Thread: Righty Tighty; Lefty Loosey

Shave #205 - The Ultimate in Lazy?

Well, I don't much need a shave, but I decided to keep my daily streak going. Mostly because I plan to spend the evening supine, watching videos, and I don't want my whiskers irritating me and interfering with my relaxation.

RazoRock XXX Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
ERN 5/8" (10/10)
PAA CaD
Gentlemen's Tonic AS Balm

2.5 Passes and I'm an overall DFS/DFS+. It's a pretty reasonable result. Now on to the show.

Shave #205.1 - A Quick BBS

RazoRock XXX Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (3)
PAA CaD

Shave #205.2 - Ziterectomy

Catie's Bubbles LPV Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Feather (4)
PAA CaD
Styptic
Gentlemen's Tonic AS Balm

Actually a beautiful shave, I really had the LPV dialed in today. It was awesome in its yoghurty slickness. I probably should use one soap for a period of weeks and then change, rather than switching soaps every few days as I do now, that would allow me to home in on the soap's best performance parameters. Anyway, today was the first time that the LPV really impressed me. I like switching soaps frequently, but I'm definitely making optimal lathering harder on myself than it needs to be. (Not that I don't get good lathers most of the time, simply that I may not be giving myself time to find each soaps sweet spot, before moving on).

Anyway, I had a wonderful and comfortable 3.5-er, right up until I cut off a pimple (hence the Styptic). Still, I'm BBS and there was no stinging, at all, from the aftershave.

Shave #206 - Tingleless

After its last use, I gave my DOVO a refresh with 0.5 diamond spray, and...

Catie's Bubbles LVP Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
DOVO Palisander 6/8" (10/1)
PAA CaD
Gentlemen's Tonic AS Balm

...it was awesome. I did my routine 2.5 passes through 4-5 days of growth and I have an overall DFS+, darn close to being An overall BBS. The shave was very smooth, nothing remotely tuggy, and I didn't need to be too fancy with the strokes - a bit of light guillotining and scything was enough to get me very close. The aftershave almost seemed broken, no tingle.

I might consider refreshing before 10 shaves. It does seem to make the shave easier and more enjoyable. Maybe stone - 7 shave - diamond spray - 7 shaves - stone.... Or, I guess I could just do it when it feels right.

Shave #206.1 - Switching It Up

I couldn't resist changing soaps, I seem to always want to change after 2-3 shaves,...

Klar Seifen Shave Soap
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Astra Platinum (1)
Thayers Extra Cool Witch Hazel
Captain's Choice
Gentlemen's Tonic AS Balm

After my standard 3.5 passes I'm DFS++.

Shave #207 - Beautiful Day

The weather was awesome today, spring-like (upper 20s and not too humid). I enjoyed some time outside, and I wanted to do a spring feeling, lightly mentholated, shave, so I went searching for my tube of Proraso Green. Unfortunately, in the general cleaning before my parents came my Proraso and Palmolive seem to have migrated to parts unknown, so...

Catie's Bubbles LPV Shave Soap
TOBS Badger Brush
Geo Wostenholm & Son IXL 5/8" (7)
PAA CaD
Gentlemen'so Tonic AS Balm

Well, it may not have been a very spring-like shave, but it was nice. I got a DFS+ shave in 2.5 passes. Before I needed to shave daily to get such good results in 2-ish passes, because I realized on the fact that I was pretty clean shaven to begin with. Today, however, I was going through a few days of growth.

Shave #207.1 - A Bit Hot & Humid...

...so I pulled out...

QCS Vostok Soap
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Astra Platinum (2)
Thayers Extra Cool Witchhazel
Kramperts Finest Frostbite

I love me some menthol! But, the QCS is not slick at all. I don't remember having problems with it during the first season I used it, but sometime last summer it seemed to become sticky, almost stopping the razors progress. Not sure if it is an issue with my lathering, the soap has changed as I've moved down through the jar, or if it always was this way and I'm just not remembering clearly. Anyway, I've got maybe 1/3 of a tub (I think I'm okay using it with the DE), then I'll try a different menthol-bomb. Maybe Yeti Snot, simply because I love the name.

Shave 207.2 - Two Wrongs Make a Right

I decided to try to plow through some of my soaps and creams that I feel are underperforming for me, so...

QCS Vostok Shave Soap + C&E West Indian Lime Shave Cream
Semogue 2012
Edwin Jagger DE89L + Astra Platinum (3)
Captain's Choice Bay Rum
C&E West Indian Lime AS Balm

Separately they may lack glide and slickness, but together there is plenty. The menthol and West Indian Lime are strangely complimentary. Honestly, it was lovely. BBS.

I'm learning to use my Left hand too. I found a dull razor in an antique store and it serves as a teaching tool for my left hand. The grip, the passes and my confidence have improved greatly.

Originally Posted by MJC

For me the whole skin tension (and direction) was the big key. Much of the process comes down to muscle memory, and that = practice.

The problem areas soon become match-book sized zones that you learn as you go, some times with a light-bulb moment - sometimes you will wonder why that area ever gave you problems.

It is a skill worth learning - but there are no hacks or cheat codes to the process.

It's like Yoda says: "There is no try - there is do...and not do"

Enjoy the journey...you are off to a good start.

What I made bold is it in a nutshell!