Good point. Another ymmv thing. My skin isn't really sensitive I guess, except for tobacco scented soap and maybe lanolin. It's really such a unique and individual thing. As I recall, you also shave your head. Do you use it experiment with different setups for scalp versus beard?

Nice to see AV get some representation. Old school classic. TSD Throwback Thursday (USA mass market AS)...bring out the AV, OS, Stetson, Skin Bracer, Afta? AS is not mentioned in the guidelines as being a variable.

I have never achieved "great" lather with Stirling, but my experience is limited to a handful of shaves on MM using Glacial Obsidian...talk about menthol! I blame it on super hard water here in CO and maybe lack of skill on my part. The shaves went ok though.

How's the hand? Much longer in the cast?

It would be great if they'd just cut the cast already so I could start the rehab. It comes off the 18th though so not to much longer.

Shave #2 actually occurred on day 1, as I was not able to shave today. I adjusted the FB to setting 5, and things went much better. Still not as good as my slim, but an improvement.
On a side note, shaving in the evening allowed me to unexpectedly shave with my 4 year old son like I would on a weekend. That was the best part of the shave.

I didn't catch enough time to post a photo but my first day of Arko April went on with out a problem as expected yesturday! Added 6 drops off M-bomb from TSD shop to make a nice luxurious Arko shave. I did learn that the Schick Krona+Astra SP blade is limited to 3 uses on the blade "YMMV". So next shave will be a fresh blade and a great expected shave! Still waiting on The Shave Den soap PIF to arrive but once i get them i will throw a shave in with them and give some feed back!

Day 2 April Arko Focus
Prep: hot shower
Soap: Arko
Razor: ikon 102 short handle
Blade: Voskhod (shave number one and two )
Post: TSD signature 2x menthol milk. Proaso green post shave balm.

I made two changes to my setup: switched from long handle to short and didn't use any soap under my nose. 3 passes no clean up and the shave was great. Very close. I forgot how close the ikon slant shaved after two month with my Gillette tech. I must say the performance of the Voskhod blade was perfect. No pulling no nicks. Just BBS!

Focus- Injector Razors
Pre- Hot water wash
Razor- Schick J1
Blade- Chinese Schick
Cream- Palmolive Lemon
Brush- Cheapie Badger Travel Brush
Post- Cold water rinse, alum as needed
Aftershave- Stirling Coniferous



I am interested in possibly using these as travel razors. As such, I want to make sure as part of this focus, I am doing a real world test. I will be mixing in a lot of the cheaper creams, brushes, etc that I use for travel. There will also be plenty of Arko

After putting the injector down for a few weeks and picking it up, I did "much" better this time. I finally got my fingers to obey on the significantly lighter touch that these razors require. I tear my face up using DE pressure and techniques.

I had a DE on standby but did not need it. I gave myself one good nick near the bottom of my neck. I flattened the angle out a bit too much as my hand neared my chest. Other than that had a great 2 pass shave with no irritation or problems. I do need to work on getting my neck a bit closer to a BBS.

Based on how tonight went I am going to be a big fan of these razors by months end. I also have an M3 adjustable, a modern M39 and thanks to a PIF an early Bakelite Injector to add into the mix as the month wears on.

I'm going to skip today and really see what this slim can do. I usually get really good shaves with two days growth so tomorrow morning should be very interesting.

I skipped shaving today, so I could get a better shave tomorrow.

The irony of a great shave. I want to shave every day now, but after two or threr days it's a better and more enjoyable shave.

Arko April!!

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2 April 2015. Day 2, blade 1 - The mighty mighty MTO (Weishi 9306)

Last night's shave turned out pretty darn nice after 12 hours...now for Day 2.

Day 1 must have "stropped" the blade on my beard, because it felt much smoother today. I have prepared the divinely inspired, lemon scented Turkish gift to wet shavers everywhere by cutting the stick into disks. These pieces of soap were then bloomed in a bowl, loaded onto a damp Plisson and face lathered. Perfect lather ensued!

It was automatic!

The blade lives on.

I believe Good Friday is the day that love, manifested as sacrifice, showed me a better way.

Thanks for reading.​

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Welcome to the 30 day thread!

What tools did you use to enjoy your shave today?

April 3 (Good Friday)

Stirling Sheep facial soap
Merkur 37C slant bar razor
Feather blade (day 2)
Kent BK8 silvertip badger brush
Arko shave soap & glycerin
Two passes
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave balm

I had another fine shave this morning with no irritation or nicks. A few drops of glycerin added to the lather makes the Arko perform even better. Have a blessed Easter weekend.

Grace and Peace!

Arko April Focus - CJB Kamisori
April 3, 2015 - Week 1 Day 6
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - VDH Boar
Soap - Arko
Razor - CJB & '59 Gillette Superspeed
Blade - (6) (6)
Post - Alum & The Veg

If I ever get the neck figured out this will be a great shave! Just seems like the neck is never as smooth as the face, but I know it's just going to take practice and continuing work on technique. One weeper today but nothing else and the blades continue to perform well. Off to face a Friday!

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04/03/15
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – GEM 1912
Blade – GEM SS Coated
Brush – Rubberset 400 with Omega Boar
Lather – Strop Shoppe Baker Street
Post - Witch Hazel and Dove AS Balm



@JR Reyes was kind enough to let me test drive some GEM razors. I didn't want to abuse his kindness by keeping the razors to long so today's shave I used the GEM 1912 with GEM SS coated blades. The Strop Shoppe soap whipped up a great slick lather which helped with a fantastic 3 pass shave. Not BBS but pretty close. I do have problems with the GEM razors above my lip so I cheated and used a Schick Injector in that area. I will add that I like the SS coated blades much better than the carbon blades.

April 3rd , SOTD (Shave 1 of the focus)
Three and a half days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor Feather Artist Club SS non-folding with Pro-Guard Blade (3rd shave on blade)
Razor Finish: Gillete Red Tip- B2 (1956)
DE Blade: Big Ben- Stropped 30 times per edge (1st shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister & Mann's Latha Soap
Brush: Tulip Wood Brush- TGN Best Badger Knot 22mm x 54mm loft
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block,
Aftershave: Barrister & Mann's Latha Post Shave Splash (Alcohol Free)

First shave for the April focus, had to skip the Arko today to use the Latha that @Chuck F was gracious enough to PIF. It was bowl lathered with my badger brush, which is probably my least favorite brush of the six I have. I am using it for this month’s focus (except travel) so I can see if my opinon of it has changed at all. Latha lathered up easily, and performed outstanding. The scent is barbershop, but with a very sweet note. My wife liked it. The post shave splash was also very nice and soothing.

Hadn’t shaved in three and a half days, which might be the longest I have gone since getting into wet shaving. I was in a bit of a hurry this morning, so only did one N/S pass with the Feather AC. Just scraped the latha off, and most of the wiskers went with it. Had a CCS on a single pass. Grabbed the Red Tip to do a S/N pass, and a bit of touch up on the neck. DFS plus shave! Alum was quiet today.

@NCoxSTL- I only got about 15 shaves in with my Feather AC in March. I think you will have more than that before April is halfway done.

Well I will be taking a day off tomorrow from the CJB. Saturday is an early day and I think a day off from it is in order.

Prep – Hot shower, homemade sugar scrub
Razor – Gillette Slim
Blade – Voskhod
Brush – Omega 48
Soap – Arko
Post - Clubman Bayrum

A little disappointed but overall I got a decent shave. I thought my neck was going good when the third pass didn't feel like it was cutting anything but there were still some rough patches. My plan for tomorrow is to focus on that area first then continue with the rest of my shave...maybe it will help improve. Sorry for the short post it's a hectic day already.

Prep: Hot shower, Neutrogena Invigorating Face Wash, TSD Jasmine Sambac preshave balm
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: RazoRock One-X
Razor: RazoRock Bamboozled RAKE OC
Blade: Baili Super Blue (1)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG (1, 2, 3)
Post: Cold water splash, Bloc Osma alum, Dickinson's WH, RazoRock One-X AS splash
Cologne:Jasmin et Cigarette by Etat Libre d' Orange

I cannot recall anyone singing the praises of the Baili blades. Friends, I'm here to tell you that the silence on this front is well-deserved. I had good prep, and face-lathered up a good layer of protective lather from the One-X and the Simpson; the razor continues to be easy to find the ideal angle with. However, the blade was not particularly comfortable or well-mannered, producing a couple of weepers and even some razor burn. . . and I tend to prefer platinum coated blades like this one. I'd rate the shave as DFS+, but not as close as the past couple of shaves I've had.

Happy Good Friday to those who celebrate.