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Doug's Journal of Shaving Happiness v2.0
- Thread starter dkeester
- Start date
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
I have had much better luck with traditional straights than with shavettes. I need to use both more often. My Dovo shavette is probably the one that bites me the least. I guess I just was expecting the SS to be a bit more forgiving than it is.
Taking the blade around my chin seems to be where I run into the most problems. Keeping the angle right while rounding the chin is difficult.
This IMHO is a huge understatement. That thing will bite you quick.
GearNoir
“The Disney Princess’s Apprentice”
Those N to S strokes did and still do occasionally make me catch my breath. It’s such an extreme stroke!
You could always skip it and just follow the jawline around E/W W/E.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
Journal Entry #130
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water/Shave Secret oil
Razor: Schick Stick In-jec-tor
Blade: Personna (?)
Brush: Sorrentino Custom Tuxedo
Soap/Cream: AOS Eucalyptus Cream (31)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel
AS 2: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5-in-1 ASB
AS 3: Lucky Tiger AS and Face Tonic
Fragrance: Florida Water
Overview
'Jectah FTW!
SOTD Pic
none
Shave Quality
I reopened my chin this morning, but that was not unexpected. The lather was great. Two passes for DFS+ with no lasting irritation and no new nicks.
Except for the nick on my chin there was no lasting badness from my SS shave over the weekend. Once my chin heals I will be giving the SS another run. Perhaps I will pick up some Pro Guards for the next attempt, although I like the Feather Pros. Overall I need to spend more time on my straights and shavettes. I get decent results with my straights (so far), but the shavettes all like to bite.
Gear
The Shick Stick is an L-Type injector with a novelty handle. (I didn't have time for a pic this morning, sorry guys.) It, like other L-Types, is fairly mild and efficient.
The AOS cream is still absolutely fabulous. It is looking like it will be gone real soon now. I have hit bottom in the tub and figure it will be gone before the end of the month. I was a bit surprised when I hit bottom in the tub. I was expecting it to be deeper. (Yes, this is actually my first full-sized tub of AOS cream. I have used the tubes before.) I really enjoy using creams, but I do like soaps a bit better. Five ounces of soap would last quite a bit longer than five ounces of cream.
Other Thoughts
Our friend from college arrives on Tuesday. She will be staying with us for a week. This should be a good visit. I am looking forward to it. Unfortunately I still have some more vacuuming to do before she gets here.
Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water/Shave Secret oil
Razor: Schick Stick In-jec-tor
Blade: Personna (?)
Brush: Sorrentino Custom Tuxedo
Soap/Cream: AOS Eucalyptus Cream (31)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel
AS 2: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5-in-1 ASB
AS 3: Lucky Tiger AS and Face Tonic
Fragrance: Florida Water
Overview
'Jectah FTW!
SOTD Pic
none
Shave Quality
I reopened my chin this morning, but that was not unexpected. The lather was great. Two passes for DFS+ with no lasting irritation and no new nicks.
Except for the nick on my chin there was no lasting badness from my SS shave over the weekend. Once my chin heals I will be giving the SS another run. Perhaps I will pick up some Pro Guards for the next attempt, although I like the Feather Pros. Overall I need to spend more time on my straights and shavettes. I get decent results with my straights (so far), but the shavettes all like to bite.
Gear
The Shick Stick is an L-Type injector with a novelty handle. (I didn't have time for a pic this morning, sorry guys.) It, like other L-Types, is fairly mild and efficient.
The AOS cream is still absolutely fabulous. It is looking like it will be gone real soon now. I have hit bottom in the tub and figure it will be gone before the end of the month. I was a bit surprised when I hit bottom in the tub. I was expecting it to be deeper. (Yes, this is actually my first full-sized tub of AOS cream. I have used the tubes before.) I really enjoy using creams, but I do like soaps a bit better. Five ounces of soap would last quite a bit longer than five ounces of cream.
Other Thoughts
Our friend from college arrives on Tuesday. She will be staying with us for a week. This should be a good visit. I am looking forward to it. Unfortunately I still have some more vacuuming to do before she gets here.
Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
I have had success rounding the chin with a traditional straight. The different angle of shavettes are what trip me up in that area. I just went too high with the SS. I will have to think about your suggestion, however. It is a good possibility.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
My mistake, I think was that I was expecting the SS to be more like a traditional straight than a shavette, hence more forgiving. I don't know why I went in with that expectation. I shouldn't have, but I did and I paid for it.
The Dovo is the most forgiving shavette there is. There is so little blade exposure, that the shaves are super easy.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
Yes. It is definitely the one that I would recommend to someone trying shavettes for the first time.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
Journal Entry #131
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water/Shave Secret oil
Razor: GEM Flying Wing (a.k.a. The Bullet Tip)
Blade: GEM PTFE (4)
Brush: Sorrentino Custom Tuxedo
Soap/Cream: AOS Eucalyptus Cream (32)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel
AS 2: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5-in-1 ASB
AS 3: Proraso green splash
Fragrance: none
Overview
Flying away on a Flying Wing.
SOTD Pic
Shave Quality
The Flying Wing is a great entry point into the GEM line, if you have never tried one. This model is where the GEMs move from "highly aggressive" to "mild but efficient." Today's shave was just that, mild but efficient. In two passes I am DFS+, but minus the usual irritation. It was a smooth and easy shave with great lather. Two thumbs up.
Gear
The Flying Wing is has good heft at around 66 grams. The blade is held solidly. It is also a breeze to use. You will notice a circular indent machined into the top plate of the razor. In the marketing materials for this model this indent was called "The Guiding Eye." It apparently was intended to remind people to shave at the proper angle. If you could see the eye, then you were doing it wrong. So, keep the eye completely out of sight and you will get a good shave.
One thing that I notice about this GEM (and some of the ones that come after it) is that, if I am doing it right, the top plate will start to feel like it is sticking to my skin as it glides across my face. It is like it pulls and stretches the skin on its own as it glides. The sensation is a bit hard to describe. But that is where the efficiency is. It is almost like there is magnetic attraction between my skin and the razor cap.
As you can see from the pic above the AOS is not long for this world. I am still amazed at how fast creams go in comparison to soaps. It shaves great and when it is gone I will eventually be buying more. I am not sure if I will buy the Eucalyptus again (I might), but I will definitely be getting the Sandalwood.
The GEM PTFE blades (I get them from Ted Pella) are stellar performers.
Other Thoughts
I am a work in progress and trying to be better today than I was yesterday. Change is hard, but positive change does bring positive results.
Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water/Shave Secret oil
Razor: GEM Flying Wing (a.k.a. The Bullet Tip)
Blade: GEM PTFE (4)
Brush: Sorrentino Custom Tuxedo
Soap/Cream: AOS Eucalyptus Cream (32)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel
AS 2: Aqua Velva Sensitive 5-in-1 ASB
AS 3: Proraso green splash
Fragrance: none
Overview
Flying away on a Flying Wing.
SOTD Pic
Shave Quality
The Flying Wing is a great entry point into the GEM line, if you have never tried one. This model is where the GEMs move from "highly aggressive" to "mild but efficient." Today's shave was just that, mild but efficient. In two passes I am DFS+, but minus the usual irritation. It was a smooth and easy shave with great lather. Two thumbs up.
Gear
The Flying Wing is has good heft at around 66 grams. The blade is held solidly. It is also a breeze to use. You will notice a circular indent machined into the top plate of the razor. In the marketing materials for this model this indent was called "The Guiding Eye." It apparently was intended to remind people to shave at the proper angle. If you could see the eye, then you were doing it wrong. So, keep the eye completely out of sight and you will get a good shave.
One thing that I notice about this GEM (and some of the ones that come after it) is that, if I am doing it right, the top plate will start to feel like it is sticking to my skin as it glides across my face. It is like it pulls and stretches the skin on its own as it glides. The sensation is a bit hard to describe. But that is where the efficiency is. It is almost like there is magnetic attraction between my skin and the razor cap.
As you can see from the pic above the AOS is not long for this world. I am still amazed at how fast creams go in comparison to soaps. It shaves great and when it is gone I will eventually be buying more. I am not sure if I will buy the Eucalyptus again (I might), but I will definitely be getting the Sandalwood.
The GEM PTFE blades (I get them from Ted Pella) are stellar performers.
Other Thoughts
I am a work in progress and trying to be better today than I was yesterday. Change is hard, but positive change does bring positive results.
Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
Nice write up Doug. The FW is my least favorite of my GEM razors but i have yet to try a 1912 or other brand. I have 2 clog Pruf, 1 featherlite, 1 MMOC, and a FW. Have not tried the Pella blades yet either but a PiF is coming to me to remedy my I have not tried it yet situations. I wonder though do you have multiples of the GEM razors in the same model like my 2 clog pruf ones. Do they shave the same for you?
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
I do have two of each model and they tend to shave the same. The only exception to that is my two MMOCs. They are slightly different models and do shave a bit differently. One has two raised bumps on the base plate, the other doesn't. The raised bumps lessen aggression just a bit in my experience.
My two Clog-Prufs one has more bumps in the comb and was really “sticky” feeling before I sent it to Delta Echo and had them replate it. Now it is smoother than the other nickel one.
