Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thanks for the feedback Jim!

Sounds like just a small amount is the way to go with the oil. I'll give it a shot and see if it helps increase smoothness in my shaves.

cheers!
Jay

The shaving oil I used is the Renegade Premium Shave Oil. I've used it exactly once, but it seemed to help my neck. YMMV.

I know nothing about shaving oils other than this, and using some a year or so ago in lieu of shaving creams and soaps (and not liking that all that much, but not hating it either).

I'm going to continue using this oil on my neck for now.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

There are several online recipes for home made shaving oil.

Most are castor oil and olive oil 50/50, sometimes grapeseed oil, sometimes sweet almond oil. All of these are carrier oils. Then, add a few drops of one or more essential oils (do not over do that). That's it.

Look up your essential oils to make sure they play well with skin. Some do not. Not everyone agrees on exactly which oils to use on skin. So, YMMV.

This is very inexpensive way of making shaving oil if you have the ingredients. Lots of people have some essential oils around and would be glad to let you have a few drops. Castor oil is not expensive. Olive oil is in the kitchen already.

Various people say various things about when to use the oil. The main thing is to hydrate the skin with water first. Before the oil.

Thus, apply the oil after your shower, or after a hot or cold water towel soak. Hydrate first.

According to just about everyone YMMV.

Use just a little oil. Three drops. Rub it in well.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[jaybird210]

Thanks for all the details Jim! I had also read somewhere that olive oil is perfectly fine to use as a pre-shave oil, but never really thought about concocting my own. That in itself sounds like it could be an interesting little project someday.

But for now, I'm in the same boat as you, where I'm trying to get a feel for the DE shaving and trying different products/blades to find out what best suits me.

The problem for me is that I live in Japan where there is not much of a market, and the choices are very limited. I have ordered some blade sample packs online and have been eager to start trying different blades, but they are taking forever to arrive (ok, it's only been a week... I'm just too eager to start trying them out. )

Right now, I'm stuck with a pack of Merkur super platinum blades that I picked up here. They seem ok so far, but I haven't been able to compare against anything yet, so difficult to give any real feedback. I've read very mixed reviews about them, but in general they seem to be less aggressive so I decided to start out with them.

Being in Japan, feathers are very easy to come by, but reading about how sharp they are, I thought to give myself a little more time getting used to the new razor before giving them a try. Having zero experience with DE shaving and years of using cartridges, I feared I'd be left with no facial features if I starting out using feathers...

Cheers,
Jay

 

[Esox]

Just out of curiosity, for yesterdays shave I did my normal warm water prep, then while my face was still wet, applied and rubbed in a small bit of baby oil and made sure it was spread evenly across my face. Then I made my lather with a Stirling soap the same as always and shaved the same as always. My face felt slipperier to my fingers, but I really didnt notice much difference when it came to using the razor.

That didnt help me at all and I honestly felt no difference during or after the shave, other than needing to wash the remaining oil off me, the sink and my razor lol. A different type of oil may yield a different result. I always have a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive oil around, so I'll try that sometime too.

A worthy venture nonetheless...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Everything I get for shaving, other than a very few items at the drug store, such as skin balm and witch hazel, has to be ordered online. Razors, soaps, brushes, razor blades, shaving mugs, most after shaves, etc. all come from online vendors.

I've ordered from an Amazon vendor only to discover the vendor was shipping from Italy or Portugal, and not using a rapid shipping method. Waited weeks. Good thing the stuff I ordered wasn't urgently needed. I order blades sometimes from ebay but they're shipped from India. It's an international market place.

Being in Japan would it be easy to find a Feather AS-D2 razor, and less expensive than here in the USA on Amazon? Not saying you should get one, just curious about the razor's availability and pricing structure in its native country.

My shaving bowl was easy to find in the kitchen.

What's the prayer? God grant me patience, and I want it right now.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[jaybird210]

Funny you mentioned that, my sample packet just arrived today, a bit earlier than I expected. I got it from an Amazon US vendor, so I thought it would be coming from the states, but the originating country was Italy (maybe it was the same vendor you mentioned). My razor was from the US, and it took nearly 2 weeks to get to me, so i was expecting the same or longer, but a pleasant surprise.

I have another few blades I wanted to try that weren't part of the pack, which I ordered from Ebay and those are coming from Sweden. It really is an international market... but a lot of the good stuff is in the US!

I find most things tend to get here a little quicker from Europe than from the States, but a lot of it just depends on timing. Now that I'm mostly setup, and have my starter sampler pack, this will keep me busy for a while.

I was thinking the same thing about the Feather AS-D2, and looked into it when I was razor shopping, but when I checked on Amazon JP, it's selling for about $220 (over 24,000yen)! It's called the "all stainless leather-N" for some reason. It must have been made for the US market, and then re-imported for sale here in Japan (https://goo.gl/9rMKTu). The only cheap razor we can get there is the mostly plastic Feather Popular, which goes for about $7 here. Since it was so cheap, I picked one up while I was waiting for my Merkur to arrive. It had decent reviews for being such a cheap razor, but I like the feel of the all metal razors with more weight. Especially at first while I'm trying to get a feel for it, the heavier razors seem to give me better control. Once I'm used to DE shaving, I will give the Popular another try. It comes with a nice little plastic case, so it might make a good travel razor.

Esox,
Interesting experiment with the baby oil. Sounds like it would be a logical choice, and even if it may not have helped, sounds like there's no negative feedback (other than a bit of cleanup). I'll try a bit of pre-shave oil on just my neck next time to see if that helps add a little more comfort. Seems worth a shot!

 

[jaybird210]

oh, and as for a bowl, I also found one in my kitchen. had a large mug that I hadn't been using recently, so that became my shave bowl. been working nicely.

I was also thinking about picking up a suribachi bowl (with grooves for grinding sesame seeds, etc). I can find them in dollar stores (called 100yen shops over here). Not sure if the fine grooves would have any effect on lathering, but for a buck, it might be worth a try.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Ah, today's shave.

First of all, I used a new blade. As good as yesterday's shave was, using the Russian Gillette 7 O'Clock Green in my Feather AS-D2 razor, the shave turned out to be less close as the day went on than I might have liked.

So, today I used for the first time a brand new Super Max Blue Diamond Titanium Coated Blade. I can see why people love this blade.

My shave was clearly closer than usual after one pass. Plus, the blade seemed very smooth throughout the shave.

Ultimate closeness will be a later in the day judgement, but the shave seems close, and smooth, and as comfortable as any shave I've had!

I can not find any areas which I missed. Yes, I may find some when I put my balm on, or when I feel my face driving to work, but I find no stubble at all now. Amazing. And, yes, I mean my neck, too.

I applied shaving oil after my shower and before my cold wet towel soak, to my neck. I also applied three more drops to my entire face and neck after rinsing off the towel soak's tiny remainders of lather, before lathering to shave.

MWF + Proraso Green dab + 4 drops of glycerin.

Semoque SOC boar.

Multiple passes, all well lathered. I am obsessive about shaving only spots with lather on them.

I made an effort to be feather light with the razor. I'm sure that light touch can still be improved a bit. I'm getting there!

Alum block (not too bad today). Witch hazel. Balm on the way, and a splash.

Nice shave today, I believe.

Oh, this blade is absolutely at the top of my list right now. I want to give it another shot or two, but it may well be the one I order a hundred of.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I've read that a suribachi bowl can excessively wear the brush's bristles.

That said, I considered one, too, but decided against it. My bowl lacks texture but works anyway. I'm looking for a bowl with some interior texture, like a hammered copper bowl or something like that. The bowl I have is large, which I like, maybe 7 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches deep. I wouldn't mind one even a little larger. I love to make a lot of lather, and I'm a heavy lather user I think.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

Oh, this blade is absolutely at the top of my list right now. I want to give it another shot or two, but it may well be the one I order a hundred of.

They really are a surprisingly nice blade without even adding in cost as a factor. At virtually half the price of Polsilver, I'm not sure much more needs to be said.

I've so far only used a single blade of the tuck I have. I'll have to load another one in....something... My Regent maybe. It likes a smooth sharp blade.

At todays exchange rate from this seller they're $13.03USD per 200 blades! Thats almost unbelievable lol.

Super-Max Super Blue Diamond TITANIUM

 

[Esox]

Esox,
Interesting experiment with the baby oil. Sounds like it would be a logical choice, and even if it may not have helped, sounds like there's no negative feedback (other than a bit of cleanup). I'll try a bit of pre-shave oil on just my neck next time to see if that helps add a little more comfort. Seems worth a shot!

Definitely worth a shot!

The quest for the perfect shave continues, but todays was damn close...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

At virtually half the price of Polsilver, I'm not sure much more needs to be said...At today's exchange rate from this seller they're $13.03USD per 200 blades! That's almost unbelievable lol.

Super-Max Super Blue Diamond TITANIUM

With shipping from the U.K. I just paid $15.20 for 200 of these blades.



I'm still going to try one or two other blades before settling on the blade to exclusively use for the next month or so, but it would very much surprise me (shock me is ore like it) if I find another blade I like better than the Super Max Blue Diamond Titanium Coated Blade.

It's been enough hours after my morning shave for me to say this was a reasonably close shave + a smooth enough shave + a reasonably comfortable shave.

Actually, it was probably better in all regards - that is, across the board, considering the blend of comfort, closeness, and smoothness - than any blade I've used before.

Not probably as sharp as the Feather. Not smoother than the Russian Greens. However, I'm looking at the blend of all three factors. Number one on my list is comfort, but it's got to give me a good, close shave, too.

Right away during my first pass I knew this was a remarkably great blade. I had, for the first time, a pretty good shave with one pass. No, not a great shave, but one I could have gone to work with, and not been embarrassed. That's impressive in a mild razor like my Feather AS-D2.

I wouldn't have known about this blade except for this thread and other reviews of this blade by you, Esox. Thank you so much.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

...It really is an international market... but a lot of the good stuff is in the US!

...I was thinking the same thing about the Feather AS-D2, and looked into it when I was razor shopping, but when I checked on Amazon JP, it's selling for about $220 (over 24,000yen)! It's called the "all stainless leather-N" for some reason. It must have been made for the US market, and then re-imported for sale here in Japan... (https://goo.gl/9rMKTu)
!

I read very little Japanese, but the pictures look like they are selling both the Feather AS-D2 razor and its very expensive stand which is pretty and probably useful but totally unnecessary.

Are there factory outlets or factory stores or discount shaving supply houses in Japan where a quality razor such as this might be available to a walk in customer? I have no idea about anything in Japan once you get beyond sushi.

My sushi chef friend has some seriously sharp knives. Wonder what he shaves with?

It's weird to think a Japanese company would build a razor of this quality for only the American market, but stranger things happen every day.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

With shipping from the U.K. I just paid $15.20 for 200 of these blades.

View attachment 822471

I'm still going to try one or two other blades before settling on the blade to exclusively use for the next month or so, but it would very much surprise me (shock me is ore like it) if I find another blade I like better than the Super Max Blue Diamond Titanium Coated Blade.

It's been enough hours after my morning shave for me to say this was a reasonably close shave + a smooth enough shave + a reasonably comfortable shave.

Actually, it was probably better in all regards - that is, across the board, considering the blend of comfort, closeness, and smoothness - than any blade I've used before.

Not probably as sharp as the Feather. Not smoother than the Russian Greens. However, I'm looking at the blend of all three factors. Number one on my list is comfort, but it's got to give me a good, close shave, too.

Right away during my first pass I knew this was a remarkably great blade. I had, for the first time, a pretty good shave with one pass. No, not a great shave, but one I could have gone to work with, and not been embarrassed. That's impressive in a mild razor like my Feather AS-D2.

I wouldn't have known about this blade except for this thread and other reviews of this blade by you, Esox. Thank you so much.

Happy shaves,

Jim

You, are welcome!

I never would have known about them if Mr.Rigidity himself hadnt sent me a tuck. I felt much the same as you did on first stroke. I felt the same about Polsilver on the first stroke with one in my fathers Rocket as well.

For the price I dont believe they can be beat, and the shipping costs from that seller are very low. I dont understand why some sellers, Maggards is much the same, can ship for such low cost out of country and others cant.

All blades are a compromise of one of two factors I believe. Sharpness vs smoothness and finding the correct balance for a particular razor is enough of a challenge not to mention skin types and coarseness and density of growth, soap, lather ect. Those blades balance that very fine line really well. I'm not sure how many shaves a single blade will take before it gives up the ghost, but at that price it doesnt really matter.

Todays shave for me was with my post war Tech and a fresh Gillette Yellow. Three full passes and three more clean ups for one of the most comfortable BBS shaves I've yet had. That little Tech that so many people think little of is really a phenomenal razor! There are few razors that mild and forgiving and yet rigid enough to let me make that many passes, and considerably more with all the buffing I do, with a blade that sharp, and it really is a sharp blade and leave me with no irritation whatsoever. I should have bought 200 of them instead of the Feathers. I replaced a Feather in that Tech today with 4 shaves on it because I couldnt bear the harshness of that many passes for a 5th shave. The only other Yellow blade I've used has 10 shaves on it now in my SS and I expect it to last at least as long in my Tech and when it's done in it, it will go in my NEW SC and I'll likely get at least another 10 shaves from it.

I'll need to revisit the Blue Diamond again before I order the Perma-Sharp Supers lol. Thanks for saving me that money haha.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I have purchased and received seven vintage razors from ebay sellers.



I am very pleased to report that all of them are at least as nice looking as I expected them to be, and at least one of them is much nicer looking than the seller's description and pictures.

None of the razors I've purchased and received were in the very upper end of the price range for that model of razor. None were in the lower end either. I have focused on buying what I thought would be nice looking razors which would also be implements I could use to actually shave myself.

Towards that end, I've not purchased razors I thought I'd have to clean up. I've gone for shiny objects, but they've turned out to be much more shiny than expected, or at least as shiny as described.

None of the razors I've received have disappointed me at all.

That said, I have one razor in transit which I know for sure is not as described. It was said to be a Fatboy, but I'm sure it is a Slim. I do not think the seller deceptive, but merely ignorant about razors. Whether I keep it or send it back depends on hos it looks for the price I paid. I already have a very nice Slim though.

I've also ordered but not received a GEM 1912 Junior and an Every Ready (like a GEM). I have no idea what condition they will turn out to be in. I'm not very knowledgeable about SE razors, and just getting my feet wet with them. Gotta start someplace, right? I did not see examples of the SE razors I purchased which looked vastly better than the ones I bought and were not also vastly more expensive, but I didn't buy the very cheapest either. We'll see how they turn out to be in terms of looks, function, and condition.

Mostly I'm reporting how pleased I am with all my ebay purchases.

I also acquired a birth year razor from a member here. It, too, is better than described. I will polish it up and expect it to look even nicer. It satisfies my birth year craving, and is one of the few razors which is absolutely from my birth year as it was made only during one calendar year. Maybe we're twins.

My plans are to shave at least once with most of these razors, but no time soon. I'm learning on one razor, the Feather AS-D2. One day, in a hundred years, somebody will be very happy to shave with it. I hope that somebody is me. Planning to live to be 220 and still chasing girls I am.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ron R]

There are several online recipes for home made shaving oil.

Most are castor oil and olive oil 50/50, sometimes grapeseed oil, sometimes sweet almond oil. All of these are carrier oils. Then, add a few drops of one or more essential oils (do not over do that). That's it.

Look up your essential oils to make sure they play well with skin. Some do not. Not everyone agrees on exactly which oils to use on skin. So, YMMV.

This is very inexpensive way of making shaving oil if you have the ingredients. Lots of people have some essential oils around and would be glad to let you have a few drops. Castor oil is not expensive. Olive oil is in the kitchen already.

Various people say various things about when to use the oil. The main thing is to hydrate the skin with water first. Before the oil.

Thus, apply the oil after your shower, or after a hot or cold water towel soak. Hydrate first.

According to just about everyone YMMV.

Use just a little oil. Three drops. Rub it in well.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Chan I just use good old hair conditioner when your beard is wet and hydrated and i get good results when shaving at a fraction of the cost of some packaged pre-shave oil or lather. Hair conditioner is designed for adding softness to hair follicles what better formula do you need! If you have castor oil and other oils they will help but might be messy at times. I like watching Mantic 59 for his basic shaving principals and he suggested hair conditioner and he is entertaining also on youtube.(more for beginners trying to pick up good habits.) All the best.

 

[Esox]

Like you, I havent yet delved into the SE's, but I have two. A Gem Bullet Tip, a mild safety bar razor, and a GEM MMOC, apparently one of the most effective, and yet smoothest SE's around. I need to order some PTFE blades, which I was going to do when I ordered the Perma Sharps, but thats on pause for the moment now lol.

If you want to learn about SE shaving rabidus is the man I believe to learn from. Have a read through his posts as listed in his profile. As I said previously, he is a wealth of information on what works and why.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Yeah, it's a whole 'nother world. Been reading about it, and his (rabidus) posts are very instructive. He knows a lot about a lot of shaving related things.

People love their GEMS but it's very hard to get an consistent point of view about such simple matters as the degree of mildness and aggressiveness any particular model has or whether that is due to YMMV or manufacturing tolerance variations or what.

The SE razors are certainly not like the DE razors in a great many ways.

I got into it by reading about the OneBlade. An interesting razor, but $$$$. Not interested in it at my current level of conviction that it's worth the money. However, maybe it is. If it is as great as some people say, we can all throw away the other razors, but at least one guy says his sits under the sink. The razor has its appeal (to me) though.

If I won the lottery I'd buy a OneBlade for sure.

In the meantime, GEMS are not beyond my bank. Two are on the way, and I'm looking at a few and reading about them.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

Yes, so much to learn, investigate and try. I'll be busy with what I have underway now for quite some time.

 

[jaybird210]

Thanks for the report on the Super Max Jim! And for the recommendation Esox! I had also ordered a pack of 5 from ebay a few days back, to give them a try after reading Esox's recommendation of them. Will give them a go for sure as soon as they arrive.

I still have a Merkur blade in my razor with only 3 shaves on it, so I'm sure it's good for at least a couple more, but I'm not in love with it. I'm itching to try out some new ones from the sample pack that just arrived, so I'll be swapping it out for my next shave. I usually shave every other day to give my face time to recoup. Even when I shaved with cartridges, if I shaved every day, I would end up with more irritation and nicks, but with all these blades to try out, I'm tempted to try shaving daily. lol Maybe after another week or two, and my face has had time to get acclimated to the new shaving system.

Been wanting to try the Persona's or Gillette Greens, but there are a pair of Voskhods in the sample pack and I've recently been reading and hearing good things about those blades, so I'll probably give them a try first.

As for the AS-D2 in Japan, I noticed the stand and wondered if the price difference was due to the stand. That is an expensive stand, and doesn't seem worth it. I wouldn't be surprised if they manufacture mainly for outside markets. There really isn't much demand here locally for shaving gear, but Japan has always been known for producing very sharp blades whether it be knives or swords (back in the day). I'm sure your sushi chef could probably shave himself with his sushi knife, if he wanted.

Good point about looking for a factory outlet. I did a quick search, but doesn't look like there any. Locally, Feather seems to be more focused on medical supplies and on the SE market, aimed at professionals working in salons and barbers. There is a Feather Museum in Gifu prefecture (a bit far from me. I'm in Tokyo. It'd be about a 3~4 hour drive). https://goo.gl/DwQeYm (in case you're interested in a slightly larger version of the AS-D2 )