Shave of the Day - Jan. 29

Ahhhh.... Arko and SOFT WATER!

Today's post-shower shave was with the Arko soap, using my Gillette Super Speed. The soft water seemed to help (discovered that our water softener had run out of salt last week), although it may also have been the more aggressive SS razor. Whatever is responsible, I'm back to a BBS shave. My face feels great, although a little on the dry side. It seems as though the Arko may be a bit more drying than the Williams.

I have to say, I love the Arko scent. I find it clean, mild, and refreshing, and it lathers like a fiend! I started a thread about Arko on ShaveMyFace.com and while many people like the scent to one degree or another, a significant percentage simply can't stomach it - even when they like the lathering and shaving results. Some even have mentioned that the smell takes over the whole bathroom. This is not my experience however, and I've had the mushed-up stick sitting open in a mug for over a week.

Shave of the Day - Jan. 24

The ShaveMyFace.com resident blade connoisseur, Squire, sent me a stick of Arko Shave Soap a couple of weeks ago (along with a nice sampling of blades and a couple of vials of cologne - see below. Many thanks, Squire!). Due to circumstances I only got to trying it this morning.

I followed his advice and chopped and mushed it up and pressed it into a mug. I have to say, using the trusty Tweezerman brush, I was able to whip up a MUCH better lather than I have with the Williams I've been using up to this point. Went on my face nice & thick, and stayed. There was enough lather left in the mug for a second pass, and even a third, even though I don't do three. The lather remained nice & thick all the way through my second pass as well, another plus. Having the lather thin out or collapse during my second pass has been an issue with the Williams.

All in all, a nice close shave with my Gillette Gold Tech loaded with a Wilkinson blade, and the Arko.

Even more to my delight, the Arko did this at a time when I all of a sudden realized my water softener was out of salt and we've been bathing with a fine clear limestone dust instead of actual liquid H2O. Can't wait to shave again when the water goes soft in a day or two.

One last thing - this stuff is about $1.33 per stick when purchased in bulk (15 sticks) from Amazon.com.

Shave of the Day - Jan. 18

Back to my trusty Gillette Super Speed and Wilkinson Sword blade - two passes as usual - and back to my near BBS shave. I'll still try the Tech with more aggressive blades, but for now will use up the Wilkinsons that are loaded in both the SS and Tech.

I would like to try the Arko that my "patron" on ShaveMyFace.com sent me before I wear the Wilkinsons out. He recommends pulverizing the stick and pressing it into a mug before using. Will need to do that next.

Kindness of a New Acquaintence

I've been posting some lately on the forum on ShaveMyFace.com. I'd asked a few questions on blades, and had posted about finding the Gillette Tech mentioned below. A gentleman on the forum who goes by the tag of Squire was kind enough to send me sample packs of eight different blades, along with a stick of Arko shave soap, and some French cologne/aftershave.





Over the coming weeks I'll be testing the blades, soap, and cologne and putting my thoughts down here.

Squire, if you're listening, thanks a ton for your kindness and generosity! If any of you newbies following this blog haven't checked out the forum at http://www.shavemyface.com/, please do so. It's a great community of wet shavers!

Shave of the Day - Jan. 1

I used the NOS Gillette Gold Tech again this morning, but I was in a hurry. I therefore did not get nearly as good a shave as I usually do. Not nearly as close, even though it was a two-pass shave, and several small nicks - totally my fault, not the razor's.

A new acquaintance on one of the shaving forums is generously sending me a small sampling of blades to try. I'll try these in both the Tech and the SS.

I've also learned a few details about refurbishing a brush with a new hair knot. So that's one more thing to be watching for in the antique stores - old brushes with neat handles. It seems to be a fairly inexpensive proposition to re-knot these things.