Damn Comfortable Shave

[AimlessWanderer]

Interesting, Al.

As far as I'm aware I don't regress with razor X because of using razor Y for a while. Actually, again, this is as far as I can tell, it's the opposite. When I used the borrowed Wunderbar for a while (long enough to climb a good little way on its learning curve) my shaves with the iKon X3 (which I don't use much, but have used "enough") made a very remarkable quantum leap. Also my shaves with the FOCS didn't drop off at all I think.

I could be wrong about this ⬆ of course, but it's what I'm aware of with a couple of other examples, too.

One thing I should mention is this. I often say I'm a steep angle shaver which is true, but it's perhaps more true that my angles are based on tactile and sometimes audible feedback so I don't actually have or tend to develop locked in angle habits. If that makes sense it might be relevant.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I can understand how one slanty thing might "inform" the use with another slanty thing. With my predominantly mild array of razors though, getting the right angle is critical. Particularly as I try not to lean on cap or comb. If I shaved purely on sensory feedback though, I'd be spending far too long in front of the mirror. I really like the fact that I'm usually walking out of the bathroom, less than five minutes after I went in.

Don't get me wrong, I still rely on feedback through my shaves with my primary kit, but its just refining the already well established handling, rather than "starting from scratch", which is what it feels like when I switch to something else.

 

[Rosseforp]

One thing I should mention is this. I often say I'm a steep angle shaver which is true, but it's perhaps more true that my angles are based on tactile and sometimes audible feedback so I don't actually have or tend to develop locked in angle habits. If that makes sense it might be relevant.

This is how I shave with my Fatip's, I never really pay attention to the angle, it seems to just find itself like magic.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Hello Jim
Try a DE Kai SS blade in the AS-D2, the blade is extra wide compared to a standard blade by .009 thousands of inch for more blade feel or exposure, a lot better than shimming. I found the blade to be Sharp & smooth with great longevity. I use it in my milder razors or a razor that needs a little more aggression & efficentcy. Good to have a few tucks for certain razors IMO. View attachment 1191895

A suggestion I've heard before, and considered, but not tried. Don't have any of those blades either.

Still, it's a reasonable suggestion and will help someone (if not me).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Tuesday's shave was good. Somewhat experimental it was.

	Wizamet SI, Flipped​
Hyaluronic Acid Cremo Face Moisturizer​

Today's soap has a very very strong scent. If you like old churchy incense you'll like it I'd guess. It's also very persistent as a scent. Even with a strongly scented bay rum I can still smell a bit of the Vespers incense around the edges, and I rinsed very well indeed. Not that the combination is in any way unpleasant.

The experiment currently ongoing is going R-L on both sides of my neck. Not R-L in the middle, not above, and, most especially, not below my Adam's apple. Just some R-L on the outside areas of my neck. Seeing if that ATG improves the shaves without causing heartbreak.

On my face itself and on my jawline, even with one lathered pass, I already do multiple directions. Sometimes I do a second lathered pass, S-N almost everywhere (more or less), but never S-N below my Adam's apple (I have learned the hard way of course). Today was only one lathered pass overall, and two lathered passes on my chip and both lips.

The Fatip Open Comb Slant is a champ!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[TinyT]

Tuesday's shave was good. Somewhat experimental it was.

View attachment 1192288	Wizamet SI, Flipped​
Hyaluronic Acid Cremo Face Moisturizer​	View attachment 1192289

Today's soap has a very very strong scent. If you like old churchy incense you'll like it I'd guess. It's also very persistent as a scent. Even with a strongly scented bay rum I can still smell a bit of the Vespers incense around the edges, and I rinsed very well indeed. Not that the combination is in any way unpleasant.

The experiment currently ongoing is going R-L on both sides of my neck. Not R-L in the middle, not above, and, most especially, not below my Adam's apple. Just some R-L on the outside areas of my neck. Seeing if that ATG improves the shaves without causing heartbreak.

On my face itself and on my jawline, even with one lathered pass, I already do multiple directions. Sometimes I do a second lathered pass, S-N almost everywhere (more or less), but never S-N below my Adam's apple (I have learned the hard way of course). Today was only one lathered pass overall, and two lathered passes on my chip and both lips.

The Fatip Open Comb Slant is a champ!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Took me a few second to catch a whiff and catch on.

Lovely music, too, which I'll listen to later in its entirety.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[thombrogan]

@TinyT

One of the earlier tenor soloists looked like our boy Jonas. I, too, will give this a better listen, but without Barrister and Mann’s Excelsior base.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave continued the experiment which centered around getting even better shaves with my daily driver razor.

	FOCS Wizamet SI Blade, Flipped Rudy Vey Irish Bog Oak Shavemac 25 mm 2 Band (Not D01) Vitos Red​
I'm enjoying this sandalwood splash.​

The only thing new today (to my experiment) was an added S-N lathered second pass. Otherwise I tried to duplicate yesterday's shave. I believe today's shave may have been better than yesterday's, but it's really too soon to be sure about that.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[TinyT]

Took me a few second to catch a whiff and catch on.

Lovely music, too, which I'll listen to later in its entirety.

Not typical of Rachmaninov's style. Hope you enjoy it.

One of the earlier tenor soloists looked like our boy Jonas.

I didn't notice but now you say it, I see it.

What a singer Jonas Kaufmann is. I've been watching more and more opera on dvd and blu-ray and he continues to astonish. It's not just the voice, it's the acting too. Every time I see him in a trailer it gets added to the list. The same with Anna Netrebko. They're my two favourite singers at the moment.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Opera...opera is great.

Now my version of listening to opera is listening to things I like especially by singers I like. Remarkably uneducated and unsophisticated is my claim to fame when opera's involved but I sometimes like it, and aspects of it.

My father sometimes bragged a bit about hearing Enrico Caruso. I'm sure he was telling the truth.

Papa was a huge opera fan. In college when the Metropolitan Opera was at the Fox I went; I loved it when I was forced to have a standing room ticket because I could listen but walk around, bothering nobody, and see the production from several vantage points.

Later, we had local opera where I live now. Alas, that time is gone.

When I go to the opera I never know or care what's going on. Even if it's in English I never understand enough of the words to follow the story, or the characters, or even the broad outline. Worse, I don't care. I just like the music and think the whole scene is cool. My hearing isn't really very bad with my hearing aids (and not remotely horrible without them), but it's bad enough so I seldom enjoy live theatre or musical theatre or anything I'm supposed to keep up with (not that anything exists in Bizarro World). Opera's an exception.

I really don't listen to a lot of music although I like it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday's shave was simple and also good.

FOCS Wizamet SI (Flipped) Thater Handle Maggard 70/30 Knot Vitos Red​
	Clásico Bay Rum Hyaluronic Acid Cremo Face Moisturizer​

Simple yet very good shave today. The Fatip comes through day after day. Does any DE razor beat it? I don't think so.

Oh, this is a great bay rum. Enough dissimilar from Atomic Age Bay Rum to interest me, but on the same level.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[TinyT]

My father sometimes bragged a bit about hearing Enrico Caruso. I'm sure he was telling the truth.

This immediately made me think of Fitzcarraldo. It's a fantastic film, if you haven't seen it. The title character plans to build an opera house in the amazon and drags a steamboat over a mountain during the process. He's obsessed with Enrico Caruso and being able to hear him sing. Klaus kinski stars and is directed by Werner Herzog. They made several films together and their relationship was very colourful. Kiniski was famous for going into fits of extreme rage, sometimes for as long as 24 hours, made worse by his method acting. Herzog came close to killing him on one occasion.

 

[Esox]

This immediately made me think of Fitzcarraldo. It's a fantastic film, if you haven't seen it. The title character plans to build an opera house in the amazon and drags a steamboat over a mountain during the process. He's obsessed with Enrico Caruso and being able to hear him sing. Klaus kinski stars and is directed by Werner Herzog. They made several films together and their relationship was very colourful. Kiniski was famous for going into fits of extreme rage, sometimes for as long as 24 hours, made worse by his method acting. Herzog came close to killing him on one occasion.

Thanks for the mention.

Fitzcarraldo 1982 1080p BluRay x265. I'll have it in 30 seconds.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday. Less work. Good shave.

	FOCS Wizamet SI (flipped) Rave's Manchurian (by Zenith)​
Nice Post Shave Kit​

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Skipped shaving on Saturday and Sunday, but Monday's shave was very good.

	Executive (Adjustment #5) Wizamet SI (Flipped)​
New Moisturizer (Giving It A Spin) Hyaluronic Acid​
	A Great Bay Rum​

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Tuesday my shave was good.

	Executive (Adjusted to #5) Wizamet SI (Flipped) Rudy Vey Irish Bog Oak Shavemac 25 mm 2 Band (not D01) Vitos Red​
Good Stuff ➡​
	⬅ Nice Scent​

My skin is better after using Brickell Face Moisturizer for a few days coupled with skipping shaves Saturday and Sunday.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave was very good.

	FOCS Wizamet SI (Flipped) Vitos Red Rudy Vey Beehive Shavemac 25 mm D01 2 Band​
New Spash (Nice Spash)​

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday's shave was very interesting. Also Timeless.

The razor in the middle photo is a new Timeless Slim with a new Fine handle.

The outside photos show the same head but on an R41 handle which is the kit I used today. Brand new blade.

Obviously this was my first shave with the razor. It is marketed as "aggressive." The blade is very rigidly supported but there is a lot of blade exposure. Plenty of blade feel (which I don't mind). The gap looks larger than the manufacturer states it is, but I'm sure they measured it correctly.

It's a very nice razor. One shave only gives me a bit of an impression, but it shaves very closely (although not out of this world close). I was careful (but not all that careful) and got a good shave. I believe it's more efficient or more close shaving than most razors I've used (maybe).

I experienced only one very tiny bite. Nothing to speak of, but I want to document it. It was on the side of my neck where I "never" nick myself. No idea what happened.

Next time I'll be more careful of pressure as in I will lower the pressure. It's not like I was heavy on the pressure but lighter would be a good idea. As the shave progressed I lightened up and think that's the way to go with this razor.

This New Razor Is Not Mine (it's new but borrowed)​

Pretty cool to get to use a Timeless (and before its owner).

I would think the razor, being as rigid as it is, would be of interest to friends such as Mike @Esox and Cal @Cal and several others known to be into rigidity.

Also Used Hyaluronic Acid​

My brush is okay now, but still shedding a good bit. Bristles which I think might be loose are still escaping. One or two or more per shave. The knot is lots better than it once was, but still not broken in (and it's had a lot of opportunities). I'm not giving up on it. The scrub is delicious but it needs less bad scritch. I may have said much the same thing on previous occasions.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

The razor in the middle photo is a new Timeless Slim with a new Fine handle.

When I read this in my email, I couldnt see the pictures, I thought maybe you found a Gillette Slim gold plated by Timeless. I seem to remember them having the odd vintage razor for sale but I could be mistaken. That may have been ATT.

From their description:

Thats 0.0196" gap. The NEW SC has .023" gap. The NEW SC is not what I think of as "aggressive" so I'm not sure how it could be unless it has more blade exposure and even then I likely wouldnt think of it as aggressive. For $245USD/CAD$311.82 I dont think I'll be finding out.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

For $245USD/CAD$311.82 I dont think I'll be finding out.