Shave of the Day Thread - 2017

[bald as]

A single pass with my Tanifuji 6/8" straight this evening. I used a badger brush tonight but well -- you know my thoughts by now [Silver tip badger]

Razor was great as was the soap.

 

[Volare]

Alrighty then...busted my DE cherry today and there was very minimal bleeding. Just a tiny tiny scrap after working around the upper lip a few too many times. Otherwise it was all pretty smooth sailing.

The blade is the one that came with the Merkur, though I do have a sample pack of others. I found it a little 'grabby' but not sure if it's the blade or my virgin technique. The result was OK but not any smoother than I get from the cartridge razor, I didn't want to press too hard though on my first time out. What I did notice was that the soap tended to get a little dry by the time it was on my face for a couple of minutes, so any tips there would be great. Didn't lather/load enough? Not enough water?
Cheers all

I've haven't used Squadron Soaps yet, but based on my experience, it does sounds like you need more water. With more water in your lather, you'll experience better glide and comfort. Don't be afraid to add more water - worst case scenario will be that you've added too much water, which means your lather might be too thin or airy, but you'll learn from it and get closer to creating the perfect lather next time. I'm not sure if you're doing an ATG pass, but I'd recommend you leave out the ATG pass until you develop better technique. Even though its a Merkur blade, which is not liked by many, it may not be the blade. I've found Merkur blades to be very forgiving. Continue testing different blades, but give them all a decent chance (5 to 7 shaves - Note, blades can behave differently after a couple uses). After you've tested a certain blade and even if you have decided you don't like a particular blade, put it away and try them again in a few months time. If you still don't like the blade after a testing it in a few months time, try it again in a different razor (But first, focus on developing your technique with your Merkur 42C).

OK then. So shave #2 went a bit smoother, I tossed in the Astra blade and while it was the teensient bit 'grabby nowhere near as much as the Merkur blade yesterday. The shave came out mostly pretty smooth except around the mouth parts and upper lip (which I put down to lack of experience?) and my neck got an extra 2-3 passes. As I said yesterday I'm not game enough just yet to put too much pressure on the razor so maybe that's an issue I'll need to pay attention to at some point..

You're getting there. Might be worth taking a break for a day or two if you experience lots of irritation - just to give your skin a little more time to heal. Continue on with the light pressure. Once you improve the quality of your lather, you're shaves will improve out of sight.

Enjoy the journey !!

 

[RustyBlade]

Pre: hot water splash
Brush: Muhle Synthetic Silvertip
Soap: Phoenix & Beau Star Noir
Blade: Gillette Nacet (1)
Razor: ASR Silver Star (Gold)
Post: TSW Balm

Star day, star shave for hump day.
Will try and not use the term 'very smooth' in this SOTD like my last one. Had a business man's lunch and was rather repetitive.
However this shall not be necessary as the ASR Star was not mild nor very smooth. Looks like a tech and weighted like a fat handled one and as one would expect a mild shaver, but closer to a medium rated shaver it was.
Weighted really well with a nice grip. The blade posts include a notch so the blade has no excuse to sit right.
It was smooth and had a good efficiency with blade feel and a narrow angle of attack.
A lot of fun and a very easy razor to race around the face. Had some light irritation on the top lip as got cocky and over confident by the end. Two pass and done.
Certainly will use her again as a lovely balance of blade feel to smoothness.
Some mild razors are great but I like to feel the blade sometimes so I know I'm having a shave. She has it and she disappears again onto the night. Rarely see the Star razor out and shining bright @the_shaving_sailor.

Oh.. the Star Noir and what a complicated scent you are. Sniff the jar and wonder where you are. Sweetish floral scent upon opening that puts many away.
Lather up and wow it comes to light.
Such it is an ode to David Bowie that makes me admire P&Bs work more and more.
Sweet floral that quicky becomes a layered musk, deep and edgey. Don't know how to explain it but loved it and wanted to wear it as a scent all day long.
Performance was better than their Imperial Rum IMHO as it just felt slicker and a touch more protection. However the later may well be my lathering technique.

Love shaves like these.

 

[alfredus]

Absolute delightful 2nd shave with the Rocca - the angle is very old school (handle far away from your face with a locked in elbow at the height of your ear) and therefore a bit challenging in the current tiny bathroom I am residing in. But once these technical difficulties were sorted, I had an absolute stellar shav. Three days of growth were removed and the end result was super close and yet so silky smooth. The Stirling lather definitely played an important role, even after so many years of having it in my rotation, it never ceases to impress.

 

[Sticky]

Brush: Simpsons PJ2
Soap: APR, SAA
Razor: Ever Ready, Streamline
Blade: Gem SS
Post: APR, SAA splash/balm

First use of the Streamline and a great shave. Up early this morning so I could take my time enjoying the first use before work.
This razor combines a lot of features of many other SEs in an original premium razor. Basic head design like a 1912 but with a slight curve to the top cap like a Damaskeene , no lather catcher like a 1924, straight safety bar like a Clogpruf with raised teeth like an OC and a handle like you've never seen. Much heavier than any other SE I've used. It all adds up to a smooth efficient shave with a great looking razor!

​

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Vintage British Aristocrat #15
Blade: Vintage NOS Schick Platinum Plus (4)
Brush: Shavemac Americana DO1
Soap/Cream: L&L Grooming/Chatillon Lux TSM Fourgere shaving soap
Aftershave Splash: Chatillon Lux Unconditional Surrender
Aftershave Balm: N/A
Cologne: Chatillon Lux Unconditional Surrender

First run with the L&L Grooming/Chatillon Lux collaboration bison tallow soap (thanks @todras) - must say that it is pretty awesome! Kept the CL theme going.

Another great shave today.

 

[todras]

La Toja
Doug Korn D7
Timeless
Feather
Saponificio Varesino Stella Alpina
Saponificio Varesino Stella Alpina Aftershave
Houbigant Cologne Intense EDP

An effortless two passes from the Timeless SV combination, complimentary mate and citrus from the EDP. Excellent
​

 

[Phil]

Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable (5)
Blade(s): Gillette 7 o'clock yellow (1)
Brush: Simpsons Super Chubby 2
Soap/Cream: SS "The Warden!"
Post: Thayers Aloe Vera Medicated

Trying "The Warden" for the first time along with Gillette 7 o'clock yellows as "prescribed" by @lerenau. Liking the scent from the outset. The loading and lathering was the same as "Scramble". In fact so much seems to get loaded that I will need to adjust how much water I add. The 7 o'clocks were very nice compared to the Astras. Nice shave for a cold morning!

 

[Director]

I've haven't used Squadron Soaps yet, but based on my experience, it does sounds like you need more water. With more water in your lather, you'll experience better glide and comfort. Don't be afraid to add more water - worst case scenario will be that you've added too much water, which means your lather might be too thin or airy, but you'll learn from it and get closer to creating the perfect lather next time. I'm not sure if you're doing an ATG pass, but I'd recommend you leave out the ATG pass until you develop better technique. Even though its a Merkur blade, which is not liked by many, it may not be the blade. I've found Merkur blades to be very forgiving. Continue testing different blades, but give them all a decent chance (5 to 7 shaves - Note, blades can behave differently after a couple uses). After you've tested a certain blade and even if you have decided you don't like a particular blade, put it away and try them again in a few months time. If you still don't like the blade after a testing it in a few months time, try it again in a different razor (But first, focus on developing your technique with your Merkur 42C).



You're getting there. Might be worth taking a break for a day or two if you experience lots of irritation - just to give your skin a little more time to heal. Continue on with the light pressure. Once you improve the quality of your lather, you're shaves will improve out of sight.

Enjoy the journey !!

Thanks dude, I actually swapped out the Merkur blade for an Astra a couple of days ago and it did get a bit smoother. I've got plenty of blades to try out along the way but wanted to give each one a 5-7 shave chance before swapping the out. I might starting posting in the 'lather shot' thread just to get some feedback on that side of things.

 

[Maxime D.]

Gillette Slim 1967 @ 5
Gillette Super Stainless Made in France 1989 @ 6
Sport Aqua shaving cream by Suchel Comacho (Made in Cuba) a very obscur menthol shaving cream.
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Fresh as a daisy.

 

[RazorPlay]

Shower
Feather AC DX with Pro Super blade (24)
Tim's Greek Peach
P&C Platypus 26mm fan
Re-lather and cold rinse

Another 3 pass BBS with some palm stropping. Loading it like I wanted to finish it helped provide a more luxurious lather experience with this soap. This brush can hold onto a lot of lather!

 

[walklikeaduck]

SOTD (29/6/2017)

Pre: Lucky Tiger Face Wash
Razor: Merkur 34C HD
Blade: Derby Extra (1x)
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Soap/Cream: SH Oatmeal Stout
AS: Thayer's Lavender/Pitralon
Balm: SH Sweet Almond Milk
Fragrance: Thierry Mugler A*Men EDT

 

[nav1]

Progress w/ Wizamet PolAg
BB Bruce
LEA puck in stick format
Anherb ASB

No fuss shave today. The Wizamet PolAg was ultra smooth in the Progress but again, I prefer the sharpness of the modern Pols. The basic difference is that the modern ones are not as smooth on the first shave but after that, smoothness is nearly the same as the Wizamet but moderns definitely cut closer with less effort, especially at the goatee area!!

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I would advise anyone with a Progress/Mergress etc not to travel with it. The assembly is too fragile and can easily be misaligned without even any strong impact. Out of nowhere mine got misaligned during travels, I didn't drop it or ding it, literally was a shock for me to see it had happened. Now only one side of the razor is usable so I use one side twice then turn the blade around and use that side twice...only when I'm travelling that is. I have two more Progress' I use at home and will never travel with them!!

LEA Classic is just a fantastic performing hard soap. I used the stick format today as I like to mix it up at times and it lathered up with zero hassles and is just so smooth and creamy! The subtle menthol is a unique and enjoyable component as all other menthol soaps I have tried were over the top menthol and I'm allergic to that so had to get rid of those.

The LEA Classic is now a veg based soap and I have no idea how it performs. I have the original tallow based so if you go out and get the current version and it's not good, don't think "oh, but Nav said this is top stuff!".

 

[Snooze]

Brush: Simpsons PJ2
Soap: APR, SAA
Razor: Ever Ready, Streamline
Blade: Gem SS
Post: APR, SAA splash/balm

First use of the Streamline and a great shave. Up early this morning so I could take my time enjoying the first use before work.
This razor combines a lot of features of many other SEs in an original premium razor. Basic head design like a 1912 but with a slight curve to the top cap like a Damaskeene , no lather catcher like a 1924, straight safety bar like a Clogpruf with raised teeth like an OC and a handle like you've never seen. Much heavier than any other SE I've used. It all adds up to a smooth efficient shave with a great looking razor!

​

Great mix of the best of the GEM style SE's!!

 

[Korbz]

Testing google photos for sotd

 

[Snooze]

Tabac / Platypus / Hart Steel 6/8 / Fine "L'Orange Noir'

I scored this modern American -made straight from a US forum member - my first "new" straight razor. Its in unused condition and is a very solid, heavy razor. Satin finish with resin scales. Nice presentation box. I stropped it 50 times on leather before use. It is a very large, heavy razor, but absolutely superb. Smooth and very sharp. Good grip, despite the bulk of the scales and blade.

Lovely lather as per usual from the Tabac. Two sensational passes with a very smooth finish.
Nice finisher with with L'Orange Noir and some Terre de Hermes EDP.

Enjoy your shaves and Thursday folks ​

https://flic.kr/p/VZkSdo

 

[Tony Forsyth]

Preshave: Hot water splash
Razor/Blade: Assylum Evolution & Perma Sharp (1)
Brush: TF Custom Rainbow Falls 24mm 2 Band.
Soap: Sqaudron Soap "Dutch Resistance"
Post shave: Hot water splash, Cold Water Splash, Witchhazel, Skin Food, Balm.
Aftershave/Edp:

Overloaded tonight for a pleasant change, more than enough lather for a pleasant 3 pass shave. Just love the liquorice scent from this one sweet and fresh all in one.
Cheers Lads
Tony

 

[Sticky]

Great mix of the best of the GEM style SE's!!

Yes indeed and the weight smooths it all out. I was afraid the shave might disappoint but it does not

 

[TomG]

Pre: Washpool Farm Facial Cleansing soap, Myrsol Emulsion
Brush: Tony Forsyth P&C LE 2017 Platypus
Soap: Squadron Sweetheart
Razor: Merkur Futur (2)
Blade: Vintage Wilkinson Sword Super Sword (6)
Post: Myrsol Emulsion
A/S: Stirling Ozark Mountain

Three pass shave for a DFS+. Lovely lather and sweet scent from Sweetheart. A nice zingy counterpoint from the Ozark Mountain splash to balance things out.
Reviews are available here Paste & Cut Travelling Box #4B - Reviews and Comments

 

[razorguy]

Thursday 29 June 2017

Mastro Livi Grifetto​

Shaving with Mastro Livi Grifetto is always a pleasure. The stainless steel Mastro Livi uses for this blade gives a lovely and velvety feedback while delivering the smoothest and closest shave. I must say I am very proud of this razor also for the fact I suggested the Grifetto name to Mastro Livi as well as the shoulderless design. The olive wood scales add an elegant and beautiful touch to this razor, a tribute to the Umbrian view where olive trees and vineyards are among the most common things you can see in our green hills. Mastro Livi Grifetto, proudly made in Perugia, Umbria. Italy, of course. A land rich in art, history, nice food and wines, monuments and breathtaking views. Not to mention magnificent and impeccable artisan straight razors.​

• Pre-Shave: RazorGuy Pre-Shave Oil
• Soap: Valobra Mentolo
• Brush: Mastro Livi Perugia Eco-Silvertip, Poplar, 24mm Knot
• Bowl: Old Barber Bowl
• Strop: Mastro Livi Medium Loom Strop "Coramella Italiana" and Hand Palm
• Razor: Mastro Livi Grifetto, 6/8 Full Hollow, Round Point, Olive Wood
• Post-Shave: Alum Block
• Post-Shave: Argan Oil
• After Shave: Lucky Tiger Bay Rum