Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday. A very good shave.

I'm mourning the closing of Above the Tie. For one thing, great razors like this Daily Driver ATT S1 Slant will become Unobtanium. It's a hard to beat razor.

For another thing, in my view of razor stands, and I have a lot of excellent stands, the ATT Inkwell Stand stands out. It functions perfectly and looks better than any of the others.

My blade was the same Willy's I've been using. Probably on its 7th outing. It's still going strong. I may continue on with it. I may discard it. We'll see.

Shea butter last night. The Cube was used to wash my face and neck in the shower. The Tube, preshave at the sink.

This is a really nice brush. Once again it performed perfectly and felt great. The handle has excellent ergonomics. The knot would be hard to beat. It is not the most dense knot I've ever used but it is plenty dense, with adequate backbone. (And I'm a backbone fan.) Delicious scrub.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Saturday. The final day of Slantember.

It's been good. I'll post on the Slantember 2023 thread about what I've learned, but here's a clue.

The Superslant L1+ is now officially a Daily Driver. Becoming a member of my highest category for razor ranking isn't easy, but the L1+ made it look easy. It's a very fine razor.

My number one requirement is a smooth feeling and Damn Comfortable Shave.

• Comfortable during the shave.​
• Comfortable immediately after the shave.​
• Comfortable until the next shave.​

When it comes to comfort my most challenging area is my upper lip. In order to sufficiently smooth that area and get a long lasting shave on my upper lip I have to shave ATG S-N. Many otherwise quite excellent razors fail me there, but not the L1+.

It is certainly not my most efficient or even most effective razor, but it will get the job done. It is as smooth as the Wunderbar albeit not as efficient, but, unlike the Wunderbar, it is not prone to biting me.

The handle I've come to enjoy with the L1+ is my custom made 80 mm titanium New York Tibam. It was actually made to fit the Blackbird I think, but it works great on the Superslant.

My Racing Green brush not only has soft tips but it has a "soft scrub." It's a delicious scrub, but a bit soft in the scrub department compared to two bands and Manchurians. Please don't think that's a criticism. The knot has enough scrub for me for sure.

I need to compare it with the few other three band silvertips on my shelves. I like them all, but I kinda think I like this one the best. That said, my Zenith three band is a very good brush. It's smaller than the Racing Green 2023 LE, but it is also offered at a smaller price.

I believe this brush is worth what it cost...

...unlike some brushes not to mention names.

Adam @flask28, I like this Ethos soap. I'm not sure the base is as good (subjectively) as Mike's, but it is a really good base. The scent seems to my nose to be a sharper lavender scent than the Hungarian lavender scent of Mike's lavender. I can't say I much prefer one scent to the other. Perhaps with more experience I'll smell things more clearly and have a stronger opinion.

So far, using for Shaving Science™, three lavender scented soaps - Mike's Hungarian Lavender, Ethos Lavender, and Grooming Dept Lavender - I'm very glad to have all three. All three tubs will be emptied eventually, but the one I will refill will be Mike's. That's unless more data causes me to revise my conclusions.

I've not decided whether to continue on with this blade.

Shea butter last night. Cube/Tube before this morning's shave.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[flask28]

Adam @flask28, I like this Ethos soap. I'm not sure the base is as good (subjectively) as Mike's, but it is a really good base. The scent seems to my nose to be a sharper lavender scent than the Hungarian lavender scent of Mike's lavender. I can't say I much prefer one scent to the other. Perhaps with more experience I'll smell things more clearly and have a stronger opinion.

So far, using for Shaving Science™, three lavender scented soaps - Mike's Hungarian Lavender, Ethos Lavender, and Grooming Dept Lavender - I'm very glad to have all three. All three tubs will be emptied eventually, but the one I will refill will be Mike's. That's unless more data causes me to revise my conclusions.

Excellent! I'm so glad those two lavender soaps found their forever home. They'd bounced around a bit on their way to you. Turns out I prefer other scents to lavender and I'm laughing that it took me two soaps to figure that out.

When I compared the Ethos and GD soaps I felt the Ethos had a sharper scent, sounds like our perceptions lined up there. It's not bad sharp, not at all, I may have preferred it some to the GD scent which was smoother. Ethos Bay Rum is similar, I think Frank likes his scent with a little bite.

I'm looking forward to comparing that bay rum with Mike's bay rum - - if I can ever score that mythical unicorn soap.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

This brush was pulled off the shelf.

Side by side with the Racing Green brush, the Racing Green knot is obviously larger, significantly larger. The two handles are exactly the same height so the knot size difference is clear and obvious.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Continuing in the same vein today...

• 2023 Barbear Português Semogue Limited Edition 3 Band Silvertip, 27 mm
• 2020 TSN Semogue Limited Edition 3 Band Silvertip, 24 mm

I'm comparing the sizes of these two Semogue limited edition three band knots.

	I believe you can see from looking at them side by side that the green brush's knot is larger than the tortoise brush's knot.​
	The relative sizes of the two knots might be more obvious from the top. The Racing Green 2023 LE is on the left. On the right is the 2020 Tortoise LE.​

Any distortions you see in the knots are because my photos are not great. In real life the knots are nicely shaped and consistent in density and such.

Looking back over my posts mentioning the Semogue 2020 TSN LE 3 Band, everything I've said about the brush has been laudatory with the caveat that I wished the knot were larger.

The Racing Green Portuguese 2023 LE 27 mm brush I've used the last three days is delightful. It's also a good little bit bigger than its Tortoise cousin from 2020. It might be interesting, now that I've used the larger brush a few times, to compare it with the smaller brush. Is the 2020 just as good except smaller?

We'll see.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Continuing in the same vein...

I'm comparing my new Racing Green LE brush to similar 3 bands.

Here's my Sunday shave...

This is the brush I think closest to the the Racing Green LE. Today's brush is the 2020 TSN Semogue LE 24mm three band.

It was already a brush I liked a huge amount. I already thought it might be the best of my few three band brushes albeit not as large as I would prefer. Having used the Racing Green LE how do I compare the two.

It might be that the 27 mm 2023 brush has a little bit more presence, and I certainly like the fact that its knot is larger. Other than that, it's hard to tell the knots apart. Both are very soft with a delicious scrub and adequate backbone. Both have a near perfect to perfect balance of qualities. I prefer the larger brush, by about 3 mm.

Mergress settings - 1/8th, 3/8ths, and fully closed - did the trick.

I'm still using the same blade, the Willy's (9), flipped. It seems perfectly good and sharp. (Mostly I discard blades which still seem like they have plenty of life left only to find - surprise, surprise! - the new blade is sharper.)

Shea butter/Cube/Tube.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[flask28]

Thank you for the very interesting running 3-band comparison! It's sounding like the new Semogue is climbing its way up the ladder.

I'm still using the same blade, the Willy's (9), flipped. It seems perfectly good and sharp. (Mostly I discard blades which still seem like they have plenty of life left only to find - surprise, surprise! - the new blade is sharper.)

Exactly - Every. Single. Time. I need to change blades more frequently just in general I'm learning.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

For a long time I've been looking for my Blackbird SB baseplate. I was afraid it was lost and gone forever.

Not only that, but I couldn't find my Plisson-Joris palladium razor. I wondered if it had been stolen.

For a long time I've been planning to clean up some of my junky shaving shelves. Today I cleaned up one shelf.

Both razors were found.

I've been wanting to use the Blackbird occasionally. I also like to shave every once in a while with the P-J. It's a nice shaver. It's beautiful for sure. I like it. The razor was a Christmas gift from my wife which makes it special.

Finding my two razors makes me happy and takes a worry or three off my list.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Here is my post from a couple of years ago about the tortoise handled 2020 TSN Semogue LE 3 band. Link. Wanting a very similar brush with a larger knot goes way back.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Monday. Continuing to mess around with my three bands, comparing them with the Racing Green LE.

I've always liked this Zenith three band. A 24 mm brush, yet the knot seems larger than the 24 mm LE Semogue I used yesterday. Both are very good knots. Excellent knots. Is one significantly better than the other? I'm not so sure.

They're not identical twins, the knots. They're close cousins.

More to come on the three bands, but not more today.

This morning's razor was the Blackland Blackbird the baseplate of which I located yesterday. The SB baseplate. I'd say it did a very good job.

It was loaded with a brand new Willy's blade.

Shea butter. Cube/Tube.

Just my usual shave. The Blackbird did pretty well on my upper lip ATG S-N. Maybe I'm improving. The razor probably has not changed. No, I'm not saying it's a Daily Driver or even a Daily Driver Candidate, but I'm going to perhaps use the Blackbird a bit more often. (Now that I've found the SB baseplate I have that option.)

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Tuesday. Another good shave.

Willy's (2), flipped.

The Blackbird did a good job, but it is a bit too much for daily use. Still, it delivers a very close shave.

Today I used Mysterium Serum after my shave because my skin felt a bit dry.

Shea butter last night. Cube/Tube today before lathering up.

What a lovely brush!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Wednesday's shave was very interesting to me for two or three reasons.

Today's razor has long been a member of my Daily Drivers which means it's been elevated to my highest razor ranking category. I've long known it as a very mild razor. The copper baseplate is visually appealing to me, too.

When I began shaving this morning with the ATT CM1 the first thing I noticed was the razor didn't have a blade. Oops, that's wrong. It did in fact have a blade, but I certainly couldn't feel it at all. I think this one has the least blade feel of any razor I've used. In spite of that, the CM1 is a surprisingly effective razor for me. Just doing my "normal and usual shave" with the CM1, and no extra work, I got a pretty good, close enough, and very comfortable shave.

Not as close as a Blackbird shave, but far more comfortable. (The Blackbird is not uncomfortable.)

The CM1 is world class mild!

In the photograph today's brush looks huge to my eye. At the moment I don't remember the knot's nominal size. However, prior to taking my photograph this morning the knot was measured with calipers. At its exit from the handle, this knot measures 32 mm. That's right large, isn't it.

This MS 3 band silvertip is a very nice brush. I have always liked it a lot. It's like a huge soft cloud, but not devoid of scrub or presence. It's almost as nice as the slightly, but significantly better, and significantly more expensive, but smaller, other silvertip 3 bands I've recently been using.

Willy's (3), flipped.

I've been using the Ethos soap day after day for a few days just to give it a very good trial. I certainly like its scent. The Ethos base is very good. However, I can't say I like its scent more than the scent of my Mike's Hungarian Lavender nor can I say I like this Ethos base quite as much a Mike's base.

Shea butter last night. Cube/Tube.

It's all good.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

However, I can't say I like its scent more than the scent of my Mike's Hungarian Lavender nor can I say I like this Ethos base quite as much a Mike's base.

I just wish Mike's would stock some Lime or Bay Rum. I check two or three times a week, and zip, nada. It's like waiting for a pin to drop. Maybe Mike is in cahoots with Wolfman.

~doug~

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I just wish Mike's would stock some Lime or Bay Rum. I check two or three times a week, and zip, nada. It's like waiting for a pin to drop. Maybe Mike is in cahoots with Wolfman.

~doug~

I have the lime, but not the bay rum. I definitely want the bay rum. Also I want a couple of the other scents which are also not so far, in the months I've been watching Mike's offerings, offered for sale.

Am I the only one who checks what Mike has available way too often?

Doug, I really like Mike's Hungarian Lavender, his Coconut, and his Unscented. I think all of those are currently available. I also like (fairly well) his Bergamot & Orange & Y-lang-Y-lang, his Vetiver, and his Barbershop, but my favorites so far are the lavender and the coconut.

This is the only one I've tried that I don't like. The incense scent is too strong. I couldn't appreciate the rose as the patchouli masked its scent.​

Others I want to try include these...

...as well as the bay rum.

One day. Maybe.
(I don't know his wares long term. Maybe some are seasonal.)

Good luck to the both of us and to the other guys I know waiting on various of Mike's scents.

His base is terrific in my opinion.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cal]

The incest scent is too strong.

I assume that was "autocorrupt" trying to get you banned, and that you actually typed/meant "incense."

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I assume that was "autocorrupt" trying to get you banned, and that you actually typed/meant "incense."

I think I already corrected it, but maybe some of the ingredients are "kissing" cousins.

Sorry.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

I have the lime, but not the bay rum. I definitely want the bay rum. Also I want a couple of the other scents which are also not so far, in the months I've been watching Mike's offerings, offered for sale.

Am I the only one who checks what Mike has available way too often?

Doug, I really like Mike's Hungarian Lavender, his Coconut, and his Unscented. I think all of those are currently available. I also like (fairly well) his Bergamot & Orange & Y-lang-Y-lang, his Vetiver, and his Barbershop, but my favorites so far are the lavender and the coconut.

I went through two pucks of Mike's Lime when I first started my wet shaving journey, then a puck of the Bergamot & Orange Y-lang-Y-lang, then found other soap makers that kept what I was looking for in stock.
Now, having more than enough soaps to choose from, I'm looking at Mike's again. But only the Lime or Bay Rum.

I'm also looking for a soap that actually smells like curing tobacco. I just got a puck of Puros from Italian Barber and it certainly does not smell anything like tobacco, or anything else I want to smell..

~doug~

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Good luck, Doug.

I lack expertise about how anything actually smells. Years ago I tried this soap.

I have no memory of its actual scent.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thursday morning I used a different razor and brush.

Today's razor looks exactly like yesterday's. It is except for the baseplate. Above the Tie made this razor with three baseplates. I used the mildest of the three yesterday. Today, the middle of the three.

The CR1 (or just CR as they didn't ever make, I think, the open comb, CR2 version) is very nice.

The CR baseplate is almost as mild feeling (and blade-less feeling) as the CM baseplate, but, boy, howdy, it is a lot more efficient and more effective at shaving me closely.

Yesterday's shave was exceedingly comfortable. It became obvious to me that the shave was not all that close. As the day went on I notice a bit of stubble + my whiskers grew back more quickly than usual.

It may be that I should remove the CM1 from my Daily Driver list and replace it with the CR1.

Today's blade was the Willy's (4), flipped.

My brush, the RV PJ with the "little" 24 mm Mozingo knot is a big time winner.

Shea butter last night? I think so. Cube/Tube today? For sure.

I wonder if I could grow lavender in my garden? I certainly like my three lavender scented soaps.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[Eric_75]

Thursday morning I used a different razor and brush.



View attachment 1728187


Today's razor looks exactly like yesterday's. It is except for the baseplate. Above the Tie made this razor with three baseplates. I used the mildest of the three yesterday. Today, the middle of the three.

The CR1 (or just CR as they didn't ever make, I think, the open comb, CR2 version) is very nice.

The CR baseplate is almost as mild feeling (and blade-less feeling) as the CM baseplate, but, boy, howdy, it is a lot more efficient and more effective at shaving me closely.

Yesterday's shave was exceedingly comfortable. It became obvious to me that the shave was not all that close. As the day went on I notice a bit of stubble + my whiskers grew back more quickly than usual.

It may be that I should remove the CM1 from my Daily Driver list and replace it with the CR1.

Today's blade was the Willy's (4), flipped.

My brush, the RV PJ with the "little" 24 mm Mozingo knot is a big time winner.

Shea butter last night? I think so. Cube/Tube today? For sure.



View attachment 1728194


I wonder if I could grow lavender in my garden? I certainly like my three lavender scented soaps.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

We grow Lavender. The bees love it.

Have a great rest of the day, Jim.