Over Under Sideways Down - an eternal newbie's journal

[thombrogan]

Applied the exact amount of soap needed to cover 2 passes and some minor touchups - on first try.

Sorcery! Congratulations!

 

[Habemik]

La Toja + face-lathering, Presto + KAI (3)

Growth: five days' worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: hot water + Arko
Razor: Presto (3)
Blade: KAI (3)
Soap: La Toja stick
Brush: Omega - small
Post-shave: Old Spice Captain + water-based moisturizer

Notes:

• I was expecting a mediocre shave, but it seems that prepping with a face wash isn't that much worse than a hot shower and a face scrub. It feels good and looks good.

 

[Habemik]

Growing a moustache: some thoughts and observations + a cleanup shave.

Growth: seven day's worth
Passes: 2 (around goatee area)

Preshave: hot water + Arko
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(1)
Blade: Feather (1)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

Trying to grow a moustache is one of my bi-annual rituals, where I give it a month or so, see whether there's enough density to do anything with it, and then shave it off because when I take off my hat in public places, people put coins in it.

From one week's worth of growth, I'd say that I've got a pretty good chance of putting together a moustache that doesn't require the aid of a sharpie to look natural. The goatee is there to draw attention away from the current sparseness, and will most likely be shaved off later.

About the shave:

There's something about this british travel tech that makes it handle really well, especially when trying to shave outside the lines. It feels just a bit heavier than the bakelites and YUMA, and with more blade feel than R89 and Merkur Bakelite. It's far less muted and docile than expected, and I like it.

 

[Habemik]

Growth: two day's worth
Passes: 2 (around goatee area)

Preshave: hot water face wash
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(2)
Blade: Feather (2)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

Notes:

• Aluminium tech, with its zamak head, feels slightly top-heavy. It's pleasurable to use, but the extra weight seems to require a minor adjustment in the usual way I grip the (light) razors.
• I'll keep the counter going per shave, even though I'd estimate that the amount of hair cut is 1/4 compared to a full shave.

 

[Habemik]

Growth: five day's worth
Passes: 2 (around goatee area)

Preshave: hot water + face wash
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(3)
Blade: Feather (3)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

Notes:

• The hairs aren't prickly yet, but soon it's time to bust out the oil.
• There's something really relaxing about double edge shaving, even if it's done in no-frills manner.

 

[Habemik]

Growing a moustache -> mowing a moustache

Growth: four day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: hot water + face wash
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(4)
Blade: Feather (4)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

Results:

• Dense growth: a triangle on the jaw, moustache section (but not the middle part). Small patches in the 1st 3rd that could be paved over with growth, but noticeable narrowing in others.
• Wider patches: left side, last 3rd of moustache. Right side: a small patch that stubb-ornly grows upwards, also in the last 3rd.
• Hair: quite dark and straight.

I think I'll give it a year or two before trying again. It seems to improve between every try, but isn't quite there yet in the shape/density department. It doesn't quite hit the wider, softer shape that should go better with my face (shape).

To the Future Me: if you're reading this and getting curious about trying again, then start by reading about face shape + moustache style matching. After that, grow some stubble and see whether the growth pattern allows for it. And then go for it.

 

[Habemik]

British travel tech + Feather (5)

Growth: one week's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: hot water + face wash
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(5)
Blade: Feather (5)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

In the city I live in, there's this place that has really comfy chairs. Anyways, I went there on thursday and lost some wisdom teeth. Two, to be exact. This is the first shave after that.

It was a quite pleasant shave, but my skills feel slightly rusty. There's a small but noticeable gap between how I remember shaves going, and how I'm currently doing.

An easy fix, which I'm considering, is putting a fresh KAI into the travel tech, and seeing how it does. One thing to keep in mind with KAI is the angle - stiff blade switches things up with my bakelites (which have a decent curve going), making the razor work differently. In short: KAI might be too stiff for some razors.

 

[Habemik]

British travel tech + Feather (6)

Growth: four day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: shower + face wash
Razor: British aluminium-handled travel tech(6)
Blade: Feather (6)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: water-based moisturizer

I view Arko as a soap that's very easy to dial in and lather. Still, it never ceases to amaze me. I like them on the wet side, and today's lather was quite slick, moist and easy to work with - while looking deceptively transparent on skin.

Travel tech has angles that are slightly different from YUMA, and letting muscle memory take over in XTG isn't all that good. This can be circumvented by deliberate and slow adjustments.

It would be interesting to see how fast I adapt when switching back to YUMA and what issues surface, but that has to wait until I really "get" the travel tech.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (1)

Growth: six day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: face wash
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (1)
Blade: KAI (2)
Soap: Arko - puck
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Small and light razors are fine and all, but using the not-Futur reminded me of why it's fun. At setting 6, there's this constant zing coming from the razor, as it sweeps the hair off my face. There's also a decent amount of blade feel, which made me overly cautious at first.

I've put away the other razors and am going to commit to the combo, alongside some good old Tallowbac.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (2)

Growth: five day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: shower + face scrub
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (2)
Blade: KAI (3)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

The nagging doubt that I wouldn't be able to properly load the brush was unfounded: Tabac rehydrated well and the lather was just as excellent as when it was in daily use.

As for the razor, it's pleasant to use, both in WTG and XTG, even if its shape, size and weight are drastically different from the YUMA. I know how the blade performs at its best, and I've yet to reach it: as with bakelite, hitting the right angle needs mindful adjustments and a bit of experimenting. Going by muscle memory doesn't cut it.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (3)

Growth: five day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: shower + face scrub
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (3)
Blade: KAI (4)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Some notes

• Heavier razor = more aid from gravity on WTG pass.
• Angle still needs some dialing in, but I'm close to it at some spots (left upper lip XTG). I might have to try out the two-hand over-head style I enjoyed in the past.
• KAI didn't come off as a blade that needed some face-stropping before reaching its potential, but the next 6 shaves or so should be in the prime.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (4)

Growth: three day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: shower + face scrub
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (4)
Blade: KAI (5)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Some notes

• Tilting face downwards and putting in some neck work allows me to enjoy gravity's aid even on XTG pass.
• Pressure isn't all that necessary with a heavier razor.
• Extra caution is needed with blade corners, since they're positioned differently from razors with exposed blade tabs. Two small nicks: going by muscle memory just doesn't cut it.
• There are some hand-elbow positions that were fine with the small razors, but somehow end up odd and tense with this one. I'm guessing that the learning curve is steeper than expected, since small and light razors handle quite differently from big and heavy ones.

 

[thombrogan]

I can't believe it's not Futur

Nice one!

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (5)

Growth: five day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: face scrub + La Toja stick
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (5)
Blade: KAI (6)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Some notes

• At times, using a bigger and heavier razor reminds me of switching from a small hatchback to a full-sized station wagon. It just ain't the same in some aspects. It takes time getting used to.
• I'm considering changing up my finger placement. There's quite a bit of instability in some angles, which wasn't as apparent with a smaller razor.
• A switch from "6" to "5" on the adjustable range, as an experiment - when going forward.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (6)

Growth: six day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: face scrub + La Toja stick
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (6)
Blade: KAI (7)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Some notes

• The adjustable likes an angle much closer to horizontal than YUMA and other razors. I've got to keep this in mind and make corrections.
• Found a surprisingly secure and stable grip for XTG.
• A switch from "5" to "4" on the adjustable range - when going forward. There was a slight but noticeable difference in blade feel when dialed down.

 

[Habemik]

Qshave adjustable + KAI (7)

Growth: seven day's worth
Passes: 2 + touchups

Preshave: face scrub + La Toja stick
Razor: I can't believe it's not Futur (7)
Blade: KAI (8)
Soap: Tallowbac
Brush: Omega - small + bowl
Post-shave: OS Captain + water-based moisturizer

Some notes

• Pointer finger close to the bottom plate, the best thumb position yet unknown.
• A switch from "4" to "3" on the adjustable range - when going forward.

Grabbing the razor way up from the usual gives me a sturdy grip, allowing me to perform my strokes with unusual precision and control. I've read about a guy who considers anything longer than the short ball-end travel tech unwieldy, and my muscle memory seems to agree with that.

On the next shave, I'll once again dial it down a notch. I feel like I'm getting close to the ideal setting, if all else stays the same.