F.O.C.S. Fiends

[gdawg55]

What blades are you using?

Astra.....it’s my go to with all new razors.

 

[hopper_64]

Wednesday December 2, SOTD

Razor: Fatip OC Slant
Blade: Perma-Sharp Super (10)
Brush: Yaqi Moka Express
Soap & AS: Fine Platinum

 

[never-stop-learning]

20201209

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale
Blade: PermaSharp (1)
Brush: Semogue Owners Club (SOC) Premium Boar, Taj Resin Handle
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Musgo Real Classic
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman Lilac Vegetal

Three passes + touch-up. No nicks, cuts, weepers or irritation.

The FOCS Rocks!

Superb shave!

 

[never-stop-learning]

20201218
Fatip Friday

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale
Blade: Perma-Sharp (3)
Brush: Omega EVO
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Proraso Red
Splash: Clubman Osage Rub
Aftershave/Fragrance: Bootlegger's Eldorado

Three passes + touch-up. No nicks, cuts, weepers or irritation.

The FOCS Rocks!

Excellent shave.

 

[mikey642]

All,

Hello! I’m a fairly new owner of the FOCS! So far, I’m undecided and wanted some advice.

It’s definitely a close, efficient razor. However, I’m yet to have a nice, irritation free comfortable shave with it.

I’ve come from a 34C, the FOCS is definitely more aggressive. Is it possible it’s highlighting technique issues due to this? It’s more sensitive to poor technique?

I’m not sure on blade choice yet. I’ve tried Bic Chrome Platinum, Nacets, 7 O’Clock blacks, which are usually my go to blades but all felt quite rough. Today I’ll be trying Silver Blues.

When shaving with the 34C, riding the cap was better for sensitive areas, less aggressive. Is this the same for the FOCS? I’ve read riding the comb can be beneficial.

Any tips welcomed, as I really want to love this razor and be a proper FOCS member!

 

[ponykilr]

All,

Hello! I’m a fairly new owner of the FOCS! So far, I’m undecided and wanted some advice.

It’s definitely a close, efficient razor. However, I’m yet to have a nice, irritation free comfortable shave with it.

I’ve come from a 34C, the FOCS is definitely more aggressive. Is it possible it’s highlighting technique issues due to this? It’s more sensitive to poor technique?

I’m not sure on blade choice yet. I’ve tried Bic Chrome Platinum, Nacets, 7 O’Clock blacks, which are usually my go to blades but all felt quite rough. Today I’ll be trying Silver Blues.

When shaving with the 34C, riding the cap was better for sensitive areas, less aggressive. Is this the same for the FOCS? I’ve read riding the comb can be beneficial.

Any tips welcomed, as I really want to love this razor and be a proper FOCS member!

My experience with the has been that a steep angle is the way. Riding the comb and letting it stretch your skin is almost universally accepted as how the razor works best.

As to blades, for example, a Feather turns the FOCS into a hatchet for me. It becomes rough and leaves me irritated and sore. 7-O’clock blades work but are not great, German Wilkinsons are fairly nice. A medium sharp blade known for smoothness is the way to go.

I prefer Astra SP and Shark Platinum. Both will be slightly less smooth on the first use but after that will be very comfortable.

Soap makes a difference for me as well as a preshave. I use ‘Lectric Shave as a preshave with great success. I have tried many soaps and with my slants I think it is more critical to have the slick cushion perfect.

Of all of the soaps I have tried, the best for the money by far is Taconic. It is available on Amazon for about $13, comes in Lime, Eucalyptus and “Urban Woods” which is a great take on a tobac style aroma.

It is slick, holds water well and in sub $30 soaps is a standout. It is made in NY and I like supporting Americans when possible.

I hope this helps and wish you luck. Razors, no matter how many folks love them are truly a YMMV deal. I am completely underwhelmed by such razors as the Gamechangers, the Rex and most vintage classics. I sold my FB, Slim, all the Techs and just have my Red Tip, a Rocket and one Flare Tip I plan to PIF. I adore my WBs, the Fine Slants and the PAA slants (I love my Red Tip too) but I consider my skin fairly sensitive. Good prep and very efficient razors will mitigate irritation by using less passes and buffing.

Rocks.

 

[mikey642]

My experience with the has been that a steep angle is the way. Riding the comb and letting it stretch your skin is almost universally accepted as how the razor works best.

As to blades, for example, a Feather turns the FOCS into a hatchet for me. It becomes rough and leaves me irritated and sore. 7-O’clock blades work but are not great, German Wilkinsons are fairly nice. A medium sharp blade known for smoothness is the way to go.

I prefer Astra SP and Shark Platinum. Both will be slightly less smooth on the first use but after that will be very comfortable.

Soap makes a difference for me as well as a preshave. I use ‘Lectric Shave as a preshave with great success. I have tried many soaps and with my slants I think it is more critical to have the slick cushion perfect.

Of all of the soaps I have tried, the best for the money by far is Taconic. It is available on Amazon for about $13, comes in Lime, Eucalyptus and “Urban Woods” which is a great take on a tobac style aroma.

It is slick, holds water well and in sub $30 soaps is a standout. It is made in NY and I like supporting Americans when possible.

I hope this helps and wish you luck. Razors, no matter how many folks love them are truly a YMMV deal. I am completely underwhelmed by such razors as the Gamechangers, the Rex and most vintage classics. I sold my FB, Slim, all the Techs and just have my Red Tip, a Rocket and one Flare Tip I plan to PIF. I adore my WBs, the Fine Slants and the PAA slants (I love my Red Tip too) but I consider my skin fairly sensitive. Good prep and very efficient razors will mitigate irritation by using less passes and buffing.

Rocks.

Appreciate the detailed reply. I’ll give a steep angle a go.

Interesting on the blades. I used a GSB today, which I deem as medium, which was much better than previous shaves. I’ll give the Wilkinson Swords a go as I have some of those, as well as Astra’s.

Thanks again! I’ll keep plugging. It’s definitely efficient and cuts much closer than the 34C!

 

[Multum in parvo]

Appreciate the detailed reply. I’ll give a steep angle a go.

Interesting on the blades. I used a GSB today, which I deem as medium, which was much better than previous shaves. I’ll give the Wilkinson Swords a go as I have some of those, as well as Astra’s.

Thanks again! I’ll keep plugging. It’s definitely efficient and cuts much closer than the 34C!

Hi again, it’s good, to see you here as well.

I went through my journal so the best results until today I got with Proraso green/red and Tabac. Blades that work for me, as said earlier, Personna Platinums and Gillette PermaSharp (Turkish Gold).

 

[mikey642]

Hi again, it’s good, to see you here as well.

I went through my journal so the best results until today I got with Proraso green/red and Tabac. Blades that work for me, as said earlier, Personna Platinums and Gillette PermaSharp (Turkish Gold).

Hello again!
Thanks for the suggestion. What happened today that changed it?

I’ll give both those blades a go as well. GSB went OK today but still not perfect.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Nothing, my favorite blade with the FOCS is still the PermaSharp but I have very high hopes for the Wizamet Super Iridium. I liked the Polsilver Iridium tremendously but they are not available anymore that’s why I didn’t suggested them to you. Wizamet should be rebranded Polsilver‘s and I’m waiting for 250 of them but they ship from Marocco so it’s a long wait...

 

[Steve_in_CT]

I posted about my new, gold FOCS in the Double Edge Razor forum, so I won't go into all that much detail again here. Like @CzechCzar I did a side by side with my Yaqi Double Open Comb Slant with pretty much the same results he did, i.e. they feel very different but produce very similar outcomes. This morning was my 4th shave with the FOCS, and it is one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient, DE razor I have used. FWIW I have been using a Personna Israeli Red blade. That is generally the first blade I try in any DE razor, as I have found it to be quite gentle but also reasonably efficient. I've owned other Fatip razors, but this was the first where the blade fit perfectly on the pins and required absolutely no manual adjustment.

Here's a picture of my gold FOCS. Even my wife stopped to admire its looks. I just wish the handle was a bit longer.

 

[CzechCzar]

I posted about my new, gold FOCS in the Double Edge Razor forum, so I won't go into all that much detail again here. Like @CzechCzar I did a side by side with my Yaqi Double Open Comb Slant with pretty much the same results he did, i.e. they feel very different but produce very similar outcomes. This morning was my 4th shave with the FOCS, and it is one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient, DE razor I have used. FWIW I have been using a Personna Israeli Red blade. That is generally the first blade I try in any DE razor, as I have found it to be quite gentle but also reasonably efficient. I've owned other Fatip razors, but this was the first where the blade fit perfectly on the pins and required absolutely no manual adjustment.

Here's a picture of my gold FOCS. Even my wife stopped to admire its looks. I just wish the handle was a bit longer.
View attachment 1207240

Interesting that you get the same results with the two razors. My Yaqi slant is definitely more efficient. Don't get me wrong, both are great. Yaqi shaves me close tho.

Where did you get a normally-loading FOCS??

 

[Dools]

I am on the waiting list at Maggards. Any other places I should be looking?
Thanks.

 

[xiletero]

I am on the waiting list at Maggards. Any other places I should be looking?
Thanks.

Connaughts Shaving(UK) I have used x 2 they are good. Gifts and Things (ES) has a lot of stuff, I haven't used them.

 

[Dools]

Thank you.

 

[Beantin]

2 shaves in with my FOCS and I am very happy with it. 1st shave I used a Rapira Platinum Lux and it was a good shave. Then tried a Nacet today and it was a touch better.
The FOCS is a nice slant which is surprisingly smooth and not too aggressive. I also like the German 37 and Maggard slant as my other go to razors. However the FOCS seem to be not as aggressive as the G37, but smoother. Also the FOCS is nearly as smooth as the MS, but a touch more aggressive. The FOCS seems to just have the right balance for me.

 

[Dools]

I have a question for you-all. I have found this razor on a site, but I see that it is about a third less weight than my 39C. I really like heavier razors. I am worried that this razor may be too light for my taste. Also, I don't think there is any way to make it heavier......?...

Thanks.

 

[Cal]

I have found this razor on a site, but I see that it is about a third less weight than my 39C.

The FOCS weighs 67g.

I don't think there is any way to make it heavier......?...

The handle weighs 36g and is hollow (all the way through), so quite easy to make heavier if desired.

 

[Dools]

Thank you, I was hoping that was the case. Plenty of ways to put weight in a hollow handle.

 

[never-stop-learning]

20210212
Fatip Friday

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale
Blade: Silver Star (5 and retired)
Brush: Edwin Jagger Imitation Horn (25mm Synthetic Silver Tip)
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper
Lather: Haslinger Schafmilch
Aftershave/Fragrance: Bootlegger's Eldorado

The FOCS Rocks!