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Eleven Years On

Two more:

4/2 Very tired, bordering on absolute exhaustion. Light growth. Hadn't shaved with the '66 Tech in quite a while, popped in a fresh Nacet and lathered a sliver of PdP 63 with my old Omega 49 boar. Once again I had problems with the lather, so I'm starting to suspect this brush should only be used for puck loading. Enough cushion for first pass, total deterioration by the 3rd. Grabbed the Arko to build enough suds to complete the shave. Hard to tell if the soap was causing me irritation, or just overall dryness. I feel like I can't make a good judgement call, will just have to make another attempt with a different brush and perhaps load from the puck. Meanwhile I have a surprisingly gentle hand, conservative goals for the outcome and still manage to net a DFS+ in 3 passes, despite all the problems. Alum is nearly undetectable. CeraVe with a little Thayer's to conclude.

4/3 Excellent physical condition today. Decided to try Stirling Sharp Dressed again, lathered this time with the RV finest badger. More generous with the amount of soap used, less generous with adding water while building lather. Didn't presoak the brush, as it barely has any backbone. Lather smells good, on the heavier side but still workable. No irritation from the soap detected, probably my favorite flavor of Stirling so far. Used the Timeless .95 with the loaded AstraSP with 1 prior. Pretty good lightness overall, nabbed a couple tiny weepers. Very thorough shave in only 2.5 passes, BBS- mostly. Alum stings in a couple places, but is generally pretty mild. HydroBoost and Nivea to conclude.
 
Be well Peter - no shave week amount to anything when you are under the weather. Take care.

Guido

And great to see the Timeless still providing excellent results.

Thanks G. Sometimes (as on Sunday) shaving can be a restorative part of my routine, but I have to temper my expectations based on my physical capacity. I think I made the correct judgement to use a less challenging razor, and though I could've stuck with a more familiar soap, the end result of Sunday's shave was reasonably satisfying.

On days when I possess the ability to shave thoughtfully, the Timeless continues to be a favorite. As we were discussing previously @Guido75 I have an R41 inbound (supposedly the 2013 flavor) so we'll see how that fares. Will probably try the stock top-cap before experimenting with the SLOC cap.

I have forwarded my remaining puck of Tabac to another B&Ber, hopefully he enjoys. I'll give the PdP another couple attempts sometime, but I think I'm going to stick with the Stirling base for a little while longer this week.
 
Today's shave, 3/4

Growth is pretty sparing, typical following a Timeless shave. I reach for the prewar Tech with Nacet, a couple prior shaves on this blade. Use the TGN badger to brush the Stirling Pine Sheep sample. Again I encounter lather problems, felt like I doled out substantial product and found very little lather remaining after 2.5 passes. Perhaps I'm adding too much water too quickly, I refrained from blooming the soap and the brush was soaked in scant water. Will need to retry this soap with a different brush and perhaps a different lather container (maybe my old bowl instead of the PAA scuttle). There's ample slickness but practically no cushion. Scent is fine, this soap has a similar feel to the unscented version, overall reminds me of Mike's Natural. Shave goes fairly well otherwise, especially good cleanup on the mustache. One or two weepers opened on the chin, generally a DFS+ which is pretty standard for a 2.5 pass with this razor. Some response from the alum, more than yesterday. CeraVe + Hydroboost finish.

The only other factor influencing the lather is the brush. Both the TGN and the old Omega were subjected to a soak in citric acid... but I think I've used both brushes successfully with other soaps, in the time following. Perhaps I'll do some test-lathering with these brushes before committing to them for a future shave.
 
4/5 today:

First of all, don't know why I can't seem to get dates right on these entries, yesterday was 4/4! Silly.

Today, went for the GC.84-P with loaded Nacet, a blade with several (unknown, too lazy to check) prior shaves. Lathered Stirling Mountain Man with the Whipped Dog badger, using my old lather bowl. Spooned about a gram of soap into the bowl, allowed to bloom while I showered. Soaked just the tips of the brush.

Lather was plentiful and rich today. Water added slowly but certainly a healthy amount was used. I'm almost positive I loaded the same amount of soap yesterday in the PAA scuttle, so it's gotta be something about the brushes, technique, and perhaps the shape of the scuttle. Maybe I don't load properly from the dab of soap at the bottom. I also didn't bloom the soap yesterday. In any case, I like the Mountain Man scent and it seems to agree fine with my skin.

I can tell I don't have spectacular lightness today, but the GC is mild enough to protect me from my stupidity. I removed a very deep ingrown near the chin last night, and I have to maneuver thoughtfully to avoid slicing open the remaining bump in my skin. I have enough lather to do 16 passes, but I cut the shave off at 2.5. Good closeness on the mustache again, and I succeed in not overdoing the goatee. DFS+/BBS- a bit more close than yesterday overall. Alum has a mild reaction, similar to yesterday. HydroBoost+Nivea to conclude.
 
4/6

Sparing growth. Opting for a milder razor, grab the '66 Tech with loaded Nacet, 1 prior shave. Another attempt with Stirling Mountain Man, gonna try to identify if my lather problems on 4/4 were due to the old Omega boar or the PAA scuttle. Similar amount of soap scooped and pressed to lather bowl bottom, about a gram. Bloomed with a few drops of water, brush tips soaked.

Lather comes together much more normally. Rich, full loading. I suspect the steep walls/depth of the PAA scuttle was giving me difficulty loading the soap into the brush. I also didn't bloom the soap on 4/4 which probably contributed to loading problems. I think I made similar mistakes with my first PdP attempt, will try again soon. Lather is just slightly underhydrated/rich when applied to face. Throughout the shave it maintains reasonably well, although it starts to go thin (in both volume and slickness) by the end. Unclear if it's an introduction of water, or some other factor causing it to collapse.

Despite having a somewhat conservative outlook, I mindlessly do 3 passes. Something about the mildness of the razor and thickness of the lather causes me to apply subconscious pressure, perhaps. Alum has similar response to yesterday. I feel a little heat of razor irritation in the aftermath, mostly on the right side of the neck. Ironically the results are no better than a DFS. The '66 Tech has given me closer shaves before, but maybe that just wasn't in the cards today. Planning to shave with the FaTip tomorrow, hoping my skin and technique are more prepared by then.

Ciao!
 
Quick and very nonspecific update. Shaves are fine, all is well. Last week was the following kits:

4/7 FaTip Grande with Nacet, lathered Stirling Scots Pine Sheep with the Yaqi Silvertip
4/8 Timeless .95 with Astra, lathered MWF with AP Shave G5C synth
4/9 Prewar Tech with Nacet, lathered PdP 63 with Simpson Colonel X2L
4/10 RR GC .84-P with Nacet, lathered Cella with Whipped Dog boar

The new AP Shave brush is nice, I like the backbone and I think the tips are marginally softer than my other synths. I appreciate synths for their unique qualities, I'm not looking to replace/mimic any of my natural bristle brushes. Overall it's nice to have another option. If I were to get another brush in the near future, it would be an unbleached Zenith (I see them popping up in journals everywhere lately).

PdP will need another revisit. I had no difficulty creating lather, definitely used enough product. Lather was useful, slick... but I was experiencing some irritation. The Simpson brush sometimes disagrees with me, and Sundays are very difficult to judge the quality of shave (because I'm always quite fatigued, this Sunday was no exception). I suspect either brush or soap were the culprit, because the alum was practically neutral--so fortunately, no razor burn. So PdP gets one more chance before it gets PIF'd.

I have an alert set, hoping for a price drop in GSB blades sometime soon. Permasharps are near their lowest price via 3rd party on the 'zon... Might pick them up. Have enjoyed Nacets in basically every razor, still have only tried the AstraSP in the Timeless... It seems like that razor doesn't need any additional sharpness, but it might be worth a try sometime soon. I also haven't tried the OC Timeless head, does it truly change the aggression? Speaking of OC and aggression... still awaiting delivery of '13 R41, hopefully arriving soon.

Tomorrow is my birthday. For a luxurious shave, I intend to use the Timeless with Mike's Natural and my favorite badger. Looking forward to indulgence!
 
4/11 birthday shave

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Picked a different brush than I originally intended (mostly to coordinate better for the photo) but otherwise everything went as planned. Magnificent shave, fresh AstraSP in the Timeless did a very thorough job collecting the sparing stubble off my face. BBS basically everywhere, only a hint of response from the alum. Looking forward to eating my weight in sushi with friends later tonight.
 
4/17

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First shave with the 2013 R41, loaded with a lightly used Nacet. Lathered MWF with the Whipped Dog boar. My main observation is noticeable bladefeel, while efficiency nearly matches other aggressive razors in my collection. Handle weight is nice, but its length and smoothness is not preferable for me. Shave is not very speedy, I can tell that I won't be forgiven if my attention lapses with this razor. Nowhere as smooth as the FaTip Grande or the Timeless .95. Does not feel as nimble or elegant. Fortunately no weepers and little response from the alum, a BBS- finish generally with some challenging areas left somewhat unaddressed.

I've already been taught some lessons in "less pressure" from other razors, and I guess the R41 emphasizes the importance of skilled handling. And while the results are reasonable, it doesn't feel as rewarding as I'd hoped. Will still give this razor a fair chance, perhaps with the SLOC cap and RR handle.



Prior to today's shave, I have been bouncing between the RR GC.84-P, Timeless, and Techs over the last week. TTO razors are just not calling my name at the moment. Progress has stalled with soap samples--only new soap I tried was Mudder Focker which I found pleasant. I'm going to continue to thin down my collection in the coming months, starting with that birthday PIF that concludes this week--After a couple less-than-satisfactory shaves with PdP, I figure it will be better enjoyed by someone else--and I have no shortage of soaps that better agree with my skin.
 
4/18

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Pulled out the FaTip Grande to honor @JoWolf returning to the forum. Loaded with a fresh Nacet. Though I struggle with razor monogamy my familiarity with Mike's Natural is about as close to "fixed" as I get, lathered with the AP Shave G5S for today's shave.

Lather consistency is right on target. I sometimes don't hydrate Mike's sufficiently, but today it felt rich without being heavy. Very pleasant, leisurely shave today. I could feel the delicate and precise handling of the razor, the lightness that I always seek (and only sometimes find). Final ATG passes along the jawline and chin exhibit levitating gentleness as microscopic stubble gets snatched by the blade. A very comfortable BBS- with almost no reaction to the alum, a few whiskers missed in the corners of the mouth and one weeper at the back of the jaw--always room for improvement. CeraVe thinned with Thayer's to conclude.

Though I hadn't shaved with the Grande in perhaps a week, we still remember how to dance. Someday (perhaps soon!) I'll attempt the legendary 1-pass ATG and really push the envelope of my skill as the FaTip allows. I do think my shaves are generally leaving such short stubble after 24hrs, the Southbound/WXTG pass is starting to feel perfunctory. Can the 2.5 pass be dropped down to a 1.5? Only one way to find out.
 
4/19

First attempt reducing passes even further, nixing the Southbound pass. Selected the FaTip Grande Chrome again with the same loaded Nacet, lathered Mike's again, this time with the Yaqi Silvertip. Typical prep, very spare growth.

Lather not quite as hydrated as yesterday, but still reasonably light. Leading the shave with what would typically be my second pass (Northbound cheeks and jawline, outside->in on mustache/goatee/chin, Northbound on neck) followed by ATG (Northbound inward diagonal basically everywhere) and cleanup. In my 2.5 pass shaves the final ATG is only in the goatee/chin/jawline but I recognize there's sufficient unaddressed stubble to necessitate ATG everywhere... So I guess it's firmly a 2-pass with a small touchup. The Northbound pass is handled a little more deftly, I struggle to remain properly light toward the finish. Only 2 tiny weepers, the shave is marginally closer than yesterday but the Alum gives a noticeable response. Fortunately there's no lingering warmth or irritation. HydroBoost and Thayer's finish.

Even if the Southbound pass isn't terribly productive for stubble reduction, it does act as a "warm up" that allows me to comfortably acclimate to the shave. Depending on how my skin feels tomorrow, I may attempt the same pattern with a different razor, I do think the strategy is worth pursuing. With some practice, the single ATG pass feels within my grasp. It will require a different pace and focus to be successful.
 
4/19

First attempt reducing passes even further, nixing the Southbound pass. Selected the FaTip Grande Chrome again with the same loaded Nacet, lathered Mike's again, this time with the Yaqi Silvertip. Typical prep, very spare growth.

Lather not quite as hydrated as yesterday, but still reasonably light. Leading the shave with what would typically be my second pass (Northbound cheeks and jawline, outside->in on mustache/goatee/chin, Northbound on neck) followed by ATG (Northbound inward diagonal basically everywhere) and cleanup. In my 2.5 pass shaves the final ATG is only in the goatee/chin/jawline but I recognize there's sufficient unaddressed stubble to necessitate ATG everywhere... So I guess it's firmly a 2-pass with a small touchup. The Northbound pass is handled a little more deftly, I struggle to remain properly light toward the finish. Only 2 tiny weepers, the shave is marginally closer than yesterday but the Alum gives a noticeable response. Fortunately there's no lingering warmth or irritation. HydroBoost and Thayer's finish.

Even if the Southbound pass isn't terribly productive for stubble reduction, it does act as a "warm up" that allows me to comfortably acclimate to the shave. Depending on how my skin feels tomorrow, I may attempt the same pattern with a different razor, I do think the strategy is worth pursuing. With some practice, the single ATG pass feels within my grasp. It will require a different pace and focus to be successful.
Doing multiple passes is the quickest way to a single ATG shave. That’s how I got there.

We were discussing the Grande and understanding and knowing it. With the exclusive use I had with it. Three full years and then some time before I finally achieved or acquired the ability or touch. Mechanically that is just repetitive muscle memory. Over and Over again. Always using the same stuff. More passes means more practice.

It was the razor speaking to me. My first two pass shave as well as my first single ATG. When I say speaking to me. It’s like you are in a powerful car going slow, on a fast highway. You know you must speed up for things to feel right. I don’t mean shaving fast. When you shave accurately the Shave automatically is fast. A worthy achievement for sure.

You can get there @desertcat, but if you don’t want to lock a four in place. It’ll take longer with much more practice. The mechanical repeatability is just that.
 
Thank you friends for your wisdom and encouragement. I will remain patient on the journey! I certainly have a long way before I'll find any success doing a single pass ATG.

FFFMM really emphasized this for me
@flask28 I hope your return to indulgence and variety has been as enjoyable as the depth of learning provided by FFFMM! That Mozingo brush looks like a beautiful specimen.
I'll definitely consider doing some fixed-ish kits soon... I am already seeing my razor appetite narrowing. I am finding the Timeless, GameChanger, FaTip, and the Prewar & '66 Tech are the razors I keep returning to. I have a slightly wider appetite with soaps, and I think I rotate pretty evenly/regularly between my dozen brushes... Because I don't face lather, I don't feel like I really appreciate or fully experience the differences between them.
But after so many years (2012-2022) shaving with the same razor, I have a hard time returning to monogamy! And I find myself reaching for each razor to enjoy its' particular qualities--whether that's comfort, ease of use, or efficiency. But maybe the SWS would be worth trying.

It was the razor speaking to me.
You always find a surprising and succinct way of phrasing things @JoWolf and I'm appreciative of your input. Five months ago I could not have imagined I'd execute a two-pass shave that could be as close or comfortable as I had today. Progress will continue if I maintain energy and attention--and perhaps someday the single pass ATG will call my name.
 
I am still too much of a shaving puppy to stick to one setup for a lengthy period of time. And I have this weird sensation of feeling remorse for not using the non selected items. SWS is fun to do though - I have done it a couple of times. For now I will just make use of my rotation spreadsheet with randomised selector to help me out that funny feeling at bay.

I could have happily shaved with one razor if I hadn’t decided to join the crazy bunch - but then again in hindsight: boy would I have missed out of fun, comeraderie, receiving and sending PIFs, my holy grail razor (Timeless Ti95) and last but not least: my Fatip Special Edition.

A single ATG shave. Tried that once somewhere in the beginning after reading Esox’ journal. My skin heavily protested. Lack of technique surely. Might revisit that some day. I enjoy my three passes at the moment and there is still a lot to be learned!

Enjoy!

Guido
 
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