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- #1,321
A generous discount at amazon has helped decide on ARKO! as my soap of choice.
(Slaps link to thread) You Can Fit So Much Wrong In This Journal
- Thread starter thombrogan
- Start date
Good meme.
Sounds not too bad a shave at all. A slicker lather has to make a positive difference. Logic says so. My solution to every problem is more soap, more water. It's a simple enough concept that I can grasp it without getting confused. I'll see how it works in a couple of hours, lol.
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- #1,323
I had gotten good at more soap, but forgot to add the most important part.
I tend to hold back quite often. Fear of adding too much water. Nothing ruins a shave for me more than a broken lather.
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- #1,325
Almost all my bowl lathers; including recently; were broken. “Runny with no large bubbles” is only part of the story. My face lathers were better and then I misread stuff from open blade razor users and started using too little water.
Time for me to re-bookmark The Marco Method
Time for me to re-bookmark The Marco Method
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
It's really helped me to use just one soap for a long time, several months.
This lather building and hydration exercise helped me and was fun to do.
Some gentlemen prefer much less hydration than me, but I don't understand how they could possibly get good shaves. Not saying they don't. Just that I don't understand how.
One soap I used for a Fixed Four was extremely hard to hydrate. Hydrated just right it was great, but getting it to that point was difficult while going beyond it was easy. It was very hard not to go past that narrow window. With just a tad too much water the whole mess would run down my chest. I learned a lot that month, but concluded long before the month was over that it was too much candy for a nickel.
Is that an expression you know?
Probably the main thing about it is finding out what works for you. Also what you like. I like a lot of soap (not too much) and a very well hydrated lather, but that doesn't mean you should or will. In my opinion you should try extreme hydration and discard it if you don't benefit and like it.
Happy shaves,
Jim
This lather building and hydration exercise helped me and was fun to do.
Some gentlemen prefer much less hydration than me, but I don't understand how they could possibly get good shaves. Not saying they don't. Just that I don't understand how.
One soap I used for a Fixed Four was extremely hard to hydrate. Hydrated just right it was great, but getting it to that point was difficult while going beyond it was easy. It was very hard not to go past that narrow window. With just a tad too much water the whole mess would run down my chest. I learned a lot that month, but concluded long before the month was over that it was too much candy for a nickel.
Is that an expression you know?
Probably the main thing about it is finding out what works for you. Also what you like. I like a lot of soap (not too much) and a very well hydrated lather, but that doesn't mean you should or will. In my opinion you should try extreme hydration and discard it if you don't benefit and like it.
Happy shaves,
Jim
- Thread starter
- #1,327
I remember that post! Betting trying that with the Stirling will up its performance for me. Suspecting I’m close with the Arko. Thanks for helping Wes and letting that help me.
Fixed four sounds doable based on last shave’s comfort jump. Will see where it leads
Fixed four sounds doable based on last shave’s comfort jump. Will see where it leads
- Thread starter
- #1,328
Last night’s shave
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (8)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot shower
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Tried loading the Arko lighter, but might not have succeeded. Added water and added water until the lather just started to roll past the collarbones and started. It wasn’t no weepers and no irritation, but it was less and I can work with that. Under jawline has some missed stubble, but I’ll get it next time.
Happy shaves, everyone!
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (8)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot shower
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Tried loading the Arko lighter, but might not have succeeded. Added water and added water until the lather just started to roll past the collarbones and started. It wasn’t no weepers and no irritation, but it was less and I can work with that. Under jawline has some missed stubble, but I’ll get it next time.
Happy shaves, everyone!
- Thread starter
- #1,329
This morning’s shave:
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (9)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot water face wash
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Stirling Unscented Menthol with Witch Hazel & Aloe Vera
Stirling Glacial Unscented Aftershave Balm
Went a little too light on the Arko, but managed to enjoy its slickness all the same. Barely anything left but Arko-scented water in the brush post-shave. Held back on skin stretching, too. Used short strokes whenever I was conscious of it.
Weepers were smaller in number and size and irritation slightly less irritating, but enough of each for me to not be proud of myself.
Happy shaves, everyone!
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (9)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot water face wash
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Stirling Unscented Menthol with Witch Hazel & Aloe Vera
Stirling Glacial Unscented Aftershave Balm
Went a little too light on the Arko, but managed to enjoy its slickness all the same. Barely anything left but Arko-scented water in the brush post-shave. Held back on skin stretching, too. Used short strokes whenever I was conscious of it.
Weepers were smaller in number and size and irritation slightly less irritating, but enough of each for me to not be proud of myself.
Happy shaves, everyone!
I realize everyone’s shave can/will be unique to them. But this is what worked for me.
I started with a fixed four and used it until the soap was done. I did this because I didn’t know any different. This was a Weishi razor, Omega boar, VDH soap / blades and Nivia ASB. I used short strokes and still do. I did have weepers and razor burn while I learned and told myself it would get better, millions of men did this before me.
As I went through that, I found B&B and found out that everything I was using was (supposedly) subpar and I needed to buy better equipment. Right? So I bought Proraso Red soap/AS and a Gillette Slim. I worked through this set and was getting better, but still had occasional issues. One day I had a pretty nasty weeper and went to see my folks. My stepdad asked what happened and I told him. He said something that really drove the point home. “How can you cut yourself with a safety razor?” Think about that for a minute.
That was the pivotal point for me and I was really determined to get better. I worked and worked on it. Found the Marco method and played with that a bit too. With or without that method, I was finally was able to nail a consistent BBS and I was on my way. Once I had that down, I was determined to try an SR for the challenge. I load soap heavy (about 30 seconds or so) and want it wet and slick. You can shave with expensive soap, inexpensive soap, hand soap, or water. In the end it’s not the product, it’s all about technique. You got this!
I started with a fixed four and used it until the soap was done. I did this because I didn’t know any different. This was a Weishi razor, Omega boar, VDH soap / blades and Nivia ASB. I used short strokes and still do. I did have weepers and razor burn while I learned and told myself it would get better, millions of men did this before me.
As I went through that, I found B&B and found out that everything I was using was (supposedly) subpar and I needed to buy better equipment. Right? So I bought Proraso Red soap/AS and a Gillette Slim. I worked through this set and was getting better, but still had occasional issues. One day I had a pretty nasty weeper and went to see my folks. My stepdad asked what happened and I told him. He said something that really drove the point home. “How can you cut yourself with a safety razor?” Think about that for a minute.
That was the pivotal point for me and I was really determined to get better. I worked and worked on it. Found the Marco method and played with that a bit too. With or without that method, I was finally was able to nail a consistent BBS and I was on my way. Once I had that down, I was determined to try an SR for the challenge. I load soap heavy (about 30 seconds or so) and want it wet and slick. You can shave with expensive soap, inexpensive soap, hand soap, or water. In the end it’s not the product, it’s all about technique. You got this!
Thats progress.
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- #1,332
Thanks for your kind words, Mike.
My grandfather, father, brother, and I have all cut ourselves with electric razors. Despite that, the family line carries on…
I’ll be starting out the next week with 12.4 bars of Arko and I’ve just learned the proper-for-me lather uses less soap than I previously loaded… …Short attention span theatre will try comply. Probably ought to start in with my shavette now, but my current setup is fine, too.
They do seem to make an ever-changing mugscape manageable. How do you navigate the chin with an open blade? With a safety razor, the comb or cap provides some leverage.
Thanks. Trying to get mine just North of broken.
Some things click better for me than others. At least with knives, stones, and cutting boards.
My grandfather, father, brother, and I have all cut ourselves with electric razors. Despite that, the family line carries on…
I’ll be starting out the next week with 12.4 bars of Arko and I’ve just learned the proper-for-me lather uses less soap than I previously loaded… …Short attention span theatre will try comply. Probably ought to start in with my shavette now, but my current setup is fine, too.
They do seem to make an ever-changing mugscape manageable. How do you navigate the chin with an open blade? With a safety razor, the comb or cap provides some leverage.
Thanks. Trying to get mine just North of broken.
Some things click better for me than others. At least with knives, stones, and cutting boards.
I can’t offer anything on the chin brother. I have a stash and goatee 
- Thread starter
- #1,334
Were they there before or after you started on straight razors?
By the way, Tim. Thanks for the reminder that it’s the user, not what’s being used, that makes the shave. Kept me from adding stuff to cart
By the way, Tim. Thanks for the reminder that it’s the user, not what’s being used, that makes the shave. Kept me from adding stuff to cart
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #1,335
After saying that, my thoughts still drift to nabbing a RazoRock BBS DE…
The ARKO! showed up a few days early. Reminded me my current stick had a citronella scent that aired out over time. It’s 12, still-wrapped comrades are expelling saccharine stench beside my waterstones in the creepy part of the basement.
The ARKO! showed up a few days early. Reminded me my current stick had a citronella scent that aired out over time. It’s 12, still-wrapped comrades are expelling saccharine stench beside my waterstones in the creepy part of the basement.
I've been using a technique to avoid the curving strokes on my chin with a DE. Here's what I do. Push my lower jaw out and up to stretch the skin and shave the face of my chin in flat planes. Then, when I relax my jaw, what was the front edge beomes the lower edge (I can see how much by the lather). Next, I place my left thumb in the (moderate) dimple of my chin and push upwards to stretch the skin and lower my tongue to further tighten the underside of my jaw before shaving the said underside, again in flat planes.
Geofatboy does something similar (minus the thumb) in this video. The chin starts around the 4 minute mark.
- Thread starter
- #1,338
Apologies for having to ask.
- Thread starter
- #1,339
Last night’s shave
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (1)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot shower
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Post-shave alum block
Two shaves on Saturday. Stubble returned quickly to Scraped Face City, so a new Bic was used at night.
Loaded almost as much ARKO! as I normally do. Kept adding water until it was on the cusp of being runny. Tilted my neck, used my shave binky to help stretch my skin, and let the games begin. Maintaining short strokes was tough, but I mostly managed. Relathered for touch ups, did touch ups, then applied post-shave lather (had plenty!) and cleaned out my razor.
There were weepers and random places of alum sting, but even less weepers than the morning shave. Don’t know if it was the fresh blade or the alum, but skin feels better this morning compared to yesterday morning’s unstubbling.
Packed away my GEMs, shavette, and DEs except for the Fatip Grande.
Happy shaves, everyone!
Fatip Grande
Bic Chrome Platinum (1)
30mm Maggards Synthetic Brush
Damp washcloth aka “shave binky”
Pre-shave: hot shower
Lather: ARKO!
Post-shave lather: Arko
Post-shave face wash with shave binky
Post-shave alum block
Two shaves on Saturday. Stubble returned quickly to Scraped Face City, so a new Bic was used at night.
Loaded almost as much ARKO! as I normally do. Kept adding water until it was on the cusp of being runny. Tilted my neck, used my shave binky to help stretch my skin, and let the games begin. Maintaining short strokes was tough, but I mostly managed. Relathered for touch ups, did touch ups, then applied post-shave lather (had plenty!) and cleaned out my razor.
There were weepers and random places of alum sting, but even less weepers than the morning shave. Don’t know if it was the fresh blade or the alum, but skin feels better this morning compared to yesterday morning’s unstubbling.
Packed away my GEMs, shavette, and DEs except for the Fatip Grande.
Happy shaves, everyone!
I do have a Beautiful Fatip Gold Grande oiled, polished up and packed away. It is a backup and a spare should the unthinkable happen. If I had to walk away and only take a single item from my shave inventory. It would be the Fatip Gold Grande. I would try to sneak out a Feather blade as well.
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