The Daily Double

[Flintstone65]

@Twelvefret -- I love your Goodwill!!! I got a couple of them from Dan (aka Hannah's Dad) many months ago and I'm ashamed to say that I carefully tucked them away without having tried them yet. So much came in when I caught the SE bug. I'll dig them both out (two-different styles) and introduce them here.

 

[ChrisPL68]

Gillette LC, MMCP, Boar, Moss Hill blue for men.

 

[Twelvefret]

@Twelvefret -- I love your Goodwill!!! I got a couple of them from Dan (aka Hannah's Dad) many months ago and I'm ashamed to say that I carefully tucked them away without having tried them yet. So much came in when I caught the SE bug. I'll dig them both out (two-different styles) and introduce them here.

How can you stand to get a new razor and not immediately give it a try....LOL!!!You are more disciplined that I!!

 

[Twelvefret]

Gillette LC, MMCP, Boar, Moss Hill blue for men.

View attachment 993532

You tha man, Chris!!

 

[ChrisPL68]

You tha man, Chris!!

You the man!!

 

[Flintstone65]

How can you stand to get a new razor and not immediately give it a try....LOL!!!You are more disciplined that I!!

I don't think I'd call it disciplined....I'm not sure what I'd call it....It's more like Razor Attention Deficit Disorder (RADD). Every time I think I've got more than enough and tried all that I could (or should), I discover another razor and it's off to the races. I keep saying that one day I'm going to do a BST and clean house -- keep only those things I've tried and thoroughly love, but then more razors come in. Oh well.....with the Daily Double (maybe Triple), perhaps I can start making some progress.

 

[GAW9576]

Today's Daily Double
Hot towel and Noxzema pre.
Mer shaving Fougere orange on two band badger.
Gem Featherweight deluxe with Gem SS ptfe 1st lighty palm stropped for first pass WTG
Gillette tech with Feather Hi stainless 1st for second pass ATG and cleanup.
Whitchazle and Tolsom aftershave splash.

 

[Tanuki]

DD razor war and peace

I joined in the Goodwill groove for today’s triple. To set the scene for my Black Hills Gold replated Goodwill I brought in my New Improved from a wild-caught Red and Black set and a Probak that arrived via BST. Sustainably sourced, one and all.

I am not a legal/corporate historian, but I think the Goodwill descended from the Probak after the patent fight/merger/executive succession at Gillette. They both require a loaded blade to pull the cap, base, and handle into alignment.

Shower prep
Razors
Goodwill gold replate R side
Probak zamak innovator L side
New Improved touchup
Blade Rapira Platinum Lux (6)
Soap Speick stick
Brush no name boar from The Superior Shave

The heavy hardware:

The first wave:

This was my first shave with the Speick. The face lather was very slick and protective, but not very soft, full, or cushiony. It leaves some residue on the blade, but not as much as Arko. Frankly I prefer the bold barbershop scent of Arko, but the Speick is a fine way to change it up and still get a good face lather. One more soap open on the shelf!

I got the shave to CCS, called it good. Plenty of alum sting, so I banked the blade. I usually get more shaves out of these blades, but this one endured a lot of shuttling between razors.

Nice to see all the DDs getting posted! They help inspire razor choices from my ever-increasing flock.

 

[Flintstone65]

DD razor war and peace

I joined in the Goodwill groove for today’s triple. To set the scene for my Black Hills Gold replated Goodwill I brought in my New Improved from a wild-caught Red and Black set and a Probak that arrived via BST. Sustainably sourced, one and all.

I am not a legal/corporate historian, but I think the Goodwill descended from the Probak after the patent fight/merger/executive succession at Gillette. They both require a loaded blade to pull the cap, base, and handle into alignment.

Shower prep
Razors
Goodwill gold replate R side
Probak zamak innovator L side
New Improved touchup
Blade Rapira Platinum Lux (6)
Soap Speick stick
Brush no name boar from The Superior Shave

The heavy hardware:
View attachment 993771
The first wave:View attachment 993770

This was my first shave with the Speick. The face lather was very slick and protective, but not very soft, full, or cushiony. It leaves some residue on the blade, but not as much as Arko. Frankly I prefer the bold barbershop scent of Arko, but the Speick is a fine way to change it up and still get a good face lather. One more soap open on the shelf!

I got the shave to CCS, called it good. Plenty of alum sting, so I banked the blade. I usually get more shaves out of these blades, but this one endured a lot of shuttling between razors.

Nice to see all the DDs getting posted! They help inspire razor choices from my ever-increasing flock.

Gorgeous razors....truly!!! You can really see AutoStrop's influence on that Probak handle. And I picked up some Speick cream a while back from the BST -- it works well as a cream, and much like Arko, the scent wasn't initially pleasing to me; but then I used a few more times, and now I've discovered I like it!!! My tastes seem to be like the weather -- don't like something, give it some time and suddenly my mind has changed. My preference runs to Arko over Speick; and when it comes to creams, I'm a bigger fan of Palmolive than Speick. And I'm more of a Tabac guy than any of those....wait, did anyone even ask? Enough about me....did you have a fave out of the 3 during the shave -- or was it too close to call?

 

[Twelvefret]

DD razor war and peace

I joined in the Goodwill groove for today’s triple. To set the scene for my Black Hills Gold replated Goodwill I brought in my New Improved from a wild-caught Red and Black set and a Probak that arrived via BST. Sustainably sourced, one and all.

I am not a legal/corporate historian, but I think the Goodwill descended from the Probak after the patent fight/merger/executive succession at Gillette. They both require a loaded blade to pull the cap, base, and handle into alignment.

Shower prep
Razors
Goodwill gold replate R side
Probak zamak innovator L side
New Improved touchup
Blade Rapira Platinum Lux (6)
Soap Speick stick
Brush no name boar from The Superior Shave

The heavy hardware:
View attachment 993771
The first wave:View attachment 993770

This was my first shave with the Speick. The face lather was very slick and protective, but not very soft, full, or cushiony. It leaves some residue on the blade, but not as much as Arko. Frankly I prefer the bold barbershop scent of Arko, but the Speick is a fine way to change it up and still get a good face lather. One more soap open on the shelf!

I got the shave to CCS, called it good. Plenty of alum sting, so I banked the blade. I usually get more shaves out of these blades, but this one endured a lot of shuttling between razors.

Nice to see all the DDs getting posted! They help inspire razor choices from my ever-increasing flock.

I read member say the Goodwill was made from left over parts. Seems they went to a lot of Art Deco trouble with the #162 and #164. Love them and they shave as well as any in my Gillette Collection.

 

[Tanuki]

did you have a fave out of the 3 during the shave -- or was it too close to call?

The New Improved won it this time for me, but based on past performance the Goodwill would be at least in a photo-finish if I was shaving regularly with it.

The Probak is too much of a museum piece (and exhibiting some zamak degradation) to get enough face time for a fair judgement. It is a fine shaver, but not built for the ages. I like having that little bit of history in the archive.

 

[ChrisPL68]

Gillette President 1953 Y-1, Pomco slant, KMF pre-shave, Moss Hill Bourbon soap, boar brush.

 

[Tanuki]

DD shaving on the chaotic edge

I blame @Twelvefret for setting a bad example by doubling down consistently with straights. I tell myself (truthfully) that I don’t have time for a dive down the straight razor rabbit hole. But hey, I’m a tanuki. What about one little kamisori? How could that hurt? (Rhetorical question, we all know the answer to that last one.)

So....

The arena
Improvised leather bench strop
Edge inspection station (with pocket microscope)
Left forearm (you didn’t think I’d start with my face!)
Cheeks
Neck
Razors
Henkotsu “shave-ready” kamisori
PAA Ascension DOC Alu
Soaps
Arko and my magical BOSC Special Reserve AC
Lather tools
Fingers
Omega 10066

Naked eye inspection dealt a serious blow to my faith in the kamisori’s shave readiness. In keeping with my profound desire not to spend several hundred dollars and an equivalent number of months buying gear and learning honing and stropping, I did my B&B research, visited YouTube, grabbed a likely leather piece from the supply in the shop, and stropped like a newbie.

Pocket microscope inspection back at razor central almost scared me back out of my shallow rabbit hole, but fortune favors the impatient. Once more into the shave den!

Left forearm got a thorough slathering with the Arko stick and a vigorous massage. And the kami comfortably shaved actual arm hair ATG! Soft, yielding, virginal arm hair.

Being readier to disfigure my debonair physiognomy than slit my throat, next up were the cheeks. Arko, soapy massage, a little face lathering with the brush... Anything to delay the moment of truth. For whatever reason, I picked S-N ATG and went charging in, much the same way I charge into a cold lake for a bracing swim. Really sloooowwwly, with a great deal of timidity.

Slow short strokes, lots of tugging, the perfect synthesis of the unready tool wielded by the unsteady hand. But no blood, not even a nick! Actual whiskers have been removed! Euphoria! On to the right cheek!

Same deal. The fugitive thought... “alum’s gonna HURT”. But there is no turning back now. Change soap for more smooth. As if. Scan for the easiest accessed patch of neck territory. Target acquired. Scrape off the minimum allowable quota of whiskers. Panic briefly. I’ve certainly sliced myself. False alarm. But I’m already back to base, loading a lovely fresh, sharp, friendly, familiar Nacet DE blade into the Ascension.

Cover all the territory to CCS standard. ALUM’S GONNA HURT!!!

Alum hurts. I’ve calibrated the alum pain scale turned up to 11.

But I’m not only alive, I’m not even bleeding.

 

[Twelvefret]

DD shaving on the chaotic edge

I blame @Twelvefret for setting a bad example by doubling down consistently with straights. I tell myself (truthfully) that I don’t have time for a dive down the straight razor rabbit hole. But hey, I’m a tanuki. What about one little kamisori? How could that hurt? (Rhetorical question, we all know the answer to that last one.)

So....

The arena
Improvised leather bench strop
Edge inspection station (with pocket microscope)
Left forearm (you didn’t think I’d start with my face!)
Cheeks
Neck
Razors
Henkotsu “shave-ready” kamisori
PAA Ascension DOC Alu
Soaps
Arko and my magical BOSC Special Reserve AC
Lather tools
Fingers
Omega 10066

View attachment 994023

Naked eye inspection dealt a serious blow to my faith in the kamisori’s shave readiness. In keeping with my profound desire not to spend several hundred dollars and an equivalent number of months buying gear and learning honing and stropping, I did my B&B research, visited YouTube, grabbed a likely leather piece from the supply in the shop, and stropped like a newbie.

Pocket microscope inspection back at razor central almost scared me back out of my shallow rabbit hole, but fortune favors the impatient. Once more into the shave den!

Left forearm got a thorough slathering with the Arko stick and a vigorous massage. And the kami comfortably shaved actual arm hair ATG! Soft, yielding, virginal arm hair.

Being readier to disfigure my debonair physiognomy than slit my throat, next up were the cheeks. Arko, soapy massage, a little face lathering with the brush... Anything to delay the moment of truth. For whatever reason, I picked S-N ATG and went charging in, much the same way I charge into a cold lake for a bracing swim. Really sloooowwwly, with a great deal of timidity.

Slow short strokes, lots of tugging, the perfect synthesis of the unready tool wielded by the unsteady hand. But no blood, not even a nick! Actual whiskers have been removed! Euphoria! On to the right cheek!

Same deal. The fugitive thought... “alum’s gonna HURT”. But there is no turning back now. Change soap for more smooth. As if. Scan for the easiest accessed patch of neck territory. Target acquired. Scrape off the minimum allowable quota of whiskers. Panic briefly. I’ve certainly sliced myself. False alarm. But I’m already back to base, loading a lovely fresh, sharp, friendly, familiar Nacet DE blade into the Ascension.

Cover all the territory to CCS standard. ALUM’S GONNA HURT!!!

Alum hurts. I’ve calibrated the alum pain scale turned up to 11.

But I’m not only alive, I’m not even bleeding.

Brother Tanuki, the tugging may be from too steep of a blade angle or too dry lather, or both. Lay it flat and keep it flat.

 

[Tanuki]

Brother Tanuki, the tugging may be from too steep of a blade angle or too dry lather, or both. Lay it flat and keep it flat.

My “healthy respect” (extreme cowardice is the technical term) didn’t allow anything other than a perfectly flat blade angle. The concavity of parts of the neck geometry seemed to require an angle greater than zero, but I immediately bailed after raising the spine a fraction and promptly thinking I had cut myself. I’m convinced the kami needs to be sharper before I try again. Even where whiskers were sparse and the blade moved smoothly, the shave was very rough.

 

[Twelvefret]

My “healthy respect” (extreme cowardice is the technical term) didn’t allow anything other than a perfectly flat blade angle. The concavity of parts of the neck geometry seemed to require an angle greater than zero, but I immediately bailed after raising the spine a fraction and promptly thinking I had cut myself. I’m convinced the kami needs to be sharper before I try again. Even where whiskers were sparse and the blade moved smoothly, the shave was very rough.

In the spirt of this forum and if you reside within the CONUS, I will send you an exceptional shave ready straight. This razor was a gift from my SR mentor when I was getting started. It would be a pleasure to pay it forward to you, sir.

 

[ChrisPL68]

Gillette Old Pocket 1916, '46/'47 Aristocrat, Astra SP & 7 O'clock Green, Yardley soap, Made Rite #44 TGN silvertip.

 

[Tanuki]

In the spirt of this forum and if you reside within the CONUS, I will send you an exceptional shave ready straight. This razor was a gift from my SR mentor when I was getting started. It would be a pleasure to pay it forward to you, sir.

[Tanuki tugs collar, emits audible GULP, breaks into a cold sweat] ...and accepts. That is a very fine offer and I appreciate it.

TL,DR PM to follow when I collect my thoughts. Thank you!

 

[Twelvefret]

New old first generation BMMOC with modern Feather SS

 

[Twelvefret]

[Tanuki tugs collar, emits audible GULP, breaks into a cold sweat] ...and accepts. That is a very fine offer and I appreciate it.

TL,DR PM to follow when I collect my thoughts. Thank you!

Okay then I will strop on diamond/balsa followed by linen and horse hide before shipping out.

You may want to get acquainted with @steveclarkus as a resource for honing and maintaining a SR. We can also recommend a seller of fine and restored razors. Steve is a generous and devoted friend of mine.