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

[JoWolf]

Excellent progress, John!

As to who knew, @bosseb has apparently been beating the drum for five years:



In the same thread, @jamesspo mentioned his workouts before shaving improved shaving comfort and blade longevity.

Neither had jaw dropping kamisori razors to my knowledge.

I’ve tried many balms pre shaves etc. I continue using an assortment of post shave elixirs. The nut oil just plain Shea nut. This made a significant difference as a pre shave. It isn’t for everybody Thom. It’s slow to apply and you must give it ten minutes or so before shaving. My routine shave-shower, shave, foot pumice, foot massages usually stretch into two hours. So squeezing in another ten minutes for nut oil saturation isn’t a problem. I started using the oil for extra lube on the shave and got a very noticeable skin improvement. Obviously different things work better for some than others. The shave improvement moved my five day shave to seven days. Six and seven day whisker length used to clog the Grande. That’s with grease on the blade now as well. My BBS shave is two days closer with the nut juice.

Thom I am so tuned in to only using sharpest blades possible. When I was shaving six shaves on a blade, three face and head shaves. I could not get the repeatable results a fresh blade delivered. Using the toe and heel of a not so sharp knife to slice a tomato. A used DE blade is the same to me. Dulling edges are less efficient and dangerous on your face or tomatoes. IMHO

 

[thombrogan]

That’s quite the improvement with the shea oil. I bought some unrefined shea earlier this year, but it arrived rancid, so that quest has been delayed. By softening your whiskers enough to allow for seven day shaves, your skin must like it even more.

Do you only use the shea of shave night or every night?

 

[JoWolf]

That’s quite the improvement with the shea oil. I bought some unrefined shea earlier this year, but it arrived rancid, so that quest has been delayed. By softening your whiskers enough to allow for seven day shaves, your skin must like it even more.

Do you only use the shea of shave night or every night?

That’s a bummer getting rancid delivered. I have the small container of Shea from Saponificio Varesino, that is the one I use on my face and head skin. It is white in colour and Shea is the only ingredient with SV, they say it is refined.(Whatever that means). I have also seen commercial ones that are white in colour with the supplier claiming refinement. The commercial one l purchased, also Shea being the only ingredient. It is dirty yellow in colour and the consistency of it is softer, it is unrefined, and slightly easier to apply, then the SV. I use this one on my other body parts. Shave day showers I spend extra time under the water, pumicing my hard foot skin. This extra time under the water also ensures complete hydration of my skin and hair. I doubt very much Shea is absorbed into my fully hydrated hair. My impression is. I have a greasy layer of shea on my Fully Hydrated Skin and Hair. The SV instructions are to give it time for absorbing into the skin, and maybe some gets absorbed into the fully hydrated hair. Unknown.

Thom I did not buy shea for skin health I purchased it for skin lubrication. I got lubrication in spades. I only realized a difference in skin health three or four days later. Let me explain.

With the gentle skin Flattening I do (not stretching). The buffing I do cuts hair well below skin level. The earliest I could possibly shave with comfort, would be three days after my BBS. The twenty-four to thirty-six hour period after my shave the whiskers start to break through my skin. This period in the past has ranged from slightly irritating to painful. Either one sucks big time. I have been a close shaver or BBS freak all sixty years of my shaving. There is no cure. My skin regardless of how many skin products I’ve used (there have been many) feels dry twelve to twenty four hours after a shave. And yes I have used and tried different products in this time period, with no success with the problem. Irritation or slight pain of whiskers breaking through the skin. Once I started using Shea butter. Problem solved. I thought I had my skin pretty healthy. Obviously not. I bought it for lubrication and fixed a skin problem that I thought couldn’t be fixed. Isn’t that the way a lot of things happen in and because of this community. Thank you Mr Badger & Blade.

“By softening your whiskers enough to allow for seven day shaves, your skin must like it even more.”

Thom I have always and only ever wet-shaved hydrated hair. The only shaves I’ve had without a shower and hair hydration were with a non shower proof electric razor. The Grande can only shave up to and including my five day whiskers without whiskers stacking up and jamming a bit. My usual shaves probably have averaged around five days. Since using the Shea. My usual shaves are closer and five day whiskers are shorter. Using exactly the same kit and always a very sharp single use blade. Little changes are noticeable big changes POP. My seven day whiskers are five day whiskers. I’m shaving closer two days later.

“Do you only use the shea of shave night or every night?”

Since using Shea it is the first time where my facial and head skin has a lubricated, greasy, oily, softer feeling, pick an adjective. From the inside my skin feels more moist and supple, more comfortable. I have used shea butter between shaves after a shower. After you give it the appropriate ten or so minutes for skin absorption. You have to wipe off the residue since the shave isn’t. It is grease. What isn’t absorbed still shines on your skin. Since using Shea my skin has not dried out between my weekly shaves. So TBH I did not notice any difference on my head or face skin. I have been using the unrefined Shea on my feet, shins, arms and hands, shave day. Although these areas have not dried out between shave days they are noticeably drier than my face and head skin. Which get a phenomenal amount of product comparatively. These parts do fully absorb shave day applications. Don’t forget you need to have socks ready after you do your feet. Grease prints across the floor could be big trouble

 

[thombrogan]

My impression is. I have a greasy layer of shea on my Fully Hydrated Skin and Hair. The SV instructions are to give it time for absorbing into the skin, and maybe some gets absorbed into the fully hydrated hair. Unknown.

I had misinterpreted your being able to move your ATG Single Pass shaves out an additional 48 hours to mean the whiskers were softer. Further on in your reply, the reason was provided. My baseless speculation now turns to wondering if the shea product provides extra protection for your skin that you may buff away even more below skin line hair than before.

With the gentle skin Flattening I do (not stretching). The buffing I do cuts hair well below skin level. The earliest I could possibly shave with comfort, would be three days after my BBS. The twenty-four to thirty-six hour period after my shave the whiskers start to break through my skin. This period in the past has ranged from slightly irritating to painful.

Speaking of your buffing, that seems to be a further refinement in your technique. Before, you had been moving away from buffing as you adopted the single-use Feather in your razor.

I have been a close shaver or BBS freak all sixty years of my shaving. There is no cure.

The cure is worse than the malady.

I have used and tried different products in this time period, with no success with the problem.

As someone for whom hyaluronic acid wasn’t a Game Changer; or even a Yaqi Mellon; I understand.

Once I started using Shea butter. Problem solved.

Excellent! Congratulations. I wonder what smile.amazon.com is doing tonight…

The Grande can only shave up to and including my five day whiskers without whiskers stacking up and jamming a bit. My usual shaves probably have averaged around five days. Since using the Shea. My usual shaves are closer and five day whiskers are shorter. Using exactly the same kit and always a very sharp single use blade. Little changes are noticeable big changes POP. My seven day whiskers are five day whiskers. I’m shaving closer two days later.

That is simply amazing and a well-earned accomplishment you’ve made.

Don’t forget you need to have socks ready after you do your feet. Grease prints across the floor could be big trouble

Well, yes. A lack of periodically slippery floors is a cornerstone of happiness for non-hermits.

 

[thombrogan]

Looked up the difference between refined and unrefined shea. The site selling unrefined shea said unrefined has other organic material along with the butter itself; I’m thinking like extra virgin olive oil versus regular olive oil; and they make claims about the benefits of the extra bits of shea nut particles I can’t confirm or dismiss.

 

[JoWolf]

I had misinterpreted your being able to move your ATG Single Pass shaves out an additional 48 hours to mean the whiskers were softer. Further on in your reply, the reason was provided. My baseless speculation now turns to wondering if the shea product provides extra protection for your skin that you may buff away even more below skin line hair than before.



Speaking of your buffing, that seems to be a further refinement in your technique. Before, you had been moving away from buffing as you adopted the single-use Feather in your razor.



The cure is worse than the malady.



As someone for whom hyaluronic acid wasn’t a Game Changer; or even a Yaqi Mellon; I understand.



Excellent! Congratulations. I wonder what smile.amazon.com is doing tonight…



That is simply amazing and a well-earned accomplishment you’ve made.



Well, yes. A lack of periodically slippery floors is a cornerstone of happiness for non-hermits.

I had misinterpreted your being able to move your ATG Single Pass shaves out an additional 48 hours to mean the whiskers were softer. Further on in your reply, the reason was provided. My baseless speculation now turns to wondering if the shea product provides extra protection for your skin that you may buff away even more below skin line hair than before.

Thats exactly what happened I can buff a little more efficiently when using the Shea. The basic rules still apply. If heavier buffing is required, like the two whorls on the back of my head. An extra bit of lather is still required for these heavy buffed spots, but the Shea has added to the efficiency. I don’t buff any more or less it’s just a whole lot better.

Speaking of your buffing, that seems to be a further refinement in your technique. Before, you had been moving away from buffing as you adopted the single-use Feather in your razor.

Thom I never moved away from buffing. Improved efficiency in technique reduced buffing. I don’t think anyone could accomplish a BBS shave without buffing. To me the difference between a DFS & BBS is buffing.
Thom here is my last run at you for using a sharp blade. When you are buffing you are going over a close shaved piece of skin. You are trying to remove the toughest most cut resistant hair of the shave. The sharper your blade is, the easier it is to keep it off your skin. Let me put it another way. If you feel any blade when buffing, you are removing too much skin. You will have irritation and or weepers etc. A used or dull blade compounds all the negative. When you are feeling a rough blade you are feeling dullness. I’ve cut myself with sharp blades and dull blades. I’ve never felt the cut or the blade with a sharp blade. I’ve always felt the blade and the cut with a dull blade. The sharper the blade is the more hair cutting it can do without skin contact. Obviously there is skin contact when buffing and cutting hair below skin. The sharper the blade is the less pressure you will use which in turn will remove less skin. The skin that is cut or removed with your buffing stroke is more comfortable with a sharp blade cut as opposed to the same skin being cut with a duller blade. Here is my suggestion for you Thom with blade campaigning. With a multi used blade in your razor during your shave, do not buff with it. Have a razor with a fresh blade and do the buffing exclusively with the fresh blade. See if you have better shave comfort.
Buffing is the hardest most difficult part of the shave and requires best technique with softest touch. I’ve DFS shaved with zero buffing doing blade trials. Buffing is where a lot of problems and issues are heavily magnified.

As someone for whom hyaluronic acid wasn’t a Game Changer; or even a Yaqi Mellon; I understand.

Thom I am not rating my Shea use as a game changer. I use hyaluronic acid on every post shave. It does set the skin up for balm absorption, which I use every post shave. I agree it is not a game changer. They are product that may or may not help.

The Yaqi Mellon to me should be the first razor for ever new wet shaver. It is the friendliest most fool proof DE razor I’ve used. It has the best lather management of any razor, short of straights. It’s operational window is heavily stretched beyond DFS. For a mild razor it would be my first choice.

Wet shaving game changers for me. Open comb razors. My beloved Gold Grande. My Zenith Chubby Scrubby boar hair brush. Feather blades. Honing.

 

[JoWolf]

An expensive brush in the early 1980’s. A Plisson Silvertip. There wasn’t any need for another brush. A cart shaver until July 2019. My shaves were luxurious using the Silvertip and expensive creams.

Like many before me Badger & Blade and DE shaving changed everything. Now I had to learn to reestablish luxury all over again. Back to the future. Early on, everything in DE was a combination of blood, pain, and endless software and hardware trials and reviews. IMHO. With the amount of stuff I’ve tried I would consider myself only 50% BOSC and still remain 50% confused. There is so much to learn.

Looking for best suit in product and equipment can only be accomplished on the field of battle under combat conditions. It really does take many shaves and lots of time. I’m into my third year and I feel that I am over the hump. I can work and practice on refinement of my established favourites. A Segway to the brush.

The seven brushes I’ve used for the last two years. Five of them I purchased the knots and handles from AliExpress, fitted and set the knots. The horse hair and boar are purchased Zenith brushes, one exceptional and one excellent. I like all of them so much. I didn’t think I could ever have a favourite. Two years of rotation and two brushes are solid favourites.

The Zenith is an exceptional brush for me. The two band is my second favourite. Most of my brush experience has been badger. Badger & Blade introduced me to boar hair brushes in 2019.
Why are these two my favourites? In the most simplest terms. The Zenith in use try’s extremely hard to act and feel like a badger. The reverse for the two band. To me both of these different brushes are very very close in use. I guess my preference falls into a medium soft stubby with a firm backbone. It only took two years.

A note on the two band. The knot was acquired from AliExpress as compensation for a different defective handle. The handle for the two band bought on spec was laying around waiting for something. The knot and handle fit was tight. A few minutes of sanding and my single use of GE Silicone as adhesive, (other knots epoxy was used), it was probably a ten minute job total. My easiest knot set.

I joined Badger & Blade October 1, 2019. I have wanted to join in on a few different monthly shave events but never could. Always in the midst of some effort or trial of equipment. I look forward to this October’s Open Comb Shave Month. There have been recent threads and discussion on lathering and SV soap. I have only used Vito’s exclusively for over a year. A very economical good performing Italian croap.

I will start using the Zenith Chubby brush and Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica exclusively. A scary time for sure. Halloween Treats and Harvest Moon Shaves.

Happy Shaves Gents

 

[JoWolf]

There’s Always a Reason
My sensitive skin would react to fragrance in shave soaps. I got rid of most of them. I settled on Vito’s for a few reasons. Leaving the container open would air out the scent. Nothing I like about the scent but when aired out it was quite mild. I used Vito’s soap hand lathering for breaking in boar hair brushes (I won’t break in brushes on my face, it hurts). I used Vito’s for face and head shaves exclusively for over a year. Vito’s is hard not to like. Very economical, you can buy it by the brick.

Vito’s Soap Review
I load all fully hydrated, damp animal hair brushes the same. Swirl back and forth round and round until the brush is fully loaded with soap. Applying lather to face or head skin adjusting lather with dipping brush tips in water as required. This soap is very easily and quickly adjusted. From watery running to a stiff dense foam no problem. A balance between taking an extra smear on the soap puck or dipping the brush tips for adding water. Lathering with Vito’s was very automatic and little thought or effort was needed to get and adjust to my preferred foam consistency. I liked it thicker and denser for my head shaves, I don’t have a reason. I think since I had to always load up again I just went for thicker and denser foam on head skin. When l started using Vito’s I was using different glycerin pre shave cubes for extra glide but soon stopped the pre shave cubes. Vito’s gives good glide. A little residual glide, more lather would be required if buffing went beyond a few strokes. I would rate post shave as half as good as either MWF or Tabac. Vito’s is a Barber Shop Soap. Works on everybody with few complaints. Price point can’t be beaten. An excellent shave soap.

Straights & Kamisori
Those following this journey know I’ve been messing around with western straights and Kamisori razors. I hit a point after a few dozen straight shaves where I thought a little extra lubrication would protect and add some skin nourishment as well. My skin comfort had deteriorated mainly because of straight razor learning and training shaves. Once neck irritation appeared. All bets off and I am on a short hiatus with straight razor shaving. I will continue my honing and get back to the Kamisori shaves in the future, when it feels right. New rules for sure.

The Skin Game
I decided to start using a pre shave again. The SV Shea butter looked good and worth a try. I especially like products with only one ingredient. Lubrication was the main reason I started using it and hoped for some skin health improvement. I got both in spades great extra glide and my skin felt very much improved. Actually a little more than very much improved. It was normal for my skin to feel and look dry between shaves. It isn’t anymore. My skin feels comfortable and looks more hydrated than it has in years. So I tried using some fragrances again. I didn’t get any skin irritation. Shea butter is my friend.

I may have tried up to thirty or so different soaps, a dozen artisan soaps for sure. My favourite soap scent of the lot was Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica. An expensive artisan soap. I’ve been at seven day shaves for a few months. Today is day seven and a week from October 1st my third year anniversary with Badger & Blade. My skin is in great shape. Would a soap review and comparison between Vito’s and SV Felce Aromatica be fair? No. But we’ll do one anyway. I need a shave.

Since using the Shea butter my shaves have been closer. How do I know? The Grande loaded with a Feather blade would start getting whiskers jamming up at day six and a two pass shave was needed for six or seven day shaves. At day seven my Single Pass ATG shave is as smooth as it ever was. And ther’rd be no jammin.

Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica Soap Review
It was at the back of the shelf for over a year. I grated a good chunk off the bottom of the puck when making a Franken Soap. I punched two holes thorough the puck with an apple corer to post to a fellow shaver. The puck was a little battle weary . Rated and aged as a hard milled soap. It wasn’t any problem pressing the beat up puck into an old sealable soap cream container. Texture and density wise. The soap is more like a very stiff croap than hard milled.

Have you ever stepped off what you thought was a six inch curb but in fact was a hole 18 inches deep. Your brain knows when you have passed the six inch mark. Your mind instantaneously runs a thousand thoughts through your brain. A micro second of time as your body lunges and thrusts through that 12 inches of time and space. One thought amongst the thousands is Neon Bright and Flashing. Something is Wrong.

As the Italian boar hair skidded across the SV surface, that was the first thought. Second thought. It feels like mud. Third thought. Maybe I screwed up the puck. Three seconds in. Fourth thought. This feels more like a thick dense cream rather than soap. Wow! This SV doesn’t work into a foamy lather like I’m used to. It works into a thick, heavy, dense, creamy lather. No I wasn’t ready or expecting a huge difference in lather loading. But that’s what I got

I want to be very clear with my description. A few times I referred to the lather in my Vito’s soap review as different consistencies of Lather Foam. Totally accurate. Comparatively SV lather from from three seconds into the load too the last brush stroke never felt, looked, or shaved like a foamy lather. It was like cream in every respect.

Working the rich dense lather into face skin unloaded the fragrance, I love it. By habit and instinct I wanted to add water because the load felt so thick and heavy. I did not and continued working the lather (very much like a dense cream to what I’ve been used to) onto my face. At this point I would usually find that I would be adding a touch of water here and there. Didn’t happen. If Vito’s required two to three water dips, the SV required none. I did do one little tip dip, which wasn’t required just to see if the lather would readily thin out. No effect. It would need a good splash to thin it out. The lather for both my face and head shave required zero water adjustments off the heavily loaded boar. A note here; I always rinse or wet my face and head skin, before applying lather. This was all the water I required for a fully loaded brush. Lathering just got a whole lot simpler, also quicker.

This was the first shave in over a year that I didn’t once feel the blade apex a bit here or there through a stroke. That my friends is what good glide is all about. Zero blade feel, on a single use Feather. A Single Pass ATG Shave requires a fair amount of buffing during the shave especially the crazy growth areas. Not unusual to need a little lather smear over stubborn areas requiring extra buffing. Usually around six little lather smears with Vito’s. This SV shave required one little half smear. Excellent residual glide.

About half way through a face shave I might notice a little lather drying out a bit with the Vito’s lather. After the face shave a brush reload was always required for the head shave. Zero lather drying out with the SV and a brush reload neither done or required for the head shave.

That first ten seconds of a completed shave when we are categorizing our shave. Good, bad, close but we most certainly are always hoping and working towards one word comfort. Was this shave more comfortable than the last? A resounding yes for me.

Most of us work diligently towards achieving comfortable shaves because they feel so good. Once you get to a very high level of comfort you cross a line. Many excellent soaps like Vito’s can not get over that line. Saponificio Varesino Soaps live in that category over that line of comfort. Luxury

I have had some, but not many comfortable luxurious shaves. I haven’t nor do I have a complaint with Vito’s. I wouldn’t have used it exclusively for over a year. The very specific reason I did use it does not exist anymore. Will I shave with Vito’s again? No. I will get a puck or two of SV and I’m good. I’ve already been down the artisan soap rabbit hole. So I would like to avoid that step again. Sometimes that first step is a Doozy

Happy Shaves

 

[thombrogan]

Thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful review, John.

Looking forward to the Bic versus Feather review already, but moreso now that the stubblefields will feature a soap that bested Vitos in your uses.

 

[JoWolf]

Thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful review, John.

Looking forward to the Bic versus Feather review already, but moreso now that the stubblefields will feature a soap that bested Vitos in your uses.

Thank You Thom. I really enjoy writing up reviews and opinions. It helps me keep the grey matter engaged. Of course spending time B&B surfing through articles is a blast and motivator.

 

[JoWolf]

Grandpas were Minimalists

At the end of my first year with Badger & Blade I did not think I could improve my shaves much if at all. At the end of my second year with B&B I’m surprised at how wrong I was. I have improved efficiency and comfort in my shaves. A large part has been improving my skin health, which improved a few aspects of the shave. My third year starts tomorrow. I have plan. Minimalism in a direction that appreciates and supports a high level of comfort pushing towards luxurious shaves.

Open Comb October will kick off the new attack plan. I do less than six shaves a month. It will be very easy to eliminate my brush rotation. I will use my Zenith Chubby Scrubby boar hair exclusively. My remaining six brushes will get their annual shampoo and comb out increased to bi-annual. I have switched shave soaps to Saponificio Varesino Soaps exclusively.
The Fatip Gold Grande and Feather Single Use. DE Minimalism Perfected

 

[thombrogan]

No Bic v. Feather this month?

 

[JoWolf]

No Bic v. Feather this month?

Yes Thom I still plan to be wild & radical in October. Duelling Apex’s glinting under a Harvest Moon splash has remained on the game board. I’ve only just had the one SV shave in over a year. I need two more to fine tune the boar and lather. Third and or fourth shaves available for Bic Chrome Platinum. I look forward to reporting a full comparison and review. Trick or treat truly unknown.

 

[thombrogan]

Looking forward to this and was afraid it was to be missed.

 

[JoWolf]

Minimalism

Websters dictionary definition;

A style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.

A Plisson Silvertip, Harry’s Cartridge razor. A couple hard milled soaps, a few creams I didn’t use any pre or post shave products. That is what decades of shaving left me with. I was a minimalist, not in the strictest terms but close to the mark. My shaves had all the refinement I could squeeze from the kit. My shaves were more duty than enjoyment. Uncomfortable shaves were more the norm than exception. I stumbled into Badger and Blade serendipitously. The one single reason I joined. Comfort. Minimalism quickly disappeared. Never forgotten. Two and half years is the time it took me to try enough hard and software to find; A style and technique to suit my shave comfort.

Grail, the One, is very easily determined. When it hurts to even think of using other. The Grande a Feather, a two band a boar. A second boar will soon be ordered. My exclusive use of Saponificio Varesino also includes their pre and post shave products.

Alum, Witch Hazel, Hyaluronic acid, Lucky Tiger After Shave, Proraso Lime balm, Royall Lyme all purpose lotion, the only survivors of this meltdown.

Actually my new kit going forward doesn’t look that much different from the kit I entered with. A good razor+blade, a good brush. This time there’ll be three brushes. A few good soaps. All the pre and post shave products were experienced and uses learned here at B&B.
My apprenticeship continues as a minimalist. Focus will be continued improvement of comfort.
Sensitive skin health has finally caught up to the shave. I’m able to enjoy fragrance again.

Steady reduction in my shave from a six pass face and head to a two pass face head shave has been reduction. The single pass shave raised the bar again. Improve technique. Reduce shave strokes. Whether I realized it or not I have always been on that path. Less is more. Simplicity improves focus. Minimalism.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I could probably define myself as a well stocked minimalist. Not much choice per shave, but a diverse stockpile to replace consumed items with. I don't use preshave or postshave stuff most of the time either.

I don't necessarily strive for reduction or simplification, I just don't like making life more complicated than it needs to be. We've ended up with very different shaving arsenals, John, but through what seems to be a similar refinement process, to get a great, uncomplicated, and comfortable shave.

 

[JoWolf]

I could probably define myself as a well stocked minimalist. Not much choice per shave, but a diverse stockpile to replace consumed items with. I don't use preshave or postshave stuff most of the time either.

I don't necessarily strive for reduction or simplification, I just don't like making life more complicated than it needs to be. We've ended up with very different shaving arsenals, John, but through what seems to be a similar refinement process, to get a great, uncomplicated, and comfortable shave.

Exactly Al. Different routes. Same destination. We can concentrate on seeking more comfort. There is no end to refinement. Every time I think I’m there I usually get a bump. Sometimes in the wrong direction.

 

[Sotiris_A]

Excellent! I also find more peace in less than more. In my case, it's a few razors (6 in total, 3 different types), two hones, two soaps, two strops (one for daily use and another with Chromox) and one brush. I'm currently trying to eliminate AS lotions and balms. I'll probably end up with one or two.

I also understand what you write about refinement not having an end. That said, I personally settle down to a "good enough" threshold in terms of products and I hope that method and technique will provide any improvement. I fear that "perfection" is just an illusion. Currently working on getting the best shave I can with two passes. Repetition helps me. Most days, it's more than good enough.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Minimalism

Websters dictionary definition;

A style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity.

A Plisson Silvertip, Harry’s Cartridge razor. A couple hard milled soaps, a few creams I didn’t use any pre or post shave products. That is what decades of shaving left me with. I was a minimalist, not in the strictest terms but close to the mark. My shaves had all the refinement I could squeeze from the kit. My shaves were more duty than enjoyment. Uncomfortable shaves were more the norm than exception. I stumbled into Badger and Blade serendipitously. The one single reason I joined. Comfort. Minimalism quickly disappeared. Never forgotten. Two and half years is the time it took me to try enough hard and software to find; A style and technique to suit my shave comfort.

Grail, the One, is very easily determined. When it hurts to even think of using other. The Grande a Feather, a two band a boar. A second boar will soon be ordered. My exclusive use of Saponificio Varesino also includes their pre and post shave products.

Alum, Witch Hazel, Hyaluronic acid, Lucky Tiger After Shave, Proraso Lime balm, Royall Lyme all purpose lotion, the only survivors of this meltdown.

Actually my new kit going forward doesn’t look that much different from the kit I entered with. A good razor+blade, a good brush. This time there’ll be three brushes. A few good soaps. All the pre and post shave products were experienced and uses learned here at B&B.
My apprenticeship continues as a minimalist. Focus will be continued improvement of comfort.
Sensitive skin health has finally caught up to the shave. I’m able to enjoy fragrance again.

Steady reduction in my shave from a six pass face and head to a two pass face head shave has been reduction. The single pass shave raised the bar again. Improve technique. Reduce shave strokes. Whether I realized it or not I have always been on that path. Less is more. Simplicity improves focus. Minimalism.

In case you haven't heard, I'm a self proclaimed minimalist.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Excellent! I also find more peace in less than more. In my case, it's a few razors (6 in total, 3 different types), two hones, two soaps, two strops (one for daily use and another with Chromox) and one brush. I'm currently trying to eliminate AS lotions and balms. I'll probably end up with one or two.

I also understand what you write about refinement not having an end. That said, I personally settle down to a "good enough" threshold in terms of products and I hope that method and technique will provide any improvement. I fear that "perfection" is just an illusion. Currently working on getting the best shave I can with two passes. Repetition helps me. Most days, it's more than good enough.

I think more is less. The more I have the less I'm able to use, and when I acquire more shaving things it's usually not that much. It's, I think I'll buy a hundred of these blades, or I'd like to try this soap. While I'm at it I am running low on x. It's all quite minimal in my mind.