SoS: December 16, 2013 - December 22, 2013

Wednesday - Cheap Week

Vitos Extra Super lathered with Omega 49



1970 Super Adjustable set on 9 with Astra Blade (3)
3 passes, cold water rinse and finish with Family Dollar Spice

Vitos Extra Super - $28 for 1 kg

The Vitos is cheaper per ounce than VDH Deluxe or Arko, and almost as cheap as Williams.

 

DEcember 18, 2013

• Prep: shower
• Razor: Weber DLC
• Blade: Polsilver SI (6)
• Brush: New Forest Tubby 2
• Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Bespoke #1 sample
• Post: Thayers Medicated Superhazel
• After shave: Krampert's Finest Frostbite, Bulldog balm

Sixth and final shave with the Weber DLC on this blade. I nicked the same are on my neck as yesterday so it was definitely time to retire the blade.

As far as the comparison between the Weber DLC and Mühle R89 JET goes I must say I immensely enjoy both razors and in truth I cannot decide which one I like better. Both will offer their owners a magnificent shave with a DLC coated razor head that glides with a slightly lesser drag than a chrome plated razor would. Both are a joy to handle as well. On one hand you have a wonderful bulldog handle on the Weber, which is a nice hefty handle that provides fantastic grip with its deep knurling. On the other hand you have a rubberised black matte handle on the Mühle that gets stickier once water hits it and the razor is impossible to slide out of your hands.

I can conclude that these razors are both magnificent with their own personalities. Both will provide great shaves. Should you buy one over the other? It's up to you. If you can manage to get a hold of both of them, even better.

 

In honor of Cheap Week theme, I tried pick out things that are inexpensive. This does not mean ineffective because VDH is one that will remain in my rotation because of it's nice rich lather and it's only about $1.50 or so. This particular puck has grated Burt's Bees Sandalwood mixed in. The Burt's Bees smelled great but just flat out doesn't work.
~ VDH boar bristle brush with VDH soap in a VDH bowl (combo set for around $10).
~ Gillette New Standard ($5 shipped) using an Astra Super Stainless blade, blue label ($15 for 100, $ .15 each).
~ Clinique is my only compromise, I've just used it for too many years to change that.
~ Barbasol Brisk after shave ($3).
~ Brylcreem hair dressing ($2 in the clearance bin at my grocery).

With out adding in the Clinique moisturizer all of these cost me $15.15. Add the moisturizer an and these products come closer to $35-40.

 

Cheap Week, I got a picture today

Prep : hot water
Brush : Omega 48
Cream : MEM Olive
Blade : Q-Ball
Razor : Gillette Rubie
Post : Tarr lotion + cold water



Excellent shave, slick lather and great blade/razor combo. 2 passes WTG + ATG and ready to go . Cheap and effective, just like wetshaving is supposed to be.

 

Thursday - Cheap Week

MEM Olive face lathered with Omega 49
1970 Super Adjustable with Astra blade (4)
3 passes, cold water rinse and finish with Aqua Velva Musk

Omega 49 - $9
MEM Olive $9 for 140 ml (4.7 oz) tube
Astra blade - $9 for 100
Aqua Velva Musk - $3.17 for 3.5 oz bottle at Wally World

The MEM Olive is an excellent cream. At $9 a tube it may not be considered "cheap", but it is definitely a bargain.

 

Thursday: cheap week
hot shower
Homemade PSO
Gillette S/S Flare 3 passes ($1)
SuperMax Platinum (2) (PIF)
VDH boar (less than $10)
Cremo cream in a warm mug (free)
Aqua Velva Musk AS (less than $5)

I got a pretty darn good shave today considering the SuperSpeed is too mild of a razor for me. I'm thinking the SuperMax Platinum may have helped (since Tuesday's shave was similar in another "too mild" razor) so I'll be trying a SuperMax in my other razors as well. Homemade pre shave is certainly less expensive than store bought and it's fun to make. The Cremo was free after the rebate check and what it lacks in thick cushion, it makes up for in slickeryness. I whip it up in a mug even though it's supposed to be brushless because I've gotten better results and it helps greatly in killing the scent which some don't care for.

 

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Dove Men's Face Wash​

Van Der Hagen Deluxe Shave Soap​

Semogue 1305 Boar Brush​

Schick M Adjustable​

Schick Stainless Steel​

CWR​

Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel​

Pinaud Clubman AS​

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Second day shaving with the new countertop and sink. I am liking the new height. Much easier on the back. Today's shave was another great, near BBS shave.​

 

Thursday:

L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash
#6 Horsehair
Super Speed/Shark day 4
Godrej Menthol Mist SC
Phyto Expert Sensitive AS Balm
Osage Rub AS
Azzaro Pour Homme EdT

What can I say - there doesn't seem to be any way I can break out of my menthol addiction. The Godrej Menthol Mist cream gave me its fabulous lather and POWERFUL chill, and even this Phyto Expert balm is pretty cooling. A couple of splashes of the Rubby Dubby Doo felt like icy heaven afterwards. No complaints about this shave at all!

 

5/8 Wusthof
Topanga Fougere
homemade brush
Smooth, close and comfortable, very nice shave this morning. Have a good one.

 

It's only an addiction if you go to the meetings

 

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Prep: Warm shower, Cornhuskers Lotion
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89L
Blade: Voskhod (2)
Cream: C.O. Bigelow
Brush: VDH Boar
Post: Witch Hazel, Cornhuskers Lotion
Aftershave: Old Spice/Family Dollar Spice Mixture

Another excellent shave. I'm starting to think that shaving is taking over my life. Now I'm shaving in my dreams! Last night I had a dream that I was shaving with a straight razor. I've never shaved with one in my life. Maybe I'm having visions of what's next for me!

Have a great day!

 

Gillette LC New Bulldog
Perma-Sharp Super
Omega 80265
Arko SS
Alum
Superior 70

Feeling good.

 

SOTD Dec 19
Prep: hot shower
Razor: WW2 Gillette Khaki
Blade: Sheffield Special (day 4)
Brush: Wilkinson Sword
Soap: Proraso white tub
Passes: 3 (WTG x2, XTG)
Post: cold water, Proraso blue
Another great shave from this combination! It is unfortunate these Sheffield Special blades are no longer made
I'm still having trouble with my jaw line, but my technique seems to be getting better. Soap lathering skills are also getting better, I'm really enjoying the Proraso soap.

 

Prep: Shea moisture scrub
Soap: LA Shaving Soap Woody Lavender
Brush: HIS
Razor: Maggard MR10
Blade: Gillette 7 OC sharp edge yellow
Post: cold water rinse
AS: TSD Signature aftershave milk

A really nice and easy DFS this morning. Have a great day.

 

Thursday

Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Stirling Blu
Razor: ’66 Gillette Slim “6
Blade: Gillette Platinum (4)
Brush: Omega 10066 Boar
Aftershave: Clubman

WTG-XTG-ATG (adjusted angle for my beard a bit)

I went back to the Stirling Blu today. This was the 4th shave with the Gillette Platinum in the Slim. It is a very good blade, top tier. Another very close, smooth, nick & burn free shave. I finished with Clubman.

I will post more about the GP blade in the Blade Safari thread later.

Bob

 

Nick, I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

 

SOTD Thursday 12-19-2013

11/16 C-Mon Special, full Hollow, Spike Point
Proraso PSC
Ingram SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Semogue 820 Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Nivea Replenishing ASB
Pinaud Clubman Special Reserve ASL

Have a great day and start it with a great shave!

 

Thursday morning, December 19, 2013

Gillette Adjustable 'Fatboy' F-2 (1960)
Astra Superior Platinum blade (1)
Barbasol Shaving Cream 'Skin Conditioner'
Walgreens Witch Hazel
Studio for Men Brisk After Shave (Skin Bracer knockoff)

A great easy shave with the Gillette Adjustable 'Fatboy.' Lately I've been setting it to 5 with close comfy results. This Gillette is inspiring me to try more DE razors, oh oh! Aces!

 

Thursday

Prep: CeraVe facial cleanser
Lather: Barrister & Mann unscented soap
Brush: Mühle hjm black fiber
Razor: Feather Popular
Blade: Astra SP
After: cold rinse, CeraVe lotion

Good lather from the B&M soap and the Mühle black fiber brush. I haven't used the Feather razor in a while. It is a very mild razor and a sharp new Astra blade was a good pairing. Smooth comfortable shave in four gentle passes. My face feels good, but the shave is not as close add I usually get, even with a Gillette Tech.

 

Thursday:

Prep: Hot shower
Brush: VDH Boar
Soap: VDH Unscented
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Dorco-301 (2)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG (3, 4, 5)
Post: Cold water splash, Dickinson's WH, Nivea Energy ASB
Cologne: Gigember Estragone by Dr. Vranjes

After two days without shaving, I was more than ready to get back at it with a full 3-pass attack. In deference to Cheap Week, I decided, with some trepidation, to forego any preshave lotion. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the shave went; very nearly a BBS result if I discount a small patch on my chin that I couldn't get satisfactorily, and only one tiny bit of irritation on my mustache. I managed somehow to ding the blade itself as I was getting excess shave soap off it during the last pass, so I'll move on to a fresh blade on the morrow.