Nurse Dave's journey

[bahomebrew]

It didn't have the cushion or slickness of what I've been using, but I've also been using a lot of tier one stuff I feel. The shave was a little smoother than the Diane blades, but not nearly as smooth as the SS still.

Lather is so crucial, and lately, I've been really pouring in the water, much less cushion than I'm accustomed to. I have been primarily cycling through Stirling Scot's Pine Sheep and a couple Lisa's Naturals. I'd stick with the one that's giving the best shaves and maybe come back to that Weck when the SS is a lock for awesome shaves. Keep up the good work!

 

[NurseDave]

Lather is so crucial, and lately, I've been really pouring in the water, much less cushion than I'm accustomed to. I have been primarily cycling through Stirling Scot's Pine Sheep and a couple Lisa's Naturals. I'd stick with the one that's giving the best shaves and maybe come back to that Weck when the SS is a lock for awesome shaves. Keep up the good work!

Sage advice, which was my plan. But last minute this morning I had a good feeling about the Weck and decided to go for it with a top notch soap. My lessons and plans only seem to last as long as 10min until the next shave.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #81 (DE:11 SE:27 Str:42 Cart:2)

Weck w/ Personna (2)
Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica
Saponificio Varesino 2.0 High Mountain Manchurian
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Penhaligon's English Fern

Well, I wasn't planning on rushing back to the Weck, but I had a good feeling. Picked out some tier 1 soap and went for it. First two passes were great. Almost BBS on the cheeks after two. And per my usual, a nice BBS on the cheeks after three and DFS on the neck with a lot of residual in one direction I couldn't remove. Again did the 4th pass with a DE to get BBS. If I was smart, I'd skip that 4th pass, my neck doesn't appreciate it.

I think what's happening is I can't remember how I did my 3rd pass on the one BBS straight shave I got. I've been stretching out my neck, but I think I used the double chin technique. Next time my memory is working I'll have to give that another shot.

 

[bahomebrew]

Sage advice, which was my plan. But last minute this morning I had a good feeling about the Weck and decided to go for it with a top notch soap. My lessons and plans only seem to last as long as 10min until the next shave.

LOL! Funny how that works. Good shave!

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #82 (DE:11 SE:28 Str:42 Cart:2)

Asylum "The Doctor" RX w/ Feather Proguard (1)
Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street
Sterling 26mm synthetic pro
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street EdC

To relate my shave today, I'm going to let you in on a little secret my wife and I have.

As is likely common knowledge by now, we are very into wine and go up to Napa 5-6 times a year. Most of those trips are just day trips and we're tasting at wineries a good number of hours. Remember these are big bold, Napa Cabernets for the most part. World class stuff no doubt, but we're also there tasting so we're examining, comparing, rating, etc. After a day of that, we're ready just for something simple and satisfying on a very basic level. Right before we merge onto the highway for the last time before our hour plus ride home, we pull into Jack in the Box and get a big ole Oreo milkshake and usually some fries or onion rings. Just cool, thick, super sweet yumminess you don't have to think about at all.

That's what this shave was. All the thinking about angle and pressure and trying to learn the straights. The lather was one of the most perfect smelling in shave. And when I put The Doctor to my face, the first stroke was just oh so gooooooood. One of those eyes rolling to the back of your head, "oh yessss" kind of moments. This shave was smooth, and close and I just rode the enjoyment all the way though. What a joy this morning was. And so sad that most men view shaving as a chore.



Happy Friday and weekend to my fellow brothers of the blade! Enjoy your shaves!

 

[Tokyospike]

Milkshake as metaphor for shaving . . . I like it.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #83 (DE:11 SE:28 Str:44 Cart:2)

Feather SS w/ Feather Proguard (1)
Barrister and Mann Cheshire
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Barrister and Mann Cheshire AS

Well I couldn’t replicate my last awesome SS shave. Got my usual cheek BBS. On the third pass on my neck I tried the double chin method thinking that’s what I did when I got my BBS. Well, if it was, it didn’t work this time. I really am at a loss as to how to improve my outcomes. I really need a pass down and diagonal going from the angle of my jaw to my Adam’s apple. The straight just won’t do that.

 

[WildWest74]

Caught up on some great shaves, Dave! Nice to see the Doctor make his return.

 

[NurseDave]

Caught up on some great shaves, Dave! Nice to see the Doctor make his return.

Thanks for following along Jim

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #84 (DE:11 SE:29 Str:44 Cart:2)

Asylum "The Doctor" RX w/ Feather Proguard (2)
Sudsy Soapery Citrus and Bay
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Missoni

Sunday's late morning, coffee in the shower type shave. Just something simple to again rehab from scraping off too much skin trying to get the straight BBS shave. I needed it. Things were still a bit sore after this with some stinging going on.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #88 (DE:11 SE:30 Str:44 Cart:2)

Asylum "The Doctor" RX w/ Feather Proguard (3)
L&L Original
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Missoni

Things seem to back to normal skinwise. Just did my three passes and ended next to a BBS, but didn't do the little clean up needed to be nice to my skin. I'm repeating the Missoni EdC because it's really the only peppery type scent I have to go with the spicier soaps. Anyone have another good suggestion to give me some variety?

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #89 (DE:11 SE:30 Str:45 Cart:2)

Feather SS w/ Feather Proguard (2)
L&L Original
SV 70th
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
SV 70th AS

Figured my neck was healed enough to try another straight shave. And I was going to nail it today. How? I dunno. Put I was all about going very slow, watching pressure and angle. I think I discovered that how I'm watching the shave in the mirror, there are times my angle might be getting too big, but I don't see it because I'm looking at the razor straight on and can't see it lifting away. I did better with skin stretching as well. Even when I'm stretching my neck out, I applied a little traction and it seemed to help. I did get a closer shave than my normal straight shaves. Did some neck clean up with the SS. But still just short of a BBS.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #87 (DE:11 SE:31 Str:45 Cart:2)

Asylum "The Doctor" RX w/ Feather Proguard (4)
CBL Russian Tea
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
B&M Cheshire AS

Got my numbering off, fixed it with this shave.

Today's rockin' shave brought to you by The Doctor and CBL Soaps Ltd. Got up a touch late, which has happened a few times since starting CPAP. Which I guess is a good thing, since a full night's sleep was rare before. So I opted for the ole RX slam dunk shave. Which achieved a nice RX level BBS with the slickness from CBL. The soap seems like it's drying out some, but it's just in a ziplock so that probably makes sense. Sucked up a bunch of water which then turned into a nice creamy lather. I thinned it out for the RX and enjoyed a nice, alum sting-free shave.



Had to think of Chad yesterday. Was at my daughter's final basketball game of the season. Now, she's not that athletic and doesn't play other than during the season. So she's on the last of three teams for her grade, but kudos for her just wanting to do it for fun. They had only won one game so far in the season, but she was having the game of her life out of nowhere. No points, but some steals and rebounds. I was thrilled just watching her actually being engaged and doing well.

THEN, there was a cherry on top. The coach from the other team was one of those that just ran his mouth con-stant-ly through the whole game telling his girls what to do as though they are actually paying attention. His team had whooped us at their school a few weeks ago, but they were behind like 10-0 at the half and his comments had turned somewhat negative to the game play of his girls. Now, this is only 6th grade. There is no championship, no play-offs. It truly is just for fun. But he was starting to lose his cool. I guess he said something to the ref on his side about not calling a foul against us saying his girls were getting mugged out there. Ref T'ed him up. To which he kept running his mouth to the ref, got a 2nd T. The ref he was mouthing off to (I had never seen before) asked the other ref who reffed for us all the time to make him take a seat. Oh man, every one was quiet, but I was busting up inside. And of course, thought I can't wait for more Chad sports stories.

 

[DesB]

I thought I better start my journal while I'm still in the starting phases. What triggered me looking into DE shaving was reading a post that mentioned how slick L&L soap is on a side thread of a wine forum I participate in. Shortly after (but before I found B&B I wrote this article for a general interest website:

At one point in my teen years I somehow acquired one of those gifty shaving kits you might see on display around Father’s day in Sears: a holder for the razor, a cup for the soap, a soap brush and a cake of shaving soap. I thought that, if nothing else, using it would certainly raise the cool factor of my shaving a few notches. Heck, I might even get a better shave using what seemed like the official shaving gear of the old grizzled shaving veteran. This was prior to the days of youtube, mind you, so I engaged in a little experimentation and then gave up, because I couldn’t get any lather. It was worse than the plain bar soap and basic razor I’d been using.

Over the years, my experience with shaving was all variations on that theme. I’d try a shaving cream here and there, but find the results were no better than basic soap. I’d buy razors that had more and more blades along with a higher and higher cost, but see only minor improvements in the outcome. I did figure out that the battery-powered vibrating 5-bladed version did better with heavy growth--plus, what guy can say no adding power to something? But still, for decades I shaved every other day and my neck would be raw. To save money, I also didn’t change my razor cartridge as often as I should have.

Cut to the 2010s, and suddenly I noticed stores catering exclusively to the “art of shaving” popping up in malls like old fashioned shaving brushes were the next buttered pretzel. Department stores started carrying celebrity lines of shaving creams and oils and soaps and lotions. I’m no fool; I wasn’t buying into it. Trends do not equal value. The guy with a beard that’s much too big for his face and groomed to the point of silliness turns me off. He’s just waiting for me to ask about the overly graphic designed products in his store, so he can let me know just how out of touch with HIS world I am.

Until… one day I’m reading a thread about shaving in a totally unrelated forum--procrastination makes you do odd things--and I see someone mention a shaving soap that is slicker than anything they’ve ever used. Ok, let me tell you, these guys are the well-heeled adult equivalent of “da ****”. They are mostly professionals or retired professionals that engage in several sophisticated pursuits. So maybe if it’s worth their time, it’s just possibly worth it. After all this time maybe I can find a way to shave that won’t leave me worrying about my shirt collar rubbing against a raw neck.

As I read, I realized these guys are as deep into shaving as you can be. They’re discussing what blade they use for what type of shave. The lathering abilities of various soaps. Handle shapes and weights for their brushes, which themselves of course can be made out of different types of hairs which, if you’re serious, you’ll have an opinion on. Long story not any shorter: I ordered the soap. Just kidding! It took me six attempts to order the soap, because it’s “artisanal,” and made in “small batches,” which are almost always “sold out,” as the kids say.

The soap finally ordered, I did the one thing that I knew would make the biggest difference between this attempt and those of my younger years: I pulled up youtube. I watched countless men showing how to create a lather. By the time I felt I understood soap, I’d become intrigued by the safety razors everyone seemed to use. Safety razors led to different types of brushes, and then the vast variety of blades for safety razors. Then I watched a video of why the 2017 Acura NSX is better than you think, and then more middle aged men shaving in front of the camera and providing commentary on their experience.

By the time the soap arrived, I was more than ready.

The soap was good. It took a couple of shaves to get down making a good lather without having soap hit the mirror, and I’m definitely going to want to upgrade from the little plastic ice cream bowl I stole from the kitchen, but making a lot of good lather is now a piece of cake. Putting the lather on has become a routine in itself. The brush I’ve chosen is just stiff enough to provide a good scratch and exfoliation.(1) I don’t just slap it on anymore, I spend a little time with my mini facial.

Then I shave. From the videos I learned that I should be applying very light pressure. In the past when I felt like I was missing some whiskers I would push a little harder. So now I need to remind myself to let the blade do the work. I also learned about mapping the hair growth. For many men, facial hair doesn’t grow in the same direction on the cheeks as it does on the sides of the neck and the jaw line. The 1st pass with the razor should be in the direction of the hair growth in each area, not necessarily just down. For me that is down on the cheeks. Then down and back at a 45 degree angle on most of my neck. And lastly straight back at the far edges of my neck.

Before going back and shaving in a different direction to get that close shave, I apply more lather. To get the closest shave I’ll do another pass across the hair grain, re-apply the lather and finish against the grain. In the past, I would just keep shaving with different passes without applying any more soap until the hair was gone. I guess it makes sense that my manly, yet delicate and more sensitive areas, would get raw as I was no doubt scraping away the top layer of skin to get baby butt smooth.

Finally, I give my face a hot/warm rinse, followed by a splash with cold water to close the pores before I apply anything to the face. I use an alcohol free aftershave lotion to rehydrate my skin. And to do the very best for my skin, I apply cologne only to the back of my neck and wrists. You can put it on your chest, wrists, rub through your hair, but I’ve finally learned not to put it on my neck or face to avoid irritating freshly shaved skin. The new routine decreased irritation on my neck, left my skin smoother after shaved, and allowed me for the first time in my life to shave every day.

In for a dime, in for a pound--why not go all the way? Next step is the safety razor. “Safety razor” is just another name for a razor that uses double edged blades; it was called that because prior to the safety razor the only choice was the straight razor. I did my youtube research again and ordered one suggested for beginners. It came with some free blades. I will say I felt some trepidation in putting a safety razor to my face for the first time. You’re controlling the angle, and you have so much edge exposed. But the videos paid off again. My first pass was like butter. I felt none of the pulling that I do with a cartridge razor(2), and at first I was really thinking it wasn’t cutting anything off. But I followed my new rules: short strokes, no pressure, let the razor do the work. Reapply lather, do another pass.

During the shave it felt like a lot of hair was being left behind, but a good half hour later when the dust had settled everything was nice and smooth, with no more soreness on my neck area than after shaving with my cartridge razor. So even without any improvement in the shave, I’m getting the same results with blades that cost ten pennies instead of many dollars. So okay, maybe there is something to this “art of shaving” thing. Now, I’m still not about to buy products from the mall hipster, but I’m thinking there’s still more improvements to come as I experiment with other blades--there’s one that seems highly recommended that I can order from Russia--and as I become more proficient.

In the end, yes the reduced expense, smoothness and decreased skin rawness are important, but there was also something about this experience I wasn’t expecting. A sort of calming quiet time when I’m not just going through a daily chore to get it accomplished, but performing a ritual where I slow down and let things take the time they need. A little calm before the storm of the day, if you will. Maybe in some ways enjoying a tranquil moment in the morning routines makes me feel older. Sure, I wish it hadn’t taken so many years to find my way here, but I’ll take it. Better late than never.

1. Women are not excluded from this, hobby, if you will. In fact some prefer a horsehair brush as it’s the most stiff of the shaving brushes and provides better exfoliation to the legs.
   
   
2. Cartridge razors ARE made to pull hairs. They are designed to pull the hair up so it’s cut below the skin level giving you a smooth shave. Also giving you ingrown hairs and the pain of hair pulling especially when the hair growth is heavy or longer.

Great intro, oh old wise one..

 

[NurseDave]

Great intro, oh old wise one..

LOL, glad you liked it. I'm still a noob compared to many around here.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #88 (DE:11 SE:31 Str:46 Cart:2)

Feather SS w/ Feather Proguard (3)
Stirling Sharp Dressed Man
Custom Shawshank Redemption brush
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
V's Barbershop Tonic

*Ding* *Ding* Straight shave round #46. Let's get it on!

This one turned out to be my best straight shave yet. I incorporated several changes that made a difference.

I think what I mentioned before about making my angle steeper without seeing it was true. I really concentrated on that today. I kept checking my angle and if anything adjusting to too shallow then coming back to correct. As a result I had no alum sting on the cheeks and very minimal on my neck. Better than some DE shaves.

Then, with my RX shave yesterday, I was thinking I'm using the same blade in the RX and the SS so in theory, if it's moved in the same directions at the same angle, I should have the same results? Right?? So I paid a bit more attention to what I was actually doing during my RX shave. I realized with the RX I'm so comfortable I'm taking a lot more strokes per pass than I do with the SS. I'll do a lot of short strokes to remove most of the hair in that direction, then cover the area again in strokes that go half the total distance of the pass, then end with strokes that cover the whole length of the pass. Of course, all with the weight of a feather. With the SS I was making probably 1/4 of the strokes. So I tried to better duplicate the RX strokes. This resulted in a very nice cheeks BBS without any clean-up at all.

Lastly is the @(#$*)@*$# neck. In describing what passes I take to solved my neck problems with a DE/SE to @DesB, it made me look at what I was doing with the straight again. I really needed to figure out how to get my last pass that is N-S to get some forward angle to it. This resulted in what I would like to call the No Look 30 Degree Double Chin pass. Or as Dave would put it, the NL3DDC. I have the razor unfolded into a straight line, have the scales pointed up to the ceiling, and my arm bent up around in front of my face. This results in not being able to see a thing related to my neck or the razor, but I was able to get a vertically downward pass that's slightly angled forward. All I know is without all the straight shaves under my belt this no-lookie cross your fingers thing would not have been possible.

Long story short, I thought this would be it. Finally a total straight BBS with no clean-up. Nope, just the slightest of whiskers left for a DFS+. But, upon dry down and another check at work, I'm BBS now. So it all depends on when the official grade of BBS is made. But getting this close without alum sting was many steps forward.

And briefly, my soap choice was made because I remembered this tonic and wanted to use it. To me it just smells like a man that shaved. Not the complex, rich scents that are my favorite to experience through the day. This one just tells people, I'm a man, and that's right, I just had an awesome shave.

 

[DesB]

2018 shave #82 (DE:11 SE:28 Str:42 Cart:2)

Asylum "The Doctor" RX w/ Feather Proguard (1)
Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street
Sterling 26mm synthetic pro
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street EdC

To relate my shave today, I'm going to let you in on a little secret my wife and I have.

As is likely common knowledge by now, we are very into wine and go up to Napa 5-6 times a year. Most of those trips are just day trips and we're tasting at wineries a good number of hours. Remember these are big bold, Napa Cabernets for the most part. World class stuff no doubt, but we're also there tasting so we're examining, comparing, rating, etc. After a day of that, we're ready just for something simple and satisfying on a very basic level. Right before we merge onto the highway for the last time before our hour plus ride home, we pull into Jack in the Box and get a big ole Oreo milkshake and usually some fries or onion rings. Just cool, thick, super sweet yumminess you don't have to think about at all.

That's what this shave was. All the thinking about angle and pressure and trying to learn the straights. The lather was one of the most perfect smelling in shave. And when I put The Doctor to my face, the first stroke was just oh so gooooooood. One of those eyes rolling to the back of your head, "oh yessss" kind of moments. This shave was smooth, and close and I just rode the enjoyment all the way though. What a joy this morning was. And so sad that most men view shaving as a chore.



Happy Friday and weekend to my fellow brothers of the blade! Enjoy your shaves!

Jack in the box sounds brilliant. I’m a great man for a good red myself, especially Rioja.

Was in CA in 2007 & had my own personal journey visiting the scenes of that great wine movie Sideways. Went on a tasting to Firestone winery & had a fantastic meal at the Hitching Post (u need to have seen the movie)

 

[NurseDave]

View attachment 871462

Jack in the box sounds brilliant. I’m a great man for a good red myself, especially Rioja.

Was in CA in 2007 & had my own personal journey visiting the scenes of that great wine movie Sideways. Went on a tasting to Firestone winery & had a fantastic meal at the Hitching Post (u need to have seen the movie)

Very cool. I did see the movie, but my memory for such things is terrible. I'll have to go back to watch it again.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #89 (DE:11 SE:31 Str:47 Cart:2)

Feather SS w/ Feather Proguard (4)
GTB
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
GTB AS
GTB EdP

Happy GTB Friday my brothers of the blade!!

Decided to pull out the ole Captain's Choice bowl for old-time's sake. I haven't used this since I got my copper mug. Mosly because the mug won't fit in my drawer so it's just out and ready to use.

I was torn between getting a nice RX shave and not tempting fate with riding my SS success or seeing if I can duplicate it. I manned up, and went for it. First two passes went as usual, though now I'm getting some super close BBS on the cheeks with all the stretching and extra strokes. I'm going go to say it's all their fault, but I did have a weeper on my neck in the 2nd pass, and noticed that Rich's safety cats were no where around. Luckily that cleared itself up prior to the last pass.

Pass #3 as mind blowing and progress producing as yesterday. I know I wasn't using the exact same angle, because my arm at no point was directly in front of my eyes. I did get some forward direction to my downward strokes, but I just couldn't figure out what the heck I had done yesterday. DFS+ in the end. Better than last week, but still have a few errant hairs. Not patches, more like one here, one there.



In even better news, this is my last day of work for a week! Wife and I will be off to Maui on Sunday for 5 days. No space limitations really, so I'll be bringing any little shaving thing I want to use. Looking forward to relaxed, late morning shaves next week!

Also, a few weeks ago I was taking a wine certification class. My test came back and I passed with Merit! Super happy because the test was much harder than the practice tests we could use. I am now WSET Level 2 certified.

 

[NurseDave]

2018 shave #90 (DE:12 SE:31 Str:47 Cart:2)

Merkur 38c w/ Israeli Personna (3)
L&L After the Rain
Plisson synthetic in 24mm Shave Revolution handle
Witch Hazel & alum
Nivea balm
C.O. Bigelow Lime Coriander

A 2nd shave today? Why? Well, just for fun