Monday's shave: - Valobra Almond shave soap - Jack Black Pure Performance shave brush - EJ DE89L - Iridium Super blade (2.) - Dr. Alkaitis Organic soothing gel AS
Monday, January 17th Hot shower Nivea for Men Extreme Comfort gel Gillette Fusion Phenom razor Nivea for Men ASB
Speick Shave Cream Savile Row 3122 Merkur HD Astra Superior Platinum (1) Speick A/S Nivea Sensitive ASB
Gillette Old Type BRW Improved Handle Voskhod Teflon (2) Speick Shave Stick Ever-Ready TGN Finest Alum Superior 70 Bay Rum A nice shave to start the week.
Razor: 7/8 Joseph Elliot "Fine India Steel" Soap / Cream: AoS Lemon / Speick Brush: B&B Essential Aftershave: RazoRock Alum / Thayers / Booster Polar Ice Cologne: Rive Gauche Pour Homme
Valet Service Valet Auto-Strop razor Modified Gem Stainless blade (1), unstropped KMF Cool Mint Penworks Silvertip The two days before today, I'd used a cutout style Valet, with modern Feather stainless cutout blades. Very rough shaves, it seemed that the blade was much too dull. Among other possibilities, I may have dulled the blade myself with inexpert stropping before using it. Or I might have had the angle of the razor all wrong. As a check, today I used a modified Gem blade in the other style of Auto strop, and I did not strop it. I knew that the blade was good, so any problems would be either the razor or my technique. As it turned out, I got a great, close shave. One little nick, which the styptic took care of, but no irritation. I'll have to investigate the cutout blade situation more as time permits. I also have some of the older cutout blades, which I'd always planned to hone before trying them, but I wouldn't have thought I'd need to do that with the Feathers. As I said, maybe I spoiled the blade myself. In the picture, the razor I used today is the one nearer the center.
Monday, January 17, 2011, about 8:30am 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 each pass Merkur 11c Open Comb ASCO Super Stainless Blade (3rd shave, stropped on arm) Cold Water Rinse Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Warm Shower Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Neutrogena Triple Protect Facial Lotion Calvin Klein IN2U Him Eau de Cologne Remarks: Today's shave, which is the third shave of ASCO blades from Egypt, was nothing short of extraordinary. I am still in the process of comparing blades, so again I shaved before shower. It was around 48 hours since I've last shaved, I think my face had plenty of time to recover. I also exfoliated my face with a loofah pad 12 hours prior to the shave, which I shouldn't have done because I didn't do with any of the other blades I am comparing. I did my usual North-South, South-North and ATG passes. I did very light touch ups on a couple spots that I've missed. The blade showed no signs of getting dull, so I guess tomorrow's shave will also be with this one. I've splashed some EdC to celebrate this great shave. I couldn't take any pictures, I might or might not edit this post to include some pictures.
Merkur Slant Bar Astra Karamik Blade Mama Bear's Lime Ice Soap C&E BBB Alcolado Glacial AS Mama Bear's Unscented Winter AS Balm -first time in 13 mos I've gone 3 days without a shave. The result was an out of this world, bang-up, 5 blader-a Stingray shave. The Slant is just great for shaving after missing a few days.
Good Monday morning my friends! Today is my day off and I started it out nice and slow, going through my usual routine of making my morning coffee--the super-delicious Sumatra from Central Market--in the French Press, drinking it in the fine company of you good people, and then heading off to the bathroom to try out my new Tabac soap for the first time while my wife held the kids at bay. Here's the layout: Neutrogena Razor Defense face warsh Brand new puck and bowl of Tabac shave soap Merkur Progress my parents got me for Christmas--my first DE Parker badger brush Personna blade (shave#3) Old Spice mug I recently turned the hot water heater up, and now the steamy fire that pours from the faucet seems to be churning from the bowels of Hell itself. Perfect for shaving. I purposed today to get my first absolutely BBS shave with a DE, so I took my time and made sure I did everything right. One problem I've been running into is my soap drying out on my face. I always start shaving on the right side, go to the middle, then the left side on the other half of the middle (not a unique process I know). I made sure to keep my soap and brush well hydrated on the first two passes. Then after the second pass I rinsed my face with warm water, rewetted the brush, and loaded it up again. Then I reworked the lather in the mug and applied it to the face like I was starting all over again. Then an XTG Pointer Sisters-style slow hand and easy touch, and after splashing on some Witch Hazel and Grey Flannel aftershave, I'm pleased to pillage stingraysrock's proclamation of a 5 Blade, Off The Hook, Bang A Gong, Inter-Galactic BBS! I feel like a real wetshaver now, and have officially graduated from n00b to novice. :happy005
40's style SS Super Iridium (3) TGN Silvertip Proraso Unscented Sensitive Nivea AS Balm Brut Locion Attitude AS It's weird, this blade seems to have gotten better with every shave so far. Today's shave was perfect and smooth, extremely comfortable. I know they're supposed to be a pretty long lasting blade, and I'll be happy to keep using it as long as it'll stay like this. Also tried the new Brut Attitude AS. Grabbed it at walmart the other day in a nice glass bottle, and it has a good refreshing scent. 4.67/5 - still reaching for that elusive 5.
Monday: Razor - Merkur Progress Blade - Super-Max Super Platinum Brush - Simpson Beaufort Soap - Mama Bear’s Sandalwood/Rose A/S - Ogallala Bay Rum/Sandalwood -- John
011711 Soap: Arko cream Brush: Vintage Stanhome Razor: Rolls '51 Imperial AS: TOBS St. James Excellent shave. Finally managed to work out a method for shaving cream/Rolls/my shaving technique (ditched the bowl, I face lather). TOBS St. James aftershave is one spiffy aftershave.
Monday Prep: Hot shower, soak brush, hand strop blade Coffee: Costa Rica Royal Tarrazu, BLACK Soap: Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood + 3 drops M Bomb Brush: Omega 49, the RED one Razor: Merkur Travel Blade: Dorco ST-301, day 1, 3+ passes Post: Cold water rinse, Osage Rub, Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood AS, hand strop blade 'Stache Wax: Steve's Own Shave Rating: 5 Blades An excellent shave.
Monday's Shave: Arko SS Omega 10029 Schick I2 CVS Personna (Day5) Arko Nem Mango Mandalina moisturiser Arko Aqua AS Splash Another perfect shave...Think tomorrow I might try my Super Speed, this would be a good time to compare... Of course it's not a competition, but just to note the differences in idiosyncrasies...
SOTD Monday January 17, 2011 5/8 Griffon XX #60 Carbo Magnetic, Full Hollow, Spike Point Proraso Pre-Shave Cream Irisch Moos Shave Cream Omega Pro Boar Dickinson's Witch Hazel Nivea Replenishing Brut Original Cologne
Monday: Razor: Merkur 38C Barber Pole Blade: Personna (US) Brush: Omega Boar 10049 Soap: Williams Mug ASB: Barclay Crocker Sandalwood A/S: Master's Bay Rum EdT: Oscar de la Renta Pour Lui
Monday, January 17, 2011 Razor: EJ Chatsworth Blade: Treet Dura Sharp Brush: Vulfix 2234 Super Cream: Speick A/S: Dickinson's Witch Hazel, Speick ASB Mmm...Very nice, smooth, and comfortable shave! I've learned that the old Brylcreem slogan, "A little dab'l do ya", also applies to Speick balm. It's easy to use too much, and then it feels too heavy. But used carefully, it provides a great finish, especially during cold, windy, and dry winter weather.
Salamander Wedge VDH Pure Boar Home Made Macadamia Shave Soap Ice Blue Aqua Velva Corn Huskers Lotion Finally got the Blade sharp after messin with it on and off for about three weeks !:happy102 Outstanding Blade very CCS with this little dude !