SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)

[reddog]

Hi AJ, I've found the Feathers to be the sharpest, but I buy the Astras 100 at a time for $10 on Amazon. I just got my new razor today, can't wait,to try it tomorrow. It's a Parker 96. It came with 5 Shark blades ., so I'll try them. When I find the Treets, I want to try them too. I hope you enjoy the double edge razor, I never have to worry about razor burn with it.

[AJ Q-Ball]

Thanks guys for the input! I shaved again today with the DE and it went much better. The only downside was I did get a little razor burn in the back on the left side. I believe that was because I went over that area too many times and didn't have the correct angle.

[warhawk]

Hi AJ:  Congrats on a better DE shave.  So . . . what kind of DE razor do you have?

WARHAWK

[warhawk]

Mel, in preparing for my Mongoose which has now shipped, I ordered a Mongoose Sampler from tryablade.  I understand you prefer the Feather Pros.  I get 1-2 shaves out of most DE blades (head & face with dense coarse hair).  I think I understand that I should get more life out of artist club blades, though.  Is that correct?

Hi Matt:  Yes. . . you are correct.  The blade life in the Feather Artist Club blades last longer compared to DE blades.  I can go 7 uses with my Feather Professionals.  I probably can probably push it further but I don't want to risk it.  I have a dense thick beard, too.  Congrats on the Mongoose.  Kindly post some pics when you get it.

WARHAWK

[120inna55]

...Congrats on the Mongoose.  Kindly post some pics when you get it...

It should be in today, but I waited too long to order blades, so I won't be able to use it yet! Dang it!

[AJ Q-Ball]

Hi AJ:  Congrats on a better DE shave.  So . . . what kind of DE razor do you have?

WARHAWK

It's a Chinese brand called Rimei that I got very cheap off eBay.

[warhawk]

Friday, July 3, 2015 SOTD

Razor:  Mongoose B1 w/ UFO Torpedo Handle

Blade:  Feather Professional

Soap:  RazoRock Santa Maria Fiore

Brush:  Omega S Brush

Dessert:  Ice cube rub, refrigerated WH, refrigerated Phoenix Artisan Accoutrement Al Fin

Thanks to Matt's enabling, I was fortunate to purchase the RazoRock Santa Maria Fiore from the Italian Barber.  The RR Santa Maria arrived today and I quickly got my shave on.  All I gotta say is "wow".  I'm not going to get into the details but I already know that I am going to love this soap.  The scent is very intoxicating.  The performance is superb that lathers easily to a yogurt-like consistency with perfect glide and protection.  The post shave feel is excellent.  Love it.



WARHAWK

[120inna55]

...Thanks to Matt's enabling, I was fortunate to purchase the RazoRock Santa Maria Fiore from the Italian Barber.  The RR Santa Maria arrived today and I quickly got my shave on.  All I gotta say is "wow".  I'm not going to get into the details but I already know that I am going to love this soap.  The scent is very intoxicating.  The performance is superb that lathers easily to a yogurt-like consistency with perfect glide and protection.  The post shave feel is excellent.  Love it.

WARHAWK

I'm glad you like the SMdF.  It is a very nice soap!

You're rubbing it in with the Mongoose, though.  Mine came in today, and I'm not pleased with the "mirror" finish.  I opted for the mirror finish despite the disclaimer about how delicate it is, and that it takes longer to ship due to the extra polishing step and inspection.  This is what it looks like straight out of the box.  I've emailed them and I hope they make it right.  I hope this is not what's to be expected from this finish.  Otherwise, I'll ask to trade for the satin.  If anyone can keep a razor scratch-free it's me, but I never expected to receive it like this.  This is an unflattering angle, mind you.  In the right light it looks perfect, but the pic speaks for itself.  I can't tell if you have the mirror or the satin.  If you do have the mirror, did it look like this out of the box?

Full rez pics:

http://i.imgur.com/IlgIlaI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DBajBAW.jpg

[120inna55]

Dapper Dragon Soaps "Green Dragon" | Ever-Ready 100T (TGN Finest) | RazoRock Stealth Slant V4 | Feather Hi-Stainless (1) | Dapper Dragon Soaps "Green Dragon" Scale Polish | Nicole Pangas "Ghost Skulls" Shaving Bowl

Revisited the Feather since it's a new razor.  The RRSS really tamed the Feather.  It seems counter-intuitive.  I can't explain it.  This was a very smooth, comfortable shave.  Historically, I've said that Dapper Dragon's Scale Polish could be reserved for rescue product, but it feels so good and the Green Dragon scent is so intoxicating, I had to partake.

[warhawk]

@Matt:  Just saw your pics of the Mongoose head.  I have the mirror finished like yours but mine is in great condition.  If all the new Mongoose heads look like yours . . . I would definitely exchange it for the satin finish.  I am sure that Team Mongoose will make it right.  Keep me posted, my friend.

WARHAWK

[120inna55]

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements "CaD" | Ever-Ready 100T (TGN Finest) | Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements "The Phoenix Dbl OC" (shimmed x2)| Feather Hi-Stainless (1) | Fine's "American Blend" | 1740 Beard Balm "Death Wish Coffee Infused" | Nicole Pangas "Ghost Skulls" Shaving Bowl

Recent conversations flung a craving upon me to use the PDOC this time.  Shimmed x2 provides a very comfortable, BBS shave.  "CaD" and "American Blend" obviously go together quite well.

[warhawk]

Monday Night, July 6, 2015 SOTD

Razor:  Weber DLC w/ Bulldog Handle

Blade:  Feather

Soap:  RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore

Brush:  Semogue 620

Dessert:  Ice cube rub, refrigerated WH, refrigerated Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Al Fin

Enjoyed using the RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore that I had to use it, again.  Love this soap.  It has been awhile but glad that I revisited my Weber DLC.  This razor continues to provide me with some great face and dome shaves.  It is one of my favorites.



WARHAWK

[warhawk]

Friday Night, July 10, 2015 SOTD

Razor:  iKON ShaveCraft #102 w/ Tuckway Handle

Blade:  Feather

Soap:  RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore

Brush:  Simpson Duke 3

Dessert:  Ice cube rub, refrigerated WH, refrigerated Captain's Choice A/S balm

I had a very relaxing and soothing super, smooth shave tonight.  This was my 1st time pairing up the Tuckway Handle with my iKON ShaveCraft #102.  It was a great match up.  I am going to enjoy my future shaves with this combo.  The RazoRock SMdF is a great soap.  The Captain's Choice Bay Rum A/S balm is very soothing and the scent is great.  It left my skin feeling smooth and non-greasy.  I was one of the lucky ones to test the A/S balm at BadgerandBlade. 



WARHAWK

[120inna55]

Nice shave, Mel.  That tuckaway is my preferred handle for that head.  Nice balance and maneuverability.

[120inna55]

Head & face shower shave. 2 days growth.

Technique:  WTG / XTG / ATG/clean-up.
Prep: Shower.     
Soap: Wholly Kaw - "Scent # 3" (beta)
Brush: Ever-Ready 100T restored by Thomas Burgess with TGN Finest Badger knot
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 with iKon Bamboo Handle
Blade: Treet Platinum Super Stainless(1)
Post: Fine's Snake Bite

Soap review:

Wholly Kaw kindly sent me a sample of a soap they're working on.  If I understand it correctly, it's intended to pair with a splash already in production, "Jamestown Gentleman".  The soap is in beta.  I want a tub of this stuff now!  I wouldn't change a single thing about it with regard to performance and scent.

I'd never used anything by Wholly Kaw, and frankly, I hadn't heard much about them.  I'm not sure why they've been under my radar, because the performance stands up to anything I've used.  It provided superior protection and an enormous amount of thick, dense, paintable lather with a luxurious sheen.  I'm usually not a fan of sample sizes, but pressed down into a shallow ceramic bowl, "Scent # 3" loaded effortlessly.  I then started building the lather in my Nicole Pangas shaving bowl.  I do note it performed better starting out dry, but slowly dribbling in small amounts of water dialed it in perfectly.  Finally, it exploded into the voluminous lather seen in my photo.  It should be noted this is the leftover lather after a 45-second load and 3 head and face passes.  (For those of you who scoff at the 45-second load, that amount is typically what is required for me to have ample lather with some left over for post shave.  It was obviously too much for this sample.  I can't say if that's because I'm accustomed to loading from a puck as opposed to a thin sample pressed down into a shallow bowl, or if it's simply a Wholly Kaw characteristic.)  There's still enough of the sample to get me probably another 3-4 3-pass shaves.

The scent of this beta sample is, in a word, beautiful.  It started with a light, nondescript powdery floral scent in the bowl.  Working the lather into my skin, it warmed up to a definite tobacco floral aroma with warm woodsy and musk notes that never overpowered the gentle sweetness of the tobacco.  Subsequent passes held those notes.

The post-shave result was very soft and moisturized, and is easily in my top 5 artisan soaps. I finished with Fine's Snake bite because I didn't want to mask the lingering scent from the soap.  I was still aware of the scent about an hour later.  I need to do more research, but if this truly is the same scent profile for Wholly Kaw's "Jamestown Gentleman" splash, I need it.  I also need this soap in my rotation ASAP.