SoS: September 26 - October 2 2011

Let's see those shaves for the week! As always, bonus points for pictures!

I will get things started with my gear for tomorrow:

New Milady
Voskhod
Duke 1
Gada Cool Mint
Avon Island Lime Aftershave
The Shave Den Commando Cocktail

 

Tech/7 o'clock Blue/Uber Lather (MWF & Florena)/HH#8/Master's Bay Rum​

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I've got to work early in AM, so I'm setting up in advance. Can't wait to slap on the uber Lather. And I'm taking it safe by choosing the tech. I'm sure it will be a fast shave as I tend to hit the snooze a couple of times.​

Have a Great day, Gentlemen.​

 

Cranford 5/8 Straight
TGN Silvertip Badger
AOS Lavender PreShave Oil
C.O. Bigelow Shave Cream
Brut AS Balm

I only used the straight on my face, as my neck was (is) still healing from yesterday's treatment. Did that with my progress set on 3. I haven't really used that razor in a while (or any DE, except for light cleanups) but using it today made me realize how much I missed it. It's such a great razor, great feel with perfect balance and a nice smooth head. I've been giving my new fatboy all the clean up love, but the Progress is still definitely my favorite DE. The straight shave was ok, got DFS in 4 passes which seems like too much, but I nonetheless enjoyed the act. It's not the smoothest shave though, and I don't know if it has to do with the hone job, my stropping skills, my technique, or what. But I do have another razor in the works, so soon I'll have a base for comparison. Meanwhile I'll keep at it, everything when I can, face only when I can't.

 

Puma - German Vintage Razor
with Bolzano Blade (1)
Bock 21mm Silvertip
Palmolive SC
Lotion Opaline AS

Have a nice day!

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Monday, September 26. Good Morning!

Morning Coffee: Hills Brothers Original Blend
Prep: Wash face with Musgo Real Glyce Lime, hot towel soak
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE87
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Blue
Cream: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Brush: D.R. Harris H1
Post: Cold water rinse followed by some Musgo Real Aftershave Balm



Have a GREAT day.

 

Monday:

TSD Pumpkin Delight
TGN synthetic knot in acrylic handle
EJ89
Voskhod (day 1)
alum, osage rub, TSD ISZ

 

iKon Modern
Personna Med. Prep.
New Forest 2201
Nanny's Silly Hard Soap French Lavender
Barbasol Pacific Rush

C&S Dark Rose

 

Happy Menthol Monday From Florida!

Hot Shower
RAB Scuttle
Chubbz I
TSD Iced Blue Juniper Wheat Cream
EJDE89L
Sharp Stainless (1)
Cold Water Rag
A.V. Original Sport

3 Passes = DFS+!

An absolutely fantastic shave this morning. The Blue Juniper is everything I was hoping for and the Sharp Stainless performed very well.

PLUS! A rare appearance by The QOB in the SOS thread!

Have a great week Ya'll!

 

Menthol Monday:

Omega Wooden Handle
Super Speed/Personna day 3
Bozzano Sensitive SC
Diana Sport Menthol Balsam
Polo Original EDT

The Bozzano Sensitive cream is a Brazilian cream with great lather, a strong eucalyptus scent which is actually quite nice, and great cooling. I really enjoyed shaving with it today. As always, the Diana Sport balsam provided an additional Arctic freezing finish. :biggrin:

 

Monday, September 26, 2011

Pre-shave soap: Musgo Real Glyce Lime
Razor: 1967 Gillette Slim Adjustable
Blade: Astra Keramik
Brush: Simfix Grosvenor LE Two-Band
Soap: P.160 Tipo Duro
A/S: Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Wesley & Scott Clove & Peppermint Balm

Most of the stuff listed above is no longer in production. The shave "down memory lane" was excellent, though.

 

Monday morning,

Gillette NEW Short Comb,
Israeli Personna Crystal Blade (4)
Rooney 1/1 Best Badger Brush,
Arko shave soap w/ hot water lather,
finish w/ cold water rinse. DFS!

 

Monday, September 26, 2011

Razor: Wilkinson Sticky
Blade: Personna 74 (6)
Brush: Simpson Ehsan
Pre-Shave: Musgo Real Glyce Lime
Soap: Yardley Black Label
A/S: Trumper Marlborough

An excellent shave! All but the Musgo Real Glyce Lime soap have been discontinued. What a shame!

 

Did I actually see that correctly!? No Williams users!?

Me neither.

Gillette Black Handle (not fully closed, open 1/2 turn)
Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow (2)
Simpson Special Best badger
Vitos
Handcrafted menthol AS

I never tried the technique of not fully closing the TTO mechanism before, so it was a new experience. It was a very aggressive shave. I don't like the technique because the slightest touch to the bottom ring opens the doors more making the blade loose in the holder. It requires constant diligence to prevent this. It's good to know it can be done though. I tried to keep the blade from showing no bend in the holder and doors for maximum aggressive shave. It was actually more aggressive than my slim set to 9. I liked that part.

The result was a very easy BBS, no blood whatsoever. I achieved a BBS with fewer passes and much less blade buffing. If the razor would only hold it's setting with this technique I'd use it all the time.

OK, so not one to just stop there, I checked out the slim to see what would happen if I used the technique with it. Set to 9 and opening the lock ring a bit, showed my eye a more aggressive setting than 9. I'll find out tomorrow AM how it works.

 

Kent/Arko/GEM/GEM/Royall BayRhum

 

Monday, September 26, 2011

• Prep: Hot shower, California Baby face wash, hand strop blade
• Lather: TSD ISZ Wheat Cream
• Brush: Frank Shaving Finest
• Razor: Gem Micromatic Clog Pruf
• Blade: Ted Pella SS PTFE (2)
• Post: Alum block, WH, Aqua Velva Ice Blue, hand strop blade

Had a rough shave this morning. I definitely don't have the sweet spot figured out on the wheat just yet. I see another few test lathers in my future today and I'll try again in the morning. I love the way it feels on my face and even with the poor lather I'm making it still makes my face feel great. I'm just not getting the smoothest shaves yet. Aaron is giving me some tips on how he lathers it so I'll be incorporating that in to see if I can do better. Any others with wheat lathering tips please feel free to clue me in!

 

Monday

Prep: Hot shower, soak brush, hand strop blade
Coffee: Home roasted, fresh ground Kenya Safari Ridge, BLACK
Cream: TBS Maca Root + 3 drops M Bomb
Brush: Omega 49, the Red one
Razor: Stahly - first time using one of these. See short review below
Blade: Astra SP, day 1, 3+ passes
Post: Cold water rinse, ice water splash, Osage Rub, Brut Attitude, hand strop blade

Shave Rating: 5 Blades

Fantastic shave.
Not too impressed with the Stahly, though. The vibrating feature works - for about half a face, then I had to wind it up again. I really don't think it affected the shave one way or the other. I used the vibrating feature for the first full pass. No vibrating for the second pass, then vibrating again for half of the third pass. Nope, didn't notice a difference at all. Just counting end results - as I said, a fantastic shave.

I did like the fact that the head plate was long enough to completely cover the length of the blade; no sharp edges hanging off the end to grab an earlobe.

I thought I would like the big, beefy handle. Nope. A bit too big.

I also didn't like the noise of the vibration. It's not really that loud, but just enough being that close to your ear that you can't hear the audible sound of the whiskers being cut. I do like the audible feedback during my shave.

 

They say the only difference between bravery and stupidity is the outcome.

You're a brave man, Nairb.

 

Hot Shower
Prep: Johnson Baby Oil
Razor: Gillette Knack
Blade: Topaz
Brush: Omega 10048
Soap: Viking
Post Shave: Hot Towel, Cold Water Splash, Ogalla Bay Rum
Results: Three passes a few minor touch-ups, I had a great DFS.