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A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
This is something he'll remember for the rest of his life. I'd say, start with something special, a heirloom razor.

I'd vote give him your FBT!

I think I was around his age when my grandfather offer me a Tech. I was still electro buzzing back then and turned my nose up on the crummy thing. Looking back, I'd give give up every razor I have to go and say yes!
I can barely remember the TTO my Dad gave me when I first started shaving. I'm pretty sure I had lathered up and used it without a blade a few times when my Dad was at work, and I do know I used it a few times with blades, but don't remember the experience being, ah comfortable, and pretty sure that is when I learned how to use a styptic pencil.
Shortly thereafter I got an electric and don't remember what happened to it. Sure wish I did. All I remember is it was gold or brass colored and it was a TTO.
My Dad was an officer in the Air Force Reserve and got most of his personal items from the Commissary on base, so I am guessing it was an Aristocrat as Super Speed's weren't gold colored.
20221203_065835[1].jpg

And on that memory I sent this Aristocrat to Back Roads Gold and will always think of my Dad when I use it.

Oh, I do have my Grandfather's SR, and have used it.
Joseph Rodgers.jpg

~doug~
 
Face lathered again today taking time to really build the lather. Actually a zen side to this ritual while building the lather. The Kox Blue is an excellent lather maker at that so the shave was already off too a great start even before the passes.

I had the same experience yesterday face lathering. I'm trying to face lather with sticks for all of Decemboar. I've only done that twice before!!

It does feel more relaxing to face lather than bowl lather I found. You're sure scrubbing on your face a lot more! That showed up for me in the post-shave feel bigtime. SUPER exfoliated, right? I'm definitely working on my ability to determine when the lather is "done," although I'm still zeroing that in using a bowl even. I'm adding more water the brush a little more quickly next time.

Looking forward to a month a face lathering!
 
Hi @flask28 ,

I haven’t yet felt a difference post shave or did not pay attention at least. So I will now! Definitely more scrubbing indeed. I am almost considering if preshave is necessary or not, but for now I will stick with that - I just like the menthol kick Proraso Green preshave provides in the morning.

The exfoliating part for me is more on the razor/blade combination at the moment and I have noticed that my morning stubble has been less the last week or so than before. Could be a figment of my imagination or the blades of the Discovery Adventure are better than my usual blades. That I find hard to believe so the jury is still out on that one. I mean I went to bed with a DFS/CCS level yesterday! There is a shave to be done this morning but guns ablazing shaving is unnecessary.

Maybe I leaped in my technique again? Or maybe my CB Curve stroke is a better tracker for my beard map?

Lots to test and discover!

Keep it up with your sticks and face lathering! It’s good to have that technique under your belt.

Guido
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
Maybe I leaped in my technique again?
I would compare the leap in technique to my early days of Bracket Racing. I raced a Ford in a hobby filled with Chevy's with little information and parts available in the 1970's and 1980's.
While I could make my car run consistent, It wasn't very fast, and the win lights didn't come on very often for me the first 20 years. But it was still fun and I kept coming back and polishing my technique.

I talked to the racers that always seemed to be in the Winner's Circle on a regular basis, and found most of them willing to help. I raced Wednesday nights at OCIR, on Saturdays at Carlsbad Raceway, Sundays at Riverside International Raceway, with forays to Famoso in Bakersfield and LA County Raceway.

One Sunday my mighty 289 with Forged TRW pistons and ported 289 heads started making noises at Riverside International Raceway; the crankshaft had cracked along with three bent connecting rods and I had two races to go to the next weekend.

It was a Wednesday.

What to do? I stared at my ski boat that I hadn't started in two years, that had a 289 with cast Badger pistons and a set of stock 351 Windsor heads that I had put together five or six years earlier, never intending to race with it.
I had read the stock 351 heads were worth 55 horsepower over stock 289 heads, but really had thought my ported heads were superior.

I had thought wrong. No sooner than I put the boat motor in the 'stang it blew the transmission up on the first upshift to 3rd gear. Luckily I had a spare transmission and made it to the races.

Soon after that I started turning on win lights. I PIF'd the 289 and put a built 351 Windsor in the 'stang, and the win lights kept on coming. I wore out the first 351W, built a 377 Windsor and that one has turned on some win lights too.

Was it the motors, technique, or did I scare the other racers with my good looks? Don't bring @FarmerTan into this.

~doug~

Yes, I gave the 289 away. A friend had blown up his motor and it was just sitting on my engine stand taking up room. I had already sold the boat with another motor I built out of spare parts. I'm pretty sure the Badger piston 289 kept turning on win lights in his car too.
 
@Rosseforp - you should have been a novelist or you still can be! As descriptive as this is, I feel I am there with you on the race track!

And you might be right that is just happenstance. Or that the universal energy comes together and drives you forth. Could be too! All we are is change!

Guido
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I would compare the leap in technique to my early days of Bracket Racing. I raced a Ford in a hobby filled with Chevy's with little information and parts available in the 1970's and 1980's.
While I could make my car run consistent, It wasn't very fast, and the win lights didn't come on very often for me the first 20 years. But it was still fun and I kept coming back and polishing my technique.

I talked to the racers that always seemed to be in the Winner's Circle on a regular basis, and found most of them willing to help. I raced Wednesday nights at OCIR, on Saturdays at Carlsbad Raceway, Sundays at Riverside International Raceway, with forays to Famoso in Bakersfield and LA County Raceway.

One Sunday my mighty 289 with Forged TRW pistons and ported 289 heads started making noises at Riverside International Raceway; the crankshaft had cracked along with three bent connecting rods and I had two races to go to the next weekend.

It was a Wednesday.

What to do? I stared at my ski boat that I hadn't started in two years, that had a 289 with cast Badger pistons and a set of stock 351 Windsor heads that I had put together five or six years earlier, never intending to race with it.
I had read the stock 351 heads were worth 55 horsepower over stock 289 heads, but really had thought my ported heads were superior.

I had thought wrong. No sooner than I put the boat motor in the 'stang it blew the transmission up on the first upshift to 3rd gear. Luckily I had a spare transmission and made it to the races.

Soon after that I started turning on win lights. I PIF'd the 289 and put a built 351 Windsor in the 'stang, and the win lights kept on coming. I wore out the first 351W, built a 377 Windsor and that one has turned on some win lights too.

Was it the motors, technique, or did I scare the other racers with my good looks? Don't bring @FarmerTan into this.

~doug~

Yes, I gave the 289 away. A friend had blown up his motor and it was just sitting on my engine stand taking up room. I had already sold the boat with another motor I built out of spare parts. I'm pretty sure the Badger piston 289 kept turning on win lights in his car too.
My friend, YOU brought "FarmerStan the MAN" into this!


And he thanks you!
 
Date
04.12.2022
365 days of shaving341/337
(100%)
GRUME December4/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

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

Razor
Blade
Brush
Gillette NEW LC with Red Lasta Handle
Timor (5)
Razorock 400 Plissoft
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
TGS Furiah
Proraso
Cold splash
Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
9/10 (~20 minutes)10/10 (Clean)
EffectivenessComfort
9/10 (BBS)
10/10 (GlideFest)

Notes to today’s shave:

Fifth run with the Timor and this time in the NEW Long Comb. A super smooth shave ensued. This razor is a very tiny bit more comfortable than the NEW Flat Bottom, but the Flat Bottom is more effective - 12h past the shave I feel more stubble than I did yesterday. Still this is an amazing razor with good nimble abilities.

The blade was a bit more tuggy on the moustache area, but other than that performance wise it was still a good run. Since commencing the Discovery Adventure beginning of November I have shaved only with these blades and now we’re in the first week of December and the blades are still in the Oregonian zone. Maybe more towards the end of the life span, but still great longevity so far.

I decided to give Furiah another chance seeing that it’s winter now. The scent is much better for this time of year and the lather was really nice, soft and slick. The Razorock turned it into a lather party. Excellent brush!:001_wub:

Perfect way to start Sunday - well we’re heading towards Monday here already, but ok.
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
@Rosseforp - you should have been a novelist or you still can be! As descriptive as this is, I feel I am there with you on the race track!

And you might be right that is just happenstance. Or that the universal energy comes together and drives you forth. Could be too! All we are is change!

Guido
Thanks Guido, I find it amazing how it takes 10 minutes to explain a run that takes less than 12 seconds.
Pics or it didn't happen right?
20221204_210604.jpg

Random undated picture of me racing a Tri-Five Chevy at Carlsbad Raceway.
20221204_210430.jpg

This is one of my favorite pictures of the 'stang lined up in the staging lanes at RIR. That is the infamous 15 Degree banked Turn Nine in the background. My late first wife's 1984 Mustang GT is lined up in front of me. Cancer sucks.
20221204_210357.jpg

I can't believe I found this picture of me racing Richard McFarland and his Pontiac Tempest station wagon in the Final Round at my first race at Riverside International Raceway after a 9 year hiatus from bracket racing. Richard took the win light and the $800 purse, while I settled for $220 runner-up money. I believe I was dialed 16:10 seconds to his 12:40 dial. That means he got to sit on the starting line for almost 4 whole seconds waiting for his starting lights to go down and chase me. And chase me and pass me he did! Great guy, I learned a lot from him.
20221204_210653.jpg

The aptly named El Gavilan.


20221204_202533[1].jpg
Fortunately the driver only suffered a broken leg when the aptly named El Gavilan made a sudden left turn at mid-track. The K-barrier stopped the car dead in it's tracks on what would have been a low 10 second 135 mile per hour pass, while the engine was pitched clear of the car and landed on the other side of the guard wall.

~doug~
 
That is amazing Doug @Rosseforp - and the photos capture the era very well too. I had a wild dream one of getting my racing licence - but somehow never got round to it. Or life happened, could be it too. So at least I now get to experience some of it through you pictures. Thanks!!

Guido
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
I had a wild dream one of getting my racing licence - but somehow never got round to it.
It's never too late Guido.
WoodyWoods.jpg

This is my longtime racing buddy Woody Woods and his NHRA Trophy he just won at Barona with his vintage Corvette last month. Woody is 75 and one of the absolute nicest all around guys you would ever want to meet. Except next to him on the starting line.
OutlawCorvette.jpg

Woody is bad to the bone.

~doug~
 
Honorary shave for GongGong - Doug's @Rosseforp late father-in-law. May he play MahJong in peace with his buddies.

Date
05.12.2022
365 days of shaving342/338
(100%)
GRUME December5/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

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

Razor
Blade
Brush
Mühle R41
Timeless Ti95 SC
Timor (6)
Eddison (11)
Omega Proraso
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
Proraso Geen
Dutchy Bergamot
Proraso
Cold splash
Floïds the Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
9/10 (~20 minutes)9.5/10 (Small weeper on the right side of the road)
EffectivenessComfort
9/10 (BBS)
8/10 (Smoothish)

Notes to today’s shave:

For this honorary shave I brought out the big guns. The R41 took the lead for the first pass. The Timor performed very well, but was also tuggy - for the second time in a row. It may be therefore the blade needs to be retired after a very respectable 6 shaves all of which were very well. I will give it one more go in the Tech for tomorrow. Three times is a charm.

The Timeless took the excellent first pass over the BBS finish line together with the Eddison blade. I required a bit more touch up / buffing signaling this blade is nearing the end of its lease as well. Superb performance in my book with 11 shaves at present. No tugging, no irritation, no harshness yet whatsoever.

The Omega boar was hungry again this morning and lathering up was proving more of a challenge than usual. My boar is super soft with just enough backbone. A joy to use.

Floïd's was nice and Nivea was nourishing. Nice kickstart of the week!

Enjoy your day!
 

First year of DE shaving completed!

Date
06.12.2022
365 days of shaving343/339
(100%)
GRUME December6/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes4
WXTG (2)CB Curve
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
Gillette Slide
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks)
(S-N | neck)
XTGGillette Slant (W-E)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
King C GilletteKing C Gillette (1)Omega Roma
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
KCG Face Wash
Proraso Green
Proraso
Cold splash
Floïds the Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~25 minutes)10/10 (Clean)
EffectivenessComfort
8/10 (DFS+)
7/10 (Irritation on the neck)

Notes to today’s shave:

A memorable shave as I had my 365 shave and my first anniversary as DE wet shaver this morning. I used my first item (the KCG) together with my last item (Omega Roma) for an easy and comfortable shave. The KCG razor is mild and I noticed that I have grown in my preference and like more effective razors nowadays. In comparison to the blades in the Discovery Adventure the KCG reminded me of its superior performance. Smooth, comfortable, easy-going and sharp. It also reminded me of a luring danger with this blade. After applying aftershave and balm I noticed irritation on my neck - not during the shave but afterwards. The KCG blade and razor combination has the deceiving ability to let you think you can get away with anything only to find out you might have overshaved an area or two.

The new Omega Roma brush was a delight! Excellent brush, great lathering capabilities and very nice to the skin. Solid backbone while also soft and pleasant. Lather was a bit on the dryer side I noticed, I need to dial in the water levels for this brush a bit more.

My first shave was with De Vergulde Hand, but I do not have that in stock at the moment, so went with the second soap I ever bought, Proraso Green. Simply wonderful. I only used KCG Face Wash as pre-shave, but that did not do the trick fully. I need more pre-shave preparation - which may also have contributed to the irritation I bet.

I have decided to celebrate my first anniversary shave with a PIF and the winner has already been preselected and contacted. I expect the package to go out later this week. This community has given me so much over the past months I truly think your conduct and interactions with me have made me a better person. And for that I thank you ALL!

Have a wonderful day and a wonderful shave today!
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune

First year of DE shaving completed!

Date
06.12.2022
365 days of shaving343/339
(100%)
GRUME December6/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade AdventureBolzano 2/3
Timor 2/3
Eddison 2/3

Passes4
WXTG (2)CB Curve
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks and neck)
Gillette Slide
(NW-SE curving to NE-SW | cheeks)
(S-N | neck)
XTGGillette Slant (W-E)
ATGStraight & Slanted
(S-N | cheeks)
(SW-NE | neck)

Razor
Blade
Brush
King C GilletteKing C Gillette (1)Omega Roma
Pre-shave
Soap & Bowl
Post-shave
Cold splash
KCG Face Wash
Proraso Green
Proraso
Cold splash
Floïds the Genuine (AS)
Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency
Quality
8/10 (~25 minutes)10/10 (Clean)
EffectivenessComfort
8/10 (DFS+)
7/10 (Irritation on the neck)

Notes to today’s shave:

A memorable shave as I had my 365 shave and my first anniversary as DE wet shaver this morning. I used my first item (the KCG) together with my last item (Omega Roma) for an easy and comfortable shave. The KCG razor is mild and I noticed that I have grown in my preference and like more effective razors nowadays. In comparison to the blades in the Discovery Adventure the KCG reminded me of its superior performance. Smooth, comfortable, easy-going and sharp. It also reminded me of a luring danger with this blade. After applying aftershave and balm I noticed irritation on my neck - not during the shave but afterwards. The KCG blade and razor combination has the deceiving ability to let you think you can get away with anything only to find out you might have overshaved an area or two.

The new Omega Roma brush was a delight! Excellent brush, great lathering capabilities and very nice to the skin. Solid backbone while also soft and pleasant. Lather was a bit on the dryer side I noticed, I need to dial in the water levels for this brush a bit more.

My first shave was with De Vergulde Hand, but I do not have that in stock at the moment, so went with the second soap I ever bought, Proraso Green. Simply wonderful. I only used KCG Face Wash as pre-shave, but that did not do the trick fully. I need more pre-shave preparation - which may also have contributed to the irritation I bet.

I have decided to celebrate my first anniversary shave with a PIF and the winner has already been preselected and contacted. I expect the package to go out later this week. This community has given me so much over the past months I truly think your conduct and interactions with me have made me a better person. And for that I thank you ALL!

Have a wonderful day and a wonderful shave today!
Congrats on your first year anniversary, Guido.... May you have many more wonderful years exploring our collective hobby.
 
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