A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

[Flanders]

Hi Guido, I want you to be able to give the B&M a fair chance, it’s not performing the way it should. Clearly the puck has dried out too much, but you do need to be careful going forward as this is the soap base that gets moldy if not dried between uses. All that said, you need some very hot, not boiling, water and some time before your shave. Put a thin film on there early and check if it lather after a bit. It probably won’t, you will need to dump the water and repeat a few times. If this doesn’t do it, your last resort is scraping a thin layer off the surface… don’t throw it out though! You can smoosh it into a cup and try the hot water on it another time. With a fresh surface on the puck and some hot water it is nearly guaranteed to lather! If not, my condolences on your loss, LOL.

 

[Guido75]

Thanks Aaron @APBinNCA - I think that is indeed the case: it has been sitting in my cabinet since June without seeing much daylight. I think I had one or two shaves with it using a spoon to scrap off some of the top. So I assume it is very dry by now.

I am a soap per month guy by now and so I intend to use it for the remainder of December and for January as well. Which I hope will prevent mold from developing (after reading in other threads too about that I thought it was time to start using it!).

So will use some blooming tomorrow to see what happens.

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Guido75]

Christmas Day. Merry Christmas everyone!

Date	25.12.2023
365 daily shaves	358/365
DecemBOAR	23/31
DEcember	25/31
Lasta’s Blade Stash	10/32

Razor	Blade	Brush
Lambda Athena	Gillette Super Stainless (16)	Omega Pro 10098
Preshave	Soap	Postshave
Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave	Barrister + Mann Leviathan	Cold splash Aftershave Balm

Passes	WTG XTG ATG and touch up
Efficiency (details here)	Quality / My process
8/10 (~20m)	10/10 (Clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort / Blade condition
8.75/10 (BBS-)	11/10 (GlideFest)

Notes:

Summary. A perfect shave to kickoff Christmas Day. All actors in todays shave gave a great performance!

Razor and blade. There is enough said about this razor and I think it’s all true. For me it is the beauty combined with the results that make this a top performer. There is an opportunity to get a Blackbird from a local site, but I haven’t followed through. If I look at the specs from Kickstarter this razor is in the same ballpark as my Greencult 2 and Karve CB. Or maybe I don’t want to know because it might ruin my experience with my other razors.

Or I am just not looking for a two pass razor as I like shaving too much. Also read the Ares is as efficient as the Blackbird with comfort added into the mix. Comfort is what I want more than anything in a razor. I blame @walpan for his raving reviews in getting me to consider the Ares rather than the Blackbird. This morning I woke up thinking of cancelling my order to be honest. I feel somewhat bluesy from my earlier post that there are only so many shaves (left) I can have with each razor. I am reading too much into this I am sure, or I need to hold back on my statistical mindset. And I have been thinking about my rotation. I might use less razors in 2024. So my new plan is to live at least to be a 100!

Back on topic the blade is still performing and as far as I am concerned will survive Christmas. Good glide this morning and equal performance. I think the honing had some effect amping it up again.

Brush and lather. Given the status of lather making with this soap the Omega is very up for the job. Following the suggestions of @APBinNCA I let the soap bloom a little (with cold water not hot) thereby moisturising the soap. This did have an effect. Still a marshmellowy type of lather, but better consistency than yesterday. Slightly disappearing on the third pass, but with a little more added water it came back to live - at least sufficiently so. Still performing very well.

Technique. I felt like changing this up today after seeing @kopasas in his English video of the Ares. So I did the WTG using my beloved Gillette Slide I used for most of my shaving beginings in 2021/2022. The Athena is fabulous steep with a Gillette Slide. XTG and ATG were consistent with what I do nowadays.

Enjoy your shave!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I feel somewhat bluesy from my earlier post that there are only so many shaves (left) I can have with each razor. I am reading too much into this I am sure

I went through similar mind wobbles, when I realised I had more blades than I'll ever use, of how few times a year I'll use any of my brushes. It will pass. Be present. Focus on now. How much stuff you have, and how often it's been used ten years from now, matters not. Just make the next shave as good as it can be.

Merry Christmas buddy.

 

[Eric_75]

Also read the Ares is as efficient as the Blackbird with comfort added into the mix. Comfort is what I want more than anything in a razor. I blame @walpan for his raving reviews in getting me to consider the Ares rather than the Blackbird. This morning I woke up thinking of cancelling my order to be honest. I feel somewhat bluesy from my earlier post that there are only so many shaves (left) I can have with each razor. I am reading too much into this I am sure, or I need to hold back on my statistical mindset. And I have been thinking about my rotation. I might use less razors in 2024. So my new plan is to live at least to be a 100!

I get excellent shaves from my Ares.

 

[JAHE]

I went through similar mind wobbles, when I realised I had more blades than I'll ever use, of how few times a year I'll use any of my brushes. It will pass. Be present. Focus on now. How much stuff you have, and how often it's been used ten years from now, matters not. Just make the next shave as good as it can be.

Merry Christmas buddy.

That's the spirit (of us addicted)!
Merry Christmas! ️

 

[Guido75]

Just make the next shave as good as it can be.

That’s right Al! Tomorrow will be a fantastic shave as I unwrap a Christmas present from the LOTH: Gillette Red Tip!

Thanks @Eric_75 for chipping in. I think it will be great the longer I think about it. My son already called it a heirloom razor.

And thanks Guido @JAHE for a different view. Helped! Simply enjoy what I have rather than what I don’t have! Sometimes the obvious stares you in the face and you still don’t see it. What greater place than B&B where likeminded gentlemen can help you out!

Love you guys!!

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Butch Waxx]

Christmas Day. Merry Christmas everyone!

Date	25.12.2023
365 daily shaves	358/365
DecemBOAR	23/31
DEcember	25/31
Lasta’s Blade Stash	10/32

Razor	Blade	Brush
Lambda Athena	Gillette Super Stainless (16)	Omega Pro 10098
Preshave	Soap	Postshave
Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave	Barrister + Mann Leviathan	Cold splash Aftershave Balm

Passes	WTG XTG ATG and touch up
Efficiency (details here)	Quality / My process
8/10 (~20m)	10/10 (Clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort / Blade condition
8.75/10 (BBS-)	11/10 (GlideFest)

Notes:

Summary. A perfect shave to kickoff Christmas Day. All actors in todays shave gave a great performance!

Razor and blade. There is enough said about this razor and I think it’s all true. For me it is the beauty combined with the results that make this a top performer. There is an opportunity to get a Blackbird from a local site, but I haven’t followed through. If I look at the specs from Kickstarter this razor is in the same ballpark as my Greencult 2 and Karve CB. Or maybe I don’t want to know because it might ruin my experience with my other razors.

Or I am just not looking for a two pass razor as I like shaving too much. Also read the Ares is as efficient as the Blackbird with comfort added into the mix. Comfort is what I want more than anything in a razor. I blame @walpan for his raving reviews in getting me to consider the Ares rather than the Blackbird. This morning I woke up thinking of cancelling my order to be honest. I feel somewhat bluesy from my earlier post that there are only so many shaves (left) I can have with each razor. I am reading too much into this I am sure, or I need to hold back on my statistical mindset. And I have been thinking about my rotation. I might use less razors in 2024. So my new plan is to live at least to be a 100!

Back on topic the blade is still performing and as far as I am concerned will survive Christmas. Good glide this morning and equal performance. I think the honing had some effect amping it up again.

Brush and lather. Given the status of lather making with this soap the Omega is very up for the job. Following the suggestions of @APBinNCA I let the soap bloom a little (with cold water not hot) thereby moisturising the soap. This did have an effect. Still a marshmellowy type of lather, but better consistency than yesterday. Slightly disappearing on the third pass, but with a little more added water it came back to live - at least sufficiently so. Still performing very well.

Technique. I felt like changing this up today after seeing @kopasas in his English video of the Ares. So I did the WTG using my beloved Gillette Slide I used for most of my shaving beginings in 2021/2022. The Athena is fabulous steep with a Gillette Slide. XTG and ATG were consistent with what I do nowadays.

Enjoy your shave!

Love those “perfect shaves” Guido!

 

[Guido75]

Thanks @Butch Waxx - you actually kept the Blackbird and culled the Lambda(s?), right? Better still you now have more than one if I recall correctly. What gave the nod to the Blackbird for you?

Thanks,

Guido

 

[Butch Waxx]

Thanks @Butch Waxx - you actually kept the Blackbird and culled the Lambda(s?), right? Better still you now have more than one if I recall correctly. What gave the nod to the Blackbird for you?

Thanks,

Guido

That’s correct Guido…I had both the Athena and the Ares and thought at that time, (and still do), they were two of the most visually stunning razors I had seen. I also liked the performance as I always had really good shaves from both. But much like players on a team, some are kept longer than others, some traded, and some get injured. I simply decided to trade these Lamda beauties for the Blackbird Ti. I really prefer the lightness and maneuverability of this razor along with the smoothness and efficiency. Does not mean I did not like the Lamdas however. The Blackbird just “fancied” more at this time.

 

[Guido75]

Thanks for the detailed response @Butch Waxx. Appreciated!

Guido

 

[walpan]

Christmas Day. Merry Christmas everyone!

Date	25.12.2023
365 daily shaves	358/365
DecemBOAR	23/31
DEcember	25/31
Lasta’s Blade Stash	10/32

Razor	Blade	Brush
Lambda Athena	Gillette Super Stainless (16)	Omega Pro 10098
Preshave	Soap	Postshave
Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave	Barrister + Mann Leviathan	Cold splash Aftershave Balm

Passes	WTG XTG ATG and touch up
Efficiency (details here)	Quality / My process
8/10 (~20m)	10/10 (Clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort / Blade condition
8.75/10 (BBS-)	11/10 (GlideFest)

Notes:

Summary. A perfect shave to kickoff Christmas Day. All actors in todays shave gave a great performance!

Razor and blade. There is enough said about this razor and I think it’s all true. For me it is the beauty combined with the results that make this a top performer. There is an opportunity to get a Blackbird from a local site, but I haven’t followed through. If I look at the specs from Kickstarter this razor is in the same ballpark as my Greencult 2 and Karve CB. Or maybe I don’t want to know because it might ruin my experience with my other razors.

Or I am just not looking for a two pass razor as I like shaving too much. Also read the Ares is as efficient as the Blackbird with comfort added into the mix. Comfort is what I want more than anything in a razor. I blame @walpan for his raving reviews in getting me to consider the Ares rather than the Blackbird. This morning I woke up thinking of cancelling my order to be honest. I feel somewhat bluesy from my earlier post that there are only so many shaves (left) I can have with each razor. I am reading too much into this I am sure, or I need to hold back on my statistical mindset. And I have been thinking about my rotation. I might use less razors in 2024. So my new plan is to live at least to be a 100!

Back on topic the blade is still performing and as far as I am concerned will survive Christmas. Good glide this morning and equal performance. I think the honing had some effect amping it up again.

Brush and lather. Given the status of lather making with this soap the Omega is very up for the job. Following the suggestions of @APBinNCA I let the soap bloom a little (with cold water not hot) thereby moisturising the soap. This did have an effect. Still a marshmellowy type of lather, but better consistency than yesterday. Slightly disappearing on the third pass, but with a little more added water it came back to live - at least sufficiently so. Still performing very well.

Technique. I felt like changing this up today after seeing @kopasas in his English video of the Ares. So I did the WTG using my beloved Gillette Slide I used for most of my shaving beginings in 2021/2022. The Athena is fabulous steep with a Gillette Slide. XTG and ATG were consistent with what I do nowadays.

Enjoy your shave!

HaHa. Guido, I will not apologize. The Ares V2 is fantastic. I also have the Blackbird Ti and it is also a great tool. It is light and maneuverable but I don't get the same pleasure shaving with it as I do with the Ares. If you are worried about having too many razors and not being able to give sufficient time to the Ares, get rid of you other non-Lambda razors. Easy solution and you will never regret it. I stand by what I have previously said, the Ares is ONE FANTASTIC RAZOR.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

 

[Guido75]

HaHa. Guido, I will not apologize.

No worries my friend! I actually value your insights. Together with statements made by @Mr. Shavington it at least fills my convincer that I have made the right decision.

As for calling the herd - the strategy so far has been the Hotel California of Shaving. Rules check in, but they never leave. At least not at present anyways.

I do feel I am nearing the end of the journey in getting more and more. I have one razor left that I really want to try, but I have agreed with my gracious B&B seller to push that forward to 2024. If all goes well this razor will live up to its name for me!

Thank you again!! And Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones as well!

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Phoenixkh]

Guido,

I'm sitting on the sidelines here, not having an Ares or a BlackBird Ti.... but wondering if the root of the concern isn't the Razor Rotation Anxiety rearing its head. I've been pondering other approaches you could adopt instead of trying to give every team player equal time. Butch's analogy seems appropriate. With any team, there are stand out performers who get the most playing time, consistently. There are specialty players, players that come off the bench in given situations and a whole host of variants.

I'm not sure which approach would work better for your accountant mind, but I think you will be able to find a way to organize your razors in a way that lets you enjoy them all.... but perhaps not in a strict rotation where each razor is deemed to have equal standing. I'm not sure if any of this is making sense.... but mapping out how many times each of your current razors will be used throughout the rest of your life doesn't seem to be bringing you that inner peace most of us seek.

If any of this makes sense to you, perhaps you could toss the idea around in your mind in this week between Christmas and the New Year celebrations to see if any fresh ideas present themselves to you. You never know..... some of your razors might give a sigh of relief, knowing they won't have to perform as often and can enjoy their semi-retired status. <eg>

If I'm overstepping here, I apologize. I know your razor rotation anxiety is a real thing. I hate to see it affect the fun you are having and am hoping your analytical mind will find a path that enables you to relax, yet remain organized in a way that pleases you.

 

[Jay21]

Merry Christmas, Guido!

 

[huck1680]

You know what I like? Well, sit right back and lemme tell ya what I like.
I like NOT knowing what I'm going to shave with until the day before.
Then I choose the razor/brush/ soap and accompanying accoutrements accordingly.
I shave and it's great because I know how many shaves are on the blade and act in accordance.
I also kinda like looking and seeing a razor I haven't used for a bit. The choice is easy.
When I get a new razor I do spend more time with it to get a good feel for and appreciation for its qualities.
That's not too hard because right now I have 14 razors so that aint too hard to rotate through...they are all very patient

 

[Butch Waxx]

You know what I like? Well, sit right back and lemme tell ya what I like.
I like NOT knowing what I'm going to shave with until the day before.
Then I choose the razor/brush/ soap and accompanying accoutrements accordingly.
I shave and it's great because I know how many shaves are on the blade and act in accordance.
I also kinda like looking and seeing a razor I haven't used for a bit. The choice is easy.
When I get a new razor I do spend more time with it to get a good feel for and appreciation for its qualities.
That's not too hard because right now I have 14 razors so that aint too hard to rotate through...they are all very patient

Well said @huck1680 …..You however plan better than I do as typically my lineup is not known until I start filling the sink with hot water.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I usually shave in the evenings, though today is an exception because we are headed down to our son's place in St. Petersburg for Christmas Day...and will be there tomorrow to watch our new granddaughter while his wife heads off for a complete Spa Day.. one of his Christmas presents to her.

So during the day or days, since I don't shave every day, one of my razors will call out to me, begging to be used. I have a set brush rotation, so that's easy... and soaps? They are all unscented so it hasn't mattered much, but I used Mike's Unscented for the first time last shave and it was such a nice surprise, I'll be using it for a while.

I might just use my bronze La Faulx today for the sheer joy of it. <eg> *

 

[huck1680]

Well said @huck1680 …..You however plan better than I do as typically my lineup is not known until I start filling the sink with hot water.

And that is exactly what I used to do as well. But then I thought..."Why not spend a bit of time and be prepared" as the BoyScout saying goes or went. Merry Xmas to you!

 

[Guido75]

If I'm overstepping here, I apologize.

Dear Kim, you are totally stepping in a wanted way. Your response is very thoughtful and welcomed in this journal.

I know your razor rotation anxiety is a real thing.

Thanks for literally reminding me. That is exactly what is going on here! I hadn't thought about it for a while, but yes that is it. And fortunately, I checked the local site this evening to find that the Blackbird was gone. Better this way.

but perhaps not in a strict rotation where each razor is deemed to have equal standing. I'm not sure if any of this is making sense

Great minds think alike Kim. I was thinking in the same direction, but you are on point here when you mention 'equal standing'. I hadn't factored in yet what my preferences are in my collection. It is not just a numbers game by flipping over to the razors I have used the least and give them more attention. This is as much about which razors I like more than others.

You were so strong in the beginning by letting a couple of beautiful Gillettes go because you felt they deserved more love. Utmost respect for your conduct there Kim. I am not at that point (yet anyway) in part because I also believe my son should have an opportunity later on to try them all as well. Or said differently I will leave the culling over to him <eg>.

There were multiple times in my short shaving career I should have stopped collecting/hoarding. Somehow especially this year around June all breaks were off. And then again, I thoroughly enjoyed finding a couple of gems in odd places. Or receiving other gems from fellow brothers. I open my cabinet with the greatest of smiles every morning to get that morning's razor and brush out to the bathroom (I usually choose them the night before and put everything ready in the bathroom just before heading to bed - similar to @huck1680).

You never know..... some of your razors might give a sigh of relief, knowing they won't have to perform as often and can enjoy their semi-retired status. <eg>

Haha Hadn't thought about that either! I do know one razor that will never be semi-retired. My Ti95. Still my favourite overall razor.

So indeed something to think about this last week and be ready for 2024. Might as well get started!

Your post is exactly what I love about B&B. We might be world's apart, but when we check in it feels like have a cup of tea with friends, discussing life, our challenges and helping each other out with a kind word, a gesture or a suggestion.

Thanks again my friend!

Cheers,

Guido.