A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

[Guido75]

Your photographic and metallographic skills have aligned sublimely, @Guido75 ! Looks like a €€€ razor to rival new ones from Canada and Turkey ️ in that picture

Thanks Thom - I must admit that is was partially a gamble, but going slow and careful did the trick. I used a very simple polish that said it could revamp chrome (which it did - my Matador and Swing are shiny again or even better). And I think it turned out nicely indeed!

Cheers,

Guido

 

[lasta]

Thanks Thom - I must admit that is was partially a gamble, but going slow and careful did the trick. I used a very simple polish that said it could revamp chrome (which it did - my Matador and Swing are shiny again or even better). And I think it turned out nicely indeed!

Cheers,

Guido

Your polishing skills are top notch! Look forward to seeing those shiny Swedes!

 

[Guido75]

Date	12.01.2023
365 days of shaving	12/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	12/365 (100%)
GRUME January	12/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	3
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide (NE-SW) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW)
ATG	C: Straight/Slanted (SW-NE in a S-N direction) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Fatip Special Edition OC	Personna Red (8)	Omega Roma Capitolina
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Dutchy Bergamot Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Floïd the Genuine (AS) Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8.5/10 (DFS+/BBS-)	10/10 (GlideFest)

Notes to today’s shave:

Haha! I switched razors, because I thought it was Fatip Friday when it just dawned on me it is currently Thursday! Anyway, I had a marvelous run with the Special Edition with a Shave Yahtzee suggested Personna Red blade. Excellent combination - smooth and comfortable. It also struck me that this razor is sooo nimble and easy to use and maneuver. Easily one of my favorite razors. I find fun in having more razors, but this Fatip fits the bill if you are looking for the one razor.

The Omega lathered a rich and creamy lather from Dutchy Bergmot. I face lathered and the backbone on this brush is still huge - relatively spleens harder in that sense. But one of my favoured brushes.

Change in technique still delivers results and this time with a different razor. Tomorrow's shave is yet another razor, so I'll see if I can maintain my track record.

Enjoy you shave!

 

[Guido75]

13.01.2023

• Guido75
• Jan 12, 2023

Swing • Eddison (2) • Omega Super Badger • Mitchell’s Wool Fat

Date	12.01.2023
365 days of shaving	12/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	12/365 (100%)
GRUME January	12/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	3
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide (NW-SE in a NE-SW motion) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW in a S-N motion)
ATG	C: Mostly straight/Slanted (S-N) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Swedish Swing	Eddison (2)	Omega Super Badger
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	MWF Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
7/10 (~25 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8.5/10 (DFS+/BBS-)	9/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

My paper shave journal reflected what should have happened yesterday and in actuality today: I made a note to switch the Swing and Fatip for Friday only to interpret that note the other way around and switching the razors back.

The Swedish Swing is my latest acquisition from the last day of December. I finally jumped at the opportunity of having one after @Jack Goossen planted the mental seed for it. And when Jack says something is good it is, because he knows the shaving trade and he is miles in front of me.

I gave her some extra TLC and polish to see if I could remove some or all of the shallow scratches. I succeeded quite well and the razor had an even better mirror finish as you can see from the reflections in the photo. I replaced the stock bakelite handle for my favoured @lasta Blue.

The blade gap on the Swing is huge, but as with other razors in my stable nothing daunting as the blade exposure is in the comfortably smooth section (there is blade feel for sure as far as I can tell). Shave Yahtzee provided the third Eddison blade which is a very fine blade in my book. The combination is a shaving laser. After the first pass I had DFS cheeks. I hesitated to do a two pass shave, but I like the combination and I want to minimise irritation. The passes and blissfully smooth.

I think I saw tiny cracks in the soap consistent with readings about MWF. I understood there’s nothing to worry about so I simply loaded my brush for a nice face lather. Lather was on the drying side I think. At least gliding of the razor was skiddish at times. I think the brush might have had something to do with it as well although the badger behaved better than the last few shaves with this brush.

This is an amazing razor. One that needs to be respected - more than the other Swede, the Matador Deluxe - because of the blade gap and exposure. Glad to have liked the trigger at the right time. A very fine addition to the collection and again an example of a razor you could shave with daily and need nothing else to get excellent results.

Enjoy your shave today!

 

[lasta]

I haven't dipped in The Fat yet, but skiddish razors are almost always because of not enough soap.

From what I read, Fatty likes to be slathered generously!

 

[Guido75]

I haven't dipped in The Fat yet, but skiddish razors are almost always because of not enough soap.

From what I read, Fatty likes to be slathered generously!

Yep, made a mental note. I think I need to be a heavy loader with the Fat.

Thanks,

Guido

 

[stivek]

This razor is a beauty

 

[Eric_75]

13.01.2023

• Guido75
• Jan 12, 2023

Swing • Eddison (2) • Omega Super Badger • Mitchell’s Wool Fat

Date	12.01.2023
365 days of shaving	12/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	12/365 (100%)
GRUME January	12/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	3
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide (NW-SE in a NE-SW motion) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW in a S-N motion)
ATG	C: Mostly straight/Slanted (S-N) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Swedish Swing	Eddison (2)	Omega Super Badger
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	MWF Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
7/10 (~25 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8.5/10 (DFS+/BBS-)	9/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

My paper shave journal reflected what should have happened yesterday and in actuality today: I made a note to switch the Swing and Fatip for Friday only to interpret that note the other way around and switching the razors back.

The Swedish Swing is my latest acquisition from the last day of December. I finally jumped at the opportunity of having one after @Jack Goossen planted the mental seed for it. And when Jack says something is good it is, because he knows the shaving trade and he is miles in front of me.

I gave her some extra TLC and polish to see if I could remove some or all of the shallow scratches. I succeeded quite well and the razor had an even better mirror finish as you can see from the reflections in the photo. I replaced the stock bakelite handle for my favoured @lasta Blue.

The blade gap on the Swing is huge, but as with other razors in my stable nothing daunting as the blade exposure is in the comfortably smooth section (there is blade feel for sure as far as I can tell). Shave Yahtzee provided the third Eddison blade which is a very fine blade in my book. The combination is a shaving laser. After the first pass I had DFS cheeks. I hesitated to do a two pass shave, but I like the combination and I want to minimise irritation. The passes and blissfully smooth.

I think I saw tiny cracks in the soap consistent with readings about MWF. I understood there’s nothing to worry about so I simply loaded my brush for a nice face lather. Lather was on the drying side I think. At least gliding of the razor was skiddish at times. I think the brush might have had something to do with it as well although the badger behaved better than the last few shaves with this brush.

This is an amazing razor. One that needs to be respected - more than the other Swede, the Matador Deluxe - because of the blade gap and exposure. Glad to have liked the trigger at the right time. A very fine addition to the collection and again an example of a razor you could shave with daily and need nothing else to get excellent results.

Enjoy your shave today!

Have a great weekend, Guido!

 

[Guido75]

Have a great weekend, Guido!

You too Eric! Enjoy your shaves!

 

[Rosseforp]

Yep, made a mental note. I think I need to be a heavy loader with the Fat.

Thanks,

Guido

When you think you have loaded the Fat enough, you are half way there. 100 swirls minimum.

~doug~

 

[gdawg55]

Yep, made a mental note. I think I need to be a heavy loader with the Fat.

Thanks,

Guido

You need to load the FAT like you hate it.

 

[Guido75]

Date	14.01.2023
365 days of shaving	14/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	14/365 (100%)
GRUME January	14/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide (NW-SE in a NE-SW motion) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW in a S-N motion)
ATG	C: Mostly straight/Slanted (S-N) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Timeless Ti95 SCB	Feather (3)	Omega Proraso
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Tallow Tabac Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
9/10 (BBS)	9/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

Friday’s date was apparently so playing my mind that I appear to have skipped a day (2x 12.01.2023). Ah well.

Shave Yahtzee presented the combination I wanted to try ever since I got my Ti95 SCB. How would she shave with a Feather? I found it a little daunting at the same time. The dices were free from judgment and therefore we proceed the shave. Stubble was absolutely less than normal after yesterday’s amazing shave with the Swing.

The Ti95 with a Feather is a worthy contender and the razor easily proved its position as my top razor. I could have stopped after the first pass. Even ‘just’ WTG I was smooth all over with the usual rougher spots on the neck area. I decided to skip the WXTG pass and go straight for the ATG. That was a good decision as I was BBS after the second pass. Spectacular shave today!

Still not a huge fan of Tabac, but its soap and lather capabilities are excellent. Ten swirls and boom lather. My boar is hogging lather when it’s Tabac, but two passes was enough anyway. Tabac is GlideFest, but I deduct one point as I felt the blade from time to time - less smooth than I initially expected.

Kept technique pretty much the same as I have done this past week. I think the slight change in ATG strokes transitioning from neck to jaw line are paying off.

Enjoy your Saturday shave!

 

[Butch Waxx]

Date	14.01.2023
365 days of shaving	14/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	14/365 (100%)
GRUME January	14/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide (NW-SE in a NE-SW motion) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW in a S-N motion)
ATG	C: Mostly straight/Slanted (S-N) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Timeless Ti95 SCB	Feather (3)	Omega Proraso
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Tallow Tabac Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
9/10 (BBS)	9/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

Friday’s date was apparently so playing my mind that I appear to have skipped a day (2x 12.01.2023). Ah well.

Shave Yahtzee presented the combination I wanted to try ever since I got my Ti95 SCB. How would she shave with a Feather? I found it a little daunting at the same time. The dices were free from judgment and therefore we proceed the shave. Stubble was absolutely less than normal after yesterday’s amazing shave with the Swing.

The Ti95 with a Feather is a worthy contender and the razor easily proved its position as my top razor. I could have stopped after the first pass. Even ‘just’ WTG I was smooth all over with the usual rougher spots on the neck area. I decided to skip the WXTG pass and go straight for the ATG. That was a good decision as I was BBS after the second pass. Spectacular shave today!

Still not a huge fan of Tabac, but its soap and lather capabilities are excellent. Ten swirls and boom lather. My boar is hogging lather when it’s Tabac, but two passes was enough anyway. Tabac is GlideFest, but I deduct one point as I felt the blade from time to time - less smooth than I initially expected.

Kept technique pretty much the same as I have done this past week. I think the slight change in ATG strokes transitioning from neck to jaw line are paying off.

Enjoy your Saturday shave!

Sounds like you nailed it Guido….May I suggest a new Feather next time? For me, the Feather is at its maximum performance during shave 1 and 2, (at least for my mug anyway). You may be able to get back that 1 point you deducted today for blade feel. Have a great weekend!!!

 

[Guido75]

Sounds like you nailed it Guido….May I suggest a new Feather next time? For me, the Feather is at its maximum performance during shave 1 and 2, (at least for my mug anyway). You may be able to get back that 1 point you deducted today for blade feel. Have a great weekend!!!

Thanks Butch and yes will do! I think this might be the golden combination! Or at least a golden combination.

You too my friend, have a great weekend!

Guido

 

[Guido75]

15.01.2023

• Guido75
• Jan 14, 2023

Gillette NEW FB • Gillette 7o’clock Black (3) • Razorock Plissoft 400 • Tabac (tallow)

Date	15.01.2023
365 days of shaving	15/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	15/365 (100%)
GRUME January	15/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	3
WTG	C: Gillette Slide (NW-SE) N: Gillette Slant (NW-SE in a N-S motion)
WXTG	C: Mirrored Gillette Slide / Slant (NW-SE in a NE-SW motion) N: Mirrored Gillette Slant (NE-SW in a S-N motion)
ATG	C: Mostly straight/Slanted (S-N) N: Slanted (SW-NE)

Razor	Blade	Brush
Gillette NEW Flat Bottom	Gillette Blacks (3)	Razorock Plissoft 400
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash Proraso Green	Tallow Tabac Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)	8/10 (weepers above the upper lip)
Effectiveness	Comfort
9/10 (BBS+)	8/10 (smooth with harsher elements)

Notes to today’s shave:

Shave Yahtzee provided the combination that had effectiveness written all over it. This a always an effective razor no matter what blade I put in it. But likewise it can at times also be a harsher razor depending on the blade. Todays blade is one of those harsher blades. To my mind I cannot take a Gillette Black past 3-4 shaves without drawing blood - which I did. If I skip the slightly harsher shave in places and forget about the weepers the rest of the shave was absolutely lovely! I am smooth as a baby in all areas.

In hindsight the lather on the first pass might have been dryer (I had some clogged lather in my razor) and in the second pass potentially too thin (not enough protection).

The Razorock currently remains my favourite brush. It lathers to the max (if I use it right) and has a great balance between backbone for scrubbing and softness for painting.

A great start of this Sunday.

Enjoy your shave!

 

[lasta]

Looks shinier than the last time you used it!

What's your secret? Hand polish or Dremel? Old shirt? Microfibre? Do you clamp it down and shine it like a shoe? What's your RPM? Forward and back or circular movements? What polish are you using? Did you do an acid bath before polishing? Do you spit shine for the last few swipes?

Don't tell @flask28 if you do the last bit, 2nd hand razors are always a risk!

 

[Guido75]

Looks shinier than the last time you used it!

What's your secret? Hand polish or Dremel? Old shirt? Microfibre? Do you clamp it down and shine it like a shoe? What's your RPM? Forward and back or circular movements? What polish are you using? Did you do an acid bath before polishing? Do you spit shine for the last few swipes?

Don't tell @flask28 if you do the last bit, 2nd hand razors are always a risk!

Thanks!

Yah came out quite good. I hand polished it with a very tiny drop of Mr. Musle Steel Fix (for shiny stainless steel and chromed sinks). I scrubbed it lightly with a micro fibre cloth, rinsed it under hot water and then polished it using a micro fibre towel (vigorously so high RPMs).

I must admit I took a gamble, but calculated, because it is mostly bare brass anyway and it became dulled again. Or at least I thought because the shine almost lets me believe it is gold plated.

I do think it is less shiny after now shaving with it. Not sure, just a voice in my head.

 

[lasta]

Thanks!

Yah came out quite good. I hand polished it with a very tiny drop of Mr. Musle Steel Fix (for shiny stainless steel and chromed sinks). I scrubbed it lightly with a micro fibre cloth, rinsed it under hot water and then polished it using a micro fibre towel (vigorously so high RPMs).

I must admit I took a gamble, but calculated, because it is mostly bare brass anyway and it became dulled again. Or at least I thought because the shine almost lets me believe it is gold plated.

I do think it is less shiny after now shaving with it. Not sure, just a voice in my head.

Yeah, that little voice needs some serious genever to silence!

And thanks, learned something today. Will try some wet buffing next time. You did spit shine it after all!

BTW, I looked up the Steel Fix, looks like it has some acid in it! A mix of polish paste and Bar Keeper's Friend? Good stuff!

 

[Guido75]

BTW, I looked up the Steel Fix, looks like it has some acid in it! A mix of polish paste and Bar Keeper's Friend? Good stuff!

Really? That would explain the ease with which stains were deleted. I used lemon juice (freshly pressed) the first time I cleaned it.

Used it in that Swing and NEW Improved as well.

Guido

 

[jason2]

Very nice looking razor. Look at that blade exposure.

Looks more then the goodwill which is more like a short comb new.