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Damn Comfortable Shave

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I'm shaving every day with the SR now, but not wedded to the SR, yet.

FTFY. :)

I also believe that a straight will, ultimately, give the best shave.

I think I've said the same, or words to the same affect as above, in this thread too at some point. I've suspected for quite a while Jim, that you might indeed find your best shaves coming from a straight. I've also suspected for a long time that you may be more difficult to shave than most, myself included, and this is why a properly honed straight is working better and more comfortably.

How would you compare the closeness of your best straight razor shave with your closest shave of any razor?

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Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
FTFY. :)

I think I've said the same, or words to the same affect as above, in this thread too at some point. I've suspected for quite a while Jim, that you might indeed find your best shaves coming from a straight. I've also suspected for a long time that you may be more difficult to shave than most, myself included, and this is why a properly honed straight is working better and more comfortably.

How would you compare the closeness of your best straight razor shave with your closest shave of any razor?

View attachment 942361

My best straight razor shaves are nowhere close to my best safety razor shaves in terms of closeness of the shaves and smoothness of my skin after the shaves. However, my SR shaves are gradually moving in the direction of being closer and smoother (more towards BBS).

All of my straight shaves now are more comfortable than any of my safety razor shaves + the whiskers are blunt cut or something so when they grow out they don't poke me like safety razor cut whiskers.

What is FTFY?

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
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Getting a properly set bevel is the number one most important step in honing. If not set, all honing afterwards is for naught - complete waste of time. It is most often the most time consuming step but you can’t give up on it.
Yes, I followed your lead, used the burr method, and was shaving with my self honed SR using films immediately.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Friday shave was much the same.

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Different razor. Same shave. Gotta be the soap? Gotta be the soap, yes. Gotta be the soap!

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Nice.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Saturday my shave was quite good.

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Boker Red Injun razor.

I was very, very impressed with this new to me soap, B&M Vespers. Enough impressed that I've already ordered a tub from Maggard's.

Let me tell you about it. I'll start with something weirdly amazing.

I have only a small amount of the soap, a sample sent to me by a generous member who also sent me the Grooming Department samples I've talked about recently. I loaded my brush with a tiny, tiny amount of Vespers (trying to stretch it out). I applied it to my face using my usual spackling method (damp brush, no water to speak of). Then, I added water as I usually do, generated a lather, and shaved.

Following my shave, I applied more lather to my face, just the leftovers on my brush. Now here's where it gets weirdly amazing. There was almost no lather left on my brush, but I wiped what was left on the side of the container to keep it. Then, I dipped the brush in a bit of soapy water (my bloom soapy water) and lathered my face again. Surprise: I was able to easily generate enough rich lather to look like I was starting from scratch with a newly loaded brush.

So, I then wiped the leftover lather into the container.

Next, I added a little bloom water to the brush and lathered my face even more. Again, there was rich lather.

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I repeated this process two more times until I got bored with it.

Is there any end to how much lather this soap will make? I do not think there is any end to it. It was very impressive.

In all respects this if a very impressive shaving soap. Is it as good as Grooming Department's Lusso based soaps? After one shave with it I can't answer that question but it's good enough so that I ordered a tub of it already. Even if it's a half notch below GDCV it's good enough to impress me, and you can actually buy it (not that it will always be available as it's seasonal, but it's currently B&M's only soap in this base).

The scent is not my favorite, but it's fine. I like it the scent, but I'm not in love with it. I've tried B&M soaps (not this base) before and not been anywhere near this impressed with them. This base is the bee's knees in B&M soaps I think.

I'd say the post shave is not as good as GDCV but it's still very good. The shave itself was very good - close, smooth, comfortable, nice. Excellent soap.

Brush and razor? Really nice.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
Some folks recommend not rinsing out your bowl and using the residue to start the next days lather building.Claims it makes it much easier.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
Some folks recommend not rinsing out your bowl and using the residue to start the next days lather building.Claims it makes it much easier.

What bowl?

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I like being in the padded room. Plus, Big Nurse allows straight razors in solitary.

Some folks recommend not rinsing out your bowl and using the residue to start the next days lather building. Claims it makes it much easier.

When I used to bowl lather I did it that way and liked it. Some people claim it isn't sanitary, but I am not one of those people.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
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Yep. Mine has been moved to the kitchen cupboard lol.

I only use my bowl for one cream, which I like a lot.

I bought Proraso's Single Edge Wood and Spice cream a while back.
It comes in a bladder type plastic container.

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So, I emptied it into a pump dispenser thingy.
Seemed like a good idea at the time, but hopeless for face lathering.

If I ever buy anymore, I'll empty it into a CRS type tub.
Might still do that If I can get it out of the dispenser without making too much mess.

It's good stuff by the way. I have the balm and cologne that goes with it as well.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
So, I emptied it into a pump dispenser thingy.
Seemed like a good idea at the time, but hopeless for face lathering.

Dip the brushes tips, wet your face, pump directly onto the center of the tips and have at er lol. It should work fine, if differently.
 
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