Mise en Place

[Chef455]

A place for my shaving journey and other thoughts. Putting my "things in place" is long overdue.

My first entry finds me in a strange place shaving wise. I have my brush rotation down pat, main players are a Yaqi Tuxedo, Razorock BC Silvertip, Simpson's Duke 3 in best rounded out by a small bevy of boar brushes. I prefer to face lather.

Soaps/creams I have plenty. I could go for a decade with what I have. I'll replace a few as they run out if they make me happy and I'd miss them.

Aftershave - Lucky Tiger Tonic. Period. I use it every shave and swear by it. Alum occasionally, other aftershaves as my mood suits. I like to have 5 or so on hand just because I like some variety.

The blades... I have arrived at Feather. No need to poke my head into any other rabbit holes here. Been there done many. Give me sharp.

The razors. Sigh. It took a few years to get to my happy place. I have been cruising along for the last couple years with what I thought was my stable of trusty steeds... 3 Timeless, Tech/Slim(Aristocrat no less)/Superspeed, Merkur 37c for the slant participation when it comes up, Feather AC, a couple straights for good measure.

Then along comes the Lambda Athena. I bought it a month ago from another member on the BST thread.. I have not shaved with any other razor since I received it. I see no point. I love my other razors, but they just don't perform as well.

For the time being I am at a standstill. I'll continue to shave with the Athena. Perhaps I'll feel like rotating in my other razors again. But I am also of the mind to just clear them out. I have shaved with the razors in my den for years and I know them well. But they just don't hold up against the Lambda Athena.

We'll see where I am a month or two from now. Some of my razors I can't see letting go. Others.Journaling.

200 Feather blades should be arriving tomorrow. I usually go three shaves with a Feather and I'm still sitting on 70. That should do me for blades for a couple years. Thanks to Pasteur for the pricing. $32 was a steal.


Other notes-

I envy other members with an absurd amount of posts in their journals. I hope I can sustain it and be fortuitous enough to be granted enough time on Earth to approach something similar.

Dinner = Roasted salmon & sautéed zucchini

No swimming today. I will say that laps with a snorkel is a game changer. It makes me able to focus on swimming instead of breathing. I'll go tomorrow.

Looking forward to having my brother over on Saturday. I haven't seen him since before I went to Portugal and he went to ANTARCTICA... + the path of totality.

That's all for now. Happy journaling.

 

[thombrogan]

You corrupted @PersistentlyBlunt into an ARKO! fan and that is better than journal posts.

Hoping you continue enjoying your Lambda Athena as much as I despise its namesake and its namesake’s skeevy father

 

[Guido75]

You just type away Chef! It’s about quality not numbers! Great first post!

Cheers,

Guido

 

[AshleyC]

Your post about razors reminds me of a realization I had about fountain pens a few years ago.

As much as I love those pens...I just don't write. I don't journal. I have no diary. I do not think The Great American Novel will descend upon me, unawares, forcing me to scribble down some thought of genius on short notice.

 

[cajunrph]

Welcome to the journaling section, looking forward to more posts.

 

[Chef455]

Home now after work. Looking forward to spending the evening with my brother and Mrs. Chef. I can't believe it has been since January that we've gotten together. Way overdue.

Rainy all day. Cranky from work. Looking forward to a shower and shave to transition/change my attitude. I think it's going to be a decadent shave. Duke 3, Lambda Athena with a shiny new feather. Maybe chocolate bourbon soap. 3 passes for an easy BBS.

Offhand notes-

Jambalaya for dinner.

Crap day at work. Scanner issues for the "umpteenth" time and I let a poor 204b suffer my indignation. Poor form on my part, I apologized later but the postmaster and I are going to have a "come to Jesus" on Monday.

Swam yesterday, 20 laps, not bad for an old fat guy. Snorkel definitely helps. I can focus on swimming instead of breathing.

Too much booze this week. Not good for an old fat guy. I'll do better moving forward.

"Fallout" is the show we're watching on Netflix. Middle son is my priority tomorrow. One day off a week is not enough, almost time to come down with "Nashville Virus" and get out of Dodge.

Enough for now. All my best to you weirdos that read other people's journal entries on B&B, but know that I do as well.

 

[Chef455]

Side note concerning B&B. Considering starting a new Club/Membership thread. Antisocial/ Aberrant/Anarchists or AAA. Doubtful it will happen but considering nominating @Mike M as spaghetti monster enthusiast in charge. I could be way off base here, but I think he'd be the right punk rocker for the job.

I kid. But I'm serious about @Mike M . Perhaps I'm reaching.

Since it's my thread there is a certain club who's title that I snicker at like a 7th grader every time I see it come up. I don't want to disassociate anyone from my journal, but I'd really welcome you to venture a guess/nomination.

Keep in mind this is my Badger and Blade safe space. I don't think I'd ever post anything ungentlemanly here but I'm going to ramble occasionally.

 

[Chef455]

Your post about razors reminds me of a realization I had about fountain pens a few years ago.

As much as I love those pens...I just don't write. I don't journal. I have no diary. I do not think The Great American Novel will descend upon me, unawares, forcing me to scribble down some thought of genius on short notice.

That's a really cool thing to say/admit. But why don't you journal/utilize them? I'm not trying to be obtuse nor confrontational. I'm genuinely interested. You seem, to me, one of the more eloquent and thoughtful members on B&B.

In contrast I would NEVER spend anything more than what the best deal on a geltip pen in the supermarket. My penmanship is ATROCIOUS bordering on illegible. I'm genuinely a bit ashamed of it.

I'd say consider that anyone with a "pretty" pen in their possession might have something to write or say. Maybe your short scribbles are the next great American novel. Or maybe they mean something to you or me.

One of my current conundrums is where is the written word at? I read a lot. A lot of people have a lot to say (oftentimes too much). Be true to yourself and put pen to paper. If only for yourself and hopefully for me.

 

[cajunrph]

Jambalaya for dinner.

As a Cajun I approve of this.

In contrast I would NEVER spend anything more than what the best deal on a geltip pen in the supermarket. My penmanship is ATROCIOUS bordering on illegible. I'm genuinely a bit ashamed of it.

Just like any of our traits, they can be changed with practice. If you wanted to get better at Golf, you’d practice, if you want to get better at painting, you’d paint. If you want to get letter at the written word, you’d write. For many journaling is the best way. Journaling is therapeutic. Very good for the soul. Something about the written word that allows you to unleash what you need to unleash. With enough journaling your penmanship improves. Give it a whirl.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I enjoyed reading your journal , @Chef455 . A journal of 10,000 pages begins with the first post. <eg>

The Athena is one of a handful of special razors to me.

 

[Chef455]

Today-

Razorock BC Silvertip
Taconic Shave Eucalyptus Mint lathered on my face
Lambda Athena (Surprise!)
Feather (2) and gone
2 passes W/X
Lucky Tiger Tonic
Lucky Tiger Aspen

= Just shy of BBS

Why in the world start a "Shaving Journal" when it seems as though you've found the perfect razor Chef? I suppose it seemed past due and I'll keep on plugging away. And I do think about other things from time to time...

Such as -

Yard work today. We relandscaped the front last year. Very happy with how it turned out and am now reaping the rewards of maintenance. I'm a total neophyte when it comes to plants. It has been very rewarding to see those perennials pop back up.

The back I'm struggling with. Seems as though I'm not a lawn guy. Yet. Worked the bare patches with a garden cultivater, added some compost, seeded, topped with some peet moss. Turned the sprinkler system back on. Will do my best to keep it moist and keep my fingers crossed. We did say goodbye to one of the best boys in the world so while I miss him he won't be negatively affecting the back yard anymore. Don't get me wrong, if I could trade in a spotty lawn for more time I would. Anyway, I pride myself as a DIYer, but if I can't get it to come around this year I may seek out some professional help next.

The weather is perfect, the Avalanche and Nuggets are poised to advance, everyone is healthy and the fish are starting to bite. I hope all is well with everyone else in this little community.

 

[PersistentlyBlunt]

Hi @Chef455

Good to see you journaling, I get to admire your words and thoughts more often.

I have been terribly absent over the past ... I don't actually know, because I came here before heading over to my own journal. I am going to discover that I am going to have to rely on an increasingly less reliable memory to fill in the gaps in my journal.

As much as it is great to contribute and have the banter with all of you, having my journal that I can go back over and remember what I did at different times, the good (Arko! and badger brush), the bad (early lathering attempts), and the ugly (chin chunks) is actually very useful.

As someone who was responsible for locking me into this hobby, and the giver of my current most used razor, I hope you get as much out of your journal as I have out of mine. I look forward to reading it.

Happy journaling all.

 

[Chef455]

It's nice to see @PersistentlyBlunt back on the forums after a brief absence and I appreciate your kind words. I've tried to "adopt" a few Newbies over the years. @PersistentlyBlunt seems to be the one that is most worthy of the effort.

That being said, he continues a blade quest. I enjoy reading his thoughts but I'm glad my blade pursuit is behind me. Feather High Stainless for the win here, and has been for a good while.

I think I'm sitting around 250 blades now. At least 18 months? We shall see. Although I believe I could pop almost anything into the Lambda Athena I know I can depend on these.

Wednesday was a minor milestone. I actually used a razor other than the Athena. Kind of. I have never done a side by side left/right comparison. It was time to do it...

Lambda Athena vs. Timeless .68SB Stainless Polished

-A new Feather in both
-Taconic Shave Eucalyptus Mint
-Yaqi Tuxedo
-2 passes W/X on two days of growth
-Timeless right side, Athena left side

= DFS+

I have been lamenting my purchase of my Lambda Athenaa little bit. Not really. But I have been saddened by my lack of shaving with any other tool. And I have also been considering whether or not it's time to thin the den. It isn't yet, but it also kind of is.

The results of my side by side was almost a tie. I'd say the Timeless lost points for just not quite having as clean on my neck. By a whisker. Really it was so very close.

Of course I don't need to come to any decisions right now. But I wrestle with sitting on 10 razors when I need only one...

-Timeless Polished SS .68sb I love this razor. My pride & joy until Athena

-Timeless Bronze .38sb I love this razor too. It shaves wonderfully and watching the patina develop is soothing to my soul.

-Timeless Bronze .78oc I like being able to live dangerously from time to time & keeping it polished serves as a perfect contrast to the patina on the .38sb.

-Gillette Slim Aristocrat isn't going anywhere. I picked this up for $20 in the semi wild. I outdid "The Fast & the Furious" crew with my drive home after buying it just so I could shave with it.

-Gillette Aluminum Tech $2 in the wild and it hangs right in there with the big hitters. If I hadn't found B&B and someone passed this along to me along with the appropriate accouterments I would have felt complete.

-Feather Popular from the first and only PIF I've ever won. (Thank you @Tanuki ) Too much sentiment.

-Ball End Tech from a shift shop in San Diego. Sentimental again.

-Gillette Superspeed O2 os my birth year razor. Seemed important to have early on. I could probably find something more impressive but it serves its purpose for the time being.

-A couple GEM Micromatics. Admittedly we do not get along. But @KW Driver just sent me blades out of nowhere for no other reason than to help out a fellow member. TWICE! Sentimental & I need at least on to participate in a monthly challenge here and there.

-Merkur 37c most likely to be PIFed, but then what do I do in "Slantember"?

-Feather AC Kamisori (It isn't called a "Kamisori" it has a number or letter that goes with it that I cannot recall at the moment. Plus Kamisori sounds cooler. Anyhow, sometimes one just wants to put something REALLY sharp up against their face and see how it goes.

-A couple straights that will remain in the drawer until I retire (I'm 54 if you were wondering) because I have way too much other stuff to do.

So there I have laid down the den. I may have missed something and if so I should probably PIF it. But otherwise I have a "reason" to keep everything else even though the Lambda Athena could truly be my one and only.

Or am I being stubborn and holding on to things I don't need? Time will tell. Most still give me warm fuzzies so they stay for now.

About to get ready to shave right now and then pack for Nashville. The Superspeed, BC Silvertip and Taconic Shave Co. are all set out and ready to go. I could have bigger problems than worrying about which razors to keep. I hope ya'all don't.

 

[Guido75]

But I have been saddened by my lack of shaving with any other tool.

That’s why I kind of “force” myself into a rotation. The Athena is definitely a shaving wonder and forever razor, but that would mean selling off all my other fantastic gear. The thought of not using them makes me rotate. Like you I have too many razors with sentiment attached to them. I made a list of items to sell and it was a rather small sobering list. I also could really purge and get off the majority until I came to the conclusion that it’s less fun and they are part of my legacy to my offspring. For me that was more or less case closed. YMMV.

Excellent great you have by the way!!