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A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

Date
18.11.2022
365 days of shaving324/322
(100%)
GRUME18/30 (100%)
NOCvember
18/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 1/3
Timor 1/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3
WXTG (2)Gillette Slide (2)
(NW-SE & NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Efficiency & Effectiveness
Quality & Comfort
9/10 (~15 minutes)
9/10 (BBS)
10/10 (Clean)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95Eddison (2)Kox Blue Synthetic
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splashDutchy Bergamot
Kox Enamel
Cold splash
Floïd’s The Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Notes to today’s shave:

Skipped Fatip Friday for a second shave today with the Timeless and Eddison blade. This is an effective and efficient beasty as I started the shave with less stubble than usual given yesterday’s shave.

I made sure I went extra lightly with the razor and used the handle slightly different as well. That made the difference. I had one weeper on my jaw line, but it disappeared after rinsing. Other than that all clean. Not yet at a two pass BBS but I think this can easily be achieved by this combination.

Eddison blade performed even better than yesterday and was wonderfully smooth and comfortable.

Another excellent shave in the books and even after only two runs I can say this is my number one razor. The R41 is still ruler in the land of effectiveness, but I would say a contender is knocking on the door!
 

Date
19.11.2022
365 days of shaving325/323
(100%)
GRUME19/30 (100%)
NOCvember
19/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 1/3
Timor 1/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3
WXTG (2)CB Curve (1) Gillette Slide (2)
(NW-SE & NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Efficiency & Effectiveness
Quality & Comfort
8/10 (~20 minutes)
9/10 (BBS)
9/10 (Almost clean)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Gillette SA (9-6-3)
Bolzano (7)
Omega Super Badger
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Dutchy Bergamot
Kox Enamel
Cold splash
Floïd’s The Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Notes to today’s shave: here

First shave with my birth quarter Gillette @Curly Straight Adjustable. This is actually my first adjustable so absolutely clueless as to use what setting when. Started out with 4 and dialled it up to 9 just to see how that would feel. Definitely blade feel, but also very comfortable. Nice in the hand, great handle and great manoeuvrability. Dialled it down for subsequent passes. The lower settings are excellent for ATG and I can see why Gillette went TTO (this is also my first TTO). Loading the razor is child’s play for sure.

The Bolzano performed wonderfully on this seventh outing. I did bin the blade as it gave me weepers on two consecutive shaves. So far the best of the Discovery Bunch in the long run, but the Eddison is more comfortable getting there.

All other actors performed as usual and Dutchy Bergamot is just a wonderful subtle scented soap and works up a lather in no time.

Fantastic first shave. Thanks American Cowboy @Curly Straight for my birth quarter razor - amazing!
 
First shave with my birth quarter Gillette @Curly Straight Adjustable. This is actually my first adjustable so absolutely

Nice! Congratulations on the birth quarter Super Adjustable! We're Birth Black Beauty Brothers (BBBB) now!

I'm trying to find my setting as well with my newish SA84. I've used 4-7 and am liking the lower numbers so far, but you are right. There's more blade feel with the SA in general than the Slim I have. Maybe. I'm still figuring it out. :)
 
Nice! Congratulations on the birth quarter Super Adjustable! We're Birth Black Beauty Brothers (BBBB) now!

I'm trying to find my setting as well with my newish SA84. I've used 4-7 and am liking the lower numbers so far, but you are right. There's more blade feel with the SA in general than the Slim I have. Maybe. I'm still figuring it out. :)
Thanks man! And an 84 is marvellous as well - even better manoeuvrability I imagine. I don’t have a Slim so can only compare to other blade forward razors in my collection.

Enjoy!

Guido
 

Date
20.11.2022
365 days of shaving326/324
(100%)
GRUME20/30 (100%)
NOCvember
20/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 1/3
Timor 1/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes2 and jawline touch ups
WXTGCB Curve
(NW-SE & NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Efficiency & Effectiveness
Quality & Comfort
9/10 (~15 minutes)
9.5/10 (Near marble)
9.5/10 (One small nick)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95Eddison (3)Razorock Plissoft 400
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Dutchy Bergamot
Kox Enamel
Cold splash
Floïd’s The Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Notes to today’s shave:

What a shave! This was pure and utter bliss. Everything fell into place today. I had planned to use the KCG alongside the Timeless, but I simply could not put her down. The Timeless is amazing. Smooth, comfortable, super easy to use. Fantastic. I did two passes and achieved a near-marble result. Near-marble, because I missed a tiny spot after the ATG. Other than that excellent, excellent, excellent. It is now 5 hours after the shave and still very much at BBS level.

Tomorrow is Mühle Monday and I have decided to make it into a battle of the beasties: Timeless vs R41.
 
In true @Ligeti fashion I have been recording my soap usage since September (backtracking as much as I could till the beginning of my journal) and this is what I currently stand:

Proraso: 10 (since September)
Dutchy Bergamot: 21 (since July)
Haslinger Sandelholz: 22 (since July)
Tabac Tallow: 20 (since October/Tabactober)
Lavanda: 24 (since July)
AlphaMen 2.0: 25 (since July and Aventus August)
 
Have you met up with @Ligeti in Utrecht for that stick of ARKO! yet?
No not yet and that’s ok - his projects currently do not require travelling to Amsterdam (where I usually work).

I might throw in a stick of Arko for the Black Friday sale at my Italian shaving website.

Guido
 

Date
21.11.2022
365 days of shaving327/325
(100%)
GRUME21/30 (100%)
NOCvember
21/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 1/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes2 and light touch up
WXTGCB Curve
(NW-SE & NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Efficiency & Effectiveness
Quality & Comfort
9/10 (~15 minutes)
9/10 (BBS)
9.5/10 (One small nick)
9.5/10 (Buttery smooth)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95
Mühle R41 with Lasta Blue Handle
Eddison (4)
Timor (1)
Onega Proraso
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Proraso Green (AS)
Proraso Green (Balm)

Notes to today’s shave:

Battle of my giants today: Timeless versus R41. Timeless with an Eddison on a fourth outing and the R41 with a fresh Timor blade. The R41 on the left side of my face and the Timeless on the right.

Right of the bat the R41 got down to business. The Timor was comfortable but not smooth. The combination still performed really well on the first pass.

On the right side the Times took care of business. The Eddison was smooth and comfortable and did a terrific job. The combination performed excellent.

Left to right comparison leads me to belief that the R41 may have had the upper hand. However on the second pass the Timeless took the helm and won by a toes length at the finish line - mainly because of two reasons: I had a weeper on the R41 side and post shave the Timeless had done a better job at my probleem areas.

Both delivered an amazing shave. Overall the Timeless was more comfortable, but I blame that more on the Timor blade than the R41.
 

Date
22.11.2022
365 days of shaving328/326
(100%)
GRUME22/30 (100%)
NOCvember
22/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3
WXTGCB Curve
(NW-SE & NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
XTGS-N on the neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Efficiency & Effectiveness
Quality & Comfort
8/10 (~20 minutes)
9/10 (BBS)
10/10 (Clean)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95 SC
Gillette Flat Bottom Tech with Lasta Blue Handle
Eddison (5)
Bolzano (1)
Kox Blue Synthetic
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Proraso Green (AS)
Proraso Green (Balm)

Notes to today’s shave:

Wonderful shave today. Timeless performed splendidly - smooth, comfortable, drama-free excellent shave on the first two passes. The EFBT took care of the ATG pass and landed the overall shave on BBS. I have noticed that since I am using the Timeless my stubble in the morning is substantially less than usual - bordering on potentially skipping a shave. But that does not fit my bill! I am soldiering on. And the Timeless is just too much fun using anyway. The EFBT was similarly smooth and comfortable.

Both razors paired wonderfully with their designated blades. I am sensing that the Timeless will extend this Eddison beyond the longevity of the first blade. That one got retired at 6 shaves, but based on today's shave this blade can do more. The EFBT with the Bolzano was great too. No tugging on the first shave like the case was with the Flatboy - which is up for tomorrow's shave.

Proraso is just as good as it gets. Excellent lather, great glide and a fine fresh kick to the face with menthol in the morning! Bliss.

Having shaved now for a number of consecutive shaves with the Timeless I can honestly say that it has speed shaved its way to the number 1 spot in my collection. And at the moment totally eradicated my RAD. Yes, there are still 'nice to have' razors on my list, but I do not feel a 'need' at all.

Have a great shave today!
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Guido, I asked a question on my journal thread: a discussion about the definitions for Unicorn, Holy Grail and Goldilocks razors, based on the conversation you and I had a few days ago. If we get some interest, maybe we'll start a new thread for it, somewhere.

Anyway, I wanted to comment on your new Timeless razor. I'm so glad you are loving it... @Butch Waxx 's kind gift will keep on giving, just as he hoped. I don't have a complete Timeless razor but I just love those Ti Crown handles... I use them on several of my razors. I love the lighter weight. Not mention, other than the Wolfman Darwin handle (which I don't own but do admire), I think the Ti Crown handle might be the best looking handle I've seen so far. And that beauty isn't just skin deep.... the handle feels wonderful in my hand. For me, it's just the right diameter and length and you never feel like the razor might slip as you use it.
 
Guido, I asked a question on my journal thread: a discussion about the definitions for Unicorn, Holy Grail and Goldilocks razors, based on the conversation you and I had a few days ago. If we get some interest, maybe we'll start a new thread for it, somewhere.

Anyway, I wanted to comment on your new Timeless razor. I'm so glad you are loving it... @Butch Waxx 's kind gift will keep on giving, just as he hoped. I don't have a complete Timeless razor but I just love those Ti Crown handles... I use them on several of my razors. I love the lighter weight. Not mention, other than the Wolfman Darwin handle (which I don't own but do admire), I think the Ti Crown handle might be the best looking handle I've seen so far. And that beauty isn't just skin deep.... the handle feels wonderful in my hand. For me, it's just the right diameter and length and you never feel like the razor might slip as you use it.
You are ticking all my boxes regarding handles Kim. The Crown handle was my number 1 wanted handle (check), the Darwin is unfortunately very hard to find on its own. I saw Windmill offer it in the UK, but the option Darwin cannot be selected. And Darwin itself (still operational) doesn’t offer the handle anymore.

And the razor, yeah, what can I say. I literally cannot stop giving @Butch Waxx accolades for his act of kindness. With the risk of repeating myself and it is really how I feel I believe he is a blessed soul for reaching out in such a way. Definitely earned a place in my heart for making this a most extraordinary year. And I already have included a number of brothers that went before him so it is turning into a B&B crowd in there!

The shave itself is amazing and fits my complexion perfectly. I like the Athena very much for example, but I have no current need for even more efficiency/effectiveness as it is.

1669137410447.gif
 

Date
23.11.2022
365 days of shaving329/327
(100%)
GRUME23/30 (100%)
NOCvember
23/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3
WXTGCB Curve
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
XTGGillette Slant
(NW-SE | cheeks)
(S-N | neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95 SC
Razorine Flatboy with Lasta Red Handle
Eddison (6)
Bolzano (3)
DVH Synthetic
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Proraso bowl
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Proraso Green (AS)
Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)10/10 (Clean)
EffectivenessComfort
9.5/10 (BBS)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Notes to today’s shave:

Wow! This might have been a golden combination shave. The Flatboy took care of the first WXTG pass and brought me to a very acceptable CCS level if I wanted to have stopped. The Timeless picked it up and turned the shave into a homerun. It is now roughly 5 hours after my shave and I still have BBS levels in some parts of my face.

Again pairing of blades and razors was wonderful. The Bolzano and Flatboy felt better than with the first blade from this Discovery Pack. The Timeless and Eddison is currently a really excellent match - maybe even to the point of bringing this blade into my blade stock.

Still using (parts of) the TipDip method by @tjsgarden to build my lather and I think it indeed helps not to have my soap creep up the brush.

Excellent shave with excellent gear! Have a great day everone!
 

Date
24.11.2022
365 days of shaving330/327
(100%)
GRUME24/30 (100%)
NOCvember
24/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes2 and light touch up
WXTGCB Curve
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95 SC
Matador Deluxe with Fat Handle
Eddison (7)
Bolzano (4)
Omega 632 Super Badger
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Proraso bowl
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Proraso Green (AS)
Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)8/10 (Lip nick and weeper)
EffectivenessComfort
9/10 (BBS)
9.5/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

Initially I had the idea of using the golden combination of yesterday, but the Matador begged me to be used. The Timeless opened the shave with a fabulous first pass taking care of emerging stubble elegantly, smoothly and comfortably. After the first pass which could have been enough if I just did a jaw line pass/touch up, the Matador took over for the ATG second pass. Similarly effective - slightly less comfortable the Bolzano showing first signs of fatigue. And for some bizar reason I decided to shave straight across my mouth! :eek2:Huh! So I nicked my lip, but I only felt it - no real blood was spilled. Lucky me. Less lucky on my chin and I had to let the alum take care of that one.

What is interesting to me is that both the Timeless and the Matador have a serious blade gap, but if you let the razor do the work for you, you wouldn't no. Really smooth and relaxing in use. Excellent razors in their own right and combined a winning team.:001_wub:

The Eddison still reigns supreme with absolutely no signs of blade wear, less sharpness or whatsoever. Just really excellent performance.

All other actors played their part brilliantly and therefore we landed the shave at a very satisfying BBS level.:thumbup1:
 
Date
25.11.2022
365 days of shaving331/328
(100%)
GRUME25/30 (100%)
NOCvember
25/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3 and law line touch up
WXTG (2)CB Curve (1)
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
Gillette Slide (2)
(NW-SE | cheeks & S-N | neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95 SC
Fatip Mixed Metal Gentile
Eddison (8)
Bolzano (5)
Razorock Plissoft 400
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Proraso bowl
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Floïd's The Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)9.5/10 (Very minor weeper)
EffectivenessComfort
9/10 (BBS)
9.5/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

Excellent shave today by Doubling up two of my most favored razors - my Fatip and my Timeless. The Fatip took care of the first pass and paved the way for an excellent follow up by the Timeless for the second and third passes. Not full-blown BBS everywhere, but a very fine shave result indeed. Smooth as a cucumber. Based on my stubble this morning I do experience some fading of both blades in performance, but it could also have been the order in which I have used my doubles this week.

Enjoy your day everyone!
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
LOL Guido... not a chance. It's just easier to get to our journals and diaries now. I think we'll see more people reading our stuff now, that is, if people use "new posts" like I do. That's how I view B&B every day, unless I'm researching someone among the older threads. I did that a Lot when I first got here.
 
Date
26.11.2022
365 days of shaving333/329
(100%)
GRUME26/30 (100%)
NOCvember
26/30 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes3
WXTG (2)CB Curve (1)
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
Gillette Slide (2)
(NW-SE | cheeks & S-N | neck)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
Timeless Ti95 SC
Razorine Flatboy with Red Lasta handle
Eddison (9)
Bolzano (6)
Omega Proraso
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Proraso Green
Proraso bowl
Cold splash
Face wash with residual lather
Floïd's The Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~20 minutes)9.5/10 (Very minor weeper)
EffectivenessComfort
9/10 (BBS)
9.5/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

I was so impressed with the doubling of the Flatboy and the Timeless I decided to do a second shave with them. The Flatboy paired with the Bolzano blade made for an effective first pass. Still running smooth and comfortable. One or two very minute weepers on the chin as the Flatboy shows no consideration for anything that is less than a straight surface.

The Timeless took over and I really had to convince myself I had the blade loaded. It was that smooth! Not a full-blown BBS but excellent results for a regular Saturday of running errands and doing some home cleaning.

I sense the blades are nearing the end of their runs. Not there yet so currently still impressed with these blades. Need to give the Timor some TLC next week.
 
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