GC.68OC, GOLD GRANDE, YAQI CHROME MELLON - A JOURNEY

[JoWolf]

Sorry to read the blade was harsh compared to the Bic, but glad it wasn’t weepery as I — and, probably, @TinyT — feared.

No worries Thom. The excellence designed into Lo Storto has my back. Second use I will not work the blade as hard. If harshness softens we’ll see. The blade has been rinsed, iso’d, blown dry, oiled, flipped and loaded. If it softens up I’ll go three, otherwise it’s binned.

 

[TinyT]

If it softens up I’ll go three, otherwise it’s binned.

55 shaves has my Perma-Sharp nicely softened up.

 

[JoWolf]

55 shaves has my Perma-Sharp nicely softened up.

Excalibur scary. You are a Blade Jedi Wes.

 

[TinyT]

Excalibur scary. You are a Blade Jedi Wes.

Part of me still thinks it could be a trick of the mind, haha.

 

[Clay S]

Part of me still thinks it could be a trick of the mind, haha.

View attachment 1153104

 

[Esox]

View attachment 1153150

That would be fine until you nick yourself and disappear into a pile of loose clothing falling to the floor lol.

 

[JoWolf]

Monday September 14
Ten minute hot shower
Lo Storto
Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum (2)
OUMOBRUSH SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot -26x60mm OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle
Vitos Extra Super Coco
Osma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Hyaluranoic Acid
Bull Dog Skin Care Moisturizer
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic

Todays shave with the 7 O'clock was about as harsh as the first and a little more dull. The seven doesn’t work for me in Lo Storto. It might be worth a try in the Grande or Piccolo. I loaded a Feather for the next shave. I liked them in the Grande, haven’t tried one in Lo Storto. Feathers in the Yellow tuck say Hi Stainless Platinum Coated. The Black tuck has Hi Stainless. Blades from both tucks use the same wrapper, both have Hi Stainless etched on the blade from either tuck. No mention of Platinum on the blades.

The Oumo Silvertip has the same coverage as a 28mm with it’s large bloom. It is my softest brush. The short loft delivers a pillow soft scrub without missing a beat in any performance. Loads up in a few seconds. A luxurious load of lather available for my face and head shave. Vitos is not rotating out of my shaves for the foreseeable future. Vitos Extra Super Coco is an excellent soap.

I usually shave all shallow. Since I wasn’t nuts about the blade I decided to go all steep. I cannot feel or hear a blade as well with shallow strokes. I can feel and hear a blade much better with steep strokes. I did not want to push hard on this blade. Pump up the volume. The shave was a DFS+ working the blade harder than normal. The swirls on the back of my head required an extra lathering adding a half pass to my single pass head shave. Extra lathering a joy. Extra strokes not so much. All in all a very pleasurable outing with Lo Storto.

 

[thombrogan]

Excellent review! Sorry to read the Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinum doesn’t pair with your preferred razor, preferred shaving style, nor too well with your adapted shaving style. Will definitely be tuning in to see how the Feather fares in the Lo Storto as compared to in the Grande and compared to the reigning Bic.

 

[JoWolf]

Excellent review! Sorry to read the Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Platinum doesn’t pair with your preferred razor, preferred shaving style, nor too well with your adapted shaving style. Will definitely be tuning in to see how the Feather fares in the Lo Storto as compared to in the Grande and compared to the reigning Bic.

I’m hopping Lo Storto likes to be Feathered. I just bought 50 of them.

 

[thombrogan]

I just bought 50 of them.

Even if they last only 2 shaves at your desired comfort level, that’s over a year’s worth

 

[Blad]

Monday September 14
Ten minute hot shower
Lo Storto
Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum (2)
OUMOBRUSH SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot -26x60mm OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle
Vitos Extra Super Coco
Osma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Hyaluranoic Acid
Bull Dog Skin Care Moisturizer
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic

Todays shave with the 7 O'clock was about as harsh as the first and a little more dull. The seven doesn’t work for me in Lo Storto. It might be worth a try in the Grande or Piccolo. I loaded a Feather for the next shave. I liked them in the Grande, haven’t tried one in Lo Storto. Feathers in the Yellow tuck say Hi Stainless Platinum Coated. The Black tuck has Hi Stainless. Blades from both tucks use the same wrapper, both have Hi Stainless etched on the blade from either tuck. No mention of Platinum on the blades.

The Oumo Silvertip has the same coverage as a 28mm with it’s large bloom. It is my softest brush. The short loft delivers a pillow soft scrub without missing a beat in any performance. Loads up in a few seconds. A luxurious load of lather available for my face and head shave. Vitos is not rotating out of my shaves for the foreseeable future. Vitos Extra Super Coco is an excellent soap.

I usually shave all shallow. Since I wasn’t nuts about the blade I decided to go all steep. I cannot feel or hear a blade as well with shallow strokes. I can feel and hear a blade much better with steep strokes. I did not want to push hard on this blade. Pump up the volume. The shave was a DFS+ working the blade harder than normal. The swirls on the back of my head required an extra lathering adding a half pass to my single pass head shave. Extra lathering a joy. Extra strokes not so much. All in all a very pleasurable outing with Lo Storto.


View attachment 1154850

Beautiful brush!!

 

[JoWolf]

Even if they last only 2 shaves at your desired comfort level, that’s over a year’s worth

Yes Thom I think there are quite a few Feather users once and binned. Ive thought I may end up being a one time blade user as well. The Grande was impressive with a Feather. I want to try a few of the blades I liked when I started DE. Astra, GSB, and few others. The grumblings I have towards blades are close to nitpicking. Such an abundance of blades to try why not? I was very happy with the Voskhods for quite awhile. Shocked Lo Storto rejected them. Blades are the easiest and most fun to try. I also purchased sixty Bic’s. Chasing the edge will never stop.

 

[JoWolf]

Beautiful brush!!

I would like to think I love all my brushes equally Blad. This Silvertip would be my desert island brush if push came to shove. Lathering with my Silvertip provides luxurious soap performance with little effort.

 

[JoWolf]

Saturday September 19
Ten minute hot shower
Lo Storto
Feather
OUMOBRUSH SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot -26x60mm OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle
Vitos Extra Super Coco
Osma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Hyaluranoic Acid
Bull Dog Skin Care Moisturizer
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic

Oumo‘s Silvertip cloud softness caressed Vitos luxurious lather into a memorable shave. The 26mm knot has an explosive 35mm bloom at handle lip. The 47mm loft from glue bump feels shorter. A perpetual soft scrub always in play. Little effort is required delivering beautiful lather with big soft comfort. An easy brush to use and my favourite badger.

Lo Storto and a Feather blade are a lock for me. My best shave to date. Todays shave an above average BBS+, ATG Single Pass face and head. My DE journey complete. I doubt I can find anything else to improve my shave. Face and head skin has a relaxed glow with exceptional comfort. This was the closest smoothest neck shave I’ve had. No buffing required along the chin line. Lo Storto‘s performance improved noticeably with Feathers sharpness. A combination which had me buffing my moustache area ATG in total comfort. Overall a minimum of buffing is required with the Feather. I used shallow strokes on my cheeks. The remaining face and head shave was all steep. I loaded a fresh Feather for next shave. Seventy-two shaves a year won’t break the bank on single use Feathers. A brush rotation will be the big excitement in my DE shaves going forward.

 

[thombrogan]

Very wonderful to read you’ve found your ideal setup. Congratulations!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Saturday September 19
Ten minute hot shower
Lo Storto
Feather
OUMOBRUSH SHD SILK HMW Slivertip Knot -26x60mm OUMOBRUSH Acrylic & Wood handle
Vitos Extra Super Coco
Osma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Hyaluranoic Acid
Bull Dog Skin Care Moisturizer
Lucky Tiger After Shave & Face Tonic

Oumo‘s Silvertip cloud softness caressed Vitos luxurious lather into a memorable shave. The 26mm knot has an explosive 35mm bloom at handle lip. The 47mm loft from glue bump feels shorter. A perpetual soft scrub always in play. Little effort is required delivering beautiful lather with big soft comfort. An easy brush to use and my favourite badger.

Lo Storto and a Feather blade are a lock for me. My best shave to date. Todays shave an above average BBS+, ATG Single Pass face and head. My DE journey complete. I doubt I can find anything else to improve my shave. Face and head skin has a relaxed glow with exceptional comfort. This was the closest smoothest neck shave I’ve had. No buffing required along the chin line. Lo Storto‘s performance improved noticeably with Feathers sharpness. A combination which had me buffing my moustache area ATG in total comfort. Overall a minimum of buffing is required with the Feather. I used shallow strokes on my cheeks. The remaining face and head shave was all steep. I loaded a fresh Feather for next shave. Seventy-two shaves a year won’t break the bank on single use Feathers. A brush rotation will be the big excitement in my DE shaves going forward.


View attachment 1157222

Cool discovery.

Just because...would you list the blades you've rejected for use in the FOCS assuming you know them?

Thanks and happy shaves,

Jim

 

[JoWolf]

Very wonderful to read you’ve found your ideal setup. Congratulations!

Thank you Thom.

 

[JoWolf]

Cool discovery.

Just because...would you list the blades you've rejected for use in the FOCS assuming you know them?

Thanks and happy shaves,

Jim

My preferences from best to worst Jim. Feather, Bic Chrome Platinum, Nacet, 7 O’clock black, Voskhod, Perma Sharp.
I would not use the Voskhod which is a favourite blade for me, nor the Perma Sharp again in the FOCS. They were quite harsh. I was shocked with the Voskhod‘s harshness in the FOCS a favourite blade in the Grande for me. I’m not a tech expert in any field. My feeling with the slant is the twist put into the blade sacrifices some blade edge bevel for rigidity. Success if that twist matches your shave style strokes. Voskhod has been one of my favourite and most familiar blades. To me it has to be the applied twist in the blade. My familiarity with the Grande is the same with FOCS. Other than an improvement in efficiency and smoothness the FOCS feels and shaves the same as the Grande. The Feather worked nicely in the Grande for me. A little more efficient and considerably smoother in the FOCS. I had planned on trying some of the blades I used earlier in the FOCS. The Feathers dominance in the FOCS for me, squelched those ambitions today.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thanks, John.




Until recently it had been been a pretty long time since I used any DE blade other than a Polsilver. Once I tried the Polsilver I quit looking but I have only about 350 Polsilvers and was afraid I'd run out so I bought a few of the Iridium Super blades. So, in recent weeks I've been trying and liking a blade everyone says is just like the Polsilver (maybe exactly the same). I'm set for life I think (with blades).

I don't remember a whole lot about pre Polsilver blades other than the Feather and a couple of others. I know I tried a Nacet at least once, and several other blade brands, but most blades you've tried in the FOCS are not blades I know. Most of the blades I've tried have been okay or good, but the Polsilver seemed exactly right right from the beginning in its balance of sharpness and smoothness.

Blades are difficult in that it seems to be largely trial and error to find the right one. I'm not sure that everyone has an experience like mine where I just knew the hunt was over and the Polsilver was the one. I didn't need to search further.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[JoWolf]

Thanks, John.

View attachment 1157423View attachment 1157424


Until recently it had been been a pretty long time since I used any DE blade other than a Polsilver. Once I tried the Polsilver I quit looking but I have only about 350 Polsilvers and was afraid I'd run out so I bought a few of the Iridium Super blades. So, in recent weeks I've been trying and liking a blade everyone says is just like the Polsilver (maybe exactly the same). I'm set for life I think (with blades).

I don't remember a whole lot about pre Polsilver blades other than the Feather and a couple of others. I know I tried a Nacet at least once, and several other blade brands, but most blades you've tried in the FOCS are not blades I know. Most of the blades I've tried have been okay or good, but the Polsilver seemed exactly right right from the beginning in its balance of sharpness and smoothness.

Blades are difficult in that it seems to be largely trial and error to find the right one. I'm not sure that everyone has an experience like mine where I just knew the hunt was over and the Polsilver was the one. I didn't need to search further.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Blades are difficult in that it seems to be largely trial and error to find the right one. I'm not sure that everyone has an experience like mine where I just knew the hunt was over and the Polsilver was the one. I didn't need to search further.

Jim my biggest surprise is a favoured blade being great in one razor and disaster in a different razor. Trying the different blades in the Grande. The Feather I thought might end up being a single use, a few months back. The FOCS has confirmed that for me. Jim are your FOCS shaves more comfortable than your straight razor shaves?