(Slaps link to thread) You Can Fit So Much Wrong In This Journal

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
RazoRock Hawk V3OC
Kai P!nk Mild (5)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: Noxzema face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash, Noxzema
Lather: KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit
Post-shave lather: KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit
Post-shave Noxzema face wash
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid

Applied a pump and a half of KMF to my face (the amount I’d put in my classy bowl), soaked my brush, and got to work. As a neophyte to splaying (technically to all wet shaving practices…), I was psyched to get the lather ready so quickly and the brush held the excess lather for future passes.

First pass, steep ATG. Weeper on upper lip…. Some stragglers on neck and jawline and cheek/sideburn areas not completely cleaned.

Washed face, reapplied Noxzema, and relathered.

Second pass, steep ATG. Chased stragglers on left side of neck. Second weeper.

Blade felt harsh like the Feather in the Tech (Feather DE blades usually don’t feel harsh to me, even when I’m overshaving). I need to ease off on the pressure and maybe stick with soaps and better creams.

The menthol rush was pleasing, but my post-shave feel this morning is more raw than desired.

On to the next!

 

[thombrogan]

4th of July night’s shave:
RazoRock Hawk V3OC
Kai P!nk Mild (6)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid
Equate Aloe Vera Burn Cream w/Lidocaine

So there’s not enough exposure with the Kai Milds to shave as steeply as with a Schick Proline and I only have one of those left and I’m not looking forward to buying a ten-year supply of them off the ‘Bay quite yet. Maybe a 20-pack of Feather Super will do the trick…

Shallow ATG gave a mostly smooth surface. With my lack of skill, I also added the following items to my cart:

Nicks, weepers, razor burn galore.

Binned blade and loaded a stainless Astra in the Tech for next shave.

Happy Birthday, America!

 

[thombrogan]

5th of July night’s shave:
Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech
Astra Stainless (1)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash, Noxzema
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave Noxzema face wash
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid

Thanks, @Avi ! The Astra blade was just what the doctor ordered.

So how did I screw this one up? A nick on my right cheek above my whiskers, a nick on the right side of my throat, and some irritation on the Adam’s apple from too much touch-ups.

First pass, steep WTG. Other than the aforementioned nicks, pretty good.

Washed face, reapplied Noxzema, and didn’t have enough Arko in brush until that was reapplied, too.

Second pass, steep ATG. Upper lip done with steep, XTG pass. Maybe the fat-handled Post-War Tech is made for cap-riding, but this showpiece does the whole “mild, yet efficient” performance when its safety bar is booped.

Washed face, reapplied Noxzema, wrang lather from brush.

Cleanup passes. Jawline and Adam’s apple weren’t clean. Patch on left side of neck was growing a crop of stragglers, too. Got ‘em!

Washed face with Noxzema, rinsed thoroughly in shower, and applied alum. It only stung my Adam’s apple area and nick on cheek.

Even with aforementioned wounding and irritation, this felt much more comfortable than my last two single-edge shaves. I weakly suspect safety bar-booping this razor when it sported the Personna Lab Blue and the Feather would’ve made a hyooj improvement.

Looking forward to many more shaves with the Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech
Astra Stainless (2)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash, Noxzema
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid

No weepers! This shouldn’t be a major accomplishment, but no weepers last night!

First pass, steep WTG. Only shallow enough to feel the blade cutting. A few places lightly gone over more than once.

Rinsed face, reapplied Noxzema and lather and went in for the next pass.

Second pass, steep ATG. Traced jawline and tried following contours of neck before tackling rest of face and neck. Even went ATG on upper lip without incident. !!!

Rinsed face, felt for stubble, reapplied lather that has slid off face, went for a clean-up pass.

Clean-up pass, steep ATG. Sideburn area, left side of neck, Adam’s apple area all attacked with varying degrees of success.

Washed off the Noxzema and Arko and applied the alum. The sting was only on my sideburns. Not my throat at all.

Not BBS, but very comfortable.

My particular Tech seems like it was designed just for me. It’s set to cut best at a steep or nigh-steep angle and it’s tightly clamped close to the edge. Loaded with a Schick Proline or maybe a Feather Super Pro or Vincent PSI VT306B, the RazoRock Hawk V3OC is also nigh-ideal, but I can’t extract smooth, comfortable shaves from it with a 0.2mm stouter Kai P!nk.

Figuring I can now get consistently better shaves out of my Fatip Grande, but this Gillette with a Gillette Astra blade is freaking sweet.

 

[TinyT]

My particular Tech seems like it was designed just for me.

That vintage Gillette magic.

 

[thombrogan]

Back then, they were designed for everyone else. I took Schick from everybody

 

[Esox]

Try the Tech with a fat handle.

Its my favorite of all Gillette handles and the only one I use. Be it a Tech, NEW SC or Old type. I'd try it with the R41, but I know better.

Aint that pretty...

 

[thombrogan]

Try the Tech with a fat handle.

Had been looking at the Post-War fat-handled Techs, but went with what I got on a whim. And spoiled for doing so.

Is the head of the standard Fat/Post different? Dr. Doug informed me not all Post-War Techs are created alike.

I'd try it with the R41, but I know better.

The 10/32” thread is more likely to work with a Fatip. I believe @jmudrick uses a similarly-threaded bronze Karve handle with a Fatip head (and polymer washer for modesty).

Aint that pretty...

Very much so.

 

[Esox]

Is the head of the standard Fat/Post different?

I've used a US Tech from 1958, a British Tech and a Canadian Tech. I kept the Canadian but not sure I could tell any of them apart in a blind test.

 

[thombrogan]

not sure I could tell any of them apart in a blind test.

Are they that similar in behavior or are they so far from what you enjoy in the MMOC and Fatip Grande that their lack of Fatip fabulousness or Micromatic magic diverts your attention from their tactile feel on your whiskers to the knot of despair burgeoning in your soul?

 

[Esox]

Are they that similar in behavior or are they so far from what you enjoy in the MMOC and Fatip Grande that their lack of Fatip fabulousness or Micromatic magic diverts your attention from their tactile feel on your whiskers to the knot of despair burgeoning in your soul?

They're all close enough to the same efficiency level they ceased to matter to me. If I want a Tech like shave now I use my Brit clone or SC instead.

 

[Esox]

Thinking about it, maybe @never-stop-learning can highlight some of the differences between the various Techs. He's used many, including clones.

 

[TinyT]

Aint that pretty...

 

[thombrogan]

If I want a Tech like shave now I use my Brit clone or SC instead.

Open combs for more science?

 

[never-stop-learning]

Thinking about it, maybe @never-stop-learning can highlight some of the differences between the various Techs. He's used many, including clones.

Always happy to assist.

Here is the link to The Tech Clone Wars thread:

The Tech Clone Wars

I have a number of the cheap Tech Clones in route. Should arrive this/next week. When they get here, I'll post my shaving impressions. One that I already have, and have shaved with, is the Black Tiger: If you like the Tech, you will like this razor! Smooth, non-fatigueing. Got a great...

www.badgerandblade.com

I favor Gillette 1930s-1940s-1950s Techs and rate them in (roughly) this order:
Gillette Tech/NEW Hybrid (England)
Gillette #34 Tech (Germany)
Gillette Flat Bottom Tech (England)
Gillette Pre-war (Triangle) and Post-war (Oval) Fat Handle Tech (Canada and USA)
Gillette 1950s #24 Ball Handle Tech (England)

In addition to the stock Fat Handle, I like the TiBam, rusdrunkbear, Timeless TRH6 Ti, RazoRock Halo Ti Titanium handles and the Maggard MR1 and Maggard MR11 stainless handles.

 

[Esox]

Open combs for more science?

This little beauty is near perfection when it comes to mild razors.

The handle is solid and has nice weight. With a Feather blade its 3 passes and one clean up for a 6 hour BBS.

Imagine a Tech with an open comb to increase its efficiency and thats it.

 

[thombrogan]

Thanks, @never-stop-learning ! Those are some smoo operators in your collection.

Imagine a Tech with an open comb to increase its efficiency and thats it.

The cap looks like it’s designed for my nemesis — shallow-angled shaving. In capable hands (important caveat, that adjective), the Yaqi Mellon is even more efficient with its open cap. A gentle lamb with a Feather loaded tightly. A gentle lamb I‘ve goaded mercilessly until it bit back nigh every time.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Fatip Grande
Feather Hi-Stainless (5)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, Noxzema face-wash, cold-water splash
Lather: Nivea Sensitive Shaving Gel extra-runny
Post-shave lather: Nivea Sensitive Shaving Gel extra-runny
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Nivea Sensitive post-shave balm

Skipped a day shaving, so I justified using the Fatip Grande to myself for that reason.

Tried washing face with Noxzema and letting it hang out on my whiskers for about three minutes before washing it off, having a cold water splash, and lathering up with, slick, runny Nivea.

First pass, steep WTG, comfy and fairly close. Modulated pressure and blade exposure with aplomb and it felt like the gentleness of the Astra-loaded Tech enhanced with the soothing comb of the Grande.

Second pass, steep ATG. MoDuLaTeD pReSsUrE wItH aPlOmB… Or not. Lulled self into false sense of competency as first pass was awesome and lather had residual slickness for days.

Weepers aplenty on neck and one under lower lip. None on upper lip, though, so yay that. Alum stung harder than it has in a while. Left it on under after shave and used Nivea Sensitive Post-shave Balm for first time in a while. It was nice. After shave gave me less of a menthol rush than desired.

Next shave, back to the Tech; back to Noxzema under lather; back to ARKO!

 

[Esox]

The cap looks like it’s designed for my nemesis — shallow-angled shaving. In capable hands (important caveat, that adjective), the Yaqi Mellon is even more efficient with its open cap. A gentle lamb with a Feather loaded tightly. A gentle lamb I‘ve goaded mercilessly until it bit back nigh every time.

I use it steep with a lot of pressure. Its a buffing machine that hasnt brought a single drop of blood once in all the time I've used it.

 

[thombrogan]

Tonight’s shave:
Fatip Grande
Feather Hi-Stainless (6)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash, Noxzema
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic acid

Smoother, closer, less damage. Was it the ARKO! ? Was it the thicker than normal layer of Noxzema? Was it better control over the angle? Was it skipping the WTG pass?

The alum stung less and the Snake Bite chilled more. Less stragglers missed, but those left are defiant wires.

Enough distractions. Steep ATG with Tech next time.