SoS: March 23, 2015 - March 29, 2015

Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech NDC (declared 1947) Birth Year
Brush: Old Spice 1985 Cobalt Blue Boar
Mug: Old Spice 1985 Cobalt Blue
Cream/Soap: Pre de Provence Shea Butter soap
Blade: Feather (1)
Post shave: Thayers Cucumber WH, Jack Black Balm, Old Spice original Shulton 1956 glass AS Stopper #3
Soaked the PdP in hot water for a few minutes and the boar brush in a mug of warm water. I have come to like creams over soap but I like this soap. The OS boar is getting softer, and works well with soap, and whipped up copious amounts of lather. The Gillette Tech is a nice mild razor for me even with a Feather blade. Very nice two pass shave with some touchup. Warm water rinse and pat dry. Some WH and after cleanup some JB Balm and then the oldest Vintage Old Spice AS, that I have, so far. Good stuff! Go get some! Remember what my buddy Frank said "The Best is yet to come"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL...hG7&v=rmf1AYgYj6I&params=OAFIAVgC&mode=NORMAL

 

Good luck with your shave. I still use my Braun on occasion on the right side of my neck where I have a scar. Good luck on your recovery.

 

I've tried the Super-Max Super Platinum, without any luck. I use light pressure and have a light beard, and they tug at the first stroke. My go to blade in all of my razors is the Feather.

 

SoTD for Wed, March 25, or, I tried. I really tried.

Pre- BBC oil
Soap- Pre de Provence
Brush- unknown handle/ 24/68mm pure knot
Razor- schick Eversharp F
Blade- Krona Chrome
Rinse- Osage
Aftershave- Fine Vetiver
Balm- Kiehl's
Cologne- Lagerfeld original formulation



I was trying so hard to finish out March with the Ever Ready 1914. I really was. But I finally got my hot little hands on one of my grail razors. The Schick Eversharp F type. I cleaned it up and put it on deck, vowing to finish out my March promise to the 1914. But men are weak. And I have wanted this razor so badly. So it was impossible to resist it's gleaming aluminum siren call once a combination of grinding monotony and a terrible shave took the wind out of my sails. And I have no regrets! I was so bored with using the same thing every day that I didn't post a SoTD last week at all. Not because I was busy... I just didn't care. So it was time to put some excitement back in the game, and try out one of my most anticipated razors. The verdict? The F was worth every bit of waiting and hunting I put into it's acquisition. This may be my favorite injector. This razor delivers fantastic shaves. Smooth, irritation free... it feels amazing in the hand, and does not clog like most of the early injectors I have used. The blade is one of very few vintage injector blades I have, but I had to use one for this razor. They are so much better than current production blades, and this razor deserves it. I lathered up, and got an easy 2 pass BBS. But I did a third pass just to use the razor some more. I am excited to shave again in the morning... it feels good. I am not cut out for firm decisions and stability. It is back to as much variation as possible for me!

Also in today's shave, is my newest brush refurb. I do not know the maker, but it is marked as English made. The handle is a lovely, dense phenolic, with a beautiful graduated butterscotch that darkens towards the base. It came with a teeny 18mm badger knot. It looked ridiculous, because the handle is pretty beefy. I drilled it out and put in a 24/68mm pure badger knot. Pure is one of my favorite grades of knot, plus it matches the labeling on the handle ("pure bristles, sterilized, made in England"), so it was a no brainer to use in this project. The loft is reasonably high, so I set the knot a bit deeper than normal to get a bit more backbone. It worked out amazingly well, I probably could have used a bigger knot, but frankly 24mm is my limit. Any bigger and it makes the brush feel clumsy to me. I actually think that 22mm is about perfect, but again, this handle was crying out for a big knot.

 

Nice Gillette LC! I finally landed one on the bay, and can't wait to give it a try.

 

I got lucky and found one in an antique shop. I saw a sign from the highway and stopped in just for fun. The set is mismatched - the box and blade bank probably belong to a different razor, but it shaves like a dream. Efficient and forgiving in my experience.
Best of luck with your LC!

 

Great story, and really nice razor and brush! Welcome back from the Dark Side.

 

Thanks! From the research I've done the packaging is all over the place, from special ones for the Clicago Worlds Fair and the Red and Black, to flimsy cardboard like my Murker. There were at least 3 handles, 2 fat, with different kneeling patterns, and a slim handle. I usually only bid on complete sets but couldn't pass this on up, and I'm actually surprised I won. Show a picture in the case!

 

I think the problem was the blade. If you are on the 4th shave of a blade and your getting a bad shave, anti up the 15 cents for a blade change. YMMV but I only go a max of 2 shaves of 3 passes.

 

pre: hot towel over lather
brush: Vie-Long 12705B
soap: test sample, further info under NDA
razor: The Rebar (ebay razor)
blade: Rapira Platinum Lux
post: alum + Arko Men Cool

 

At first I was also a bit nervous with them, but they sure turned out great!

 

Very creative.

 

Used my ER12 again today. Even though it was a great shave in regards to no nicks, scrapes or stinging, it was not a good shave in regards to smooth. This was shave 2 on the blade and if I didn't know better, I'd say it was bought at the hardware store by the scraping sound of each pass.

Again, good shave if only concerned about not blood. Only a passable shave for work if concerned about whisker growth not being visible.

I'm pretty sure my angle and pressure were good due to sound and skin feel.

 

SOTD 3-25-15

Razor: ATT M1 w/Maggard MR1 handle
Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (3)
Soap: Proraso Red tube (1st time using)
Bowl: Steel
Brush: VDH Boar

Preshave was just face wash with warm water and post shave was rinse with warm water then some cold water splashes and pat dry!

Shave was very good (I would say between CCS and DFS) but it took three passes with quite a bit of touchup to achieve in lip, neck and jaw line area's. No nicks or irritation. Not sure if it was the ATT M1 plate or the Platinum Lux blade.

The Proraso red cream lathered up awesomely and easily using the steel bowl and I had enough for my numerous passes and then some! Not quite sure if I started with exactly an almond size shot but if not darn close!

I did like the feel of the MR1 handle vs the Bamboo or Krono's handle, which is only about a 1/4 inch shorter. Just felt easier to maneuver around.

I have alot of blades and quite a few choices so trying to sample them in order to decide what to keep and what to move on. In search of the perfect razor/blade combo!!

Thx.

 

03/25 – Another BBS smooth shave but with a little bit of irritation. The end is probably near for the Croma. One more shave and it’s out.

• Growth: 1 day
• Lather: MWF
• Brush: Whipped Dog High Mountain 24/52mm
• Razor: 1964 Gillette Slim (3,3/1,3)
• Blade: Croma Diamant (9)
• Post: Alum; Floid Black

 

Third day with the Gillette Black Beauty.
Not a bad shave at all.

Razor: Gillette Black Beauty
Blade: Rapira
Brush: L'Occitane Plisson
Soap: Mystic Water Unscented
A/S: Zirh Erase
Body splash: The Veg

​

 

Being using the same set up for the last 2 days and been getting some of the smoothest, comfortable and most enjoyable shaves I've ever had. Just a really nice menthol shave.

Razor - Slim
Blade- Ladas
Pre shave - Edwin Jagger pre shave
Lather - I Colioni
Aftershave - Williams ice blue.

 

I followed your lead and started using the Veg as a body splash right out of the shower the last couple of weeks.

 

Thursday's


Dove Men Face Wash
Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap
Jayaruh WC1 Silver Tip
GEM G-bar
GEM Super Stainless
CWR, Asma Alum Block
Thayers Lemon WH
Pinaud Clubman

This is the last week of my GEM/ER SE Razor Month, and it's time for the GEM G-bar.

The Van Der Hagen Deluxe Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh WC1 Silver Tip Badger Brush. Two passes with my GEM G-bar SE razor and a GEM Super Stainless blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Lemon WH and then Pinaud Clubman after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

 

Razor..Gillette fat boy
Blade... astra sp
Brush... purple b&b essential boar
Soap... mystic waters lilac