Friday, January 14, 2011 Tolsom Facial Cleanser Hot Towel with Pantene Pro-V on Face Proraso Pre-Post Cream Vulfix 247 Pure Badger VDH Deluxe, face lathered, brush reloaded before the second pass Merkur 11c Open Comb ASCO Super Stainless Blade (1st shave, corked and stropped on arm) Cold Water Rinse Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Warm Shower Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Neutrogena Triple Protect Facial Lotion Remarks: The quest to find the right blade for my face continues with ASCO Super Stainless from Egypt. I did not shower before any of the previous shaves and I want to try the blades with identical conditions, so I decided not to shower before this shave either. For the first two passes, I did my usual routine of North-South, South-North but for the third pass, instead of my usual ear-to-nose pass; I went ATG, which is ear-to-nose on two sides of the neck and South-North elsewhere. A "whatever direction it takes" touch up pass followed that. The result was pretty smooth. I can't say I achieved BBS, but the shave was much more comfortable than Derby Extras and the result is better too I think. After Wednesday's and today's shave, I noticed that all my irritation and red skin problems are in the curved areas of my face and caused by not finding the correct angle; so I paid a close attention to that. Also, it had been more than 36 hours since I last shaved and I accidentally dropped the blade in the sink before the shave, which can't be good for the blade. I will keep these in mind when I am comparing this blade to others. Oh and I just noticed that I forgot to include WH in the picture, but I am too lazy to take another picture just for that : ) Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Jack Black Beard Lube Filarmonica #14 8/8 Proraso SC Rudy Vey Finest Badger Brush Alum. Block Jack Black Cooling Gel
Today's shave - completely ADD. Parker 91r w/ Wilkinson Sword (1) Magic Shavette w/ Personna (1) Slim Adjustable w/ Personna Red Pack (2) TGN Silvertip Dalan D'men Unscented Nivea Sensitive AS Balm Acqua Velva Musk Haven't used the parker in a couple weeks, so I figured I'd try it with a Sword. Aggro. Did 2 passes, then remembered I've been meaning to work on my straight technique, so I did one pass with the shavette, and then decided to clean up with my new MVP, the slim. On the plus side, I did have lots of lather to work with. DFS in ??? passes. 3/5
Today was a lazy start to the day. I had a nice long hot shower. The Parker badger brush whipped up a nice mound of Bigelow Shave Creme. I choose a Gillette Fat Handle Tech with a derby blade for the shave today. I prepped my face with Johnson Baby oil and then applied the lather. Three passes end result a great BBS.
Rotbart Razor with Astra SP (1) H.L. Thaeter Chubby ST Salter`s Classic Almond Trumper Spanish Leather Have a nice day!
Razor: Milord Blade: Red Pack IP Brush: Plisson EW Size #12 Soap: Arko Stick Aftershave: Stetson I'm going down to Tombstone tomorrow, figured I best break out the Stetson and prepare myself
I actually like the scent of the Arko Cool cream, and I find the performance even better than the Moist version, which has menthol. (sort of) I have no idea how the Arko Cool received that name, because there is no cooling sensation at all from it. It is still a good cream, at least to me.
SOTD January 14, 2010 Cella | RV Buffalo Horn D01 Extreme Flat Top | J. Engström Frameback | SCS Patchouli AS | Vicco Turmeric
Henckels Platinum #401 Omega Pro 49 Ogallala Bay Rum & Lemon Grass + Glycerin Adidas Dynamic Pulse DFS with this ole girl !
Last night I really wanted to try out my new Omega Boar, and I don't have time to shave on Saturday mornings, so it went a little something like this: Neutrogena Razor Defense Face Wash Merkur Progress Personna blade (2) Momma Bear's Masculine Musk soap :love008:love008 Omega Boar with beechwood handle Dickinson's Witch Hazel English Leather a/s The new boar has a bit of an unpleasant smell to it, but I've read that goes away after a few uses. The brush is very stiff but still lathered great (the Mama Bear lathers wonderfully at the mere suggestion of a brush). I'm still learning to wield the DE with efficiency, so my goal was not to acheive BBS, but to simply not have any nicks or weepers after I applied the A/S, at which I was successful. I usually shave early in the morning, but man is it nice going to bed smelling good with a smooth face against the pillow.
DFS shave with The st8, but as always had to finish with 1 xtg pass using the future to get BBs. The head shave with the furtur on 2 was off the hook. 2 atg passes and I got one BBS noggin. I have a red IP blade (4) in the future , but the future seems to work great with any blade. The future is like a GEM 1912, in that it always gives great results.
Saturday: Omega Wooden Handle Super Speed/Gillette Rubie day 5 Comme il Faut SC Svoboda AS Balsam :love008 :love008 :freezing :freezing Lubriderm unscented moisturizer Monsieur Givenchy EDT I think it's time to change the blade for tomorrow's shave, because although I got very smooth this morning, it was a bit of a struggle. The Svoboda balsam and the Comme il Faut cream are from the same company. That balsam is so cooling and soothing.
Saturday - it's the weekend! :happy069 Time for the SEs!! Prep: 30 minute marinade with TSD ISZ PSB, strop str8, hot shower Coffee: Costa Rica Royal Tarrazu, BLACK Strop: VB 2" Black Latigo/linen Soap: Irisch Moos stick Brush: 24mm silvertip set in red mallee burl Str8: Robeson ShurEdge, 3 passes Post: Cold water rinse, RazoRock rub down, B&BW Oak cologne 'Stache Wax: Steve's Own Shave Rating: 5 Blades Another shave that wasn't as close as I've achieved in the past, but the scent of this soap, along with not drawing ANY blood, Stevie Ray Vaughn in the background, the "cool" factor of using a str8 - heck, yeah 5 blades!
Saturday, January 15 65’ Gillette Slim (setting 7) Derby Extra (3) Tweezerman Badger Old Village Barber Bay Rum SS Old Village Barber Bay Rum A/S BBS on 3+ passes. It all came together. I tend to get the best Derby shaves in my Slim, and especially on the blade's 3rd shave, which all converged today. Also, my OVB puck delivers super slick lather, the slickest I have experienced so far, so slick that no preshave oil is needed. My neck is BBS with no nicks-a beautiful thing. Finish was excellent too.
Saturday: Razor - 1940’s Gold Tech Blade - Super-Max Super Platinum Brush - Simpson’s Duke 2 Best Badger Cream - TOBS Jermyn Street A/S - English Leather -- John
Gillette Old Type Bull Mastiff Voskhod Teflon MYCarver finest Bigelow Shave Cream Alum Superior 70 Bay Rum A nice comfortable 2 pass shave.
Hot Shower 5/8" Cosmo VDH Boar Arko Shavestick Witch Hazel Corn Huskers Lotion Crusellas Colonia 1800 with Vetiver Murray's Superior Pomade