Razor: TNNSER @twhite 3D printed creation, Mfg 2020 - excellent midrange, interesting design & works well, light weight, always receive great results. Blade: Gem Personna SS PTFE (1) excellent blade, Very sharp, great longevity, smooths out nicely + predictable. Soap: Speick, nice spicy scent, excellent lather qualities. Brush: Yaqi Moka express 26mm 2 band badger, excellent lather generator, pillow like soft tips, nice scrub + great lather painter. Pre shave: Brush wash whole face with CeraVe hand bar cleanser + a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel on the cleaned beard area. Prep: Cold water rinse after each pass of 2 + pickups. WTG + ATG + pickups. Post shave: Razorock American barber with witch hazel + a dollop of Nivea balm. Results: CCS,DFS,BBS + no irritation + 1 blemish weeper = excellent shave with my 3D printed TNNSER with a coated Gem blade.
Key word: SMOOTH
Today, I used my Blackland Razors Sabre L1 to remove my Wickham Shamrock Tweed and whiskers. Three passes for a DFS shave. The Sabre L1 is so gentle and easy to use, it is a great platform for the first couple of shaves on a new GEM PTFE blade.
OneBlade Genesis / Feather (2nd)
Proraso Green / 30mm Synthetic (Bowl Lathered)
Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic AS Splash (Heavily Mentholated)
Classic Match Red EDT - Add a little lasting scent
Results: Nice, quick morning shave, with some cooling before heading into the warm humid air.
Razor: AutoStrop Valet VC3 (1935-1940?) Gold Wash Blade: Feather Seikan FAS-10 Carbon (8) Brush: Henri et Victoria: Karma (synthetic) 25mm Pre-Shave: Innisfree - Green Tea Foam Cleanser Lather: Henri et Victoria - Deuce Aftershave: Henri et Victoria - Deuce (Splash)
Thanks Carbon…but I have to keep moving on.
Today I had to do some catching up on my free samples that have been building up. I’ve never had anything other than great experiences with Henri et Victoria soaps and aftershaves. For those that don’t like their scents too strong, Deuce is a very mild, gently lemony scent. It sounds weird to say this, but the soap felt really, really soft on my face. Combine that with softness of the H&V synth brush and I could have painted my face for hours. This was the very first synthetic brush I ever purchased, and it’s still one of my very favourites and will always be in my regular rotation.
This Seikan Carbon blade was an unknown quantity, but it has given me eight fine shaves. I somehow thought today it might not pass muster, but it gave me another close smooth shave with no extra fiddling around. Eight is a good number so I’m going to retire the Seikan while I’m ahead and so I can move on to some other untried blades.
Le Blanc Shea Soap Preshave
Hawk v3-A / Feather Pro (14)
Floris Shave Stick / Fine Platinum
Was curious about the newer Hawk. Luckily my normal shave angle worked out well. It appears unlikely to cut skin. Although a mild blade feel, it did a good job wiping away whiskers. Going to try it as my travel razor.
Razor Yaqi Excalibur AC Chrome Head Blade Kai Protouch MG [5]
I can probably get another shave out of it so I'm going to give it another go.
If not then I'll switch to the Feather Pro Supers.
This was my most systematic comparison of my Model 1.0 and 2.0 Shake Sharp . The Model 1.0 I loaded with second use Kai (bottom) and Treet Plat (top). The Model 2.0 I loaded in three different configurations, same twin blades as loaded in the 1.0, single blade Treet, and Treet with a top shim. I made XTG and ATG passes on the side , crown, and back of my head. In no configuration was the 2.0 as smooth or as effective as the Model 1.0, and it wasn't really close.
I have another Model 2.0 on the way to test to see whether results differ.
Today’s shave featured GEM Micromatic Open Comb (MMOC #3) aided by Haslinger Schafmilch lathered with my PAA Solar Flare.
Incredible lather (full disclosure: I loaded way too much soap) it was creamy, dense, slick, and felt awesome during and after the shave. MMOC #3 performed exceptionally well. I finished with Witch Hazel and Mennen Skin Bracer. Great shave.