General Musings on Fidelity, Form & Technique

[mrob]

WOW! Had maybe my best shave ever this AM!

As I sit and muse about how this could have happened, I wonder the following things:

-I've been using my HD for 5 days in a row with my Vision broken and waiting for parts--could it be that I've finally *forced* myself to be faithful to the same razor for a prolonged period, and its generating results?

-Or, could it be that I've been compelled to really work at my technique? I've been really concentrating on using very light pressure and added a 2nd NS pass to the routine this AM. The result--my very best shave ever.

Whatever the factors leading to this shave, I'm happy to have stumbled into it. Now, what will I do when the Vision is back in the rotation???

 

[Jim]

Mitch

Glad you got a great shave today, If we could figger it out we would be famous (sort of)
Jim

 

[JMT]

WOW! Had maybe my best shave ever this AM!

As I sit and muse about how this could have happened, I wonder the following things:

-I've been using my HD for 5 days in a row with my Vision broken and waiting for parts--could it be that I've finally *forced* myself to be faithful to the same razor for a prolonged period, and its generating results?

-Or, could it be that I've been compelled to really work at my technique? I've been really concentrating on using very light pressure and added a 2nd NS pass to the routine this AM. The result--my very best shave ever.

Whatever the factors leading to this shave, I'm happy to have stumbled into it. Now, what will I do when the Vision is back in the rotation???

I would imagine that your results are a combinaion of using the same razor and working on your technique.

As for what you will do when you get your vision back...I would imagine you will switch back and forth just like you were doing before.

Go Hawkeyes!

 

[mrob]

Jim,

Thanks for the support and advice.

Now, about those Hawkeyes!

 

[moses]

I've found that a degree of fidelity really improves things. After a brief period of only using one razor and two creams because that was pretty much all I had, I started trying something new every day. And this with the technique of someone who had been using a DE for only two weeks. The results were not so pretty. So I am back to one razor (I picked a #66 - seems to be exactly the same head geometry as the 40s SS, but cast or machined head base, instead of stamped, so somewhat heavier, with a much heavier handle, and oh so much more aesthetically pleasing), and just three similar creams that I know are very good for my skin. I have also backed off to just N-S passes for a while, as part of my problem was pushing my face too far trying to get BBS.

So far, much happier face, and my shaves are getting fairly close, for N-S only.

Call me converted to fidelity. Once my technique improves and my face seems stable, I will start playing around more, but for now....

 

[Kyle]

Sometimes you can definitively say that the quality was improved by a specific item or technique change, or whatever, but most of my Grade A's have been a bit of a mystery.

 

[Tito]

...but most of my Grade A's have been a bit of a mystery.

Here! Here!

 

[NMMB]

Sometimes you can definitively say that the quality was improved by a specific item or technique change, or whatever, but most of my Grade A's have been a bit of a mystery.

Like Kyle most of my A (or A+) shaves appear to be rather serendipitous... though, I can usually pinpoint where I go wrong in the event that I have a bad shave (listening to music and get distracted, forget to change the blade, trying to have a conversation while I shave, etc)... Although, the pseudo-method shave I had yesterday (brush primed with KMF olive oil soap before I hit the Taylors Lemon and Lime) was fantastic and I am going to try that again to see if it is the magic that I need/want...

WOW! Had maybe my best shave ever this AM!...
...Now, what will I do when the Vision is back in the rotation???

Well Mitch, I'm glad to hear that you found something that really works for you... and hey, if you REALLY can't find anything to do with the Vision once it is re-commissioned I would be more than happy to give it a good home .

 

[Jonnybc]

I've been toying with the idea of sticking with one razor for a week at a time, that way you should be proficient with the razor before passing onto the next one. I'm not sure I can do it though, I usually stay in central London in the week where I have two razors and my home in Kent where I have the remaining seven, I don’t really want to have to carry my razors around hence their different homes!

 

[letterk]

I've been doing the one razor per week thing for about three weeks now. Not only does it help reduce technique variation leading to better shaves, it greatly reduces blade confusion (when did I change that blade?).

 

[Jonnybc]

I've been doing the one razor per week thing for about three weeks now. Not only does it help reduce technique variation leading to better shaves, it greatly reduces blade confusion (when did I change that blade?).

Makes sense, I'll have to start I think!

 

[NMMB]

I've been doing the one razor per week thing for about three weeks now. Not only does it help reduce technique variation leading to better shaves, it greatly reduces blade confusion (when did I change that blade?).

Until last week I owned but one lonely razor (my Merkur HD). I used it each and every day and got to know it fairly well (though, I'm certain that I will continue to learn little quirks about the HD each time that I go back to it). However, since I've received my Progress I haven't used the HD at all. It isn't that I necessarily think that the progress is any better (I haven't formed any such opinion yet), it is simply that I want to learn it so that I can use it to it's full potential. I will be leaving for a +1month trip in about a week* and will be taking only one razor with me - My progress. I figure that if it is the only razor that I use for +1 month** then I should learn it fairly well. One of the things that I've learned in nearly a decade of university studies is that it is vital to know your tools (whatever they may be).


*Jonnybc my +1 month hiatus should help youmake significant progress in getting ahead of me W.R.T. number of posts.
** This assumes that I do not acquire any razors while I travel.

 

[Jonnybc]

*Jonnybc my +1 month hiatus should help youmake significant progress in getting ahead of me W.R.T. number of posts.
** This assumes that I do not acquire any razors while I travel.

Hahaha... One razor, but which one???
Well, I'm off to france for a couple of weeks at the start of August and I most certainly will be looking out for new stuff. Coutellere-Faget is about 20 miles off my route so I'll have to pop in, I haven't got a Plisson!