March 15
”The Day of Rest”
I survived Friday the 13th with a shavette, so I was not all that concerned today when the Ides of March rolled around (my name, after all, is not Caesar). However, it is nice sometimes to get a bit of variety in, so I put my 30DC rule on hold so I could play with some new gear...
Gear
- Razor: Gillette Flare Tip--I was going to go for the Lupo Andrew @Linuxguile generously PIF’d me (forevermore to be known as “The Linuxguile Lupo”), but then felt kind of like grabbing the Slim that Jim @Norcalnewb PIF’d (known forevermore as the “Slim Jim”). Rather than settling the decision on a coin toss, I took it on in typical father-fashion, gave both the razors a time-out, and went with the Flare Tip that Evan @MrEE PIF’d me (known from this day forward as “Evan’s Flare Tip”). Gentlemen, it suddenly hits me like a bolt of lightning: every shave I undertake is an honorary 30DC shave--heart-warming and humbling all at the same time.
- Blade: Feather (3 or 4...most likely 4)
- Brush: Stirling Finest Badger (fan)--I have been impatiently waiting for Sunday so I could try one of the brushes Andrew included in his box ‘o fun last week. Every brush I have ever used has been a bulb style brush, and when you load them they come to a point that the lather concentrates around. The fan style is quite different, and took some getting used to, but I’ve got the hang of it now.
- Due to my face’s sissified skin, I stopped face lathering a year or so ago. With this brush I may take it up again for two reasons: (a) I put all my soaps into sticks, so face lathering is pretty darned easy, and (b) this brush seems like it’s designed for it; It covers a wide area, splays easily and feels nice on the face. I’ll definitely try to face lather next go-round.
- Also, either Stirling pre-defunkifies their brushes or Andrew did me a solid or badger isn’t nearly as funky as horsehair or something--there is no funk to this brush that I can detect. At all.
- Soap: Stirling Texas on Fire--like meeting an old friend after a long absence… wonderful.
- AS: Clubman Original
- Balm: Stirling Glacial Unscented
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The Shave...
I was going to go with a 2 pass shave and give my face a bit of a break, but I was enjoying the process so much that I threw in a 3rd pass (ATG) and caught the baby. I’m super smooth and irritation free.
Also, I was struck by how easy it is to shave with the Flare Tip. It doesn’t mow the hair down, but it’s smooth as silk, and if I gradually reduce the hair, I can get a BBS easily in 3 passes and some change (chiiiiiin!) without irritation. I think part of this is coming from shaving with a shavette for the last 2 weeks. It really does translate into better shaving in general.
It’s Sunday folks--relax, get your bearings, and prepare for the fantastic week you are about to have... corona virus or no
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