The Way of the Blade!

[blethenstrom]

I have made numerous attempts to use the Yaqi TFC razor in various settings. I have tried using it up to setting 5, and as mentioned in my previous post, I recently tried it on 1. I haven't attempted multiple shaves in a row with it, i just use it once in a while when i feel like it. I also suspect that the Yaqi razor I own feels this way due to a potential manufacturing issue. It's possible that the head geometry is not up to standard. I don't believe Yaqi intended for their razor to feel the way it does. That's why I'm honestly considering purchasing the stainless steel version, which has a fantastic bullet handle design. Before making that decision, I might try the Goodfellas Smile razor, which I believe is made by Yaqi for them. It's more budget-friendly, and I'll see if my experience with the Yaqi TFC razor was an one off or if the razor simply doesn't work well for me.

Indeed if you have a mechanical problem with your razor you should probably not use it and look elsewhere at something different.

The reason I asked if you used the razor for a period of time is that some razors do take a while to adjust to. For example, when I first got my Fatip Grande I had two very bad shaves and I put it away for a while, but then once I was healed up I pulled it out later and I used it two weeks straight, learning how to use that particular razor. Now I get regular fantastic shaves with it, but I don't know if I would have "learned" the razor by only pulling it out here and there.

 

[Guido75]

Nice journaling! I shave my dome on alternate days, usually every other day. I started out with DE razors, but after getting a Schick Type G1 with an injector blade I have been using that almost exclusively for my head shaves. It provides me with very close and regular DFS to BBS shaves. Have you tried a SE format as well? Or strictly DE?

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Marlin]

Nice journaling! I shave my dome on alternate days, usually every other day. I started out with DE razors, but after getting a Schick Type G1 with an injector blade I have been using that almost exclusively for my head shaves. It provides me with very close and regular DFS to BBS shaves. Have you tried a SE format as well? Or strictly DE?

Cheers,

Guido

Thank you Guido, is always nice when someone appreciate my posts. As of now only DE’s but this bad-boy is ready to be used, I just need to find some blades for it.

 

[Marlin]

Hello people of B&B!

The festivities come close with each passing day, and here I am, contemplating that another year is about to conclude. This period has always been a bit melancholic for me. While I still enjoy November to December and hold fond memories of my childhood during this time, as an adult, this season has gradually become sadder with each passing year. These festivities aren't as joyous as they once were, the atmosphere has changed, and you don't experience the same magic as before. Families no longer gather as they used to, and people have grown colder with the passage of time. I lost my grandpa in January of this year, and it's near his remembrance day year now(don't want say death anniversary,that sounds afwul to me). I cried when it was time to cry, but now there is no point anymore. We come and go, and the only crucial aspect is to remember those who have departed and keep their memory alive. Sometimes I think when will my time come. I believe I have more sand on the top of the hourglass than the bottom, but one can never be sure, no one can. Someone once questioned the purpose of living if it only brings suffering. Perhaps it's because life is filled with suffering that we must cherish those few moments of happiness. So, I'm writing this post as a reminder for those who read it, that the people around us will be gone one day, and our time in this world will inevitably come to an end. Therefore, make sure to cherish every moment of happiness that life offers you. I feel a bit sad and lonely, as I do every year during this period, but it will pass soon. I may not post in December, as I'll try to enjoy the festivities (if I can). There was supposed to be a shave post for today, but it wasn't worth writing about. I preferred to express my feelings today, just to feel a bit less lonely and sad.

 

[thombrogan]

I’m sorry for your loss. The grief ebbs, flows, and meanders, but never leaves and it would probably feel wrong if it did.

While you still have sand in that hourglass, you can create more joyful moments and share them with more people. Family is more than what’s found in a blood test. And access to trained mental health professionals is higher than it used to be and stigma against seeking treatment is lower, too.

 

[Guido75]

Troll = Hug

Well spoken Marlin. And we are here to at least give some lustre to the Blue days you might experience.

Cheers my brother,

Guido

 

[MondoJ]

Thank you Guido, is always nice when someone appreciate my posts. As of now only DE’s but this bad-boy is ready to be used, I just need to find some blades for it.
View attachment 1746841

Great razor for head shaves as is the Supply SE Pro. You can get the Chinese Schick blades on Amazon

 

[Marlin]

Title: Vintage

Setup:
Cream – Nivea Man Shave Cream
Aftershave – Isana Men Aftershave Balm
Razor – Gillette British Flare Tip
Blade - Wizmat
Brush – Yaqi Moka
Bowl - Turkish Copper Bowl



Hello people of B&B!

Some days have passed since the last post, and even more days have passed since the last shave. I had initially planned to make a post about something other than a shave review. However, since it has been a long time since the last shave review, I decided to postpone that post for later. Today's shave is an interesting one for sure, and we are going to delve right into it, starting with the shave cream as always. This is not my first time using this Nivea cream, I actually bought it a month prior to this shave and have already used it three or more times. At first, I hated it, it seemed a bit airy and not very protective or particularly slick. However, in the shave prior to this one, I managed to dial it in and had a wonderful shave. This time it wasn't as good, but admittedly, it was my fault since I was a bit short on water, and the cream dried a bit during the shave. Overall, I believe this cream can be quite pleasant to use if you manage to dial in the proper ratio of water to cream. Still, even after achieving the peak performance that this cream has to offer, I don't think I will repurchase it. It's a good cream, for sure, but nothing that I feel I want to keep in rotation after the first tube is empty. If you haven't tried it, I suggest you do, even if you might not buy it again. It's actually really worth buying at least once.

There are two types of people on this forum: those who use only modern razors and those who use only vintage ones. Obviously, it's not as straightforward as that, but personally, I find myself on the end of the spectrum that appreciates old vintage DEs. Initially, I was all for the new and shiny toys, but after trying some vintage razors, I knew what I wanted. Don't get me wrong, in my wish list, I have a Merkur Future, a Parker Variant, and a plethora of other "modern" razors. However, I would literally kill for a Tech hybrid, a British Red Tip, or an RFB. Honestly, the vintage market right now is crazy, and even if a listing for the above-mentioned razors were to appear, I probably wouldn't have the money to compete in a bid. But one day, one day I will have them, “a man is free to dream”. The only strange thing is that I am not that interested in a Fatboy. It seems like everyone has one or wants to own one, but I never got into the hype of it. Maybe it's because it seems to be so widely available—I see a new listing for it every day—or maybe it's just the fact that they all seem to be overpriced as heck. Don't get me wrong, I want to own one, but if I'm going to spend big for one, I should at least get a good replated one. If I'm going to spend $80 or more on one with plating loss, I might as well add another $40 and buy a replated one. I have seen some going for $135-$150 replated. One day, when I feel like burning some money, I might buy one.

Where was I? Ah, right, the British flare tip, what a beauty this razor is. Honestly, the first shaves with it were pretty rough, but I managed to find the sweet spot, and I had an incredibly wonderful shave with it. As smooth as my black beauty, not as efficient, but still a very good close shave. I believe the red tip will actually hit the perfect balance of smoothness and efficiency, but I have been searching for the last three months, and I haven’t seen a single listing for a British red tip, it seems they are quite rare. I know there are plenty of USA red tips for sale, but my hype, as of now, is for the British version. For no particular reason, I just want to match my flare tip at this point, I think they will look cute together. I do dream of having a full set of both USA and British tip razors, but I believe a blue tip British razor has either never been produced or is rarer than finding water in the Sahara desert. At this point, I think next month I might press the trigger and buy a USA red tip or at least I will think about it.

I just realized I have never spoken about my favorite blade, the Wizmat. These are some of the most amazing blades I have tried, and I love them. I have a hard time deciding which blade should stay on top of my list between the Wizamat and Feathers. It’s a trade-off in the end since Feathers, for me, are a 5 in sharpness and 4 in smoothness, whereas the Wizmat are a 4 in sharpness and a 5 in smoothness. Using Wiz is honestly a bit of a cheat since it boosts the smoothness of every razor you put it on by x10, or almost every razor—cough cough YFC. I love this blade, and if you haven’t tried them, do yourself a favor and buy a sample pack. Believe me, it's worth a shot.

The aftershave is kind of meh. It's like a cream that's a bit too heavy for summer and a bit too light for winter. I don’t really like it, but I can’t pinpoint why. If you look at the ingredients list, it has everything that should normally be needed to make an amazing aftershave, but I just feel it's subpar compared to every other aftershave I have. I think there is something wrong with the formulation overall and that it needs some slight adjustment to become a fantastic aftershave. Like I have said before, it's a bit hard to exactly distinguish what makes a great aftershave or not. It is so vague sometimes with balms to say what’s good or not.

Hope you enjoyed this shave review. I forgot to put a "Song of The Day" last time, but I'll make it up with an amazing Song today.

Today's song is "Highwayman" by The Highwaymen, which includes Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. What an incredible group of artists this is. Honestly, they are a bit out of my era, I was born quite late to know them and stumbled upon this song accidentally, but I love it. It's totally different from today's songs, you don’t hear music like this anymore.