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Is Arko the greatest value in all of shaving?

Poll closed Apr 30, 2020.
  1. Yes

    16 vote(s)
    72.7%
  2. Yes

    6 vote(s)
    27.3%
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  1. april82020.jpg
    April 8th

    Cella PS Gel, Shaving Cream, AS Balm, After Shave - Almond
    Ever Ready 100 Synthetic
    Feather ProGuard
    Feather AC DX - Kamisori Style

    Couldn't resist a shave today, even with the blood letting from a shaved bump yesterday. Seriously thought about skipping, but the clean face feel & time spent is ingrained as part of the morning routine (with strong coffee and jamming tunes). The small self indulgence just helps start the day off 'right'.

    So....dug out an oldie, but a favorite aroma. Cella 'Red' is a sweet almond fragrance. The Pre Shave Gel is clear and thin, very slick stuff. While the Shaving Cream is labeled as a cream...it's pretty dry...stiff in the container like Stirling or PAA, maybe even slightly denser than a couple blends. Cella's After Shave Balm is light tan, similar consistency to thin sunscreen, and the After Shave feels like many mass produced versions (ToBS, Proraso, Clubman). Great face feel after the shave, but slightly 'squeaky' while actually using the shaving cream.

    Two pass shave with the Feather AC DX and the ProGuard blade, following with a little touch up for the right neck/jawline area. Easily a DFS+, if not BBS almost everywhere. Love using this razor, easy to maneuver, easy to hold. This morning the ProGuard blade saved a small set down 'correction'....was adjusting angle, hovering the blade barely above the skin, under nostril area, and the blade touched down before expectation...no nick, cut or issue for this slight misstep, nor for the entire shave. Awesome fragrant yogurty thick lather was accomplished, but...yeah, completely forgot to include the Ever Ready 100 brush in the setup. Small shame, it's completely matched in color! My images are done after every morning's shave....and guess coffee hadn't kicked in yet. Oops.

    Hope everyone has a Wonderful Wednesday!
    9nein9, Keithmax, MrEE and 13 others like this.
  2. Avon April shave 8 oud Wednesday
    Brush: Simpsons Chubby 2 synthetic
    Razor: 1927-28 Gillette Tuckaway
    Blade: Ladas
    Soap: Pere Lucien Oud Santal
    Aftershave: Avon Trazarra C5EE2A51-9555-4BD5-AE18-8AA9DCD54E25.jpeg
    9nein9, b1hart, Keithmax and 12 others like this.
  3. fantastic shave and pic Blair..good morning..
  4. cool tuckaway shave Angelo..
  5. awesome shave and pic Jim,good morning..
  6. most excellent shave Paul,good morning..:)
  7. Beautiful set up, Jim--that razor really is a looked! Also excited to see you run through those CF samples :D
    MrEE, Norcalnewb, jgreenepa and 3 others like this.
  8. :)
  9. Unveiling the Awesome Stealth TAR

    Thanks to the overwhelming response to recent revelations, the time has come for the proper preentation of the aluminum Stealth TAR, the big size without the weight.

    On hand for the honoring festivities were:
    The Colonel (although he smelled a bit like The Captain) with his very own bowl, never used for soup.
    The tall and majestic Jayaruh 367 in dress blues
    The Mighty Brass TAR
    and.....
    ....... now what in the blazes is that..... Feather wrapper doing in there, glue dots and all.
    ....... Almost like he was a spy photo bombing my parade
    ........ probably a spy.

    20200407_095804-1.jpeg

    Keeping my test pattern, I dialed the minimum and went to work, buffing strokes all the way.

    The Col. puffs an easy lather and is sufficient for light buffing work. A gentle and pleasant Bay Rum. The Col Conk is my economy fave.

    A delightful, irritation free shave was finished with Stirling Bergamot Lavender AS which seems to be hanging better than I remembered.

    No need to go middle of the road setting here. For me it is wide open for riding the blade or down all the way. Same result, different techniques. I've not used buffing on the lowest setting before but it worked well, I'll try it on my other adjustables in the future.

    The tools got a soapy brush clean and are getting the Barbicide sanitation as I write. They will be off soon to that Shaver Extraordinaire, @jgreenepa who can in plague free times be found domiciled 50 stories above the City of Brotherly Love with his faithful friend Grommet.

    In conclusion;
    I count it a high privilege to be fortunate enough to have a test run at these World Class designed and meticulously fabricated tools so generously passed around by Tom White @twhite, an experience I won't forget.

    Either tool would be a welcome addition to my stable, but I give the edge right now to the Stealth TAR for the great feel and handling in the buffing zone at bottom setting. Opened up and riding the cap I liked the Heavyweight better, but I could adjust....... or, if they were commercially available I'd just do what any decent shave fan would do..... Get Both!

    I hope to have made a few of you, my friends, crack a smile in this turbulent time. It was educational for me and FUN.

    Edison Carter reporting for Network 23
    9nein9, b1hart, Keithmax and 13 others like this.
  10. fine shave and pic Clint..have a great day..
  11. Terrific shave and picture, Clint!
    Yup, Most Excellent, Paul!
  12. Nice one Terry!
  13. Super Slim shave and an excellent report, Terry! :D
    Terry, Norcalnewb, jgreenepa and 3 others like this.
  14. Great shave and love the picture, Blair!
    Looking good, Angelo!
  15. awesome shave and pic Bill,cool razors..
  16. Great shave Clint!
  17. Thank you, Gary!
    Good morning..
    Thanks, Tim!
    I'm happy with the performance of CF and the first two samples have been winners.
  18. cool shave and pic Terry..
  19. Hi Gary, and thank you. Two passes always seems good enough for me, although at times I have enough soap for a 3rd.
  20. Thanks, Joe!
    Wonderful shave and report, Bill!
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