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Thanks Gary.

Tuesday August 15 - "Allegedly" Adjustable, All-Sample August

Prep: cold water face wash
Razor: Supply 2.0 matte black stainless injector w/ SE comb plate/ Supply Black Label (6ish)
Brush: Simpsons Chubby 2 Synthetic
Lather Bowl: Jason's maple-walnut with lather studs
Soap: Taconic Eucalyptus Mint Pump Shave Cream (sample)
Post: cold rinse, alum, cold rinse, Clubman Osage Rub
Time since last shave: 32 hours

In a shocking development, I shaved today, making this two days in a row! I haven't shaved daily since before Covid...

This was my second test of the Taconic sample. Everything was identical to yesterday's shave except that I used the injector razor instead of the DE.

I scooped a bigger portion of the cream into my lather bowl today, resulting in much more lather in the bowl. Instead of enough lather for two good passes, I ended up with enough for five or six. I still did only two passes though. The Taconic does lather extremely easily and is very slick and protective during the shave. A very very easy cream to use. I am still not a big fan of the eucalyptus-mint scent. However, I notice Taconic makes its cream in five or six scents, including not just complex "barbershop" scents but both straight bay rum and lavender -- uncomplicated scents that I like in shaving products. Taconic also uses simple, natural, high quality ingredients in its products. I could definitely see myself buying Taconic products in one of those two scents .... if I didn't already have between 85 and 90 nearly full tubs and tubes of shaving soaps and creams to use up, of course...

I still have about half the Taconic sample left in the test bottle. I could do another two or three shaves with it but will move on to another sample next shave. When I have tried them all twice, I will then go back and use up any remnants (at least of samples I like).

The shave was a straightforward two passes to a DFS. The alum today was warm over most of my face and a bit hot or stinging in a couple places. No visible cuts, nicks or razorburn patches however. At least at first. After I cleaned up, rinsed off the alum, applied the splash, and then straightened stuff up in the bathroom for a few minutes, I did notice a faint smudge at the site of yesterday's nick. I must have slightly reopened it.

I attribute the warm alum and the faint smudge to shaving for two days in a row doing two passes each day after several years of shaving once or twice a week with usually only a single pass each shave. If I continue to shave more regularly, I expect my skin will gradually become accustomed to the new regimen.

Excellent shave John

Terrific shave and post John. I agree that your skin will fit accustome to having a blade on its face everyday. Have a great day.

Well John, thanks, all good information, esp about the Bay Rum oil. This morning I used much less and no burn. But also only a subtle scent for the day.
I like to see what people do differently but also the reasons behind that, and this helps.

Thanks Gary, mine are a bit different. Definitely made in St Petersburg, definitely engraved, but no Arrow like yours from Sweden.

very cool.they have been updated.

16 Aug 2023

(Adjustable, Arko August, Artisan August, Anything goes, Adapting-Adjusting-on-the-fly August)

22 hours early Pre work shave

Prep = Another cold water shave, Proraso prep white
Soap = Stirling Barber Shop sample 3rd use
Brush = Puro Tasso boar
Bowl = Timeless
Razor = Merkur Progress 2|3
Blade = Gillette Platinum (2)
Passes = 2 + tu: only 2 passes today
Post = Usual CWR, Alum silent, CWR, Thayers
Experiment: Left side of face Nivea balm first, then Stirling Bay Rum
Right side of face: Stirling Bay Rum first then Nivea balm
Scent = Guerlain Pour Homme
Damage = none

Results = 9/10 good clean shave. Even the tricky area under the chin worked well
Shave experience = Still relatively smooth after yesterday’s shave, < 24 hours ago, so I didn’t find 3 passes were needed or called for
Today the Bay Rum was less stinging on each side of the face. Next time I will just repeat the experiment but will have to use More!
It may be there was less stinging because I only did 2 passes?

More confidently applying more pressure with the Progress than I could with other razors

Clean, smooth and subtly scented for the day…

fine shave John.i have tequila lime Taconic cream.though a few years old now it's still fantastic stuff.

awesome Chris.

-Midweek-Shave-
#58/kcg
simpson
palmolive
gent's gin

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good morning gents
fabulous palmolive face lather.this 'crat jr is a favorite shaver.gent's gin aftershave to finish
awesome.
have a fine day everyone.
​

Well, today's shave was a weird one. Why. I forgot to do the aftershave!! I realized I forgot when getting dressed and not smelling the Clubman Reserve. Went back quickly to"finish the job". I blame this on putting too much focus on the shave itself to be thrown off guard. Well, it's good to do a lot of focus on the shave, but there's one more thing needed. I won't forget THAT "one more thing" again! The unnamed Stoylin brush picked up a good amount of soap for my face and neck "paint job". No cuts, Knicks, polka-dots. I was glad to have the presence of mind to go over areas I first missed. The right side of North Porcupine and certain areas of Cactus Nation required that extra attention. Pleased with the overall shave, but skipping the aftershave is indefensible. A little bit Outstanding.

Barbershop was my first Stoylin soap(the regular size, not the sample).

Thanks Joe

Yesterday's and today's shaves.

Ikon S3S stainless steel head.
Maggard's MR3 stainless steel handle - modified.
Astra SP blade.
Yaqi two band badger brush. Accoutrements Fresh Vetiver shave soap.
Timeless Razor shave bowl.
Irish Chestnut by Andy Hilfiger.

Awesome shaves. The more I use the S3S the more I like it. It is one of the best razors in the den.

Take care everyone!

Very nice shave Chris.

Very fine shave Gary.

Terrific shave as always Danny.

Fabulous shaves and pics, gents!

Chris, I like the idea of doing the "each side of the face" comparison test on balm first vs splash first! If you do it again next shave with a heavier hand, be sure to tell us the definitive answer: which came first, the balm or the splash. We may never know the answer about the chicken or the egg, but inquiring minds definitely want to know the answer to the shaving version...

Thanks, Gary! Also good to know your view on the Taconic cream.

Aug 16 SOTA

Good afternoon.

Shavette Shave # 477
Parker SRB
Laser 1/2 DE Blade (fresh)
MrEE Tuxedo Brush
Lakewood Soap Lard Lass
Fine Platinum AS
Stirling Alum Block
Modessa Witch Hazel
Beard Growth: 23.5 hrs



I put in a fresh Laser blade for this afternoon's shave. I realized that I was using a Laser blade on my previous shaves and mistakenly identified it as a Wilkinson Sword for the last few shaves. I was wondering why this blade was getting rough on the 5th shave. Here's today's lather:



I must admit that it wasn't my best lather because I had too much water and decided to work with it knowing that it still will be slick for me to shave.
Honestly, I could have called this shave done after 1 pass. I did 2.75 passes and for my efforts got 2 weeps and close to BBS. I didn't finish the 3rd pass because the blade is sharp and not as smooth as I an used to with other blades. I just didn't want to add any more weeps. Expectedly, the alum feedback was where the weeps were and very little else on the neck. I think if the lather was a little more substantial on my subsequent passes then I probably would not have had any weeps. However, I think it's also the blade, even though I didn't have any trouble with the previous one. Hey! You can't win them all. I will still use this blade, but I will be a little more cautious. I will use these blades in my safeties to see if these blades still feel a little rough. Did my usual postshave routine to finish this session. Take care.