A newbie’s journey into DE shaving

[ivan_101]

YES! Finally! If you are a regular to my journal you might have noticed that I skipped a day (19.01) and I can now correct that omission. Being a daily shaver I did indeed shave, but I shaved with a new razor and I promised my gracious gifter to wait until he got back from his trip. Because sometimes the B&B universe results in tuning in into each other’s energy apparently. I send off a package to @mgweatherly as a thanks for his efforts regarding Guido06 and his launch into DE shaving with a pristine Slim. Little did I know that Mitch was in the process of doing the same thing in the opposite direction! And so our package set off in similar time frames.

I was super stoked and I had a hunch what might be in my package since we exchanged some messages on a razor I was ‘missing’ in my collection. I got mocked by @ivan_101 for it as well in the candid style only Ivan can!

Anyway, my package arrived Wednesday and I could not wait to unpack it. And low and behold what came out of the bubble wrap:

Old Type 2

• Guido75
• Jan 21, 2023

Old Type 1

• Guido75
• Jan 21, 2023

Waaahhaaa! I have my very own Old Type!!! I could not believe it! It’s condition is really great (and even more if you take into account its age). And Mitch is an outstanding collector and brother, because he included a period casing as well!

I gave it a light polish and she came out like this:

Old Type with case

• Guido75
• Jan 21, 2023

Old Type Clean

• Guido75
• Jan 21, 2023

I had already shaved so I had to wait until Thursday - and for Mitch to get home and unpacked his goodies. You can find his first shave with the Swing here by the way!

I think she is a true beauty! Mitch, you really outdid yourself again!! B&B is a wonderful virtual village and you are an asset to the community!

On to the shave!

So much ado, and no shave yet? I was already getting more comfortable waiting to read a two-page report about the shave.

 

[Guido75]

19.01.2023

• Guido75
• Jan 21, 2023

Gillette Old Type Thick Cap • Eddison (4) • Omega Super Badger • Mitchell’s Wool Fat

Date	19.01.2023
365 days of shaving	19/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	19/365 (100%)
GRUME January	19/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2.5
WXTG	N-S cheeks and neck
XWTG	L:W-E R:E-W Neck: S-N
ATG	Cheeks and neck S-N

Razor	Blade	Brush
Gillette Old Type OC	Eddison (4)	Omega Super Badger
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash Proraso Green	Mitchell’s Wool Fat Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
9/10 (~15 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8.5/10 (DFS+)	10/10 (GlideFest)

Notes to today’s shave:

My first shave with the OT and I must say I was a little timid having read reviews of aggressiveness and close shaving. So I took things very serious with zero pressure and short strokes.

And boy that did not disappoint!! What an amazing shave! After the first pass I could already tell this would be a very effective and efficient shave. The razor never became aggressive at all. Instead I enjoyed its smoothness and comfort. After two passes I was at light BBS / DFS+ and I followed up with an ATG on the cheeks and parts of the neck. Slight touch up on the problem areas and I was done. Wow!

MWF did everything to support this great shave and I felt soft post shave.

This was amazing! Thank you @mgweatherly for this very fine razor and the opportunity to try this one. It was superb and I used here today again! This is a super addition to my collection which seems to expand the more I try to keep it tight. So I won’t say anything anymore - maybe that will help!

Enjoy your shave!

 

[Guido75]

So much ado, and no shave yet? I was already getting more comfortable waiting to read a two-page report about the shave.

I was working on it my man! See

Guido

 

[Guido75]

Date	21.01.2023
365 days of shaving	21/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	21/365 (100%)
GRUME January	21/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2.5
WXTG	N-S cheeks and neck
XWTG	L:W-E R:E-W Neck: S-N
ATG	Cheeks and neck S-N

Razor	Blade	Brush
Gillette Old Type (thick cap)	Eddison (5)	Omega Proraso
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Mike’s Natural Barbershop Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Proraso Green (AS) Proraso Green (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
9/10 (~15 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8.5/10 (DFS++)	10/10 (GlideFest)

Notes to today’s shave:

Second with the Old Type and again an amazing shave. This razor is likely to be over a 100 years old and it can rival with any modern razor in my collection, including my Timeless Ti95 (which still is my top razor).

Lathering was more difficult today as I not loaded enough at first and because the Omega boar is a lather hog! Reload and lather was very nice. I love this scent and the post shave feel!

Again fewer passes than before and frankly similar results than before. Smooth allround and no irritation, no weepers, no nicks, just a very fine shave!

Enjoy your weekend!

 

[ivan_101]

I was working on it my man! See

Guido

So, you liked it.
I can't see well from those photos, but it looks to me like yours is the thick plate. If I remember correctly the earlier Old Types with thin plates are more aggressive. Does your bottom plate have a serial number?

 

[Guido75]

So, you liked it.
I can't see well from those photos, but it looks to me like yours is the thick plate. If I remember correctly the earlier Old Types with thin plates are more aggressive. Does your bottom plate have a serial number?

Yes, it’s the thick cap as far as I can tell. No serial number on the baseplate (neither top nor bottom).

Guido

 

[ivan_101]

Yes, it’s the thick cap as far as I can tell. No serial number on the baseplate (neither top nor bottom).

Guido

If no serial number, then it is 1921-28. Thick plate and cap.

 

[Guido75]

If no serial number, then it is 1921-28. Thick plate and cap.

Thanks Ivan! Concurs with my ideas.

I shaved with my Fatip Piccolo in between and I think I also need to concur with your statement that the OT is most likely the better shaver (by a very small margin IMO). They have the alignment challenge in common by the way!

Guido

 

[ivan_101]

Thanks Ivan! Concurs with my ideas.

I shaved with my Fatip Piccolo in between and I think I also need to concur with your statement that the OT is most likely the better shaver. They have the alignment challenge in common by the way!

Guido

My Old type is from the same period. Alignment is necessary, but it is not as problematic as on the Fatips.

 

[Guido75]

My Old type is from the same period. Alignment is necessary, but it is not as problematic as on the Fatips.

True. And the curvature gives a better shave (me at least). It’s now some 12+ hours after my morning shave and still SAS, maybe even CCS in places.

 

[ivan_101]

True. And the curvature gives a better shave (me at least). It’s now some 12+ hours after my morning shave and still SAS, maybe even CCS in places.

I wouldn't even think about comparing closeness of shave of the current version Fatips and the Old Type. The difference is too big.

 

[flask28]

If no serial number, then it is 1921-28. Thick plate and cap.

Wow, it is 100 years old! That's amazing and super, super cool. @mgweatherly is a true gentleman and scholar.

Sounds like it's a top notch performer too! I've been pretty happy with my new production Fatip and if you can't even compare them, dang. I have a new razor to put on my list .

 

[Guido75]

Wow, it is 100 years old! That's amazing and super, super cool. @mgweatherly is a true gentleman and scholar.

Sounds like it's a top notch performer too! I've been pretty happy with my new production Fatip and if you can't even compare them, dang. I have a new razor to put on my list .

One step at a time dear friend. One step at a time. You are doing amazing with just that. And before you know it your scratching your head trying to decide which one to shave with today!

 

[flask28]

One step at a time dear friend. One step at a time. You are doing amazing with just that. And before you know it your scratching your head trying to decide which one to shave with today!

I need to stop reading all these fantastic journal posts you guys keep making.

 

[Guido75]

I need to stop reading all these fantastic journal posts you guys keep making.

This is the voicemail of 1-800-ENABLERS. Press 1 for purchase suggestions. Press 2 for consultation. Press 3 for other queries.

 

[flask28]

Pfft. This place is more like the Skynet/ChatGPT version of the Enabler roboline. The one that can read your mind and caress you gently into a bathroom addition.

 

[Guido75]

Date	22.01.2023
365 days of shaving	22/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	22/365 (100%)
GRUME January	22/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2.5
WXTG	N-S cheeks and neck
XWTG	L:W-E R:E-W Neck: S-N
ATG	Cheeks and neck S-N

Razor	Blade	Brush
Gillette Tech EFB on @Lasta Blue handle	Dorco Titan (3)	Simpson T3
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Mike’s Natural Barbershop Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Floïds (AS) Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8.5/10 (~15 minutes)	8/10 (nick under the chin)
Effectiveness	Comfort
7.5/10 (DFS-)	9/10 (Buttery smooth)

Notes to today’s shave:

I hadn’t used my Flat Bottom Tech for some time so I thought to bring her out for a nice Sunday shave. Paired the razor with one of my favourite blades, the Dorco Titan. Fairly few shaves on the blade.

The combination proved to be effective, but also harsher than the shaves I had throughout the week with other razors. I needed more touch ups today and even managed to nick myself under the chin. I am accounting this all on user error - I think I actually rushed the shave leading into pressurising the razor making it all less smooth.

Still good shaving results at the end of the shave and a nice post shave feel - telling me it was a close shave in places as well.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

[thombrogan]

Please heal quickly, @Guido75

 

[Guido75]

Please heal quickly, @Guido75

All is well Thom - just a nick, no biggy. Tomorrow is another shave day.

 

[Guido75]

Date	23.01.2023
365 days of shaving	23/365 (100%)
GRUYERE	23/365 (100%)
GRUME January	23/31 (100%)
Discovery Blade Adventure	Bolzano 3/3 Timor 3/3 Eddison 3/3
Other participations	January Shave Yahtzee (here)

Passes	2.5
WXTG	N-S cheeks and neck
XWTG	L:W-E R:E-W Neck: S-N
ATG	Cheeks and neck S-N

Razor	Blade	Brush
Mühle R41	London Bridge vintage (3)	DVH Synthetic
Pre-shave	Soap & Bowl	Post-shave
Cold splash	Haslinger Sandelholz Mostly face lathered	Cold splash Nivea Sensitive (Balm)

Efficiency	Quality
8.5/10 (~15 minutes)	10/10 (clean)
Effectiveness	Comfort
8/10 (DFS+)	7/10 (slightly harsh and tugging)

Notes to today’s shave:

Today’s shave is for a friend and a motherly smile. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball to test your resilience. And after a shave you can look the Tiger straight in the eyes and roar back as hard as you can. All we are is change (John Overdurf).

So I brought out the best razor I know of to roar, the R41 aka The Beast (although I must confess the R41 in my hands purrs - because it knows it can roar when needed!).

A very effective and efficient Shave ensued with the razor and blade combination working in unison. The R41 gets any blade to fall into line. The London blade was tugging on the first pass and uncomfortable during those moments. It still performed to standard, but I think the blade is done for after the next shave (or maybe even this one already - haven’t decided yet because this is my first time using this vintage blade). Fine shave with great results.

Lather and brush were wonderful. I have set myself a target to get all my current soaps to 50 shaves before rotating again. Haslinger is already pretty close.

Enjoy your shaves!