You too as well! I love Arko, and more so because I recently started using it for my headshaves. Last night, I used it for my headshave with my Shakesharp and I was cueball smooth after 2 passes with my 2 fresh Gillette 7 o'clock Permasharp blades. I usually apply Cremo brushless cream because it is awesome, but Arko took over as my number 1 headshave soap.

Thank you Joe-just what I plan to do. That emoti was quite approporiate.

Thanks....for the most part, it was.

Aug 15 SOTA

1968 Gillette Slim Adjustable (9)
Astra Superior Stainlesss DE Blade (Final Shave)
MrEE LE #10 Cashmere Brush
Angora Soaps Midnight Lavender SS and AS
Maggard's Alum Block
Dickinson's WH
Whiskers: 24 hrs



I just like this Midnight Lavender very much. The scent is robust and it stays around during a pass. I did three passes for a BBS - shave without any incidents. However, this blade was on its last legs because I had t do plenty of buffing for each pass. Fortunately, my skin can take it because it did not feel raw and there was not any redness. The alum gave me some feedback on my neck whicb was to be expected with the amount of buffing I needed to do in order to get a nice shave. Suffice it to say that the Astra blade got banked. The witch hazel felt really good. I was excited to try the matching aftershave, but was slightly disappointed. It complemented the scent instead of reinforcing the scent. Initially, I did not shake the bottle, but on the second application I did and got the same result. It is a masculine scent and I am fine with it, but I would've preferred the scent to be like the soap's scent. Anyway, it was a good shave overall, despite being critical of it. Have a great rest of the day, gents!

Sunday shave
Brush: WCS Infinity T66
Razor: Merkur Progress levels 4, 3, 3
Blade: Crown Platinum
Soap: Col Conk Amber
Aftershave: British Sterling

Very nice shave Joe

Excellent Angelo

Congrats, Jeff, on getting your vaccine booster. You prompted me to check on this for my Bride. If her doc approves, we'll get it done ASAP. Prayers for continued good health, my friend.

Thanks Joe.

Shavette Shave # 142

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: Focus Slim Al R28
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Epsilon Horse Hair
Lather: Uncle Jon’s Gravity (1508.5 Project)
Aftershave: Floid Genuine
Additional Care:
Stirling Alum Block
Nivea Cool Balm
Thayer’s Witch Hazel - Original

Happy Sunday gentlemen. I decided to give the Essence a day off as I wanted try the Focus Slim Al R28 on loan from Bill, @Edison Carter.
I loaded a half GSB easily in the Focus. It is an extremely light razor. I have to say I received one fantastic shave. I would even venture to say it was closer than the shave with the Feather Pro in the Essence. Approximately twelve hours post shave my face is still smooth. I did not have this feeling yesterday with the Feather after six hours. My next shave with the Essence will have a half GSB blade.

Uncle Jon’s Gravity produced it’s final lather as it had a date with the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Hope you all had a fabulous Sunday.

Awesome shave Joe. Congrats on sinking Uncle Jon's Gravity.

Great shave and soap kill Joe !

Uh oh. Does that mean that much mo moola, don’t always mean much mo betta?


Last time I shaved with a DE blade stapled to popsicle sticks I was astounded at how well a shave one can get. It does require some attention though.

I do love both of those tools. The Slim Al is supposed to be very popular with professional Italian barbers.

One of the theories on the R28 is that it guides to the ideal shave angle. I do find that angle to be steeper than what I habitually use, therefore more aggressive. My experience with the Slim Al and a brand new GSB are always good similar to yours.

I think the biggest objection I’ve heard is to the low weight. For me it meant greater feel for the cutting force I was applying.

Thank you Joe

Thank you Dave

Monday August 16, 2021
Razor: Gem Junior/Baton Handle
Blade: Gem SS (7)
Brush: Trotter Handcrafts "Scoville"
Soap: Haslinger Schafmilch
AS 1: Humphrey's Alcoholado Maravilla 70
AS 2: Ethos Fresh Lime SFS
Fragrance: Scuderia Ferrari Black
Consecutive Daily Shaves - # 1013

Thanks, Joe!

SOTD MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST 16, 2021

Today’s shave featured the Ellis & Allan 8/8 Stubtail and my Barbasol Floating Head. Not much to report other than an excellent shave. Broke out the A&E Shave Butter, and it was ok, but frankly I’ll eagerly return to my Nancy Boy or MWF for tomorrow’s shave. Three slow careful passes on the mug and two on the dome, and yours truly was cool, clean and quite smooth.

RAZOR: Ellis & Allan Stubtail (Mug), Barbasol Floating Head (Noggin)
BLADE: Feather DE
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
CROAP: A&E Shaving Butter
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with A&E

Great Slim Adjustable shave, Joe! Is that the razor with the snarky TTO mechanism?