I re-learned a lesson today. I generally use different razors for head and face shaving - face every day, head 1 or 2 times per week. I forgot that my sparse hair on my scalp just seems to chew up blades quickly. Yesterday I loaded up a new Rapira Lux blade in my Weber and shaved both my head and face during one session. This morning I grabbed the Weber and got to shaving. The blade was sooooo dull and tuggy it caused pain. I quickly changed blades and finished up the shave in smooth fashion. So, remember, at least for me, change that blade after a head shave.
Thanks Clint! I owe you and the rest of the 30day group for my lather progress. I had poor lather for a long time before you all gave me your insights.
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2) Brush: Simpsons CH1 Best Badger Soap: Route 66 Bourbon Jungle A/S: Myrsol After Shave "Formula C"
Thanks Clint. Hard not to have shaving gear in the snow today. We are getting hit hard today. Finally winter has arrived.
My Dec 29 shave with the Fatboy/Feather combination on a cushion of Fitjar Fellheim shave cream. I find that for near-daily shaves a setting of 5 works well for me, even on the neck. And a higher setting such as 7th day, for shaving after a couple of carefree days..
Straights to the Finish Line!!!! December 29 - It's Soviet Day - Day 2! Razor - Soyuz 1 Straight Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip Soap - Tabac Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea Spent some time with the razor this morning on the strop. Not sure what good it will do as It's nearly impossible to know if the angle is right. Laying it down flat with no spine has no effect on the edge that I could tell, and trying to hold any kind of angle was just an exercise in stupidity futility. Still, it got its laps on both poly and leather so it's time to see what difference if any it makes. I chose to try the Tabac today and grabbed the WW brush. Might as well have a pillowy feeling to start because I know it isn't going to last long. Got up a good lather and went right half first again. At first I thought I might be onto something, but that optimism quickly faded as I made more than the first short stroke. Yep, still as rough and tuggy as yesterday. I'm not sure if it's worse because at a certain point it's just rough and that's all you can say about it. The first pass on that side was about as effective as yesterday, meaning NOT! Went ahead and lathered the left side and went WTG there. Again, pulls, tugs, rough, and very little actual cutting that I could tell. So, lathered the whole face and did an XTG along with ATG on the neck. Talk about dragging and just generally being enough to make you mad. Was there some reduction? Yes, but not enough to even think about a third pass at this point. From what I can tell the stropping did nothing to improve it. It also seems to have done nothing to make it worse, or else it's just at that bad point that you can't tell a difference. After debating with myself over a swig of coffee (N mug was safely away from me by that point) I relathered and........grabbed the W.B. Speed Rabbit to make another pass. Now THAT is how it should feel. Nice, smooth, you could hear the cutting instead of the grinding and I finished a pass with a CCS and decided it was good enough for a day off shave. Could I have continued with the Soyuz and gotten to CCS? Yes, I'm sure I could have. How many passes would it have taken? More than I want to know at this point. Again, I could have gotten a good enough shave to count given time and persistence, but there's no point if I have something better to go to. In a shavepocalypse I'm covered. Until then, this razor will be a trophy in my collection. Oh, yes, the Alum was a nice burn, by the way. Even at two rough passes my face has had enough. Nivea to the rescue! Have a great Tuesday!
Today's shave was a two pass + clean up BBS. A slight tugging was noticeable but the Pro Super still delivered a tingling close shave, perfect for a night out with the family. Shannon Soap is one of those extra thirsty soaps, that like a few drops of water added slowly and... BOOM, you get a fragrant, slick and creamy lather with excellent skin care. Bay Patchouli Grapefruit is an excellent light bay scent that went well with the generous splash of the Shave Tonic and later on a good spritz of Bayberry. Hope you're Tuesday is rockin'.
Planned Day 29 - DEcember 2015 Weishi 9306 Trig Silver Edge L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic Blind Test Soap "A" Alum Pinaud Lilac Vegetal Never have used Trig before, and this soap is for the quarterly review group. So we'll see how it goes! A quick planned shave and then down to Denver for the evening with Mrs. Samurai. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado. Have a wonderful evening!
I don't think the soap makes a difference, but I've been told you can hasten the break-in by using a suribachi bowl like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UEYXL8/?tag=thshde-20
I use a hard soap to soften the bristles. Argo is pretty hard but check your soaps and look for a hard tripled killed soap. I use DR Harris to break in my boar brushes.