Razor: Gens #14
Strop: Steer Hide
Brush: Crowley & Tosh Silvertip Badger
Cream: Musgo Real Spiced Citrus
Pre-shave: Art of Shaving pre-shave gel
Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery G20
Tighten-up: Alum block
Balm: Acqua di Parma
Result: equal to old 5-blade cartridge
I shaved four times this past week with the 5/8 Dovo, and a 6/8 Mastro Livi. Sunday, with a full 3-day beard, I broke out the Gens. Having just used the other razors, I really got an appreciation for how big and heavy a #14 blade is. I had also just watched a video of a member doing a very efficient shave, starting with a XTG, no WTG at all. With this in mind, the goal of this shave was efficiency -- get it done with the fewest strokes possible. I saw some improvement, but mostly with the strokes around the chin ATG. The shave was remarkable -- no nicks, no cuts. I was left thinking I don't know of a way to get any smoother, with any razor. I then proceded to cure my face by tending to a capricious smoker all day so that I wouldn't ruin a brisket.
Cheers,
Jack
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