Tuesday, August 19 Santa Maria Novella Crema da Barba~~Simpson CH3~~Wolfman WR2/Voskhod~~Chanel Antaeus (not pictured) The one thing about variety is that you discover products that you really enjoy using. The SMN is a perfect example.
Thursday, August 21 Stirling Solidus~~Simpson Rover~~Wolfman WR2/Voskhod~~Paco Rabanne One Million Lucky The Voskhod was shot and combine that with the ultra-heavy Wolfman handle, it was like navigating a crane around my face. The lower neck didn't appreciate it. One wouldn't think it, but the length and weight of a handle plays an important role in the shave.
You truly have some classy gear, Joseph. I always look forward to seeing your setups. Sorry about the bad shave, though. How many shaves are you getting out of the Voskhods? Agreed on the razor weight and geometry. I experience a settling in period every time I change my razor, particularly if the razor shaves more aggressively. I'm currently on a run with a '56 Red Tip and a Feather blade that gets changed every three days. They go together like peas and carrots. My current routine includes daily morning shaves with two passes on the face and one on the neck. I avoid going for every last bit, as that is often when I'll get irritation. The results are surprisingly good, though, when I focus on proper skin stretching. I'm not currently 3017ing any soaps, so not posting much these days. My current rotation includes Tabac, Mike's, and Kiss My Face. At some point, I'll work in some MdC and MWF. After a few years of consuming and giving away a mountain of different soaps and creams, I'm finally down to a small rotation of products that work well for me. I'm saving so much money by not buying more stuff that I can finally afford to get my toupee this year. I hope all is well, my friend.
Looking for my 3017 target so I dug into in the backup soap cabinet and found these two. Now I remember why the Catie's Bubbles is in the backup bin, it just doesn't perfor that well in my water, but I do enjoy the scent. I worked liked a red headed stepchild with the Chubby, just a decent shave. Vintage Piere Cardin left me smelling very nice. The Razo Rock XXX does perform well for me so we have a contender. Everyone is different and while I enjoy A Taste of Heaven a certain opera star calls is 'scrubber.' Cella is fine performer, but can I really 3017 this mostly full tub and handle day in and day out marzipan? Maybe it is time to do a run with my smiling razors? The yin to the yang of my classic Speeedy.
Hey, Charlie. Of all my Russian blades, the Voskhods give me the fewest "comfortable" shaves. I can get 4-5 reasonable shaves. There are only three blades that I can push to 20-30 and they are the old Personna 74's, Gillette "Spoilers" and the Wilkinson Light Brigades. They are now pretty much unobtanium, so I hoard my stash. I have a Red Tip and it is an excellent version of the SS. I love the knurling and the cap reminds me of a Fatboy. I understand about the 3017. It takes a manly-man to attempt this feat. Vis-a-vis toupees...
That is reason I am doing the 3017, I want to get down to a group of top soaps I enjoy. So first I need to work through all the ones I bought in my search for the next best thing.
Saturday, August 23 Queen Charlotte Soaps Lavender~~Simpson M7~~Gillette Red Tip (UK)/Voskhod (1) Vintage Aqua Velva Day one with a fresh Voskhod. I was surprised at the lack of blade-feel with the Red Tip. The AV was fantastic.
Some more variety shaves, one more variety shave then I will annoint the next 3017 target. The more I use Poraso in the tube the more I enjoy it. I decided to pair with vintage Brut, like the Poraso the more I use it the more I like it. I saw my Futur sitting lonely and forlorn on my shelf so she will get some shaves going forward. I decided the pair the XXX with the fragrance is supposed to be dupe of, the XXX is pretty old and the scent is faint. Similar, still very nice. Old school steel for this shave, Wade and Butcher from back when England was a top steel maker.
My next 3017 is revealed, XXX from Razo Rock. A big 8/8 blade and a Jason made handle with a Omega Pro knot. Let the games begin.
I decided to try the scent of Natural Charcoal for my in-shower shave prep.If I find no real difference of this to other scents, I'll go back to "other scents". It's been around for a while in the Nivea 4 Men lineup, so I figured people are buying it.
Tuesday, August 26 Czech & Speake No. 88~~Black Eagle HT1~~2011 Mühle R41/Voskhod (3)~~Frederic Malle The Moon No 3017 in sight. Having too much fun.
Smiling blade week continues. This cool looking Ali's Blade is some nice steel for sure... Now that I have removed the top layer of the XXX the scent is back so Acqua di Cuba again. This Silverloaf 8/8 near wedge is my heaviest razor. Very controlable but I have not been able to get an excellent edge on this big girl, good but not excellent. Now for the opposite end, my lightest straight razor my legnedary Saito SK-3. I keep thinking about selling it as I prefer bigger razors but then I shave with her, she has a fantastic edge. An epic shave.
