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

[StuartT]

Hot Shower

While todays shave is smooth, my inability to get a good technique down with this bad@ss Astra SP blade is hurting me.

Hi KM,
I have no idea which Flare Tip model you have but I am lead to believe that the razors are color coded and vary in aggressiveness. If you have an aggressive razor, it might account for some of your nicks and cuts. When I started shaving with my first DE razor (a Merkur 34C), I was never quite happy with the results regardless of the blade I used. The 34C is (IMO) a very mild shaver and while I experienced little irritation and infrequent cuts I rarely achieved the closeness that I wanted. I considered ditching the 34C and picking up a more aggressive razor but like most people, the skin on my neck and around my mouth is more sensitive than my cheeks and I wasn't looking forward to undue razor burn or cuts. I considered using an aggressive razor on my cheeks and using the 34C in the more sensitive spots but this option seemed too clunky and complicated. I did some research and decided to pick up an adjustable razor so that I would have the flexibility to adjust aggressiveness as needed and on the fly. For me anyway, the adjustable razor was the "Goldilocks" answer to my shaving conundrum. I now get consistent, BBS close shaves with little to no irritation.
Happy shaving!

 

[HatMagnet]

Razor- Edwin Jagger DE89
Blade-Astra SP
Brush-Omega boar
Soap-Oleo Peppermint & Lavender
Post shave- Thayer's lemon witch hazel
AS- Lucky Tiger

9/10

 

[cryhavoc]

Razor: GEM 1912
Blade: GEM PTFE (4)
Soap: Speick stick
Brush: Yaqi Violet 24mm 2 Band Fan Badger
As: Speick AS

Rating: 8/10

 

[Screeby]

Hi KM,
I have no idea which Flare Tip model you have but I am lead to believe that the razors are color coded and vary in aggressiveness. If you have an aggressive razor, it might account for some of your nicks and cuts. When I started shaving with my first DE razor (a Merkur 34C), I was never quite happy with the results regardless of the blade I used. The 34C is (IMO) a very mild shaver and while I experienced little irritation and infrequent cuts I rarely achieved the closeness that I wanted. I considered ditching the 34C and picking up a more aggressive razor but like most people, the skin on my neck and around my mouth is more sensitive than my cheeks and I wasn't looking forward to undue razor burn or cuts. I considered using an aggressive razor on my cheeks and using the 34C in the more sensitive spots but this option seemed too clunky and complicated. I did some research and decided to pick up an adjustable razor so that I would have the flexibility to adjust aggressiveness as needed and on the fly. For me anyway, the adjustable razor was the "Goldilocks" answer to my shaving conundrum. I now get consistent, BBS close shaves with little to no irritation.
Happy shaving!

I actually have 2 vintage Gillettes. A red tip and a non colored flare tip. The red tip is more aggressive and I have shaved with that razor a handful of times and gotten some nice shaves. This non colored unit is the one I decided to use and learn and try to "master" if you will.

In saying that I have used Yellow, Green and Wilkenson Sword Gillette Blades. Merkur, Feather, Derby, Israelli Red Personna, Blue Personna and now these Astra SP's.

I get really nice smooth shaves with a couple of these blades, including the Astra. But that Astra really nicks me up. Now some of that is me being careless. Two of them for sure were. Today I took my time, stretched skin, kept good angles and still nicked myself. Now I am not talking nasty blood gushers but I did bleed.

I will try some Gillette stuff again and see how that goes.

KM

 

[CJB3]

• Prep: Wash face with Yardley Shea Buttermilk; apply Floid preshave
• Soap: Cella
• Brush: Semogue 820
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo MK2
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Aftershave: Aqua Velva Ice Blue

9/10

 

[MTG Jr]

Hot shower, followed by.....

Proraso Green Preshave cream
M&M Mandate of Heaven
PAA Starcraft 24mm synthetic
SS Karve D
7OC SharpEdge
Thayers Cucumber WH
AV Ice Blue splash

Rating: 10/10

 

[BigJ]

Today’s shave:
Soap: Haslinger’s marigold
Brush: Rudy Vey Shavemac
Razor: Wolfman WR1
Blade: GSB (7)
AS: Fine L’Orange Noir

Rating: 8.5/10

 

[markb]

PSA - The CBL container labels are NOT waterproof! Great shave though! 10/10

Proraso Pre-shave Cream / Kent H8 / CBL "Barbershop" soap / Merkur Futur / Voskhod / Alum / Aqua Velva Ice Blue splash / Creed "Silver Mountain Water EdP​

 

[Screeby]

Hot shower prep and reset as sink filled
Gillette SS Flare Tip
Gillette Yellow (1)
Stirling Barbershop soap
Stirling Barbershop AS

8.1/10

DFS today. Smooth. Very happy

KM

 

[ackvil]

Today's Shave:

• Prep. Wash face with Neutrogena Liquid Facial Soap. Wet face. Apply Grooming Dept. Pre Shave. Cold water shave.
• Soap: M&M Claddagh
• Brush: SOC
• Razor: Mergress XL
• Blade: Personna Lab
• Aftershave: Thayers Rose Petal WH + Pinaud Clubman
• Rating: 10/10.

 

[Sotiris_A]

Today's shave:
Prep: Wash face with bar of soap. Hand lather a dub of shaving cream. Leave the lather on while preparing the lather for the shave in a bowl. Rinse with hot water.
Soap: Declaration Grooming Fourth & Pine
Brush: Simpsons Duke 2 best
Razor: Fatip Piccolo
Blade: Rapira PL (1)
AS: Floid Vigoroso

Rating: 9.5/10

 

[StuartT]

Hot Shower
DIY Pre-shave oil (60/40 Grape seed and Castor)

Blade: Astra SP (2)
Super 3 pass BBS with no irritation and very little burn from aftershave.
Another rare 10.

Whether I am using a SE or a DE, the only constant among my recent "10" ratings is the soap manufacturer...Ariana and Evan. I have tried most of the "best in class" soaps (A&E, WK, B&M, GD, Sterling, M&M, SV, JoHS, Mikes and MWF) yet A&E consistently delivers superior performance. HK is a very, very close second. GD is a good performer but not on par with A&E or HK (IMO) and I have yet to find a GD scent that I find appealing; I have even tossed one simply because I couldn't stand the smell. I realize that scents are subjective (one man's garbage...) but I haven't had to train my nose to like any of the A&E scents. For now anyway, A&E resides at the top of my list.

 

[MTG Jr]

Whether I am using a SE or a DE, the only constant among my recent "10" ratings is the soap manufacturer...Ariana and Evan. I have tried most of the "best in class" soaps (A&E, WK, B&M, GD, Sterling, M&M, SV, JoHS, Mikes and MWF) yet A&E consistently delivers superior performance. HK is a very, very close second. GD is a good performer but not on par with A&E or HK (IMO) and I have yet to find a GD scent that I find appealing; I have even tossed one simply because I couldn't stand the smell. I realize that scents are subjective (one man's garbage...) but I haven't had to train my nose to like any of the A&E scents. For now anyway, A&E resides at the top of my list.

Thanks for the review. What is HK?

 

[Whiterook]

Rating: 9.5

Razor: Rex Supply Ambassador
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Made Rite 500 PB Pure Badger
Pre-Shave: Proraso Red
Lather: Essence of Scotland Malt and Myrtle
Aftershave: Pinaud Whiskey Woods
Additional Care:
Pinaud Finest powder

SOTD 09/06/2019

 

[StuartT]

Thanks for the review. What is HK?

Wholly Kaw soaps.

 

[Snowflake]

Prep - hot shower
Soap - Italian Barber Amici
Brush - RazoRock 400 Synthetic
Razor - RazoRock Game Changer .84-P
Blade - Astra SP (4)
Post - Thayer's Unscented WH, Floïd Vigoroso

Rating - 9/10

 

[cryhavoc]

Razor: GEM 1912
Blade: GEM PTFE (5)
Soap: Speick stick
Brush: Yaqi Violet 24mm 2 Band Fan Badger
Aftershave: Speick AS

Rating: 8.5/10

 

[dmshaver]

RFB
Nacet
Muhle 21mm Silvertip Fiber
Pannacrema Nuavia Blu
Thayers Witch Hazel
Clubman

Wonderful shave! 10/10!

 

[CJB3]

• Prep: Wash face with Yardley Shea Buttermilk; apply Floid preshave
• Soap: Haslinger Schafmilch
• Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super
• Razor: Gillette Goodwill #160
• Blade: Feather (3)
• Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman

9.5/10

 

[SPR]

• Prep: Wash face and use Geo F Trumpeter Lime serum
• Soap: Geo F Trumpeter Lime
  
• Brush: The Guv'nor
  
• Razor: Feather ASD2
  
• Blade: Feather (new)
• Aftershave: Geo F Trumpeter Lime serum

8.5/10

Really happy overall - much better shaving experience with the new razor and my face seems to thank me for it irritation wise ... just need more practice