The Journal of a Backwards Professor

[Rosseforp]

I have some similar sandals, and find them extremely comfortable.

I've got 25 miles on them so far and no complaints from my feet or toes at all!

 

[Rosseforp]

Monday, March 29
FFFMM (13)

Razor: Executive set on #9
Blade: Feather (1)
Brush: Semogue Mistura #32
Soap: Stirling Bay Rum
ASL: Skin Bracer

The Executive cruised right through 5 days of stubble like it was on the highway in the fast lane. It did let me know that there was a blade, but it did not feel aggressive. It felt efficient.

Two WTG passes and an ATG pass on my neck that was almost unnecessary there was so little left.
Steep, shallow, neutral it just whisked the hair away.

The Witch hazel felt slick and cool, the Skin Bracer delivered a wonderfully fresh cooling effect and I almost forgot the Nivea the shave was so irritation free.

This razor is amazingly good.

Best shave of the year.

 

[TinyT]

Two WTG passes

Best shave of the year.

 

[Rosseforp]

View attachment 1244078

That was just about how I felt too!

 

[Rosseforp]

Tuesday, March 30
FFFMM (14)

Razor: Executive set on #9
Blade: Feather (2)
Brush: Semogue Mistura #33
Soap: Stirling Bay Rum
ASL: Aqua Velva

I decided to see how my new Earthshoes felt sans socks for today's walk, as it was a nice warm and sunny day, so I only went 3 1/2 miles.
The kids were hungry when I got home so I threw a rib-eye on the Fields cast iron skillet and heated up some broccoli with butter and garlic, while the LOTH played Mahjong at her friend's house. She also works in the meat department at the local Asian Market, so we always have nice cuts of meat on hand.

I could hardly believe how easily the Executive drove through 5 days of stubble last night, so I took it easy and didn't chase the baby. The shave was great, but could have been closer. Tonight I chased the baby and got it.

First pass was all WTG using long deliberate strokes. The next was XTG face and ATG neck, then a lot of freestyle with stretching.
While I was acutely aware of the blade with the Executive set on #9, it never felt like it wanted to jump up and bite, it just let me know that if I wanted to get serious, this was the way to do it.
I'm pretty sure that I will settle on a lower setting, such as #6 or #7 for daily shaving, but #9 is not to be shied away from.

I fully expected to feel the Witch hazel burn but it only tingled, the Aqua Velva had a momentary burn followed instantly by a cooling blast with the Nivea balm sealing the deal.

I keep talking about what a great razor the Executive is while the Semogue Mistura has been quietly doing a great job also.
Tonight the Mistura just needed a few trips to the water mug, holding enough lather for 3-5 passes. I'm really glad that I chose my Semogue Mistura for the FFFMM as it really is a lather monster, but needed more breaking in. I have it totally dialed in with the Stirling soap and it treats my face kindly, but I have some other badgers that have been badgering me.

This might be my last FFFMM shave, but it certainly won't be the last time I use this kit again.

 

[Rosseforp]

No walking today, I took my son to his first live Marching Band practice at High School in a year!!! They are going to be performing, along with the Color Guard at the last and only football game of the year next Thursday. It should be a great show, and they are going to let all of the parents attend. I just hope the concession stand is open, they have great chili dogs and nachos!

Razor: Rose Gold R41
Blade: Feather (2)
Brush: Omega Tortoise 23/55
Soap: Stirling Bay Rum
ASL: Aqua Velva

WOW. That was a scary close shave.

As much as I enjoyed using the Mistura during the FFFMM, I wanted something a little softer for tonight's shave, and my Tortoise Handle Omega was up to the task.
It took a little longer to build the lather on my face as I kept adding water and exfoliating until it started to shine. I wanted to make sure the lather was just right, as the R41 has a reputation and I wanted protection.

Actually I kept lathering my face because I was starting to feel nervous like I did the first time I wet shaved with my Vikings Blade Chieftain.
What is weird is that the R41 doesn't really look that aggressive to me. Next to my Mk1 Piccolo it looks downright tame.

That didn't stop my hand from shaking as I put the Rose Gold R41 under my left sideburn and started dragging it down my face to the base of my neck.
It wasn't exactly smooth, but it wasn't uncomfortable either.

I could feel the R41 trace my face and neck with the blade almost growling at me. I kept it mostly steep, but surprisingly I could barely feel the teeth. What I felt was the blade.

The blade is there.

Make no mistake, this is an aggressive razor. I almost stopped after the first pass. It was that close.

But this being April Fools, I made the Fools Pass. Making sure the lather was very hydrated I started at the base of my neck and proceeded carefully shaving full ATG using as little pressure as it took to keep the razor in contact. I also found that I am holding the handle closer to the end than usual. Maybe because the handle is a little longer than I am used to.

I almost made it unscathed, but two weepers on the left side of my neck appeared and another one just under my lip hinted a little red spot also. I didn't feel them at all, they just appeared, then wiped right off.

The Witch hazel felt nice and slick, the Aqua Velva delivered a cooling rush that I enjoyed for a few minutes before finishing up with Nivea balm.

That was a challenging and rewarding shave. My face feels great. I'm not done with this razor, not by a long shot.

 

[Rosseforp]

Decisions, decisions. I found the Mühle R41 Rose Gold handle just a bit too long for my tastes, and the razor felt a little head heavy. Maybe that was part of the challenge.

I do have some other handles that fit.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Time for some new shoes, now that I am walking 5 miles every day I'm getting some blisters on my toes! I figured a good way to eliminate that was to get some open toe shoes, and these View attachment 1243265
Earthshoes for $19.97 fit the bill. I have made two 5 mile trips to the golf course and back with them and no complaints from my feet yet!
I payed a trip to my Medical Practitioner to discuss the results of my last CT Scan on Friday, and he wanted one more blood test to make sure I am in tip-top health. Why do they always want so much blood?
My weight came in at 159 lbs. with my clothes and shoes on, and my BP was 121/67 at 47 beats per minute. I think the low heart rate is the result of lots of bicycle riding and water skiing in my youth, as it has always been in the low 50's. He double-checked it anyway.

I wondered what Earthshoes would look like. As I recall they once had negative heels (heels lower than the sole). Those sandals look very good for $20. Where are they sold?

Sometimes, just to make my wife and daughter go completely insane, I like to wear sandals with socks.

When I used to be an endurance bicycle crazy, many of us wore bicycle sandals (the kinda which lock into the gizmos called cleats) winter and summer. In the winter we added wool or other socks for warmth. The sandals were vastly more comfortable albeit somewhat heavier than shoes.





My wife recently bought me a pair of wool shoes from Germany with inserts proper for my feet. So far I like them a lot. They can be worn with or without socks (and are comfortable without socks unlike most shoes I've ever tried to wear without socks, once broken in). These are "running shoes" but they make several kinds. She ordered as the manufacturer suggested so mine were a tiny tad snug to begin with but adjusted to my feet within days.

I've been wearing flip flops (Rainbows) to work for a year (with Covid) but that won't fly forever.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

I wondered what Earthshoes would look like. As I recall they once had negative heels (heels lower than the sole). Those sandals look very good for $20. Where are they sold?

I got mine at Wal~Mart

 

[Rosseforp]

Saturday, April 3
Razor: Mühle R41 with @Rosseforp Ti Handle
Blade: Gillette Platinum (3)
Brush: Omega Tortoise 23/55
Soap: Vitos Extra Super Coco
ASL: Aqua Velva

Shave #2 with the Mühle R41 was a vast improvement over shave #1, and shave #1 wasn't bad. Swapping out handles I think made the biggest difference, the balance was much better.

I ended up loading the Vitos pretty heavy as it is a lot softer than the Stirling I have been using, and the Omega really lathered up thick and creamy on my face. This brush had the same amount of use on it as my Semogue Mistura when the FFFMM started, so it needs a little more use before it is fully broken in. It is already nice and soft with just a hint of scritch, and the most wonderful amount of scrub.

The first pass was ATG neck and XTG face, using nice steep sweeping reduction passes that sounded like it was scrapping the stubble off instead of slicing through it, then buffing the remaining stubble and lather at a neutral angle.

The second pass was just a simple N-S finishing pass that mostly cleaned up the bottom of my neck where the hair changes direction.

The Witch hazel, Aqua Velva, and Nivea balm all did their usual good job of taking care of my skin after a close shave, although the Aqua Velva did have a slight burn before cooling off that it usually doesn't have.

The Gillette Platinum was definitely smoother than the Feather, with the R41 making up the difference in sharpness with efficiency. This shave was closer and more comfortable than my first shave with this beast. And no blood loss.

This was a good shave.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I got mine at Wal~Mart

Wow! I thought you'd found a deal at some high end specialty shop.

That handle probably came from Walmart, too, right?

Spoiler: Just...

Just kidding. I'm pretty sure I know where it came from. Lovely bit of gear it is, too.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm not much of a brush enthusiast, Doug, but that one really catches my eye. Very nice

 

[Rosseforp]

I'm not much of a brush enthusiast, Doug, but that one really catches my eye. Very nice

Thanks Al, the tortoise coloring doesn't show up too well, but I like it!

 

[Rosseforp]

Ok, so the Acca Kappa is no longer shedding hairs, and I never liked the synthetic fibers in my Omega S Brush either.
The Acca Kappa will take a 22mm knot and the Omega will take a 26mm knot. Now I just have to choose what knots to replace them with.
For the Acca Kappa I'd like to go with a Silver Tip bulb knot like my Simpson PJ2, but not as dense. I'm looking at a 22mm Maggards Silver Tip for $29.95 or possibly a Shavemac 22mm 2 band for $103.40.

For the Omega I was thinking of going with the Maggards 70/30, but that knot seems to have a reputation for scritch and a long break in period. Plus, I already have a Semogue Mistura.

The Maggards 26mm SHD 2 band knot is $54.95 and the Shavemac 26mm 2 band is $126, but I think the Shavemac 26mm Silver Tip for $103 might be a better choice for this handle.

Anyone with brush making experience want to chime in?

 

[JoWolf]

Anyone with brush making experience want to chime in?

Doug are you talking about hair and knot selection? I have no opinion. If you are talking about setting knots. I have a few suggestions. I have only set six knots. Five with Gorilla Epoxy, one with GE Silicon.

 

[Rosseforp]

Doug are you talking about hair and knot selection? I have no opinion. If you are talking about setting knots. I have a few suggestions. I have only set six knots. Five with Gorilla Epoxy, one with GE Silicon.

John, these will be the first knots I have set. I am pretty sure of the size knots I want, but I could use some advice on the glue. While silicon has the advantages of easy repair, I am leaning towards a two-part epoxy like JB Weld. Why not try to get it right the first time, then not worry about having to set the knot again?
I have never used Gorilla Epoxy, does it swell like the Gorilla glue that is activated with water does?

 

[JoWolf]

I have never used Gorilla Epoxy, does it swell like the Gorilla glue that is activated with water does?

The Gorilla epoxy I purchased on Amazon. It is a two part you mix equal amounts and have five minutes before it sets. 24hr cure seems to be the accepted Cure time. My journal entry #9 has a write up and description of the brushes I did first time.
Doug the most important obviously is the fitting. Usually a knot plug is 1/2 mm smaller than what it is posted as. Usually isn’t a given though. You need to have knot and handle and than fit them together. That is best done just with hand sanding. You can sand all inside surfaces of the handle as well as the knot plug sides and the knot plug bottom. I believe I used in the 200-300 grit not important. The knot plug should slide easily into the hole. The knot plug should bottom nice and flat into the handle floor and you should be able to turn the knot in the handle. I had fitted my boars tighter with the hair snugger against the handle lip, because of the knots and handles I used. The badger knots I had opened up the lip measurement dramatically with the SHD (super high density) especially one of the Chubbies I set. Their bloom can be quite large and the knot would be chocked at the lip, if you didn’t open it up. I read your entry and since you prefer lighter density that should not be an issue. The inside of the lip of the handle should be very smooth with a whisker of a chamfer. Thinking of hair movement and chafing. Your handles both looked like wood to me. I do not know what best practice is with wood in wether or not it should or shouldn’t be coated first. My guess would be to leave it raw.

The situation I used the GE silicon was specific for me. It was my two band chubby into an acrylic handle and the fit was very snug. I only did a ten minute rough sand smooth the edges and surfaces a quick alcohol wipe. A very light coat of silicon on the handle floor. A very light silicon coat on the knot plug. A half a pea sized dollop on the handle floor. Slide knot into handle too bottom out on the floor. Give it a little 1/4 turn, hands off. Used it the next day. My impression was less dinky around than epoxy. Less mess. Very quick. I would never know one way or the other on adhesive. Do I think it would ever drop out, no.
If it did no big deal. Re cleaning parts before redo biggest issue.

I prefer epoxy. I like both.

A closely matched knot and handle can be fitted in fifteen minutes. More challenging up to an hour. The epoxy part and setting is under 60 seconds. I am not a hobbyist or hands on guru. I do not find setting knots difficult.

Things to consider preferred loft length. If using spacers and a good possibility with your handles. They may be deeper than bought handles. Which are shallower and most are fitted without spacers. The average knot plug is 7mm thick the average depth in my handles was about 14mm. Not a lot of options for spacers. The posted loft length is not the loft length from glue bump. Which is on top of the plug a shorter measurement. Something to consider if you are comparing to favourites.

The seven brushes that I rotate now. Two are Zeniths and they are excellent brushes. The two band is the one I used silicone on. The boar knot I used o ring spacers because they are light and easy to use. it is the only brush I used spacers on. I have another same brush without spacers. The brush dynamics are different both good just different.

I also checked out a couple of YouTubes on it.

 

[Rosseforp]

Sunday, April 4
Easter Shave


Razor: Razorock DE1
Blade: Gillette Platinum (4)
Brush: Omega 10290
Soap: Vitos Extra Super Coco
ASL: Aqua Velva

I managed to keep things under the $30 budget for tonight's shave. Derby Extra and Gillette Platinum blades are selling for the same price, so that puts me at $23.45, leaving room for adding either Witch hazel or Nivea balm. I went with Nivea balm.

The Omega boar is so much stiffer than my badgers that I ended up loading way more soap than I needed, and I found I could add as much water as I wanted and still have a thick, creamy lather.

The first pass was ATG from the base of my neck to my sideburns in comfort. The DE1 is so mild that I had to ride the cap to get it to cut and I barely felt the blade.

The second pass was an XTG pass on my face that was indicating diminishing returns on each pass, and was no longer comfortable shaving my neck ATG so I switched directions to finish the shave. I think the brush also contributed to some of the irritation.

Without the Witch hazel to calm my skin down the Aqua Velva delivered quite a blast before cooling off. The Nivea balm was very welcomed by my neck and face.

The shave was acceptable with moderate irritation, with plenty of room for improvement.

 

[Rosseforp]

The Gorilla epoxy I purchased on Amazon. It is a two part you mix equal amounts and have five minutes before it sets. 24hr cure seems to be the accepted Cure time. My journal entry #9 has a write up and description of the brushes I did first time.
Doug the most important obviously is the fitting. Usually a knot plug is 1/2 mm smaller than what it is posted as. Usually isn’t a given though. You need to have knot and handle and than fit them together. That is best done just with hand sanding. You can sand all inside surfaces of the handle as well as the knot plug sides and the knot plug bottom. I believe I used in the 200-300 grit not important. The knot plug should slide easily into the hole. The knot plug should bottom nice and flat into the handle floor and you should be able to turn the knot in the handle. I had fitted my boars tighter with the hair snugger against the handle lip, because of the knots and handles I used. The badger knots I had opened up the lip measurement dramatically with the SHD (super high density) especially one of the Chubbies I set. Their bloom can be quite large and the knot would be chocked at the lip, if you didn’t open it up. I read your entry and since you prefer lighter density that should not be an issue. The inside of the lip of the handle should be very smooth with a whisker of a chamfer. Thinking of hair movement and chafing. Your handles both looked like wood to me. I do not know what best practice is with wood in wether or not it should or shouldn’t be coated first. My guess would be to leave it raw.

The situation I used the GE silicon was specific for me. It was my two band chubby into an acrylic handle and the fit was very snug. I only did a ten minute rough sand smooth the edges and surfaces a quick alcohol wipe. A very light coat of silicon on the handle floor. A very light silicon coat on the knot plug. A half a pea sized dollop on the handle floor. Slide knot into handle too bottom out on the floor. Give it a little 1/4 turn, hands off. Used it the next day. My impression was less dinky around than epoxy. Less mess. Very quick. I would never know one way or the other on adhesive. Do I think it would ever drop out, no.
If it did no big deal. Re cleaning parts before redo biggest issue.

I prefer epoxy. I like both.

A closely matched knot and handle can be fitted in fifteen minutes. More challenging up to an hour. The epoxy part and setting is under 60 seconds. I am not a hobbyist or hands on guru. I do not find setting knots difficult.

Things to consider preferred loft length. If using spacers and a good possibility with your handles. They may be deeper than bought handles. Which are shallower and most are fitted without spacers. The average knot plug is 7mm thick the average depth in my handles was about 14mm. Not a lot of options for spacers. The posted loft length is not the loft length from glue bump. Which is on top of the plug a shorter measurement. Something to consider if you are comparing to favourites.

The seven brushes that I rotate now. Two are Zeniths and they are excellent brushes. The two band is the one I used silicone on. The boar knot I used o ring spacers because they are light and easy to use. it is the only brush I used spacers on. I have another same brush without spacers. The brush dynamics are different both good just different.

I also checked out a couple of YouTubes on it.

I have been using epoxy and silicon for decades depending on the situation. It seems that most of the manufacturers use epoxy, so that is what I will be using. I have used JB QuickWeld with a cure time of 4 minutes, but prefer to use the regular JB Weld with a 4-6 hour cure time as it usually starts to firm up in less than 10 minutes.

After cleaning out the plugs the Acca Kappa measures 24mm, and the Omega is 28mm. Most of what I have read says to leave 1-2mm for the glue, so that means a 22mm knot for the Acca Kappa, and a 26mm for the Omega.

The Shavemac knots are quite a bit pricier than the Maggard knots, but if I am going to take the time to set my own knots, why cheap out? The handles I already had, so there is no cost except the time I spend to pretty them up.

Spoiler

I do need some gear from Maggards, but a 2 band Shavemac would be really nice

 

[JoWolf]

I have been using epoxy and silicon for decades depending on the situation. It seems that most of the manufacturers use epoxy, so that is what I will be using. I have used JB QuickWeld with a cure time of 4 minutes, but prefer to use the regular JB Weld with a 4-6 hour cure time as it usually starts to firm up in less than 10 minutes.

After cleaning out the plugs the Acca Kappa measures 24mm, and the Omega is 28mm. Most of what I have read says to leave 1-2mm for the glue, so that means a 22mm knot for the Acca Kappa, and a 26mm for the Omega.

The Shavemac knots are quite a bit pricier than the Maggard knots, but if I am going to take the time to set my own knots, why cheap out? The handles I already had, so there is no cost except the time I spend to pretty them up.

Spoiler

I do need some gear from Maggards, but a 2 band Shavemac would be really nice

manufacturers use epoxy, so that is what I will be using. I have used JB QuickWeld with a cure time of 4 minutes, but prefer to use the regular JB Weld with a 4-6 hour cure time as it usually starts to firm up in less than 10 minutes.

Yes by all means use the one your familiar with. The Gorilla epoxy was the first time I’ve used epoxy. I bought two more and I have a few more projects I’ll be using it on.

After cleaning out the plugs the Acca Kappa measures 24mm, and the Omega is 28mm. Most of what I have read says to leave 1-2mm for the glue, so that means a 22mm knot for the Acca Kappa, and a 26mm for the Omega.

Like I had commented earlier the Chinese knots are up to a half mm less than posted size. You need both pieces in your hand and see how they fit. Tight is not a problem. Loose is. I bought same size knots for handles 26 - 26 It is easy to take a mm off the plug and increase the hole in the handle a mm. Don’t work the handles anymore than you have to until you have the knot.
I would say a very tight 2 or loose 1mm. When you coat the handle floor and around the knot plug and bottom of the plug. Must be very thin coat. A little dollop about half the size of a pea on the handle floor it will squish up. The idea is to have just enough squishing up the sides of the plug but not getting into any hair.
Doug the tighter the fit you can accomplish the better. I have a couple of handles and knots lying around no beggie. So if you have to buy another knot to get a good fit it will make setting it very easy.