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

[thombrogan]

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.

Was better tonight. Still room for improvement, but better.

Have an MMOC and Clog Pruf headed my way.

 

[Esox]

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?

A simple process of elimination will you give you the answer.

This is what I did for each razor I own. I found the best combination for it before moving on to the next, starting over and learning it. The only one I put away after the first shave and didnt use again for months was my MMOC. I just wasnt ready for it but when I decided to learn it, I dedicated myself to it and didnt use anything else until I had learned it.

Constantly changing things up leads to confusion. This is why a Fixed Four for a month is a very wise thing to do, as boring as it may seem. One razor, one type of blade, one soap and one brush. During a months time, you should learn to get the most from that kit.

 

[thombrogan]

This time, will likely keep using ARKO! and Noxzema for pre-shave. Unlike KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit, it’s hard to tire of Arko.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Fatip Grande
Feather Hi-Stainless (7)
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

Buffing. Steep, ATG buffing I did. With the lather just right for such ventures, that’s exactly what I did. The results?



Other than my left sideburn, close shave everywhere. Alum still less painful than two shaves ago.

Regrettably, I binned the Feather and stole the Astra Stainless for the Tech instead of accepting the challenge. Might move it back to the Tech and get better with it while awaiting receipt of the GEM razors and big ol’ box of PTFE-coated GEM blades (Nature’s Voskhods) and a Fixed Four worth waiting for.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech
Astra Stainless (3)
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

Steep ATG start to finish. Chased BBS. Didn’t get it. Alum stung, but the aforementioned combo; steep ATG start to finish plus chasing BBS; guaranteed it. Even still, comfortable before and after the alum. No weepers.

Through what must be witchery, the safety bar feels more comfortable than the Fatip Grande’s comb.

Should be getting the GEMs around Tuesday. Will see about setting up which blade and razor joins the Maggards synth and ARKO! in a Fixed Four.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech
Astra Stainless (4)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: face-wash, hot shower, cold-water splash, Noxzema
Lather: KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit plus Aveeno Therapeutic Gel
Post-shave lather: KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit plus Aveeno Therapeutic Gel
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid

My memories of mixing those creams was of a slightly fluffier lather. The runny, only-aerated-to-opacity glop I made last night worked great, though.

First pass, steep ATG. Finished pass, rinsed face, felt for whiskers and found them. Rinsed, reapplied Noxzema and relathered.

Second pass, steep ATG mostly neck jawline, but also sideburns. Rinsed, reapplied Noxzema, relathered.

Clean up pass mostly near Adam’s apple. Steep, ATG.

Blade felt noticeable on chin, but fine everywhere else.

Noticed tiniest amount of whiskers escaped complete annihilation under left jawline when washing off post-shave lather.

Alum stung, but less than night before. Going through reapplication of Noxzema and lather seemed to help slightly save me from me.

Another session without weepers, but upper lip a little tender and grateful to only be subjected to a single pass.

Whiskers grew back quicker than desired from the previous shave. Perhaps that’s the trade-off of a comfortable razor with a seemingly fast learning curve?

As I‘m on my last Schick Proline blade in the Hawk V3OC and the choices are a one year supply for $22usd plus shipping or a ten year supply for $131usd shipped, I’m hoping the MMOC/MMCP duo let me shave every other day without resembling Scruffy McScrufferton like the Hawk V3OC can.

 

[thombrogan]

Prep - Noxzema, Hot towel*, lather, Hot towel*, Proraso Green Pre-Shave

Stealing for adaptation. Just swapping out the Proraso Green for more Noxzema

 

[Esox]

Whiskers grew back quicker than desired from the previous shave. Perhaps that’s the trade-off of a comfortable razor with a seemingly fast learning curve?

Thats been my experience. The longest BBS I've had with a Tech was 8 hours. Normally its 6. My Brit clone is the same, 6-8 hours.

 

[thombrogan]

That’s a tradeoff. On the one hand, I like shaving every day, so wish granted, but I shave right before bed.

MMOC and MMCP got here a day early, so the wait for the PTFE-coated GEM blades just got worse.

 

[Esox]

I share your pain. Even though one of mine is in Canada, Canada Post still doesnt recognize the tracking number.

 

[thombrogan]

Brutal. Do you still have PTFE-coated GEMaroonis or did your Micromatic well run dry?

 

[Esox]

Brutal. Do you still have PTFE-coated GEMaroonis or did your Micromatic well run dry?

I have 32 PTFE's left, well, 31 and a 1/2 lol. I have 5 shaves on the one in my MMOC. They last pretty well at 10 shaves a piece but combined with DE shaving and all the DE blades I have and will soon have more of, they'll last a lot longer.

 

[thombrogan]

At every 2-3 days with your MMOC and every other day with your Fatip+fresh Feather, the GEMs from the Thames and @TinyT ’s great blades from The Great Lakes State might catch you before you fully resemble Reverend Billy F. Gibbons.

 

[Esox]

At every 2-3 days with your MMOC and every other day with your Fatip+fresh Feather, the GEMs from the Thames and @TinyT ’s great blades from The Great Lakes State might catch you before you fully resemble Reverend Billy F. Gibbons.

I suspect they will, if not I have a decent knife collection haha.

In two passes, with either my Grande or MMOC, I'd have a 12-14 hour BBS. The will to grow it however, I'm severely lacking haha.

 

[thombrogan]

My Pop’s beard is like that. I’d rather be as clean shaven as technique allows. Okay, moreso.

 

[thombrogan]

Last night’s shave:
Gillette Thin-handled Post-War Tech
Astra Stainless (5)
Maggards 30mm Synthetic Brush
Pre-shave: hot shower, cold-water splash, KMF Pomegranate Grapefruit hand-lathered and left on for about 3 minutes, cold-water face-wash, Noxzema
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite
Post-shave alum block
Hyaluronic Acid

The success of last night’s shave is owed to an old Gillette tip shared by @Ad Astra : a lather just staying on the face for about three minutes before the main lather and shaving.

First pass, steep ATG with restrained gusto. Used very gentle buffing on top lip. Got most everything. Rinsed face/neck, reapplied Noxzema, relathered.

Second pass, steep ATG over a smaller area mostly neck and jawline. Rinsed, reapplied Noxzema, relathered.

Clean up pass, steep ATG on wee bits e’erywhere with Adam’s apple getting lion’s share of effort. Rinsed face, reapplied Noxzema, and squeezed remaining Arko from bristles for post-shave lather while cleaning up razor and blade,

Not BBS, but no stragglers and the alum was even gentler while signaling room for improvement without presenting any full on sting.

Damned comfortable shave.

EDIT: Despite last night’s absolute comfort, my face feels a skosh raw and looks gnawed on over entire whisker area with neck and jawline being the most raw. Will see what dropping the Noxzema and keeping the pre-shave lather does.

 

[TinyT]

Thom, how does the Tech compare to the Hawk? Does it feel as rigid? What about smoothness?

I'm keen to find out how the Hawk measures up to the MMOC too.

 

[thombrogan]

The Tech in my possession feels smoother than either Hawk when shaving steeply. When fitted with a Schick Proline P blade, both Hawks are much more efficient than the Tech although I can throw a great, comfortable shave into the ditch at lightning speed.

So, with the caveats of using a Schick Proline P blade and mindful technique, the RazoRock Hawks shave more efficiently and the stubble stays away longer, but - even when I’m scraping away my face to reveal the winning lottery numbers, the Gillette thin-handled Post-War Tech feels like a gentle massage.

The caps of the GEM MMOC and MMCP feel comfortable, but the blades feel as though they were hundreds of miles from here. I expect this to change when I break into my Cremogena Plus for some sort of Fixed Four quest for nigh-basic competence.

 

[Rosseforp]

The Tech in my possession feels smoother than either Hawk when shaving steeply. When fitted with a Schick Proline P blade, both Hawks are much more efficient than the Tech although I can throw a great, comfortable shave into the ditch at lightning speed.

Try a shim.....

 

[thombrogan]

Try a shim.....

If it will help me reduce mauling myself without losing comfort, I’m in!