FFFMM (Fixed Four For March Madness) 2025 Edition

[Trollky]

I actually think I forgot to take part last year.... May have to rectify that for 2025.

I shall put my thinking cap on and decide whether to be bold or play it safe with my selection.

 

[Cal]

... I reserved some of my last Gillette Nacet blades just for this FFFMM. My other blades are the Feather and with those I can't do the against the grain pass with the base plate 6. And the rules don't allow me to use multiple base plates even from the same razor. Maybe you guys can consider relaxing it for the next year at least because I won't have any more Gillette Nacets left.

Nope!

Of course, you will have nearly 11 months to save up for a month's worth of Nacets by the end of February.


EDIT:
But of course, with proper practice (for a whole year) your (improved) technique may well allow you to happily shave ATG with your Feathers.

 

[ChriWilson]

I am in too. My choice of tools:

Razor: Rockwell 6S in red, base plate 6.
Blade: Gillette Nacet.
Brush: Semogue 620S
Shaving Cream: Proraso Red.

I reserved some of my last Gillette Nacet blades just for this FFFMM. My other blades are the Feather and with those I can't do the against the grain pass with the base plate 6. And the rules don't allow me to use multiple base plates even from the same razor. Maybe you guys can consider relaxing it for the next year at least because I won't have any more Gillette Nacets left.

I find the Gillette Ninjas and Personna MedPreps a comparable alternative if you need to source “Other than PPI Blades”

Nacets still seem easily attainable from within the US…

I'm contemplating this challenge. I'm thinking of trying a Straight Razor. Has anyone done this with a Straight? I have one that has a fresh hone on it. 31 consecutive Days may be a stretch but a fresh edge should hold up with some stropping.
I'll go back and look at 2024 posts to see if anyone tried this with a Straight. I have the rest of FEB to decide.

I’ve used straights in conjunction, but not exclusively. I probably could hash it out with stropping and the occasional CrOx

 

[JoWolf]

I’m in Cal

My Fixed Four

Blade - Single Use Feather
Razor - Lupo OC95 driven with a Chinese Dscosmetic Titanium Handle
Brush - Boti White Haired Weng Boar Bristle Bule Knot 30mmx40mm set in a Boti acrylic handle
Soap - Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica

This boar knot has been the toughest stiffest knot to break in. It’s stiff enough to scrape the paint off a barn door. So I’ll continue to beat on it the whole month of March

I’m making a change to my Fixed Four. I just got a new base plate today for the Lupo. The OC127. I shaved with it today and it was superb. Looking forward to chasing the March Rabbit. See you in ten days..

 

[ric164]

I am going to participate this year but haven’t decided on my razor yet. Of course I will decide before the starter’s pistol.

 

[hopper_64]

I'm in with:

Razor: RazoRock SLOC
Blade: Perma-Sharp Super
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia
Soap: Fine L'Orange Noir

 

[Bsamps]

If I may, I’d like to make a change to my FF. I found my Mühle STF replacement head that I’ve never used before, beneath a box of other miscellaneous stuff. thought it was lost. Anyway, used it today and, it was fabulous. Like to get more friendly with it.

 

[2bit_collie]

@2bit_collie did it with a Heljestrand MK31 in 2021

I keep meaning to do it again, but my RAD got out of control for a bit - have so many razors!

 

[2bit_collie]

I'm contemplating this challenge. I'm thinking of trying a Straight Razor. Has anyone done this with a Straight? I have one that has a fresh hone on it. 31 consecutive Days may be a stretch but a fresh edge should hold up with some stropping.
I'll go back and look at 2024 posts to see if anyone tried this with a Straight. I have the rest of FEB to decide.

If you strop every day it should be no issue. At various times folks from the straights section have seen how many shaves they could get without rehoning and I think a number have been able to get up to the 80s (though that is from memory).

In fairness I was using a 2-step process. 50 laps on diamond pasted balsa and then 20-30 more on linen and leather. I have literally never rehoned a razor due to dullness with that process. Ironically that fed my RAD because I really have no reason to hone other than acquiring a new vintage razor.

 

[Anchovie666]

If you strop every day it should be no issue. At various times folks from the straights section have seen how many shaves they could get without rehoning and I think a number have been able to get up to the 80s (though that is from memory).

In fairness I was using a 2-step process. 50 laps on diamond pasted balsa and then 20-30 more on linen and leather. I have literally never rehoned a razor due to dullness with that process. Ironically that fed my RAD because I really have no reason to hone other than acquiring a new vintage razor.

Thank you for the advice. I'm still trying to make up my mind. Don't know if I want to do 31 Days of stropping. I'm thinking a new (to me) Weck Trade Sample Sextoblade that is arriving early next week with Personna Blades, or an ANNIE shavette with KAI Feather Cut Blades (which I have two 10 packs of). I would probably only need 2-3 of the Feather Cut blades as they are extremely keen. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Cal]

If I may, I’d like to make a change to my FF. I found my Mühle STF replacement head that I’ve never used before, beneath a box of other miscellaneous stuff. thought it was lost. Anyway, used it today and, it was fabulous. Like to get more friendly with it.

No problem.

See the penultimate paragraph in the OP (HERE).

 

[La Malice]

Well I am in

Razor : Merkur 34 HD C
Blade : Voshkod
Soap (SOTM) : Monsavon Bol à Raser
Brush : Trafalgar T2

 

[KQY61]

Hi,

Hey! There is the little white rabbit!

I have one a bit larger:

I'll be In as usual with my Fasan DoubleSlant razor, my RV brush, my own soap and Personna Med Prep blades.

Stan

 

[The Blackadder]

I’m in

Razor: Gillette Super Speed
Blade: Astra SS
Brush: RazoRock Amici
Soap: SV Dolomiti

 

[Lurking_Grue]

I'm in as well, but since I have very strongly-preferred hardware, the only real imposition will be staying with one soap...

Razor: Yates Titanium Winning v2
Blade: Nacet (as if I'd use anything else)
Brush: Rudy Vey custom/Shavemac 2-band Silvertip
Soap: Mike's Natural Soaps - Hungarian Lavender

 

[Anchovie666]

I'm all in. I'm committed and should be committed. Two Month long challenges in a row.
Starting with the balde in it with three uses.

Razor: ANNIE Feather Cut Stainless Shavette
Blade: KAI Pink Feather Cut Blade
Lather: Tcheon Fung Sing Crema TORINO
Brush: the Holy Black Horn Handle BADGER

 

[Cal]

Lather: Tcheon Fung Sing Crema TORINO

A good choice IMO.

BTW, the correct description is TFS Pure Shaving Cream (Crema Purissima Per Barba). Crema TORINO translates to "TURIN Cream" (Turin is where TFS are based).

Your pedantic friend,
Cal

 

[ric164]

I’m ready.

Razor: Karve Overlander
Blade: Gillette 7 O’clock Yellow
Brush: RV Shavemac 2-Band Silvertip
Soap: Martin de Candre Agrumes

 

[Lurking_Grue]

I'm in as well, but since I have very strongly-preferred hardware, the only real imposition will be staying with one soap...

Razor: Yates Titanium Winning v2
Blade: Nacet (as if I'd use anything else)
Brush: Rudy Vey custom/Shavemac 2-band Silvertip
Soap: Mike's Natural Soaps - Hungarian Lavender

Going to make a change to the soap. I'm going to see about finishing up a tub of Castle Forbes lavender cream that I have, so I think I'll use my Mike's tomorrow before March starts...

 

[Bsamps]

Folks, I gotta make a change before we take off. One of my sons came home for a few days but, left his razor. I told him that he can use one of mine. Picked the GC .68 that I was going to use. He liked it so much, that I gave it to him. So… it’s now the Mühle R89 Grande that I will be using.

Make it a great day!