FFFMM (Fixed Four For March Madness) 2023 Edition

[Dobric]

What is SWS please? You can start FFFMM on March 1.

Shave of the Week Society, weekly shaving set up, similar to FFFMM but on weekly basis

 

[Cal]

Shave of the Week Society, weekly shaving set up, similar to FFFMM but on weekly basis

Thank you.

(I did look for it in the Wiki under B&B Abbreviations, but found nothing.)

 

[Raven Koenes]

Weird responses, guys but all good.

I never really thought about this being hard or not joyful as I have run similar monthly threads on many occasions here over the years, but I am going to bow out.

Have fun.

Years back I bought a Merkur Slant and decided it would be my FFFMM razor. I hated shaving with that thing, although I started to get serviceable shaves with it by the end of the month. They were not great, or even good, just serviceable. I haven't touched it since. It was the longest FFFMM ever. I did learn to shave with it, but I could have taken a razor I enjoy to learn it better. I've done that since and FFFMM has become something I look forward to. It allows me to slow down and dial things in.

 

[elmo_koffman]

My final four for March:

brush: Stando rose wood G5A synthetic
razor: Henson AL13++
blades: KAI
soap: Zingari Man The Watchman

 

[wldecker]

I'm waiting patiently to see if my new custom TNS brush makes it in time to be part of my kit. If not, I'll likely withdraw...

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Razor head: Game Changer 68
Razor handle: IKon Bulldog II
Soap/Cream: St James of London Black Pepper and Lime
Blade: Wilkinson Sword (Germany)
Brush: Simpson Special in Best Badger... or maybe Pure Badger... although the Case in Best would be nice ... or I could stick with the Vulfix Picadilly I've been using... or...

Ok, so I've managed to from a fixed 2.5 to a fixed 3. There's still plenty of time though, right?

 

[couch_potato]

Not a huge fan of challenges, but due to some private-related March turbulences, guess I could use some break at least when it comes to shaving
So starting from today, I'll try to push FFFMM_2023 with my "boring" setup:

• Muhle R89-HD (RR HD-handle)
• Omega 10098 (bit broken in, but could use some elbow-grease)
• Perma-Sharp (I still wonder why I even bother with other blades... let's stick with them for a while)
• Cella Red (even at 150th shave, I still cannot dispose it... about 1cm left... hope March will kill it)

Happy shaves everyone

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Finally settled upon the 4th item.

Game Changer 68 on IKon Bulldog II handle
St James of London Black Pepper and Lime.
German Wilkies
Simpson Special in Pure

 

[Jayson74]

Changed my mind on my four:

Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Treet platinum
Soap: RR Mudder Focker
Brush: RR Bruce

 

[GlazedBoker]

In brother @Cal.
Was trying to set up a new razor acquisition coming in from the UK but, it's not going to get here for another week or thereabouts and I don't want to start late or a week in as the spirit of the challenge is a fixed shave event for March.

So, for March 1st it will be:

Rockwell T2 SS
Bic Chrome Platinum
APShaveCo 28mm Silksmoke Winter
Rockwell shave cream

Looking forward to the fixed four brigade charge.

 

[Jayson74]

2-27-23 Mon.

FEB GRUME still in.
Early start to FFFMM 1/31

Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Treet platinum(1)
Soap: Mudder Focker
Brush: RR Bruce
Post: Non

3 passes all on setting 1 = DFS. Tiniest bit of against the grain stubble left but the shave was ohh so smooth. It has been an hour and a half and my skin feels fantastic. No post shave needed.

Be well
Jay

 

[Cal]

2-27-23 Mon.

Early start to FFFMM

Practicing is fine, but FFFMM starts on March 1st.

 

[luv2shave]

My final setup

• Rockwell T2 stainless steel adjustable razor
• Rockwell "Swedish steel" blades
• Speick Active shavecream / Aftershave
• Semogue Excelsior 620 superior boar bristle shave brush

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Practicing is fine, but FFFMM starts on March 1st.

I'm just practicing growing stubble today, to be sure I have something worth shaving after midnight

 

[NotBloomingAL]

My fixed four for March madness:

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

 

[ChrisPL68]

My fixed four for March madness:

Razor: Gillette 1960 Fatboy.
Blade: Gillette permasharp.
Brush: Made Rite #275, TGN 24mm silvertip.
Soap: Captain's Choice Lime.

 

[Trollky]

Let's give this a go then...

My kit for the month will be:

Merkur 42C
Kai blades
Lea shaving stick
AP Shave Co. 24mm Cashmere

 

[FoolishMortal]

For the moment, my line-up will be:

Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Gillette Nacet (same as it ever was)
Soap: Haslinger in the Mug of Gross
Brush: No-name Scottish Deer-horn Mystery Badger

I reserve the right to change my mind several times before we start.

Tomorrow morning, we'll see if I do reach for the deer-horn badger or something else...

Otherwise, I'm set.

 

[wldecker]

Picked my 4 finally.

Razor: Brassbird
Soap: DR Harris Marlborough (hoping to 3017 this month)
Blade: Bolzano superinox
Brush: TNS H5

New brush came in yesterday, super stoked to get it broken in this month.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

March 1st, 02:30
1st fixed four shave.

Not having a regular 24 hour body clock, let me make an eager start. It was almost an instant disqualification though, as I initially picked up the brush I'd left drying from my last shave, but spotted my mistake and quickly switched to the Special in Pure.

This Game Changer 68 is very new to me, having been PIFed to me by Cal just a week ago. I've only had three shaves with it before today, each on different handles, trying to find which I preferred for this month's frivolities. As such, I have found I can get a perfect shave with it, but I can also leave hints of stubble and/or leave myself feeling overshaved.

For this first shave, I did three very slow and deliberate passes. Normally It's two fairly rapid "autopilot" passes with my regular razor. I wanted to hunt for that illusive sweet spot though, where only the blade makes contact, and the cap and comb only make contact when not quite hovering at the right angle.

Two passes didn't quite get where I wanted to be, and so I did a full third pass. Flawless clean up. A hunt around with a wet alum block (also an irregularity for me) only found one teeny tingle spot below the left ear. A generous splash of Boots Freshwood aftershave confirmed that finding, feeling just like I had splashed on water everywhere else.

So the month's goal is to get shaves this good (or close to it), without having to be slow and deliberate. I want to finish the month on autopilot, and still get an awesome shave.