My Search For Smooth

[TinyT]

Shave 7

Made in England Tech
Gillette 7.00 Yellow (8)
Semogue 1438
Proraso Red

There was a burst water main on our road today. When I filled the sink, it was very cloudy with minerals. I didn't like it, but it would have to do. It seemed strange visually because since I've been cold water shaving it has been crystal clear.

I don't know if it played any part but tonights shave was mediocre. First off, my lather wasn't quite right, not enough product and it was a little bit airy on my face, a bit like whisked egg whites. Each addition of water failed to improve it.
First pass, wtg and the smoothness wasn't great from the right ear onwards. There was considerable tugging below and around my bottom lip, the first time I've had that using the Tech. My initial response was that the previous outings in the Merkur hadn't served the blade well but then this was the 8th time out for the 7.00 yellow. I steepened the angle considerably for the left side of my face, better. I had to relather my neck, then finished off the pass. The irritation around my lips was more noticeable tonight, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to carry on using this soap for. The scent's nice enough to encourage me.

Second pass, wtg and the lather was thin. Way too thin actually, and not the kind that has great slickness. There was hardly any soap left in the brush. I took a deep breath and carried on. There was some friction, it felt a bit like shaving with plain water. I was careful not use too much pressure and it was surprisingly comfortable. No tugging anywhere, even with some direct ATG shaving in my far right corner jaw, below the ear and along my neck where north meets south. I had to relather my neck again and this time the brush was completely emptied. I rinsed off and towelled dry.

It may have been comfortable but it wasn't the most effective shave. I was left with two small stubble patches at my lower edge front jaw, left and right. The rest could've been better, but not bad considering. No post shave irritation though, nor any nicks or weepers. I shouldn't be so careless with my lather and won't be next time. It's nice to know that I can shave with so little; no soap wastage at all today.

 

[TinyT]

Welcome to the journal section. I'll be following along.

Your mention of Gillette Green. I think they're the smoothest blades I've used but they dont cut well for me. My skin likes them, my hair composition does not. They dont tug but I cant get a really close shave with them. With very nearly the same smoothness level is Gillette Yellow which cut much better for me and Perma-Sharp Super that cut very well for me. Gillette Blacks are right there in regards to smoothness too.

Feather blades are starting to fall into a category of their own for me. I struggled with them for over a year with several different soaps, Stirling, Proraso, Tabac etc. and in every razor I used them in, even a Tech. The harshness was less in a Tech than any other razor but still present. Then I ordered Pre de Provence No.63 and my eyes opened. On my first shave with PdP the harshness I always felt was gone. Gone.





That opened my eyes to trying other soaps. With my top soaps/creams now PdP, Wickham 1912, CRS, and WK along with the use of Feathers in my Grande it's gotten to the point lately where I've been thinking of buying them in bulk and only using Feather blades in my DE's and no others. The downside is, I only get two shaves per blade in my Grande and the first shave is clearly the better of the two.

The bottom line for me in all of that is, my top soaps are all great for my skin. They make my skin very supple as I'm shaving and that suppleness is what tamed the harshness I felt Feather blades.




Its physics. Newtons Third Law states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Apply that to how a DE blade behaves as it's cutting. A more rigidly held blade is a more stable blade. A more stable blade is a smoother blade. Its also much more complex than that when you factor in design geometries of various different designs.

A more rigidly held blade can also be more unforgiving. "The Planer Effect" as I call it. Just like a wood plane, a rigid razor can plane off any high spots.

An example of that is below;



Using a razor that has gap will warn you before planing off any high spots. You can feel the tension of your skin in the gap increase and you'll naturally slow down or stop your stroke. A less rigidly held blade will do the same. With a rigidly held blade and very little to no gap, there is no warning.

This is another good thread if you havent seen it yet.

The Great Rigid Blade Experiment - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/the-great-rigid-blade-experiment.530031/

This is very good and helpful information, thanks. I'll read it more carefully tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

The 7 O'clock green was the only blade that I could really get on with to any degree in the Merkur, although the Astra SP I did find to be very good and sharp also. They're both great in the Tech. I do want to try a Feather and will include some in my next blade order, along with Gillette Nacets, Platinums or Silver Blues, maybe Personna and a few others.

Soaps I really want to explore, and I haven't used a cream yet. Apart from some of the cheaper brands like Palmolive and Proraso I want to try samples first, it seems I may have an issue with one or two fragrances. Shave dash, Maggards and Connaught (in the County next to me) all do them so that won't be a problem. I'll include a few when I make an order from Connaught in the next month or so.

The Great Rigid Blade Experiment thread is a new one for me so I'll bookmark it, thanks.

 

[Esox]

When I was testing blades I used a single Polsilver for 20 shaves straight over 5 weeks. Every shave was done ATG first pass. On the 20th shave that blade was the smoothest blade I've yet used but I got bored with it and started testing a Gillette Yellow.

That Yellow went 9 shaves but was really finished at 7. It started to tug just slightly on shave 7 but I gave it two more to see if it would get better, it didnt.

You might add a tuck of Perma-Sharp Super, they're a great blade. As smooth as the 7 O'Clock series and very sharp. They also last a long time, I lost count at 18 shaves but used it a while longer. Connaught carries them.

Connaught also has what I've found to be the best shave creams, Cyril R. Salter. Top shelf performance, large 165g (5.8oz) tubs that last a long time, the best scent profiles I've smelled and low cost. CRS outperformed Castle Forbes and Trumpers creams when I used them.

A very good, inexpensive and typically easy to find cream, is this one.

It's made in Germany and it performs very well. It has very little scent. I always keep a tube around. I can buy it on sale for $3.50CAD here at any drug store.

My #1 performing soap is Wickham 1912, also from Connaught. I have three so far and all are fantastic. CRS is right on its heels in performance.

 

[TinyT]

That opened my eyes to trying other soaps. With my top soaps/creams now PdP, Wickham 1912, CRS, and WK along with the use of Feathers in my Grande it's gotten to the point lately where I've been thinking of buying them in bulk and only using Feather blades in my DE's and no others. The downside is, I only get two shaves per blade in my Grande and the first shave is clearly the better of the two.

The bottom line for me in all of that is, my top soaps are all great for my skin. They make my skin very supple as I'm shaving and that suppleness is what tamed the harshness I felt Feather blades.

I was thinking a little bit more about your post today. My first half-decent shave happened when I managed to get a good, useable lather. For me, that turned out to be one that is quite runny yet slick. I don't even mind if there are a few bubbles in it. Ever since then I've been convinced that getting the lather right is one of the most important components of a good shave, second only to a well supported blade. Your experience with the R41 and PdP would seem to support this view.

If I find that I can only get 2 shaves out of a Feather that would be a big negative for me. I started reading the excalibur thread a while before joining B&B and blade longevity is of special interest to me. Less than double figures would be unlikely to satisfy me. I've been looking at a few SE razors. I suppose after discovering the joys of blade rigidity that was inevitable. The price of the Feather Pro and Kai Captain blades really puts me off though. The Gems look like better value and I like the look of the vintage Gem and Ever Ready razors too. Something to think about for the future.

A more rigidly held blade can also be more unforgiving. "The Planer Effect" as I call it. Just like a wood plane, a rigid razor can plane off any high spots.

I've had something similar occur, even with the Merkur and Bic disposables. If I curl my bottom lip over my teeth to keep the skin taught on my lower lip, I would get sore spots and the odd weeper there. It's also my most sensitive area so now I just drop my jaw a fraction but keep my mouth closed. This means that I have to adjust the angle of cutting but no more spore spots or weepers.

I examined the skin below my bottom lip and when I curl my lip back over my teeth, tiny raised bumps appear at the base of each hair, like goose bumps but much smaller. They may be almost microscopic but they're prominent enough for a razor blade to slice off, causing the weepers and sore spots. I try to be very careful with skin stretching, in fact, I try to avoid it where possible so as to avoid ingrown hairs. Some stretching on the neck is unavoidable.

Its physics. Newtons Third Law states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

This called to mind a very good read.

It's not a shaving manual, though it sounds a bit like one, lol. I found it when I was looking for something similar to GRRM's Game of Thrones books. I've ended up preferring this. The characters are more cynical, grumpier, nastier and funnier and it is very well written. Each of Joe Abercrombies books seem to get better and better and he is good at writing interesting, strong female characters as well. He gave a brief interview in a program by Andrew Marr called 'Sleuths, Spies and Sorcerers', where he explains how he tries to find new things to say in the genre. Andrew Marr does a very good job of proving that this kind of writing is in no way inferior to so called 'serious' fiction.

 

[TinyT]

You might add a tuck of Perma-Sharp Super, they're a great blade. As smooth as the 7 O'Clock series and very sharp. They also last a long time, I lost count at 18 shaves but used it a while longer. Connaught carries them.

I have a tuck of these, a blade is currently in my rotation with maybe 5 or 6 shaves on it. My first use I was underwhelmed but that was with the 34C and 3 days of stubble. It got better with every shave after. I expect to like it a lot in the Tech and Lupo.

CRS is right on its heels in performance.

Wow, that good! I already have CRS mentally noted for my Connaught order, along with TOBS, Wickhams and Phoenix and Beau. Phoenix and Beau are local to me and inspired by the location and history of the area. They are well regarded too.

I'll add Nivea to my mental list as well.

The next few months are shaping up to be very interesting.

 

[Esox]

I prefer my lather thin and slick. I know its right when it runs down my razor slowly.

I have enough DE blades to last me several years so I'm not really worried about how long they last. I get 10 shaves from a GEM PTFE, consistently.

If you want to try a GEM, pick up a Bullet Tip. Loaded with PTFE blades its as efficient as my Grande while being milder and more gentle on my skin. I really enjoy mine. Its one of four razors still on my shelf, all the rest are put away.

Skin stretching is part of an individuals technique. I stretch a lot in some areas and little in others. Under my chin for example, shaving N>S ATG, I go over it first with my skin very tight, but to BBS the same area I need to go back over it with my skin relaxed, buffing.

The face of the chin can be a difficult spot. The skin is thinner there so a gentle touch is needed. It takes time to understand all the things that go into a good shave. Once you do it becomes muscle memory.

Ingrown hairs can be a sign of a worn blade fracturing the hair instead of cleanly cutting it. I think I've had maybe 3 or 4 in the last two years. My last was with a PTFE blade on, I think, its 12th shave. Now I change then at 10 and havent had one since.

I prefer Feather and Gillette Yellow in my Tech and my Brit clone Old Type. It shaves just like you might think an OC Tech would in regards to comfort, but its more efficient.

I found CRS so good in fact that between it and Wickham I'm really not looking for "better" anymore. P&B is almost as good as CRS and the scent of my P&B Iceni is fantastic.

PdP is also top shelf and, honestly, I have a hard time picking between PdP, CRS and Wickham. All are great soaps. I let mood and scent decide.

PdP is quad milled and very hard. I could barely load it when it was new with my Omega boar and didnt even try to load it with my badger. My synthetic loads it in half the time of my boar. It smells faintly of Sandalwood and lemon to me. Its a very light lather that looks pearlescent under the LED lights in my bathroom. If you like slickness over cushion its a very nice soap and smells great.

 

[TinyT]

Shave 8

Made in England Tech
Gillette 7.00 Yellow (9)
Semogue 1438
Proraso Red

The water is back to normal after the burst pipe and I had crystal clear, cold water to shave with again.

I loaded for a little longer tonight, 30 - 45 seconds and took a little more time at the face lather stage. I still enjoy each dip of cold water. First pass, wtg, right ear and I kept a shallow angle and used pressure, trying to get the best from the blade. No discomfort at all but harder work as I approached the right side of my jaw. No tugging but it was far from effortless as I shaved my sensitive lower lip. The left side of my face, as always, was much easier. My neck shaved especially well first pass and as I rinsed off I pondered the possibility that my face is being conditioned to tolerate this soap.

I lathered up for the second pass with a very thin lather much like the last shave, but this time it looked like there was a bit more slickness. It was probably too thin after I added a bit more water. The first stroke was easy, I still used pressure and was glad about that when I went over the edge of my right jawliine with the second long stroke, as I both felt and heard the stubble being removed. My upper and lower lip were tingling unpleasantly by this time. So much for my face training theory. The shave itself was comfortable though, I had to relather my neck (it took literally a second, I don't why this used to annoy me so much) which I shaved without issue, hardly noticing the north meets south ATG section. I rinsed off. The cold water felt nice on my irritated upper and lower lip area.

After towelling off, I checked in the mirror as I was cleaning up the sink, I detected a bit of post shave irritation, presumably from the soap. I had a few little red dots, right side upper jaw area about 1 inch from my mouth (too much pressure most likely) but nothing visible on my upper or lower lip. I had poorly shaved an area at my far left lower jaw, beneath the ear and also at the top of my right side neck. The post shave irritation lasted no longer than a minute or two and had completely stopped by the time I left the bathroom. I've just checked in the mirror again (it's been about half an hour since I shaved) and all visible signs of irritation have gone. My face feels fine too, close enough, but I missed a couple hairs on the sharp left side of my adams apple that I didn't notice earlier. No nicks or weepers, a touch of dryness left side of my face.

The smell of the Proraso Red is really nice post shave and I hope not all sandalwood soaps affect my skin the same way. I'll have to try another one to find out.

 

[Esox]

The smell of the Proraso Red is really nice post shave and I hope not all sandalwood soaps affect my skin the same way. I'll have to try another one to find out.

I found Proraso Red strong. I gave my tub to my nephew and replaced it with CRS Indian Sandalwood.

 

[TinyT]

I found Proraso Red strong.

No kidding, every time I open the bathroom cabinet it smacks me in the face. I wasn't keen when I first got it and had a sniff from the tub but I have to say it's grown on me. Still far too much mid shave, but I like it for the several hours after.

I have a tub of Rasozero Spiffero that quite frankly smells like toilet cleaner. It irritates the hell out of my skin too. Even so, I'll probably air it out for a week and give it another try at some point. I hate giving up on anything.

 

[Esox]

No kidding, every time I open the bathroom cabinet it smacks me in the face. I wasn't keen when I first got it and had a sniff from the tub but I have to say it's grown on me. Still far too much mid shave, but I like it for the several hours after.

I have a tub of Rasozero Spiffero that quite frankly smells like toilet cleaner. It irritates the hell out of my skin too. Even so, I'll probably air it out for a week and give it another try at some point. I hate giving up on anything.

I can smell CRS Sandalwood hours later. Its more like a pure Sandalwood and non tiring despite its strength.

 

[TinyT]

Shave 9

Made in England Tech
Perma-Sharp (8)
Semogue 1438
Proraso White

I did!

I've never shaved fully clothed before, it just didn't seem practical before now. For one thing, I always used to be quite a messy shaver. Second, my stubble starts just above the hollow in my neck. Thirdly, I would often get a runny, lathery trickle down my chest that needed to be towelled off. Much has changed.

I had to dip the brush twice as I loaded the soap, Proraso is thirsty. I spent very little time in the bowl, 15 seconds tops. It was a very strange experience to be lathering with a T-shirt on at first but I quickly appreciated the benefit. It helped me focus my movements, restricting me to quite a small area. I was really concentrating on the consistency of the lather and it's placement. I dipped 4 times and ended up with a lather that was stable yet wet. The brush was packed with soap.

First pass, wtg, and the first stroke from right ear to jawline was effortless. This blade is far nicer than the 7.00 yellow was at this many shaves. It just got better as I worked my way inwards, no tugging anywhere, not even under my lower lip. I rinsed the razor off and shaved the left side of my face and moustache in a minute or so. The neck was a lot of fun to shave. Having the neckline of my T-shirt in my field of vision was a real novelty and I happily noticed that as I shaved the direct atg north meets south section, no water had trickled anywhere. I rinsed off.

Pass 2, and I simply spread the lather from the brush on my face, no swirling, painting strokes or slapping whatsoever. I spotted a couple of small bubbles on my upper lip but I wasn't worried in the least. First stroke, wtg again and it was smooth enough to make me think that with my favourite blades and soaps I could easily be shaving XTG for my second passes. I will, soon enough, but I'm in no hurry. I nearly had a mishap on my chin. I was sliding the razor over the front edge of my chin, mouth closed but jaw dropped when I suddenly closed it with the razor still on my face. The blade snagged for a second as my chin moved in the opposite direction to the razor but I got away with it. The Tech must be the forgiving type. I finished the rest of the pass without incident, the lather staying wet to the end. I rinsed off, towelled dry, finished with a splash of fresh cold water and patted dry.

I was surprised to see that I'd missed a few hairs to the left of my adams apple and there was a rough patch on the left hand side of my moustache. Now, as I write this I realise that this was a blade on it's eighth shave. My technique needs to be very precise and I'm not that good yet. I was also surprised to see a little bit of redness, right side upper jaw, left neck and I could feel a little irritation as well. Despite this, it was still a very enjoyable shave and the Perma-Sharp blade is very sharp and very smooth. I've been using the Proraso Red for a couple of weeks now and I believe that my skin always takes a few shaves to become accustomed to soaps, even those that I really like. And I do like the Proraso white now that I've worked out how to get the best from it. No dryness at all.

Shaving while dressed is not as easy as it sounds, but has uses beyond speed and convenience. It was one of my quicker shaves though.

 

[Esox]

My lather is just right when it drips onto my chest lol.

 

[TFAshaver]

Recently I have gone the other way with my lathers. Much more wet to the point of being runny. I find it very slick and helpful with longer blade usage. 18 shaves in on a Bic Chrome Platinum right now. 19 in the morning.

I have been trying to hypermile blades to see if it helps my technique. So far so good.

 

[TinyT]

I have been trying to hypermile blades to see if it helps my technique. So far so good.

Extending blade life as a means of improving technique makes perfect sense to me. I've been doing it since I stated DE shaving in a way, no blade, not even the Shark has been binned before at least 8 shaves. Once I settle on my favourites a long run is on the cards.

Recently I have gone the other way with my lathers. Much more wet to the point of being runny. I find it very slick and helpful with longer blade usage.

The lather for my last shave was a happy medium, stable but hydrated. The interesting thing was that it didn't dry out on my neck second pass, something which frequently happens with my normal runnier lathers. Maybe I just got lucky.

If runnier lathers prove to give me better shaves in the long run then the t-shirt will be coming off again for sure.

 

[TinyT]

Shave 10

Made in England Tech
Perma-Sharp (9)
Semogue 1438
Proraso Red

Earlier today I read some recent remarks in Jim's (@Chan Eil Whiskers ) Damn Comfortable Shave on the subject of warm water vs cold. It got me thinking.

I haven't used anything other than cold water since discovering the Tech so I decided to give the conventional hot water a go. Not body or room temperature, not boiling hot either, just moderately hot. Comfortably so.

The first thing I noticed was that the brush absorbed the water from the small bowl more easily. Loading was easier too. And lathering. The brush felt softer on my face. As I cleaned off my lips I realised I'd forgotten the benefits hot/warm water brings to the table.

First pass, wtg, right ear, and I worked inwards toward my mouth quickly and without effort. A bit of tugging lower lip and I steepened the angle as I shaved the left front corner of my jaw. I tried to maintain a steeper angle for the rest of the pass. It felt no less smooth than with a shallow angle. Maybe the steep angle shavers are onto something. I rinsed off, slighty missing the cold water I've become accustomed to. There was more stubble left than usual.

For the second pass the lather was back to being the very thin kind that I'm used to and I staretd to notice the first mild irritation from the soap. WTG once more, I reverted to a shallow angle and light pressure, and I used short, rapid strokes on my lower lip with some instinctive buffing at the front edge of my chin. I paid more attention to my neck tonight and the ease with which I was able to tackle the direct ATG, north meets south section testified to the softening quality of hot water. My south to north neck whiskers are my toughest. Dark, thick and wiry, laying flat to the skin. I did a minor touch up at the right and left corners of my mouth and my far left corner jaw below the ear. I rinsed off, still missing the refreshing sensation of cold water and I was really looking forward to the final cold water rinse as I patted dry.

I squeezed the remaining soap from the brush, pulled the plug, splashed my face with cold water and dried off. My face felt good. I looked in the mirror and saw no redness at all. I felt no post shave irritation either. Not even that freshly shaved feeling. As I cleared up I glanced in the mirror again and spotted a tiny nick by the right corner of my mouth. I neither felt nor saw it earlier. I put a small dab of vaseline on it and the same for a small non shave related blemish above my upper right lip.

There may have been mild mid shave irritation from the Proraso red but todays post shave is the best I've had yet, surpassing Proraso white. If I wasn't a perfect shave seeker I'd probably be completely happy with this soap. I have a slight rough patch at the front left face of my chin but otherwise a closer shave than any of the cold water ones. The process was less enjoyable than the last shave at the time but the results, and especially the post shave are a big step up.

 

[TinyT]

Shave 11

Made in England Tech
Merkur Super (5)
Semogue 1438
Cella


Todays shave was an AM shave - sometime after 12.30am that is. And it wasn't without issue.

The Cella was tricky to load. The tub is too small and I just kept getting foam and the more I loaded the more foam I got. When I checked the brush it didn't seem to be getting in between the bristles and what was there was foamy so I carried on loading, gave up in the end and finished up in the bowl.

It was still foamy so I started face lathering. After a minute or so it started to turn fairly nice and slick looking so I added water. Every addition just made it foamy and I had to work to get the thicker, slicker consistency back. The almondy scent didn't appear to be bothering my skin at this point.

First pass, wtg and....


take the strain

This was a tuggy shave, the lower lip and chin especially but all in all not a single stroke of the entire first pass was even close to being smooth. The lather on my neck was bone dry before I'd finished shaving my moustache. I relathered with what was pasty rather than slick but finished the pass anyway. I rinsed off and could feel a fair bit of stubble left but still no irritation from the soap.

Second pass and I've shaved with thin lathers before now but this took the record. I could see my face through it clearly, stubble and everything. I ran a finger down my left cheek. Seemed pretty slick so I figured I'd give it a go. Right side of my face, not bad, I used pressure and was onto my right side chin in a couple of seconds but stopped. The lather had completely dissipated. There was nothing now but just dry, bare skin with a dry soapy residue and I had no choice but to abort.

I dipped the brush, relathered furiously, dumped my bowl in the sink and got my face lathered as quick as possible, adding no water this time. Second pass again, (third pass right side of my face) and it was pretty smooth but it should've been by now. Lower lip and chin and major tugging again. This blade is getting tossed tomorrow. Some areas under the chin it felt like I was dragging the razor through quick set cement. I had to relather my neck again and it was already drying by the time I reached my adams apple. I retouched the north meets south area and shaved directly ATG in both directions before stopping.

As I rinsed off I noticed a touch of irritiation, could've been the soap, could've been the blade, I really coudn't say. In all honesty I'd expected worse. After a cold water splash I checked in the mirror and the shave was not close and I had some redness on my upper lip and right side jaw. There was a rough patch lower left jaw and the 2 small areas beneath my nostrils.

By the time I'd cleaned up and left the bathroom any irritation had subsided. I've just had a quick check in the bathroom mirror and less than an hour since I finished and my face looks pretty good, no redness, and my skin feels fine generally. Maybe my face is getting used to different soaps and with a preferred blade the Cella might be completely useable, if I can figure out how to lather with it.

 

[TinyT]

After yesterdays shave with Cella I've started airing out my tub of TFS Rasozero Spiffero. I'll give it about a week, the same as I did with the Cella. Whether that's what has made the soap more useable for me or not I don't know but I do know that I don't like the smell of the Rasozero at all.

It's still possible that my skin has become more tolerant, that it was the unbroken in brush that was causing the issue or some other reason altogether for the irritation. I still look forward to the day when I can use any soap I like willy nilly. That might be a wish rather than a reality.

Yesterdays shave was also the worst shave I've had in quite a while, and while the process itself was far from smooth and not particularly enjoyable, I ended up with no razor burn and only minimal irritation that was extremely short lived. I guess that's progress.

 

[Esox]

Every shave, good or bad, is progress.

 

[TinyT]

Every shave, good or bad, is progress.

View attachment 1044917

This reminds me of a great quote by Douglas Adams, I think from one of the Dirk Gently novels:

 

[Esox]

View attachment 1044959

This reminds me of a great quote by Douglas Adams, I think from one of the Dirk Gently novels:

View attachment 1044960

I always end up where I need to be, eventually, but when it comes to a method...