Thread: Sun July 03rd - Sat July 09th

Originally Posted by tumtatty

Derek I started with a DE and I'd say that you've already been swimming in the deep end of the pool! DE razors are headed towards the shallow end I have a Gillette Fat Boy and t provides a fantastic shave. I just set it in the middle and go from there. I don't really use it anymore in fact. I love the straights too much.

You've got yourself a buyer, should you ever consider selling it!

Originally Posted by DerekC

I have been HEAVILY considering purchasing a DE to put in my shaving rotation, but I feel just like I did when I started with straights 2 years ago. Seems like the deep end of the pool, and I can't tell if I should buy new or used, or what blades to buy, and some razors apparently have an adjustment on them...the dark unknown. Scary, indeed. Only one way to find out, though. Dive in, right?

I enjoy the variety of d/e, s/e, and str8's. If you've been using a str8 for a couple of years a d/e may be the ticket to change it up a little. They do though require some time invested to learn the techniques. As for picking one ,jump right in and pick one you like the looks of. There are lots of opinions out there on what to start with, none of the opinions are right, none of the opinions are wrong. My opinion is If I was just starting out and wasn't a collector, I would buy a Good Adjustable and learn to master it. I prefer a Merkur Vision, or Merkur Futur, but if you like Vintage the Gillette's are all good. Of coarse YMMV.

DerekC: I have some excellent user grade D/e's. Send me a PM with your addy and I'll hook you up with a Flair tip SS(the one in my SOTD), A black handle SS (I'll post in SOTD tomorrow), or a wonderful ball end TECH (my fav entry level razor) . Your choice. All are new user friendly. And I'll add a little blade sampler to get you off on the right start. I'll warn you though d/e RAD is a crazy rad. I have over 80 d/e in the collection and I'm still looking for more. Peace my shave brother.

Good evening Gents!

Shave prep: Face wash
Brush: Omega boar # 81052
Soap: Sensational Indulgences juniper sage
Razor: Klas Törnblom 9/16 faux frameback in ivory scales
Strop: nun2sharp's hanging leather strop
After Shave Splash: Vetiver blend
Notes: Nice smooth and relaxing BBS shave.



Have a great evening friends!

Pre-Shave: Hot shower

Brush: 26mm Saville Row SIlvertip Badger

Razor: 13/16" Takagi Riki "Coral", 3/4 Hollow Ground, Spike Point

Strop: 40/60 laps (Torolf linen / SRD Premium IV leather)

Überlather: CarrieM "Black Raspberry Vanilla" Shave Creme + Mama Bear "Myrrh" Shave Soap + Glycerin

Toner: Thayer's Witch Hazel (Rose Petal, no alcohol)

Moisturizer: Trumper's Fragrance-free Moisturizer

After Shave Splash: Floïd Italian Amber AS

Cologne: Acca Kappa "Muschio Blanco" EdC

Results: This morning, I was in the mood for some delicious Black Raspberry Vanilla and to satisfy the craving, I opted for a combination between the CarrieM BRV and Mama Bear's "Myrrh", which in turn gave rise to a deliciously thick and moist lather. Yuuuuuummm!!! Bring it on. It was literally good enough to eat. The Myrrh doesn't have a strong, pungent scent and as such didn't not interfere with the BRV. However, she provided the lather with a rich and thick consistency, features that are the hallmarks of all Mama Bear soaps that I have come to know. The "Coral" is yet another one of my Japanese straights which I have grown to adore. I don't know how they make/forge these razors, but all of the western style Japanese that I own take on a superb edge (not a single dog in the bunch). Standing at a 3/4 hollow, the "Coral" was no exception. With her buttery smooth edge, she delivered a CBS, zero irritation shave. I wish everything in life worked as perfectly as this.

Have a PRODUCTIVE and FUN Thursday Gentlemen.

Originally Posted by jss

Faultless 5/8ths h h
Simpson Duke 3 Best
Trumper's Violets SC
D R Harris Pink A/S

I would say you are pretty well caught up Julian...No worries there. Nice, "faultless" shave

Originally Posted by Earthdawn

Razor: DD Satin Edge
I have to say that this DD is just amazing in how fluid and soft the shave is. Smooooth... but as with all ducks you must be respectful or she will bite you!

+1 ED..I vouch for the flawless shaves the Satinedge can provide. But in my experience, DD don't bite!

Originally Posted by Birnando

Up early getting a workout in before the house wakes.

Razor: Filarmonica Sub Cero #14
Soap/Cream: DR Harris, Arlington
After shave Balm: DR Harris, Arlington
EdT: DR Harris, Arlington
Results: A very fine shave, Arlington from DR Harris is really stellar stuff And the Sub-Cero delivers the goods each and every time! I'm clean shaven and ready for the day. [/Table]

B.,
So, shaving is a workout, eh, LOOOOL? I like that...Nice workout buddy. I love the hardware AND your software. Arlington does truly rock

Originally Posted by eTom

razor: Wade & Butcher

Beautiful SOTD Tom...Is that the "Special"?

Originally Posted by fonthunter

BRUSH: 23 mm Shavemac, Finest Badger ("Gut-rasiert" forum-shaving brush 2011)
RAZOR: 6/8" HartSteel BG, Satin, Quarter Ground, Square Point, O-1 steel (w/ blue silicon scales)

Béla,
Love that brush...beautiful blue handle. Nice color coordination with the Hart buddy

Originally Posted by Otto

Razor: Mastro Livi: 6/8 - Ebony scales

Yaahhhoooo Otto...I love the back-to-back Livi shaves. Thank you

Originally Posted by NavalArchitect

The discontinued (now 'old') Muehle open comb is more aggressive than your average open comb razor. Once you get the angle right with these razors, they give an outstanding shave - forget what they say about aggressiveness; if your technique is good and solid, you have nothing to be afraid of.

The Semogue 2000 is a lovely brush, never fails to disappoint me, wish the handle was just larger

First use of the O-Melhor cream, excellent in all respects.

Re the Brummel after shave and the Chanel balm: the Brummel is what I would describe the 'ideal' barbershop after shave lotion scent, at least from what I remember that to be since childhood. The Chanel balm is very nice, calms the face and the scent is quite subtle.

Wowww Konstantinos,
Both the Mühle and Semogue look wonderful and a great combination. The software side of the equation sounds as intriguing as the hardware side. Well done, but sorry about the irritation. This is normal when one tends to enjoy the shave all that much

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

RAZOR: 8/8" Friodur

Beautiful Maxterpiece (if I recall correctly) Bill.

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

Simple as a brick but a great shave.

Bricks may be simple, but used correctly, they bring out the beauty in a house/structure. Well done GI

Originally Posted by DerekC

Razor: 5/8 Diamondine spike, touched up on the Swaty

Result: Not bad at all. Great shave with a great blade. Today marks the first time I utilized both hands during the shave, making sure I used the opposite-side hand for ATG pass. Not BBS, but very comfortable, which is important. If anything, it gives me a reason to shave tomorrow.

Derek,
Congratulations buddy. Great achievement with both hands (and honing). An important milestone for sure, much less with a beautiful blade.

Originally Posted by tumtatty

Congrats on the honing! Keep up the practice. I'm just a few steps more down the road. I have a couple blades that I feel particularly good about. Most others....well...I'll keep at it!

+1...Congrats to you too Tim. It's that 0.1% remaining that is usually the hardest to achieve, but well worth the wait.

Originally Posted by newb

The HH#6 and Arko may be third world products, but they deliver a world class shave. Every aspect of the today's shave including my too thin, but very wet and slick lather was savored and enjoyed. It's a great day to be alive.

Amen brother. +1 on 3rd world product. Sometimes, they are superior because of less regulation about "stuff" that has to go in. Well done David

Originally Posted by DerekC

I have been HEAVILY considering purchasing a DE to put in my shaving rotation, but I feel just like I did when I started with straights 2 years ago. Seems like the deep end of the pool, and I can't tell if I should buy new or used, or what blades to buy, and some razors apparently have an adjustment on them...the dark unknown. Scary, indeed. Only one way to find out, though. Dive in, right?

Derek,
The pool is not as deep as that of a straight...It's pretty shallow. The choices are simpler and cheaper for sure. Get a simple DE with sampler blades. You can later try open comb, slant, SE etc...The latter is more important because every face is different and what's good for my face may not be true for yours. Experimentation is needed to personalize your likes/dislikes. Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by tumtatty

Derek I started with a DE and I'd say that you've already been swimming in the deep end of the pool! DE razors are headed towards the shallow end I have a Gillette Fat Boy and t provides a fantastic shave. I just set it in the middle and go from there. I don't really use it anymore in fact. I love the straights too much.

Scary how much we think alike Tim.

Originally Posted by newb

There are lots of opinions out there on what to start with, none of the opinions are right, none of the opinions are wrong.

+1. Beautifully said

Originally Posted by str8fencer

Razor: Klas Törnblom 9/16 faux frameback in ivory scales

Sten,
I love this shot. Very creative. Great gear too. Well done

Prep: Hot shower – followed by Proraso pre-post-shave cream
SS/SC: Proraso “Sapone Da Barba” + Castle Forbes “Lime” = Superlather
Brush: Omega Lucretia Borgia Series “Best Silvertip”
Strop: VB Red Latigo 50 fabric; 60 leather
Razor: 7/8” J. A. Henckels “Friodur”
Astringent: Thayers “Lemon” Witch Hazel
ASG: Vifrex “Dopo Barba”
AS: Floid “Blue”
Result: BBS

After a false start I managed (thanks to everyone that has posted wiki's etc) to get the "practice" razor honed up to a point that it could shave...

Hones: Norton (220-8000)
Prep: hot shower and a lingering lather
Soap: Fitjar Lighthouse Bay Rum
Brush: Rooney
Razor: AP Wendell & Co Warranted
Post: Witch hazel



The blade has a slight wave that I could, and probably will eventually get straight, but for my first crack at honing it left me with a shave as good as, if not better than my Blackie (that needs a touch up)...

Cheers all,
I hope to have some time to peruse the SOTD posts this evening... I am sure there are some remarkable photos waiting to be viewed.

PREP: Hot shower
RAZOR: C-Mon HF
BRUSH: Rudy Vey
SOAP: Tabac
ASB/AS: Clubman Vanilla mixed with Skinfood
EDT: Vetyver
RESULTS: SUPER SMOOTH SHAVE

AWESOME PHOTOS/SHAVES THESE PAST COUPLE DAYS GUYS!!!!!

Sometimes you just get to have one of those mornings, and this morning was one of them
Just a beautiful sunshine filled day which has been rather rare in itself up here, then I get these two razors together for test shaves this morning...

Razors: Filarmonica #13 Doble Temple just came in, was asked to test shave it first
Dubl Duck Wonderedge 5/8 in fantastic shape just honed on the Shaptons

Uberlather: The ultimate in rare C&E Sweet Almond Oil Cream and Soap w/5 drops Glycerin

Strop: Illinois #827

Brush: Vintage Restored Dubl Duck with 24mm SST knot

Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery

Aftershave: Brut Splash

The Shave: Seriously ??? I mean how can you miss with these two????

Originally Posted by BladeRunner001

I love this shot. Very creative.

Thank you Robert, there are always many great shots here and I try my best to contribute. I've always loved your photos as well, along with those of many others