SOTD 10.2.2017
Pre-shave: hot shower
Brush: VDH Boar
Soap: CO Bigelow
Razors: Merkur 1904 OC (loaded with a new German made Wilkinson-Sword blade)
"Pacific" TTO razor (loaded with a new "Pacific" DE blade)
Post-shave: Dickinson WH, Nivea Sensitive Cooling Balm, Skin Bracer
This was my first shave since Friday and I was looking forward to it as well because I used SE razors all last month. I found I missed the DE razors. While I want to participate in the OC focus in October, I'm not going to use them every day. There are several razors I want to use this month and they're not all OC. For years, I promised my wife that I would grow a beard after I retired. Although the rules for facial hair at my place of work had relaxed over the last few years, I was still "old-school" and made sure I was clean shaven except for my mustache. When I retired this summer she reminded me of that promise for a beard and I convinced her to wait until no-shave November. Summer time was too hot for a beard in July.
Anyway, I was torn between this morning between using an OC razor or trying out the inexpensive $1 DE TTO razor and blades from Dollar Tree reported by
@gzp last week in the following thread:
http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/dollar-tree-1-safety-razor.57499/
So I decided to compromise. I planned on both a face shave and a head shave today and elected to try the "Pacific" razor on my face, and use the Merkur for my head shave. I lathered up the CO Bigelow into a creamy, protective lather and began the shave. I was very careful because I noticed the blade gap was more than in other TTO razors I have. I also had 72 hours of stubble to plow through. I did find a safe angle for the shave but it was uncomfortable and rough feeling. I shaved both cheeks and then removed the Wilkinson blade from the Merkur and replaced the Pacific blade in the cheap razor. The cutting through the stubble was easier but it was still an uncomfortable shave as I went over the neck to finish up the first pass. So I replaced the Wilkinson blade in the Merkur, set the cheap razor aside, and finished the face shave with the Merkur OC. What a difference.... extremely smooth and comfortable and a CCS. I then moved on to do a head shave with the Merkur again an excellent result.
In fairness, the cheap Pacific razor did give me a DFS in that it was close. But my face was burning after that first pass with it. So much so, I had to switch to the Merkur.
Happy shaves, everyone!
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