What's new

Notes From The Edge

Thanks, @Clay S, I am thinking of doing a 30 day inflammation detox.

If anyone has any suggestions for very gentle shaving soaps I would be grateful.
 
After two years without problems suddenly out of the blue my psoriasis is back, mainly on my arms, but I've seen this movie before: the face will surely follow. I have no idea why either. There have been no changes in environment or diet. That doesn't seem to matter though. I can be good with products or food for months or years and then suddenly start violently reacting to them. The hunt is to track down the culprit.

I am taking things cautiously. This morning I cut right back on my shaving routine. I used a synthetic brush with Truefitt and Hill sensitive cream, and made a single WTG pass with a Feather ASD2 loaded with a Feather blade. This combination is my most comfortable, mildest shave. The ASD2 is the most forgiving razor for me, though not necessarily the mildest. When loaded with a Feather blade I am able to shave just efficiently enough WTG to remove hair without any skin impact.

Shaving is hit or miss under these circumstances. It's a play off between minimal shaving vs. closest shave possible. On one hand, a little trauma to the skin as possible is welcome. On the other, a very close 3 or 4 pass shave prevents the issues of stubble irritation and exfoliates the skin well.
I hope it doesn't come to much and you'll find out what triggered it quickish.
Must be a pain constantly wondering if what your about to eat, or whatever, is going to set it off.

Fingers crossed it will not get too bad this time.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Good luck with it, Kit. Whatever it is. I hope it passes soon, and doesn't flare up as bad as before.

Have you ruled out seasonal allergies, and elevated white blood cell counts? Someone I know very well suffers rather bizarre symptoms when fighting off infections, and once they've had their initial "attack" they invariably come down with a minor bug or cold. At first, we thought that the attack was compromising the immune system, but now we think it's the other way around.
 
I hope it doesn't come to much and you'll find out what triggered it quickish.
Must be a pain constantly wondering if what your about to eat, or whatever, is going to set it off.

Fingers crossed it will not get too bad this time.
Thanks - don't want to over dramatise it. I can usually work around it without too much hassle.

My great uncle really suffered. He got so that he couldn't use any soap. I remember after retiring he would shower 3-4 times a days just in hot water to keep himself clean because he couldn't use soap or deoderant.

Touch wood I have it cracked better than he ever did - I find that if I cycle products I don't build up an intolerance.

B&B has been a major God send in terms of facial irritation. Using different blades, brushes and soaps seems to have reduced problems on my face. - it is also a great excuse for acquisition disorder. Good shaving discipline has helped immeasurably. I just wish I could find a similar approach for the rest of my skin.
 
Good luck with it, Kit. Whatever it is. I hope it passes soon, and doesn't flare up as bad as before.

Have you ruled out seasonal allergies, and elevated white blood cell counts? Someone I know very well suffers rather bizarre symptoms when fighting off infections, and once they've had their initial "attack" they invariably come down with a minor bug or cold. At first, we thought that the attack was compromising the immune system, but now we think it's the other way around.
Interesting points. I will try to monitor.

Obviously is spring and I notice people going down with hay-fever. Not sure how that might affect things.

Probably in truth it is diet related and has been a build up over time.

Or... Another year older... Starting to fall apart. LOL
 
A single pass with the FEATHER ASD2 again this morning. I'm not used to having stubble before lunchtime. It stayed short enough to get me through the day.

Feeling really rough, and sore throat. Al, you might be right about the whole white blood cell / psoriasis thing.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
A single pass with the FEATHER ASD2 again this morning. I'm not used to having stubble before lunchtime. It stayed short enough to get me through the day.

Feeling really rough, and sore throat. Al, you might be right about the whole white blood cell / psoriasis thing.

Or my suggestion led to a psychosomatic reaction :D

Hope it (both actually) blows over quickly, mate. Do keep your eyes/mind open for patterns though. It may well be that the skin issues are a good first indicator to boost your Vit C and zinc levels, or make sure you've a full box of antihistamines in and ready.
 
Yesterday I wanted a closer shave because I had in-person meetings to attend.

I broke out my Rex Ambassador and had a three pass shave on settings 6, 4 and 2 respectively. It resulted in a perfectly close BBS except for a single annoying bristle that I missed by the corner of my mouth which proceeded to bug the life out of me all day.
 
Shave this morning was with a feather ac SS. For me they are one of the gentlest shaving systems, especially if you press down on the lip instead of skin stretching. A good shave. No irritation.
 
Shave this morning was with a feather ac SS. For me they are one of the gentlest shaving systems, especially if you press down on the lip instead of skin stretching. A good shave. No irritation.
I really like mine, although I hardly ever use it these days.
I'll be taking it on vacation in a couple of months.
Weirdly, I'm looking forward to the shaves, as much as the vacation. :001_rolle
 
My edge of choice for the last two days.

Wootz.jpg


Wootz steel razor. In this light you can just make out the water patterns of the wootz. Maybe not the best example but it surely cuts well. It's a very strange steel. The more I use it the sharper it seems to get.

Mitchell's both days. Floris A/S

Tonight I sat back and honed for a bit. I intend to start my coticule testing at some point over the next week.
 
Rogers.jpg


This Joseph Rogers finally took a decent edge. I have had to take more than a couple of runs at it. The edge itself was chipped and had corrosion on and behind it. It is tree topping and shaving nicely now. The edge feel is just right for a coticule edge - comfortable but just sharp enough.

The stone I finally got around to using was my noisy hard La Verte-like bout which is becoming my go to coticule for a consistently good edge.

The only slight niggle (as the observant among you no doubt already noticed) is that the bevel came up very very slightly narrower at the heel on one side, due to the spine width there. It hasn't affected performance but I am better than that and should have kept it straight.

The shave was a textbook BBS.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The only slight niggle (as the observant among you no doubt already noticed) is that the bevel came up very very slightly narrower at the heel on one side, due to the spine width there. It hasn't affected performance but I am better than that and should have kept it straight.

The shave was a textbook BBS.

I'm not that picky. Not saying one shouldn't be, but if I were concerned about the width of the bevel on an old razor Big Nurse wouldn't even let my children visit; I'd be even more insane than I already am. I'm not saying it would drive you crazy nor that it should nor that you're not right.

I like that blade and its scales.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I took the weekend off from shaving and by Monday morning my stubble was thick and dense.

A Dovo Masters, with a very very light refresh on a La Grosse Jaune coticule under running water only and then stropped on canvas and leather, mowed down the growth easily.

The shave lasted well over 24 hours and I might have got away with it today except I have meetings.

Today I shaved with a Mühle Rocca, Big Bruce brush, TOBs Cedarwood. A DE shave afforded the opportunity to bowl lather with a cream - a nice change.

I was a little wary of the Rocca. It can be a bit feisty when there is little grow back. I used @AimlessWanderer 's hover technique in the ATG pass and the result was perfect. I concentrated on shaving the lather rather than the face. A very close shave everywhere with 0 irritation.
 
Top Bottom