Memorable Shaves

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

As me and my girlfriend went to Norwich for the weekend I was finally able to use my vintage travel shaving set as a travel set

(Photo taken at home)

Method: 2 pass, wtg & xtg
Pre-Shave: Cold water
Lather: Mühle Aloe Vera shaving stick
Brush: Simpsons Classic C1 Synthetic
Blade: Tiger Platinum (4)
Post-shave: Cold water & Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: Dfs, no irritation or cuts.

In other news my Wilkinson sword shavette style razor has come apart. I could find a way to put it together again, but I would rather get something more reliable. I'm currently thinking of getting a Böker Olivewood shavette.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Method: 2 pass, wtg & xtg
Pre-Shave : warm water and skinfood
Lather: TOBS Platinum Collection
Brush: Wilkinson sword Classic
Blade: Gems ptfe (1)
Razor: 1930s Ever Ready patd 1912 single edge
Post-shave: Cold water and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: dfs, no cuts, nor irritation. 9.5/10

I've decided to take a break from my usual bbs chasing in order to give my skin some time to recover. So far I'm liking it, no post shave red face and my face is still pretty smooth.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: Cold water
Lather: TOBS Sandalwood shave stick
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T1
Razor: 1921-1928 Gillette Old Type
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: bbs no cuts or irritation

After the excitement of yesterday's delivery there was only one possible candidate for today's shave, the 1920s old type. My previous experience with my 1950s Gillette's has taught me that old Gillette's are cap riders. In addition I decided to approach this shave with the tactics that were likely to have been used by a 1900-1920s person who was used to SR shaving everyday and has picked up a safety Razor for the first time. Which was of course influenced by my own very humble experience of shavette use. So I used a shallow angle of attack, light pressure and skin stretching. Thanks to the open comb I could feel the blade more than my other DE razors, the shave itself proved to be smooth yet efficient. After the against the grain pass was complete and the Post-shave routine was over, my skin proved to be smoother than it has been in a while, even the tricky neck area was baby bottom smooth. No cuts, nicks, weepers or redness anywhere.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: Cold water
Lather: Proraso Green shaving cream
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T1
Razor: Gillette Ball Handle Tech
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: bbs no cuts or irritation

My face was still pretty smooth from yesterday so I just gave my face a quick xtg, atg with my mildest Razor.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: Warm water
Brush: Wilkinson sword Classic
Lather: TOBS Platinum Collection
Razor: Boker Olivewood Shavette & Merkur 34c HD
Blade: Miraki (2) & Tiger Platinum (2)
Post-shave: warm water and cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: bbs, no cuts or irritation. Neck a little sore though.

My skills at using a shavette are slowly improving. I am now comfortable enough to enjoy the wtg pass, the xtg pass while bloodless required maximum concentration. I didn't want to push my luck though, so I recuited my tried and tested 34c for the atg pass

While I enjoy Sr shaving, it's really cool and I'm starting to get some really smooth results, I am also starting to see why mustaches were popular in the late 19th-early 20th centuries.

 

[hangblague]

am also starting to see why mustaches were popular in the late 19th-early 20th centuries.

Oh yeah. That's where 90% of my damage happens.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Oh yeah. That's where 90% of my damage happens.

Yeah the mustache area is also the reason why the Pre-Shave & 1st two passes need to be perfect. Otherwise even a good atg razor could struggle.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: hot water & Skinfood
Lather: TOBS Platinum Collection
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T1
Razor: Ever Ready Pat'd 1912 SE
Blade: Gems ptfe (3)
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: bbs no cuts or irritation

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: GFT Ecuris Skin Food, Prorasso Green shave Cream, warm water & washcloth
Lather: Prorasso Green
Brush: B&B Beagle, Black and Tan Bulb
Razor: 1959 Gillette Fatboy (7,5&1)
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Post-shave: Warm & cold water, Alum block, Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food and washcloth
Results: mostly dfs

My made to order E2 Fatboy has arrived from Razor Emporium! Why did I go for the Fatboy and not the Slim Adjustable? Well my experience with both the R89 & 34c shows that I like razors that are short & heavy. So I decided to go for the Fatboy. Obviously at this early stage I am still figuring out what settings that I prefer and I'm likely to be still experimenting with settings for the next couple of shaves.

My first impressions of the Fatboy are that it is a good Razor, it feels good in the hand and shaves well even against the grain.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: none
Lather: TOBS Platinum Collection
Brush: Anbbas Synthetic
Blade: Personna Gems ptfe (2)
Razor: Ever Ready Pat'd 1912
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: bbs, several nicks one weeper, moderate Alum feedback

After achieving glass like smoothness by including straight Razor style skin stretching into my de shaves, I have decided to try it out with my se Razor. On the down side I've cut myself a little, which seems to happen quite easily with my se, probably because I only occasionally use the Ever Ready. I'm sure that this problem would disappear with more familiarity with this Razor. On the plus side however I am by now quite used to healing my post shave cuts. Also the results are well worth the time spent with my trusty Alum block, glass like smoothness all over my face and neck.

In my humble opinion every wet shaver should learn the art of skin stretching.

 

[TinyT]

In my humble opinion every wet shaver should learn the art of skin stretching.

I agree. The contortions needed are not as bad as they look and with a bit of practice it's fairly easy to do. I resisted for ages until @Cal got me into it.

 

[Cal]

I resisted for ages until @Cal got me into it.

When was that Wes (and was it any particular stretch)?

 

[thombrogan]

And why were the hip flexors emphasized?

 

[TinyT]

When was that Wes (and was it any particular stretch)?

RazoRock Lupo
Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow (3)
Omega 10051
Proraso Green preshave

Berry Fields O'Blair

I entered the bathroom this evening with some trepidation. Was last time a fluke?

2 passes, WTG and it was everything I could ask for from a shave. The soap, the brush, the razor, the blade - all wonderful.

There's a strip about 2 inches long on both sides of the lower edge of my jawline that I can never quite get. Either I haven't mastered the angle or they're sitting in a small hollow, in which case a bit of skin stretching might be needed.

I've always liked this video from geofatboy:

It was initially just to get the area either side of my chin below the jawline but after watching this video and a few of his straight shaves I went for skin stretching throughout. Worked like a charm.

I moved away from it for some reason but I can't for the life of me think why.

I've just shaved.

Merkur 34C
GSB (16)
Yaqi Moka 24mm
Tabac

Skin stretching and my best effort at straight technique, ie. economy of movement, careful with pressure etc. Three full passes. Fantastically close and comfortable.

 

[TinyT]

And why were the hip flexors emphasized?

I'm a clever clogs.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Pre-Shave: none
Lather: Proraso Green (cream)
Brush: Anbbas Synthetic
Blade: Tiger Platinum (2)
Razor: Mühle R89
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: Dfs no cuts or irritation

I didn't have that much stubble on my face from yesterday's shave, so today was just a quick wtg & xtg shave

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Method: wtg, xtg, neck atg 2nd pass, skin stretching
Pre-Shave: shower, Prorasso Green (cream) & hot washcloth
Brush: B&B Beagle Black and Tan Bulb
Lather: Simpsons Lime Extra Glide shaving cream
Razor: Boker Olivewood Shavette, Muhle R89
Blade: Miraki (1), Tiger Platinum (3)
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: 3 cuts, 2 on chin the other on the neck, no irritation, dfs, neck almost bbs

This has definitely been my most enjoyable and effective Pre-Shave yet. I will definitely have to remember this one for when I have load of time on my hands.

The wtg pass was going well until I cut myself, after that it seemed to have temporarily knocked my confidence with the shavette. However I'm determined to keep shaving with the shavette. On the plus side when the time came for the Post-shave the cuts were healed prettily easily by cold water via washcloth and my trusty Alum block.

Unwilling to continue with the Boker I recruited my tried and tested R89 for the wtg pass which went uneventfully. Still shaken by the blood coming out of my chin and neck I decided to leave it at 2 passes in the hope that I will have enough stubble for another shave tomorrow.

The Simpsons lime is a beautiful shave Cream, leathers easily, lots of slickness and it was nice and cool which served to counterbalance the warm prep nicely. It would seem that Simpsons are just as good at making shaving cream as they are at making brushes. Plus it was given to me for free by Simpsons as an apology for a delayed Brush that I never even complained about.

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Method: Wtg & xtg, skin stretching
Pre-Shave: GFT Ecuris Skin Food
Lather: TOBS Platinum Collection
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar T1
Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Rocket
Blade: Tiger Platinum (1)
Post-shave: Cold water, Alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin
Results: one weeper easily healed, dfs irritation free.

Just another quick fuss free shave today. Odly enough my Rocket seemed smaller than when I last shaved with it probably because it's place on the Razor rack* is next to the Fatboy. Human perception can be a fun thing at times.

*test tube rack

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Method: Wtg & xtg
Lather: Simpsons Lime
Brush: Simpsons Trafalgar T1
Razor: Gillette Ball Handle Tech
Blade: Wilkinson sword Classic
Post-shave: Cold water, alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: dfs, no cuts or irritation

 

[Heavy_Metal_Hound]

Method: Wtg & xtg face, xtg neck
Pre-Shave: Cold water & Geo f Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Lather: Simpsons Lime
Brush: Simpsons Trafalgar T1
Razor: Böker Olivewood shavette
Blade: Miraki (2)
Post-shave: Cold water, alum block and Geo F Trumper Ecuris Skin Food
Results: Dfs no irritation a few cuts, mostly on the right side of my face.

I'm slowly improving at using the shavette. The wtg pass is now easy and enjoyable, I'm now finding the cheeks easy during the xtg pass and all my cuts are from little slips of the blade. Also the 2nd atg pass on the neck went without a hitch. Now I just need to work on the goatee area.