Generosity Revisited

I've been posting on the SMF forum lately about just how rough my initial experience with the Feather blades was. This was picked by a most generous member who offered to send me a Gillette Super Speed Blue Tip, free and clear!

I didn't understand the free and clear at first, but he assured me he's a flea market hound like I am. He picks up razors all the time, cleans them, and forwards them on to other DE shavers like myself.

Well, the Blue Tip arrived the other day and what to my wondering eyes should appear? Nothing but a date code of A-3! That's 1955, third quarter (July-August-September). My birthday is September 1, 1955.

This gentleman had sent me the gift of a Birthday Razor!

Well, I loaded it up with a Feather and had my first Blue Tip shave yesterday. Indeed, very mild. And I came away thinking that the Feather-Blue Tip combination is a worthy one.

Shave of the Day - Late December

I've been slowly working my way thru a bundle of blades a friend sent me about a year ago.

Slowly because I only shave once or twice a week (blasphemous of course, but SWMBO likes the stubble), and I alternate between my 1961 Super Speed and a 1940's Tech.

Well, I've gone thru Wilkinsons, Derbys, 7 O'clocks, and... well... I was feeling a little like I had a two digit IQ or something. I could never really tell the difference between blade brands - although thankfully I could distiguish between the two razors loaded with the same brand of blade.

Finishing up a brace of 7 O'Clocks, I reached into backstock for the next candidate.

"What came to the top of the pile?" you ask?

Ya, yoo-betcha... the Feathers.

Loaded one in each razor and had at it with the SS.

"Holy SHIT, Batman!!!"

I had weepers galore, even though I'd been careful to use zero pressure. Overall, the shave was terrifically irregular - caused mostly by the shock of the operator, I'm sure.

Most of all, I felt a strong regret that I hadn't chosen the milder Tech for the first test drive.

Shave of the Day - Art of Shaving

Lisa was out at the Mall of America the other day and stumbled upon the new Art of Shaving store there. She took a quick peek inside, just to have a look around, and was rewarded with a sample package containing pre-shave oil, shaving cream, and after-shave.

Well, I tried the pre-shave and shaving cream yesterday.

I found the overall results quite satisfying - I especially liked the cream. The pre-shave oil however, was pretty odd to me. It was very heavy and sticky, which made it surprisingly hard to apply to my face.

These days I shave post-shower and the oil instructions did not say whether to apply to wet or dry skin. I made no special effort to keep my face wet, but portions were still damp from my shower. These areas seemed to be the hardest places to apply the oil.

I then rubbed the shaving cream in a thin layer over my entire beard. I followed that with the brush, face-lathering to a very nice rich creamy lather which built very quickly.

Following the lathering, I did a quick with-the-grain pass with my early '60s Super Speed.

I then rinsed and relathered, using only the lather remaining in the brush. Again, I was able to build a nice creamy lather, although it was not quite as rich as the initial application.

Following that, I did my usual second pass against-the-grain, and only needed minimal touch-ups. All in all, a very nice satisfying near-BBS shave.

My initial reaction to the Art of Shaving products is that they are quite effective, though I can't say I care unduly for the fragrance. In fairness, I did not try the after-shave, so cannot comment on that.

Shave of the Day - Aug. 16

This load of Derbys is reaching the end of its life. I have one in both the Tech (which I used for this shave) and the Super Speed.

I've lost count of how many shaves I've gotten out of them - probably ten apiece.

I keep lovin' the Arko. I'm craving the fragrance!

Shave of the Day - Feb. 10

If you're reading this blog from end to end, you must think I only shave every two or three weeks! Not true! I only record them so often.

Had a good shave back at home this morning, after shaving in a hotel room, with hotel soap (forgot my beloved Arko) for a week. Ahhh, it's nice to get back to real shave soap!

No BBS this morning, but a nice shave. I think my blade's getting a bit dull. Will have to remedy that with a new Feather blade from my benefactor, Squire of the SMF Forum.

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.

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.

Shave of the Day - Dec. 18

I've been shaving after showering the past few shaves, rather than before, which was always my preference. I've been surprised that I haven't hacked myself bloody! Indeed, I've had fewer cuts and closer shaves!

Today I decided to begin using up my old Mach 3 cartridges and I must say, while I was more comfortable with the razor, the double-pass shave was as close as, but no closer than the two-pass shaves I've been getting with the Gillette DE. No cuts at all, and no razor burn either. I have to say, the Mach 3 is the mildest razor I've ever used. I don't know if it's the pivoting head or what, but it does a much nicer job than the Shick that I keep in my travel bag

That said, I'll continue to go back & forth between razors until I've used up the Shick and Mach 3 cartridges. Then, sometime after New Year's I'll have to get back to the pursuit of the straight razor shave.

Shave of the Day - Nov. 29

I'm shaving every second or third day now. I changed blades in the Gillette DE and that seemed to help get back to a closer shave, but it certainly promoted the red weepers.

Today's shave (second on the blade) was no different. Veerrrryy close, but lots of weepers. Still, the shower afterward takes care of them.

I'm learning that most of the knack for a close shave is knowing your beard grain very well. My WTG passes leave an awful lot of whisker, but the second pass, ATG, takes care of nearly all. I just have a little touch-up here and there and I'm done.

Shave of the Day - Nov. 24

Best shave yet with the Gillette Super Speed although my neck, especially the left side (I'm right handed) was bloodied. I wonder if the blade is getting dull. I went two passes - WTG then ATG, as I've been doing, with a rinse & re-lather in between. I'm learning more and more about what direction my beard grows - something I thought I always knew, but am now paying more attention to.

This was the second round with the brush, and I need to get some instruction on how the heck to get enough lather to last for a pass! It may be the Williams soap, as I've heard that it's not the most lathering soap out there, or it may simply be my technique - which is what I really suspect. This was the first time I didn't rub the cake directly on my face, and that may have had something to do with it too. Still, I'd like to get away from having to use that particular technique.

Guess I'll round up those YouTube videos on lathering with soap & brush.

Shave of the Day - Nov. 17

Again with the Gillette Super Speed, Wilkinson blade, and Williams soap, lathered by hand. Fifth shave with the blade.

I tried a suggestion I found on the ShaveMyFace.com forum and rubbed the moist but not wet cake of Williams right on my face. I then wet my hands in very hot water and rubbed my face. I got what I felt was a very nice lather (still waiting for the brush to come in the mail).

As always, I did a first pass with the grain. I'm feeling much more comfortable with the razor, getting more used to the heft and balance. I rinsed and relathered, then did a pass against the grain. This pass caused a little irritation. I'm not sure if the blade is getting old or if it was due to technique. I find myself getting a bit nervous and shaky around my adams apple and my chin line. I'd also had several cups of high caffine coffee by this point in the morning, and that may have had something to do with things.

At any rate, I got a reasonably close shave, although not as close as last time. This one was much more irritating as well, along with several red fluid weepers. I did a final hot water rinse to get rid of the lather, then a cold rinse to stop the weepers, and hopped in the shower. I can't yet bring myself to shower before the shave.

I'll continue to hone my technique, and will soon begin trying different soaps and creams. I can see the line of shaving mugs along my sink ledge already.