Package now bound for @Straight up
Fantastic lot in there and I added to it.
I've been using the PIF on my amateur Youtube channel and given thanks for the items with each of my shaves uploaded. Also been very busy and have not been able to post in SOTD as I like to do... But here is my summary.
Colgate Cup Soap + SE RR Hawk v3 + Proline SE Blade
I tried to cut this and it just broke as it was so hard. I noticed that there is not much scent at all... it produced a weaker lather that was unremarkable... I was disappointed with the performance but still thrilled to have tried it. For me it evokes such nostalgia to use something made before I was even born! Wow! For me, that's a real privilege!
I still have a little left, good for another 2 shaves as I kept the shard that broke. I will have to try to press it into the bowl and fill with water to allow it to bloom and see if that produces a different result. My suggestion is to remove a piece and let it bloom first which is what I will be trying next time.
Feather SS + Proline AC Blade + ARKO
My next shave was my 1st SR shave EVER and I did it with a feather SS but I did this with arko (added a little to the box) so I guess I can include that... Arko is slick stuff... But my first shave with an SR was like driving a manual car for the first time... crazy and insane!
My technique was poor and I saw blood... maybe 5 or 6 weepers... all caught for the whole world to see... I found that many things are different from SE and DE safety razors. Including not removing lather with stubble and using the other side of the razor to rinsing and not wiping the razor thereby adding water to my face. What a mess! Luckily Arko is slick which is why I used it for my first SR shave... very forgiving and can take water, it made for an excellent choice. Didn't like the scent though. 2 passes WTG only.
I decided to wear that rather poor and clumsy shave for the whole day and did not go for any clean up with a DE. Better to focus my unconscious on developing the skill and knowing that I'll be wearing the shaves if I don't learn fast.
'Cubebe' Saponificio Varesino + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
My 2nd SR shave ever! Using 'Cubebe' by "Soap" - Sapone from the city of "Varese" - suburb - Varesino (area) according to my Italian friend I spoke with at a BBQ yesterday.
Cubebe is probably "May Chang" a lemony pepper essential oil from Asia, which gives this this soap it's top notes which really dominates. It's very complex smell, a cologne. The initial slickness is INCREDIBLE... I rubbed it between my thumb and fingers and it was slick as. The scent mellows out when lathered and is very appealing to me, fresh, woodies, robust and full.
The soap lather did dissipate on the 3rd pass though, could be that's it's a vege soap and I did take longer than usual to do my shave. My shaving technique also improved dramatically having learnt my lessons from the day before. No more mess, no more added water to the face... less weepers. What a soap to use for my SR learning!!! Very thankful.
Nuavia Italia Soap + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
It's the strongest cologne scented soap I've ever used by miles!!! and miles!!! Bergamot as well... think Drakkar Noir strength.
It's a soft soap, I think mainly due to the overwhelming amount of fragrance. It's very masculine, dominant yet without being harsh in any way. I like it!!! Reminds me of my childhood with Hairy Chested Italian gangsters gambling smoking cigars with gold chains upstairs in a private room above an Italian Restaurant. Very 1970's scent. It's soft and very dark brown... sticky claylike consistency. This has transported in time and space.
Managed to do 3 passes with the last pass ATG... another improvement. I found I couldn't talk when shaving as my concentration is so absorbed. Less weepers... the first day I felt like it was an okay shave with the SR.
Col. Conk Bay Rum Soap + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
Today I used the Colonel Conk Bay Rum has a very wonderful pleasant sweet scent. It is far superior in scent profile to Captain's Choice Bay Rum. I've come off 3 days of premium slickness... So although this did the job it's less slick than the other soaps I've been using. The lather is beautiful looking. Just I would like it to be as slick as the others. Especially needed for my beginner SR learning. Though I had a subscriber who is a SR shaver for over a decade who said it was my best shave yet. The lather did last and did not dissipate. Tiniest specks of blood, it was near bloodless. And I had enough endurance to do new techniques including ATG with the whole blade length and some good blade tip and belly work.
After 8 shaves with the proline blade it is clearly getting blunt.
Fantastic lot in there and I added to it.
I've been using the PIF on my amateur Youtube channel and given thanks for the items with each of my shaves uploaded. Also been very busy and have not been able to post in SOTD as I like to do... But here is my summary.
Colgate Cup Soap + SE RR Hawk v3 + Proline SE Blade
I tried to cut this and it just broke as it was so hard. I noticed that there is not much scent at all... it produced a weaker lather that was unremarkable... I was disappointed with the performance but still thrilled to have tried it. For me it evokes such nostalgia to use something made before I was even born! Wow! For me, that's a real privilege!
I still have a little left, good for another 2 shaves as I kept the shard that broke. I will have to try to press it into the bowl and fill with water to allow it to bloom and see if that produces a different result. My suggestion is to remove a piece and let it bloom first which is what I will be trying next time.
Feather SS + Proline AC Blade + ARKO
My next shave was my 1st SR shave EVER and I did it with a feather SS but I did this with arko (added a little to the box) so I guess I can include that... Arko is slick stuff... But my first shave with an SR was like driving a manual car for the first time... crazy and insane!
My technique was poor and I saw blood... maybe 5 or 6 weepers... all caught for the whole world to see... I found that many things are different from SE and DE safety razors. Including not removing lather with stubble and using the other side of the razor to rinsing and not wiping the razor thereby adding water to my face. What a mess! Luckily Arko is slick which is why I used it for my first SR shave... very forgiving and can take water, it made for an excellent choice. Didn't like the scent though. 2 passes WTG only.
I decided to wear that rather poor and clumsy shave for the whole day and did not go for any clean up with a DE. Better to focus my unconscious on developing the skill and knowing that I'll be wearing the shaves if I don't learn fast.
'Cubebe' Saponificio Varesino + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
My 2nd SR shave ever! Using 'Cubebe' by "Soap" - Sapone from the city of "Varese" - suburb - Varesino (area) according to my Italian friend I spoke with at a BBQ yesterday.
Cubebe is probably "May Chang" a lemony pepper essential oil from Asia, which gives this this soap it's top notes which really dominates. It's very complex smell, a cologne. The initial slickness is INCREDIBLE... I rubbed it between my thumb and fingers and it was slick as. The scent mellows out when lathered and is very appealing to me, fresh, woodies, robust and full.
The soap lather did dissipate on the 3rd pass though, could be that's it's a vege soap and I did take longer than usual to do my shave. My shaving technique also improved dramatically having learnt my lessons from the day before. No more mess, no more added water to the face... less weepers. What a soap to use for my SR learning!!! Very thankful.
Nuavia Italia Soap + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
It's the strongest cologne scented soap I've ever used by miles!!! and miles!!! Bergamot as well... think Drakkar Noir strength.
It's a soft soap, I think mainly due to the overwhelming amount of fragrance. It's very masculine, dominant yet without being harsh in any way. I like it!!! Reminds me of my childhood with Hairy Chested Italian gangsters gambling smoking cigars with gold chains upstairs in a private room above an Italian Restaurant. Very 1970's scent. It's soft and very dark brown... sticky claylike consistency. This has transported in time and space.
Managed to do 3 passes with the last pass ATG... another improvement. I found I couldn't talk when shaving as my concentration is so absorbed. Less weepers... the first day I felt like it was an okay shave with the SR.
Col. Conk Bay Rum Soap + Feather SS + Proline AC Blade
Today I used the Colonel Conk Bay Rum has a very wonderful pleasant sweet scent. It is far superior in scent profile to Captain's Choice Bay Rum. I've come off 3 days of premium slickness... So although this did the job it's less slick than the other soaps I've been using. The lather is beautiful looking. Just I would like it to be as slick as the others. Especially needed for my beginner SR learning. Though I had a subscriber who is a SR shaver for over a decade who said it was my best shave yet. The lather did last and did not dissipate. Tiniest specks of blood, it was near bloodless. And I had enough endurance to do new techniques including ATG with the whole blade length and some good blade tip and belly work.
After 8 shaves with the proline blade it is clearly getting blunt.