It's all part of the learning process Scott. I don't think Arko was the culprit. It is a very slick soap because I have used it to shave my dome and have always gotten a good shave with it. Feathers usually get dull or rough by the third or 4th use based on my limited experience of only using one 5 blade tuck. Therefore, I believe the Feather blade is the likely culprit. I don't know if your beard is coarse and heavy or a little lighter, but I would use whatever blade and the least expensive non-Frankenrazor in your den that gave you the most successful shave on a consistent basis.

Great setup Hogie. I have not used the Personna SE blades. How do they shave?

Thank you Joe! Agree with all 100%…

My current problem is the size of my still being rebuilt den. Last time around I went down the rabbit hole of classic razors and never got much of a feel for the new ones.

All I currently have is my birth year Super Speed, a Slim Adjustable and a Fat Boy. All have sentimental value to me and I don’t want to travel with them. I need one decent modern razor that works and is not the end of the world if lost/stolen…

I recommend a Van der Hagen TTO or the Adjustable if you can deal with a mild razor. They cost about 16 to 18 dollars at Walmart. The only other option is to go get a Dollar Tree Razor for under 2 bucks, but I would use a mild blade because those razors are very aggressive and if your technique is not A grade, then it won't be comfortable. Otherwise, you can look online for other mild razors that are in the 20 to 30 dollar range like the Viking Razors. Of course, I am sure there are others, but I can't think of another off the top of my head.

Saturday November 25 morning - No Plan Now November - Canadian day

Prep: Hot shower with Aleppo 20% laurel bay oil soap

Razor: Canadian Gillette Tech with triangular plate slots / Kent of Inglewood branded blade (2)

Soap: Crown Shaving Co shave cream

Brush: APShaveCo uBrush with 24mm SynBad fan knot

Lather Bowl: none

Post: rinse, alum, rinse, InfaLab Nick Relief styptic powder / Proraso styptic gel

Last shave: early Tuesday - 4 days



A repeat of my last shave. Two passes to a near BBS.


Only difference from last time - I shaved off my Movember mustache because I was fed up with it. And in the process, during the first pass, I lopped off a pimple or ingrown whisker that was hidden under the mustache just under my nose. Which bled like a stuck pig. Streak of blood down to my chin. Wiped it off, relathered for the second pass -- bled through the lather. Cold rinse and alum rub -- bled through the alum. Put my styptic powder on it -- bled through that. Then put the liquid gel on it. That sunk in and stopped the bleeding. Good stuff!

Hope the week has started well for everyone!

Nov 25 SOTA

Good afternoon.

Face shave:
Straight Razor Shave #508
6/8 Ralf Aust
Dome Shave:
Van der Hagen TTO Razor (not pictured)
Gillette Wilkinson Sword DE Blade (4)
JR 290 Cashmere Brush
Stirling Tsuka SS, AS and EdT
Stirling Alum Block
Modessa Witch Hazel
Beard Growth: 29 hrs
Dome Turf: 4 days



I am going out this evening so I picked the Tsuka set because it smells really nice. I needed a headshave to go along with my face shave. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about doing a headshave because I usually have only a safety razor to do both face and dome when I do one. Oh well, it's no biggie. However, I picked one of my Aust straights because it is very sharp.
Stirling always provides a nice lather so here's the pic:



Did 3 passes on my face and dome for a BBS shave without any incidents of red leakage. The alum was silent on all my shaved areas so I would say this was an epic session. Witch hazel was applied and then the matching aftershave. Before I head out the door, I will take two hits of the matching EdT. Take care.

Despite the red leakage, that was a nice shave John. The ear and stache area are notorious for bleeding like there is no tomorrow. I am fortunate that I don't get ingrown hairs. However, I am extremely careful on the stache area especially when I use a straight. I don't go against the grain on my stache unless I use a safety razor. Personally, a successful shave is when you get a very close shave without blood or irritation.

Thanks Joe! I’m gonna look around a bit. I like mild to medium razors and sharp blades. Something like a Gillette Tech but a bit more aggressive is acceptable. I may just be better off getting a beater tech on Ebay and not letting myself get too attached to it lol…

Great shave and it looks like I’m not the only one who had a bit of red in the mix today. I need to look into that styptic gel. Never tried it, but assuming/hoping it’s less messy than the pencils?

Wonderful looking shave Joe. I had to look up the Tsuka soap. It’s on Sterling’s discontinued list but the description looks very interesting.

Thank you Joe..

Yeah. I was buying some other stuff, saw the ProRaso "repairing gel" and added a tube to the mix on impulse. And I am glad I did.

Today was the first time I ever tried it and I quite like it. It's a liquid gel in a metal ointment-type tube. A dab on the area soaked into the small divot and stopped the leakage immediately. No sting. And you just cap the tube again - no muss.

Unlike styptic pencils which you have to dampen and rub on and for me they take awhile to work - and then you have to rinse the blood smear off the pencil and then the pencil is damp when you store it. And mine were always falling out of the medicine cabinet and breaking, so I had a bunch of pieces of pencils...

Thanks Scott. It is a beautiful cologney scent. However, Rod takes it off the market and brings it back on again.

Thank you Joe.

Thank you Scott. It is a solid razor. I do not know the actual model as it was labeled as a brush. I call it a travel razor as I keep it in my travel bag.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256....0.0.220c38dalYnj2Q&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Sorry about the cut but glad you were able to get it under control

Awesome Tuska (BoS) shave Joe.

Thanks Joe. For those of you who don't know, Tsuka was originally labeled LE 2019 Blood on Steel especially made for the 30DC meetup in St. Louis.

Scott,
My travel razor is little fat handled Tech. Probably cost under $10. It works well. It likes any blade I pop in it. I think I have some Astras in my Dopp kit now.

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions gentlemen!