Yes, that is a nearly dream setup. Like my Aristocrat and Voskhod. The Detente shave is one of the finest and most consistent.

Always fun to revisit the blades you hated early on. It's good to see if the blade really is that bad or if your early technique, or lack thereof, caused the problem. The more blades I try the more I am coming to be convinced that the differences in most of them aren't as great as we sometimes perceive. Yes, there are bad and horrible blades (I'm looking at you Flying Eagle and Tiger) and different coatings and sharpness can make a difference as well. But...in the end.....with the right technique they all can be made to do their job even if we like others better.

What? Keeping secrets in your shave den? Why, I'm shocked! Well, ok, so sometimes what they don't know doesn't hurt us. Mine, who is actually very supportive of all of this, asked me last night if I was getting tired of the "whole shaving thing". I looked at the end of my desk with my razor and brush racks, soaps on the desk, blade stash on the other end of the desk and my browser firmly locked on here as I was replying to something and just kind of rolled my eyes and kept typing. End of discussion.

NOvember Focus Begun

Cremo & Omega Pro 98
Fatip/Muhle & Israeli blade
Alum & Clubman S.R. AS


Starting this month off knowing I have another DE and a shavette on the way. I'll try the shiny new stuff when it arrives, but my Focus is on getting my best shaves from my hybrid.
Cremo does make lather. Not Arko volume, yet its got that citrus scent and plenty of slick for me. Three passes + clean up finds me learning my angle of attack. The Muhle Grande handle is longer than a Fatip Piccolo giving better control making angles easier to see. Less irritation, better reduction. I'll get a FatBoy like shave from this tool before months end. Alum was warm under my chin and neck.
Slapped on some smokey leather AS and I'm out the door!
Good Shaves Y'all

Think I am going to keep the razor, blade, and brush the same this month. I will be rotating through creams and soaps as I making progress in cleaning out the soft goods.

Gillette Tech on a Weber Bulldog Handle
Rapira Swede or Gillette Silver Blue ( I have 1 more shave on the current blade and wont throw it out early.
Semogue BC Mistura
Alum

My wife is also supportive of my hobby. I was just having fun with this. Turns out I already have Personna Blue blades which I think are also called 74's.

I'm participating in Movember but that's just my moustache area that I won't be shaving. My focus for the month will be on blades. I'm shaving with my EJ de89 and trying out 4 different blades for each week of the month to see how those do. Rapira, Derby, Feather, Personna. I'll be watching my technique too as I go through this process. I'll only be using Stirling soaps as well with Lucky Tiger Aspen aftershave and Cerave lotion as a balm.

Which Rapira? Sounds like a great way to spend the month.

I just got some super stainless that I want to try out. Is there a better one I should try?

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All of the Rapiras are quite good so you're good to go. There are two "super stainless"......... .

The red and blue wrapper is also called the Rapira Chrome. The blue/black/pink is the classic Rapira. I prefer it to the Chrome, but not by much and it is, of course, a personal preference as all blades are.

The Rapira Platinum Lux is also an excellent blade and worth trying at some point. And, of course, there's the Rapira Swedish Supersteel which many consider the best of the Rapiras. I, however, would choose the classic, then the platinum lux, then the chrome, then the Swedish. But, of course, I'd still choose Voskhod as the top made by the company.

I'm looking forward to what you think of the blades you've chosen this month!

@NCoxSTL Thanks for the rundown! They're the classic Rapira but I'll have to try out the others to see which I like!

Day 8 - 1 Nov 2016
Today was my 8th day of my 30 day focus.
Adequate smoothness.

Pre Shave: Prorasso + KOS Oil
Soap: La Toja
Brush: Omega Boar
Razor: EJ DE89
Blade: Wilkinson Sword Classic (New)
Post: UltraPure WitchHazel w added Lime Oil



Post Shave: Davidoff Cool Water range (Great scent and performance)

​

Well, after much consideration and thought, I have a plan for NOVember. The Grand Blade Trial has been my focus since July and......will continue into November as originally planned. I will scale it back just a bit this month, however, in order to add a NOVariation element. So basically, here goes.

GBT continues with only one blade a week instead of two. The next four blades up are the Bic Astor, ASCO Red, V12 and Bolzano Superinox. On the four days in between blades I'll be going straight! I'll use my W.B. Rabbit to start with tonight's shave and use it through Friday. Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be the Gillette Slim with Astor. Then, Tuesday through Friday next week will be the Gold Dollar 800. Again, Saturday through Monday will be the next blade in the Trial, the ASCO Red. Then, repeat. Rabbit for four days, next trial blade for three, Gold Dollar 800, then the final trial blade. That will actually cover 28 days of the 30 so I'll plan on the Rabbit on the 29th, finishing on the 30th with the 800. 18 total days on straights, 12 on the Trial.

My reasoning behind the month is to spend some time back with traditional straight razors to refresh my technique and hopefully expand it. That is especially true for stropping. I could probably easily switch to TSR's if it wasn't for that stupid piece of leather. Something about that just kills my joy so I need to focus on it to master it and appreciate it as the huge part of the process it is. And, further reasoning is to continue making forward progress through the mountain of DE blades to get through on the Trial.

Soaps will be Arko for the GBT days, and either MWF or Tabac for the straights. Brushes, of course, rotate with the Pro 48 back in the stable now so that will be a bonus. A/S choice most likely Veg for a majority of the time but other vintage will get in there I'm sure. Alum for finishing and stopping the inevitable blood flow as well as styptic at the ready.

I'm looking forward to some serious variation and focus this month. I think my switch to evening shaving will add in my skill development with the TSR portion as I won't feel rushed. I'll be able to stay a bit more relaxed and focus.

Razor: Mongoose B2 w/Custom Made Handle (England)
Blade: Feather Pro (2)
Brush: Rubberset 400 Unmarked w/Omega Pro 49
Soap: Route 66 Cavendish
Aftershave: Folsom Shambala
Special thanks to my amigo @clint64 for sending me the Rubberset unmarked shave brush. What an excellent gift!!! This brush whipped up an outstanding lather. I ended up with a great 3 pass and a light cleanup for a near BBS shave.
The custom made handle for the Mongoose B2 weighs in at 95 grams and is 3.25" in length. works great.

The brush looks fantastic Amigo. I hope you enjoy the brush and I look forward to seeing it in your SOTD photos.

IN MEMORIUM


​

Getting ready for some company in a bit and SWMBO headed for the shower. For the past couple of weeks my N Mug, a PIF from @Shotwell in 2015, has resided on the corner of the tub since she took out the small table that was holding it along with a few things. No worries, right? Well, she somehow (and I'm still not clear after interrogation) managed to knock it off, shattering it into useless shrapnel. I am not a happy camper. This mug has been a part of my shave every day since I first received it. I soaked my brush, whipped up lather, and it was central to every shave. A moment of silence for the loss of a favorite gift and most useful old friend. And then, it's time to Google "divorce attorney". Ivan has already brought me a double vodka martini. Let the healing begin.

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November 1

Gillette New LC
Astra SP (1)
Kent BK8
Tabac shave stick
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, CC Bay Rum, and Hermes Terre D'Hermes

This is the same set up I used in October except I substituted Astra SP for Feather blades. A month with Astras will allow me to fairly compare them to Feathers. I have enjoyed traditional shaving for four years this month, and I've used Feathers exclusively other than a Derby blade that came with my first DE razor.

So, today was my first-ever shave with the Astra SP blade. Two passes (WTG & XTG), and it was a very good shave with no nicks or weepers. I won't chase a near-BBS shave with these new blades for a few days until I see how they work for me.

I hope you all had a fantastic day!

​

I knew you were devoted to Feathers but I didn't realize it was THAT devoted! Glad the Astra treated you well today. I think you may have found a new friend.

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That's nothing compared to my 32-year devotion to Toyota...

...and, of course, my 55-year devotion to cheeseburgers!