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The Journal Of Huck...

LRod

LRod

huck1680 said:
Today was the first day of the synth comparison. I used my AP ShaveCo synth and Areffa Kentucky Bourbon soft soap in my collapsible lather bowl. Scraped some soap in to the bowl and got to swirling. ZERO issues. Whipped up a nice lather in less than a minute.
Used my Valynor with the ninja and a shim. Very nice shave although the ninja may be close to the end. Did three passes with plenty of lather and finished with the alum bar and a splash of Thayers. Have to say the boars are still not as good bowl lathering as the synths. Next shave is gonna be synth with mug lathering.
Cheers!
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Hey Huck,
Day before yesterday made my 22nd day in a row using the Omega Boar. As you know it's my first boar. I'm sure it's broken in already but it just doesn't do well with bowl lathering (same observation as you). Everything else about it is great i.e., application of soap to the face, backbone, face feel etc..
And one day that I tried it face lathering instead of bowl lathering was fantastic!
So I tried my old Razorock Plissoft synthetic last night and it bowl lathered like no other but just didn't paint as well as the boar and felt flimsy.
So I guess you can't win them all! Maybe with a Badger you do but I'm never taking that route.
 
LRod

LRod

huck1680 said:
Ok so the ongoing boar/synth comparison comes to the end for the boars today and next shaves will be with the synths.
Today it was my Zenith boar/olive wood brush and Areffa Discoverer soap. I used my CaYuen lather bowl and soaked the brush for a bit. Also on board were the R41 and ninja blade. Scraped some of the soap into the bowl and after shaking off the excess water started to lather. The lather began to build not too badly but had to swirl the brush on the soap to make it better. I have noticed though that the bars don't like to give up the lather as much as the synths do. I generally do a circular brush application on my first go round. I had to drag the brush across the lip of the bowl to get some of the lather out of the brush so I could "paint" it on. Worked ok. Nice soap stays hydrated and cushions nicely. The R41 shaved really well and the ninja is holding up pretty well. So all in all a very nice shave again and I'm really enjoying the new soaps.
Did the alum and Thayer's splash finishing off with Speick shave balm.
Next up will be the synths and the bowl lathering with Canada Soap and the Areffa soaps.
Cheers!
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This post inspired me to pull out the R41 for tonight's shave. Excellent shave!
The R41 is one that needs to see more use from me. I was analyzing it today and to me it's very close to the Timeless OC in how it shaves (more efficient though).
The rounded OC teeth are what I believe makes them similar for me. Smooth, efficient and at no point any feeling of an aggressive razor.
And of course unbeatable at it's current price.
A+
 
huck1680

huck1680

Todays shave involved my AP ShaveCO synth, a combo of Tabac and Taylor stick soaps heated and press formed into a mug (so a Hard soap), my ShaveIt Shadow "Vincent" with the ninja, alum and Thayers.
The synth whipped up a terrific lather plus swirled and painted the lather without any issues at all. @LRod , I think perhaps your Plissoft may be just too soft but the brush I used has nice backbone and feel.
Anyway the razor and the still useful ninja gave me a really nice, comfortable and close shave. I like the soap I created for mug lathering moreso than as sticks because I just didn't like rubbing the soap on my face. For travel I'll use creams and soft soaps.
So now I know the synths mug lather just as well as the boars do. The boars continue to break in except for the re-knotted DaniDom which has so far resisted breaking in as nicely as my Zeniths. I may keep working on it...or not. You can see in the first pic the nice lather the brush built in a very short time. Next shave I'll be working with more of my new Areffa soaps.
Have a great day.
Cheers
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huck1680

huck1680

So on with the comparison. Today it's the same AP ShaveCo synth with the Areffa Golden Sunrise soft soap. Plus my OverLander and the still good shaving ninja blade.
I am seriously enjoying these Areffa soaps. I scraped some soap into my bowl and got to work. These soaps lather exceptionally, stay hydrated and cushion nicely. Excellent products and the synths bring out all the good stuff with my bowl lathering. The brushes also put the lather onto my face really well with both circular and painting motions.
What a nice shave, the ninja is holding up and the OverLander delivered another terrific shave. This is an excellent razor at a very good price and well worth the investment. As I have said it delivers one of the best ATG passes I have ever experienced.
I may be pushing the ninja but Ima gonna see if another shave is doable.
Have an excellent week.
Cheers!
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huck1680

huck1680

Yesterdays shave continued my synth evaluations. The soap was my Areffa "Crazy Pumpkin" sampler. It's a slightly harder soap than most of my other Areffas. Also going along for the ride was my Razorine FlatBoy and that still shaving ninja blade. The brush was one of my AP ShaveCo synths.
I scraped some soap into my SS scuttle and started to build my lather. It built up amazingly, as a matter of fact I didn't have to use as much as I did which wasn't that much to start with...or so I thought. Great scent as well.
The FlatBoy, even with a very experienced ninja gave me a very nice shave. I don't know if I should continue with this blade but I'm curious as to how far I can push it without causing myself discomfort. We shall see.
The brush, as I mentioned, gave me a great lather and transferred it to my phiz with no issues...I had enough lather to do multiple passes. As it was I went for 3 and a wee bit of buffing. After was the alum and Thayer's to finish up with. The scent was Rockwell aftershave balm.
So far my synths have been performing rather brilliantly. I have a Plissoft coming so that'll be interesting as to how that works as well. Just having too much damn fun.
Cheers!
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huck1680

huck1680

Well, this is getting crazy. Today it's "The Unforgiven" soap from Areffa coupled with an AP ShaveCo synth. My Chiseled Face brass Legacy razor with...wait for it...yes the same ninja blade I've been using for the past 9 shaves. Seriously I did not believe I could get this far without there being irritation, tugging and general discomfort using a blade for this long. Wow!
Now I scraped some of the soap into my lather bowl and began building my lather. You really do not need to use too much soap to achieve a brilliant lather good for multiple passes. The lather swirled/painted on with zero issues. Love these synths. The Legacy took the VERY experienced ninja and gave me a terrific shave. With NO irritation. The alum didn't even sting. Now some of my other razors would probably have cause some "sting" but not today. I am amazed not only with the blade but with the quality of Areffa soaps...they are seriously spectacular, IMHO. Off to involve myself in the rest of the day.
Cheers!
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huck1680

huck1680

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Ok, while posting on @Phoenixkh thread I mentioned how I was at 10 shaves with a Gillette ninja blade. Now for me this is really pushing a blade and I was curious as to how much further I could go. @Guido75 told me I was now 1/3 of the way through because he got 30+ shaves from the last blade he used. :eek2::eek2:
Aii Caramba! So, Ima going to keep going.
Today it was my new synth the RazoRock 400 synth and a mug with Tabac/Taylor hard soap. The same blade as before and my Blutt BR1.20 razor.
The brush mug lathered without any issues and provided a really nice lather. So I soaped up and got to work. The shave started out really well and after the 1st pass WTG, I now went for the money (for me) pass the ATG.
The razor/blade combo did it again! A very nice pass that needed one more plus some buffing to give me another terrific shave.
I am gob-smacked. This is #11! At this rate I'll never need to buy any more blades EVER!
Now I know other blades may not be able to do this but I'm going to see how much I can extend blade life and how many more shaves I can get. I don't know if I should stop now because I'm not sure if I'm altering my technique, although I don't think so, just to prolong how many shaves I can get...comfortably.
Oh yeah, no sting from the alum either. Finished with Thayer's and Eau Savage balm. Great shave!
Cheers!
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LRod

LRod

huck1680 said:
View attachment 1756023
Ok, while posting on @Phoenixkh thread I mentioned how I was at 10 shaves with a Gillette ninja blade. Now for me this is really pushing a blade and I was curious as to how much further I could go. @Guido75 told me I was now 1/3 of the way through because he got 30+ shaves from the last blade he used. :eek2::eek2:
Aii Caramba! So, Ima going to keep going.
Today it was my new synth the RazoRock 400 synth and a mug with Tabac/Taylor hard soap. The same blade as before and my Blutt BR1.20 razor.
The brush mug lathered without any issues and provided a really nice lather. So I soaped up and got to work. The shave started out really well and after the 1st pass WTG, I now went for the money (for me) pass the ATG.
The razor/blade combo did it again! A very nice pass that needed one more plus some buffing to give me another terrific shave.
I am gob-smacked. This is #11! At this rate I'll never need to buy any more blades EVER!
Now I know other blades may not be able to do this but I'm going to see how much I can extend blade life and how many more shaves I can get. I don't know if I should stop now because I'm not sure if I'm altering my technique, although I don't think so, just to prolong how many shaves I can get...comfortably.
Oh yeah, no sting from the alum either. Finished with Thayer's and Eau Savage balm. Great shave!
Cheers!
View attachment 1756030
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You know, thinking about the extended blade use thing got me thinking about something:
I max 3-4 uses on a blade and toss it. I feel that I get the best shaves with the first few uses! But then again, we analyze all of these little details because it's a hobby for us. but the reality is that I'm certain that my Grandfather probably used the same blade in his razor (back in the day), God knows how many times. Blades cost us peanuts so we can easily justify a couple uses and done. But I don't think it was quite the same back then. And back then they didn't see any of this as a hobby. It was a necessary chore where they probably used the razor and just threw it there on the sink top for the next use. We baby them, clean them, dry them etc.. They probably just left the same blade in there till it turned a different color!
I was discussing my hobby with a coworker a few months ago and mentioned little details about cleaning, blade changes etc..
He looked at me like I was nuts and said that he used the same disposable for months on end.
So I guess It's really not that surprising that you've gotten 10 uses and Guido has gotten 30+.
So shave on Huck!!
 
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