Clint, I would like to convert all of my soaps to a shave stick, much easier application and storage. Since I'm a face latherer it works out very well. Thanks again for the hook up!!

Are you related to Jeff @crackstar

No rusted can lid on the schedule at this time, though it may be preferable to another item I'm looking at.

Who knew we'd discover there's a need for proper menthol technique to avoid major hazards? You really do learn something new here everyday.

December Focus

The Twelve Blades of December!

Hard to believe we've almost put this year to bed. Wow. Where did the time go? But, here we are and as a gift to everyone here I'm offering up my shaves with twelve blades that have never touched my face, randomly paired with twelve of my DE razors. Two shaves with each setup to finish on Xmas Eve. So, sit back, get the fire burning and enjoy what I hope is an enjoyable month of further proof Technique Trumps Tools. I hope for that....my expectations aren't as optimistic.

December 1

Razor - Post War Gillette Tech
Blade - (1)
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Customer Silvertip A
Soap - TSD Lanolin Bay Rum
Post - Cold water, Alum, Clubman (without red hot sauce)

First up is the '46-50 Tech with a Centwin Super Platinum blade. Centwin is a product of India, from Malhotra Shaving Products. Malhotra is the smaller of the main Indian manufacturers (Vidyut Metallics is the big player) and makes blades under the Laser, Vijay and Topaz brands as well. This is the first Malhotra product I've used. Indian blades are usually pretty well made but since my experience has been Vidyut products we'll see if it carries over.

Using my Wold Whiskers brush again. Wanted to try it on all three of my top soaps. Just like with MWF and Tabac, it produced a great lather with the TSD Lanolin. Super soft feel but it loads soap like it can't get enough and really produces great face lathers with plenty to go three passes and more! I want another one of these. The lather was great from the TSD Bay Rum and it was good to get back to it after a month on a Rule - um, I mean No Variation. Yeah, that's it.

First stroke and I'm not unhappy with the blade. Seems to be smooth and pretty effective. The first pass was very smooth, in fact, nice bit of audio feedback and a good reduction. After a month on the pain stick this is a breeze. Seemed like the first pass ended in about two seconds. Nice. I've heard some say using pain sticks and straights improves your DE shave and I believe it! Second pass XTG and another smooth pass but there's quite a bit to go to get DFS. So, a full third pass ATG with a few neck touch ups and there it is. A very nice DFS, nearly BBS. Very nice, very smooth, very comfortable. Just a bit more work than some.

My first shave impression of the Centwin is positive. We'll see how it does on day two then give it a grade and recommendation. Enjoy December all!

Planned Razor Review Day

1 December 2015



DeFitch DE
Gillette Silver Blue
La Toja Shave Stick
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Alum
Pinaud Lilac Vegetal

Busy day on the prairie, hope to get caught up later!

Have a wonderful afternoon!

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Well that was anticlimactic. Just kidding, glad you got off to a good, and blood free, start!

Welcome Back!

Paul @Paul Turner I need to change my assessment of Clubman Special Reserve, after a few hours it mellows out quiet nicely! The staying power of this stuff is rather remarkable considering its Clubman, I like it and will keep it in my rotation.

December 30 Day Focus--Gillette Executive and Stirling Kong

December 1

Razor - 1958 Gillette Executive Adjustable (Set on 4. And yes, I noticed the picture it is set on 5, I promise the shave was on 4)
Blade - Gillette Silver Blue (1)
Brush - Stirling Kong
Soap - Tabac
Post - Cold water, witch hazel, Old Spice


I started my December focus today using my 1958 Gillette Executive (the gold fat boy) and my Stirling Kong. As you may remember, the Executive was going to be my razor for No Variation November, but the adjustment plate got stuck and not matter what I did, I could not get it unstuck. So, it was sent off to Razor Emporium for their tuneup service with a note to pay special attention to the adjustment mechanism. I received it back in the middle of November and it looked beautiful! The mechanism was unstuck (had an email indicating they did some serious internal cleaning and freed it up), the gave it a good polish, and it now is my favorite looking razor by far! I will also be using my Stirling Kong which came in about the same time I got the Executive back (talk about temptation to veer from the NOVember). It is a massive brush compared to the VDH boar or evem the AOS Badger.

I set the Executive on 4 to start with and began my usual 2 pass routine. WTG on cheeks, XTG on chin and neck for the first pass. This pass had a little audible feedback but not as much as some other razors like the Cadet have had. It felt like it was just floating on my face (and yes, I did check to see if I had put in my GSB and yes, I actually had a blade in it . . . unlike a previous time a few months back). Well, it was a most efficient first pass. Good reduction of stubble, hardly felt the blade at all.

Second pass is ATG everywhere. Left it set on 4 for this pass and went to work. Again, it felt like I did not even have anything on my face. The razor's weight and grip make it a great shave and almost effortless to move where you want it to go. I may have to find me a slim sometime to compare the longer handle, but the Executive's fat boy style and weight is a great combination! When I got done with the ATG pass, I felt my face. Very very little touchup needed along the jaw and beside the adam's apple. When I finished there was no irritation at all and a DFS+ shave.

Looking forward to putting this razor through the paces on each of the levels of adjustment. I did notice others such as @Rufus T. used the adjustables on a milder setting for the WTG first pass and a more aggressive setting for the ATG pass. After another shave at 4 for both, I may move the ATG up to 5 and kind of work my way up from there.

December 1, 2015
This month I’m focusing on my two birth quarter razors.
Gillette Ball End Tech A4 - Week 1
Gillette SS Red Tip A4 - Week 2

Morning shave
Hot Shower
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Dolomiti
Brush: Stirling Kong Synthetic
Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech A4
Blade: 7 o’clock (Blues) (1)
Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery
TSD Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Myrsol Blue



I’ve waited six months to try this razor. (Wanted to develop skills first, right? ;-)

2 pass shave - XTG, ATG

First pass provided a good reduction, second pass very clean, a bit of touch up and done!

Seems like I’ve been away from traditional DEs for awhile, but I quickly got right back on board and ‘riding the cap!”


The ride was smooth, clean and comfortable. I’m expecting that I’ll be seeing regrowth sooner than I was experiencing with the Mongoose. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I’ll have a better sense of things but the act shaving today was a breeze compared to the Mongoose. Maybe I’ll get there eventually wth the Mongoose as well, with another month or so of focused use, but the extra weight for me makes it feel more like work.

This ball-end Tech seemed as light as a feather as I cruised through the shave.
Looking forward to the rest of the birthday month!

Cheers!
RT

Sorry to disappoint. Lol. You never know with some of these blades. There are enough Chinese blades in here to make up for it I'm sure.

Razor: Merkur 38C Barber Pole
Blade: Wilkinson (2)
Brush: Omega 10066 Boar
Soap: Route 66 Barbershop Hop
A/S: TSD Iced Barber Shoppe
Much better shave tonight. Didn't drop my brush in the sink for starters. Have a much improved angle of attack with the 38C which provided a DFS. A little more work with the boar and the lather will get much better, although is was pretty good tonight.

You have a house den, or warehouse den.

See @Bama Samurai - actual proof that people do learn from experience!
(and we don't let them forget!!)

It's been since August that I used my two adjustables. Based on that month-long experience I learned a couple things about them that resonate... (for me anyway...YMMV).

1 - Don't be in a race just to get to 9.
Spend time getting to know the settings as best as you can.
To best do that, I'd probably try to do one adjustable a month, not two in a month. I mean let's face it...the mantra here is technique, to take a fixed razor and become really familiar with it in a month of shaves. (Sometimes it takes a little less, of course.) But with an adjustable, I'm not sure that I can treat it the same. With 9 adjustable settings, could we argue that it may be the equivalent of multiple razors?

2 - Using different settings with each pass.
I'm like you William, I normally use two passes. For me it's XTG, ATG.
You're right - during my initial trials of adjustables I used what I though was 'conventional wisdom'... being - if you are going to use different settings for each pass, do progressively higher settings with each pass. The next time I experiment with my adjustables I will try the opposite. Use the higher setting on the first pass and a lower setting on the last pass.

My reasoning (is probably hooey, but...) if the higher setting provides a more 'aggressive' shave through blade exposure, what part of our shave is least vulnerable to irritation - a WTG, XTG or ATG? In my mind, the least vulnerable is the initial pass or passes (WTG, XTG), with the ATG being most vulnerable. So... the next time I use one, I'll probably start with my first pass WTG (or XTG) on 5 and XTG on 3.

And now that I have everyone ready to pound their keyboard to rebuke this, I said I would "experiment" with this and see if it works for ME or not.

Good luck, I enjoy the drama of it all!

I'm always itching to learn something new.

What's the worst that could happen?

I believe waiting six months and developing technique is why that razor was such a breeze! Nice work!

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Ha ha!