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- #561
I've been enjoying a mid-day refresh of my aftershaves. I didn't realize just how dry my skin gets in winter. A quick splash of Lucky Tiger followed by whatever ASB I am using that day is a small delight.
Rusty Blades Wet Shaving Journey
- Thread starter Rusty Blade
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- #562
Update on my 10 year shave purchase sabbatical. To refresh memories -- my goal is to not buy anything until I use up what I currently have in my den. This includes everything from soap, aftershaves, blades, moustache wax (can you believe I have at least 8 tins of various kinds of wax), preshaves, etc. I am estimating I have at least 10 years of soaps and creams before I need to buy anything new. I'm not sure they will last that long.
Essential items, like moustache wax will only be purchased once I have used up what I currently have in stock.
Since January 1 I have finished the following: A 1/3 full tub of T&H Ultimate Comfort shave cream, one bottle of Lucky Tiger AS Splash (On Jan 1 it was 1/4 full), one tin of Fisticuffs moustache wax, and one jar of Proraso white preshave cream (it was about 1/4 full on Jan. 1) and a bottle of Henri et Victoria unscented aftershave balm (it was approx 1/3 full on Jan 1). Nice to see some progress. I still have a long way to go. Currently working my way through a partial puck of SV 70th Anniversary soap.
Essential items, like moustache wax will only be purchased once I have used up what I currently have in stock.
Since January 1 I have finished the following: A 1/3 full tub of T&H Ultimate Comfort shave cream, one bottle of Lucky Tiger AS Splash (On Jan 1 it was 1/4 full), one tin of Fisticuffs moustache wax, and one jar of Proraso white preshave cream (it was about 1/4 full on Jan. 1) and a bottle of Henri et Victoria unscented aftershave balm (it was approx 1/3 full on Jan 1). Nice to see some progress. I still have a long way to go. Currently working my way through a partial puck of SV 70th Anniversary soap.
Great progress, keep up the great work!
Eric; M, Karve Diem, BOSC
Eric; M, Karve Diem, BOSC
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- #564
Yesterday, to my great surprise and delight, the leadership of B&B invited me to be an Ambassador. Of course I said yes. I am looking forward to promoting and supporting the ongoing growth and development of B&B.
Well deserved! Congratulations!
- Karve Diem, M. BOSC
- Karve Diem, M. BOSC
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- #566
Thanks for the kind words.
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- #567
Some of you who follow the Shave of the Week Society (SWS) know that I am embarking on a "use a different razor every week until I get bored'. A bit of fun to pass away the long winter doldrums. This week I am using The Razorock Eco with an Astra SP blade. Now, I have to say at the outset, I was not a big fan of the Eco when it first arrived. I couldn't seem to find the sweet spot and had trouble finding a good blade to pair with the razor. It ended up in my razor drawer after a few frustrating shaves.
When I was searching for my first razor to use in my SWS 'different razor every week' I went to my razor drawer and the Eco just seemed to jump into my hands. And I decided to pair it with an Astra SP because it is one of my old reliable blades that seems to work in every razor. And I must say, I am pleased. For some reason, the Eco's sweet spot came quickly and I have been getting wonderful shaves...super close. Go figure. I guess the lesson here is, never say never.
When I was searching for my first razor to use in my SWS 'different razor every week' I went to my razor drawer and the Eco just seemed to jump into my hands. And I decided to pair it with an Astra SP because it is one of my old reliable blades that seems to work in every razor. And I must say, I am pleased. For some reason, the Eco's sweet spot came quickly and I have been getting wonderful shaves...super close. Go figure. I guess the lesson here is, never say never.
Great post, Rusty, and I find it similar to my recent experiences, too. I have recently gotten some very good shaves with a blade I'd given up on, and actually PIF'D 6 tucks; a pleasant surprise. And I raved about the Christopher Bradley Karve razor, about how I got better shaves than with my Slim. Well, for the past 4 days I've been getting outstanding shares with my Slim! The only thing different is me. I think my overall technique has improved, which I figured I had down a year ago. Don't know if that makes any sense but it is the only explanation I can come up with. No magic blade or mythical razor, just another year of experience, improving my technique without me consciously striving to improve.
You hit the nail on the head, never say never!
Eric; M, Karve Diem, BOSC
You hit the nail on the head, never say never!
Eric; M, Karve Diem, BOSC
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- #569
Practice makes perfect. The more experienced we get generally the easier it is to switch among different products. One of the biggest jumps for me was using a straight razor. Once I had that technique down it was easy to go back and pick up any DE or SE razor and get a good shave.
I must dig out a Merkur blade and give that a try again. It is the one blade that has never worked for me...and I have tried every year or so without success. Who knows...maybe the next time it will work for me.
btw...I really enjoy a Slim. That was my go-to razor for the longest time. I prefer a Slim more than a Fatboy.
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- #570
Okay. I give up. I have a problem. This week I went to the local Winners store and of course checked out the men's grooming stuff...just to see if anything interesting came in. And sure enough I found a tub of Rockwell Barbershop scented shave cream and a very nice Rockwell synthetic brush. I couldn't say no. Despite my commitment to not buy any new shave products I had a major crash and gave in. Both very inexpensive and the scent of the Barbershop cream was really nice. And then it hit me. I can't just use one soap until its gone. I don't know how those 3017 guys do it. They are like the marathon runners of the shaving world. I am more of a 5K kind of guy.
I crave variety in my soaps. You have to understand I was a Williams user for 40+ years. I did the loyalty thing. And when I hit B&B and the explosion of wonderful shaving products, the Williams was put on the shelf. (I do use it now and again for old times sake). I tried, I really tried, but it just won't work -- one soap until its gone is really hard. I love SV as a soap. A wonderful lather, great scent. But I also really enjoy many of my other soaps and creams. I thought about it and if I only use one soap until its gone then there are some that I won't get to use for 5 or more years. And that just won't do. So, this week, I re-enter the world of one soap or cream for a week. Shave of the Week Society (SWS) is where I belong. There, I said it. Done. I'm back and I'm here to stay.
I crave variety in my soaps. You have to understand I was a Williams user for 40+ years. I did the loyalty thing. And when I hit B&B and the explosion of wonderful shaving products, the Williams was put on the shelf. (I do use it now and again for old times sake). I tried, I really tried, but it just won't work -- one soap until its gone is really hard. I love SV as a soap. A wonderful lather, great scent. But I also really enjoy many of my other soaps and creams. I thought about it and if I only use one soap until its gone then there are some that I won't get to use for 5 or more years. And that just won't do. So, this week, I re-enter the world of one soap or cream for a week. Shave of the Week Society (SWS) is where I belong. There, I said it. Done. I'm back and I'm here to stay.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I stuck with one thing for years too. Haven't been shaving as long as you though, only 30 years. After two years of being on this forum and trying different stuff, I've been driven back to wanting just one thing again. Even if it's just for a few months. So I'm back to using Mitchell's, and I'm trying to rediscover my old rhythm again. It's been a few weeks, and I still don't feel settled yet.
I have a box of unopened soap samples - not a huge box, only 10 or so - but haven't been tempted to open any of them. No doubt I will at some point, and they're there for when I do, but for now I just want to rediscover that feeling of total understanding of one product. No thought required, no hesitation, no "it didn't look like that yesterday". Just pick up the gear and let it happen, instead of having to make it happen.
I have a box of unopened soap samples - not a huge box, only 10 or so - but haven't been tempted to open any of them. No doubt I will at some point, and they're there for when I do, but for now I just want to rediscover that feeling of total understanding of one product. No thought required, no hesitation, no "it didn't look like that yesterday". Just pick up the gear and let it happen, instead of having to make it happen.
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- #572
MWF is such a great soap. If ever I had to live with just one it would be Mitchells.
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- #573
I recently revisited the Razorock Eco half DE blade, single edge razor. First, I give full credit to Razorock for coming up with a SE razor that uses a half DE blade. Brilliant to have such a wide choice of blades.
I was determined to dial it in for a good shave. When I purchased it a while back I had moderate success with the Eco after some experimenting with different blades. I just couldn't seem to get a smooth clean shave with it. It ended up in the tote box with all the others. My recent foray into the Eco proved to be more successful.
I did my usual prep -- Proraso preshave cream. My blade choice was a Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge. I had a really nice, close and smooth shave. The difference? Good prep, a great blade and a very light pressure. I plan to try this razor again this week one day and will use the blades that came with the razor -- Crown.
The take away messages -- 1) never say never, 2) good prep is important, 3) Good blades do make a difference, 4) The problem is rarely with the razor and more with the user, 5) practice makes perfect. 6) with an aggressive SE razor light pressure is essential.
I was determined to dial it in for a good shave. When I purchased it a while back I had moderate success with the Eco after some experimenting with different blades. I just couldn't seem to get a smooth clean shave with it. It ended up in the tote box with all the others. My recent foray into the Eco proved to be more successful.
I did my usual prep -- Proraso preshave cream. My blade choice was a Gillette 7 O'clock Sharp Edge. I had a really nice, close and smooth shave. The difference? Good prep, a great blade and a very light pressure. I plan to try this razor again this week one day and will use the blades that came with the razor -- Crown.
The take away messages -- 1) never say never, 2) good prep is important, 3) Good blades do make a difference, 4) The problem is rarely with the razor and more with the user, 5) practice makes perfect. 6) with an aggressive SE razor light pressure is essential.
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- #574
When will I ever learn? This morning I decided to shave with the Eco again and this time I used a Crown blade. The purchase of the Eco came with 100 Crown blades. My first impression of the blades was...second tier blade. Nice packaging, but not very good. Tuggy, edgy, and not my cup of tea as they say. They were banished to the blade box never to emerge again.
Well, once again I get to backtrack and eat my words. I have discovered the Crown is a fine blade. I did my usual prep and once again, I used light pressure and I received a very fine shave. Not a nick or weeper, no tugginess and no sense of edginess. Just a very clean, close shave.
The takeaway lesson is: if you buy a new razor and/or blade after the first two tries you feel like taking a hammer to it, and it is a waste of money, put it away for a while, let it mellow like a fine wine and then try again. You may be surprised to learn two things: how much your technique has improved and how a good shave depends more on the person, not the gear.
Now...I am hoping Italian Barber will issue the Eco in stainless. Aluminium is okay...just okay, but a stainless razor would be very special indeed.
Well, once again I get to backtrack and eat my words. I have discovered the Crown is a fine blade. I did my usual prep and once again, I used light pressure and I received a very fine shave. Not a nick or weeper, no tugginess and no sense of edginess. Just a very clean, close shave.
The takeaway lesson is: if you buy a new razor and/or blade after the first two tries you feel like taking a hammer to it, and it is a waste of money, put it away for a while, let it mellow like a fine wine and then try again. You may be surprised to learn two things: how much your technique has improved and how a good shave depends more on the person, not the gear.
Now...I am hoping Italian Barber will issue the Eco in stainless. Aluminium is okay...just okay, but a stainless razor would be very special indeed.
Being a newbie here, I definitely could learn from these take away messages. Thank you!
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- #576
I've been at this shaving thing for around 45 years...and as you can tell from my recent Eco and Crown blade experience I continue to learn something new every day.
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- #577
My DR Harris Sandalwood shave stick arrived yesterday. It was an interesting experience. It reminded me of years ago when I didn't have a shave brush I would rub the Williams soap puck on my face and work in a lather with my fingers. I can see the benefit of a shave stick for travel. Compact and clean. I like it. I want more.
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- #578
I often read in the newbie posts of experiencing razor burn from going against the grain. Now, I know this is a YMMV thing, but I dont understand (and I have never understood) the need for an against the grain pass. Some time ago I did an experiment and spent a week doing three pass shaves and the ATG pass was always a source of trouble for me. And it didnt seem necessary because I could get a BBS shave in two passes. And it left my face feeling uncomfortable. Smooth, but uncomfortable.
Yet I sense that many newbies feel they have to do a 3 pass shave to demonstrate they are now full members of the wet shaving community. When I counsel new shavers I always tell them one or two passes is all that is necessary - WTG AND XTG only. Skip the ATG pass and save yourself a lot of trouble.
My barbershop has 4 very experienced old school barbers and I asked them their opinion of the ATG pass and they all agreed it was not necessary and indeed it was likely to cause more problems than it solved. Hard on the skin they say.
Most days I do a one pass WTG shave with a bit of buffing on the usual spots and walk away with a really close, comfortable shave with no irritation. But that's just me. YMMV.
Yet I sense that many newbies feel they have to do a 3 pass shave to demonstrate they are now full members of the wet shaving community. When I counsel new shavers I always tell them one or two passes is all that is necessary - WTG AND XTG only. Skip the ATG pass and save yourself a lot of trouble.
My barbershop has 4 very experienced old school barbers and I asked them their opinion of the ATG pass and they all agreed it was not necessary and indeed it was likely to cause more problems than it solved. Hard on the skin they say.
Most days I do a one pass WTG shave with a bit of buffing on the usual spots and walk away with a really close, comfortable shave with no irritation. But that's just me. YMMV.
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- #579
I just read through the last few entries of my journal and I can't believe how the world has changed...all in the blink of an eye. My family and I are all in a self-imposed lock down, keeping our physical distance from others. We chat on the front lawn with neighbours all with a good distance between us. On our morning walks we see others and we always greet them with a smile and give each other a wide distance when we pass. Everyone seems to be in the same boat. We are all trying to cope with the situation. We have lots of food and toilet paper (sheesh...what happened there?). Somehow we are all managing. I hope everyone who reads this is in a safe place. I give thanks to all the essential service people out there keeping the supply chains open, and first responders, and all the health personnel working hard for our benefit. We are so fortunate.
I have limited my news media consumption. It is just too dismal and I realize there is so little I can do to change things. It is easy to become disheartened. I am heeding advice of the public health people -- stay home.
During this time of uncertainty my morning shaves have taken on a new meaning for me. In this crazy world my morning shave is a place of reprieve, my bathroom a sanctuary. I have abandoned my Shave of the Week kit and am enjoying mixing and matching my hardware and software on a daily basis. I find I am taking more time to choose my razor, blade, brush and soap and pre and post shave products. I organize them the night before and in the morning I am in my happy place as I take my good old time for a leisurely shave. The world will just have to wait while I shave with some wonderfully fragrant soaps. I realize it is such a small thing to shave -- it is part of our daily routine -- but in this time of the pandemic I find it is providing me with so much more than a smooth face. It is a small thing I can do to bring some order to my life. It gives me pleasure and provides me with peace of mind if only for a short time.
I have limited my news media consumption. It is just too dismal and I realize there is so little I can do to change things. It is easy to become disheartened. I am heeding advice of the public health people -- stay home.
During this time of uncertainty my morning shaves have taken on a new meaning for me. In this crazy world my morning shave is a place of reprieve, my bathroom a sanctuary. I have abandoned my Shave of the Week kit and am enjoying mixing and matching my hardware and software on a daily basis. I find I am taking more time to choose my razor, blade, brush and soap and pre and post shave products. I organize them the night before and in the morning I am in my happy place as I take my good old time for a leisurely shave. The world will just have to wait while I shave with some wonderfully fragrant soaps. I realize it is such a small thing to shave -- it is part of our daily routine -- but in this time of the pandemic I find it is providing me with so much more than a smooth face. It is a small thing I can do to bring some order to my life. It gives me pleasure and provides me with peace of mind if only for a short time.
- Thread starter
- #580
This morning I dug deep into the Rusty Blade shave den vault and found a tube of Proraso white. So I thought, why not, let's do this.
Pre: Proraso white preshave
Razor: EJ 3one6
Blade: Tiger
Brush: Omega boar
Soap: Proraso white cream
Post: Lucky Tiger, Henri et Victoria unscented ASB followed by a dab of DR Harris Aftershave Milk, rose scented.
And now I am ready to face the world. Or more accurately another day of self imposed quarantine in my house. But after a shave like that I can tell it's going to be a good day!
Pre: Proraso white preshave
Razor: EJ 3one6
Blade: Tiger
Brush: Omega boar
Soap: Proraso white cream
Post: Lucky Tiger, Henri et Victoria unscented ASB followed by a dab of DR Harris Aftershave Milk, rose scented.
And now I am ready to face the world. Or more accurately another day of self imposed quarantine in my house. But after a shave like that I can tell it's going to be a good day!
