First I turn on the Wes Montgomery for some mood (will try Chet Baker tomorrow)!

The Shave:

1. Lather up with Tabac Shaving Soap and let sit while I strop
2. Strop C-Mon 7/8 Blackie 25 times with webbed SRD Strop and 50 times on SRD Horse Bridle IV
3. Get in a hot shower
4. Massage in the Tabac
5. Rinse with hot water and hold hot palms to my face for about a minute
6. Out of the shower
7. Lather up with Tabac
8. WTG, XTG, ATG with C-Mon 7/8 Blackie
9. Rinse with cold water
10. Alum bloc rub over face....no burning at all! Not a single nick anywhere!
11. Rinse with cold water
12. Thayer's Witch Hazel rub over face
13. Blow dryer on cool over face....paradise!

The shave is not quite BBS around the chin area, but close. Pretty much BBS everywhere else. More importantly, not a hint of razor burn or irritation. The shave angle for the Blackie is not quite as steep as my other razors. I keep the blade nearly flat to my face on all passes and it doesn't pull, tug, or cause any irritation.

I'm getting my formula right! If I keep loving this Blackie, I may try to acquire a 7 day set of them....Would probably take 10 years!

I do have a source for an original blue/green Escher hone, that is like new! Will be interesting how that works with Blackie.