Something different with every shave challenge.

[Major Overkill]

#91, in which the Major continues to remember his wet shave beginnings*

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019
Nivea Men Sensitive Skin shaving cream
Vikings Blade Chieftain Jr.
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (4rd use)
Zingari Man Unscented Recovery Splash

* The Chieftain Jr. was the first safety razor that the Major ever bought

8/10. Another DFS. This time, since the Major's cold has settled down a bit, the skin under his nose isn't quite as irritated as before, leading to a more comfortable shave.

 

[Major Overkill]

#92, in which the Major gets seriously Old School

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019 brush
Nivea Men Sensitive Skin shaving cream
Gillette Old Type*
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (5th use)
Spearhead Seaforth After Shave

9/10. As an open comb razor, the Old Type can be rather more aggressive than the Major's typical shave. But, if his hand is light enough, that aggressiveness can lead to an agreeably smooth shave. Such was the result today.

* Given that this razor could have begun its life in a WWI soldier's dopp kit, it's entirely possible that it predates the arrival of the Major's maternal grandmother at Ellis Island in 1920. Chris @ Backroads Gold did such a wonderful job of restoring this razor. My father-in-law pointed out that that ruins this as an antique. My point to him was that I didn't get this to approve value as an antique, I got it to use it. And, if you want to think of a Gillette Old Type as an antique, it's the best kind: the kind that should be used.

 

[Major Overkill]

#93, in which the Major changes his mind

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019 brush
Nivea Men Sensitive Skin shaving cream
Maggard MR8 monster handle - 179 g - mated to the Muhle R41 bloodletter head... Then the Gillette Aristocrat (1948-ish)
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (6th use)
Captain's Choice Bay Rum

7/10. The Major started w/the M&M Frankenrazor, since it'd been 4 days since a shave. But, no luck. As soon as the M&M touched, no luck. As soon as the M&M touched his face, a bleeder. Not a small one, either; the Major needed to employ his styptic pencil well before the shave was complete. After handling the blood, the Major switched to the much milder Aristocrat for the remainder of the shave. Fortunately, no further blood bank donations were made.

 

[Major Overkill]

#94, in which the Major regrets nothing

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Razorock Bruce synthetic brush
Nivea Men Sensitive Skin shaving cream
Gillette Super 85 adjustable (aka Black Beauty)
Personna Platinum Chrome blade 7th use)
Cremo Cooling Post Shave Balm

6/10. The Major had to break in his new-to-him Black Beauty razor - many thanks, @MikeyTX ! But, he made the mistake of using an old blade. Now, while at time. He was able to get 10 shavea our of this Personna blade, this time was not as successful, as he wound up w/3 nasty nicks. Obviously, the styptic pencil got a workout.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#95, in which the Major gets soapy

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Razorock Bruce synthetic brush
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Gillette Super 85 adjustable (aka Black Beauty), set to 2
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (1st use)
West Coast Shaving Coconut Lime after shave splash

8.5/10. A pretty close, comfortable shave. As the Major had expected, the Black Beauty is more aggressive at a given setting than a Fatboy or Slim Adjustable at the same number setting. A level 2 aggressiveness worked nicely; he'll test it at 3 next time.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#95, in which the Major cleans up for a trip

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Razorock Bruce synthetic brush
Nivea Men Sensitive Skin shaving cream
Gillette Post War Tech
Personna Platinum Chrome blade 8th use)
West Coast Shaving Coconut & Lime splash

8/10. Really tough to go wrong w/one of my Techs.

 

[Major Overkill]

Speaking of a trip, the Major & his CO are on a trip to Aruba. So, unless he buyz new products here, it may be difficult to change something w/every shave. But he'll give it his best shot.

Yes, pix are forthcoming, on the appropriate board.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#96, in which the Major gets classy

Proraso Green Shaving Soap
Proraso mini shaving brush
Edwin Jagger DE89 razor
Wilkinson Sword blade (1st use)
Proraso Sensitive Skin after shave balm

7/10. For reasons of timing, the Major had to do this shave w/o an immediately preceding shave. But, given that, & the relative paucity of products in his travel bag, it turned out passably well. Fairly smooth, & only a bit of irritation.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#97, in which the Major stays on the road

Proraso Green Shaving Soap
Proraso mini shaving brush
Edwin Jagger DE89 razor
Wilkinson Sword blade (2nd use)
Aruba Aloe w/Lidocaine

7/10. The lack of a pre-shave probably led to this shave being a bit more rough than the its predecessor. That, and a bit of sunburn, as is to be expected on a beach day in Aruba. The Aruba Aloe helped a good bit, though.

However... the remnants of Hurricane Otis have made for a rather interesting trip. Pix in the appropriate venue.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#98, in which the Major gets slanted

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Razorock Bruce synthetic brush
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Parker Semi-slant razor
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (1st use)
Geo. F. Trumper Skin Food with Limes

9/10. Aside from just the slightest bit of irritation afterwards, this was about as good a shave as one could want. The Major even did a reasonable job under his jaw.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

The Major had had 99 shaved, & this is one.

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Razorock Bruce synthetic brush
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Gillette Slim Adjustable 3rd quarter, 1966, set to 4 above the jawline, 5 below
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (2nd use)
Barrister & Mann Citracuya Balm

8/10. A fairly comfortable shave, although the Major's skin did feel a bit sensitive after, hence the Barrister & Mann.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#100. Woo. The Major feels like celebrating, but also wonders if he's the last person who cares about this challenge, such as it is.

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Gillette Slim Adjustable 3rd quarter, 1966, set to 4 above the jawline, 5 below
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (3nd use)
Geo. F. Trumper's Skin Food with Limes

8/10. Neither as close nor as comfortable with this combo as usual. Probably b/c the Major was rushing to pick up his daughters.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#101, in which the Major adjusts again.

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Merkur Futur, set to 2.5 above the jaw, 3 below
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (4th use)
Barrister & Mann Citracuya

8/10. A pretty good shave, mostly smooth, but a bit of irritation on the upper lip. Most likely due to the cold the Major's been fighting.

 

[Major Overkill]

#102, in which the Major goes old school again.

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Gillette Super Speed Blue silver tip, 2047
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (5th use)
Proraso Sandalwood

8/10. Once again, a close shave, but maybe a bit too close to be really comfortable. Hence why the Major prefers the Super Speed Blue Tip to the Silver. And no chance the Major tests out a Red; he has no desire to become an involuntary blood donor, nor does his CO feel like cleaning up afterwards.

-MO

 

[Major Overkill]

#103, in which the Major gets comfy

Phoenix Shaving Accoutrements' Prickly Pear Mentholated Preshave soap & Lather Builder
Omega S10019
Catie's Bubbles A Midnight Dreary shaving soap
Gillette Super Speed Blue, 2nd quarter 1958
Personna Platinum Chrome blade (1st use)
Barrister & Mann Citracuya

8/10. Maybe not as close as previous shaves, but the Super Speed Blue makes up for that by delivering a lot less skin irritation. Worth the trade, he thinks.