JTShaves finally learns to shave

[JTshaves]

Throughout the years I have tried shaving with Gillette and Schick carts and dabbled in using electrics. I still have a pretty nice electric Braun (7 series) that I use for touch ups, but it needs a new head.

Somehow I stumbled upon a DE shaving video on YouTube and that got me interested. I travel a lot for work, so I had two sets of cartridge razors. I kept one in my Dopp kit, the other at home. I needed new blades and my wife and I are on a tight budget. I convinced her to let me order a 6C from Rockwell by explaining the upfront cost will become mut when I will be spending so much less on blades and that the soaps and creams last a lot longer than the canned goo I was using.

I was able to sell off a few items from another hobby of mine and bought the 6C, Rockwell cream, and Rockwell synthetic brush.

I’m currently a month in and am glad I made the switch.

 

[JTshaves]

After a month of wet shaving and being on the forum, I have been very fortunate to be the recipient of a few PIFs (I have one or two planned for the future when I have the funds for shipping).

I received my first vintage razor, a post-war British ball-end Tech (still need to clean and sanitize it a little better), my first badger brush, a few soaps and aftershave samples. I’ve also received a few different blades, but I have only tried one of them so far.

I also am waiting delivery of my first shavette. I’m a little apprehensive to use it as I am still working on my DE technique.

 

[MilkCrate]

Welcome to the journals!

Give the Astra SP a try. They are budget friendly at 100 for $10.

 

[JTshaves]

Welcome to the journals!

Give the Astra SP a try. They are budget friendly at 100 for $10.

I have used the Astra SP and Rockwell blades. I am really liking the Astra blades so far.

 

[Tokyospike]

Hello JT, and welcome to the journals. Agreed, the Astra SPs are the greatest bargain in DE blades. I would say Polsilver SI are also great value for money, though a bit more expensive.

For the shavette, you will need to learn to make a wet, slick lather (a good skill for any kind of shaving), you will need a well-lit place with a good mirror you can get close to, and you will need steady hands. I could only manage one of those three things, so I’ll stick with my DE razor. (They don’t call them “safety” razors for nothing.)

Best of luck!

 

[JTshaves]

I am constantly impressed by the generosity of the members of this forum. One gentlemen offers to send me some blades as I had only tried one from Rockwell that came with my razor, another kind gentelman surprised me with some shave cream and a stick or Arko.

I have won some PIFs that have included blades, soaps, and a razor or two. I have been very lucky on the forum and plan to give back as well. I have an aftershave that I like, but my wife doesn’t. I think that will be my first PIF. We shall see what other items I can add for later ones as well.

 

[JTshaves]

Well I had my first shave with the Tech tonight. I used an Astra SP (third use), Proraso Green (might as well stick with a classic) and my Whipped Dog silvertip badger brush (part of the same PIF as the tech).

I have to say, I am impressed! The shave was fantastic! I think I got a little to comfortable and got bit on my left side jaw line (I had a full beard just a few shaves ago). That one was bad enough I had to break out the styptic. I had another small weeper that I opened again (also previously covered by a beard). I was able to get one area above my Adam’s apple that has always been an issue with my 6C.

One negative for tonight’s shave is I loaded the Proraso from the puck, something I normally don’t do. I don’t think I loaded enough, or had to little water in there as I noticed in some spots the slickness just wasn’t up to par. Lesson learned for the next time I use Proraso Green, scoop out some and place in the lather bowl.

This razor will be used regularly. In fact, I may need to look for a few more for when my kids grow up and will need to shave.

 

[MilkCrate]

Tech and Astra, great combo.

I also load from the tub and face lather. If your soap needs water, try sprinkling just a few drops on the brush. You can always add more as needed and adjust on the fly.

 

[JTshaves]

I'm pretty sure I simply did not load enough soap into the brush. The last time I puck loaded, I had a great lather with plenty of cushion and slickness.

I chalk this one up to a lather fail. I was still able to get a fantastic shave, despise a pretty nasty nick on my jaw line and some irritation post shave.

 

[JTshaves]

After a few shaves with the 6C, I decided to try plate R3 again. Previous attempts left my neck a little red, but not painful. I put in a brand new Astra SP and proceeded with the prep. I did a hot shower, pre-shave oil, used some of the Bigelow sample I recently received (may need more water, still working on my lather technique with all soaps and creams), and the Razorock monster.

I paid careful attention to pressure and angle. The shave went well with only one small weeper on the first pass that stopped before I started the second pass.

I finished off with my usual routine of alum block, witch hazel and an aftershave splash. With this shave, I went with Sterling Executive Man.

I had some red marks on my neck in the usual spots, but there was no actual irritation, just visual redness. I’m looking forward to my next shave with this set up to see if I have similar results. Part of me is wondering if I need a smoother blade, even though the Astra SP is pretty smooth.

 

[JTshaves]

Tonight I finished up the Bigalow sample at home. I used more water than I had previously and a little pre-shave oil. It was my best lather to date and one heck of a shave! The lather was nice and slick. I probably didn’t need the pre-shave oil on my face. I created enough lather for a three pass shave and used the remaining lather to do a two pass shave on my head. The head shave was nice and slick, no pre-shave oil used.

It appears that JT has finally learned to lather. Well, that cream anyway. To bad it’s gone.

 

[JTshaves]

#SOTD
Pre - Hot shower, Jones Country Roads pre-shave oil
Brush - Razorock Monster synthetic
Razor - Rockwell 6C, plate R3. Headblade for the dome.
Blade - Wilkinson Sword (German)
Soap - Al’s Calypso
Post - Omega alum block, Dickerson’s witch hazel
Aftershave - Clubman Bay Rum

This was my first use of the German Wilki blade as well as Al’s shaving cream. I’m not 100% sold on the sent of the cream, but holy crap is it slick! The post shave has a little to be desired, but I was really impressed with the performance of the cream. Hopefully SWMBO will let me hold on to this one. She is not a fan of the scent. My oldest absolutely hates the smell.

 

[JTshaves]

Last night I used the famous Macca Root cream from TBS. Even though the shave was tainted by a blade that does not work for me at all, I was super impressed with the cream. It provided plenty of protection and it was slick, almost as slick as Al's Shaving Products (I wish my family liked the smell).

For tonight's shave (assuming I do one after mowing my yard), I plan on doing a Derby Dienstag (Dienstag since that's Tuesday in German and we don't have a D day of the week in English). I will load up my razor with a new Derby blade and use some Derby cream that I received in a PIF.

 

[MilkCrate]

On the Maca Root, the smell is not the greatest, but it is slick. My first sniff, I said nope but the wife liked it.

 

[JTshaves]

Tonight I did my first shave with the (in)famous ARKO. I shaved off some and put it in my bowl. Man, that stuff lathers up quickly! I’m not sure I added enough water to the soap, but it was still slick and cushiony. I shaved with a fourth use Derby Extra and got a really nice shave.

The blade is not tugging or pulling, but it is not getting as close as I would like it to in certain spots. Maybe I need to step up to a plate 5 on my 6C for Derby blades after the first or stwo come use.

Over all, I was I pressed with ARKO and can’t wait to use it again. I wonder how it performs with hard water...

 

[JTshaves]

Tonight I finally broke out my Uncle Jon’s Quiet Storm sample I picked up while at West Coast Shaving a few months back (my oldest picked my shaving gear tonight, with the exception of the razor and blade.

I really enjoyed the soap, though I probably needed more product. I found that after two passes, the lather was disapating in my bowl.

I had not shaved for three days (unlike me since switching to DE blades) and the second use Shark blade did a great job in mowing down the stubble forest.

 

[JTshaves]

I finally shaved with the 40s style Super Speed and a third use Shark blade. I need to learn the angle of the razor a bit more, but I don’t think the Shark is a good blade for the SS.

I got significantly Moreno feedback from the alum tonight than with the German Wilki and the Tech.

Since I am trying to participate in Shark week and I only have one more Shark blade, i will go back to my 6C for the next shave.

 

[JTshaves]

Tonight was shave number four with a Shark blade. Over all, not a bad shave but I still feel some irritation on my neck. I did do three passes when I normally only do two passes. I felt some tugging in my normal trouble spots and a reopened a weeper from earlier.

I used my Rockwell cream again tonight (my oldest picked my cream/soap for the remaining time I’m working from home until I have to travel again). I didn’t use a preshave like I have in the past, and still had a pretty good shave. The cream performed well, was slick, and had decent cushion. The post shave feeling was a tad try, but still not bad. I think my previous uses of the cream didn’t have enough water, but I’m getting close to too much water with the cream.

 

[JTshaves]

Last night's shave was one of the best I've had in a while. I used the same equipment I've been using lately (Rockwell 6C, plate 4, Rockwell cream with Cremo used as a pre-shave, Razorock Monster brush, Shark blade). I have one spot on the right side of my neck that I just can not get close without irritation. Last night I tried to approach it ATG, but at an angle. That left almost no irritation, but some feedback from the alum. Still one of the smoothest, most comfortable shaves I've had in a while.

 

[JTshaves]

After seven shaves with the Shark Super Chrome blade, I finally put it in the bank this morning. The WTG and XTG passes were still really smooth, but I started to get some tugging ATG. My next shave will be with the new Parker blades I received in a PIF not to long ago.

Last night I face lathered with the Razorock Monster synthetic and Proraso green. Face lathering sure takes a lot less time than bowl lathering, but I don't find it as relaxing. I also had far to much water in my brush. I have been getting all of the fibers wet, instead of just the tips. Next time I use a synthetic brush, I'll wet the tips only and see how either face or bowl lathering goes.