Shave of the Day Thread - 2017

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Pre-Shave: @khun_diddy Olive Oil Soap, cold water
Razor: Mühle Rocca
Blade: Voskhod (1)
Brush: RudyVey Shavemac 2-band Silvertip
Lather: Stirling Scots Pine Sheep
Post-shave: Alum, Stirling Bay Laurel Witch Hazel, Australian Emu Oil​

First shave with the Rocca in the home den and my initial thoughts have confirmed: the razor is definitely on the aggressive rather than the mild side. It was a very close shave, but also resulted in some weepers. The Shavemac knot produced some wonderful lather with the Stirling soap - which was definitely the right choice for this rainy and cold winter day.

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday (y)
 
SOTD: Tue 01/08/2017 - "Confidence"

Razor: Rockwell 6c (#5)
Blade: Permasharp (1st ever)
Pre: eShave pre-shave oil
Soap : APR Fougère Bourbon Rose
Brush: 1092 synthetic
Post: Alum
A/S: APR Fougère Bourbon Rose

This was my first shave with a Permasharp blade and that's what I want to focus on in this shave.

I recently tried the Gillette Nacet blades and liked them enough to order some in bulk. To recap, I find them very sharp yet flexible and smooth resulting in effortless shaves with wonderful results.
Today, I tried a Permasharp for the first time.
It too performs very well. But, for me, it feels totally different to the Nacet. If I were to use a single word to describe the Nacet, it would be "Comfortable". For the Permasharp, it would be "Confident". But, this was a mixed blessing (for me) as this additional confidence often leads me to throw caution to the wind. I make too many passes and get a little lazy with my technique resulting in a close shave but with some irritation and razor bumps in my problem areas.

10 seconds into the shave I thought "I must order 100 of these". But, after the shave I wasn't so sure.
I still think they are a fantastic blade. But, I have other blades (Nacet, Silver-Blue) that currently give me better results overall.
That said, with some discipline/practice on my part, I think I can get better outcomes. But, it will likely take a couple of blades before I know for sure.

The APR soap performed wonderfully and I really love this scent. I find it so soft and comforting.
I have previously stated that I sometimes find the APR splash too oily. But, possibly due to the cold/windy/dry extreme weather we're having here in Canberra, my skin absolutely loves it now. Within 3 minutes of application, my skin was visibly happier, supple and with none of the oily feeling I was getting before.

So, a very educational shave. Always more to learn in this DE game.
 
A Blue Shave


Razor: 1950s Pal Injectomatic UK (first use)
Blade: Schick Twin Injector NOS (1)
Soap: Razorock X
Brush: TF Amber and Ash Synthetic
Post: Blue Stratos AS + Versace Eros EdT

Thoughts...
- The Pal is a great little razor. I was really impressed with its mild efficiency and, just like the Schick G, it feels idiot proof. Not even close to a weeper in 4 passes done quite quickly and absent mindedly.
- What was funny was the research I did on the razor beforehand that turned out to be not so accurate. The Schick Twin blades loaded easily despite forums saying they wouldn't. They also shaved brilliantly. I found the experience better than the Schick M and almost equal with the G.
- I really do like Razorock soap and, providing you use enough water to avoid pasteyness, it has great cushion, glide and slickness. I was able to over buff easily. All the scents here pair and compliment well.
 
littleaussiebleeder said:
That Puma is almost pretty enough to convert me to straight shaving! Almost!
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I obviously couldn't resist it when my razor pimp contacted me. I'm surprised at how many NOS vintage razors there are out there. Getting rarer and exier of course.
The Puma wasn't NOS but it certainly was close. Unfortunately my razor 'supplier' has retired, but my wife was somewhat relieved.
 
Progress long handle
PolAg (2)
RR Bruce synth
SH papaya chill
Alum
Nivea sensitive splash

Wow wonderful shave today! Got a haircut and followed it with a BBS shave then went out for an awesome Oriental lunch.

SH with subtle menthol was awesome, as was the scent.
 
Pbgoose said:
I'm surprised at how many NOS vintage razors there are out there. Getting rarer and exier of course.
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I'm a lamen... Where does one find, say, a NOS Gillette slim or fat?
 
Pbgoose said:
Sorry, in my head vintage NOS conjures up exclusively straight razors. I've never seen any web sites selling NOS DEs. Since joining P&C I've been learning the language of DE and SE as well.
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Ah. Of course. Re-reading your post, that makes perfect sense.
Sorry, I was dealing with a toddler throwing a tantrum when i wrote that and was clearly distracted. :LOL:
 
SOTD: Fri 04/08/2017 - "Confusion"

Razor: Rockwell 6c (#5)
Blade: Permasharp (2nd ever)
Pre: eShave pre-shave oil
Soap: Barrister & Mann Reserve - Classic (1st)
Brush: 1092 synthetic
Post: Alum
A/S: Barrister & Mann Reserve - Classic (1st)

I received a package from The Stray Whisker this afternoon and couldn't resist trying out the new B&M Reserve: Classic soap and splash. I have the B&M Reserve: Spice and absolutely love it. I am secretly hoping for more of the same.

Ok. So, I'll say right off the bat that this soap has me very confused. I opened the tub and remembered that someone (@todras ?) had said that the B&M Reserve soaps lather nothing like their predecessors. For some reason I thought that meant that I should try to lather with an almost dry brush, and then add more water afterwards. I don't know if I misunderstood, or if my technique was just horrible because the result was a disaster.

I think I got too much dry soap on my brush. Then, when I tried to face-lather, it sucked up all the water from my wet face and became the consistency of garden clay. It was totally unshaveable. I scraped it all off my face and there was enough to cover my entire hand to about 1cm thick. Seriously.

I decided to try again. I washed my face then took a 1x1x1cm portion of this 'clay' and re-applied it. Then, with a moist freshly-cleaned brush, I re-facelathered.
What a difference! Get the quantities right and the it is up there with the smoothest, slickest, most pleasant lathers I've used. And the post-feel... THE POST FEEL! It's sooo good.

The A/S performed as expected. It is simply excellent on the skin, just like my 'Spice'. The performance of the Reserve splashes is my benchmark for all other splashes.
Now, I have to mention the scent. I was expecting something with the strength of B&M Reserve:Spice. But, if Spice has a scent strength of 7, then Classic is a 3. It is a clean scent reminiscent of baby powder and citrus/lemon. But, I just don't find it strong enough.
This isn't all bad. Sometimes it's nice to not have a strong scent. But, B&M is known for their awesome scents. It would have been nice for it to last longer than 15 minutes.

TL;DR So, my takeaways from this shave:
1. I need to practice lathering the Reserve soap. It's tricky. But, once dialled-in it is awesome.
2. The Classic soap+a/s is great when you want great skin-feel without a strong scent. I like it, but had I known how subtle the scent was, I would have bought more of the Spice.

I will keep using classic for the next few shaves to see if I can dial-in the lather properly. But, I may have layer with an EdT so that I don't feel naked.

Edit: Sorry for writing so much... Just trying to make sense of my thoughts.
 
lerenau said:
Ok. So, I'll say right off the bat that this soap has me very confused. I opened the tub and remembered that someone (@todras ?) had said that the B&M Reserve soaps lather nothing like their predecessors. For some reason I thought that meant that I should try to lather with an almost dry brush, and then add more water afterwards. I don't know if I misunderstood, or if my technique was just horrible because the result was a disaste
Click to expand...

I hear you @lerenau, it's a strange beast the first couple of outings :)

I did indeed mention in my review that it lathers like nobodies business and that indeed it is not like White Label or Glissant. I also covered and stressed that such a very little amount of soap is needed (and I mean a ridiculously small amount - I should have posted pictures of how little tbh which is my fault) and a massive amount of water. It took me 3 or 4 lathers to really get it dialled in 100% but once I did it was a game changer. It's a fantastic soap, a very different soap but one that produces incredible slickness, cushion and glide with an excellent post shave feel. I have other soap bases I prefer no doubt, but I think its great that this one exists as it is so interesting in composition and performance.

My first experience using it was almost identical to yours but I pre-load with a really wet brush that I shake once or twice, the other thing I spotted with it that made me realise it needed a lot of water was that it behaved in a similar way to L&L in the pre-load phase and also in my scuttle in so far as the consistency was really unlike shaving soap until I hit it with more water than you would think was possible or advisable i.e. the amount of water you think would turn the lather thin, bubbly and outright crap.

lerenau said:
I have previously stated that I sometimes find the APR splash too oily. But, possibly due to the cold/windy/dry extreme weather we're having here in Canberra, my skin absolutely loves it now. Within 3 minutes of application, my skin was visibly happier, supple and with none of the oily feeling I was getting before.
Click to expand...

It is the Essential Oils that provide the fragrance regrettably and the strength of my aftershaves that provides the substantial endurance of the fragrance. Aside from the perfume component of the AP Reserve Aftershaves there are no other oils whatsoever in the solution.

It may be the case that applying a little less of the aftershave will remedy the situation, however it may be simply down to skin type I cannot really say. I suspect it is more likely that it may also be attributable to the particular fragrance and the season in which it is applied, but that's something I will explore again another day :)
 
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Chatillon Lux Pre Shave
Paladin Lotus
Gillette Slim
Feather
AOS NOS Sandalwood
AP Reserve The Santal Aftershave Balm
AP Reserve The Santal Aftershave
AP Reserve The Santal EDP

​
 
todras said:
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Chatillon Lux Pre Shave
Paladin Lotus
Gillette Slim
Feather
AOS NOS Sandalwood
AP Reserve The Santal Aftershave Balm
AP Reserve The Santal Aftershave
AP Reserve The Santal EDP

​
Click to expand...

So classic, and a classic pic!
 
Razor: Vintage Gillette NEW head on TSW Bren Handle
Blade: Vintage NOS English Wilkinson Sword (9)
Brush: Shavemac Americana DO1
Soap/Cream: L&L Grooming TSM Fougère shaving soap
Aftershave Splash: Australian Private Reserve (APR) Choix Alfredus splash
Aftershave Balm: N/A
Cologne: Australian Private Reserve (APR) Alfredus Choice EDP

Ahhh, good to be home :)
 
Mark1966 said:
So classic, and a classic pic!
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Thanks Mark, to be honest first day nerves :)

I bought an entry level digital camera a couple of months ago (Lumix DC-FZ80) and likewise a basic tripod. I decided I want to learn the basics of photography and how to take better pictures so I am experimenting taking SOTD and other pictures with most of the automatic/CCD features turned off. With a little more (a lot more) practice I hope I can take them in full manual mode.
 
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Brush: Simpsons, PJ2
Soap: Squadron, Spitfire
Razor: Kampfe Star No.1
Blade: Gem SS
Post: Squadron, Scramble

First use of the "Lather Catcher"
I'm not sure that the Kampfe brothers can be given sole credit for inventing the safety razor, I read there were others messing about with similar concepts at the time, but they apparently were the first to use the term "safety razor". After my first use I think "safety" is a relative term, although compared to a straight it is probably accurate.

The modern Gem blade fits in with no trouble. It sits very close to the front of the teeth and makes the razor pretty aggressive even though the blade gap is not huge. On the first, tentative, pass I could certainly feel the blade, very close with a bit of burn and a couple of tiny weepers. I decided two passes would be enough, the second was even more tentative. Finding the angle is difficult with the stops so close to the end of the razor, not as simple as a 1912. I wonder how it would be with the original wedge, I have it but I wouldn't use it as it is not honed. I'll give it another go tomorrow and experiment with the angle and maybe a shim.

Have a great weekend, enjoy your shave.


An earlier version
20597399_1644634545548977_6437186140302163861_n.jpg
 
todras said:
I hear you @lerenau, it's a strange beast the first couple of outings :)

I did indeed mention in my review that it lathers like nobodies business and that indeed it is not like White Label or Glissant. I also covered and stressed that such a very little amount of soap is needed (and I mean a ridiculously small amount - I should have posted pictures of how little tbh which is my fault) and a massive amount of water. It took me 3 or 4 lathers to really get it dialled in 100% but once I did it was a game changer. It's a fantastic soap, a very different soap but one that produces incredible slickness, cushion and glide with an excellent post shave feel. I have other soap bases I prefer no doubt, but I think its great that this one exists as it is so interesting in composition and performance.

My first experience using it was almost identical to yours but I pre-load with a really wet brush that I shake once or twice, the other thing I spotted with it that made me realise it needed a lot of water was that it behaved in a similar way to L&L in the pre-load phase and also in my scuttle in so far as the consistency was really unlike shaving soap until I hit it with more water than you would think was possible or advisable i.e. the amount of water you think would turn the lather thin, bubbly and outright crap.



It is the Essential Oils that provide the fragrance regrettably and the strength of my aftershaves that provides the substantial endurance of the fragrance. Aside from the perfume component of the AP Reserve Aftershaves there are no other oils whatsoever in the solution.

It may be the case that applying a little less of the aftershave will remedy the situation, however it may be simply down to skin type I cannot really say. I suspect it is more likely that it may also be attributable to the particular fragrance and the season in which it is applied, but that's something I will explore again another day :)
Click to expand...
Thanks again @todras.
All your points and my recent experiences are indicating one mistake I've been consistently making: I have been treating each shave THE SAME. I have been using the same procedures and techniques regardless of the products I have chosen, the weather or even the state of my skin on the day.
I have been very fortunate to get such good results to date. But, it has now become the weak point in my shaves.
My recent experiences with the B&M Reserve soap and the APR splash illustrate this quite well.

So, I guess my latest lesson-learned is that each product/situation is different and must be treated with respect to get the most from it.

... I'm rather looking forward to using my APR splashes more. :)
 
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