Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 27
Like Tree71Likes

Thread: I've lost my mojo!

  1. #11
    Senior Member blabbermouth RezDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    14,384
    Thanked: 4820

    Default

    It’s all about having fun and getting good shaves!
    outback, Learner and joelkerr like this.
    It's not what you know, it's who you take fishing!

  2. #12
    Senior Member yondermountain91's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Somewhere in Mass.
    Posts
    320
    Thanked: 80

    Default

    Don't feel discouraged man just keep at it, I'm sorta in a similar boat myself with starting a new job, and falling out of my routine. So everything kinda is a little wonky (my edges and my shaves). But keep at it dude, and celebrate your good shaves and try to isolate what you did different. Face prep, soap, lather, everything. Try to be robotic till you/we get your/our "mojo" back.
    rolodave, outback and joelkerr like this.
    "If the brakes don't stop it, something will"

  3. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Magog, Quebec
    Posts
    560
    Thanked: 81

    Default

    Things are getting better. I still don't have a regular shaving routine, but it's starting to come together. I am shaving more in the evenings now, which I've never really enjoyed, but it's better than not shaving! I'm often too tired to shave in the evening, so I'm also down to shaving an average of twice a week.

    But since sticking with MdC and ignoring my other soaps, lather is no longer a problem.

    What's also got me excited again is SAD. I bought a beautiful Tripoli strop from Sharptonn, and restored an old Arab Shell strop, with a couple more projects on the table. Super fun!!

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to joelkerr For This Useful Post:

    sharptonn (01-23-2019)

  5. #14
    Senior Member blabbermouth Haroldg48's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Clayton, NC USA
    Posts
    3,341
    Thanked: 866

    Default

    I am of the opinion that MDC solves any lathering problem. For a long time I thought it was too expensive. I was wrong. I bought a jar that I am sure will last my lifetime and that of whoever inherits it. I use it only two days/week, because I like trying my other favorites.
    Quote Originally Posted by joelkerr View Post
    Things are getting better. I still don't have a regular shaving routine, but it's starting to come together. I am shaving more in the evenings now, which I've never really enjoyed, but it's better than not shaving! I'm often too tired to shave in the evening, so I'm also down to shaving an average of twice a week.

    But since sticking with MdC and ignoring my other soaps, lather is no longer a problem.

    What's also got me excited again is SAD. I bought a beautiful Tripoli strop from Sharptonn, and restored an old Arab Shell strop, with a couple more projects on the table. Super fun!!
    Last edited by Haroldg48; 01-22-2019 at 06:30 PM.
    sharptonn and rolodave like this.

  6. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Magog, Quebec
    Posts
    560
    Thanked: 81

    Default

    I could never bring myself to buy Martin de Candre because I couldn't imagine spending that much on a shaving soap, of all things. But the reviews intrigued me, and in the end, my girlfriend bought me a tub for my birthday last year! I guess she didn't want to listen to me talking about how much I wanted it anymore....

    Quote Originally Posted by Haroldg48 View Post
    I am of the opinion that MDC solves any lathering problem. For a long time I thought it was too expensive. I was wrong. I bought a jar that I am sure will last my lifetime and that of whoever inherits it. I use it only two days/week, because I like trying my other favorites.

  7. #16
    Razor Vulture sharptonn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Lone Star State
    Posts
    25,828
    Thanked: 8588

    Default

    Just like in that other thread. Gotta have it, IMO.
    rolodave and Haroldg48 like this.

  8. #17
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Indiana, Portland
    Posts
    321
    Thanked: 70

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by joelkerr View Post
    I could never bring myself to buy Martin de Candre because I couldn't imagine spending that much on a shaving soap, of all things. But the reviews intrigued me, and in the end, my girlfriend bought me a tub for my birthday last year! I guess she didn't want to listen to me talking about how much I wanted it anymore....
    Joekerr, as TC pointed out some time ago Martin de Candre will last and last so it is actually a very good buy. There is also the fact that its' quality is well known. I have
    bought several other soaps that turn out to lack performance so I keep reloading my brush to finish a shave, don't have to do that with the Martin.

  9. #18
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Burbank, California
    Posts
    44
    Thanked: 5

    Default

    As others have hinted, be more Zen. Don't try so hard. You have thoroughly analyzed the situation. Now have fun.

    Anyway, that's what works for me. Once I try really hard, failure is imminent.

    When I stopped looking for a wife, the right woman came along. I married her. Because I wasn't looking for her. And found her.

    On the flip side, have you tried changing temperature of water? Sometimes cold is different from hot.
    rolodave likes this.

  10. #19
    Senior Member blabbermouth
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Diamond Bar, CA
    Posts
    6,553
    Thanked: 3215

    Default

    To the OP. if you switch soaps and or, if lather is a problem, look at your brush or brushes.

    Some soaps and hard water will coat the brush and inhibit lather making. A 5 -15-minute vinegar soak and shampoo will work wonders. I wash all my brush rotation 3-4 and any new brushes brought into use, with a vinegar soak and shampoo, at least twice a year or at signs of an issue.

    An ounce or so, in a cup of very warm, (not hot) water up to the top of the knot will do it. Lather a nickel size dollop of a good shampoo in the palm of your hand and rinse well.

    If it does not lather well in the palm or if a lot of soap comes off in the vinegar water. (very cloudy) it may take 2-3 soaks.

    An O-ring on the top of the know can improve backbone and performance.
    rolodave likes this.

  11. #20
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Magog, Quebec
    Posts
    560
    Thanked: 81

    Default

    This is a pretty old thread, but I suppose I should give an update.

    I never got around to getting a water testing kit, but I tried using distilled water, and all the lather problems disappeared and I've been getting great shaves. I'm convinced that the water quality is an issue, although as mentioned, I have yet to prove it. But we're going to be moving to a new town in a few months, with a different water source, so I'm not going to go through the trouble of figuring it out, I'll just stick with distilled water for the time being.

    This whole this has really got me fully hooked on MdC. I loved it before, but now I'm a full-fledged disciple. As mentioned in another thread, I've been using the Rose nonstop for many months now, and I'm not getting bored, I simply love everything about that soap so much that it's difficult to bring myself to use any other soap.

    Because of my work/family schedule, I still find myself shaving mostly at night, which I still don't enjoy. When I'm really tired I use a Single Edge razor instead of a straight (I've really been digging my Gem open comb Micromatic lately). I also face lather more in the evenings, as it's a little quicker than bowl lathering, I find. I've recently picked up some new-to-me brushes with the intention of finding brushes more suited to face lathering, and have found two that I absolutely love. One is a FS two-band, and another is a Harry Wally two-band. I have a two-band Spiffo that is really nice, but it's a little heavy for my tastes, so I think I'll pass it along soon.

    Anyways, the key to solving this problem finding the fun in shaving again, and just figuring out what works and going with it. I still sometimes miss the shaving/work/family schedule I had for a couple years before leaving Montreal, but this is a small sacrifice for a much better overall life quality in a less urban setting (and about to get a whole lot less urban still!).
    32t, RezDog and DZEC like this.

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •