Monday Shave

Brush- AOS Fine Badger
Razor- GEM MMOC/Ever-Ready 1924
Blade- GEM
Soap- Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic
Post Care- Crystal Alum
Thayers Witch Hazel
Bombed Old Spice Lime

I'm going to call this a "WTH" shave. I'm not too sure what went wrong today. I got more weepers today than the last couple months combined, and on both sides. I swapped the blade from the 1912 into the Ever-Ready so they had the same number of shaves. I used the Ever-Ready in my right side and the GEM on the left. Both were very smooth, lots of audible feedback. I had no tugging at all yet major irritation on the GEM side and weepers on both. I've used this Stirling soap many times before and never had this issue. I wasn't rushed, I'm at a loss what went wrong. I'm not even counting this towards my razor trial as neither side was any good today. I will say that I'm dolphin smooth but nonetheless it's not a good finish. The Old Spice burned like crazy but at least I smell good. Have a great day folks!

Congrats on your year!

I was able to get some glycerin at Walgreens.

Happy anniversary!


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Sorry bout the rough shave Ben. Here's to tomorrow!

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Thanks Andrew!

What section? I didn't see any in skin care and the only place I did see it had it in solid form for direct application to relieve constipation.

It was in the first aid area. Kind of near the hydrogen peroxide and witch hazel. It is possible that I got it at Walmart, but it was in the same section.

And it was liquid, not labeled for "direct application"!

Very good quality soap. Thank you for the generous sample. I'm busy on a Pass Around with one of Tom's @twhite razors. The G-1 is number Next!

While I tend towards photo heavy posts I note that you, John, either seldom or never have graphics. Not fussing, quite the contrary. Your prose is eloquent. During my build up of Delayed Gratification tracking the package headed my way I teased myself by looking for photos of what I assumed you were sending. I find the textured finish of this G-1 to be very pleasing to my eyes. After a Dawn dish liquid soak & toothbrush scrub using Mother's Finest polish - I see no plating loss. The razor is a blue ribbon winner!

Congrats on your anniversary here. May you enjoy many more.

Back to the focus and razor preseason. Fight to stay in the den today is a J-West frame back. It is competing directly against a TI frame back and today is decisions day.

The blade felt sharp and smooth but not smooth enough to rate an A, just A-. Four passes and zero reaction to the alum but finished DFS.

Irritation A+ Closeness B+ Smoothness A- Sharpness A

The TI has rounded point and looks cooler than the J West but neither is a beauty queen. In the end the TI shaves better so it is easy to choose which razor to keep. If I was not thinning the den I would keep this razor but since I am not a collector and this razor would not see allot of use I want to sent it to a new home where it can be used.

Still super busy.... Hope all are well. ☺

My very first razor I bought for myself was a Schick M. My dad about had a cow. He was a Gillette man through and through and had just gone from the Techmatic to the brand new Trac II. I guess my tendencies to hate carts showed up early. I have to say...your description of the "greenness" made my day. Love it!

Smells like a Drug Store SEptember!!

September 5

Grand Blade Trial

Razor - 1962 (H1) Gillette Slim (2)
Blade - (1)
Soap - Arko
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Post - Alum, The Veg

Happy Labor Day! Yeah, I know, it's late but I was laboring all day. Left the house at 8:15, walked back in at 9:45 this evening. Nothing like a 13 hour day to make you a happy camper eh?

Started the day with day one on the Walgreens version of the Israeli Personna. They make blades for a lot of different stores. The only way to identify them is to check where they're made. And, made in Israel means Personna from what I can tell. After using the "real deal" last week I was curious hot the generic version compares. I suppose the question really is whether they sell imperfect blades or seconds as the generics or just label them differently off the line. Hopefully shaving back to back with them will help determine that.

Arko and the BoS for a great lather and off to the races. Very very smooth, as was the genuine Red. On the mild setting it was tough to even feel the blade, just as it had been with the Red. And, the reduction sucked about as much as the Red. Here we go again. Smooth, no risk of cuts etc., but not really taking the beard down like you'd expect from a sharp blade in a mild razor.

Second pass, XTG, more of the same, and the third pass ATG and Gillette Slide and all left me thinking perhaps a DFS. The Genuine Red gave me CCS. After a recheck following the alum (silent) and the Veg for sales luck, I had to admit it was only CCS. And by the middle of the afternoon I was ready to shave again.

Clearly the same blade, or at least from the same manufacturing line by performance today. Adding gap will tell over the next two days. And, as @John Ruschmeyer suggested earlier, it may have to do with the design of the blade in Gillette Adjustables. Something else we'll have on the plate to test.

Not going to complain much about the shave other than just the CCS. Hope you all had a great weekend. I'm off for one day tomorrow before going back to my regular schedule. Hoping to sleep a bit late tomorrow.

Congrats on the anniversary John!

SOTD September 6, 2016

Blade: Chinese Schick
Razor: Schick G1 injector
Brush: Satin Tip 'The Purest' synthetic
Lather: Jeeves of Hudson Street Velvet Jacket
Post: Witch hazel splash, Barbasol Pacific Rush, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

Nice lather and a new Chick blade, all combined with excellent performance from the G1, and you have yourself a recipe for a fine shave. I had two days growth that the G1 mowed through with no issues. I'm feeling pretty darn smooth. Each time I come back to the G1 after being away I wonder why I put it down in the first place. It's a great little razor.

Have a great day!

September 6, 2016
Cobra Classic
Feather Pro (4)
Romera Olive Wood Synthetic
Route 66 Perfect Storm
Witch Hazel
Fine L’Orange Noir

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A great work morning shave. The Route 66 easily provided a nice slick lather. Sticking with a traditional 3 pass shave and minimal touch ups in a near BBS. A splash of Fine L'Orange Noir finished off the shave. I really can't ask for a more enjoyable work morning shave.

SEptember 6 SOTD:

Barbasol Original SC
Schick Type C3
Stirling Unscented PSB
Clubman AS

It was an interesting shave this morning. I haven't used this razor in a very long time. I also went with some Barbasol SC for the first time since long before I went down the traditional wet shaving rabbit hole. My impression of Barbasol was shifted towards the better with this shave. It was fairly slick, definitely thick, and certainly convenient to use. My first pass with the razor left a lot of stubble. I thought that since u hadn't used the razor in a while, I had to work my angles a bit better. So I went for the second pass really keeping the razor head St a flat angle just how I remember it working. I finished up and had no reduction. Disappointing.

I was running late already, but I can't show up at work with that much stubble. Being at the gym my options were limited. Luckily, I had another blade in the magazine, so I loaded it and tried again. Much better. Since I was late, I kept it to a single pass, and would call it a SAS. I have had better shaves with this razor, but I was happy with what I got this time. I think these are Personna blades, and I have had duds in the past. I don't know if this is a QC issue with them, or a loading mechanism issue. Either way, it can be a but frustrating. This razor is capable of great shaves when it has a good blade loaded.

I hope everyone has a great day!

I've had similar shaves with the Personna blades. They just didn't work for me.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Cobra Classic
Feather Pro #3
Wolf Whiskers Spring Forth TGN Finest
Nuavia Verde
Fine L'Orange Noir
Mystic Water Whipped Shea Butter


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