Cal's "I don't do journals" Journal

[Cal]

Fixed Four SOTD #5

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Gillette Blue Blade (5)
ASL: Proraso Red

Very nice.

I'm getting a bit worried that this 2½ dollar razor is becoming one of my favorites.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm getting a bit worried that this 2½ dollar razor is becoming one of my favorites.

Sounds like a perfect travel razor

 

[Raven Koenes]

Fixed Four SOTD #5

View attachment 1131379

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Gillette Blue Blade (5)
ASL: Proraso Red

Very nice.

I'm getting a bit worried that this 2½ dollar razor is becoming one of my favorites.

2 1/2 dollar razor? Is it a newer Gillette like sold in the Asian market or Vintage? I'm always fascinated when really cheap buys turn out to be hidden gems. At one time I thought about collecting them.

 

[Cal]

2 1/2 dollar razor?

Indeed. HERE

Is it a newer Gillette like sold in the Asian market or Vintage?

Basically it's the latest Gillette Tech (made in China) from the official (Chinese) P&G Store.

I like that it's all Stainless Steel. But you can tell it's mass produced. The cap is sintered SS and the baseplate is pressed SS sheet... weighing in at 8.1g and 2.6g respectively. So with a blade (0.5g) the complete loaded head weighs a massive 11.2g. (Memories of the good ol' PBOCS.)

I'm always fascinated when really cheap buys turn out to be hidden gems. At one time I thought about collecting them.

I purchased another two along with two five-packs of the single blade they're supplied with. I was impressed by the blade. But the blades ain't cheap. The ten cost me $4.77. A hundred costs $23.75.

Maybe P&G China are following the old King Gillette plan of just about giving the razors away... then making their money on the blades. I can't see that working with the savvy Chinese customers though... and I can purchase the magical Gillette 7 O'Clock Super Platinums (Blacks) for about half that cost on eBay here in the UK.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I missed that you're doing a Fixed, Cal.

Is it March?

Switching gears...

To the Pedantic Department.

The razor is a lot more than $2.50. Nineteen cents is not chump change, right, and then there's $2.09 shipping. Here I was fixing to pull the trigger until I found out it's practically a Wolfman.

I also noticed it's not a slant and not a Fatip.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Great brush and kit.

 

[Cal]

Is it March?

I may well be a pedant, Jim... but I doubt that I'm a "perfect" pedant. Whether that gets me plus or minus points I dunno (Big Nurse would know, but I'm not going to ask).

 

[Cal]

Fixed Four "Intermission" SOTD

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Cream: Cella Extra Extra Bio
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Gillette Blue Blade (6)
ASL: Cella Extra Extra Bio

An excellent shave.

As my Cella Extra Extra Bios landed yesterday I decided on a small intermission from my Fixed Four to test them out.

I can only say that the Extra Extra Bio Shaving Cream (croap to me) is excellent... but being super nit-picky (as I am) I did find two minus points:

1. It leaves gunge in the sink. Not quite as bad as (my beloved) Proraso Red, but enough to be noticeable (and to annoy me).
2. The scent, although quite pleasant, is a little on the strong side for me... and not something I would want to notice for much more time than a shave and a bit.

(Not being a mix and match type) I liked that the Extra Extra Bio ASL smells exactly like the shaving cream. Having been bitten too many times before, I used it sparingly. (I liked that the orifice reducer wasn't overly generous.) Expecting the ASL to last up to the usual (ASL and EdC) two hours max... I'm kinda fed up that it's still there and noticeable eight hours after the darned shave.

So there you have my mini review on Cella Extra Extra Bio. Excellent products, but definitely not for me on a long term basis (i.e. used every shave).

Back to "normal" next shave.

 

[Esox]

Fixed Four "Intermission" SOTD

"Intermission" during a Fixed Four? Intermission? How can there be an intermission when its fixed? If the Fixed Four is no longer fixed, its no longer a fixed four. It would become an 'Intermittent Four'. That doesnt sound as flashy but it is more accurate lol.

I'm surprised how different our noses are Cal. "Strong", is the last word I'd use to describe the scent of Cella Bio but the ASL lasting 8 hours I sort of like the idea of. Although, given the difference in our noses, I might only detect it, lightly, for two hours lol.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I liked that the orifice reducer wasn't overly generous.

Imodium?

Having a scent persist all day would drive me bonkers. Do you think it's something that you could get nose blind to after a while, Cal?

 

[Cal]

"Intermission" during a Fixed Four? Intermission? How can there be an intermission when its fixed? If the Fixed Four is no longer fixed, its no longer a fixed four. It would become an 'Intermittent Four'. That doesnt sound as flashy but it is more accurate lol.

Did I ever tell you I'm crazy, Mike?

Also, let's not get into competition for the "BOSC pedant-in-chief."

 

[Cal]

Having a scent persist all day would drive me bonkers. Do you think it's something that you could get nose blind to after a while, Cal?

Unfortunately I doubt it, Al.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Unfortunately I doubt it, Al.

So what is the scent on that one?

 

[Cal]

So what is the scent on that one?

I'm useless at describing scents, unless they're simple like say the original Cella (marzipan). Mike @Esox would be the man to ask, I think. Beaming you up Mike.

 

[Esox]

Did I ever tell you I'm crazy, Mike?

Also, let's not get into competition for the "BOSC pedant-in-chief."

No you never actually came out and said it. They did tell us though, admitting it is the first step. When I asked "to what" they looked at me funny. Not funny haha but funny funny.

 

[Esox]

Mike @Esox would be the man to ask, I think. Beaming you up Mike.

The only thing that pops into my mind when I smell it, and I need to get my nose right into the tub, is plain white cake frosting. Sweet and rich like icing sugar but very mellow. Almost as if that plain white icing was made with salt water. I can just barely pick up a note of salt water.

In relation to all my other soaps and creams, Nivea Sensitive cream included, its pretty much unscented to me. The same as plain white cake frosting would be.

The scent. The first thing that comes to my mind, is rich, plain, white cake icing. It smells like icing sugar, perhaps made with salt water. Its very light and mild, yet present. It lingers but like I said earlier, in a nonchalant kind of way.

This soap on that shave outperformed Wickham.

Any "Marzipan" type scent, as well as Almond or Coconut, I'd have to imagine. I get nothing like that from it at all.

 

[Cal]

Fixed Four SOTD #6

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Stainless Gillette Blue Blade (7)
ASL: Proraso Red

Gosh! It's nice to be back with the Fixed Four after the intermission. Yet another lovely shave, and it's so good to be back with the familiar (and well loved) scents of Vitos Red soap and Proraso Red ASL. It's like coming home again.

I'll attempt not to stray from this Fixed Four again, till it's over Mike @Esox . As much as I enjoyed yesterday's intermission shave, it's shown me that my current FF is a great choice (for me) and will no doubt improve even more before it ends (whenever that may be).
I haven't decided how many shaves or days it should last for = I don't want to commit myself.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Fixed Four SOTD #6

View attachment 1133229

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Stainless Gillette Blue Blade (7)
ASL: Proraso Red

Gosh! It's nice to be back with the Fixed Four after the intermission. Yet another lovely shave, and it's so good to be back with the familiar (and well loved) scents of Vitos Red soap and Proraso Red ASL. It's like coming home again.

I'll attempt not to stray from this Fixed Four again, till it's over Mike @Esox . As much as I enjoyed yesterday's intermission shave, it's shown me that my current FF is a great choice (for me) and will no doubt improve even more before it ends (whenever that may be).
I haven't decided how many shaves or days it should last for = I don't want to commit myself.

And don't have to.

I suppose I'm doing a Fixed Three of sorts as the only thing I'm varying is the brush. It's not deliberate but just what I feel like doing and am drawn to.

 

[Cal]

I don't want to commit myself.

And don't have to.

The moment I posted, I wondered "who's going to pick that up?"

 

[Cal]

Fixed Four SOTD #7

Brush: Shavemac Olive Wood 20/44 Silvertip 2-Band
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: 2020 SS Gillette Tech with custom olive wood handle
Blade: Super Stainless Gillette Blue Blade (8)
ASL: Proraso Red

Another great shave!

I'm loving this razor* and blade better all the time. Obviously I don't have to mention the brush and the soap; they've been the tops for a good while now.


* For some reason I'm not really too sure about, I put my name on the Wolfman waiting list a couple of weeks ago.