I swore I would not even look in the brush or soap 
Then I totally fell in both, sigh.
Then I totally fell in both, sigh.
Yet Another Journal of Razors and Blades and Stuff
- Thread starter T Bone
- Start date
All the things!I swore I would not even look in the brush or soap
Then I totally fell in both, sigh.
I'm good for soaps, but if SV releases a LE 30mm brush in a wood I can't live without, I'll be getting one next year.I swore I would not even look in the brush or soap
Then I totally fell in both, sigh.
- Thread starter
- #264
Henson AL13+++
Nacet (1)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
RazoRock XXX sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Closeness: DFS+ (8.5/10)
Cuts: 4 tiny weepers (chin, under chin, mustache)
Been doing great with the upper lip lately, getting at most 1 pinprick there the past several shaves. My chin has been the trouble spot, I need to take more care there. At least I got it smooth today, the only significant stubble left is on my neck.
Nacet (1)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
RazoRock XXX sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
Closeness: DFS+ (8.5/10)
Cuts: 4 tiny weepers (chin, under chin, mustache)
Been doing great with the upper lip lately, getting at most 1 pinprick there the past several shaves. My chin has been the trouble spot, I need to take more care there. At least I got it smooth today, the only significant stubble left is on my neck.
- Thread starter
- #265
Talking about rabbit holes, I've been trying to avoid the soap rabbit hole and ending up with a metric 
-ton of soap under my sink. That's been especially difficult, as there are so many that I want to try, but so far I've been holding off to finish some of what I have first. Not quite 3017ing it, as I want some variety. But I'm figuring I'll buy some after I finish off my samples (about 20ish shaves) and La Toja. I bought this stick about 2 years ago before I discovered I really like bolder scents. Luckily, the nondescript scent goes with the aftershave samples I have that no longer have matching soap samples, otherwise it would be more of a slog using it up. This thing lasts forever though, I wonder how many shaves it has left.
I should probably finish up another soap too, maybe my Proraso, before buying more, since I have 2 Mama Bear sticks from 2 years ago that I haven't even opened yet, but I don't think I have that much restraint.
-ton of soap under my sink. That's been especially difficult, as there are so many that I want to try, but so far I've been holding off to finish some of what I have first. Not quite 3017ing it, as I want some variety. But I'm figuring I'll buy some after I finish off my samples (about 20ish shaves) and La Toja. I bought this stick about 2 years ago before I discovered I really like bolder scents. Luckily, the nondescript scent goes with the aftershave samples I have that no longer have matching soap samples, otherwise it would be more of a slog using it up. This thing lasts forever though, I wonder how many shaves it has left.I should probably finish up another soap too, maybe my Proraso, before buying more, since I have 2 Mama Bear sticks from 2 years ago that I haven't even opened yet, but I don't think I have that much restraint.
Life is short,
- Thread starter
- #267
Life is short,
I’d love to treat myself to some more, but for the most part I enjoy the soaps I have at the moment. If I bought more now, some of what I have would then sit unused, or I’d use it because I’d feel like I have to and it would become a chore.
Not to worry though, I’ll treat myself eventually.
Lets both get some SV soaps for Christmas! I figured if I blow $50+ on a shave soap, having a partner will lessen the guilt!Not to worry though, I’ll treat myself eventually.
Brotherhoods of Rabbit Holes and GSB Cult unite!
@Osyri , if you buy SV, consider buying from Connaught’s and consider waiting until until the pound is less than $1.27
- Thread starter
- #270
Don’t think of it as “blowing” $50, think of it as “investing” it!
I remember starting out and looking at the prices of some of these soaps and thinking that’s crazy compared to the stuff I was used to that cost a few bucks for a can that gave a month or 2 (I think? - no idea really) of perfectly decent shaves. It wasn’t until I finally bought a brush and started experimenting with some soaps that I realized:- The biggest marketing scam that Big Razor pulled wasn’t cartridges, it was convincing us that canned gel provides any sort of lubrication.
- These soaps last a bloody long time, especially the hard ones!
Me, I’m thinking my next soap purchase (when I’ve used enough of my current supply to enjoy it) will be 5 x 1 oz pucks of Stirling. I got to try a little bit of Arkadia and Margaritas in the Arctic courtesy of @spacemonkey42 and liked them both quite a bit, and I want to try a few more scents.
- Thread starter
- #271
Henson AL13+++
Nacet (2)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Murphy & McNeil Kells sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I'm not sure why, but there was a lot of tugging going on with this morning's shave. Nacet has no business getting dull on just the second shave. Wednesday's shave was also in the morning so it was a full 48 hours growth. That's not unusual, so I wouldn't think that's enough to warrant an extra reduction pass, but it's possible. Maybe I just wasn't awake enough to get the angle right pre-coffee. Or maybe I sleepwalked to the bathroom last night and swapped out the Nacet for a Derby Extra. More likely the angle, but I'll have to go check the blade to make sure.
As a result, there was temptation to use pressure, but I successfully resisted. It also required buffing in places that don't usually require it, like my cheeks, so it took a few minutes more than usual. I mostly avoided extra passes over my neck and mustache/goatee though since that's a good way to cause weepers. So a little more missed stubble than usual, but still a satisfactory result.
Closeness: DFS+ (7/10)
Cuts: none, somehow
Hopefully the Nacet will behave for my weekend shave, otherwise it will head to the bin early.
Happy Friday and have a good weekend!
Nacet (2)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Murphy & McNeil Kells sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I'm not sure why, but there was a lot of tugging going on with this morning's shave. Nacet has no business getting dull on just the second shave. Wednesday's shave was also in the morning so it was a full 48 hours growth. That's not unusual, so I wouldn't think that's enough to warrant an extra reduction pass, but it's possible. Maybe I just wasn't awake enough to get the angle right pre-coffee. Or maybe I sleepwalked to the bathroom last night and swapped out the Nacet for a Derby Extra. More likely the angle, but I'll have to go check the blade to make sure.
As a result, there was temptation to use pressure, but I successfully resisted. It also required buffing in places that don't usually require it, like my cheeks, so it took a few minutes more than usual. I mostly avoided extra passes over my neck and mustache/goatee though since that's a good way to cause weepers. So a little more missed stubble than usual, but still a satisfactory result.
Closeness: DFS+ (7/10)
Cuts: none, somehow
Hopefully the Nacet will behave for my weekend shave, otherwise it will head to the bin early.
Happy Friday and have a good weekend!
I found Yourshaving.com to be the cheapest. Right now the SV 70th is $29.73 vs $33.35 on Connaught. And YourShaving allows you to choose US dollars for the default. Makes it easier. Neither will ship alcohol containing aftershave to the US.
Welp...I got my soaps from Stirling, Areffa and Canada Soap plus the other soaps I already had so Ima good for quite some time...Uh huh, yep, for sure, got enough, don't need no more, I'm set, all good here please move along
- Thread starter
- #274
And then you end up with 30. It could happen....It happened to me!!Welp...I got my soaps from Stirling, Areffa and Canada Soap plus the other soaps I already had so Ima good for quite some time...Uh huh, yep, for sure, got enough, don't need no more, I'm set, all good here please move along
- Thread starter
- #276
I can easily see how. Pretty sure if I ordered half of everything I read here that sounds interesting I'd have 30 in a week! Stirling, Areffa, B&M, more Southern Witchcrafts, and many many others...
Not being able to use scented products has made this hobby a bit more simple for me... Unscented soaps where I only have to be concerned with their performance, no aftershaves, though I do have a "signature" cologne.... Two rabbit holes that can't suck me in.
Don't worry..... I have enough other ones to keep me occupied.
Don't worry..... I have enough other ones to keep me occupied.
- Thread starter
- #278
Henson AL13+++
Nacet (3)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Chiseled Face Midnight Stag sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I didn't have a chance to shave this weekend, so I had 72 hours of stubble to knock down, which I was happy to do as I get itchy around this time.
I had another theory about why the Nacet was so tuggy on Friday: prep. I'd taken a quick shower, so perhaps my whiskers weren't quite softened. So after a nice shower this morning, I lathered up and disproved that theory, as it was tuggy as heck again. But rather than bin the blade right away, I did a very quick N-S pass @Osyri-style, relathered, then restarted my usual first pass, and things were much better. So I guess that answers that question. It still took a lot of effort to hack through my mustache ATG, but those whiskers are always tougher than anywhere else.
Result: DFS+ (7.5/10)
Cuts: 1 weeper (chin)
Try as I might, my neck is still maybe 80/20 DFS/BBS, and I can feel some stubble ATG on my mustache and chin too. The chin weeper was on the second of the 3 passes and may have been a blemish, I'm not sure. I had to reapply alum to get it to stop though.
I'm not sure how to "count" this shave for the scientific purpose of comparing it to the Henson ++ and Blackbird Lite. I almost never go 72 hours between shaves, and as a result, it took longer (though that N-S pass couldn't have been more than a minute), and was an extra run of sharp blade over skin (though irritation is still pretty negligible and it didn't cause the weeper). I'm also annoyed to have missed a shave, I'm tempted to try to get in 4 this week instead of 3.
Happy Monday and have a great week!
Nacet (3)
AP Shave 24mm G5C
Chiseled Face Midnight Stag sample
Stirling unscented menthol ASB
I didn't have a chance to shave this weekend, so I had 72 hours of stubble to knock down, which I was happy to do as I get itchy around this time.
I had another theory about why the Nacet was so tuggy on Friday: prep. I'd taken a quick shower, so perhaps my whiskers weren't quite softened. So after a nice shower this morning, I lathered up and disproved that theory, as it was tuggy as heck again. But rather than bin the blade right away, I did a very quick N-S pass @Osyri-style, relathered, then restarted my usual first pass, and things were much better. So I guess that answers that question. It still took a lot of effort to hack through my mustache ATG, but those whiskers are always tougher than anywhere else.
Result: DFS+ (7.5/10)
Cuts: 1 weeper (chin)
Try as I might, my neck is still maybe 80/20 DFS/BBS, and I can feel some stubble ATG on my mustache and chin too. The chin weeper was on the second of the 3 passes and may have been a blemish, I'm not sure. I had to reapply alum to get it to stop though.
I'm not sure how to "count" this shave for the scientific purpose of comparing it to the Henson ++ and Blackbird Lite. I almost never go 72 hours between shaves, and as a result, it took longer (though that N-S pass couldn't have been more than a minute), and was an extra run of sharp blade over skin (though irritation is still pretty negligible and it didn't cause the weeper). I'm also annoyed to have missed a shave, I'm tempted to try to get in 4 this week instead of 3.
Happy Monday and have a great week!
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What I did with my sticks (I don't care for rubbing them on my face) was to warm/heat them up and press them in to a mug I had and use them that way. Seeing as how they are a hard soap to begin with they now work very well when I do my mug lathering with either boar or synth brushes.
Cheers
Cheers
The WTG should lower the drag for XTG or ATG passes or you might benefit from the use of preshave.
I have the same problem with the mustache area, I tried many methods, preshave, handrubbing it to soften it, used conditioner on it during my shower, doing WTG, XTG, then ATG, etc. The ATG pass on my mustache still have the most drag and tuck. Some blades do better than others on that area. I recall cartridges also have problem, so I have learned to accept it.
