No fair that dilemma.
Sotiris' straight razor journal
- Thread starter Sotiris_A
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #222
No dilemma really, I'll just switch to shaving every 48 hours unless needed. I hope that it will also help me rationalize and slow down with my expenses for shaving.
Are you speeding through your pucks of Mitchells Wool Fat and Tabac?
Don't feel bad, I just picked up an Executive Fatboy$$$
- Thread starter
- #225
I already have too much soap and keep looking at new offerings. But the main issue is restraining myself not to buy more razors or stones or strops or... Barely holding on not to dive deep into the rabbit hole.
And I am constantly looking at a NOS Dorko 7/8... I hope someone else buys it soon...
Know the feelings. Have lots of blades for the safety razors and still look. Have found “my” soap, might win some Tabac if I’m lucky and that might become “my” soap and have other pucks and sample pucks and creams and still looking at various soaps and creams across Europe and North America as though my shelf wasn’t overflowing. And my brush is perfect for me, but I’m always looking at Omega boar/Evo/Roma and lots of other synthetics.
Can’t help you there. I’m too busy pretending a C.V. Heljestrand Mk 24 is the answer to my desires.
Brass Blackland Blackbird at the moment for me. I'll be using my Merkur 34C for the FFFM while I dream.
- Thread starter
- #228
That's why I hope that shaving every other day will help me take my mind off all that stuff.
I wish you luck.
It will be needed.
I was wishing @Sotiris_A luck. I’m assuming you’ll enjoy your 34C so much you’ll start believing Blackland Blackbird/Brassbird users are jealous of you. Or sell off your Alupinum Lupo and Fatip Grande Gentilé and wait for the holiday sale or Shane’s birthday discount to get your hands on that striking, brass blade holder for less than retail.
- Thread starter
- #232
34c is probably my favorite DE razor and one of the 3 that will stay with me. Good luck Wes!
Thanks, Thom!
Thanks, Thom!
It was He I was referrring to.
You've got my number, haha. That will definitely happen, lol.
- Thread starter
- #235
SR shave #78 (#3):
SR shave #79 (#20):
Happy shaves everyone!
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 round point
- Brush: Simpsons Duke 2 best
- Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
- ASL: Pitralon Classic
- ASB: Biotherm Ultra Confort
- Method: 20 x-strokes on leather. Cold water shave. 44 hours worth of stubble. 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Close and comfortable. Zero irritation. A bit of oiliness left from the balm. It wasn't one of the ultra close, cold water shaves I've been having lately and this led to...
SR shave #79 (#20):
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish point
- Brush: Ω 20102
- Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
- ASL: Furbo blu
- ASB: Biotherm Ultra Confort
- Method: I didn't count the number of laps on the strop. Cold water shave. 24 hours worth of stubble. 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Very close and comfortable.
- Notes: The edge felt very good and any minor hesitation was due to the angle and the relatively stiffer, shorter stubble. Zero irritation. Again, a bit of oiliness left from the balm, even though I used less quantity. Post-shave feel is great though.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Thread starter
- #236
SR shave #80 (#4):
Happy shaves everyone!
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 round point
- Brush: Ω 10048
- Soap: Tabac
- ASL: Antonio Puig Quorum (probably from the late 80's)
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: Unknown number of laps on the leather strop. Cold water shave. 24 hours growth, but I was still SAS and could have skipped the shave. 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: DFS+, comfortable. Zero irritation, one small weeper that closed by the time I used the balm.
- Notes: I need to work on my technique when going ATG on the right side of the chin and upper lip. I used even shorter (1cm tops), light, but confident strokes and it worked a bit better.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Thread starter
- #237
Late morning shave today, as I went to the local post office to pick up a parcel with samples from @Billy T. Thanks mate! 
My choice for today, among these samples, was a Greek "artisan" soap, Savon Mystere. It is being produced for a few years now and as far as I know, it is only available through the Greek shaving forum and possibly the producer's Facebook page. The scent of Invenio is reminiscent of the Aventus Creed. Here is a photo I found, showing some of the soaps.
SR shave #81 (#21):
Notes:
I tried a couple of new ATG strokes and they worked quite well. I could feel that the edge wasn't very fresh and sharp, however with light touch and "confident", short strokes it cuts comfortably.
The soap is similar to some of the modern soaps. It loads very easily and requires quite a bit of water to build some slick lather. Once there, it remains stable throughout the shave. For me, one drawback is that it is tuned for protection, rather than super slickness. That said, I didn't push it to the hydration limit and perhaps what was slightly missing might be there. I also didn't fancy the scent so much, even though it was one of my wife's favorites among the pile.
Post-shave isn't excessive and that's a plus for me. Actually, after the ASL I felt a bit of dryness and used a bit of balm, so as to see if two play along well or if I could sense any excessive oiliness. There wasn't any. All in all, I have to say that if I find a more suitable scent for my taste, I prefer it to the Officina Artigiana.
I also need to mention that between the Noxzema Moisture and the Biotherm Ultra Confort, I prefer the former in terms of qualities. Good for me as it is available in the supermarkets and also quite affordable.
I decided to get another razor. This time I opted for an old (from the 1850 or 1860), near wedge, 6/8 from Sheffield. It also has a smiling blade. It will take some time to arrive here, but I am very excited with the prospect. I will at last be able to do an all British shave! I also caved in and bought a Coticule. So much for restraining...
Happy shaves everyone!
My choice for today, among these samples, was a Greek "artisan" soap, Savon Mystere. It is being produced for a few years now and as far as I know, it is only available through the Greek shaving forum and possibly the producer's Facebook page. The scent of Invenio is reminiscent of the Aventus Creed. Here is a photo I found, showing some of the soaps.
SR shave #81 (#21):
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish point
- Brush: Ω 20102
- Soap: Savon Mystere Invenio (sample)
- ASL: Fine Platinum (another Creed clone)
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 25 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. 26 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Very close and quite comfortable. Zero irritation.
Notes:
I tried a couple of new ATG strokes and they worked quite well. I could feel that the edge wasn't very fresh and sharp, however with light touch and "confident", short strokes it cuts comfortably.
The soap is similar to some of the modern soaps. It loads very easily and requires quite a bit of water to build some slick lather. Once there, it remains stable throughout the shave. For me, one drawback is that it is tuned for protection, rather than super slickness. That said, I didn't push it to the hydration limit and perhaps what was slightly missing might be there. I also didn't fancy the scent so much, even though it was one of my wife's favorites among the pile.
Post-shave isn't excessive and that's a plus for me. Actually, after the ASL I felt a bit of dryness and used a bit of balm, so as to see if two play along well or if I could sense any excessive oiliness. There wasn't any. All in all, I have to say that if I find a more suitable scent for my taste, I prefer it to the Officina Artigiana.
I also need to mention that between the Noxzema Moisture and the Biotherm Ultra Confort, I prefer the former in terms of qualities. Good for me as it is available in the supermarkets and also quite affordable.
I decided to get another razor. This time I opted for an old (from the 1850 or 1860), near wedge, 6/8 from Sheffield. It also has a smiling blade. It will take some time to arrive here, but I am very excited with the prospect. I will at last be able to do an all British shave! I also caved in and bought a Coticule. So much for restraining...
Happy shaves everyone!
- Thread starter
- #238
SR shave #82 (#5):
SR shave #83 (#22):
Notes:
My Duke 2 is the softest Simpsons badger brush I own, but it sheds 2-3 hair every time. It has probably been used for 40 shaves so far and I clean it every 5 shaves with white vinegar and shampoo in an effort to prevent any build-up at the bottom of the knot. No success so far...
I finally found a way to go XTG (ear to nose) using the right hand on the right side of the chin and upper lip areas. I find I get better results if I go XTG there on both sides. I think that my strokes are now finalized and I only need to keep practicing.
The razor still cuts my stubble very easily.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 round point
- Brush: Simpsons Classic 2 best
- Soap: MWF
- ASL: Old Spice (old bottle from the early 90's?)
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 25 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. Saturday around noon, 24 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Comfortable DFS+. Zero irritation. Rather uneventful.
SR shave #83 (#22):
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish point
- Brush: Simpsons Duke 2 best
- Soap: MWF
- ASL: Floid Mentolado Vigoroso
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 25 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. Monday morning, 44 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG/XTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Very close and comfortable. Zero irritation. One small nick on what used to be a pimple.
Notes:
My Duke 2 is the softest Simpsons badger brush I own, but it sheds 2-3 hair every time. It has probably been used for 40 shaves so far and I clean it every 5 shaves with white vinegar and shampoo in an effort to prevent any build-up at the bottom of the knot. No success so far...
I finally found a way to go XTG (ear to nose) using the right hand on the right side of the chin and upper lip areas. I find I get better results if I go XTG there on both sides. I think that my strokes are now finalized and I only need to keep practicing.
The razor still cuts my stubble very easily.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Thread starter
- #239
SR shave #84 (#6):
SR shave #85 (#23):
Notes:
After 22 shaves, the edge couldn't cope with the coarser, shorter stubble. Probably my prep was a bit rushed too.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 round point
- Brush: Ω 20102
- Soap: Savon Mystere Invenio
- ASL: Furbo Blu
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 25 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. Wednesday, 48 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG/XTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Very close and comfortable. Zero irritation. I managed to get a lather to my liking. It just needed a lot more water.
SR shave #85 (#23):
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish point
- Brush: Simpsons Classic 2 best
- Soap: Speick stick
- ASL: LPL Oud-Santal
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 25 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. Thursday morning, 27 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG/XTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: DFS, but not so comfortable when going ATG on the neck. Zero irritation.
Notes:
After 22 shaves, the edge couldn't cope with the coarser, shorter stubble. Probably my prep was a bit rushed too.
Happy shaves everyone!
- Thread starter
- #240
SR shave #86 (#24 and #7):
Notes:
I wanted to verify that shave #85 wasn't an outlier. It wasn't. The Spanish point was in need of a retouch, despite the fact that it could still pass the HHT very easily (min 1.5 cm throughout the edge)!
The difference with the round point was evident and once I reached the ATG pass, I had to switch razors to finish the job. Perhaps with the typically softer 48hr stubble, I could have managed to keep going. This verifies that the shave is the ultimate test and puts a sudden end on my daily quest to pick up my wife's and daughter's hair for testing...
The soap was OK. It performs well as all SV do, but it's not a scent I enjoyed (sorry Billy, but thanks for letting me try it).
SR shave #87 (#1):
Notes:
18 x-strokes on the Naniwa 12k, followed by 5 laps on Cromox, 15 laps on canvas and 60(?) on leather. It took more time to flatten the stone, than to refresh the razor...
I decided to not use the HHT, in order to judge the quality of the edge. No running water, lather etc., just plain water and light pressure. I stopped after 18 laps on the finishing stone to see if that would be enough. I'm glad I did. A few passes on Cromox and off to shave and check the result of my effort.
I had a great shave! I hope yours is too!
- Pre-shave: Cold water and soap
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish and round point
- Brush: Semogue 620
- Soap: SV Tundra Artica (sample)
- ASL: LPL Oud-Santal
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 50 and 25 x-strokes on the leather, respectively. Cold water shave. Friday, 24 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG/XTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Close and comfortable once the round point took over. Lots of tugging ATG with the Spanish point. Thankfully, zero irritation after the shave.
Notes:
I wanted to verify that shave #85 wasn't an outlier. It wasn't. The Spanish point was in need of a retouch, despite the fact that it could still pass the HHT very easily (min 1.5 cm throughout the edge)!
The difference with the round point was evident and once I reached the ATG pass, I had to switch razors to finish the job. Perhaps with the typically softer 48hr stubble, I could have managed to keep going. This verifies that the shave is the ultimate test and puts a sudden end on my daily quest to pick up my wife's and daughter's hair for testing...
The soap was OK. It performs well as all SV do, but it's not a scent I enjoyed (sorry Billy, but thanks for letting me try it).
SR shave #87 (#1):
- Pre-shave: Plain cold water
- Razor: Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish point
- Brush: Simpsons Chubby 1 super
- Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
- ASL: Floid Vigoroso
- ASB: Noxzema Moisture
- Method: 15 x-strokes on canvas and 60-70 x-strokes on the leather. Cold water shave. Saturday morning, 24 hours of growth. 1st pass WTG/XTG, 2nd ATG.
- Result: Very close and super comfortable. Zero irritation.
Notes:
18 x-strokes on the Naniwa 12k, followed by 5 laps on Cromox, 15 laps on canvas and 60(?) on leather. It took more time to flatten the stone, than to refresh the razor...
I decided to not use the HHT, in order to judge the quality of the edge. No running water, lather etc., just plain water and light pressure. I stopped after 18 laps on the finishing stone to see if that would be enough. I'm glad I did. A few passes on Cromox and off to shave and check the result of my effort.
I had a great shave! I hope yours is too!
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