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SOTD WOOL FAT FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020
Welcome to Wool Fat Friday. I'd like to begin by offering a heartfelt apology to all of my straight razor shaving brothers out there in shave land. Yesterday I received a message from one of my shave friends from an Australian online shave forum I'm a member of. It was quite straightforward. I quote, “Mate, since you picked up the Dovo, you’ve started sounding like a whiny %*&#$(c-word)”. After rereading those posts, he’s right. I in no way meant to put down your shaving practice. There will be no repeat of that tone in my posts from this point forward. Please accept my apologies for any unintended insults! I guess I was masking my own anxiety about reentering open edge shaving after my 5 year hiatus. At my age I should know better.
Back to this morning’s shave! Use of the Dovo Special is improving day by day. Today’s three pass (WTG, XTG, ATG) face shave felt more comfortable, although I'm still struggling with proper holding technique for my XTG and ATG passes. Any recommendations from you more accomplished open edge shavers would be welcome. My WTG pass was uneventful as I’ve become more comfortable In using both hands. There were two set down errors resulting in minor nicks one for each of the next two passes on my right non-dominant side. Proraso styptic gel took care of them. Is there a video showing the best way to hold the razor for XTG and ATG strokes?
Classic Shaving has a reputation as a safety razor design innovator. They offered up the Cobra Classic as the first or one of the first successful AC safety razor designs followed by the Oren, Enoch and Hiram, all named after the owner’s sons. The Occam’s DE was another one of their innovative offerings. Crafted from molten SS through a MIM process instead of CNC, allowed them to offer the razor at an unbelievable price point for a 316L SS razor, around $60 for three baseplates and two top caps. Unfortunately, due to its amazing shaving reputation, the razor is no longer available.
What I like about it is the aggressive baseplate which is remarkably similar to the Eclipse Red Ring’s, and which delivers a shave every bit as good as the latter. The software for today’s shave was my old stalwart, MWF, which my Viking Silvertip Badger whipped up into the thick, protective, and slick lather it’s famous for. The Occam’s easily cleaned up the remaining stubble on my mug, and mowed through my noggin stubble in two slow, relaxing passes (WTG, ATG) with just as much ease. I feel refreshed, cool, clean and velveteen, happily returned to VBBS land.
RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug), Occam’s DE (Noggin)
BLADE: Sharp Star (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as a Preshave
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Chel Cooling Gel as an AS Balm.
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