I’m right there with you. I tell myself all the time not to chase the sea lions off the dock and not try for bbs on my ever problematic neck. Does that stop me. Ffffffffff noooooo. (Say that like Robin Williams does when he explains the Scotts inventing Golf. If you are unfamiliar with that routine, search it up. It’s gold.) Today I was able to follow my advice. Haha. Great reads as always. Have a blessed Monday and continued progress.
Dignity and the Wet shave
- Thread starter BigAlVista
- Start date
Actually I'd take it as a notice from Nature to let myself heal...ya know, just saying. As in, it was your nature to get cocky and then get cocked up.
@huck1680 Thanks for sharing your 'adventure'. The funniest story I've read in a while, I laughed out loud. Had to share it with my wife and she got a kick out of it too. I can't top it with my experience getting vasectomy several years ago.
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- Thread starter
- #164
Thanks!
I hope you heal quickly. I draw blood every so shave, because I am chasing dolphins every shave too. I cannot help it.
- Thread starter
- #166
Day 11: A Barrel Full of Monkeys
(If you plan on watching "Netflix's"Chimp Empire", this post has spoilers).
We each like to see ourselves as unique. We believe that our species is particularly so. Having watched Chimp Empire and commercials for Secet and Luma full body deodorants, I find myself questioning those beliefs.
An AI generated synopsis of the show states "Chimp Empire, a Netflix docuseries about the Ngogo chimpanzee community in Uganda, was filmed over a year in Kibale National Park. The series follows the lives of rival groups of chimpanzees in the Ngogo rainforest. The filmmakers spent over 400 days embedded with the Ngogo chimpanzees, the largest known chimpanzee society in the world, and the crew included on-the-ground scientists and field trackers"
Through documentary coverage, we see the society and behavior of several groups of Chimps. Each group operates as an Autocracy, each one with a unique ruler that has politicked or fought his way into power. Each group forms militias that go out on raiding parties, while mothers stay home to care for the young. It would appear as though concepts like loyalty, bravery, duty, love and discipline are not unique to us hominids.
"Pork Pie" is not a fighter, but he desperately wants to be taken seriously. He engages with (and sucks up to) the more popular members of the Central group; the relationships are clearly deferential ones. He decides to join the raiding party so that he might gain favor, but when the "platoon" approaches the skirmish line, he shows himself a coward and goes AWOL. After his departure, he is ambushed by another group of chimps and killed. Deserter.
I can almost imagine a hirsute embedded reporter with a coconut shell flak jacket providing background on Jackson's rise to power, his familial roots with the Western group, and the actions and tactics of the raiding party that day. Watch out, CNN.
Grooming is important to chimps. It provides them with a mechanism for building relationships and serves as a means for showing love, respect and community.
Chimp Grooming is not limited to picking bugs off each other. There is a scene where the chimps gather and use "natural botanicals" to ward off insects. They knew what plants were appropriate for the task and were proficient with the process.
Watching the behavior, I can't help but think about some of the bathing, shaving and hair rituals we humans have across the world. According to Yahoo News: "The global cosmetics market was valued at $378 billion in 2022, and is expected to reach $661.12 billion by 2032".
A few weeks ago, I noticed a TV commercial for an "all body deodorant". It featured a healthy young woman commenting in a confident, commanding voice that it wasn't only her underarms that stank. We are indeed similar to our genetic cousins.
A couple of months ago, I purchased some SV pre-shave butters. They were fine, but seemed way over priced for what they were: Butters and oils from Mango, illepe, Shea and Coconut.
I figured I could do better. After an hour or so reading about these products, their molecular size, the way they penetrate the skin and how to work with them, I was ready.
I went to Amazon and bought a pound of Shea butter, a pound of Kokum butter, some Monoï de Tahiti and a bottle of Jojoba oil. I tried an experiment with the Shea butter by melting it down and letting it cool at room temperature. It hardened up over the next 8 hours, but had a grainy texture to it (it reminded me somewhat of the Grooming Department pre-shave, which has a bit of similar grittiness). Time to soften things up. I melted my first experiment down and added in an equal amount of the "double strength" Manoï (coconut oil and gardenia) What I found interesting was that the combination did not harden quickly. It took days, and after it was sort of hard, there was still a lot of graininess to it, as though the Shea had separated out while it hardened. The smell of Gardenia was intense. I melted it all down again, adding a good amount of Kokum butter, a bit more Shea, and a bit of Jojoba oil. Instead of cooling it at room temperature, I popped it into the freezer and hit the "deep freeze" button.
Success. The extra Kokum butter diluted the mixture, toning down the scent. The higher melting point of the Kokum and the quick freeze caused the mixture to harden up nicely, without any course grit. I now have about 32 ounces of a really lovely body and face butter that has a nutty, floral scent and which provides soft skin that lasts for hours. All for the price of 2-4oz jars of SV Manoï de Tahiti.
My wife wants to keep one of the two jars I made. It would seem that, like the chimps, I too could make an effective grooming product.
Today's shave of the day:
(If you plan on watching "Netflix's"Chimp Empire", this post has spoilers).
We each like to see ourselves as unique. We believe that our species is particularly so. Having watched Chimp Empire and commercials for Secet and Luma full body deodorants, I find myself questioning those beliefs.
An AI generated synopsis of the show states "Chimp Empire, a Netflix docuseries about the Ngogo chimpanzee community in Uganda, was filmed over a year in Kibale National Park. The series follows the lives of rival groups of chimpanzees in the Ngogo rainforest. The filmmakers spent over 400 days embedded with the Ngogo chimpanzees, the largest known chimpanzee society in the world, and the crew included on-the-ground scientists and field trackers"
Through documentary coverage, we see the society and behavior of several groups of Chimps. Each group operates as an Autocracy, each one with a unique ruler that has politicked or fought his way into power. Each group forms militias that go out on raiding parties, while mothers stay home to care for the young. It would appear as though concepts like loyalty, bravery, duty, love and discipline are not unique to us hominids.
"Pork Pie" is not a fighter, but he desperately wants to be taken seriously. He engages with (and sucks up to) the more popular members of the Central group; the relationships are clearly deferential ones. He decides to join the raiding party so that he might gain favor, but when the "platoon" approaches the skirmish line, he shows himself a coward and goes AWOL. After his departure, he is ambushed by another group of chimps and killed. Deserter.
I can almost imagine a hirsute embedded reporter with a coconut shell flak jacket providing background on Jackson's rise to power, his familial roots with the Western group, and the actions and tactics of the raiding party that day. Watch out, CNN.
Grooming is important to chimps. It provides them with a mechanism for building relationships and serves as a means for showing love, respect and community.
Chimp Grooming is not limited to picking bugs off each other. There is a scene where the chimps gather and use "natural botanicals" to ward off insects. They knew what plants were appropriate for the task and were proficient with the process.
Watching the behavior, I can't help but think about some of the bathing, shaving and hair rituals we humans have across the world. According to Yahoo News: "The global cosmetics market was valued at $378 billion in 2022, and is expected to reach $661.12 billion by 2032".
A few weeks ago, I noticed a TV commercial for an "all body deodorant". It featured a healthy young woman commenting in a confident, commanding voice that it wasn't only her underarms that stank. We are indeed similar to our genetic cousins.
A couple of months ago, I purchased some SV pre-shave butters. They were fine, but seemed way over priced for what they were: Butters and oils from Mango, illepe, Shea and Coconut.
I figured I could do better. After an hour or so reading about these products, their molecular size, the way they penetrate the skin and how to work with them, I was ready.
I went to Amazon and bought a pound of Shea butter, a pound of Kokum butter, some Monoï de Tahiti and a bottle of Jojoba oil. I tried an experiment with the Shea butter by melting it down and letting it cool at room temperature. It hardened up over the next 8 hours, but had a grainy texture to it (it reminded me somewhat of the Grooming Department pre-shave, which has a bit of similar grittiness). Time to soften things up. I melted my first experiment down and added in an equal amount of the "double strength" Manoï (coconut oil and gardenia) What I found interesting was that the combination did not harden quickly. It took days, and after it was sort of hard, there was still a lot of graininess to it, as though the Shea had separated out while it hardened. The smell of Gardenia was intense. I melted it all down again, adding a good amount of Kokum butter, a bit more Shea, and a bit of Jojoba oil. Instead of cooling it at room temperature, I popped it into the freezer and hit the "deep freeze" button.
Success. The extra Kokum butter diluted the mixture, toning down the scent. The higher melting point of the Kokum and the quick freeze caused the mixture to harden up nicely, without any course grit. I now have about 32 ounces of a really lovely body and face butter that has a nutty, floral scent and which provides soft skin that lasts for hours. All for the price of 2-4oz jars of SV Manoï de Tahiti.
My wife wants to keep one of the two jars I made. It would seem that, like the chimps, I too could make an effective grooming product.
Today's shave of the day:
| Pre-Shave | BigAlVista's Shave Butter, PAA cube and Grooming Dept. Lavender Preshave |
| Soap/Cream | PAA Bay Rum |
| Brush | ShaveMac 2-band badger |
| Scuttle | Pereira |
| Razor | Blackbird Ti Lite |
| Blade | Wilkenson Sword Light Brigade (3) |
| 1st Pass Eval | 8.9 |
| 2nd Pass Eval | 9.5 |
| 3rd / Buffing Pass Eval | 9.8 |
| Razer, Blade and Cream Observations | Fantastic combo. |
| Post Shave | Thayers, AofS Bourbon balm |
| Cologne/Fragrance | Chanel Alure |
| Overall Efficiency | 9.6 |
| End of Shave Irritation (lower is better) | 2 |
| Nicks | 0 |
| Weepers | 0 |
| Overall Shave Rating | 9.8/BBS |
| Comments | As close to a perfect shave as it gets. No doubt having skipped a day made this shave a bit easier. |
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Yeah, chimps are frickin' nasty critters. The Bonobo species on the other hand are very gentle, sharing and not so driven or aggressive.
- Thread starter
- #168
Amazing how one wide river can make all the difference in the world. I hear that Bonobos are big on "free love". I'm sure there's a joke or two in there somewhere...
Yes, they are referred to as the "hippies" of the primate world.
- Thread starter
- #171
Day 12: Membership in the Artist's Club
A few weeks before heading into the hospital, I decided to explore the world of AC shaving. Not knowing anything about these razors and blades, I did a whole bunch of reading here in B&B so that my purchases would be reasonably well informed.
For my first acquisition, I wanted a well made, reasonably light stainless razor with a few different base plates. I decided on the Razorock Hawk, with all three plates, and mild, medium and aggressive blades from Feather and Kai. After a few shaves with the mild and open comb plates, I was hooked.
The mild unguarded Kai Pink with the standard plate provided a smooth, uneventful and comfortable shave. What the combination lacked in efficiency, it made up for in comfort. As the razor glided across my cheek, it reminded me of my Scag lawnmower. It was a well made, mission specific tool that cut cleanly and evenly. But, the combo of the standard plate with the mild blade was akin to mowing the grass with the mowers' deck set at 5". Afer one ATG pass (very little stubble that day) I had A DFS face. Subsequent passes did not really improve the closeness much.
I switched to the Open Comb plate for my next shave. As the razor moved across my cheek, the public address system in the back of my head rang "...ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!" By the end of the second pass, I had a BBS- shave and -0- irritation. A bit of touching up snd my face was as smooth as marble. I had negligible feedback on the alum.
My only demerit was for the Ti Halo handle, which was as slippery as a polished wet granite floor. I had to keep my right hand dry to keep the razor where I wanted it.
If I could get that fine a shave with a $75 razor, what might I expect from something a bit more upscale?
I went back into this fine forum and did a bit more research. After much investigation, I had it narrowed down to 2: The Vector and the La Faulx.
I've always felt that when you buy something from a privately held company, particularly a small one, you learn a good deal about the company's owner from the purchase proces. Do you have to pay money to join a wait list? If so, the owner believes that his morning ritual smells like rose petals. When you place the order, do you have a reasonable free trial period? If so, the owner is confident in his work and wants to be sure you are as well. When you receive a razor with a machine finish, are there any non-cosmetic issues? If so, the owner is more concerned with profit than the customer experience. When you use the product, is the result what it is intended to be based on the advertising? If so, then the seller is reputable. Finally, having used the product, was there appropriate value? Did the results reconcile with the hype? If so, the owner understands his customer.
I have had stellar experience with @Blackland Razors and that alone tipped the scale towards the Vector.
Reviews of the Vector were excellent, but not quite as good as for the La Faulx. Back the scale went to neutral.
When I was living abroad, my mother and I spent a week in Paris. We went to the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel tower. We probably ate our way through a dozen Michelin stars. And the shopping!!! My mother was like a child in a candy store. I made out as well, coming home with an Hermes tie and some leather goods from Gucci. At the hotel we stayed at, we could hear the couple in the next room. It was clear from some of the "fever pitched sultry dialogue" that the two were married. To other people. Not what this 21 year old wanted to hear while staying in a room with his mother, though the two of us had a fine (but a bit of an uncomfortable) laugh about it.
That trip was one of those moments in life neither of us will ever forget. Being honest with myself, what caused me to pull the trigger on the La Faulx probably had less to do with shaving than my fond memories of that time with my mom in Paris. The LA Faulx reminded me of the beautiful things that one might buy on or around the Rue Saint-Honoré
There will be a Vector in my stable some day, just not yet.
My La Faulx came in a week ago and has been patiently awaiting my attention. Without further delay, allons-y!
Tiday's shave of the day:
A few weeks before heading into the hospital, I decided to explore the world of AC shaving. Not knowing anything about these razors and blades, I did a whole bunch of reading here in B&B so that my purchases would be reasonably well informed.
For my first acquisition, I wanted a well made, reasonably light stainless razor with a few different base plates. I decided on the Razorock Hawk, with all three plates, and mild, medium and aggressive blades from Feather and Kai. After a few shaves with the mild and open comb plates, I was hooked.
The mild unguarded Kai Pink with the standard plate provided a smooth, uneventful and comfortable shave. What the combination lacked in efficiency, it made up for in comfort. As the razor glided across my cheek, it reminded me of my Scag lawnmower. It was a well made, mission specific tool that cut cleanly and evenly. But, the combo of the standard plate with the mild blade was akin to mowing the grass with the mowers' deck set at 5". Afer one ATG pass (very little stubble that day) I had A DFS face. Subsequent passes did not really improve the closeness much.
I switched to the Open Comb plate for my next shave. As the razor moved across my cheek, the public address system in the back of my head rang "...ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!" By the end of the second pass, I had a BBS- shave and -0- irritation. A bit of touching up snd my face was as smooth as marble. I had negligible feedback on the alum.
My only demerit was for the Ti Halo handle, which was as slippery as a polished wet granite floor. I had to keep my right hand dry to keep the razor where I wanted it.
If I could get that fine a shave with a $75 razor, what might I expect from something a bit more upscale?
I went back into this fine forum and did a bit more research. After much investigation, I had it narrowed down to 2: The Vector and the La Faulx.
I've always felt that when you buy something from a privately held company, particularly a small one, you learn a good deal about the company's owner from the purchase proces. Do you have to pay money to join a wait list? If so, the owner believes that his morning ritual smells like rose petals. When you place the order, do you have a reasonable free trial period? If so, the owner is confident in his work and wants to be sure you are as well. When you receive a razor with a machine finish, are there any non-cosmetic issues? If so, the owner is more concerned with profit than the customer experience. When you use the product, is the result what it is intended to be based on the advertising? If so, then the seller is reputable. Finally, having used the product, was there appropriate value? Did the results reconcile with the hype? If so, the owner understands his customer.
I have had stellar experience with @Blackland Razors and that alone tipped the scale towards the Vector.
Reviews of the Vector were excellent, but not quite as good as for the La Faulx. Back the scale went to neutral.
When I was living abroad, my mother and I spent a week in Paris. We went to the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel tower. We probably ate our way through a dozen Michelin stars. And the shopping!!! My mother was like a child in a candy store. I made out as well, coming home with an Hermes tie and some leather goods from Gucci. At the hotel we stayed at, we could hear the couple in the next room. It was clear from some of the "fever pitched sultry dialogue" that the two were married. To other people. Not what this 21 year old wanted to hear while staying in a room with his mother, though the two of us had a fine (but a bit of an uncomfortable) laugh about it.
That trip was one of those moments in life neither of us will ever forget. Being honest with myself, what caused me to pull the trigger on the La Faulx probably had less to do with shaving than my fond memories of that time with my mom in Paris. The LA Faulx reminded me of the beautiful things that one might buy on or around the Rue Saint-Honoré
There will be a Vector in my stable some day, just not yet.
My La Faulx came in a week ago and has been patiently awaiting my attention. Without further delay, allons-y!
Tiday's shave of the day:
| Pre-Shave | BigAlVista's Shave Butter, PAA cube and Grooming Dept. Lavender Preshave |
| Soap/Cream | B&M Fougere |
| Brush | Sawdust Creations 2-band |
| Scuttle | Pereira |
| Razor | Atelier Durdan La Faulx + |
| Blade | Kai Captain Titan - Mild |
| 1st Pass Eval | 8.2 |
| 2nd Pass Eval | 9.1 |
| 3rd / Buffing Pass Eval | 9.3 |
| Razer, Blade and Cream Observations | Excellent machine finish, but the threads are a bit gritty. The handle provides good grip, even with a soapy hand. The balance point is at the top of the first finger notch in the handle; about a third of the way down. This makes the razor feel heavy, vs nimble, but makes it easy to let the weight of the razor do the work. Glad I purchased the + plate |
| Post Shave | Thayers, AofS Bourbon balm |
| Cologne/Fragrance | Chanel Allure for Men |
| Overall Efficiency | Moderately efficient |
| End of Shave Irritation | A bit of sting, but not bad at all. |
| Nicks | 0 |
| Weepers | 0 |
| Overall Shave Rating | BBS- |
| Comments | Lovely, smooth shave. Fine with the Kai mild, but I will need to try the standard and super Feathers. |
- Thread starter
- #172
That's what fascinated me the most. I find myself reading the newspaper and thinking "Chimp like behavior" way too frequently.
- Thread starter
- #174
It's on my Christmas list.
Blackland has a Black Friday extended sale with various products with their varied metals and finishes for a week or so at a time. I think it's a very nice way to so it... Great time to buy one of their razors.
Yeah and I can imagine at times chimps look at each other and in very disparaging tones and terms say/think "That was very human of you"
- Thread starter
- #177
Day 13: Maslow and the Recovery Collar
Yesterday was a good news/bad news kind of day. On the plus side, I woke up on the right side of the grass, my family was in good shape (my parents are still plugging along at 82 and 89) and, a dear friend told me he bought a beautiful house in St Croix. Most importantly, the surgeon told me I can start to wean myself off of my cervical collar.
The bad news: I've plateaued on the recovery pain and the surgeon said it could take six to eight weeks before things go back to normal.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is one of the lenses through which I assess my current state. By applying a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status to the levels of my personal pyramid, I can determine where I need to focus my attention. Physiological, safety, belonging and love needs? Green. Esteem, cognitive and esthetic needs? Amber. Self-actualization and transcendence? Red.
The cervical collar I've been wearing harkens back to the hospital gown. Every time I put it on, I am reminded of my incapacity. I might not be able to help my son go car shopping this weekend. I may not be ready to spend two hours sitting at a restaurant table socializing with friends and family. SCUBA diving, martial arts, fire fighting and dancing at weddings? Out of the question.
My morning shave has been a respite from the indignity of spending the day with half my body locked in a pretty rigid position, unable to even relieve myself while standing up without marking half the bathroom as my territory. Taking a hot shower, prepping my face, building a lather and carving away the stubble all give me the temporary illusion of dignity. Once I ditch that collar, self-esteem starts a less fleeting shift from amber to green.
While losing the collar is a necessary component in turning my trapezoid back into a pyramid, it's not sufficient; pain and it's root causes must also abate. With the doggy collar off, a clean shave, a splash of Odeon Sex Panther, and a nice suit, I may look like I'm ready to do the Hustle, but the only thing dancing around are the wince lines in my face. For the last three days, I was able to walk 1.4 miles at a time with almost no pain, but after that, not so much. Today's go-to-green plan? A fine shave, a nice breakfast, Two 1.1 mile walks with 2 hours of staring at the ceiling and some lunch in between.
That pyramid is getting rebuilt.
Today's shave of the day:
Yesterday was a good news/bad news kind of day. On the plus side, I woke up on the right side of the grass, my family was in good shape (my parents are still plugging along at 82 and 89) and, a dear friend told me he bought a beautiful house in St Croix. Most importantly, the surgeon told me I can start to wean myself off of my cervical collar.
The bad news: I've plateaued on the recovery pain and the surgeon said it could take six to eight weeks before things go back to normal.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is one of the lenses through which I assess my current state. By applying a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status to the levels of my personal pyramid, I can determine where I need to focus my attention. Physiological, safety, belonging and love needs? Green. Esteem, cognitive and esthetic needs? Amber. Self-actualization and transcendence? Red.
The cervical collar I've been wearing harkens back to the hospital gown. Every time I put it on, I am reminded of my incapacity. I might not be able to help my son go car shopping this weekend. I may not be ready to spend two hours sitting at a restaurant table socializing with friends and family. SCUBA diving, martial arts, fire fighting and dancing at weddings? Out of the question.
My morning shave has been a respite from the indignity of spending the day with half my body locked in a pretty rigid position, unable to even relieve myself while standing up without marking half the bathroom as my territory. Taking a hot shower, prepping my face, building a lather and carving away the stubble all give me the temporary illusion of dignity. Once I ditch that collar, self-esteem starts a less fleeting shift from amber to green.
While losing the collar is a necessary component in turning my trapezoid back into a pyramid, it's not sufficient; pain and it's root causes must also abate. With the doggy collar off, a clean shave, a splash of Odeon Sex Panther, and a nice suit, I may look like I'm ready to do the Hustle, but the only thing dancing around are the wince lines in my face. For the last three days, I was able to walk 1.4 miles at a time with almost no pain, but after that, not so much. Today's go-to-green plan? A fine shave, a nice breakfast, Two 1.1 mile walks with 2 hours of staring at the ceiling and some lunch in between.
That pyramid is getting rebuilt.
Today's shave of the day:
| Pre-Shave | BigAlVista's Shave Butter, PAA cube and Grooming Dept. Lavender Preshave |
| Soap/Cream | Captain's Choice Bay Rum |
| Brush | APShave 28mm G5A |
| Scuttle | Pereira |
| Razor | Atelier Durdan La Faulx + |
| Blade | Kai Captain Titan - Mild |
| 1st Pass Eval | 8.8 |
| 2nd Pass Eval | 9.5 |
| 3rd / Buffing Pass Eval | 9.8 |
| Razer, Blade and Cream Observations | The Captain's Choice cream did a much better job than the B&M Fougere |
| Post Shave | Thayers, AofS Bourbon balm |
| Cologne/Fragrance | SV Felce |
| Overall Efficiency | Efficient. 2.5 passes. This is the 4th shave with the Titan Mild and it seems to be at its peak. |
| End of Shave Irritation | Negligible |
| Nicks | 0 |
| Weepers | 0 |
| Overall Shave Rating | 9.8: BBS |
| Comments | Fantastic shave. The La Faulx + is quickly becomming a favorite |
Yeah, I've seen that annoying commercial as well...my stance is...if you shower/bathe once a day and use a normal deodorant that will pretty much take care of your personal "odious odours" to the extent that people won't cross the street to avoid you.
- Thread starter
- #179
I will never forget my time in Poland in the mid-90s. This was not long after Perestroika and the Solidarity movement. Poland had broken away from Russia, but had not yet joined the EU.
The smells were...notable.
Smoking was still a thing at that point, and it was impossible to escape the stench of stale burnt cheap tobacco mixed with the smoke of curently burning cheap tobacco.
On top of that, deodorant was simply not a thing, so everywhere you went, the sour, oniony smell of BO hung in the air, intertwined with that eye watering smoke.
One Saturday in August, we took the public bus from the city to a small farming village about 20km out of town. There was no air conditioning, and the bus was filled with hard working farmers. Sunday Mass was not for 24 hours, so most of the riders had not yet had their weekly bath.
I was thankful for the smell of tobacco.
Absolutely...no kidding. I'd be smokin' cigars
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