Tuck at a Time (TaaT)

[blethenstrom]

Hello and welcome to the Tuck at a Time club.

I have been on a journey for the last number of weeks to eliminate the number of tucks of blades that I have open. I set out on a mission to use these up and clean up around in my shave den a bit. By going through this exercise I have come to the realization that I have learned how these blade work much better. Using a blade for a longer period of time really shows if that one is for me or not, rather than just shave a few times with one single blade and then deeming it good or bad.

Maybe you would like to join me on the journey of tuck reduction by using a "Tuck at a Time" until it is all gone. Weather it be an already opened tuck you want to use up or a fresh tuck does not matter. You will just use that tuck's blades, for all your shaves, until it is gone. Please just post when you start a new tuck and when you finish one. Tell us what you think of the blade and if you noticed any inconstancies blade to blade etc. It does not matter if you are a one and out type shaver or one of the Excalibur guys.

Feel free to use the "TaaT" acronym in your signature.
-Boris

 

[blethenstrom]

I am currently working on my open tuck of Lord Cools. I got this tuck in a sample pack and I only have two of them left. I started using it this past Sunday and I am two shaves in on the first blade and as of now, using the RR GC .68P, is giving me very smooth, comfortable and pleasant shaves.

 

[blethenstrom]

My Tuck at a Time is moving forward. Just loaded the last Lord Cool blade of the tuck into my razor last night. The Lord Cool has so far given me very nice shaves and I am looking forward in rounding the tuck off with this week. It might turn into a sad end of the week when I finish that one off and maybe a purchase is in my future. Who knows! Come and join me, you Tuck Eliminators! I know you are out there.

 

[lasta]

Sounds like a good idea...but this is going to take a long time!



Maybe once I'm finished sampling my stock.

 

[luv2shave]

Sounds like a good reduction plan for my DE blade stash.

I've developed an affinity to stick to one soap / cream (3017 thread) till its over. This falls right in there with the 3017 plan. I will also stick to one razor a tuck, though that won't reduce my razors !

I've started with a first shave off the Willy's which came with the Pearl Flexi Black Edition. I'll use the razor / blade combo till I exhaust a DE tuck !

 

[blethenstrom]

Sounds like a good idea...but this is going to take a long time!

View attachment 1708972

Maybe once I'm finished sampling my stock.

It probably will take a while, but you know, you will feel so much better. You know the old saying.....How do you eat an elephant.....one bite at a time. I was in the same boat. I still am, because I have many tucks left in my sample pack and I will use they all up, but with one difference. I will use the samples tuck up, a tuck at a time, not just a blade to test. Either they will be used or if I cannot stand them, given away. I am a cheap kind of guy and I can't stand not using up all those blades or have them come to use so I will use them. Might take me a while to reduce the number and that is ok. One tuck at a time!

Like I wrote in my initial post for this thread. I also have returned to several blades using the full tuck and I now find them very nice blades these days where before they were kind of so so. Like right now I am using the Lord Cool and I have had a fantastic shave week last week and the beginning of this one equally great. When I tested this blade last time it was just an ok blade and now I have to stop myself from buying a 100 pack.

 

[blethenstrom]

Sounds like a good reduction plan for the DE blade stash.

I've developed an affinity to stick to one soap / cream (3017) till its over. This falls right in there with the 3017. I will also stick to one razor a tuck, though that won't reduce my razors !

I've started with a first shave off the Willy's which came with the Pearl Flexi Black Edition. I'll use the razor / blade combo till I exhaust a DE tuck !

Yes unfortunately it does not work for razors. It is a great satisfaction once the tuck is done and out! Don't be surprised if you uncover some great blades either.

Once I am done with my tuck reduction I will still continue using blades this way, but rotate the blades, tuck by tuck, between what I have packs for. That way you still get some variation. I am also trying to keep to one soap and use it up as well. I am not super strict about it, but the great majority of my shaves will be the one and same soap until done.

 

[BrightSideBob]

I've been using the same generic store-brand blade dispenser since July, despite having an obscene amount of razor blades I've collected.

Picking the next one is gonna be difficult.

 

[luv2shave]

I plan to stick to a setup for an extended period of time, a week at a minimum and then build from there to go longer. Like you I feel that the correct assessment of the products would come in. Too much permutation and combination is really overwhelming and tiring too. Its somewhere killing it to rotate too much

 

[blethenstrom]

I've been using the same generic store-brand blade dispenser since July, despite having an obscene amount of razor blades I've collected.

View attachment 1708981

Picking the next one is gonna be difficult.

Maybe you need to have a box and draw a blade/tuck out to use next time by chance. Decision anxiety is real thing. That is some collection you have there.

 

[blethenstrom]

I plan to stick to a setup for an extended period of time, a week at a minimum and then build from there to go longer. Like you I feel that the correct assessment of the products would come in. Too much permutation and combination is really overwhelming and tiring too. Its somewhere killing it to rotate too much

Absolutely! Sounds like a great plan. Deciding what to use next time can be difficult as well. Of course I think we should have some variability to keep things interesting, but we tend to get a bit carried away at times.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I actually like having a selection of different blades to shave with, different razors, different soaps, etc. Sorry, I guess I just don't get it. I'm reminded of those medieval people flagellating themselves as a form of penitence for their sins!

Not changing everything for every shave I completely understand, though!

 

[Frito Ray]

I like to keep examples of blades to try in new razors. But at the same time I don’t have the huge varieties some of you have. I only have about a dozen “flavors”.

The only ones I finish off are the ones no longer in production.

 

[blethenstrom]

I actually like having a selection of different blades to shave with, different razors, different soaps, etc. Sorry, I guess I just don't get it. I'm reminded of those medieval people flagellating themselves as a form of penitence for their sins!

View attachment 1708998

Not changing everything for every shave I completely understand, though!

Don't we all have too many of those things.

How you do things and if it works for you and gives you good shaves, that is what you should do! Do that! Personally, if I change things around too much, too quickly, I do not know what made my shave good or bad. There is no shame in having many different types of blades, that is not what I am saying. However, in my personal experience, if I have too many different blades and I use one blade from this tuck and shave 3 times and then move on to the next tuck and use it for the next 3 shave, I do not build my experience with that blade.

This tuck reduction has more to do with that I have many sampler tucks left over just laying around and being the person that I am, I need to get a bit more order. This way I can use them up in a way that also benefits me and lets me build experience with those blades. Once I have used those up, I will use my blades in a tuck rotation way between the packs I have. Still using them tuck by tuck for the same reason. What I am after is shave consistency. This is my ultimate goal and I do not seem to get there if I change blades too often.

 

[awk_m4]

Hello and welcome to the Tuck at a Time club.

I have been on a journey for the last number of weeks to eliminate the number of tucks of blades that I have open. I set out on a mission to use these up and clean up around in my shave den a bit. By going through this exercise I have come to the realization that I have learned how these blade work much better. Using a blade for a longer period of time really shows if that one is for me or not, rather than just shave a few times with one single blade and then deeming it good or bad.

Maybe you would like to join me on the journey of tuck reduction by using a "Tuck at a Time" until it is all gone. Weather it be an already opened tuck you want to use up or a fresh tuck does not matter. You will just use that tuck's blades, for all your shaves, until it is gone. Please just post when you start a new tuck and when you finish one. Tell us what you think of the blade and if you noticed any inconstancies blade to blade etc. It does not matter if you are a one and out type shaver or one of the Excalibur guys.

Feel free to use the "TaaT" acronym in your signature.
-Boris

Great idea for a club!
As a One & done guy I found that I was changing blades far too often. In an effort to have some blade consistency I opened a few tucks of Feathers and will finish this batch before moving on to another type of blade.

I have just enough Feathers in my bowl to last through the end of September. For October I will go with a different brand.

 

[blethenstrom]

Great idea for a club!
As a One & done guy I found that I was changing blades far too often. In an effort to have some blade consistency I opened a few tucks of Feathers and will finish this batch before moving on to another type of blade.

I have just enough Feathers in my bowl to last through the end of September. For October I will go with a different brand.

View attachment 1709083

Welcome to TaaT! It sounds like a great mission!

 

[blethenstrom]

Great idea for a club!
As a One & done guy I found that I was changing blades far too often. In an effort to have some blade consistency I opened a few tucks of Feathers and will finish this batch before moving on to another type of blade.

I have just enough Feathers in my bowl to last through the end of September. For October I will go with a different brand.

View attachment 1709083

Since you are a one and done person, do you find yourself jumping between blades a lot?

 

[awk_m4]

Since you are a one and done person, do you find yourself jumping between blades a lot?

Yes I do. I have a container with an assortment of loose blades. For awhile I was randomly picking a blade for each day. I found that some shaves felt better than others so I decided to abandon that approach and stick with the same type for a month.

 

[awk_m4]

Tuesday August 29, 2023
Brush: Simpson ch2
Lather: TOBS Sandalwood
Razor: Henson Ti22+++
Blade: Feather
Post: Osma Alum Block
Post: Thayers Witch Hazel
Post: Tabac

 

[blethenstrom]

@awk_m4 I have a question for you regarding your username. Is this awk as in awk, sed, ed, grep, bc etc etc?