- Joined
- Thursday September 26, 2013
- Location
- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
Finest shave yet ...
Only twice before have I said this: "finest shave yet ..."; the first was my first shave with a double edge razor and while it was a Merkur blade in a Merkur 23C it was a gigantic leap forwards (or backwards?) in terms of a quality shave after increasingly frequent bad shaves with ever increasing blade numbered cartridges, the second was when I had my first shave with a Gem Junior Bar. Tonight, this is the third time I have said this, and tonight was indeed my finest shave yet.
Shower
Meißner Tremonia Bay & Rum Hard Soap
Ever Ready 500BN w/Muhle Silvertip Fibre
Gem Damaskeene & Gem Damaskeene (1)
Hot Rinse, Cold Rinse & Alum Wash
Jovan Musk Aftershave
EC Rapport EDT
Face Lathered
Two Pass - WTG & WTG (Slide)
Yes, you read that: Gem Damaskeene (1)
Much thanks to a pal on another forum who sent me a NOS Gem Damaskeene blade. He has sent a number of these out and so far, the consensus has been favourable, but we absolutely must take note of period instruction, namely stropping. Thankfully, I have a vintage strop in very good condition and a number of Gem and Ever Ready stroppers at my disposable, but what fun to use a proper Gem Damaskeene kit stropper!
50 laps on the strop and ready to shave ...
I have shaved with a vintage blade before, an Ever Ready curved spine which I now know is really quite an old one. That was good, but I would not say I really enjoyed the shave, the difference there being I did not strop the blade.
With just a little intrepidation, I began my shave ... and was so pleasantly surprised! The sharpness was akin to a first shave with a modern GEM, the smoothness like a third run with a modern GEM. Deceptively smooth, given just how sharp, I did get a couple of weepers which is something I never get, not even with a fresh modern blade.
Wow! What a shave!
Clean, dried off, hand stropped with the remnants the aftershave on my hands and then stropped for 50 laps, this lovely blade is keen and ready for the next shave ... which I think should be my Sun Ray 1912.
Only twice before have I said this: "finest shave yet ..."; the first was my first shave with a double edge razor and while it was a Merkur blade in a Merkur 23C it was a gigantic leap forwards (or backwards?) in terms of a quality shave after increasingly frequent bad shaves with ever increasing blade numbered cartridges, the second was when I had my first shave with a Gem Junior Bar. Tonight, this is the third time I have said this, and tonight was indeed my finest shave yet.
Shower
Meißner Tremonia Bay & Rum Hard Soap
Ever Ready 500BN w/Muhle Silvertip Fibre
Gem Damaskeene & Gem Damaskeene (1)
Hot Rinse, Cold Rinse & Alum Wash
Jovan Musk Aftershave
EC Rapport EDT
Face Lathered
Two Pass - WTG & WTG (Slide)
Yes, you read that: Gem Damaskeene (1)
Much thanks to a pal on another forum who sent me a NOS Gem Damaskeene blade. He has sent a number of these out and so far, the consensus has been favourable, but we absolutely must take note of period instruction, namely stropping. Thankfully, I have a vintage strop in very good condition and a number of Gem and Ever Ready stroppers at my disposable, but what fun to use a proper Gem Damaskeene kit stropper!
50 laps on the strop and ready to shave ...
I have shaved with a vintage blade before, an Ever Ready curved spine which I now know is really quite an old one. That was good, but I would not say I really enjoyed the shave, the difference there being I did not strop the blade.
With just a little intrepidation, I began my shave ... and was so pleasantly surprised! The sharpness was akin to a first shave with a modern GEM, the smoothness like a third run with a modern GEM. Deceptively smooth, given just how sharp, I did get a couple of weepers which is something I never get, not even with a fresh modern blade.
Wow! What a shave!
Clean, dried off, hand stropped with the remnants the aftershave on my hands and then stropped for 50 laps, this lovely blade is keen and ready for the next shave ... which I think should be my Sun Ray 1912.
