My Grande Journey

[Esox]

Gillette Old Type Slant #001

Pardon? lol

Did Gillette make that or were inspired and pliered?

I was thinking channel locks but how without bent teeth and gouges in the cap lol.

 

[Esox]

Appreciate the reviews here Mike.

I have three SV soaps, a beta 4.0 (dolomiti), a 4.1 (70th anniversary) and a 4.3 (felce aromatica). I love the felce, I almost love the 70th anniversary. I like the dolomiti. Scent and performance, for me, are much better with the felce. Slicker and much better post shave with the 4.3 compared to the 4.0. The 4.1 post shave is excellent, but the slickness isn't quite up to the 4.3.

Now comparing them to Vitos red, the 4.1 is better post shave by a lot. Slickness is similar. 4.0 I think is similar post shave, worse slickness. 4.3 is better in all areas. So why has Vitos Red become my daily soap? I can get a kilo of Vitos Red, do 20 to 25 swirls on it, and get more than a shave of great lather. I can do 20 to 25 swirls on the 4.3 felce, and get an excellent lather with excellent post shave. I believe I'm using about the same amount of soap. But the felce was about $28 for a puck. And the Vitos Red was about $16 for a kilo. I use a balm after every shave anyway (Stirling these days), so the post shave isn't as big of an issue for me. And the Vitos Red isn't very drying for me post shave. It's just neutral to slightly drying, maybe. The 4.3 is moisturizing to my skin. I don't know that is as worthwhile to me.

I way overloaded my brush with Vitos the first few times out with it. 20 swirls is all I probably need. I had to squeeze the brush out some and rid it of lather when I used it first. I think you'll find better slickness next use with much less product and more water. I'll be interested to see your thoughts with it dialed in that way. It isn't as protective as SV. But the slickness is ridiculous when dialed in right. I find it like SV and Stirling: water thirsty and almost impossible to break the lather with too much water (although I know you have broken Stirling before).

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

I've been curious about the differences between formulas. I was talking to my nephew earlier and he said he just found some SV Desert Vetiver in stock and ordered it from a Canadian store because he doesnt want to wait a month to get it haha. He was also wondering about the differences between them. I think the next soap I buy will be SV Stella Alpina. I wish it came in a tin too. I can see myself collecting SV soaps for the tins. May I live so long to finish them all haha.

Cost be damned at this point, I dont care lol. I've decided I want The Best. Cella Bio and Vito's are damn good, as are Wickham, CRS, P&B and PdP. There are differences between them and each must be learned on its own how to get the most from them but none can touch this SV in regards to my skin. It aint even a race.

If I had all the SV soaps either you or Rave has, I wouldnt have another brand on my shelf. Now the stores need to start accepting cash again so I can refill the cup holders in my car lol.

Next shave, MMOC and a fresh PTFE and I'll find out just how good it really is.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Did Gillette make that or were inspired and pliered?

It was pliered because Gillette never made a slant. It's a German invention, Merkur. There's a guy here that does it to Old Types. I saw a thread criticising him for doing it. To me it's like Baha-ing an old VW Beetle. That means, I think it's cool.

 

[Esox]

It would be more fun with 1500hp though.

 

[TinyT]

Just like clean, clear, desert air after a rain. Dry, slightly arid, yet lush and vigorously alive. Theres a cactus, maybe a couple hundred yards away, and the wind is blowing the scent of a freshly opened flower to my nose. Very faint but its there. I find myself rocking in my desk chair just so I can smell it. Its like standing there taking that picture. Arid, I think, is a good word and one that first came to my mind when I smelled it in the tub. Then by adding water it just comes alive. The same as a desert would. Enthralled. Thats another good word. I'm enthralled by this soap.

If that description can't persuade me to use my sample of SV Mirto Di Sardegna aftershave nothing will.

 

[TinyT]

I think the next soap I buy will be SV Stella Alpina. I wish it came in a tin too. I can see myself collecting SV soaps for the tins.

From Connaught.

 

[jmudrick]

Did Gillette make that or were inspired and pliered?

Razor magician Tom White made a dedicated jig to produce them with geometry based upon the Valencia. Handful made thus far.

Sent from my LG-US998 using Tapatalk

 

[thombrogan]

Razor magician Tom White made a dedicated jig to produce them. Handful made thus far.

Is there nothing he can’t do?

 

[Esox]

From Connaught.

View attachment 1137418

Yeah those are nice but I'd worry about them cracking from the constant wet/dry cycles.


@rudyt

Wanton destruction - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/wanton-destruction.592604/

Gillette slant? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gillette-slant.391444/

Stay tuned for the decision on a pass around.

 

[Esox]

After proof reading this post, its very much BOSC lol.

MMOC, fresh PTFE.
The Soap By Which All Others Shall Be Judged.
The Brush.

I loaded a little lighter, which would have been too light with my other soaps with the possible exception of Wickham. It took a little longer to build the lather and that gave me time to think about the scent. It seems stronger today and didnt seem as open and deep, I may leave the lid off for a day. That should give an idea just how strong the scent is.

Three passes, minimal buffing.

First pass, simple, easy N>S. Same great slickness and cushion. No issues. However, I was using the MMOC steep, very steep. As steep as I do on shave 6 or 7. If you cant get your head around that, its okay, either can I.

Second pass S>N. Same as the first pass, easy and quick not really thinking about the shave and as I was watching in the mirror I noticed something and started thinking about @thombrogan and his recent trials with his MMOC.

No, not blood or redness , but how I was holding the razor, or more accurately where I was holding the razor. I never even thought about this before, I just picked the razor up and started shaving, but once I did notice it, very early in the second pass, I paid close attention. I hold it between right thumb and index finger gripping it lightly but firmly enough that I control the roll of the razor as I shave. The deep and wide fluting on the handle really helps with that. Whoever designed this razor knew what they were doing. Further up the handle, just a natural grip distance, my right ring finger was supporting the weight of the razor. I wasnt using muscles to control how much that finger limited the pressure I was using, which wasnt much, my ring finger was relaxed and only acting as a fulcrum, but using my arm and grip tension to control how much pressure I applied from the razor to my skin. If I want more pressure my grip intensifies, if I want less it relaxes. Letting my ring finger support the weight and stroking as I felt that load increase slightly. All while keeping my wrist locked and only moving my arm to impart the motion.

I changed back to WTG for comparison and my natural grip changed again. Higher up the handle, and the knob against the palm of my hand and I was gauging pressure applied with tension from my fingers gripping the handle and the knob on my palm the same way. If I held the razor any more loosely I couldnt control it properly and the more firm I made my grip, the less forgiving the razor became. Like a pen, as @rabidus has said many times.

Apparently, given my technique with this razor, I've removed blade flex by using a blade .009" thick yet reintroduced 'flex' or 'give' by way of how I hold it. Its all under my control. The razor cant give, the blade doesnt give, but my hand and arm can and do. I already know that as the blade wears and dulls, my base technique will stay the same but my arm will increase pressure, which increases resistance against my ring finger and/or the palm of my hand, thereby increasing pressure applied to my skin from the blades edge.

Anyway, second pass. No issues, light buffing left jawline and left side of my mouth.

Third pass ATG. Also paying attention to how I held the razor, which is pretty much the same as my WTG pass but with my wrist bent and slightly twisted to shave R>L and L>R on my neck. I also noticed that while shaving R>L and L>R along my jawline, the razor would turn on its own slightly in my fingers following the contour of my jawline. If I was shaving the upper edge, it would twist from pressure applied slightly upwards and then the same along the bottom of my jawline. How much I allow it to rotate is controlled by the tension of my thumb and index finger, my grip on the handle, all the while my arm is naturally applying enough pressure for a close and even shave, and lemme tell ya, this shave is close.

Shaving my neck L>R has its own little technique that again, I wasnt even aware of. I only use my right hand to shave, because of that when I shave the left side of my neck, the knob of the handle isnt against the palm of my hand. To compensate for that, my right ring finger takes the place of my palm and the knob of the razor sits against the pad of my ring finger. Tension of grip and my arm control the pressure applied.

All of that reads as highly complex and yet I just do it naturally. The razor almost seems to shave by itself and my hand and arm are like some kind of props or extras in a movie scene. The only areas I concentrate on are a small strip maybe 1" long just to the right of the right corner of my jaw and the left side of my Adam's apple where theres a slight change in direction of growth. That change comprises a tighter grip on the handle to restrict movement of the razor as I shave more aggressively on my jawline. On the left side of my neck, I do the same, but slowly rotate the angle from very shallow to very steep, upwards at a 45° to the junction of the left corner of my chin and jawline. That area is about 2sq/in and by the time the blades edge is meeting that junction point, I've at least doubled the amount of pressure applied. Thats my hardest area to shave closely and comfortably because of the rapid changes in direction of growth in the left side swirl.

The key point of all that being. I'm just shaving as I naturally would, by feel, not really thinking about it and letting my brain go on auto pilot based on feedback from the razor and my muscle control. I guess the moral of that little tale is, as Rave said on page 2 of this very thread:

Enjoy and remember a light touch and just shave.

Basic, simple and very good advice.

Oh yeah, the soap. The same performance as last time and pretty much what I expected. I was, honestly, a bit surprised by how steeply I could shave with a fresh blade. All in, its the same old story. The MMOC is twice as efficient as my Grande. They're both equally smooth, even over my swirls but the MMOC shaves with more authority and, I believe, because of the increased inherent rigidity of the SE blade, it shaves closer as comfortably if not being more comfortable and gentle on my skin because of a lesser amount of even minute blade flex causing irritation.

My skin is nice, it feels mousturized, very smooth and very clean feeling. Post shave of this soap is at least as good as Wickham if not better. I know I cant shave that steeply with a fresh blade and Wickham soap so there is that.

 

[thombrogan]

No, not blood or redness

I resemble that remark.

Like a pen

You don’t know how glad I am this is all typed and my penmanship is rightly obscured.

Apparently, given my technique with this razor, I've removed blade flex by using a blade .009" thick yet reintroduced 'flex' or 'give' by way of how I hold it.

I‘ve got a lot to learn and almost as much to unlearn.

 

[Esox]

You don’t know how glad I am this is all typed and my penmanship is rightly obscured.

If I had to write out all I type in cursive, well, I guess I'd learn how again lol.

I‘ve got a lot to learn and almost as much to unlearn.

Try not to think about it, just let it happen.

 

[thombrogan]

Something about a frickin’ razor blade and “just let it happen” that are so wrong together outside of a horror movie.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Try not to think about it, just let it happen.

Yup, that's what I keep saying too. Don't make it happen, let it happen.

 

[Esox]

Something about a frickin’ razor blade and “just let it happen” that are so wrong together outside of a horror movie.

I can understand that and some are easier to use than others. By using the MMOC, all of that, every aspect, every nuance of the shave is under your control, literally, at your fingertips. Trust in the fact they knew what they were doing when they made it and just 'let go' and let it take you were it wants to go.

The Fatip OC is much the same but because of the generous blade exposure, the ability of the exposed edge to flex is less under your control. The only aspect of shaving with my Grande I cant always control is the ability of the blades edge to flex. Speed of stroke and angle of use all factor in but the only weakness I've found isnt from the razor, its from the blade. That is the sole reason I moved to SE's. I wanted control over that variable.

I like having complete control over any tool I'm using. From a razor to a chainsaw. Some may have more moving parts than others, but ultimately each part, each tooth in that chain, is under your control.

Yup, that's what I keep saying too. Don't make it happen, let it happen.

Shame I didnt listen sooner lol.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Shame I didnt listen sooner lol.

You did! You just didn't realise it before

 

[Esox]

You did! You just didn't realise it before

Shame on me then lol.

 

[TinyT]

I already know that as the blade wears and dulls, my base technique will stay the same but my arm will increase pressure, which increases resistance against my ring finger and/or the palm of my hand, thereby increasing pressure applied to my skin from the blades edge.

I've been observing something similar, though with a slightly diffferent grip, as I continue to rack up the shave count on my Perma-Sharp (40 and still going) in my Gentile. My wrist is locked but not completely. There is unconcious, natural movement and flex whenever the contours of my face demand it. I hardly even know it's happening. But the pressure applied to compensate for the dulling blade has been continually increased to an almost imperceptible degree shave by shave.

What using the same blade for so long a period has done is really developed my technique and taught me how to use this particular razor. Now that I've settled on my Omega 51 boar which is just about perfect for me I've essentially been doing a fixed three with just the soaps changing shave by shave, though even they have been rotated in exactly the same repeated order. When this blade eventually fails, which for me will be either by tugging for consecutive shaves or simply by stopping to cut effectively, then I'll repeat the process using a different blade in my RR Lupo. I believe that razor also has the ability to produce consistently satisfying shaves.

All of that reads as highly complex and yet I just do it naturally. The razor almost seems to shave by itself and my hand and arm are like some kind of props or extras in a movie scene.

I couldn't put it better myself.

 

[TinyT]

Just a few more descriptions of my general shaving technique, especially so as not to confuse @thombrogan beyond the reasonable.

I do shave with a locked wrist. The movement is, in the main, miniscule, though not unimportant. Most of the movement during the shave comes from my right shoulder, along with a fair amount of right forearm rotation. It's the rotation in the forearm that contributes most to what I end up feeling on my face regarding pressure and angle, as it alters the position of my wrist, which remains mostly locked. This is most pronounced shaving the left side of my neck. There, I shave roughly south to north and hold the razor between my first 2 fingers and my thumb in a pincer grip. My shoulder remains static and my wrist is generally locked. Here, All of the movement comes from forearm rotation and pivot at the elbow. When shaving my right jawline I use the same pincer grip but for this part of the shave my shoulder pivots, my forearm rotates and my wrist flexes, all at the same time, as I shave from the front right corner of my chin, all the way to my right ear, following the jawline in one fluid motion. But even here, the wrist movement is minimal.

To sum up, it's arm shaving rather than wrist shaving.

 

[Esox]

I've been observing something similar, though with a slightly diffferent grip, as I continue to rack up the shave count on my Perma-Sharp (40 and still going) in my Gentile. My wrist is locked but not completely. There is unconcious, natural movement and flex whenever the contours of my face demand it. I hardly even know it's happening. But the pressure applied to compensate for the dulling blade has been continually increased to an almost imperceptible degree shave by shave.

What using the same blade for so long a period has done is really developed my technique and taught me how to use this particular razor. Now that I've settled on my Omega 51 boar which is just about perfect for me I've essentially been doing a fixed three with just the soaps changing shave by shave, though even they have been rotated in exactly the same repeated order. When this blade eventually fails, which for me will be either by tugging for consecutive shaves or simply by stopping to cut effectively, then I'll repeat the process using a different blade in my RR Lupo. I believe that razor also has the ability to produce consistently satisfying shaves.



I couldn't put it better myself.

You're finding your groove. Glad to hear it Wes. It just becomes even more natural over time.

I'll put a Perma-Sharp in my Grande next and see what I think of them but I wont be going for 40.