That's an 89type head. Derby should be ok, GSB should shine. You must ride the cap with that razor for optimal results!
You can get Alum at a pharmacy. Ask the pharmacist for potassium alum deodorant. It's the same thing, comes in a block, stick, ball or rock. Avoid any product containing aluminum, it's not the same stuff as barber alum. Good looking lather today!
You can even check the exchange or commisary on base. Crystal brand I think it's called. Might even be in the deodorants section. Lather shot...
@pvtbanks Show this to the pharmacist: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/crystal-deodorant-body-deodorant-stick/ID=prod6273-product
I like the flexibility this razor offers. It's not impossible to get a DFS on one pass since the aggressiveness is controlled by the user. Great to see its working well for you. Be careful with the dark side.....you have to stop pretending you're saving money when you go over there!
Now you're talking.....whip up the Williams (or at least swirl it around to get no lather but that annoying insect repellent scent), throw in a super shedder brush and use the Tech and Derby to wear the whiskers off! I feel like I'm looking in a mirror!
Well if you're that close to BBS then I'll call it for you. You're probably being just a tad too picky....I do the same thing. Awesome looking lather and awesome shave! Another success with another great Russian blade. I'd shed a tear if I wasn't such a toughie.
The crazy thing is, I consistently produce lather like that now, but I couldn't lather MdC. I wonder if it's because I can't bloom the MdC like the others. These Russian blades are far superior to the Astra SP I started with. I didn't care for it. But I am LOVING these blades. Maybe if I revisit the Astra it will produce results likewise!
Next time I'm off base, I will most definitely. The only other place I've found it was AOS. And they wanted 20$ so I cringed on the inside and walked away looking like that puppy. Haha.
I haven't dealt with MdC so can't really help you there. I'm sure it's a matter of water vs. soap ratio or something similar. There are certainly lots of guys on here who use it and love it. I"d look in shaving soap threads and see what help you can find. As far as the Astra SP...it's about the only Gillette made Russian I do like, but again YMMV. I do think, though, that the Rapira/Voskhod families are better than any of the Gillette's. Mostochlegmash in Moscow makes the Rapira/Voskhod blades. The other Russians are Gillette's from St. Petersburg. The Astra SP and Sputnik aren't bad from there, but the Moscow blades definitely outperform St. Pete's for me.
I have one more Rapira to try, I think it's just the stainless. But I will be getting with tryablade to get some more Russians after this good luck.