SEptember 2015 - Discuss SE Safety razors

Day 2 of SEptember!



This thing is almost scary aggressive, I love the shave though!

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My notes from 2 Sept:

After yesterday's experience, the order of the day was to control the urge to apply pressure to this injector. These Schicks are so light, compared to the OC razors I have used for the last 90 days, that I felt like I was unintentionally applying pressure to make it feel like a heavy OC on my face. Today's shave went better. The Alum still lit me up in a big way, but I feel like it went better. BBS again, I think that is what this razor does, it's quite aggressive. Going to tackle it again tomorrow! Cooled everything down with the TSD 2x Iced FW and felt smooth and frosty!

 

First shave of SEptember had to go to my 'Highlander' razor. You know...."If there could be only one.."
The I2 was the first razor I ever saw my Pop shave with when I was like 4. It captured my infatuation. Whats not for a 4 year old to flip over. Shiney Gold, cool looking handle, a lever that drops it's jaws, and you can stick that injector in there and rack through a whole supply of blades in seconds. In fact I did it once, causing my Pop to have to hide it from me...He must have loved that, ha,ha. but he never acted like it bothered him. And he saved it til I started shaving around 10 years later.

This is one that StingraysRock piffed me after he heard this story...Whenever I use it I think of my Pop...Thats a priceless treasure that comes with this hobby. A razor or soap or after shave can be a time machine that instantly whisks us back to another time and also lets us bond with our Pops and Grand Dads or whoever....Priceless!

Todays shave was not only nostalgic...But this I2 is about as fine a shaver as one could wish for...My Pop did have great tastes....First I lathered up some Bay Rum soap "Cash" laid on me...Then I used a cake of Williams Mug Soap as a shave stick, and rubbed it straight onto my face, loading my whiskers...Hit it with this BayRum soap laden Omega Boar and the Uber-lather flat exploded!

The Hydro-magic loaded with a d3 EMS/Personna made light work of my whiskers. This is a mild shaver, but very efficient. 3 passes and touch-up left me BBS and my skin felt as though a blade had never touched my face...

A splash of witch hazel, a splash of Clubman, a small bit of Aqua Velva Musk rubbed between my hands and then on my face......I felt like a million dollars....My wife rubbed my face and gave her highest rating...I'll take it!! She is a very tough shave grader...

This was a very good start to SEptember.....Great Shaves Everyone!

 

SEptember 3 SOTD:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Dettol Fresh SC
Gem Micromatic
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling Glacial Lemon Chill AS

Working through the differences to this aggressive Micromatic. I am smooth this morning, but I have a little irritation to go with it.

 

Well, I just couldn't do another day of the Valet. I originally planned on four days with it and made it two. This morning I decided to switch to an injector. I grabbed my Schick Model G and loaded it with a new Schick blade. I decided to do it simple today and face lathered with some Arko and did a two pass shave with a little touch up and got a DFS on the first day.
The first thing I noticed with this razor is there is almost no feedback. I had to feel my face to see how I was doing. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it did on the first pass. I had to do very little angle adjustment to get good performance. As an injector rookie, I see potential here and look forward to learning this razor.
SOTD
Schick Model G
Schick blade (1)
Arko
Pinaud Citrus Musk AS
DFS on two passes
Have fun!

 

9/3/2015 Single Edge September/Throwback Thursday!

Prep: Hot shower with Neutrogena Face Wash with menthol, home made PSO
Razor: GEM Featherweight, Imperial Razor Barbers Favorite straight razor
Blade: GEM PTFE Coated SE blade (5)
Brush: Vie Long Horse Hair
Soap: PAA - Honeysuckle
After: Home made ASB, Nivea after shave balm
Cologne: Prada - Amber Pour Homme Intense

Happy Thursday everyone! The Vie Long brush whipped the Honeysuckle soap into a sweet and thick lather. The Featherweight paired with the GEM blade with the Barbers Favorite straight had no problem taking down the stubble. The Nivea ASB and the Prada were a nice finish for this 2 pass Darn Fine Shave.

Have a blessed day!

 

Parallel universe Mr. B!
I wrote the review below on my I2 shave today just before I read yours!
Cheers to memories of our Dads!
RT
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September 3, 2015

Single-Edge SEptember
Injectors and perhaps a GEM

During this first week, my first with injectors, I’ll look to familiarize myself with them by starting with one that has been described as mild and perhaps move to experiment with others along the aggressiveness spectrum. I’ll be doing SEs all month.

Hot Shower, Morning Shave
Soap: Proraso Green
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: Schick Eversharp Type I2
Blade: Schick Injector (China) (1)
TSD Witch Hazel
Aftershave Cream: Proraso
After Shave: Proraso Green


After three great shaves with the J3 - "Golden 500” I’m transitioning to an I2 - another hydro-magic Schick with a reputation for a mild shave, similar to the J3. So I expect a similar experience.

I wasn’t disappointed. Another great two-pass shave!

Notable differences with J3.
(These are nitpicky. If told I could only shave with one of these the rest of my life - the shaves would be wonderful…though perhaps boring without the adventure of new stuff!)

1 - Handle Length - Obviously.
Going from the very long J3 to the short I2 takes some getting used to. It threw me off so much - I could have swore the I2 was the shortest razor I ever shaved with. But it isn’t. It’s actually longer than all the DEs I’ve used so far (5). In time and regular use, I think I would probably prefer the perceived enhanced control of a shorter handle as I think I tended to zip around my face more quickly with the ultra-long J3. (Though once I become one with a razor after many shaves, it would be nice to have the confidence to zip around, in those circumstances when you need to.)

2 - Handle Grip - J3 (round), I2 (rectangular)
This part affected my shave the most. Up until now, all razor handles I had used were round, and as a result, provided me with unlimited options for fingertip placement. So I really struggled getting used to the I2, having to choose between essentially two grips - fingertips on front and back; or on opposite sides. Though I could perhaps try a finger on each side and index on front, but that would affect pressure as well.

I would want to spend another week or so with the I2 to adapt my personal technique to it and get more comfortable with it. I certainly think it’s possible and desirable since it is such a smooth razor and I love the hydro-magic cleaning feature.

But I have a relatively long list of injectors and SEs that I’d like to try this month and the I2 has already proved that it, as well as the J3, deserves to stay in the RTF den. So perhaps one more shave with it and then I’ll move on to the next razor - Schick G1.

Cheers!
RT

 

Today's SE Shave
I love this Schick I-2 Hydro-Magic. It does a great job with little effort.

 

SEptember! Day 3 Plan

30 Days with a Schick G



Have a fabulous Friday!
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After you get used to Schick Injectors you can use a Tad of pressure ....I use some pressure on my final clear up pass....The early Schick Instructions recommend this and they used it as a selling point....
How much pressure you can get away with is just down to trial and error and of course what Injector/blade combo you are using...

Billy

 

This is my SEptember razor. I think I may became a full time injector guy. I'm at 7 shaves with the same blade and that's impossible for me with DE. The seventh shave was the closest and most comfortable yet. Even got the strange spot on my neck that rarely I get a full BBS on. Excelsior!! (I sound like a crazy person every time I pick up that brush now.)

 

For September 4th:
Razor - Schick J3 – “Golden 500”
Brush - Modified Made Rite w/21 mm Mystery Badger Knot
Blade - 1960s Vintage Personna Vydax Coated Stainless
Soap - The Soap Exchange Barber Shoppe

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Sick And Tired - Fats Domino 1958

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"Goldfinger," as I have named this one, never fails to please on the looks test!

 

I really like my black version as well.

How long did it take you to get used to the length? Do you choke up on it or have you devised an approach to utilize the entire fulcrum?

 

Today was my third shave with the Schick model G and the Schick blade. I got an amazing lather out of my Proraso red and Semogue boar brush today after a warmish shower. I could feel the blade today and after a 3 pass shave I had a nearly BBS but I had a weeper or 2 and some mild irritation all over. I'm not sure its a good idea but I'm going to try to shave one more day on the blade. I have sensitive skin and a stiff beard so I go thru blades quicker then most. I finished out with Nivia sensitive post skin balm. If my first pass feels rough tomorrow I'll switch blades before the 2nd pass.

 

I think what is happening is that I am taking the wrong angle for the pressure I am using. It was only marginally better today. I need to just slow down tomorrow and start from scratch.

Edited to add: I have used J type many times with good results. I just need to stop trying so hard with it and just shave tomorrow.

 

With those, I hold them like an oil painter...one way for long strokes another for minute detail....And Ive found, after I got used to short handles, I actually shave faster with them...especially the I2... And my ER 1914...More of that Lamborgini feel, a short turning radius...ha,ha..

 

Day #4
BBS shave

 

Well this was just what I was looking for MrB. Essentially you're telling me to spend some quality time with them and we'll get use to each other.
Thanks!

 

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall baby...}8^))

I know everyone thinks that line comes from Brad Pitt's character in "Inglorious Bastards"...
But around 1990 I was target shooting with an older friend who used to teach shooting to the NYPD...One night before he had his cateracts removed we went shooting and he couldn't see...Like I said, the night BEFORE he had his cateracts removed. And he pulls out a little 2inch 38 Spl. S&W Centennial and rattled off 5 shots into one ragged hole at 50 feet.

When we pulled the target back and we all saw that incredible group and knowing he was practically blind, I said, "How in the world did you pull that off" and he said, "The same way you get to Carnegie Hall Baby." Lol! True story...I'm still laughing!

But the same thing applies to these injectors, only with these, the learning curve is almost non-existant, but the rewards can be hydro-magical....

Did I say "hydro-magical".....I apologize....but, if the blade fits why not shave with it......Doh!