BassPlayerBoz's Shave Journal

[BassPlayerBoz]

5th Bic Chrome Platinum "in the bank" (Maggard Slant, Stirling Executive Man soap w/ matching post shave balm or Nivea Sensitive, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Performance was overall pretty solid - with noticeably less irritation than when I used this blade in my other 3 Maggard's razors (V3, V3A, & V3OC.) I again got 8 pretty good shaves out of this razor/blade combo. Shaves 1-4 were solid - consistent w/ the V3A & V3OC. I still got some nice irritation on shave 5 or 6, but since the subsequent shaves were fine... like last time, I attribute that to operator error. There was some increase in irritation & the occasional weeper on shaves 5-8, but it was fairly manageable. As I mentioned above, even though there was an increase in irritation/weepers on the last 4 shaves, I thought it was to a noticeably lesser degree than w/ the other Maggard's razors. But I'm also aware that the V3, V3A, & V3OC I used prior to this seem to have had decreasing irritation levels on the last few shaves on the blades used. Is this decrease in irritation I'm perceiving w/ the Slant just part of that trend? Is it actually the razor? Or did I just have poor technique for a few shaves w/ the V3, learned from that, am now being more patient/ improving my touch, and that is what's causing the decrease in irritation (rather than the difference in razors)? Maybe... maybe not.... Maybe I'll figure out a pattern later if I ever peruse these journal entries looking for common thread in experiences w/ different razors, blades, soaps, etc. I mean - heck - isn't that one of the points of keeping a shave journal?

Lather quality was consistent with previous efforts - the normal great Stirling lather. Still using the thicker lather. I'm getting better at producing thicker lather that doesn't dry out. Over the last few months, I've tried various amounts of water with varied results - too much water ==> runny; too little ==> pasty lather. Fortunately, the Stirling lather is pretty good either way so it's easy to experiment (as long as I don't go to extremes of WAAYYY too much or WAAAYY too little water.) I think I'm internalizing what I've read from others here on B&B - add water slowly & keep whipping until the lather is thick/ "peak-y" , but shiny. As long as I add enough water, the thick lather isn't sticky. But the trick seems to be to thoroughly mix/ whip in a few drops/ 1 tsp of water before adding more until I get to that thick/ shiny lather that doesn't dry out. And it also seems to me that sometimes if I've added a little too much water, spending another 30 seconds or so whipping the lather will tend to thicken it up & bring back to where I want (thick & shiny.) It's helped a bit on the SR shaves as well.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation (except for the Shave #5 or #6 described above.) I find the Maggard Slant performance with this blade as good & more comfortable than in the V3, V3A, or V3OC (a little less irritation overall - especially in the last few shaves on the blade.)

So.... been doing this traditional wet shaving thing for a little over a year & a half now... and I'm still figuring out the subtleties of lather generation. I don't know whether that's good (i.e. I have patience/ persistence?) or bad (i.e. I'm a idiot & can't master this simple task? & If I can't figure this out, how in the world do I ever expect to get a DFS w/ an SR?) For now, I'm going with "I'm patient/ persistent"...

Next up - the Merkur 37C with the Bic Chrome Platinum (I went to Crescent Moon Smoke Shop & got another tuck of these blades so I could test it out in the Merkur Slant)...

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

The Bic Chrome Plat is a highly underrated blade. Sad it doesnt get move love around here. Not pricey either.

So far, I think the Bic Chrome Platinums are fine. But I also feel they worked better in my milder razor (DE 89) rather than the V3, V3A, & V3OC. At least, for me that's what it seemed. I'm hoping to eventually "settle" on a go-to blade that's comfortable for me in multiple razors. So far... in the 1.5 years I've been doing this... my favorite blade has been the Rapira Super Stainless (DangerousDon PIF'd me a tuck when I first joined B&B.) And since I have at least 2 more years worth of DE blades to work through (at the rate I use them), I'll definitely need to re-evaluate the Rapira's when I get to that point. It's entirely possible that with a few years of experience, my opinion might change by then.

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

6th Bic Chrome Platinum "in the bank" (Merkur 37C Slant, Stirling Executive Man soap w/ matching post shave balm or Nivea Sensitive, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Performance was overall pretty good - with slightly less less irritation than the Maggard Slant (which was noticeably less than the same blade in my other 3 Maggard's razors [V3, V3A, & V3OC].) I again got 8 pretty good shaves out of this razor/blade combo. Shaves 1-4 were solid. I got a good bit of irritation on shave 5, but the subsequent shaves were fine. So... ==> like the last 2 blades.... I attribute that one bad shave to operator error. There tended to be an increased likelihood of irritation/ the occasional weeper on shaves 5-8, but it was again fairly manageable.

Lather quality was consistent with previous efforts - the normal great Stirling lather. Experimentation with thickness, water content, slickness/ stickiness was consistent with my last log entry. I did use up the Stirling finally (lasted ~ 3 months shaving 6 times/ week.) Next soap will be the MWF (the "Fat"!) I got for my birthday in Jul.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I find the Merkur 37C performance with this blade as good & more comfortable than in the Maggard V3, V3A, V3OC. & Slant (with a little less irritation overall - especially in the last few shaves on the blade.)

Next up - back to the DE89 with the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging), the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

1st Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (EJ DE89, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man post shave balm or Nivea Sensitive, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Performance was overall pretty good. I again got 8 nice shaves out of this razor/blade combo. Shaves 1-4 were solid - DFS w/ little irritation There tended to be an increased likelihood of irritation/ the occasional weeper on shaves 5-8, but it was very mild & could very well be attributed to the operator. And the shaves were still DFS.

Started using the MWF I got for my birthday back in July. It was surprisingly easy to lather for whatever reason. From the tales I've read here on B&B, I expected to have a lot of trouble lathering it - especially with the hard water I have in Sahuarita. But so far, I've had no issues. Well... I had some, but they were self-induced. In experimenting with water content vs. thick/ runny lather, I've had some lathers that were better than others. Fortunately, I found that just about any way I made it, the MWF lather still performed pretty well with the DE. (Where I've really noticed problems with "less than ideal" lather is when I use the SR. I'm not skilled enough with an SR yet to deal w/ runny or sticky lather. But w/ the DE, I really had no issues.) And the post-shave feel is very good. I still use the "alum, rinse w/ hot water, rinse w/ cold water, post-shave balm" routine, but think I could get away with just the MWF post-shave feel if I wanted.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I find the DE89 performance with this blade very good. There was maybe with a little less irritation overall than with the last blade [Bic Chrome Platinum], but I'd need to review my notes/ journal entries to be certain. (It has been around 3 months since I used that combo, so I might be remembering the experience incorrectly.) I'd also have to review my notes to verify this as well, but I have the impression that - out of my DE razors - the DE89 is giving me my most consistent/ comfortable shaves with a variety of blades.

Next up - the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging) w/ the Maggard V3, the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[bahomebrew]

So.... been doing this traditional wet shaving thing for a little over a year & a half now... and I'm still figuring out the subtleties of lather generation.

2 and 1/2 years here and it's really been the last six months since I feel I've gotten really consistent. Even so, I feel like I am learning every shave. Keep up the good shaves and the effort.

Have you tried the 7 O'clock Yellow? I have a tuck of greens but they haven't come up in rotation. I like the yellows, they are about as good as it gets for me.

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

Have you tried the 7 O'clock Yellow? I have a tuck of greens but they haven't come up in rotation. I like the yellows, they are about as good as it gets for me.

Haven't tried them yet, but I bought 2 tucks of them when I got the Greens. They'll be the next blades I try once I get through trying out a "green" in the V3 (current razor), V3A, V3OC, Maggard Slant, & Merkur 37C (slant). Then I'll open the "yellows" as I start the rotation over w/ the DE89.

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

2nd Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man post shave balm, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Performance was again overall pretty good. I got 8 nice shaves out of this razor/blade combo. Shaves 1-4 were solid - DFS w/ a little bit more irritation than the DE89 (which is fairly consistent blade-to-blade when comparing this razor to my DE89... which is why I disagree with the assessment of many of my fellow B&B'ers that the V3 is a DE89 clone. At least, between my 2 razors, the V3 is noticeably more aggressive than my DE89.) Shaves 5-8 didn't have as much of an increase in irritation as I normally expect, but this could be due to an alteration in my technique. I'd read somewhere on this forum that - ideally - you should hear very little of the cutting action. If you change your angle, hear less cutting, but still get close shaves... it's likely that your previous angle was too steep and you were doing a lot of scraping. That's what I think I was doing. When I altered my angle, I got better shaves with less irritation. I also seemed to be less prone to irritation. (At least, that's my perception given imprecise evaluation of my technique via the "that-looks-about-right (TLAR)" version of the scientific method.)

Still using the MWF I got for my birthday back in July. Haven't had any trouble generating lather good enough/ long-lasting enough for DE shaves. But have noticed my lather tends to break down/ thin out when using the SR - especially in the third pass. (Probably due, at least in part, to my lack of skill - and therefore, speed - with the SR. Regardless of why, the lather getting thin and/or sticky sometimes makes SR shaving a bit sporty. But I'm sticking with it - no pun intended - in an attempt to learn.) Post-shave feel is very good. I still use the "alum, rinse w/ hot water, rinse w/ cold water, post-shave balm" routine, but think I could get away with just the MWF post-shave feel if I wanted.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I find the V3 performance with this blade very good. I still think the V3 is more aggressive than the DE89, but my change in technique helped me to experience less irritation than I normally expect this time around.

Next up - the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging) w/ the Maggard V3A, the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

3rd Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3A, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man post shave balm, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Performance was pretty consistent w/ that in the V3 with the last blade - Solid 8 shaves.

Haven't had any trouble generating MWF lather good enough/ long-lasting enough for DE shaves. But have noticed my lather tends to break down/ thin out when using the SR - especially in the third pass. (This was especially true in my SR shave tonight where I could watch the lather dissipate almost as soon as applied it ==> very frustrating.) Post-shave feel is still very good. Still think I could possibly get away with just the MWF post-shave feel if I wanted instead of the "alum, rinse w/ hot water, rinse w/ cold water, post-shave balm" routine.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I find the V3A performance with this blade very good. I don't think the V3A is all that much more aggressive than the V3 (though I think both are more aggressive than the DE89.)

Next up - the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging) w/ the Maggard V3OC, the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

4th Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3OC, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man post shave balm, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Blade performance was pretty consistent w/ that in the V3 & V3A - Solid 8 shaves.

MWF lather for DE shaves has been pretty good. I usually bloom the soap while in the shower, drain the water (~ 1-2 tsp) into a mug sitting in the warm water (where it's been while I shower), load for 30 sec, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. (For SR shaving, I usually load for a minute. I think my problem during that routine was re-filling the sink w/ hot water periodically during the shave & instead of keeping my lather warm, the heat from the water on the mug was killing my lather.) Post-shave feel is still very good. I normally put a coat of lather on my face while I clean the mug, razor, & brush so I can get the good, moisturizing effect. Still think I could possibly get away with just the MWF post-shave feel if I wanted instead of the "alum, rinse w/ hot water, rinse w/ cold water, post-shave balm" routine.

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I thought the V3OC w/ this blade might have felt just a shade more aggressive than the previous couple of razors (V3 & V3A), but that could be just my perception/ bias. There were a couple of times I got some irritation, but those were nights when I got in a hurry or repeated passes trying to get closer. And since the resulting irritation was never very bad, I attribute those instances to me rather than the blade/ razor. So, I judge performance of the V3OC with this blade to be very good.

Next up - the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging) w/ the Maggard Slant, the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

5th Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard Slant, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man/ Nivea Sensitive post shave balms, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Solid 8 shaves.

MWF lather for DE shaves has been thin/ dissipating lately. I still bloom the soap while in the shower, drain the water (~ 1-2 tsp) into a mug sitting in the warm water (where it's been while I shower), load for 30 sec, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. After recognizing/ mitigating the heat problem with the lather, I was still getting some pretty thin lathers. The heat wasn't the problem, so I think I was also having isues with too much water. Perhaps I was trying to ensure the lather didn't dry out/ get too paste-like during my shave. On the last shave (8), I consciously tried to use less water. The lather was thicker/ creamier, and was a little more perisistent/ didn't thin out as much. but still thinned out a little. ==> still trying to dial the consistency in again. (Thought I had this nut cracked a while ago, but evidently I lost the touch somewhere along the line... or maybe realized I didn't have it dialed-in as well as I thought & started experimenting again. Still learning...) Post-shave feel is still very good & is better with the thicker lather (like on the last shave; #8).

Shaves were mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. Didn't feel like the Slant "bit me" as often as the V3OC did. One shave I had some elevated irritation levels, but it was on shave 4-5 or so, & I was hurrying that night... So that was probably operator error more than any issue with the blade, razor, or soap. Bottom line - this blade/ razor combo was good.

Next up - the Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green packaging) w/ the Merkur 37C (slant), the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

6th Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Stainless (Green pkg) "in the bank" (Merkur 37C Slant, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man/ Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balms, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Solid 8 shaves. I think I could have gotten a few more, but 8 shaves is my "standard".

MWF lather for DE shaves has been improving. I still bloom the soap while in the shower, drain the water (~ 1 tsp or so) into a mug sitting in the warm water (where it's been while I shower), went back to loading for 60 seconds instead of the 30 seconds, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. The increase in loading time seemed to help with the lather consistency, but it still varied from thick to runny depending on how vigilant I was about the total amount of water I added while whipping. If I had a lot of bloom water (more than a teaspoon or so) and I added a few drops at each 30 second interval, I'd end up w/ thin lather. ==> I'd have to skip adding water at some points in the whipping process. But if I had 1/2 a teaspoon or less bloom water when I started, I'd need to add a few drops during the lathering process or I'd end up with pasty lather. Even the thin MWF lather would work OK w/ the DE, though. I think that's because my DE shaves are fast enough such that it doesn't dissipate. Where I really notice an issue is on my SR shaves where - if the lather is too thin - it really dissipates during the last 1/2 of each pass to the point where I need to re-lather my face or risk elevated irritation levels. On the other hand - if the lather is too thick, my SR sticks & my reaction is too apply more pressure to force through it ==> elevated irritation levels. Fortunately, my DE shaves are fast enough to avoid this issue. But I still like the rich, thick lather for spreading on my face after the last pass to gain the nice post-shave feel. If the lather is too thin, the post-shave feel isn't as nice.

My wife got me some of the Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm & I tried that out on a few shaves. I think the cooling sensation is nice and the moisturizing/ soothing feel of the lotion is good enough. It feels like it's a little thinner than the non-cooling version, though, and I think I like that thicker feel better. Not sure if I'd trade the thicker feel for the cooling sensation. I'd have to "A/B" them to be certain which I'd prefer, but I wouldn't throw either one away - I like them both.

Shaves were again mostly solid DFS w/ little irritation. I also felt I didn't get as much irritation w/ this blade in the Merkur as I did in the Maggard's slant (though that wasn't all that much either.) It could be that the irritation I experienced w/ the Maggard's slant was due to operator error (as I noted in my last entry) and I just didn't make those errors with this combo. So I don't know if it was actually "better/ more comfortable" without more "A/B" testing, but that was my experience. Bottom line - this blade/ razor combo was solid.

Next up - Think I might go with the the Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) & back to the EJ DE89. Staying w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap (3017ing it; still have another month or two in it), & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[NurseDave]

Good detailed reads Jeff

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

Good detailed reads Jeff

Thanks, Dave! I keep the journal so I can go eventually go back & review how different bits of gear worked for me if/when I eventually decide to settle on a routine. (I should be done experimenting in about 15 years or so.) Hopefully, in the meantime, somebody else can learn from my mistakes. (LOL!)

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

1st 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yallow pkg) "in the bank" (EJ DE89, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man/ Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balms, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

8 DFS shaves with - at most - a slight bit of irritation. I think I could have gotten a few more, but 8 shaves is my "standard". This is my favorite blade so far (at least, in the DE89). I think I like it better than I remember the Rapira SS.

MWF lather for DE shaves has been improving, but still hit/ miss. I still bloom the soap while in the shower, drain the water (even less than a 1 tsp or so, lately) into a mug sitting in the warm water (where it's been while I shower), went back to loading for 60 seconds instead of the 30 seconds, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. The increase in loading time/ less bloom water seemed to help with the lather consistency, but .... it still varied. More bloom water ==> I'd have to skip adding water at scheduled points in the whipping process. Less bloom water ==> I'd need to add a few drops during the lathering process. Thin MWF lather still works OK w/ the DE, though. (DE shaves are fast enough.) My SR shaves are where I'm still having issues (lately, it seems no matter what I do i can watch the later dissipate on my neck as I shave; by the time I get to my neck, there's barely any lather left.) But I still like post-shave feel when the lather is rich & thick.

Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm still solid as well as the Executive Man balm.

Shaves were solid DFS w/ BBS is various areas everyday & very little irritation. Even on the days when I thought I hurried & was likely to give myself some irritation, the results were a great shave & mild - at most - irritation. Bottom line - this blade/ razor combo was very good for me. This is my new favorite blade (replacing my previous favorite - the Rapira SS.)

Next up - another Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) w/ the Maggard V3. Staying w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap (3017ing it; still have at least a few more weeks in it; maybe longer), & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

2nd 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yallow pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Stirling Executive Man/ Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balms, & Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

8 mostly DFS shaves. Slightly more irritation than with the DE89, but that's consistent with my previous experiences with the V3 (Contrary to what othe B&Br's have posted, I find the V3 a bit more aggressive than the DE89.... at least ... "My" V3.) Though there was a higher incidence of irritation &the occasional weeper, they were still very manageable/ not too bad.

MWF lather for DE shaves still getting a little more consistent, but I'm still working on it. Same basic routine - bloom the soap while in the shower with i tsp or less worht of water, drain the water into a mug sitting in the warm water, load for 60 seconds, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. The increase in loading time/ less bloom water seemed to help with the lather consistency, but .... it still varies. Thin MWF lather still works OK w/ the DE, though. (DE shaves are fast enough.) My SR shaves are where I'm still having issues (better lately, but still thins out on my neck by the time I get there... not as much lately, but I still have to re-lather mid-pass when using the SR.) I tried the Omega Pro 48 brush with the MWF on my last SR shave. It seemed to load more soap, which seemed to allow me to generate more lather. I still had some of the same issues, but to a lesser degree. And I still like the MWF post-shave feel when the lather is rich & thick. (I think it's the best post-shave feel of any soap I've tried.)

Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm still solid as well as the Executive Man balm.

Shaves were generally DFS w/ BBS in various areas everyday with a little irritation/ occasional weeper. Bottom line - this blade/ razor combo was good for me, but I need to take more care than with the DE89. I think I prefer the DE89/ SharpEdge combination, but I could live with this combo long-term as well.) Still think this is my new favorite blade (replacing my previous favorite - the Rapira SS.)

Next up - another Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) w/ the Maggard V3A. Staying w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap (3017ing it; still have at least a few more weeks in it; maybe longer; who knows?), & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling/ Stirling Executive Man post shave balms....

Boz (a.k.a. "Jeff")... \m/(>.<)\m/

 

[NurseDave]

My variety desire is giving me the jitters seeing MWF shave after shave after shave

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

My variety desire is giving me the jitters seeing MWF shave after shave after shave

HA!

It's more like week ... after weeks... after months... And I get it. I've been using my puck of MWF since late Nov/ early December - around 3.5 months now... and I think it still has at least another month of usage left in it. I think I took to 3017ing soaps so I didn't have to worry about storing them without getting them completely dried off, facilitating mold/ mildew, & ruining any soaps.

I know what you mean, though. I'm ready to try something else, but am still determined to use up the MWF before moving on.

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

3rd 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3A, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balms, & Omega Pro 48 Boar/ Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Again, 8 mostly DFS shaves. Irritation was comparable to the V3, but I seemed to have more nicks/ weepers than with the V3. None were bad and they were still infrequent, but I did seem to notice them more often.

MWF lather for DE shaves still getting a little more consistent, but I'm still working on it. Same basic routine - bloom the soap while in the shower with 1 tsp or less worth of water, drain the water into a mug sitting in the warm water, load for 60 seconds, & whip for 2 min adding a couple of fingers-worth of drips at 30 sec intervals. Thin MWF lather still works OK w/ the DE, though. (DE shaves are fast enough.) Increasing loading time/ less bloom water seems to help with the lather consistency, but .... it still varies. I also went back to my Omega Pro 48 boar brush for a few shaves to compare with the WD Silvertip. The fact that the boar brush holds more product seems to make a difference in lather (both in quality and quantity), but I prefer the feel of the Silvertip. The Omega isn't bad though ==> I will continue to use it until my MWF is gone (Maybe a few more weeks?) Still really like the MWF post-shave feel, though. I've been using the Haslinger Coconut for my SR shaves lately & think the post-shave from that is also very good, but I still prefer the MWF post-shave. I'm just not sure the lather hassles I've had with the MWF are worth it any more.

Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm still solid. (Have been saving my Stirling Executive Man balm for the SR shaves.)

Shaves were generally DFS w/ BBS in various areas everyday with a little irritation/ occasional weepers (not bad, but more so than with the V3). This blade/ razor combo was good for me, but - like with the V3 - I need to take a little more care than with the DE89.

Next up - another Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) w/ the Maggard V3OC. Staying w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balms....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

4th 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard V3OC, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Nivea SensitiveCooling post shave balms, & Omega Pro 48 Boar/ Whipped Dog 24mm Silvertip w/ std loft)...

Again, 8 mostly DFS shaves. My impressions was that irritation levels were slightly less than with the V3 & V3A, even though I also felt like I could "feel" the blade on my skin more than I could with the previous two razors. But that could be just some perception bias creeping in. I had less nicks/ weepers than w/ the V3A (not that I had a lot with the V3A, but I had less w/ the V3OC.)

MWF lather for DE shaves was solid w/ the Omega Pro 48. Same basic routine for lather generation. I prefer the feel of the WD Silvertip, but I think the extra capacity of the Omega aids in getting more soap/ lather production with the MWF. So... I will continue to use it until my MWF is gone (still a few more weeks... maybe who knows?) Still really like the MWF post-shave feel. Lather hassles with the MWF might be manageable if I only use it for the DE. But if I want to use the same soap for both DE and SR shaving, I'm still of the opinion I won't be trying the MWF again until I either develop a lot more skill with the SR... or give up the SR altogether.

Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm still solid. (Have been saving my Stirling Executive Man balm for the SR shaves.)

Shaves were generally DFS w/ BBS in various areas everyday with a less irritation than I had with this blade in the previous two razors (Maggard V3 & V3A). Perhaps I just had a good series of shaves, but I thought this combo was as aggressive as the V3 & V3A with less irritation. The DE89 was mild by comparison (IMHO), but also much more forgiving (remember hardly any irritiation, nicks, cuts, with that one - no matter what I did.) Still, the V3OC w/ the 7 O'Clock Yellow gave great shaves with mild/ manageable irritation. Good preformer for me.

Next up - another Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) w/ the Maggard Slant. Staying w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap, & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balm....

 

[BassPlayerBoz]

5th 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow pkg) "in the bank" (Maggard Slant, Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap, Nivea SensitiveCooling post shave balm, & Omega Pro 48 Boar)...

8 solid DFS shaves. Irritation levels seemed less than w/ the previous two razors (V3OC & V3A). I still had a little on 2-3 shaves, but it was mild at worst. For the most part, I got 8 great shaves. The little irritation I did experience was on the earlier shaves. Was that because the blade "smoothed out" (as I've read can happen) or was I just more cautious/ better on those last few shaves? Regardless, I was able to get solid results for a couple of weeks with this blade/ razor combo ==> still like the 7 O'Clock Yellows.

MWF lather for DE shaves was hit/ miss over the past 2 weeks w/ the Omega Pro 48. Same basic routine for lather generation. Still using the Omega Pro 48 to get more soap loaded for lather production. it seemed like every other night or so, I just couldn't generate as much lather as usual. I still had enough to shave, but that last post-shave coat of lather was pretty thin on about half my shaves. (I usually like to have plenty left, just in case I need to re-visit any areas.) So... again... I'm less & less enthusiastic about my MWF results lately. Based on my usage over the last couple of weeks, I still think it has a couple of weeks left in it (it just keeps going & going & going) & I will continue to use it until it's gone (still a few more weeks... maybe who knows?) I still really like the MWF post-shave feel, but more & more I'm wondering if it's worth the effort when there are so many other soaps that - even if the post shave feel isn't quite as nice - are still very good & much less hassle. (The Haslinger Coconut I'm currently using with the SR comes to mind. Post shave is still very good, but not quite as nice as the MWF [IMHO]... but is also much less hassle when it comes to loading & generating rich, persistent lather.)

Also still really like the Nivea Cooling Sensitive Post shave balm. Have been saving my Stirling Executive Man balm for the SR shaves, but really like the Nivea stuff as it feels great, is available at any local grocery store, & is less $$ . But not to worry, I'm still afflicted with a bit of "acquistion disorder" & have every intention of availing myself of more nice balms from Stirling and the brand I tested recently at the Gentlemen's Chamber @ Tucson mall (can't remember what that one was, but it was silky smooth & I think made for them by another manufacturer; Dave can probably refresh my memory...) (An aside.... I'm a "balm guy". Not a fan of alcohol-based AS splashes as they tend to set my face on fire.... even with a fairly mild amount of irritation and after the alum.)

Shaves were generally DFS/ BBS. Great results & less irritation than the previous 2-3 razors. I didn't feel like the Slant was all that aggressive either. I thought this blade/ razor pairing was as forgiving as the DE89/ Yellow combination. IMHO - great match.

Next up - another Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow packaging) w/ the Merkur 37C Slant. Still keeping w/ the Mitchell's Wool Fat soap (until I use it up... maybe in the next two week.... maybe...?), & continuing to use the alum & Nivea Sensitive Cooling post shave balm for my DE shaves....