Participation PIF - The Unobtainium Polsilver Super Stainless

[Mike M]

Blade#2 shave#7 Polsilver Unobtainium

Razor: Muhle R41
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: Cella
Brush: Yaqi Evil Zebra

Tonight's shave was a spur of the moment shave, I picked the gear whilst I was in the shower. I haven't used the Cella in a while despite it being my second oldest soap and on my 3017 list so I decided to give it a go. The brush I chose to match the colour of the soap. The razor hasn't been used recently either so I just fancied bringing it for a day out.
Despite the low pricetag Cella is an excellent performing soap especially if you like the smell of marzipan, or Christmas cake. I like my lather a bit pasty so I load quite a bit. As usual Cella was slick and with the aggressivness of the R41 I got yet another easy BBS with this blade. That is a good record with a blade on its seventh use that hasn't shown a sign of deterioration yet.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-second shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Blue Marble 26mm Timber Wolf
Soap: Tabac Shaving Soap (Non-Tallow)

A quick, comfortable shave with no post-shave irritation.

The FOCS/Polsilver Stainless duo delivered another fine shave, today. All three passes were smooth and trouble-free. The minor tugging episode is a distant memory now.

Obviously, this blade has caught its second wind. However, I'm not sure that it will carry me to another 50-use performance. We'll see how far it will go before it suffers a decline bad enough to make me toss it!

 

[tehnothing]

OCtober 6th

I really get my best shaves with this razor skipping a day. I'd shave twice a day if I could though. Shave 11 on blade two still going strong. BBS on face, DFS+ on neck swirls and jawline. One day I'll get smooth in those areas too. Maybe. It was a great shave.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-second shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Fine Stout 24mm Angel Hair
Soap: RazoRock Green Label

Still smooth and comfortable.

All three of my usual passes were trouble-free, although I needed a few extra buffing strokes after the XTG pass, today. Otherwise, no issues and no post-shave irritation.

We're now two-thirds of the way to 50 uses. I said earlier that I wasn't going to take this blade to 50 like I did with the first blade. However, this second blade has been smoother and more consistent than the first blade was at the same point in its lifespan. I'll take it day by day to see if I'll continue using it.

Who knows? Maybe it'll go belly-up all of sudden, tomorrow. (Highly unlikely! )

 

[Mike M]

Blade#2 shave#8 Polsilver Unobtainium

No picture tonight, too tired

Razor: Rockwell 6C R5
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: SV 70th Anniversary
Brush: Trafalgar T3

Tonight's shave was another Excellent SV shave. This time I used 70th Anniversary just because it gives the best shaves for me. The lather is always slick and well cushioned and when applied with the T3 feels and smells amazing. Using the Rockwell again on plate 5 my favourite razor made shaving tonight a pure joy. It is shaves like this that make me want to forget 3017ing stuff and just enjoy using my favourite soaps for the rest of my days.
I don't think I will surprise anyone when I say I managed a BBS in just 3 passes.

 

[ImJustMe]

Today, I was quite at myself as I wanted to take the picture for my sotd, but there was an unidentified object on my razor and the blade that I wanted to remove and I accidentally put my finger nail on one side of the DE blade accidentally and it left quite a dent in one of the two edge. So much so that I can clearly felt it when doing my palm strop. So I'll have a closer look at what it feel on the next few shaves.

Today was close to a great shave, despitethe ding I made on one of the two edges!

Ariana & Evans - So Cal Hypster (Soap & Splash)
Game changer - 0.68
Polsilver vintage 11th use
Razorock 400 synthetic
Thayer's Cucumber
Ariana & Evans Post-shave Serum Unscented

 

[cwright]

Polsilver Stainless (10), all else the same as usual, no drama DFS, close to the end, not quite as close as a few shaves back without extra buffing. Over double use than other DE blades.

 

[hairless wonder]

Last night, I had shave #28 with blade #2 of the Polisilver Stainless Steel blades. The blade was held in place with a Fendrihan Kingston razor head on a West Coast Shaving 79BR handle.

I used Tabac (Tallow) shaving soap and made my lather just about right. It was rich and creamy with plenty of slickness cushioned. I managed to get a nice irritation free BBS shave.

Prior to the shave, I showered with cold water and also used cold water to soak my Semogue Owners Club cherry wood handle finest badger brush. Additionally, I poured a 1/2tsp of cold tap water on top of the soap. I'm curious if I should cut back even more to just a couple drops or even not bloom the Tabac at all. I may do that with my next couple of shaves.

After the bloom water turned filmy with soap, I squeezed my brush to remove some water, picked up the soap puck in one hand, and dumped the bloom water into an empty yogurt cup. Next, I swirled my brush across the top of the soap for a minute before scooping up all the protolather still on the puck and transferring it to the shaving bowl where I began to swirl my brush while gradually adding some of the bloom water (along with more cold tap water) to make my lather. When my lather was good to go, I applied a little of the bloom water to my face by hand before each lather pass.

I did my usual two pass (WTG and ATG) shave and buffed my trouble areas. I wound up not feeling the blade as much as I had with the last shave. Overall, the shave was really smooth.

I finished up my shave with my usual alum block pass before washing it off and applying aftershave splash (Aqua Velva) and aftershave balm (Duke Cannon After Shave Balm). Again, I felt no real sting from the alum block and only the barest hint of a sting from the alcohol in the splash. I did, however, enjoy the reinvigorating menthol blasts from both the splash and the balm.

I'm pretty sure that if I continue making my Tabac lather like this, I can make it to 30 shaves with this blade.

All in all, I would give this shave a 98/100.

 

[tehnothing]

King C. Gillette beard and face wash
Timeless Bronze OC
Wizamet Polsilver Stainless (12)
FS 26mm Manchurian
B&M Reserve Fern soap and splash
Alum
Witch Hazel
Nivea Sensitive Balm + Hyaluronic Acid

Great shave. Best I have ever had on my neck. Twelth shave for the unobtainium blade and still smooth.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-fourth shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Purple 24mm Mink
Soap: Tabac Shaving Soap Stick (Tallow)

[In my last post, I wrote that it was my 32nd shave on this blade. Actually, it was my 33rd. So, this is the 34th. Just mentioning that in case anybody wondered why there was a sudden jump. ]

Okay, so I don't mean to sound like a broken record, but...

The FOCS/Polsilver Stainless pairing continues to deliver quick, comfortable shaves. Efficiency has gone down slightly, but a few extra strokes here and there still resulted in excellent closeness with no irritation afterwards.

The ATG pass is still not causing any trouble. Some of you may recall that the first blade displayed some minor roughness during the ATG pass at this point in its lifespan. So far, this second blade has been more consistent, overall.

On to shave 35!

 

[Mike M]

Blade#2 Shave#9 Polsilver Unobtainium blade

No picture

Razor: Fatip piccolo
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: Proraso green tub
Brush: Yaqi Moka-Express 26mm 2 band badger

This Proraso soap is my current 3017 product and I usually use the Moka-Express as, besides being a good brush it uses a lot of soap, great for a 3017. Plenty of quality lather from this brush along with that tingly feeling.
I did notice that the blade felt not quite as sharp as previously, but with this razor there was no problem getting through the stubble. On my face it managed a BBS, but on the neck only a BBS- but still enjoyable.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-fifth shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Maggard 18mm Timber Wolf, Travel-Size
Soap: RazoRock Blue Label

An early morning shave with the FOCS/Polsilver Stainless duo equals a 3-minute BBS.

I had an early meeting, so I had to get ready at the crack of dawn. Considering that I had shaved, yesterday, at nearly 3 pm, my beard didn't have that much time to grow. Therefore, today's shave was extremely quick.

Without much growth, the effort expended was very low and the comfort level was very high. I didn't have to bother with buffing because I basically had a BBS partway through my second pass (the ATG pass). My skin was already as smooth as glass, but I performed the XTG pass out of habit. Really, all I managed to do was squeegee the lather off of my face.

So, another close, comfy shave is in the books. Looking forward to many more!

 

[Mike M]

Blade#2 shave#10 Polsilver Unobtainium

Razor: Muhle R41
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: Tabac Stick
Brush: Yaqi black Ferrari

Tonight I went with Tabac, another soap I haven't used in a while. In all honesty I had forgotten just how slick it is and it came as a bit of a surprise. The R41 is a little aggressive, but I found that Tabac really tamed this razor. Although I am not the biggest fan of the Tabac scent the performance was just out of this world. I really enjoyed this shave and I'll be looking forward to using it again the result was a near BBS, but it doesn't matter because it is more about the enjoyment for me.

 

[tehnothing]

SOC-OCtober 8th

Timeless Bronze OC
Wizamet Polsilver Stainless (13)
SOC Boar Cherry
Fine Lavender Pour Homme soap/splash
Alum
Witch Hazel
Nivea Sensitive Balm + Hyaluronic Acid

CCS quick shave.



SOC-OCtober 9th

A&E Slick Stick
SOC Finest Badger Ash Wood
Timeless Bronze OC
Wizamet Polsilver Stainless (14)
B&M Hallows Soap & Splash + Frag
Captain's Choice Copper Bowl
Alum
Witch Hazel
B&M Hallows Balm + Hyaluronic Acid

DFS+

Great shave. Neck is really good in places, but, could have had better touch ups. Unobtainium blade still going strong. 14 was it for the first blade. This second is still going strong. Will see how it does tomorrow in the New De Luxe Criterion.

 

[hairless wonder]

Last night, I had shave #29 with blade #2 of the vintage Polisilver Stainless Steel blades. The blade was held in place with a Fatip Originale Piccolo Nichelato. This was my first time trying a Fatip OC razor.

I used Tabac (tallow) shaving soap and made my lather just right. It was rich and creamy with plenty of slickness and cushion. I managed to get a nice irritation free BBS shave.

Prior to the shave, I showered with cold water and also used cold water to soak my Semogue Owners Club cherry wood handle finest badger brush. Additionally, I poured about a 1/2tsp of cold tap water on top of the soap. I really think, for my next shave, I'll cut back even more to just a couple drops of water (or maybe not even bloom the Tabac at all).

After the bloom water turned filmy with soap, I shook my brush to remove some water, picked up the soap puck in one hand, and dumped the bloom water into an empty yogurt cup. Next, I swirled my brush across the top of the soap for a minute before scooping up all the protolather still on the puck and transferring it to the shaving bowl where I began to swirl my brush while gradually adding some of the bloom water (along with more cold tap water) to make my lather. After my lather was shave-ready, I applied a little of the bloom water to my face by hand before each lather pass.

I did my usual two pass (WTG and ATG) shave and barely buffed my trouble areas. I wound up feeling the blade only when I held the razor at a steep angle (i.e., past neutral). By riding the cap and maintaining a shallow angle, the shave was extremely smooth.

I cleaned up my shave with my usual alum block pass before washing it off and applying aftershave splash (Stirling Spice) and aftershave balm (Nivea Men Sensitive Soothing Post Shave Balm). I barely felt the alum block at all. In fact, I wound up making multiple passes with the alum block just to make sure I actually applied the alum block and didn't miss anything. The shave was that smooth! Still, I did feel the some sting from the alcohol in the splash, however.

Here's the craziest part, thanks to the Fatip, the blade felt newer. When I did feel the blade on my face, it felt as if it were back on shave 5 or 6, not shave 29! I'm, now, not only sure I can reach shave 30 with this blade, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I reached shave 60 with it!

All in all, I would give this shave a 99/100. (Once again, I'm tempted to give a shave an 100/100!)

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-sixth shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Yaqi Black Marble 24mm Silvertip Badger
Soap: Pré de Provence No. 63

Much more effort needed, today, but that was expected.

As noted yesterday, I had to shave early in the morning. Then, today, I shaved at my usual time in the early afternoon. With about 35 hours in between, my beard was fairly heavy. Despite that, my three usual passes were completely trouble-free.

I was a bit worried about the ATG pass, but it went by in a breeze. Even with a moderate amount of buffing, there was no discomfort or sensitivity.

In the end, I enjoyed another close, comfortable shave with no post-shave irritation.

 

[Mike M]

Blade#2 shave#11 Polsilver Unobtainium

No picture

Razor: Fatip piccolo
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: Haslinger schaffmilch
Brush: Evil Zebra

For tonight's shave I went for the Fatip as I find it a more comfortable razor than the R41 though still quite aggressive. I always enjoy using it so much so that it is one of my top 3 razors. As for my choice of soap Haslinger is a great soap and if you load well gives the sort of thick pasty lather I like.
The shave itself was very good, but I noticed that even with the Fatip the finish was a DFS so I think the blade is showing signs of reaching the end of its life.
I will give it another go tomorrow night.

 

[tehnothing]

View attachment 1343126

OCtober 10th

FS Manchurian 26mm
Old Spice uber lather
Captain's Choice Copper Bowl
New De Luxe Criterion
Wizamet Polsilver Stainless (15)
Alum
Witch Hazel
Nivea Sensitive Balm + Hyaluronic Acid
Shulton Old Spice

DFS+ hardly any stubble in a few places on my neck and soul patch. Damn near BBS. Great first run on the New De Luxe. Paired well with the unobtainium blade. Blade 2 is still not slowing down. Just a really great shave. The uber lather was a good idea. Improved the on the old spice shave and added some residual slickness. I got my best old spice lather yet.

 

[Demolition]

Thirty-seventh shave with the Polsilver Stainless (Vintage) blade #2

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale (aka FOCS)
Brush: Simpson Special S1 Best Badger
Soap: RazoRock Gold Label

A very smooth, comfortable outing, today.

With only 24 hours of beard growth to contend with, the FOCS/Polsilver Stainless duo had no problem providing another quick and trouble-free shave. My three usual passes were completed with no issues. No buffing was needed, today. In the end, there was no post-shave irritation.

Just another routine stop on the road to 50 shaves.

 

[Mike M]

Blade#2 Shave#12 Polsilver Unobtainium

Razor: Yaqi Slant
Blade: Polsilver Unobtainium
Soap: MWF
Brush: Yaqi 26mm Moka-Express 2 band badger
Tonight's shave I decided to go all out. Started with MWF, the king of slick. The razor was the Yaqi Slant, my most aggressive razor.
Having had a DFS last night with the Fatip piccolo I went more aggressive and with my slickest soap to give the blade the best possible chance tonight. It succeeded for the first 2 passes, but for the final ATG pass I found it tuggy and uncomfortable on my neck and under my nose.
I had to break out the Nivea shave Balm to soothe some irritation. So unfortunately I am binning this blade after 12 shaves, but 12 is still a good number. All in all an impressive blade, but not as good for me as Personna Platinum.
Thanks to @Grundi and @Space_Cadet for this highly enjoyable and appreciated PIF.