Thread: Sun December 16th - December 22th

Prep: Hot shower
Brush: Simpson Polo 14
Razors: Max Sprecher + GEM Junior (for head)
Soap: Dr Harris Almond + some Proraso cream
AS: La Toja Manantiales
Strops: Neil Miller
Result: Uberclean

Prep: hot shower, with beard massage
Pre: Truefitt & Hill pre-shave oil
Razor: Dovo 1/2 Hollow 5/8
Strop: steer hide -- 10 laps on split side; 40 laps on grain side.
Cream: Acqua Di Parma, with 10 drops glycerine
Shave: two pass, wtg and atg
Post: alum block pass, pat dry, Acqua di Parma aftershave balm
Result: one of the best shaves so far

What is remarkable about today's shave is that it proves that my decision to strop some on the split side, without paste or CrOx, or anything else, has dramatically improved the effectiveness of my blades. I've been using this strop formula on my Kanenaga Kamisori, my Mastro Livi New Grind, and the Dovo. All yielded similarly improved results. Today's just went a little better than I was expecting. My shaves have been more comfortable, and the blades are sharper.

I've had some improvement in another area as well. I've had problems with the underside of my chin, mostly on the left side. It's hard for me to get the right angle, and it seemed my blades were never sharp enough to defeat the beard there. So I've been struggling, and in a pinch, hitting with my cartridge. So, I notice this place next to one of my favorite watering holes offers straight razor shaves. Don't mind if I do. She used a Feather razor, with a cartridge blade, a very complex series of hot towels, oils, and tinctures, and did a remarkably satisfying two-pass shave. The post-shave treatments were stimulating as well. I felt like a million bucks. But what I took away from her technique, that I could use myself was her deft handling of my under-chin area and soul-patch. She pinned the skin behind the stroke, and swept smoothly in one nice firm move. I could feel that it tugged harder than in other areas, hard enough to make me stop just shy, though she just swept ahead. Nothing counts like experience. Essentially, what I'd been lacking all along was courage. So for today's shave, I applied what I'd learned, and lo and behold success.

Cheers,

Jack

T & H Pre Shave Oil with Hot Towel
Semogue 2010Ltd
T & H 1805 Cream
Filarmonica 14 Re-Scaled in Ebony
T & H 1805 ASB
Nivea Intensive Moisturiser
Lalique-Encre Noire

I am still on the search for a razor that can shave like a Filly...Beautiful!

Monday 17th December

Hot Shower and Facial Scrub
3P Pre/Post Cream
Ford & Medley 333 5/8
Semogue SOC 2 Band
Vulfix Persian Musk Cream
Witch Hazel
Organic Shea Butter
Jovan Black Musk
Morgans Classic Pomade


Super close and comfortable 3 pass shave

Originally Posted by BobH

Well, it's official, I give up on the W&B near wedge. Not worth the agro playing with honing it on the limited skill set I have. I am thinking letter opener, maybe. Hope your shave goes better than mine did.

Bob

Wedges are notoriously hard to hone. These old razors were all hand made and not one was the same as the next. It takes careful inspection of the blade and secure taping of the spine to get the edge to flatness well enough for a good bevel and edge. Tell me about it! I've spent (intermittently) literally weeks on perfecting the edge on my GB. Its spine even varies in thickness across the whole length, so I have to use several different sized layers of tape to make it flat enough on the hone. I worked it out in the end and have a great shaver now. Don't give up, that's the motto.

Pre: Hot Shower
Soap: Harris Arlington
Brush: Zenith Badger
Razor: Quo Vadis
Post: Arlington Cologne

Monday afternoon
Hot water prep
Wade & Butcher FBU spike point razor - Barbershop best badger brush - Sanders & Co shaving soap - cold water splash - T&H 1805 asb - Pinaud Clubman Bay Rum as

A welcome distraction from the events going on in my parents' house this shave was. Since Friday I'm here and I'm supporting them in any way I can and I find that "just being around" at this point is actually the best way to go. The polar bear is my friend "Bud" who helps me stay sane... The W&B surely still performs, but the edge needs a small trip to the coti. It will get it once I get back home. For now it's shuteye's for me, as I'm pretty exhausted from the emotions.

Hot Shower
Cade Soap, Boar Brush
1959 Fatboy
Pinaud Clubman
Vaseline for men

Shaved in the shower today. Nice.

Wait,,,,,,,,,,, am I allowed to hit the "Like" button, when a man talks about shaving in the shower?