ELEVENTH ANNUAL "One Blade in February" Challenge - 2020 Edition

[ateace]

Shave #9 with the 1970 (P4) Gillette Super Stainless, loaded in a '47 Aristocrat.

I was pressed for time this morning, so I just went WTG/XTG to get myself presentable. Not BBS, but not bad!

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

• Vintage Merkur 37 slant razor
• NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (23)
• Modern William Mug Soap w/ a Vie Long Horse brush, face lathered
• Lucky Tiger After Shave and Face Tonic

Nothing in my previous shaves with the Merkur 37 made me think I could use it as a daily shaver...until yesterday's shave. Close and comfortable. So I went for it again and got a more than satisfactory shave. Daily shaver? We'll see how long this lasts.

 

[Roedeer]

Monday 24th Feb

Preshave: Hot facecloth, H & B Vitamin E oil
Brush: Cheap Wilkinson
Soap: Boots Cool Cologne Shave Cream
Razor: Rockwell 6S, Plate R5
Blade: Astra SP (4)
Postshave: Warm rinse, Nivea Sensitive Balm, Boots Freshwood AS.

Changed soap, with an excellent result. No alkaline irritation, and as near a BBS as makes no odds. Changing one thing at a time really works.

 

[JAHE]

Managed shave no. 21 today with the german Wilkinson Sword.

I switched razors on Sunday (from Razorock SLOC to a Gillette Red Tip). As desired, the change did help to equal the loss of sharpness of the blade with an increase of agressiveness of the razor, but nevertheless I fear the blade will come close to its limit in the near future (but who knows...) .

Though the shaving result was still fine (3 passes + touch ups = almost BBS and absolutely no irritation) it feels like I need more and more efforts (touch ups) to reach this level.

But again, as long as it does not cause skin irritation - I just don´t care and continue...

Will report back in course of the week!

 

[GaryTha]

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

• Vintage Merkur 37 slant razor
• NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (24)
• LaToja Jabon w/ an Acca Kappa boar brush, face lathered
• Nivea Deep Comforting Post Shave Lotion

Made a slight adjustment to my shave. Yesterday I felt a slight pull on the only ATG pass I make, which is on my neck. So I stopped and am doing another WTG pass. That went fine and I sense no degradation in the quality of my shaves.

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

So, I have switched my razor from the ATT S2 to the Fasan DoubleSlant and the result is better. Not 100%, but better. I might eke this blade to the end of the month.

Stan

 

[NPK]

Shave #11 BiC chrome.

This shave I noticed a bit of tugging for the first time. More buffing was needed to complete the task. I tried had stropping the blade before putting to work...I an not sure that affected anything...but my last shave had no tugging so I won't do that again.

 

[abj]

Day 25, shave 23

 

[Roedeer]

Tuesday 25th Feb, Astra SP (5) worked just as well as #2 .. #4. I liked the last shave, with Boots Cream, so did a carbon copy. DFS.

 

[GaryTha]

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

• Vintage Merkur 37 slant razor
• NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (25)
• Palmolive Classic shave stick w/ an Omega boar brush, face lathered
• Cold water rinse

Fourth shave is a row with my slant in a quest to see if the Merkur 37 can be a daily shaver. Was starting to think, "Heck yeah, I can use this every day," and today I gave myself two nicks--real bleeders. I had to daub on styptic powder to stem the flow.

Not sure whether I cut myself or cut something off, a blemish perhaps. Seems odd that my technique would suddenly fail me. I did feel that my lather was off...not slick as I like. Perhaps the head of the razor skipped over the surface of my skin and dug in when it landed.

Rest of my face is smooth and irritation free, so in that respect, the slant could be a daily shaver.

 

[lancre]

Fatboy on 6
English Wilkinson Sword
Semogue 730 HD
OneBlade Black Tie Cream
WH
Nivea Men Sensitive PSB

26 shsves in, 3 to go. Mostly BBS, with a couple of stubborn DFS spots.
One blade for February is pretty much certain at this point, but I don't think this blade is going to challenge the 48 shaves I got from a German WS last year.

 

[ateace]

Shave #10 today with the 1970 P4 Gillette Super Stainless, still residing in a '47 Aristocrat.

The ATG pass is getting a bit rough, but still a nice result. Only one more to go before I close out this month.

 

[Nacp]

Thought I had joined this February challenge. My oversight, had not done so, forgot to post. Anyway, I'd been participating diligently. Loaded a fresh, Gillette Platinum on 31st January, a blade part of 10, I had ordered from Connaught shaving.
First shave the blade was so so in sharpness.
2nd shave onwards till the 7-8 th shave the blade gained sharpness and very smooth.
Then it gradually declined in sharpness, but remained sharp enough yet buttery smooth. After shave number 22, I turned the blade, it gained sharpness for a day or two, then stabilized in sharpness but very smooth.
Today was shave number 27 with the blade. I'm sure the blade can finish February with ease.
I'm going to be participating in the 4 for March challenge. I'll carry the same blade to March, using the same setup. Future goals, get 36 shaves from this blade, to prove 2 tucks are enough to last a year. Secondly see how many shaves I can get out of this blade. I have a second blade to use in case this blade dies in March.
FYI, my setup is as follows, Razor RR Mamba 70. Morning shower, face wash with glycerine soap. Minimal amount of Nivea shave gel, hand lathered. Very shallow shaving angle, 2 pass Dfs Shave, second pass done with leftover lather from razor reapplied on face with water.
Post shave Dickinsons Witch hazel, followed by a few drops of homemade Sunflower and Jojoba oil mix infused wit a couple of cloves.

 

[NPK]

BiC chrome shave (12)

This shave was more tuggy than shave 11. I thought this blade had way more to go on shave (9) but it looks like it will be iffy for shave (13). I'll give at a try on Saturday and see if its possible.

 

[Roedeer]

Wednesday 26th Feb, Astra SP (6), same setup again, DFS.

 

[GaryTha]

 

[JAHE]

Shave no. 23 today.
I am certain to finish "the one blade in February"-mission with 25 (in almost all cases) excellent shaves.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

• Vintage Merkur 37 slant razor
• NOS Schick Super Chromium blade (26)
• Vintage Williams Mug Soap w/ a Simpson Berkeley pure badger brush, face lathered
• Nivea Sensitive Cooling After Shave Balm

No blood today! Perhaps slicker lather helped; I was certainly more cognizant of what I was doing and didn't nick myself. Another close shave.

I'll make it to the end of the month and probably more. This Schick clearly has 30+ shaves in it.