My Grande Journey

[Esox]

Just like magic yep! Great advertising but I dont personally buy into it. I think theres a learning curve with any tool, especially one that applies a razor blade to ones face. Different certainly, but the razor I want isnt being made yet. LOL



I'm really starting to wonder why I'm even searching beyond the Derby Extra. That was my quickest, most comfortable, easiest BBS shave yet, with any razor or blade and soap/cream combination.

Until of course, they start making razors with a laser for a blade lol.

 

[Esox]

You're getting there!

My Fatip Retro was supposed to be here today. It was sent from Chicago and made it to Denver which is 50 miles away. It left Denver at 3 in the morning and is now in Omaha Nebraska. Going the wrong way now. Last time an order went from Denver to San Diego back to Colorado. I've had better mail service in Thailand than with the USPS. Oh well, the expected delivery date was Tuesday but the upped it to today just to get my hopes up lol!

Well Cal used a GSB last week in his Fatip Testina Gentile, and I have a fresh GSB loaded in my Fatip Zebrano as it looks like that will be my implement for the first week of OCtober! Yay! So, I say give a GSB a go next. Imo not as sharp as a Gillette Platinum but smoother out of the box. Best of luck my friend there is a learning curve to Fatip OC's.

Here are some pictures of my Zebrano loaded and ready to go. It aligned very nicely the first time using the towel on counter placing top cap and dropped blade over posts, base plate on top, lightly pressed down on the base plate enough to keep the blade from moving and screwed on the handle method (Chan Eil Whiskers).
View attachment 825210 View attachment 825212 View attachment 825213

GSB it is!

I know what you mean about the mail. My first Stirling samples I ordered from Jon at CanadianBladeCo in Alberta. I had them to me 2500 miles away in 7 days, but they stayed in Alberta for 5 of those 7! I've driven it myself many times in 48 hours! lol

I do like the look and feel of nice wood. Its been on my mind lately to have a custom brush made from Ipe, Brazilian Walnut. Its very hard, very dense and hard to work with because it dulls knives and saw blades so quickly, but its also a wood that many people use for outdoor benches. Untreated it can last 50+ years open to the elements year round. It doesnt swell, doesnt splinter and doesnt crack and is one of the few woods recommended for outdoor decks and being barefoot safe.



Or maybe Zebra wood...



I do love nice woods, but one thing at a time you enabler! lol

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Here are some pictures of my Zebrano loaded and ready to go. It aligned very nicely the first time using the towel on counter placing top cap and dropped blade over posts, base plate on top, lightly pressed down on the base plate enough to keep the blade from moving and screwed on the handle method (Chan Eil Whiskers).
View attachment 825210 View attachment 825212 View attachment 825213

Paying attention I am.

 

[Raven Koenes]

GSB it is!

I know what you mean about the mail. My first Stirling samples I ordered from Jon at CanadianBladeCo in Alberta. I had them to me 2500 miles away in 7 days, but they stayed in Alberta for 5 of those 7! I've driven it myself many times in 48 hours! lol

I do like the look and feel of nice wood. Its been on my mind lately to have a custom brush made from Ipe, Brazilian Walnut. Its very hard, very dense and hard to work with because it dulls knives and saw blades so quickly, but its also a wood that many people use for outdoor benches. Untreated it can last 50+ years open to the elements year round. It doesnt swell, doesnt splinter and doesnt crack and is one of the few woods recommended for outdoor decks and being barefoot safe.

View attachment 825216

Or maybe Zebra wood...

View attachment 825217

I do love nice woods, but one thing at a time you enabler! lol

Very nice brushes classic really. You do know it was no accident me posting the Zebra/Zebrano wood pics...BOSC!

 

[Esox]

Very nice brushes classic really. You do know it was no accident me posting the Zebra/Zebrano wood pics...BOSC!

I'm well aware yep lol.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Paying attention I am.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

WAD?

BOSC for sure!

 

[Esox]

WAD?

Oh yes lol.

The shelf in my bathroom, that I just put together for a test to see if I'd like the design is Cherry and Pine. Cut on a friends farm, run through a sawmill by him, air dried 4 years in one of two barns his father built by hand in the 50's from Black Walnut that was on the property. The beams are 10x16x50 feet, soaked in the pond on the farm, bent by hand in jigs he made to curve them for the roof.

All of my wood comes from his farm. I work mostly with White Ash, Cherry and Maple. I need to get down to see him so I can get more and finally trim my bathroom. I made my shelf from left over scraps lol. As it turns out not only do I need a shelf twice the size, but I need two. I wonder why...

He had a beautiful piece of Maple Burl that he wouldnt part with because HE wanted to make a bowl! lol.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The beams are 50 feet long and black walnut? That was one hell of a tree.

Amazing.

 

[Esox]

The beams are 50 feet long and black walnut? That was one hell of a tree.

Amazing.

300 acres, they were and still are many. He does a selective harvest every 5 years so he can keep the biodiversity. Even at that he had to have a beekeeper drop off hives to pollinate his crops the last 3 years!

 

[Esox]

Right!

48 hours later and here I am.

Given the differences I'm noticing in my shaves between Stirling soaps and Captain's Choice creams I paid particular attention to my lather and was more than pleased with it. Slightly thicker for a little added cushion.

I cant get away from the powdery bubble gum scent with this soap. I want to like it, but its now at the bottom of my 12 Stirling samples and it will be a while before it rotates back into the top.

GSB. This is a blade I've really wanted to like because so many regard it so highly. I was less than impressed with it in my Brit Rocket as it was a tuck in my first sample pack. In that razor I found it lacking sharpness. I was still unimpressed on first use in my NEW SC, again feeling a lack of sharpness. On second use in that razor it gave me a better shave. Smooth, adequately sharp and I had a comfortable shave using a rather shallow angle.

I had hopes I'd like it even more in this razor.

Oh yes, there was blood. A lot of it too.

First stroke mid ear to the base of my neck it felt really pretty good. Slight tugging at the base of my neck, a little more so than what I would call "normal" with my NEW SC. Enough to make me pay attention.

Slowly work my way across my face repeating the full length strokes everywhere but the face of my chin. Considerable tugging there and on my upper lip. However, I had what I felt was a very close first pass, but I had blood from five different places. Most notably from the right corner of my mouth, and slight irritation on my neck.

Wet my hand, shake off the excess water, wipe and feel to spread out the remaining lather. How surprised I was that I had gone from a 40 grit face to an 80 grit face. Not nearly as close as I had thought.

Lather up to commence the second battle. Patton himself would have been proud. Harsh and tuggy, really uncomfortable and I could see the redness on my neck growing angrily. Blood showing through the lather. I had blood in the lather on my face in 5 places. Blood on my razor from shaving that lather off. Blood in my sink floating in the lather from rinsing the razor. Blood on my brush and in my bowl.

I should add that I had started the second pass with a shallower angle hoping to reduce that harshness, but only increasing the tugging. I shifted to a steeper angle and stopped a lot of the tugging, but this blade became quite harsh for me.

I assumed the 3rd ATG pass would be an easier shave, and to a point I was right, but I knew I wouldnt be able to bear any clean up passes so I stopped after my 3rd full pass.

Even just rinsing with cold water stung and I had to do a lot of it trying to stop the bleeding. Finally I just wiped my face dry with a towel and let it stop on its own. Five minutes later I went back and rung out a wet hand towel and wiped the remaining blood off, then washed the towel out.

Here I am 30 minutes later, and in feeling I have a BBS shave over the left side of my face, but not on my jawline. Right side cheek and neck are BBS, even my trouble areas, but my jawline and the right side of my chin is DFS-ish. Even now feeling over my neck, the skin is still a bit raw and quite warm.

I've never really gotten along with this blade, and once again, this Grande is just highlighting that fact. For me its not nearly sharp enough, and in this razor, not nearly smooth enough.

It was at its best in the NEW SC, but it still had its shortcomings for me.

To give this blade a fair shake as it were, next shave I'll flip it and use it again, but with the Captain's Choice cream instead as I feel the shave can only improve from this point? One sometimes has to laugh... BOSC!

If it still fails me, I'll never use this blade again and it will be marched squarely into the nether reaches of my blade box with Trig, Treet, Shark Super Chrome and Bic Chrome Platinum.

I just paused typing as I remembered I had some Captain's Choice AS Balm in Sandalwood and just rubbed in a healthy amount of it to my face and neck. Even it stung slightly and gave me some added redness, but that will be gone by the time I finish typing this. Well, almost. Still a little warm, but my skin feels much nicer.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Right!

48 hours later and here I am.

View attachment 825724

Given the differences I'm noticing in my shaves between Stirling soaps and Captain's Choice creams I paid particular attention to my lather and was more than pleased with it. Slightly thicker for a little added cushion.

I cant get away from the powdery bubble gum scent with this soap. I want to like it, but its now at the bottom of my 12 Stirling samples and it will be a while before it rotates back into the top.

GSB. This is a blade I've really wanted to like because so many regard it so highly. I was less than impressed with it in my Brit Rocket as it was a tuck in my first sample pack. In that razor I found it lacking sharpness. I was still unimpressed on first use in my NEW SC, again feeling a lack of sharpness. On second use in that razor it gave me a better shave. Smooth, adequately sharp and I had a comfortable shave using a rather shallow angle.

I had hopes I'd like it even more in this razor.

View attachment 825727

Oh yes, there was blood. A lot of it too.

First stroke mid ear to the base of my neck it felt really pretty good. Slight tugging at the base of my neck, a little more so than what I would call "normal" with my NEW SC. Enough to make me pay attention.

Slowly work my way across my face repeating the full length strokes everywhere but the face of my chin. Considerable tugging there and on my upper lip. However, I had what I felt was a very close first pass, but I had blood from five different places. Most notably from the right corner of my mouth, and slight irritation on my neck.

Wet my hand, shake off the excess water, wipe and feel to spread out the remaining lather. How surprised I was that I had gone from a 40 grit face to an 80 grit face. Not nearly as close as I had thought.

Lather up to commence the second battle. Patton himself would have been proud. Harsh and tuggy, really uncomfortable and I could see the redness on my neck growing angrily. Blood showing through the lather. I had blood in the lather on my face in 5 places. Blood on my razor from shaving that lather off. Blood in my sink floating in the lather from rinsing the razor. Blood on my brush and in my bowl.

I should add that I had started the second pass with a shallower angle hoping to reduce that harshness, but only increasing the tugging. I shifted to a steeper angle and stopped a lot of the tugging, but this blade became quite harsh for me.

I assumed the 3rd ATG pass would be an easier shave, and to a point I was right, but I knew I wouldnt be able to bear any clean up passes so I stopped after my 3rd full pass.

Even just rinsing with cold water stung and I had to do a lot of it trying to stop the bleeding. Finally I just wiped my face dry with a towel and let it stop on its own. Five minutes later I went back and rung out a wet hand towel and wiped the remaining blood off, then washed the towel out.

Here I am 30 minutes later, and in feeling I have a BBS shave over the left side of my face, but not on my jawline. Right side cheek and neck are BBS, even my trouble areas, but my jawline and the right side of my chin is DFS-ish. Even now feeling over my neck, the skin is still a bit raw and quite warm.

I've never really gotten along with this blade, and once again, this Grande is just highlighting that fact. For me its not nearly sharp enough, and in this razor, not nearly smooth enough.

It was at its best in the NEW SC, but it still had its shortcomings for me.

To give this blade a fair shake as it were, next shave I'll flip it and use it again, but with the Captain's Choice cream instead as I feel the shave can only improve from this point? One sometimes has to laugh... BOSC!

If it still fails me, I'll never use this blade again and it will be marched squarely into the nether reaches of my blade box with Trig, Treet, Shark Super Chrome and Bic Chrome Platinum.

I just paused typing as I remembered I had some Captain's Choice AS Balm in Sandalwood and just rubbed in a healthy amount of it to my face and neck. Even it stung slightly and gave me some added redness, but that will be gone by the time I finish typing this. Well, almost. Still a little warm, but my skin feels much nicer.

Ouch, I kind of feel it was my fault for suggesting a GSB. Though doing the long strokes you do with the Grande scares me.

 

[Esox]

Ouch, I kind of feel it was my fault for suggesting a GSB. Though doing the long strokes you do with the Grande scares me.

Not at all! Dont take any blame for that shave. I was fine less than an hour later and I've had worse shaves! lol

I once shaved with this on an extended stay in the bush. After 10 days I needed a shave.



I wont say it was a quick shave, or a close one either being I only shaved WTG, but it did the job and stopped the itch!

The long strokes I've always done. Thats how I was initially taught by my father when I started shaving with his Brit Rocket so many years ago.

Learning to maintain a correct angle while doing so took a few years to learn, but its never really been an issue. I did the same with cartridges for many years and did again when I came back to DE shaving with the very same Brit Rocket I learned with, along with any other razor I've used, SE included.

As a rule I shave quickly. From loading my brush to toweling off is around 5-7 minutes. Slightly less with the SC or Rocket/SS if I'm in a hurry. Rarely do I bleed, but this razor is so rigid and much more unforgiving of the tiniest of mistakes or high spots in my skin.

My first shave with this razor and the Derby, I'd be surprised if it took me 5 minutes total.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Not at all! Dont take any blame for that shave. I was fine less than an hour later and I've had worse shaves! lol

I once shaved with this on an extended stay in the bush. After 10 days I needed a shave.

View attachment 825833

I wont say it was a quick shave, or a close one either being I only shaved WTG, but it did the job and stopped the itch!

The long strokes I've always done. Thats how I was initially taught by my father when I started shaving with his Brit Rocket so many years ago.

Learning to maintain a correct angle while doing so took a few years to learn, but its never really been an issue. I did the same with cartridges for many years and did again when I came back to DE shaving with the very same Brit Rocket I learned with, along with any other razor I've used, SE included.

As a rule I shave quickly. From loading my brush to toweling off is around 5-7 minutes. Slightly less with the SC or Rocket/SS if I'm in a hurry. Rarely do I bleed, but this razor is so rigid and much more unforgiving of the tiniest of mistakes or high spots in my skin.

My first shave with this razor and the Derby, I'd be surprised if it took me 5 minutes total.

You're my hero! BOSC forever!

 

[Esox]

LET ME SEE YOUR WAR FACE!



49 hours since last contact.

Same blade, bloodied but flipped.

Captain's Choice 45th Parallel.

I knew I'd need at least a 3 full pass shave with clean ups, so I made enough lather to support that.

First pass, again, full length strokes paying particular attention to angle, slightly steep. Entire first pass went without issue. The blade felt comfortable, if not sharp, and a wipe and check confirmed that. Quite a lot of stubble left, but no blood!

Won the first skirmish...

Second pass, light buffing XTG & ATG. Weeper again right corner of my mouth. I should soon develop a callus there lol. By the time I finished that pass the blade had become quite a lot smoother, but I still had a fair bit of stubble left.

We're winning this war.



Lather up again for a third battle facing the enemy squarely. Directly ATG.

That pass, along with the following three! clean up passes over my neck and chin all felt as though there was no blade in the razor.

What is it with this blade? This blade confounded me in my NEW SC and now it has again in this razor.

In the end, a close, comfortable, BBS shave everywhere but along my jawline. This razor deals with the two swirl growth patterns either side of my adams apple very well. Better than my NEW SC. I feel a pang of guilt admitting that!

Only very slight irritation on my neck that was gone by the time I sat down to type this. My skin is slightly warm, but very comfortable.

I cant put the entire about face of this shave to the last purely to the difference of soap vs cream. That seems absurd.

This is the first blade from a tuck I opened the other day. I bought them from the same store I got my first sample pack from. The Artful Badger about a 35 minute drive from me, so I have no idea about any other blades from that fold. This is also the only tuck I have.

Maybe a bad blade or tuck? I dont know, but as my sig says "Time tells no lies."

Aint war Hell!



I think for next shave, I'll flip this blade again and go back to Stirling and see if I can repeat this performance.

 

[NurseDave]

That was an intense battle!

 

[Esox]

That was an intense battle!

Indeed it was lol. Neither side had a weakness, only determination and perseverance saved the day! haha

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Is this a thread about shaving, a war movie, or some variation of the Texas Chainsaw Murder?

I hope you get past the GSB experiment soon. I could send you a tuck of Russian Gillette Greens?

Happy shaves, and not bloody shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

Is this a thread about shaving, a war movie, or some variation of the Texas Chainsaw Murder?

I hope you get past the GSB experiment soon. I could send you a tuck of Russian Gillette Greens?

Happy shaves, and not bloody shaves,

Jim

From the first fight with the GSB it would be hard to tell just looking at me lol. As my nephew stated about his EJ type clone; some shaves just leave you looking like a character from a Stephen King novel lol.

Gillette Green was my second shave and I have the remainder of that tuck. Thanks for the offer though!

I may just switch to a Feather next, not sure. I can deal with an especially sharp blade much easier than a less sharp blade. Feathers have never struck me as smooth past the first shave, but I'd still rather try it first than Gillette Yellow.

I'll see in 48 hours. With BOSC one never knows! lol

 

[Raven Koenes]

Is this a thread about shaving, a war movie, or some variation of the Texas Chainsaw Murder?

I hope you get past the GSB experiment soon. I could send you a tuck of Russian Gillette Greens?

Happy shaves, and not bloody shaves,

Jim

That is a very generous offer Jim. I have to let you know I'm really enjoying the show though! Esox, Congratulations on what seems to have been a break through shave?