The Wanderer's Journey

[AimlessWanderer]

Can’t argue with those cred’s Al. One half inch above the collar when I started in the steel mills. We all grew hair to our shoulders once we got rights. Too little too late. I started to go bald with long hair. I didn’t like the look so I shaved my head. In those years I was either mistaken for a cancer patient or a skin head. I thought it was quite amusing and kept the look.

Bottom line Al. If it ain’t no fun it could be wasting our time.

Maybe you need some more conditioner. I’m trying to think of a heads and shoulders joke?

I couldn't have properly long hair while working. In the latter years, I had it about collar length, but couldn't risk any longer due to working around heavy machinery. I'd gone from working on machinery that made components up to 10 tones, down to machines that only made stuff up to a few hundred kilos, however I was still visiting companies that were making components up to 500 tonnes. Not the kind of stuff you want to get tangled up in

So I'm making the most of not having to worry about entanglement... although I have had a few issues with trapping hair in a jar of jam, and hair getting sucked into the wrong end of the hairdryer

I don't know about conditioner. I'll probably need fertiliser to catch up with my niece. Although I've had many people tell me I have a head full of... fertiliser anway, so maybe that's how my hair got this long!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Last stand of Achilles Last Stand ... or at least the final shave of that small serving. That frees up the dish for a serving of Empress Rising, a 2020 Halloween edition from Phoenix and Beau, which should comfortably see me through Halloween 2021.

I'm settling into the new shaving routine quite comfortably, so far. I have no doubt there will be further tweaks and adjustments as time goes by, and the new shape beard evolves. I only managed to lather once today, with how little soap was left from the previous shave, but there's sufficient residual slickness off those soaps to do some further tidying up with just a wet razor. As such I completed 15 weeks with the Astra Platinum without any lather, and still got a great shave. Yes, that blade is still chugging along.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Edwin Jagger Aloe Vera mug soap today. Great first pass, but on the second, the possibly septegenarian or even octogenarian Astra Platinum felt rough. Very rough. Not quite like shaving with a broken bottle, but like it was one shave away from that. I stopped, stripped the razor, cleaned the blade, flipped it, and reassembled. Good as gold. The rest of the shave went great.

I seem to have confirmed my earlier hypotheses... and formed new ones:

• Excellent lather is needed with a well used blade.
• Edwin Jagger mug soaps are very good, but stop short of excellent.
• Phoenix and Beau soaps are excellent, as is St James of London cream.
• Well used blades need to be free of soap scum to continue to shave well (assuming they have worn smoothly, and haven't chipped out).
• Edwin Jagger mug soaps are more prone to leaving soap scum than Phoenix and Beau.
• Phoenix and Beau is more prone to leaving soap scum than St James of London cream.
• Soap scum prone lathers are still wonderful on newer blades.
• I have no intention of cleaning/handling the blade any more often than is absolutely necessary (due to vision and coordination issues)
• I usually expect a minimum of 10 shaves per blade, and am willing to go 10 or so shaves per clean on longer lived blades.
• There will come a point when I get sick of trying to keep the blade clean, and chasing optimal lather, and will just grab a new blade.
• I'm not there yet.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

A wonderful shave today with the St James of London Black Pepper and Lime. I really enjoy using that stuff, but don't think I'd buy it again. Partially due to the cost, and partially due to the glass jar. Everytime I use it, I'm worried about dropping it, and that's a worry I don't need.

The pewter dish had a good was out (that's patina developing on the lid), and a small serving of the Empress Rising dished out, which will see me though well into next month.

I might dig the badger brush back out soon. I've figured out to lather up and keep the shaving zone free of goatee hair with the synthetics, and want to see if i can do likewise with the natural bristles. It's always better to figure how to use something before you genuinely need it.

The Astra Platinum blade is still shaving, but I am starting to tire of it. I'll probably complete this sixteenth week with it, then treat myself to a new blade. I do miss the feeling of having a fresh blade in the razor.

 

[Cal]

I really enjoy using that stuff, but don't think I'd buy it again. Partially due to the cost, and partially due to the glass jar. Everytime I use it, I'm worried about dropping it, and that's a worry I don't need.

Why not repot it in a plastic jar?

 

[AimlessWanderer]

View attachment 1350366
Why not repot it in a plastic jar?

Laziness

I also never thought to salvage the pot when I threw out the Berry Fields soap. I'll try to remember to look for a suitable sized tupperware next time I go shopping.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

First shave with Empress Rising today. I got the usual excellent performance for this maker's soaps, but the scent didn't particularly reguster today, for whatever reason. Maybe my mind was elsewhere.

The scent description is Frankincense, rose, oakmoss, and cedarwood, and in the dish, it's certainly woody but moody. Maybe it will make its presence better known another day. Soaps do that with me sometimes. One day very noticeable, and on another i'll not notice it missing till the shave is done.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I paid attention to the scent more today. Subtle but pleasant. It's certainly autumnal, but would maybe need to be stronger if it were to capture a real Halloween vibe.

This is not a complaint.

I like to be able to enjoy or ignore scents, at my choosing. While this one currently seems easier to ignore than enjoy, it is still sufficiently noticeable, should I choose to dwell on it. It does also cling to the beard for a while after the shave

Excellent performance as always. As has happened so many times with this blade already, it somehow felt refreshed. I still intend to treat myself to a fresh blade on my birthday though. Tomorrow will mark the completion of the 16th week with this blade, and Tuesday will mark the completion of my 48th lap of the sun. Seems like a good a point as any to swap old for new.

If I were more of a shopper, I think this is a soap I would consider getting a matching post shave product for. I don't often feel that way about soaps. The St James of London Black Pepper and Lime is another. However, I don't like having products depend on each other, or to put it another way, having a post shave that is limited to what soaps it can follow.

The longevity of this blade has been an eye opener. Rediscovering the way blades used to last in years of old, and that it's more likely lather changes than beard changes, that caused the absence of such longevity.

Gels never clung and caused the build up that soaps can. The lanolin in Mitchell's being particularly clingy. However the improvement in shaves, or more specifically, in post shave feel from my soap explorations, more than make up for a shorter lived blade.

I could probably extend blade life on more blades, with more frequent blade cleaning. Nah, not worth it. Too tedious, and increased chance of handling hazards. Plus, I'm not exactly short of blades. It is nice to have that occasional Excalibur blade though.

It's also nice to get that fresh blade feel afterwards again.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

In my experience with them Polsilver SI and Wizamet SI blades last until I get bored with them and put in a new one. The new blade is sharper, but the old blade still worked just as well I think.

I do flip my blades every shave. I also dry them on a towel in a way which might do a bit of DE blade stropping. Other than that all I do is a running hot water rinse. They dry with a loosened handle.

I'm not shaving my head which probably makes a difference. Most all the time I use Vitos Red Cocco.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[AimlessWanderer]

In my experience with them Polsilver SI and Wizamet SI blades last until I get bored with them and put in a new one. The new blade is sharper, but the old blade still worked just as well I think.

I used to feel the same way about the Wilkinson blades, Jim, which I consider my "default", in much the same way the WizzyPollys are for you. Although I probably deviate from that default more often than you. I also rate Astra Platinum as very similar in feel and performance. In my razor, that is. In my razor, Polsilvers (and I therefore assume the Wizzys too) are not a good match.

In fact, I do have distinct memories of ditching one of the "everlasting" Wilkie blades, purely out of boredom, only to find that the new one didn't feel as good.

That happened more than once.

I do flip my blades every shave. I also dry them on a towel in a way which might do a bit of DE blade stropping. Other than that all I do is a running hot water rinse. They dry with a loosened handle.

That's more than I care to do, Jim. But that's purely personal reasons, and I fully appreciate why others may choose to give the blade more attention than I do after each shave. In fact, I would say that I appreciate it more now, following the use of the current blade, and what I learned from it. Your towel drying may go some way to helping avoid any build up on the blade too.

I'm not shaving my head which probably makes a difference. Most all the time I use Vitos Red Cocco.

I don't shave my head either. Shudder the thought. It has taken a long time to get my head hair to almost reach my belly button when straightened.

I do enjoy the modest variety I get from soaps. Although I only keep three soap/cream options live at any time, that's more fluctuation than I have than with razor, blade, or brush.the razor is nearly always the Jagger, the blade only changes when expired, and the soap dictates the brush - assuming I have two in the bathroom, not one. As such, the soap is my only real "free choice" at each shave.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The entirety of my post-shave and preshave blade care takes about 10 seconds, maybe 20 max.

Longer in the Merkur Vision as it's hard to remove the blade.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[AimlessWanderer]

16 weeks complete. Blade aborted. It was a fine shave to finish off the run, assisted by the St James of London Black Pepper and Lime. Back to Wilkies for my next shave.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Phoenix and Beau: Empress Rising
Maggards 22mm synthetic
Wilkinson Sword blade - Shave No.1

Yes, there's a new shave count starting. I want to see if this blade did what the last one did. I'm not necessarily talking about another marathon session that runs for another 70 or 80 shaves, just to see if paying specific attention to soap scum removal makes a significant difference to blade life.

Not that it makes any life changing difference of course. I'd still find it far too tedious to do what I would consider excessive cleaning. Excessive not having a specific value, other than the point at which I find it tedious, or needing me to clean it at a time when my health condition would make it unwise or potentially unsafe. Particularly as swapping a blade for a new one, requires safer handling than cleaning a blade does. So with this blade, I'm willing to tolerate slightly more tediousness than normal. I have probably contradicted myself several times in this paragraph, but I don't care. It's what I'm doing, even if nobody, including me, actually understands any of the drivel I have just typed. I also reserve the right to interpret this drivel in an entirely different way, at any point in future, whenever I choose to do something spontaneous and yet claim it was part of the original plan.

In short, business as usual, albeit potentially slightly different. Unless of course, it isn't. I'll probably lose count at some point anyway.

To assist me in this exercise in futility, I will also be leaving dice in the bathroom to forget to turn, and will continue my lackluster maintenance on this journal, and only posting if I think I have something interesting to add, even if it isn't interesting at all, and makes even less sense than what I have just typed. Once this exercise is complete, or sufficiently off track as to be deemed useless, I will revert back to not counting, and just changing blades whenever I feel like it. This of course renders this entire exercise utterly pointless, as well as excessively tedious, probably conflicting the earlier paragraph even further. Tolerating the additional tediousness, is already proving challenging, as this post in itself is seeming rather pointless and tedious, and this was just the first shave with a fresh blade. So, we're off to a good start.

 

[Cal]

... I don't care. It's what I'm doing, even if nobody, including me, actually understands any of the drivel I have just typed. I also reserve the right to interpret this drivel in an entirely different way, at any point in future, whenever I choose to do something spontaneous and yet claim it was part of the original plan.

Careful Al... I have visions of Big Nurse rushing over and presenting you with a gold star, beaming, patting you on the head, and exclaiming "That's my Boy!"

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Careful Al... I have visions of Big Nurse rushing over and presenting you with a gold star, beaming, patting you on the head, and exclaiming "That's my Boy!"

Nah, she'd probably take one look, and run away, screaming "I wasn't trained for this..."

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Nah, she'd probably take one look, and run away, screaming "I wasn't trained for this..." View attachment 1352953

Ah, you know her so well.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

St James of London: Black Pepper and Lime
DS Cosmetics L.E. badger brush
Wilkinson Sword blade - Shave No.2

Only 15 hours since the last shave, but lingering medication fog, and weariness from yesterday's travels to see family, prompted a need to feel refreshed. The badger has replaced the Kent INF1 for a while.

Badger scrubbiness wasn't specifically needed, but proved useful anyway. Braiding the goatee before shaving, is helping keep the T shape beard footprint (illustrated previously) visible in the shave, but some hair, not long enough to be incorporated in the braid, still gets matted down in the shaving zone. With synthetics, a chiselling type motion is needed, to nudge these aside, but the badger sweeps them aside with ease.

The skin does feel a little bit unnecessarily scrubbed, but that's more likely to be from the early shave, rather than brush choice. Starting the lather in the bowl, as is my method with cream, does a good job of preventing brush burn. If I skipped the bowl loading, and went straight to the face with out distributing the cream amongst the bristles, some level of burn would likely be assured.

A good shave, and I got the refreshed feeling I sought. For no particular reason, Phoenix and Beau Spitfire post shave gel finished the job.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Phoenix and Beau: Empress Rising
DS Cosmetics L.E. badger brush
Wilkinson Sword blade - Shave No.3

Either my badger brush has a twisted sense of humour, or this Halloween soap is haunted.

Yesterday, there was something that I didn't mention, because it didn't strike me as unusual. When I made the lather with the Black Pepper and Lime, I used exactly the same amount of cream as I normally would. pre-measured and loaded from the lather bowl as normal. I therefore foolishly assumed I could load the usual amount of soap.

After loading, I went to paint the lather on, which I would then usually add water to, and coax it to the correct hydration and consistency. Less soap went on the right hand side than usual, and when I got to the left... nothing. Nowt, as we say in this part of the world. I wet the brush again, and loaded more soap.

After the second load, it painted on like normal, so I dipped the bristles, and proceeded to paint water on top of the lather, which resulted in all the soap being wiped off my face. I stared befuddled at my equally clueless reflection, when an enormous blob of lather suddenly appeared on my face.

What followed, was several minutes of trying to lather, with a brush which was collecting lather with the tips, and then emitting it sideways at the base of the knot. Words were firmly spoken, multiple times, but the same behaviour persisted.

I eventually got enough on my face to take a first pass. The lather performance was as excellent as normal, once it was finally where it should be.

The second lathering was slightly better behaved, but it was quite apparent that I had a full brush of lather that it didn't want to part with. However, I coaxed enough into place to shave again.

Shaving whilst befuddled had slightly impaired my own efficiency though, and a third pass was needed. I squeezed the knot to release some lather, painted it roughly into place, and as it was looking slightly richer lather than ideal, I decided to add some more water. This resulted in the brush hoovering the entire lather off my face, leaving it entirely soap free.

Seriously!

Yesterday the brush was an excellent lather application tool, and today, a flawless lather removal tool. I squeezed the knot, to release enough lather for another two passes, and this time the brush only hovered up most of it, leaving me just enough to shave that final pass.

The end result was perfectly fine, with the shaved areas as free of stubble, as my mind was of understanding of what just happened. I decided not to use any post shave gumption, in case it somehow put the stubble back, or make my head turn green and skin round.

What a WEIRD shave!!!

It's not even Halloween yet!

 

[Cal]

What a WEIRD shave!!!

It's not even Halloween yet!

Bear in mind Al, that badger brushes (like other animals) need TRAINING. They don't respond to mindless abuse the same way plastic (synthetic) does.

Much of that learning is due to the trainer discovering the trainee's individual quirks and similarities compared to its brethren, and tailoring them to suit the training goal. Like all good training, it takes a little while (i.e. instant gratification unlikely). And, as in all training scenarios, the competent trainer will learn more than the trainee.

That's just my tuppenceworth.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Bear in mind Al, that badger brushes (like other animals) need TRAINING. They don't respond to mindless abuse the same way plastic (synthetic) does.

Much of that learning is due to the trainer discovering the trainee's individual quirks and similarities compared to its brethren, and tailoring them to suit the training goal. Like all good training, it takes a little while (i.e. instant gratification unlikely). And, as in all training scenarios, the competent trainer will learn more than the trainee.

That's just my tuppenceworth.

I don't doubt any of that, Cal. It just seemed particularly quirky, having immediately followed a distinctly "ordinary" lathering experience with the same brush. It may well prove to be that the nuances vary according to what product is being used, or I inadvertently did something different today, which I haven't identified yet.