SoS: September 19-25 2011

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Pre-shave soap: Musgo Real Glyce Lime
Razor: Merkur Futur
Blade: Derby Extra
Brush: EJ Best
Soap or Cream: Ingram Cream
A/S: Dickinson's Witch Hazel, Proraso Splash

An excellent shave this morning. I can't believe how different the Derby blade seems when used in the Futur. This was the 5th shave on the blade and it feels like it could do a few more, but I'm going to change it. I hate to start a shave on a morning when I'm in a bit of a hurry, only to find that the blade needs changing. So five is about my limit with most blades (except Iridiums).

 

I've never had success with it unless I used distilled water, of course I use distilled water with everything now.

 

Today I tried out some new goodies I got in the mail yesterday, courtesy of TSD!

Razor - Muhle R106
Brush - Penworks finest
Soap - TSD Pumpkin Delight (the smell is to DIE for!!)
Blade - Vokshod
AS - Proraso White Balm

Well I got my little package from TSD yesterday :mail:. In it was the pumpkin delight soap and a box of vokshods. The soap smelled so good I honestly wanted to take a bite out of it. I melted it into my shave mug (via double boiler method) and let it cool for today. It was a good shave, I have having some serious issues with my badger brush and the lather from the soap was comming off really light and fluffy...not creamy (I tested it with my old boar that my daughter place with and it was rich and creamy for that brush...too bad my wife has my SOC in Israel with her )
The blade was pretty good, it seemed a little more rough than the red personnas I have, so tommorrow I will try it in a different razor.

All in all though, it was a good decent shave with no irritation! Thanks TSD!

 

Thursday's Shave:

Gillette Aristocrat
Voskhod
Semogue 830
Vintage Williams + M-Bomb (2 drops)
Vintage Aqua Velva
RSC ASB

 

Thursday:

EJ89L
Voskhod
Dridecker Special
KMF Mint SC
Dickenson's Witch Hazel
Nivea Sensitive Balm
Avon Wild Country Cologne NOS

 

Today:

Face lathered Williams, Simpson Special Pure Badger
AutoStrop Model C (same model as the Travelin' Autostrop) w/a modified GEM SS ptfe blade
Handcrafted Menthol AS to finish the shave

Another fantastic BBS, but with a razor and blade that I really like (no DE blade testing for awhile). This was actually my first shave with this particular razor, but it's a model C and I've been there before with other Model Cs.

The Williams acted as it always does. It starts out with an almost cotton candy feel to it, but after adding water in small amounts it exploded into lots of long lasting lather. I still think there are better soaps out there, but I've rearranged my thinking about modern Williams and it definitely has a place in a dish in my shave cabinet.

Have a great day gentlemen! (Gentle ladies too!)

 

I really don't have any problem lathering Williams. I am on city water about an hour north of where you live and have absolutely no idea if my water is hard or soft. It is not as fluffy as other soaps, but I do get a nice consistent protective and slick lather from it. So far this week I have a different brush each day. While I still stick with the fact that there are not soap brushes and cream brushes, some do work better then others with it. The low loft TGN finest worked better yesterday then the Rooney 3/2 Super today. I have actually come to enjoy my Semogue 2000 to most of my other brushes. It isn't that one doesn't work, my preference is just for a certain brushed based on results as it pertains to my technique.

Could it be that you are looking for too much from the modern Williams along the same lines of looking for DE blade sharpness from a straight razor? I get very good shaves from both, but they are different. I get a nice amount of cushion and slickness from Williams. I also get it from something like the Arko stick, but Arko is a much fluffier (lack of better descriptor). I don't think one is better then the other, just different.

Just some random thoughts.

 

Wilkinson Sword classic Razor/7 o'clock Blue/Grated Palmolive in OS mug/Wee Scot/Stetson​

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The Sword is on a roll this week. A total stubble eliminator. It's has shaved me so close each day that every morning there really isn't much that needs mowed down. And mowing down light stubble is where this razor shines. A Blade buffing machine. The Palmolive is gracing another newly acquired OS mug. 1st Lather was awesome, but time will tell if it's worthy of earning a spot in what is considered Prime Real Estate in my shave den. Spots reserved for MWF, Tabac, and Arko.​

Have a great day, Gentlemen.​

 

Long hot shower.
Prep Johnson Baby Oil
Soap Vulfix
Brush Omega 10048
Razor Gillette SS
Blade Rapira Platinum Lux
Post Osage Rub
Results A DFS, that was expectional.
Everyone have a great Thursday!!

 

Thanks Dale. You've probably hit the nail on the head - I'm looking for too much out of the Williams. You're absolutely right - it is different. As I said in my earlier post, the final results were fantastic, but I'm in it for the entire experience. And right now Williams is not helping me enjoy my shave to the fullest.

I'll keep in in the rotation, then decide once it's gone if I'll get another puck.

And sometimes random thoughts are the most insightful!

 

Hot Shower
Selsun Blue Mentholated Hair Shampoo
Irish Spring Bar Soap
TSD ISZ Pre-Shave Balm
Frank's Finest Badger Brush
Mama Bears Iceberg Ice Soap
Dalain d'men Shaving Cream For the Ultra Lather
Dovo 5/8"
Strop: 20 laps on carpet, 40 on leather.
TSD Bay Rum ASM

2 passes = DFS. I went for the bowl lather on this one, and with the two soaps, I had a good amount of lather.

 

I overlooked this question.

I have very soft water. I can't say that I really like Williams. I do like it though; now. If you had asked me the same question 4 months ago I had told you it was useable but there are better soaps out there. Today, I'll still tell you that there are better soaps "out there", but I think it's better than merely just useable now.

I have 4 brushes and each day I grab the next in the rotation. They are 3 badgers and 1 boar and they all lather Williams. I never use a specific brush for a specific soap/cream, but always use the next brush in the rotation.

I attribute my liking Williams now to the way I soften the soap puck and the super ease with which that helps the brush load. Basically, it's more product and more water w/o the time spent loading the brush.

 

Thursday Night

Another awesome shave tonight.
Tried cold water shaving and it was fine but I think I prefer warm.

Sprock 6/8 - BS Maca Root Cream - NF2213 - Alum - Old Spice Whitewater​

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Been under the weather and never got out for Williams. So tonite I ambled into the shower with one question in mind...could the DE89 and Personna Platinum defeat a three day growth.

Three passes plus touch ups, and the sink was full of hair, and old technology won out. I will never look back at the cartridges. Thanx for all of your help.

And it's nice having my grandfather looking down at me from the mirror as I shave:

Preshave-three minute hot towel and Frasers
JM Fraser Polar Ice
eBarber badger brush

EJagger DE 89​

Personnna Platinum​

Hot towel start (see above), cold towel rinse​

JM Fraser's Polar Ice​

Clubman Virgin Islands Bay Rum​

What a shave!!! I am becoming a regular CCS, a little better neckwork technique and my next goal will be regular DFS's​

 

Williams Week - Thursday!

Hot Shower
Green Marvy Mug
Sabi Badger
Vintage Williams with one brush load of TSD Yukihana
Lord L6
Gillette 7OC - Blue (3)
Cool Water Rinse
Hyatt Portico Lavender & Citrus Body Lotion
Giorgio Body Spray

Fantastic shave today. The Yukihana added just enough scent to my shave, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Have a great rest of your week!!

 

Open Comb Slant
Voskhod
iKon Stainless brushThe Shave Den Yukihana Soap
4711 Aftershave
4711 Ice Cologne

 

Feintechnik Eisfeld R2 TTO Vintage Razor (former GDR Production)
with italian Bolzano Superinox
French Joris Pure Badger Brush
Portoguese O´Melhor Shaving Cream - Cordial Thanks, Emanuel :wink2:
German Florena ASB
British GFT Spanish Leather EdC

Have a nice day!

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Friday 23 September

Starbucks Italian Roast, Black
TSD Iced Sub Zero preshave balm
Mama Bears Awakenings, Stick
Gillette Milord, w/ Lord Platinum (D2)
Berkley 46, face lather
Alcolado Glacial-Proraso ASB

Another great shave! I am missing BBS, by just a hair (pun). This shave was just as good as Mondays. One small rough patch on the jawline. This razor and blade combination just work awesome for me. I think I have found it.

 

Friday

Prep: Hot shower
Coffee: Home roasted, fresh ground Kenya Safari Ridge, BLACK
Soap: William sans M Bomb
Brush: Vulfix 406, The Burlington
Razor: Late '40s SS, no date code
Blade: ASR Platinum Chrome, day 5, 3+ passes
Post: Cold water rinse, ice water splash, Brut ASB, Brut cologne

Shave Rating: 5 Blades

A fantastic shave. The Williams lather this morning was the best I've ever whipped up. Still not keen on the smell, but a nice, rich, thick lather this morning that helped me get off Friday morning to a great start. Now if I can just figure out what I did "wrong" with the Williams

 

Friday, September 23

55’ Gillette Super Speed Red Tip
Dorco 301 (d2)
Preshave Oil Blend
Arko/ Classic Brand Menthol SS
Vulfix 2235 Super Badger
Osage Rub
Herbissimo Mountain Juniper Edt

Great, smooth shave today.