Yet another aussie...

[ImaWestie]

First go today at more than one pass with my disposable-blade straight. Suprised myself by no damage to speak of, and actually did improve my result by enough to be worth the effort.

Washed face, lathered, massaged, washed, lathered, shaved WTG/XTG (yes, bad, but I mix those on the same pass - some parts of my face just shave better XTG), washed, lathered, shaved ATG (again - parts of my face this is the only thing that works) / WTG.

I am having a lot of trouble doing WTG on the same side of my face as the hand holding the razor (right). Hence, XTG on both cheeks from jawline to under eye, XTG/ATG above the lip also - can't for the life of me figure WTG from under the nostrils.

But under the jawline, definately WTG first pass, ATG second pass.

 

[RF1963]

I am having a lot of trouble doing WTG on the same side of my face as the hand holding the razor (right).

I take it you are reaching over your head with your left hand to pull the skin taut on your right cheek?

 

[ImaWestie]

No actually.
I lean to the left, reach under my jaw with my left hand, and pull down.
Isn't that how everyone does it??

edit: What I said up there is for above the jaw-line. Below the jaw-line, I sort of reach past my nose and pull up - some kind of pinching motion.

 

[Luc]

No actually.
I lean to the left, reach under my jaw with my left hand, and pull down.
Isn't that how everyone does it??

edit: What I said up there is for above the jaw-line. Below the jaw-line, I sort of reach past my nose and pull up - some kind of pinching motion.

I mostly push/pull the skin in the same direction to raise the hair. I normally pull the skin up.

 

[ImaWestie]

If you're anywhere near St Mary's, you might like to check out Hair & Beauty Bargain Bazaar http://www.hbbb.com.au/estore/home.php?cat=26. Their prices look quite good - Astras $1.95/5-pack, Personnas $21.95/100 - and they are supposed to sell to the public although they're mainly a wholesaler. If you do go, we expect a full report at GSL!

Following up on this suggestion, in my endevours to find a strop for my soon-to-arrive straight razor (no card today, what's the deal Australia Post ), I made my way to HBBB at 160 Queen St St Marys.

St Marys is a nice enough suburb, the eastern-most suburb of Penrith - which puts it 1/2 way between Blacktown and Penrith on both the Great Western Highway and the Western Railway Line.
With the increased success of Mt Druitt Westfields, Queen St is... steadily dying. So HBBB is surrounded by a bunch of hairdressers, and empty shops. Not much for SWMBO to do if you are making a special trip

The store consists of TWO shops side-by-side, with a counter at the front of one of them, and (my geek is showing here) it seems to me to be the MSY (discount computer shop) of the hair & beauty world. Shaving is very much a "oh yeah we carry shaving gear". Having said that, they have plenty of Wahl trade-quantity & quality shave cream, after shave, and other produce. In addition, it seems they have the exact same product with their own label (Good Ol' Times barber products). This is made for trade - so it's "attractively" packaged in white PVC bottles, tubes, etc.

Value, not pretty, effective. The "small" Bay Rum that I bought was 250ml, the guy was very disapointed I wasn't buying the one litre bottle... the shave cream is in similarly "trade quantity" tubs, ready for decanting a handful at a time by the 1st year apprentice no doubt

They have in stock a range of Pakistani straights, a range of DE and SE razors (which I wasn't looking for), and maybe 2000 lines of hairdressing, manicure, and other beauty items. As long as you're buying nail-polish remover or hair dye by the litre, you're in the right place!

In all: they are close, Mrs Westie seems to like their version of Bay Rum, I'll probably be back. If they were in Bondi, I wouldn't be making a special trip.

Any GSL member who wishes, feel free to borrow this post. Or point me to a format and I'll edit it to suit.

 

[Muscles]

Nice write-up mate!
So, me being based near Cronulla shouldn't make a special trip... oh well, next time I am heading to Schofields I will divert via St Mary's.

Again, great write up

 

[ImaWestie]

Nice write-up mate!
So, me being based near Cronulla shouldn't make a special trip... oh well, next time I am heading to Schofields I will divert via St Mary's.

Again, great write up

If you're from Cronulla, not much chance you're coming North of Tom Oakleys is there?

From whitepages.com.au - hardly the most indisputable of sources - it seems they have shopfronts at Seven Hills and Fairfield. Equally though, both North of Tom Oakley's bridge

So basically - yeah, if you're heading to Schoie they might be worth dropping in for. If you were into Scottish food, then there used to be a Haggis-serving caf accross the road - but I think it's closed - Queen St is getting a bit

In other news:
Thanks, Luc, package recieved, pix maybe tomorrow night? Sad when thanks to kids, the best thing I've got on a Friday night is takin' pix of new shave goodies!

 

[mdunn]

Say it properly - Tom UGLYS bridge. Thats the way its said, and thats the way it should be spelt

 

[Luc]

If you're from Cronulla, not much chance you're coming North of Tom Oakleys is there?

From whitepages.com.au - hardly the most indisputable of sources - it seems they have shopfronts at Seven Hills and Fairfield. Equally though, both North of Tom Oakley's bridge

So basically - yeah, if you're heading to Schoie they might be worth dropping in for. If you were into Scottish food, then there used to be a Haggis-serving caf accross the road - but I think it's closed - Queen St is getting a bit

In other news:
Thanks, Luc, package recieved, pix maybe tomorrow night? Sad when thanks to kids, the best thing I've got on a Friday night is takin' pix of new shave goodies!

Good to know it made it that quickly! You will have to post your experience.

 

[Muscles]

LOL! Funnily enough I rarely use that bridge, I find I am going either via Menai or Taren Point (where my office is) whenever I leave "The Shire", it must be the troll stories my Pop used to tell me...

 

[mdunn]

LOL! Funnily enough I rarely use that bridge, I find I am going either via Menai or Taren Point (where my office is) whenever I leave "The Shire", it must be the troll stories my Pop used to tell me...

you leave the shire?!?!?!?

I didnt think anybody left the shire!

 

[Muscles]

Not unless I really have to and then I make sure I have a few Hobbits with me for the journey!

 

[TonyGold]

Give www.mensbiz.com.au (Melbourne based) a whirl. They do good value sample packs of 5 different manufacturers DE blades for around $17 plus a couple of bucks postage. You can get second hand razors at the junk stalls for around $3 upwards. Clean and boil them to your satisfaction. Mennen/Palmolive (I think they are the same thing in a different wrapper) shaving sticks at $2 are good value even if they do smell a bit institutional and Big W Superstores sell a Comoy badger brush for around $16. I got one of these brushes a few weeks ago and they are beaut. Buy before election fever subsides!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Luc]

Give www.mensbiz.com.au (Melbourne based) a whirl. They do good value sample packs of 5 different manufacturers DE blades for around $17 plus a couple of bucks postage. You can get second hand razors at the junk stalls for around $3 upwards. Clean and boil them to your satisfaction. Mennen/Palmolive (I think they are the same thing in a different wrapper) shaving sticks at $2 are good value even if they do smell a bit institutional and Big W Superstores sell a Comoy badger brush for around $16. I got one of these brushes a few weeks ago and they are beaut. Buy before election fever subsides!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget the discount at the checkout...

BB2010

 

[ImaWestie]

Say it properly - Tom UGLYS bridge. Thats the way its said, and thats the way it should be spelt

Oops. If you hadn't noticed, I'm a Westie and I don't know about these things because I could never aspire to live in the promised land

The pix might make it on here tonight - or they might not be here till Sunday.

 

[Luc]

How did you go with the straight?

 

[ImaWestie]

Today I wrote two job applications. I came home to three feral kids who for some reason had been allowed to stay up later than normal. Totally wrong frame of mind to have my first go with a straight.

My plan remains: have a bath either tomorrow or Sunday night, and shave with it then.
You have done a fantastic job on the brush, or buying the right knot, or something. The difference between what you sent me, and my last brush, is incredible.

 

[Luc]

Today I wrote two job applications. I came home to three feral kids who for some reason had been allowed to stay up later than normal. Totally wrong frame of mind to have my first go with a straight.

My plan remains: have a bath either tomorrow or Sunday night, and shave with it then.
You have done a fantastic job on the brush, or buying the right knot, or something. The difference between what you sent me, and my last brush, is incredible.

Sure if you go straight to a Silvertip, the experience will be much better...

 

[ImaWestie]

Things like this thread here highlight the amazingly rare generosity of Badger & Blade members.

Pics to follow as the packages arrive. I guess I will be having a go with a DE razor now!! I'm definately hoping this introduction to Porasso will be a happy one.

 

[ImaWestie]

Things like this thread here highlight the amazingly rare generosity of Badger & Blade members.

Pics to follow as the packages arrive. I guess I will be having a go with a DE razor now!! I'm definately hoping this introduction to Porasso will be a happy one.

Finally got around to using, at the very least, the Proraso shaving cream and razor and one of the blades this morning.

About 5 days growth, hand lathered the Proraso with the "other" badger brush. Not a bad first go at DE shaving? But hardly what I'd call "great" (a bit of a harsh result, although the low res pic is gentler on me than I was on myself).