The Wanderer's Journey

[Seveneighth]

I'm getting the same regarding the coti edge. Everything else just feels a bit "off".

It's like I'm being typecast by a coticule

Hoping the ZG will give a similar soft edge that I crave.

For me the perfect edge is still a Charnley Forest + paste on a vintage Sheffield.

But the coticule is the great leveler. Anything shaves well with a good coti edge.

 

[Seveneighth]

No, it was in a mug. Actually, it sat on top of my scuttle for the first half of the shaves it gave, but when it eventually cracked and broke (flat bottom soap, on a dished top scuttle - had to happen eventually), I grated it into a mug. It continued to work for several months after, but even being left open topped, it still continued to accumulate moisture, and get softer and softer, which was great - right up to the point when it wasn't!

The other reason I like using the ramekin, is there's no run-off. All the initial froth that forms, stays in there, and incorporates back into the lather. Less waste, moister load, and less mess. The lid on the pot should help keep the additional moisture in, for softer soap and quicker loading, but the partial load should mean it gets used before it goes off.

Or that's my theory anyway

I have been wrong before. 1987 I think it was

The other thing I might try - on the next one - is carving the underside with a potato peeler, so it sits properly on top of the scuttle. Or... getting some of the gratings, and packing them together into a patty with my hands, again moulded to sit on top of the scuttle.

Mitchell's is the only soap that hasn't gone off for me. I am trying to work out whether there is something special about that pot it comes in or whether I am just lather happy with Mitchell's and use it too liberally, hence it gets finished long before the mold can get it.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Interesting...

You've got me tempted to just leave mine alone now, and use it as it is.

No shave Tuesday. Monday's led to so little growback today, that it wasn't worth it. Now 6am Wednesday (joys of insomnia, and confused body clock) and there's just about enough there to feel like I'm actually doing something. Maybe later...

 

[Seveneighth]

Interesting...

You've got me tempted to just leave mine alone now, and use it as it is.

No shave Tuesday. Monday's led to so little growback today, that it wasn't worth it. Now 6am Wednesday (joys of insomnia, and confused body clock) and there's just about enough there to feel like I'm actually doing something. Maybe later...

I need to be in work early - over slept at 6:30 - it will be a half asleep rushed straight razor shave. Wish me luck!

 

[Seveneighth]

Interesting...

You've got me tempted to just leave mine alone now, and use it as it is.

Don't do it. I think it's because I am being so liberal with my use - I am on my second puck this year. Nothing to do with the pot - I am just burning through it before the mould forms.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Don't do it. I think it's because I am being so liberal with my use - I am on my second puck this year. Nothing to do with the pot - I am just burning through it before the mould forms.

Ahhh - OK. I'll revert back to the grated portion plan then. Hope you survived the rushed shave

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Had an evening shave, and stuck with the Razorine and Mitchell's. The route around the face was similar to what I do with an open razor, largely XTG and ATG in a single pass. The beard puts up more of a fight this way, but I can get reasonable results in a single pass, in the same kind of time frame as a three pass Jagger shave.

Finished off with Old Spice original. Having now worked through all Doug's samples, and then returned to this, box basic Old Spice is the favourite. I'd also rate it higher than the cheapo Boots Freshwood, although the Freshwood is perfectly acceptable. What I need to do now, is compare it with the Superdrug Forest Fresh.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Quick three pass today, with autopilot fully engaged. Jagger, Goats Milk soap, and Astra blade. Must have been well under three minutes from starting to load, till final rinse. Blade was noticably faded, but that's hardly surprising considering I've been using it since Nov 5th. I haven't shaved every day though. I could keep going, but have too many blades to persevere with it, so I'll put in a fresh one for the next shave.

Finished off with the Superdrug Forest Fresh. I think the Old Spice probably beats it, but this isn't far behind, albeit a different scent type.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

My last couple of shaves have seen me go back to a German Wilkinson Sword Classic blade. Three passes Saturday evening, and just one pass today. The blade doesn't feel up to the usual standard, and is tugging a little. Most unlike them. Still great blades, and still my favourite, though how much of that is familiarity after using them exclusively for 20 years, I couldn't say.

For post shave, I decided to revisit my own homebrew. Very happy with this batch now it's had time to stew.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I switched blades a couple of shaves ago. That Wilkie really seemed to be struggling, but the one I replaced it with is a lot better. To be honest, if I'd have been using a different soap, it might have performed better. While I have no qualms about using the disappearing lather craft soap, there are some blades it doesn't seem to work so well with. I mean individual blades, rather than brands. So I could have stuck with the blade and switched soap, but I don't want to spend much time away from this soap, so I can make inroads into getting it used up.

As for post shave, I seem to have settled into just using whichever bottle of cheapo happens to be in the bathroom, even though I still have plenty left in the sample bottles. While I enjoyed the samples (both bought and PIFed to me), and will keep using them intermittently, they seem to have lost a bit of allure, as if it was the novelty of something new that was luring me, as much as performance. Now I've gone back to the cheapos (particularly the Superdrug one), I seem to be getting just as good a skin feel. That opinion may change though, once I drift back to the samples.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I shaved on Bah Humbug Day, and again this afternoon. In between then, I was away for a few days, and decided to give my face some time off. Both of those shaves were two passes with the usual suspects in terms of equipment, and the cheapo "disappearing lather" craft soap. Cheapo store bought aftershave was used on the first shave, and used P&B Spitfire gel today. So even "special occasions" don't make me feel the need for premium products. I think my product chasing days are over.

 

[Esox]

I think my product chasing days are over.

I'm with you Al!

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm with you Al!

How many have you narrowed it down to, Mike?

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

View attachment 1047515

 

[Esox]

How many have you narrowed it down to, Mike?

I have 4 razors on my shelf. Two DE's and two SE's. I've been using my Grande lately and a Tech once but now moving back to my GEM's. All my other razors are put away.

One brush, Maggard synthetic.

Soaps and creams is where it gets a bit more complicated but not much. PdP, Wickham, CRS and P&B. All perform close enough to the same it doesnt matter and its honestly a scent choice. When I reach for a soap, the scent is what dictates which one I use. P&B Iceni and Wickham Shangri La are being used the most.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

View attachment 1047515

A pathway to simplicity and consistency I don't mind a little inconsistency to induce a little change every now and again (and will keep some samples to hand for that, as well as my occasional use razors), but wouldn't want inconsistency to be the norm. That WOULD be an assault on my sanity... and my skin. I seem to maintain a better skillset, if I work from a fairly stable "datum" set up.

I have 4 razors on my shelf. Two DE's and two SE's. I've been using my Grande lately and a Tech once but now moving back to my GEM's. All my other razors are put away.

One brush, Maggard synthetic.

Soaps and creams is where it gets a bit more complicated but not much. PdP, Wickham, CRS and P&B. All perform close enough to the same it doesnt matter and its honestly a scent choice. When I reach for a soap, the scent is what dictates which one I use. P&B Iceni and Wickham Shangri La are being used the most.

Four soap brands, with a few scent options of each, seems like a sensible spread for someone who likes different scents, Mike. Aside from the post shave samples, I have three EdTs and four aftershaves, so I guess I'm on a similar footing that way. I only seem to be using one brush and three razors at home with any regularity too - the Jagger, and the two shavettes (the Razorine and Dovo). A few different options kick in for travel, but that's not often - and I didn't bother packing anything for my last trip.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Today's shave was a lot more enjoyable than yesterday's.

Same razor, same blade, same soap, same brush. Same lather consistency, and same number of passes. The difference was that today's was one day's stubble, and yesterday's was three. It's the same amount of hair being cut - a blade does no more cutting just because the hair above the blade is longer - but as I use closed comb, and a pressureless technique, the comb rides slightly higher over three day stubble, changing the blade height, and delivering a slightly more tuggy experience. Today's shave glided effortlessly, with the blade at the correct height. Much better!

Finished with a drop of DR Harris Arlington.

 

[Esox]

Four soap brands, with a few scent options of each, seems like a sensible spread for someone who likes different scents, Mike. Aside from the post shave samples, I have three EdTs and four aftershaves, so I guess I'm on a similar footing that way. I only seem to be using one brush and three razors at home with any regularity too - the Jagger, and the two shavettes (the Razorine and Dovo). A few different options kick in for travel, but that's not often - and I didn't bother packing anything for my last trip.

I'm finding I like variety in soaps scents Al. I have 3 rose variants and 3 sandalwood variants. Thats not enough. At the same time the soaps and creams I do have will last me a long bloody time lol so I'm hesitant to buy more.

After my shave yesterday I could easily use only my Bullet Tip and nothing else, but I say that using my Grande, MMOC and Brit clone too so they all get used when boredom enters the picture.

Shaving monotony is not for me but how many different things does one need to have the same shave? lol

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I know what you mean buddy. I have just enough to keep monotony at bay, but am happily getting to a point where I don't feel claustrophobic from owning too much stuff either.

Sadly (or happily) there's no signs on such minimalism on the musical instrument front. I own far more than any sensible learner would ever start with, and still can't help online window shopping. With shaving, I was happy to own one and get good with it. With the noisemakers, I seem to be having more fun being utterly incompetent with a diverse mix of stuff