I had the same experience when starting out. I had to be much more careful on the first shave. By about Shave 2 or 3 the blade would smooth out on me. This is a sure sign you are still using too much pressure. (Your natural reaction now will be to say "But I'm not using any pressure at all!") Trust me, I went through several levels of "no pressure" before getting to the point where the first and third Shave were equally smooth. That's why the 30 day focus is so important. Practice with the same gear will get you there almost by "osmosis". Be encouraged and keep posting your results. We are all here to help.
But I'm not using any pressure at all! No, you're right. I do still catch myself pressing a little here and there. "Die, hair, DIE!"
Razor: Portland Razor Co Chimera / Supply Provision Custom 3 dot head Blade: Chick Strop: Drygulch 45 Brush Handle: B-400 The Brush by Tom Knot: APShaveCo Tuxedo Soap: B&M Roam Post Care: Thayers Witch Hazel Alum Osage Rub Aftershave: Chatillon Lux La Quatrieme Ville Wonderful early morning shave today. I've been in training all day and wanted to start the day right. Everything clicked this morning. Have a great day folks!
Razor: Gillette Milord Blade: Voskhod (6) Brush: Amigos Desert Ironwood Beehive w/Sunrise Synthetic Soap: Reef Point Soap Admiralty Aftershave: F&C Capri Another near BBS with this line up. One of if not my favorite brushes with an excellent soap, good razor and blade combo, and an outstanding aftershave. TA DA.
I picked up my CF limes off Amazon for $32 including shipping. It is a 200gr container, at least 50 - 75 gr more than the other soaps you listed and I have found you can use much less. I think in the end it is cheaper per shave
Thank you!!! Day started lousy. I took off from work and had an errand to run. When I arrived, I found part of my serpentine belt stripped off and hitting things under the hood. Got it to a jiffy Lube where they could not get the new belt on. I ended up going in the garage and helped the guy get the new belt on , with the help of a little soap solution. Had I not been 10 or so miles from home, I would have done the job myself. Ended up killing the entire day waiting. Closed with dinner out with my best girls, my wife and daughter so it ended well. Also scored some new toys, B&M Rhapsody and a new GP scuttle Used both today for the first time and it was wonderful!
Guess what arrived from Korea well ahead of the Shavey awards? Thanks @Keithmax for the prize! I'm gonna do everything I can to offer up soaps, creams and brushes in my best misdirection attempt to keep this sucker in my den, but I'm sure it will be to no avail! Some lucky Shavy winner is sure to walk away with this bad boy!
I am very behind. Congrats Clint on the 10k and on your health improving. Let us know how the ride goes!
May 18 - Arkadia Merkur 34c Gillette Stainless (day 2) The Phoenix brush Stirling Arcadia DIY PSO Alum/ Thayers/ Nivea Arkadia is an awesome soap. Just love the scent. Great lather. I will need to add this soap to the Stirling must buy list. The Gillette Stainless just did a poor shave. Rushing to go out after my previous posting of car troubles, I only had time for 3 passes. It was DFS and less irritated than the prior. The blade just doesn't feel capable of cutting my beard. Need a sharper blade.
May 19 - Gifts put to good use! Merkur 34C Rapira Super Stainless Dark Chocolate ( JR #148) B&M Rhapsody soap Alum/ Thayers/ Nivea As mentioned earlier, I received a Georgetown Pottery G12 Scuttle and a tub of B&M Rhapsody soap for my birthday yesterday. I could not hold out any longer and even though I have loved the last 2 weeks of trying a new Stirling soap scent each day, I had to break the streak. I heated a tea kettle to just under boiling stopping when I saw bubbles starting to form on the bottom and not releasing. Loaded the scuttle even though the temps today were already at 87, I wanted the warm lather experience. Showered from a day of yard work and lawnmower blade sharpening, I was ready for my indulgence. B&M for me seems to keep their scents, or at least the few I have tried, on the complex and slightly spicy side. I have only tried Arctique and Dickens and find that I do not immediately love a soap with a spicy note as I do a soap based on a cologne but they grow on me quickly. Rhapsody is no exception. The official scent description is . I find the scent to be floral in nature and reminds me of the smells of being in the nursery greenhouse picking out flowers. I cannot place the exact scents but geraniums or petunias seem to come to mind. I can smell the warmth of the vanillin and has a slight spice note in the background. In all it is growing on me. I tend to prefer stronger citrus notes which I find absent to my nose. In all it was a very good scent. The lather was extremely slick and really moisturizing. No need for post shave but did it anyway out of habit. This soap makes newbies look like experts in how wonderfully slick and rich it is. I may go so far as to say that it might edge out even Stirling. The Rapira SS was a welcome improvement over the last three blades. It was the quietest of the recent blades and nicely sharp and smooth. Scored a BBS but needed 4.5 passes. Rhapsody was so good that there was hardly any feeling from the alum. Not sure it the blade today was to blame for the need for so many passes or it was the blade yesterday having done such a poor job. In the end, a fine shave resulted and the alum was largely quiet. I have a little bite in a spot or two but nothing as pronounced as with those other recent blades. The scuttle is both beautiful and functional for me. With the water heated just right, it really heated the scuttle right to the end of my shower and produced a truly luxurious lather that really maxed out the whole experience. If it could do this for heat, I wonder if it can do it for cool by adding ice water into the scuttle for a chilling experience. Time will tell if I go this route. In all, it was fun, helped make lather faster and added to the wet shave experience.
Simply a beautiful photo Amigo. You in a gorgeous area. It must be a fisherman's paradise in the summer.
