FFFMM (Fixed Four For March Madness) 2023 Edition

[Jayson74]

3-29-23 Wednesday
FFFMM 17/31

Razor: Merkur Progress (5-5-2)
Blade: Treet platinum(1)
Soap: Mudder Focker face lather
Brush: RR Bruce
Pre: Shower
Post: Witchhazel/Mudder F

3 passes with a bit of touch up left me with DFS+++. Almost BBS, not bad on 3 days growth.
I want to thank @Cal for running this Fixed Four it has been very enlightening and has shown me that sticking with one soap for awhile really improves performance...at least for a beginner like me.
Thanks man!

Be well
Jay

 

[Cal]

I want to thank @Cal for running this Fixed Four it has been very enlightening and has shown me that sticking with one soap for awhile really improves performance...at least for a beginner like me.

My pleasure, Jay.

And a word of advice. Approach each shave with a "beginner's mind," no matter how long you've been doing it.

I wear my SWB (Shaving White Belt) for (nearly) every shave. I love my shaves but I still have a l-o-n-g way to go to reach perfection (which is unattainable, but I still aim for it).

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Probably this is Cal's baby picture!

My pleasure, Jay.

And a word of advice. Approach each shave with a "beginner's mind," no matter how long you've been doing it.

I wear my SWB (Shaving White Belt) for (nearly) every shave. I love my shaves but I still have a l-o-n-g way to go to reach perfection (which is unattainable, but I still aim for it).

Same here. SWB forever.

Kit for yesterday and today. One photo. I'm very busy these days.​

Shaves are improving. That's the case even though I entered the Fixed carrying gear with which I'm very familiar, particularly including the X1.

A good Fixed fixes a lot of problems.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[gpjoe]

Final head shave, no change. Fantastic shave, as expected.

 

[NotBloomingAL]

FFFMM - Shave #23

Razor: RazoRock Lupo .95 SB
Blade: Dorco Titan (6th Use)
Brush: AP Shave Co. Aluminum Layered Comfort handle w/Mühle STF 25mm @~55mm
Soap: Unscented With Beeswax by Stirling Soap Co.



Post-Shave:
Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Duke Cannon Ice Cold After-Shave Balm

Three pass shave (last pass is more or less cleanup).

It was a good shave ... but I managed to nick the edge of my mouth. And the aftershave gave me a moderate sting. Anyway, skin feels smooth. A darn fine shave, DFS.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Resisted the temptation to shave today. I want to finish the month on a great shave (longer stubble hydrates better).

 

[GlazedBoker]

FFFMM 3/29/23, Shave No.#19

Fixed 4 Set up:
Rockwell T2 SS-Bic Chrome Platinum-APShaveCo. 28mm Silksmoke Winter-Rockwell shave cream Barbershop
Optional Gear:
Aqua Velva Ice Blue a/s Lotion-Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza

A nice comfy shave this evening. Nothing riveting to say or exciting to announce. To be honest, the T2 SS from Rockwell has been a no nonsense shaver, workmanlike if one could classify a razor in such classes or groupings. I felt in the beginning of this fixed event that perhaps I had made a bad choice in taking the T2 for a month long shave chase As I just felt it wasn’t going to give me the blade feel that I prefer in my razors. Slowly but, surely though it proved me otherwise as it just gives consistently smooth, comfortable and nicely efficient shaves. The time spent with it really forced me to focus on technique & execution of said technique to maximize the attributes that the T2 possesses. Not a bad razor at all. Might just get one more in before all is said & done.

Great shaves to all…

 

[Invicta]

Shave of the day;
Soap: Proraso Sandalwood
Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable
Blade: Rapira Super Stainless #10
Brush: Simpson Commodore X3

 

[thombrogan]

FFFMM

Last night’s luxury shave
GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Personna GEM PTFE (6)
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Simpson Wee Scot 13mm badger brush
Pre-shave: hot shower followed by a minute or so of waterboarding with shave binky
Lather: Wickhams 1912 Club Cola Soap, face-lathered
Aftershave: Ulm Nom
Post-shave: face wash with shave binky
Post-shave: Mentholated Equate Moisturizer

Tuesday night’s shave was comfortable for about 14-15 hours before the neck stubble was unpleasantly noticeable. Would’ve been longer if I didn’t move my head. Last night’s shave was a little closer and I got two very tiny weepers on my upper lip and an even smaller than tiny one on the left jawline and a bit of aftershave sting. I liked Tuesday night’s shave better than Wednesday night’s shave.

After more than eighty uses; mostly single-pass shaves; my Wee Scot brush still needs to be loaded on the heavy side to avoid scritch. Luckily, the heavy side for a Wee Scot isn’t the same as a brand new Ω 10048.

 

[ChrisPL68]

 

[Schnitzel52]

FFFMM Day 30
Gillette New SC
Bic Chrome Platinum (4)
PAA Peregrino
Pre de Provence 63

 

[La Malice]

Well this is a wrap from me folks, there should not be any shave until Sunday.

18 shave, 18 AS shave product and 2 unused one.

This month FFFMM :

Razor : Merkur 34 HD C
Blade : Gillette Silver Blue
Soap (SOTM) : Palmolive classic
Brush : Semogue 1305

This month variants

AS splash / balm used so far :

Clubman Pinaud
Proraso white aftershave balm
Aqua Velva
Sterling Sharp Dress Man splash splash
Nivea Sensitive After Shave balm
Skin Bracer by Mennen
Osage rub
Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic splash
Tabac
Proraso Blue
Nivea Men Moisturizing Post shave Balm
Mennen Grand Large
Gillette Series Conditioning After Shave Gel
Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum
Nivea Sensitive Calm Moisturizer
Brut Classic
Dove Men+Care Ultra-Hydra Cream
Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic AS balm


Unused AS splash / balm product.

L'Oreal Men Expert all in 1 moisturizing cream
Neutrogena Triple Protect face lotion

 

[Jayson74]

3-30-23 Thursday
FFFMM 18/31

Razor: Merkur Progress (3-3-2)
Blade: Treet platinum(2)
Soap: Mudder Focker face lather
Brush: RR Bruce
Pre: Shower
Post: Witchhazel/Mudder F

2 pass with a bit of touch up DFS+++.
Good to go.
Edit: sitting an hour after and I realise I left a bit of stubble on the corner of my jaw...DFS+ now.

Be well
Jay

 

[hopper_64]

Thursday March 30 - FFFMM shave #22

Eversharp Hydro-magic ’500’
Schick Injector (17)
Omega EVO 2.0
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Williams Aqua Velva

(re-used pic)

Cheers

 

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD:
Razor: Fatip Noce OC
Blade: New Lord Platinum (12)
Brush: Omega Evo Ovale
Cream: Old Spice Original
Aftershave: Old Spice Original

This was supposed to be my last shave of the week. I enjoy this fix four so much, I'll do one more. I love the New Lord Platinum blades. They are my favorite. Next week, I'll try my new Fatip Acciaio Inox blades in my Grande Cr. I hope they are good. They really need to be. The New Lord Platinum's are so good they have become my Omega Evo Ovale of blades, aka the best the universe has to offer.

 

[elmo_koffman]

FFFMM shave #19
Probably my last shave of the month. It was fun and can already tell that I'm in for 2024. Today to finish the challenge I scored perfect 10 for my final shave Great setup

Stando rose wood G5A
Henson AL13++
KAI
Zingari Man The Watchman
Speick

 

[NotBloomingAL]

FFFMM - Shave #24

Razor: RazoRock Lupo .95 SB
Blade: Dorco Titan (7th Use)
Brush: AP Shave Co. Aluminum Layered Comfort handle w/Mühle STF 25mm @~55mm
Soap: Unscented With Beeswax by Stirling Soap Co.



Post-Shave:
Mennen Skin Bracer
Stirling's Post Shave Balm (unscented w/menthol)

Three pass shave (last pass is more or less cleanup).

Since the aftershave from yesterday gave me a nice burn, I decided to palm strop my blade for this shave. And its seventh use delivered a great shave. Smooth all over with no nicks or irritation. I caught a faint weeper on my cheek when I applied the balm. When I wiped it away it didn't come back. A darn fine shave, DFS++.

 

[Cal]

FFFMM 2023 SOTD

Brush: Shavemac "Kleiner Bayer" 14/42 Silvertip D01 2-Band
Soap: Clubman
Razor: Gillette NEW Flat Bottom GT
Blade: Gillette 7o'clock Black (16)
ASL: Clubman Musk

A fine shave.


Happy shaves guys.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

(Yup, same tired old pic)

March 31st, 03:00
12th Fixed Four shave (3 day growth)
12th shave on this blade

My wayward body clock means I get to finish this month a little early in the solar day. For no other reason than it being the last fixed four shave of this month, I wanted to close on a perfect shave. I did get it, but had to work for it. A dozen shaves is not enough for me to fully recalibrate the autopilot from my usual razor. I celebrated with a splash of cheap store brand aftershave, and it was totally tingle free.

This razor only ranks No.6 out of 31 razors, in terms of Razorock's own assessment of razor aggression. Personally, I think the Jagger is milder still, or at least it seems to me, with the way I shave. Less blade protrusion than the Game Changer, but probably a wider gap from blade to comb. With my technique, that means I need to be more careful, more present, with the Game Changer.

With the Jagger, I can let my mind wander off on its own somewhere while shaving (thankfully it doesn't tend to stay away too long), and still walk away better shaved than most people I will encounter on any given day. I have often been surprised to discover a shave had been finished, without me consciously being aware of any of it. The Game Changer isn't like that. It requires my attention, but it is forgiving enough that if my attention is impaired by my neuro issues, I can still walk away impeccably shaved and completely unharmed.

Damn fine razor. Definitely better than any of the others I have tried since I first got the Jagger, however many years ago that was. I'll be sticking with it a while, even though this month is over, shave wise. I might not ever get fully automatic with it, like I can with the Jagger, but I can certainly get an awesome shave with it, and enjoy doing it too.

As for the blade, brush, and cream, they were chosen because I knew they would present no hurdle, and let me focus solely on the razor. They didn't let me down.

Huge thanks to @Cal for both the razor, and for the impetus to spend a solid month with it. It's been fun!

 

[flask28]

FFFMM Shave 20

Preshave Soap: PAA Cube - in a bowl
Preshave Brush: Zenith 507 Unbleached boar
Razor: GameChanger .68P
Blade: Gillette Platinum (4)
Soap: Mike's Barber Shop (42)
Brush: Omega Jade Boar (60)
Post: PAA Mysterum Serum

This is likely my last FFFMM shave with the GC .68P. I concur with @AimlessWanderer, I'm very glad I chose this razor for the event.

I only had a few shaves with it before I went on a vintage gillette adventure for many months, but decided to return to it for this 30 day event. When I started with the GC in March I was coming off a few months with pre and post war Techs.

After even the first shave, was clear I was a little more efficient with the .68P than the Tech. I'd been using the Tech to work on my technique, trying to get to the point I could manage a two pass DFS shave with it. I wasn't quite there before I switched over to the GC.

The GC, well, it didn't magically fix my technique challenges (dangit!) but it was cutting more growth per pass using the same Gillette Platinum than the Tech was. But I still couldn't achieve a two pass DFS. I was starting to think that was, perhaps, an unrealistic expectation.

But over the month with the GC I experimented with my grip, my angle and my attitude . I also received a ton of great general shaving advice from all the amazing B&B shaving masters. About two weeks in things started to click and I could feel my shaves getting closer each time as the "correct" grip and angle seeped into my muscle memory.

In week three I decided to experiment with a string of daily shaves - something I couldn't do with any razor when I started wetshaving without tearing myself up. I managed two Daily Shaving Sprints, a five day and a nine day. Both were surprisingly successful, I never experienced any of the "look out, it's Freddy Kruger!" problems I had with my previous attempts at daily shaving.

It was during those Sprints I finally achieved my goal, successive two pass DFS shaves!! I still love my three pass shaves, for sure, but as a technique challenge the two pass is easier to evaluate as it's harder for me to pull off.

I've come to love the GameChanger .68P this month. It's become a good friend and at this point I don't feel I need anything else. For drama-free daily shaving I couldn't recommend anything better well, perhaps a Tech, but it seems like I had to improve/change my technique and get some shaving under my belt to get there.

I'm a significantly better shaver after the 2023 Fixed Four. Thanks @Cal for the encouragement and thanks to @Rosseforp for inspriing me to use his FFFMM selections from the past.