The Journal of a Backwards Professor

[Esox]

On the plus side, there are quite a few nice MMOC's to be had for the price of a Tech........

Yep, there are quite a few around. Its a good time to buy them haha.

Shaving ATG for the second pass got most of the stubble on my neck and all the hair on my face. I still needed a few ATG clean-up passes for that ultra smooth finish.

I can feel the difference in the blade in my Bullet Tip deteriorate quickly too but its still a long way from finished.

When you start a fresh blade again next time, try lightly buffing ATG first pass. You might be surprised.

 

[Rosseforp]

When you start a fresh blade again next time, try lightly buffing ATG first pass. You might be surprised.

The ATG clean-up passes were light buffing passes. Very smooth.......

 

[Esox]

The ATG clean-up passes were light buffing passes. Very smooth.......

Yeah, but that was second pass.

 

[thombrogan]

Yeah, but that was second pass.

 

[Rosseforp]

Yeah, but that was second pass.

 

[Rosseforp]

Friday, July 17
Gem Bullet Tip
Gem Stainless(4)
Omega 10005 #17
Vito Extra Super Coco
Pinaud Clubman

I decided to forgo the bowl and load the Vitos heavy. The first coat was nice and after adding water the lather was properly hydrated.


A full ATG single pass with lots and lots of buffing and stretching ensued. The hairs on my jawline that usually complain instead cried out with tiny red droplets demanding me to stop. I simply brushed another coat of lather over them and finished with a N-S pass over my lips.

I rubbed HA over my face and let it dry as I cleaned up my gear. Expecting the Witch hazel to have more than it's usual tingle, it lit my face on fire instead. The Clubman lived up to it's name and finished the punishment with Nivea balm coming to the rescue.

A single pass BBS. Next time I will use a fresh blade.

 

[Esox]

Next time I will use a fresh blade.

Next time, you better be even more careful. Tight skin and a shallow angle only need apply, until the blade wears a bit anyway.

 

[Rosseforp]

OC SOTD

Monday, July 20
KBG Grande
Gillette Platinum(6)
Omega Silver Tip
1912 Club Cola
the "Veg"

I loaded the brush up and splayed it lightly as I lathered my face. As the lather started to thicken up I added more water, the brush filling up and laying the lather down like carpet. I do love this brush.
It holds enough lather for 4-5 full passes, has just the right balance of backbone to softly exfoliate my face with a gentle scrubbing feeling. Just a slight drag depending on how much it is splayed.

As I pressed the KBG Grande up against my left sideburn and started my downstroke I felt no resistance from my 60 hours of growth, as I last shaved Friday morning. I shaved my face over my lips and chin all N-S around my jawline, then I shaved my neck N-S also.

After lathering up again with my luxurious Silver Tip, I shaved my neck and face S-N and the rest I freestyled and shaved XTG.

While not giving me the feeling I forgot to install the blade, I barely felt the blade. Maybe it was because I had drag racing on the TV, I couldn't hear the blade, or maybe it didn't make any noise.
Post shave my face had zero irritation, as there was none during the shave either.

HA was used, the Witch hazel had almost no tingle at all. Of course, the "Veg" warmed up a few spots and left my skin smooth waiting for the Nivea balm to finish.

I didn't chase a BBS, and didn't get one.

I did get a great comfortable shave.

 

[Esox]

Gold is great.

 

[Rosseforp]

OC SOTD

Wednesday, July 22
KBG Grande
Gillette Platinum(7)
Omega Silver Tip
1912 Club Cola
the "Veg"

Today's shave was the Bees Knees.

Waiting more than 24 hours between shaves does seem to produce more comfortable shaves, and my new KBG Grande was more than up to the task.

The badger needed only 20 swirls of the Club Cola to produce a pleasantly warm, properly hydrated lather, and the Gillette Platinum(7) seemed to just slide through the stubble with no resistance, making a light pinging sound as I rounded my jawline and popped the usually noisy standouts as they were silenced, gently.

There would be no weepers today.

After a very comfortable ATG neck pass I felt it necessary to buff the areas that had not quieted down yet, I felt them as they relaxed and the blade gently cut them off at skin level, and mixed in with the lather I rinsed down the sink.

I left the residual lather on my face as I cleaned up my gear, then patted my face with a moist towel, and an application of Hyaluronic Acid.

The Witch hazel was pleasant, while a generous dousing of the "Veg" left me invigorated and hungry for homemade tamales. The Nivea balm was rubbed on as I put water in the steamer.....

And, to finish off my set........

 

[Esox]

Nice stone...

 

[Rosseforp]

OC SOTD

Thursday, July 23
KBG Grande Gillette Platinum(8)
Acca Kappa
1912 Club Cola
the "Veg"

I can't remember the last time I used my Acca Kappa. It's bristles are now velvety soft, with slightly less backbone than my Omega, and very little scrub. It feels wonderful.

I feel at ease with this Grande, like I did with my SE Piccolo, but it doesn't feel the same. The balance is different, I don't feel the blade in the same way, even though they are both Mk2's......
There are also zero alignment issues with this KBG Grande, it doesn't matter how I hold the razor when I tighten the cap, the blade is perfect every time. And that is without using my custom made alignment bushings that I installed in my SE, Piccolo Mk1, and Schöne.

Shaving in the am for a change, I started N-S the first pass, starting over my lips, face, then neck.
The second pass was nose to ear on my face and another N-S pass on my neck, deciding to skip shaving ATG
altogether today.

The Witch hazel had not a hint of tingle, the "Veg" was cooling, invigorating, and refreshing. Nivea balm left my face feeling soft.

A nice simple comfortable shave, the Gillette Platinum(8) feeling as comfortable as on its first shave.

 

[Esox]

The balance is different, I don't feel the blade in the same way, even though they are both Mk2's......

Have you measured the width of both caps? They have been known to vary.

The calipers just arrived.

Now I know. My Grande cap is 19.44mm wide lol.

 

[Rosseforp]

Have you measured the width of both caps? They have been known to vary.

The caps on my SE Piccolo and this KBG Grande are both 19.56 mm. The cap on my other KBG Grande is 19.69 mm. The cap on my Schöne is 19.3 mm.
Both of my Mk1 caps are 18 mm.

And while both of my KBG Grande's tipped the scales at 68.2 grams out of the box, when I switch handles, one of them weighs 69 grams, the other one weighs 67.5 grams.


Perfectiona Italiona

 

[Esox]

The caps on my SE Piccolo and this KBG Grande are both 19.56 mm. The cap on my other KBG Grande is 19.69 mm. The cap on my Schöne is 19.3 mm.
Both of my Mk1 caps are 18 mm.

Of them all, which cap width do you prefer?

 

[Rosseforp]

Of them all, which cap width do you prefer?

The Mk1 Piccolo that I got from @Tanuki, with it's epoxied pin has been my favorite from the first time I used it.

My first KBG Grande with the 19.56 cap, is a very close second. I suspect I will prefer it to my Other KBG Grande with the 19.7 cap, but the balance point is different.........

Besides, I still have the Mk1 Grande in black, patiently waiting it's turn in the rotation, and it just might be the ONE............

 

[Rosseforp]

Friday, July 24
KBG Grande
Gillette Platinum(9)
Acca Kappa
1912 Club Cola
the "Veg"

Another nice morning shave.

The warm mug water in the brush mixed with 20-30 swirls on the puck, I wasn't counting. I let the soft bristles massage the warm lather onto my face, lightly splaying the brush I could feel some prickyness coming through the lack of backbone. I'm sure with more use that will go away.

Starting the shave over my lips N-S, then my chin and face. I shaved my neck N-S halfway down, until I encountered light resistance as my hair changes directions there. I shaved my lower neck directly ATG.

This brush doesn't hold nearly as much lather as my Omega, but there was enough for a second pass, S-N from the base of my neck to my jawline. There was just enough light lather for a nose to ear pass on my face, so I went back to the puck to get enough lather for another ATG pass on my neck.
I spent a lot of time buffing around my jawline and the hollows under my jaw. The blade felt smooth, but didn't feel efficient. It wasn't tugging at all, it just feels as though the edge is rounding at the apex, like a heavily stropped SR.

Witch hazel was liberally applied with nary a sting, as was the "Veg" on my face, my neck, however was invigorated..... Nivea balm came to the rescue, as the shave felt closer than I initially thought.

4 hours after shaving my face and chin are smooth but not glassy, my neck is still close, the hollows and lower neck the usual coarseness.

 

[Rosseforp]

My replacement MMOC for the one with worn blade stops came yesterday.

The blade stops look good!

Not bad for the price of a Piccolo!

 

[Esox]

Besides, I still have the Mk1 Grande in black, patiently waiting it's turn in the rotation, and it just might be the ONE............

View attachment 1129879
My replacement MMOC for the one with worn blade stops came yesterday.
View attachment 1129881
The blade stops look good!
View attachment 1129884
View attachment 1129882View attachment 1129883View attachment 1129886
Not bad for the price of a Piccolo!

Yep, thats a nice one. You're in business now!

 

[thombrogan]

My replacement MMOC for the one with worn blade stops came yesterday.

Get some! Yeah!