

Razor-GEM 1912
Brush-Whipped Dog Silvertip
Soap-Proraso Green
AS-Barbasol Pacific Rush

Put a new blade in my 1912 and tackled two days of growth. I didn't shave yesterday because I worked all day. I guess I'm doomed because I didn't go to church either (don't tell my priest). Anyway, I started with a WTG pass that was ever-so-slightly tuggy. But I kept the angle as shallow as possible and things went well. XTG pass number two was smooth and the 1912 was singing. Last ATG pass was just fine. A couple of tiny red spots (too small to call weepers?) but very little feedback from the AS. Overall a nice BBS. I'm learning that the-shallower-the-better works best with this razor.

Afterwards, I was leaving the house and my wife kissed my cheek and said goodbye. I turned toward the door and she called me back and said, "Your cheek is really smooth, I want to kiss it again."

Just like a baby's... It doesn't get any better than that.

 

ShaveSecret & C.O.Bigelow
Vulfix 660S & Suribachi bowl
Schick J-1 & Schick blade
Alum block & Canoe AS and EDT

Reset my shave clock by skipping a Sunday shave and getting in front of a New To Me razor. In preparation and anticipation of The West Coast Bunny Pass Around I am trying out my first injector. Regular preshave prep using a hot towel followed by Shave Secret preshave oil. A generous dollop of C.O.Bigelow swiped around by a fine badger brush. Easy two step process installing a fresh blade in this very clean 1958 to 1964 built machine supplied by @Bama Samurai. Quickly I found the angle. With no missteps I WTG, ATG, & XTG'd for a shave I can compare to a FatBoy using a new Feather blade. Close, smooth, comfortable with no nicks or irritation. I didn't chase the baby, but with little touch ups this could give a perfect shave. Tomorrow I'll be back to straight razors if I need to shave. Like @Jayaruh I can't stop thinking about The Bunny. Even more now that I've experienced Injector style. Good shaves Ya'll!

 

March into Artist Club Blades

March 21

Razor - Feather SS
Blade - (1)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Proraso
Post - Cold water, Alum, Nivea

Everyone who thinks trying a Dorco blade in a pain stick is a truly terrible idea raise your hand? Yeah, lots. Everyone who thinks watching ME try a Dorco blade in a pain stick is better than trying it themselves? Everyone. Got it.

A quick note on the setup for this week. We are in mega-pack mode to get ready to move so a lot of the shaving gear is safely stored, including my Tabac and all brushes except the Omega 10066. So, this week's lather will be courtesy of the ProBoS, if you will. I also have my 1959 Gillette Superspeed available along with the pain stick.

Prep was as usual. Head shave first since it's Monday, get the water good and hot and go for the lather. Proraso always produces a great lather, slick, lots of cushion, and I figured I'd need it on this shave. When I loaded the blade up last night I could tell from handling it that it doesn't have the edge on it that a Feather Pro does. It may not even have a Kai Mild edge, but we'll find out soon enough. Lathered up, checked the blade one more time for proper placement and went to work on the right side. Remember - I owe @Keithmax pictures of the blood that he and I both assume will soon be running all over the place.

First stroke - surprisingly it's smooth with no tugging or pulling. Checked to make sure I had the blade on the face! Yep, it's definitely a nice smooth feel for a first pass. Continued on the right side and got to my chin up against the goatee. Yep, this is where the bloodletting begins. Even the best blades tend to nick here. Uh......nope. Nothing. Just a nice close run around the goatee and even the XTG up the jaw line didn't produce any problems. Wow. I'm surprised.

Well, we know that my weaker left hand will do the butchery with this dog of a blade. So, on to that side and again, no pulling, tugging, nothing around the goatee, worked the neck down fine, felt as smooth as I've ever felt a pain stick shave and.....none of that near harsh feel of a Feather Pro or even Kai Original. Trying to determine if it's a close feel to the Kai Mild and I would have to say yes.

Well, I'm not done yet. Let's do XTG all the way. Gotta be some butchery involved with that. Went mouth to ear both sides and came ATG on the neck. Nothing, nada. Just a nice DFS shave. And, no burn yet from any obvious irritation.

I rinsed with cold water, grabbed the alum, dug my feet in to scream my lungs out as the burn filled my soul and.........hmmmmmmmmmm. You call that a burn? Barely anything. A couple of spots on the neck I may have been heavy handed on but that's it. Seriously?

That look on my face is one of curious confusion. Not sure what just happened here. I took a blade that should, by all rights, be horrible, or at least really bad, and is designed for one of the most unforgiving razors in the world, and got a really nice DFS shave with no blood, irritation or other problems. How is that even possible? Two reasons, I think. Number one, the blade is not really as terrible as we may think. Is it the sharpest blade for AC shaving out there? Certainly not. Not even close. May even be the least sharp. But.....with the pain stick......that extra level of forgiveness from a duller blade can help tame the beast. The Kai Mild proves that too. So, while we hiss and boo at Dorco for even producing a blade for this razor, they may not have done all that bad. Not great, but definitely not off the scale horrible. Second, I would like to think we have another example of TTT........Technique Triumphs Tools. I"ve spend three solid weeks working on pain stick, and I've spent a lot of time with it previously. And I've learned to adjust to different blade feels to allow for the closest pass with the least risk. Not saying I'm perfect at it, and I know this razor can reach out and slice a critical artery in a heartbeat, but clearly the learning process and concentration on getting these shaves right has helped. I'm not sure I would have had this kind of result with this blade when I first started out. Either that or the forgiveness level would have suckered me into making a stupid mistake.

I'll give it another go tomorrow to see if the result duplicates. For now, enjoy your Monday. It's of to stick more stuff in boxes around here! Oh, and by the way @Bama Samurai , grab a copy of the BOPS logo....you've joined the brotherhood!

​

 

I love that razor!