A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

[Guido75]

20.06.22​

• 20/30 days in GRUME June (66.67% completed and still in! Two thirds gentleman and we are going strong!)
• 19/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 170/171 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Started a new run with a Tiger Platinum today. After yesterday's shave I wanted to tone things down, so I used my Picollo with the Gentile baseplate. But that did not do the shaving results any good, so after three passes I switched to the Open Comb plate instead and got a very decent BBS- level. Everything else was the usual and so performance-wise all was well.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Gentile followed by Open Comb
Blade:	Tiger Platinum (1)
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Cream:	Proraso Green
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	8.0/10 BBS-

Have a Great day everyone

 

[thombrogan]

Having read your 20/6 entry in the High Efficiency June thread, I was worried. Very glad to read the open comb brought your baby home

 

[Guido75]

Having read your 20/6 entry in the High Efficiency June thread, I was worried. Very glad to read the open comb brought your baby home

Yeah no worries my friend. It was just that: not efficient. So just a dent in my track record, not the face! .

Thanks for your support!

Cheers,

Guido

 

[Guido75]

21.06.22​

• 21/30 days in GRUME June (70% completed and still in!!)
• 20/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 171/172 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Experimented with my Frankenrazor today - the GilleTip - KCG razor with a Gentile baseplate. Used a Dorco ST300HQ for the fifth time. The combination worked out pretty well and very efficient. Three passes and a touch up pass and really smooth. Not BBS but close enough. Everything else was the usual and so performance-wise all was well.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	KCG with Fatip Gentile baseplate
Blade:	Dorco ST300HQ (5)
Brush:	Razorock Plissoft 400 Aluminium
Cream:	Proraso Green
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

22.06.22​

• 22/30 days in GRUME June (73.33% completed and still in!!)
• 21/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 172/173 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

A very nice shave for an 11th time with the KCG blade. I 3017-ed my Proraso Green tub today, but the final bit of the soap did not perform - it simply refused to lather so I switched to The AlphaMen 2.0 and did a face lather. Everything went smoothly downhill from there. Three pass shave with no hassle, no irritation and no nicks, cuts or weepers. Very nice DFS finish with BBS characteristics.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (11)
Brush:	Omega Proraso Board
Cream:	Proraso Green / The AlphaMen 2.0
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (1) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Executive Man
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Butch Waxx]

22.06.22​

• 22/30 days in GRUME June (73.33% completed and still in!!)
• 21/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 172/173 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

A very nice shave for an 11th time with the KCG blade. I 3017-ed my Proraso Green tub today, but the final bit of the soap did not perform - it simply refused to lather so I switched to The AlphaMen 2.0 and did a face lather. Everything went smoothly downhill from there. Three pass shave with no hassle, no irritation and no nicks, cuts or weepers. Very nice DFS finish with BBS characteristics.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (11)
Brush:	Omega Proraso Board
Cream:	Proraso Green / The AlphaMen 2.0
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (1) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Executive Man
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

Great shave Guido. Glad to see no irritation with shave 11 on that KCG!

 

[Guido75]

Great shave Guido. Glad to see no irritation with shave 11 on that KCG!

A first with this blade! I took it to 10 once and was still on a 7 day max mindset so I retired the blade once I realised I surpassed my 7 days. Go figure! But now excellent performance and counting.

Best,

Guido

 

[Guido75]

23.06.22​

• 23/30 days in GRUME June (76.67% completed and still in!!)
• 22/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 173/174 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

New soap today and it lathered up nicely. Still need to dial in the right amount, but in all soft on the skin, great post-shave feel and nice not too overly present scent. Took the Tiger Platinum for another spin. Shave had a slightly rougher feel to it, but not to uncomfortable levels. I have had this feel before, but usually the blade performs quite well and I like it very much. Efficiency wise I had to use the regular four passes to get to near BBS. No hassle, no irritation and no nicks, cuts or weepers. Very nice DFS finish with BBS characteristics.

Paid particular attention to pressure today and light touch. Audio feedback was huge today. And must say that somehow my stubble felt more rigid than usual too during preshave. Maybe that attributed to the harshness of the first and second pass. Effectiveness was great as I could clearly see stubble being removed with each pass.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Open Comb
Blade:	Tiger Platinum (2)
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Cream:	Ach Brito Lavanda
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Butch Waxx]

23.06.22​

• 23/30 days in GRUME June (76.67% completed and still in!!)
• 22/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 173/174 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

New soap today and it lathered up nicely. Still need to dial in the right amount, but in all soft on the skin, great post-shave feel and nice not too overly present scent. Took the Tiger Platinum for another spin. Shave had a slightly rougher feel to it, but not to uncomfortable levels. I have had this feel before, but usually the blade performs quite well and I like it very much. Efficiency wise I had to use the regular four passes to get to near BBS. No hassle, no irritation and no nicks, cuts or weepers. Very nice DFS finish with BBS characteristics.

Paid particular attention to pressure today and light touch. Audio feedback was huge today. And must say that somehow my stubble felt more rigid than usual too during preshave. Maybe that attributed to the harshness of the first and second pass. Effectiveness was great as I could clearly see stubble being removed with each pass.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Open Comb
Blade:	Tiger Platinum (2)
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Cream:	Ach Brito Lavanda
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

Fun to try a new soap, especially when they work out well!

 

[Guido75]

24.06.22​

• 24/30 days in GRUME June (80% completed, still in and almost entering the final week)
• 23/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 174/175 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

A very nice 12th shave with the KCG blade. Felt good and comfortable. No objective to have a BBS finish but DFS wasa very welcome result. Lather was definitely on the runny side and I had soap flying all over the place actually. Scent-wise Inferno is growing in me. I liked the post shave longevity too. Combined with the available A/S this makes a nice finish during summer.

So excellent performance and comfortable results (it’s now 12 hours later and a very light shadow appears to be building but still well below SAS level stubble). Forgot my balm today. Tomorrow is another day.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (12)
Brush:	Razorock Plissoft 400 Aluminium
Cream:	TGS Inferno
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WXTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:
Rating:	9.0/10 DFS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

25.06.22​

• 25/30 days in GRUME June (83.33% completed, still in!)
• 24/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 175/176 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Today saw the 13th run with the KCG. Some weepers but for now more on me than on the blade. Maybe I wanted to shave too quickly. All in all a comfortable ride.

Today’s soap was Lavanda for a second use. I put on Captain Fawcett’s Tube Key and twisted it so that the tube was tight. Obviously that cream has to go somewhere so when I took the cap off - BLOB! And using my lathering giant the Razorock I made lather to paint the entire bathroom . So instead of my intended two to two and a half passes I went for four. Good slickness and residual feel is also nice - I have yet to put on my aftershave and balm and I do not have that topical soap stretchy feeling. Nice!

In terms of strokes I went for N-S on the first pass rather than my usual diagonal. Appeared to be a tad more effective - but that could also be because N-S is somewhat XTG for me as well as WTG. Second pass was the usual Gillette Slide and final two passes ATG S-N. Still trying to dial in the best way to stroke during passes. So while I have my passes down in terms of beard direction I am still working on the most effective stroke during those passes. Food for thought.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (13)
Brush:	Razorock Plissoft 400 Aluminium
Cream:	Lavanda
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	W-XTG (2) / ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 BBS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

26.06.22​

• 26/30 days in GRUME June (86.66% completed, still in!)
• 25/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 176/177 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Number 14 with the KCG blade today and rocking it! I still feel no end to this blade. Comfortable, easy and smooth. Went to CCS level in 2.5 passes and called it a day. Tomorrow will be a no shave day, because Tuesday my dad and I will visit one of the barbershops in my birth city (and his). So I want to make sure I have more than a day’s growth.

In terms of strokes I went for N-S on the first pass using a slanted stroke. This is an alternative to the Gillette Slide found in other ads by Gillette - let’s go for Gillette Slanted Stroke or GSS for short. Nice first pass with effective and efficient hair removal. Neck was diagonal. Second pass was the usual Gillette Slide with some horizontal strokes as well. Did the neck N-S. Final pass was neck and jaw only S-N (slightly diagonal).

Nice smooth result.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (14)
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Cream:	Lavanda
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WTG (N-S using GSS), XTG (using GS), ATG (S-N) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 CCS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Butch Waxx]

26.06.22​

• 26/30 days in GRUME June (86.66% completed, still in!)
• 25/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 176/177 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Number 14 with the KCG blade today and rocking it! I still feel no end to this blade. Comfortable, easy and smooth. Went to CCS level in 2.5 passes and called it a day. Tomorrow will be a no shave day, because Tuesday my dad and I will visit one of the barbershops in my birth city (and his). So I want to make sure I have more than a day’s growth.

In terms of strokes I went for N-S on the first pass using a slanted stroke. This is an alternative to the Gillette Slide found in other ads by Gillette - let’s go for Gillette Slanted Stroke or GSS for short. Nice first pass with effective and efficient hair removal. Neck was diagonal. Second pass was the usual Gillette Slide with some horizontal strokes as well. Did the neck N-S. Final pass was neck and jaw only S-N (slightly diagonal).

Nice smooth result.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (14)
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Cream:	Lavanda
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WTG (N-S using GSS), XTG (using GS), ATG (S-N) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	9.0/10 CCS

Have a Great day everyone

You and your dad have a great time!

 

[Guido75]

You and your dad have a great time!

Thanks Butch! Will do. And I will report my shave as well of course. I am not doing it myself, but a shave is a shave, right?

Guido

 

[Guido75]

28.06.22​

• 28/30 days in GRUME June (93.33% completed, still in at the moment, but I might be on the way out - due to prior commitments I cannot make the 1st of July restock date so that’s going to be later today. But maybe I don’t have to, because birthday is coming up as well.)
• 27/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 177/179 days of 365 days of shaving (98.88%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Today was barbershop day. My dad and I went to New York Barber in Rotterdam at Hotel New York (which was once the boarding location for settlers leaving for America - hence the name). He got a beard reshape and I went for an Italian shave. Funnily enjoy the barber used the exact same products I use at home so my skin was totally ok with the shave!

He went mostly WTG in terms of passes and if I counted correctly he did 2.5 passes. Not entirely sure, because I had my eyes closed and enjoyed the hot towel treatment and other pampering. Not fully BBS either by the way, but a very comfortable shave indeed. I think I will do this more often. My dad thought so too .

And as great as it was, nothing beats a shave you do yourself, so also very happy to be back for a shave tomorrow!

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave Hot towel
Cream:	Proraso Green
Bowl:	Scuttle
Passes:	WTG (2.5)
Aftershave:	Cold towel
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	11/10 CCS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

29.06.22​

• 29/30 days in GRUME June (96.67% completed and still in - final laps)
• 28/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 178/180 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Took the Tiger Platinum for another spin. Shave was smooth and comfortable. Easy sailing. And definitely smoother than from the barber’s, but that’s because in the final passes I go ATG.

Lathering with Inferno was a nice experience as well. Scent is pleasant and it provides great glide to the Fatip Piccolo.

Paid specific attention to my strokes and direction of strokes in accordance with my beard map. Excellent shave!

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Open Comb
Blade:	Tiger Platinum (3)
Brush:	Omega Proraso
Cream:	TGS Inferno
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WTG, XTG, ATG (2) Slanted on the neck
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	10/10 BBS

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

30.06.22​

• 30/30 days in GRUME June (100% and we made it!!)
• 29/30 days High Efficiency Razors in June
• 179/181 days of 365 days of shaving (99.4%)
• Steep Angle Shaving Alliance (SASA)

Second run with the Frankenrazor GilleTip or Fallette - KCG razor with a Gentile baseplate. Used a Dorco ST300HQ for the sixth time.

Nice and easy shave. Used the Gillette Slant Stroke which proved to be very efficient. Two passes have CCS/DFS levels. Third pass ATG served as touch up too. Not a full blown BBS but close enough. Some weepers though.

First run of the TGS Solo which is a very nice scented soap with excellent lathering qualities. Did leave residue on the brush. Excellent glide and passing abilities.

Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Razor:	KCG with Fatip Gentile baseplate
Blade:	Dorco ST300HQ (6)
Brush:	Razorock Plissoft 400 Aluminium
Cream:	TGS Solo
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WTG, XTG, ATG (1) Mostly slanted strokes
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Rating:	8.5/10 BBS-

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

​

Date​	01.07.2022 - Fatip Friday​
Main Focus:	01/31 Days in GRUME (3% and still in)
Other:	High Efficiency Razors in July Steep Angle Shaving Alliance
Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face Wash Proraso Green preshave
Cream:	The AlphaMen 2.0
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Executive Man
Bowl:	Proraso Green
Passes:	WTG (Gillette Slant) N-S XTG (Gillette Slide) NW-SE ATG (Diagonal) SW-NE
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Special Edition Open Comb
Blade:	King C Gillette (15)
Rating:	10/10 SAS/CCS/DFS/BBS
Notes:	The first of July saw the 15th run of the KCG blade in the Fatip. Ever so smooth and comfortable. Two-three passes and BBS levels of result in a very efficient amount of time as well. Concentrated again on relatively short strokes taking growth patterns carefully into account. I have a feeling that this increases the efficiency of my shave, but I need more mileage to be sure. The Gillette Slanted stroke (see Razor Archive by RazorEmporium: Razor Archive | Advertisements-1920s – it is the one on the left) works excellent and emulates what a slanted razor would achieve when passing N-S. On the second pass XTG the Gillette Slide works wonders although in the chin area I tend to go more horizontal than sliding. Moustache area is done using a horizontal version of the Gillette Slant. All other factors performed as expected. Great lather, great brush and smooth sailing.

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

Date	02.07.2022
Main Focus:	02/31 Days in GRUME (6% and still in)
Other:	High Efficiency Razors in July Steep Angle Shaving Alliance
Prep:	Cold splash and shower
Cream:	TGS Solo
Aftershave:	-
Balm:	Proraso Green
Bowl:	- Face lathered
Brush:	Omega Super Badger 632
Passes:	WTG (Gillette Slant) N-S XTG (Gillette Slide) NW-SE ATG (Diagonal) SW-NE
Razor:	Fatip Piccolo Open Comb
Blade:	Tiger Platinum (4)
Rating:	7/10 SAS/CCS/DFS/BBS
Notes:	Had to be in a hotel for business reasons so packed lightly in terms of shave gear. I remember last time's hotel shave not being all that pleasant and this one was again on the harsher side. Steep did not always feel evenly comfortable. But after three passes levels were sufficient enough to stop with no weepers and no irritation. Solo is a good performing soap and making a face lather was relatively easy as well. Glide was good, perhaps bit on the dryer side of the scale. I went by my local shaving shop and discussed shaving gear with the owner, who is on the BOSC-side of the equation as far as I am concerned. He used to be a barber and loves straight razors even more than DE's. Anyway since my birthday is coming up he decided to PIF me a R41 head and baseplate (as we were discussing aggressive razors and after I showed him a picture of my new soon to get new razor). The head is off unfortunately in terms of threading (M5 nut works fine, but handles get stuck) so I will have to buy a new Mühle cap one day (or a RR SLOC), but the baseplate is okay. I loaded my KCG razor with the R41 baseplate for tomorrow's shave as a work out for when my birthday razor arrives - the Razorine Flatboy (with equal amounts of blade exposure!).

Have a Great day everyone

 

[Guido75]

Date​	03.07.2022​
Main Focus:	03/31 Days in GRUME (9% and still in)
Other:	High Efficiency Razors in July Steep Angle Shaving Alliance
Prep:	Cold splash KCG Face wash Proraso Green Preshave
Cream:	Lavanda
Aftershave:	Proraso Green
Balm:	Proraso Green
Bowl:	Proraso
Brush:	Razorock Plissoft 400 Aluminium
Passes:	WTG (Gillette Slant) N-S XTG (Gillette Slide) NW-SE ATG (Diagonal) SW-NE
Razor:	King C R41
Blade:	Dorco ST300HQ (7)
Rating:	9/10 SAS/CCS/DFS/BBS
Notes:	I feared and looked forward to today’s shave. After 7 months of DE shaving experience I was facing the Beast this morning: the R41 mounted on the KCG razor. I was ready for the blood & tears. I paid my respect with a very very light touch and no pressure while maintaining a more shallow angle than I normally do. Everything they say about the R41 is true. It can be tuggy and harsh if you are not careful. But this was also the closest shave I have ever gotten after two passes. I eventually did three (also to see if I dared to go ATG), but I could have easily stripped at two. One Gillette slanted stroke and one Gillette Slide is all it took (one day’s of growth). Minor weepers but compared to expectations nothing serious! If the Razorine is smoother and milder with the same level of efficiency then I am looking at my holy grail razor for sure (and I already have such a razor south the Fatip ). Lavanda provides excellent cushioning and glide which definitely helped with the shave.

Have a Great day everyone