SOTD: Saturday 12 - Friday 18 October 2024.

Monday 14th October
Ever Ready 1907 Lather Catcher + GEM Stainless #9 + Jayaruh 289 Timber Wolf + Signature Soaps Novus Spice + Electrif's Bay Rum v3 + Aloe Vera Gel
Novus Spice has become my new current favourite Soap both in performance and scent. It often takes me back to around 2015 when James Riley (OSP) released his original Spice Road prototype which was given to some testers.
 
14 October

PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum
Simpson Trafalgar T3
Tatara Masamune Nodachi
Feather Hi-Stainless
Clubman Pinaud VIBR


​
A very good two passes shave to start the week. Phoenix Artisan soaps are rich and creamy and very easy to lather. The Simpson Trafalgar is a quality brush at a very reasonable price and the Tatara Nodachi with a Feather is a great combination. The Virgin Island Bay Rum is a classic shaving scent. All good stuff.
 

thanks so much, Barry. I really appreciate the detailed advice.

I'd need to measure but from looking at pictures, it seems the one I have from AliExpress is a copy of the 2013 version. (edit: calipers say 19.5mm so who knows what they've copied but seems probably closer to the tamed 2013.)

I've had it for three years now and used it once in a while and still can't get the hang of it. I've gotten really good shaves from it using a light touch but other times it hasn't worked with the same light touch.

I've been straight / shavette / DE shaving for about ten years and shaving my head regularly for a couple of years but still, your advice is all true. I always suspect my technique is to blame first, not the gear but I've tried changing one thing at a time and shaving the same way and get wildly different results with this razor. I want to pinpoint what else going on and what about my technique specifically I need to change.

I don't think my skin is too sensitive because I get comfortable shaves with other aggressive razors and I shave daily, doing three or four passes, only ATG.

my current thinking of what's happening is that it's a razor that is more unforgiving than most of bad technique or blades that aren't sharp enough. so if a blade is struggling to glide through the stubble, maybe other razors allow some pressure to be applied to counteract that and get it to cut. whereas this doesn't allow adding any pressure to push the blade through the stubble. that would explain why a crystal gave a great result but a shark struggled, leading to scraping, cuts and irritation.


I'm going to try it again with a BIC in a couple of days since they're regarded as on the sharp side. I'm hoping that will eliminate the tugging and I'll be able to just concentrate on gliding it and getting the angle right with no pressure applied.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to use any blade with any razor and just adjust my technique. however, if a razor only works with certain blades and needs an overly careful touch, I don't think it's worth the trouble. especially when something like a tech gives close, comfortable shaves effortlessly and with any blade. life's too short to keep trying with something too picky.
 
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14/10/24

Soap - Razorock WTP Gold
Brush - Zenith 2006
Razor - Mystery OC
Blade - PPI Astra SP (1)
AS - Makler Celebration

Still continuing OCTober and giving a few razors that I've overlooked a bit of attention. Today I used this particular razor I have which has no branding of any sorts on the underside. It's mild and smooth in the shave though, and paired it with a brand new Astra SP. I've used this blade on and off for a while and I have really tried to like it, but it doesn't matter what razor I use it with, it will always bite me! A few little weepers in the shave, which is really odd as the blade was really tugging in the razor, clearly it needed a razor with a bit more of a blade gap.

Not a great shave all things considered, aside from the weepers it wasn't a very close or comfortable shave, but it wasn't a disaster shave nonetheless!

Anyway gents, have a good start to the new week.

 
14/10/24
Pre - Sainsbury's Luxury Soap Fig and Jasmine
Brush - AP400B Slim Brass 22mm Silvertip Synth
Soap - OSP Orange and Patchouli
Razor - Blackland Brassbird
Blade - Gillette Astra SP Green - Russian
Post - Cold water Rinse
Balm - Barts Balm Cinnamon & Patchouli Lotion
A/S - OSP Orange and Patchouli

A fantastic shave earlier today with a crackin' finish .
The Brassbird is one of my favourite DE razors. I find it much more smooth than the stainless version.
Loving the Orange and Patchouli scent today.
Enjoy your day all.
 
The razor and brush look amazing paired together like that..
 
OCtober

Monday 14th October



Boots Albany Mentholated (Vintage) Shaving Soap & Muhle Silvertip Fibre (Black) 23mm
Milady (c.1915) 'Old' Type & Treet Platinum (1)
Boots Albany (Vintage) Aftershave

Continuing open-comb October and switching to this lovely Milady from 1915 ...

Lather from the vintage Boots soap was absolutely superb and quite put me in mind of some of these latest stearate-first formulations that themselves hark back to this era of soap. It is mentholated, but in those days that meant a very gentle cool breeze which is all but gone by the end of the shave, only lightly picked up again with the splash. Underdone is so right.

Treet Platinum in brass ... my favourite blade in my favourite razor material. Lovely!

Enjoy your week, guys!

... oh, my cat Milady (Mimi).

 
Razor = Occam’s Oren ***
Blade = Feather Pro Guard ( 6 )
Brush = That Darn Robb 26mm Boar
Soap = OSP Sandalwood
Splash = OSP Sandalwood
Balm = TOBS Sandalwood Aftershave Gel
British Shaving Soap Shave 6

Well what can i say
The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist Sandalwood is my ultimate number one soap.
I just love the scent on this one and as i say for me it’s my number one soap.
A cracking shave although the scents are all different.
The splash is slightly different from the soap & the balm although tobs is different again but all very well balanced.
This brush was my first proper boar,
well actually that’s wrong to say that i should say my first boar of value & today it’s still my favourite.
This brush was an ebay buy around 4 years ago so im unsure where the knot came from but its still as scritchy today as it was when i bought it.
The Boars of today seem to be a bit soft to me although i still like them but this one is still hard & scritchy and i love it.
 
SOTD Mon 14 Oct 2024

Hang on, if this is Monday, what happened to the rest of the weekend, shave

DSCosmetic green bowl
Simpsons Luxury Shaving Cream
Anbbas Amber 24mm synthetic brush
Muhle R89 Twist razor
Shark SS blade
Homemade splash (witch hazel and essential oils)
Nivea Sensitive PSB
Hugo by Hugo Boss EDT

A very decent Monday shave. Love the cream, although I think it’s been reformulated and love the razor, but I think it’s been discontinued and love the EDT, but It’s a goner too. At least the blade and brush are still current. The outcome was a nice smelling and smooth visage. All good, for a Monday!
 
Second shave with my Pal and the Chick!

Got those old injector blades separated from each other by leaving them in baby oil for twelve hours then carefully crowbarring them apart at the hole. Will be using them soon. The date code is P which is 1970 so it's understandable the original oil might have hardened a bit!

As for this shave, very nice indeed. The Spartacus smells great. I need to smell the real Creed Aventus as I have two 'inspired by' versions.

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: PAL Injectomatic black and gold (1960s)
Blade: Schick "Chick" Chinese made Schick injector blade
Brush: Henkverhaar (TSR) badger brush Walnut Silvertip
Lather: Sir Irisch Moos
Aftershave: Arianna & Evans Spartacus
 
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