What's new

What did you use today? +Rate the shave 1-10 (10 best)

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
My cottage is a few miles from the NY state border (not far from Fort Drum). I have a PO Box as many US companies won’t ship to Canada. Also, shipping to Canada from many smaller retailers is very expensive. Lastly, shaving related example... certain brush makers won’t/can’t ship badger to Canada as the proper paperwork is cost prohibitive.

My wife goes across for groceries and does a bit of other shopping every couple of weeks in the spring-fall, so it is easy and quick to pick up parcels.

I think having a PO Box in the US for Canadians is more popular in less populated areas. Toronto is still a long drive to Niagara and the border crossing can be backed up pretty good. Not feasible crossing at the big entry points unless you live right at the Border (St Catherines or Windsor and similar). Border dwellers can get an express pass.
Every US citizen "born" in International Falls, Minnesota is actually brought into this world in Fort Frances, ON, where is found the only hospital for miles.
 

Lefonque

Even more clueless than you
BB742D35-F81D-43DA-B95B-A584E7E4F02D.jpeg


PrePAA Cube 2.0 USA 🇺🇸
SoapA&E Cuban Highball, USA 🇺🇸
BrushYaqi Sagrada, China 🇨🇳
RazorWolfman WR2 1.05, Canada
BladeNacet, Russia 🇷🇺
AftershaveProraso Alum, Italy 🇮🇹, Nivea Balm, Germany 🇩🇪
FragrancePAA Doppelgänger, USA 🇺🇸
Rating9/10
 
Boy, I had a crazy, long day today . . . but it started with my first shave with the Vector, and it was very good:

tempImageh8Yl7Z.jpg


How did I set this new premium razor up for its first trial? I decided not to pull out my absolute favorite soap or even put a fresh blade in the Vector, but grab a Proline on its 7th use after it had been riding the bench for a couple weeks. I figured that would tell me more than setting it up with what I perceived to be perfect conditions. I did three standard passes (W/X/ATG) and one very light cleanup pass. I took it pretty easy overall, leaving blade buffing for another day.

How was the shave as a first single edge shave? It was an introduction to the experience I've been looking for in traditional wet shaving for the last seven months: comfortable, efficient, drama-free, relaxed. I knew this was out there, but hadn't quite found it yet. The Feather AC SS remains just too challenging a handle to get the results I believed were possible with an AC blade. ATG on the area below the chin is the worst, most uncomfortable area for me if my DE shave isn't going perfectly, and the single edge format dealt with that as well as ATG on the mustache so nicely.

How was the Vector? Obviously writing a review after one shave would be silly, and I have no other SE razors with which to compare it. That said, it succeeded at clearing the area right below my nose to a BBS smoothness, which means it can accomplish a full shave on its own; no need to grab a shavette to tidy up. It was nimble and easy to use. The small profile of the head made it so easy to tell right where the edge was, and it rotated so nicely over the jawline. Everything positive that's been said about build quality, attractiveness of the piece overall, etc., is true from my vantage point.

How were the results? DFS under the chin, and just a little less than BBS pretty much everywhere else. Perhaps the best part was the level of comfort, especially given the good closeness I achieved without trying all that hard. In fact, I was trying hard not to try too hard. I had a little sting from the aftershave and one very small weeper on the corner of my mouth. This is better than average for me.

There may come a day for superlatives, but for now I'll just say I had a very good start with this razor and really look forward to continuing my trial of it. I think it showed that even given average parameters and a cautious approach, it can deliver a very good daily shave . . . and that it has a lot more to give. Onward!
 
Razor: Timeless .95 Titanium Open Comb
Blade: Personna Platinum (Israeli Red) (2)
Bowl: Captain’s Choice Copper Lather Bowl (Heavyweight)
Brush: Grizzly Bay “Empress - EVO Deluxe” with 26mm High Mountain White (Bulb)
Soap and Aftershave: Noble Otter Rawr
Rating: 9/10

Did a two pass shave that was DFS with no cuts, weepers or irritation. I’m still not sold on the PIR, although I never get weepers or irritation with them, they don’t get as close as I would like, even with the .95 OC.

I posted last time I used the HMW bulb knot how I didn’t like it as it doesn’t release lather, it has too much bloom/ less backbone then I’d like so it isn’t great at building lather and needs like double or triple the amount of soap my other brushes need and loses a ton of hairs still. I decided to take 2 heavy duty elastics and put it at the base of the knot to see if it would make a difference. I found that it had better backbone which worked better for building lather in the bowl and felt better on the face. I found maybe because it was held tighter together, it still took more soap then my other brushes but didn’t eat as much of the lather as it usually does, so I had enough soap for all the passes plus a little extra. The thing is, it still lost hairs throughout the shave, 16 today. In the dozen times I’ve used the brush, it has lost over 80 hairs. In comparison, I can count on one hand how many hairs my other 3 badgers have lost combined. I will use it one more time before I decide whether I will be removing the knot and replacing it.

47E25098-A23A-4556-B5B2-C31F83C1C279.jpeg
 
Prep : Room Temperature Water Splashes + Glycerin Face Wash
Razor: Parker SRB
Blade: Wilkinson Sword Indian Half Blade (D1)
Brush: Semogue SOC Boar
Cream: TOBS Avocado Cream
Aftershave: Alum Block + Cold Water Rinse + Biotiq Wild Grass AS Gel
Rating : 9.6/10 :pipe:


Very close and comfortable BBS in 3 passes ! :001_wub:
 
Razor: Cadet TTO
Blade: Astra SP (3)
Brush: Thater Fan Knot Super Badger, 24mm

Soap: Huntlee Master Lather,Sweet Tobacco

Post: Cold water rinse,
Alum block (not pictured)
Canoe aftershave splash,
Com Huskers Lotion

A mostly good shave except two weepers occurred. This is a good razor but on the aggressive side.
8.5

Have a great day everyone [emoji106]
proxy.php


Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk
 
5C17FE16-50BA-47D5-ACA8-8D22EA3F4534.jpeg


Razor: Razorock BBS
Blade: Astra SS (1)
Soap: Stirling Spice
Brush: PAA Starcraft
Aftershave: Old Spice

Good morning! Face lathering the Stirling soap with the PAA brush made for some great lather today. The first shave on the Astra Stainless blade (current production) was a bit rougher than the past couple shaves with the Vintage Czech made one, but I got a near BBS shave with minimal irritation in 2 passes plus a little touch up.

I’ve had the Razorock BBS for almost 2 months now, and I have to say it’s a great daily driver. Very comfortable and I always get a close shave with minimal effort. And I think it looks great too.

9/10 DFS+
 
12 May 2021
20210512_063307.jpg

Prep:
Old Spice Bar Soap
Razor For The Shave:
WCS 84S
Van der Hagen √
Cream For The Day:
Razor Rock Saturnia – Italy √
Old Spice Original –India
Old Spice Musk – India
Proraso Green –Italy
Brushes For The Shave:
Omega 11126 -- Prep with Old Spice Bar soap
Gray Dog -- Today’s shave
Blade For The Shave:
Bolzano Superinox Shave #4
Passes:
WTG then ATG
Cleanup:
Rinsed and dried face, Witch Hazel, and then Alum rub downs.
Aftershave:
Old Spice – Canada?
Summary:
Rating: 10.0
Quality: BBS
Results: Again, no stubble, nicks, or weepers.
Info: A great lather using rain water. Harvested about 1/2 gallon (US) from recent rain(s).
 
Wed 12 SOTD
Soap Stirling Hipster
Brush Yaqi 26mm Lucky Dice Badger
Razor RR G37 Slant
Blade Russian Astra Superior Stainless 3rd
Post & Aftershaves Ice Water + Stirling Witchhazel Orange Chill + Hyaluronic + TGS Chronos
Very nice soap!! Great scent, thickly creamy and slick lather...beautiful!!
Shave with razor paired with the blade was excellent!! Really smooth and comfortable yet crisply sharp! 3passes for a mostly bbs result but 1 weeper...Excellent aftershaves too...Rating 9.5/10
20210511_234116.jpg
20210512_072736.jpg
 
Brush: Wild West Brushworks “Milky Way” / Declaration Grooming B9A
Soap: Declaration Grooming - After the Rain
Razor: Karve CB / C plate
Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium

10/10: Probably my best shave with the Karve, but it was still an awful lot of work. The C plate just isn’t as efficient for me as I’m used to, and buffing to this degree is a little touch-and-go. Great end result, though. I swear, if a soap just has some lavender in it, I’m good to go.
 
Score 10/10

Razorock XXX (and splash)
Omega 615
Merkur Progress
Personna - USA (1st use)

Not sure why I fancied giving the Progress a whirl today but I'm glad I did because the shave was fantastic with zero feedback from the aftershave to really let me know things went well 🙂

IMG_20210512_134910670~2.jpg
 
Top Bottom