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Natterings of a Nasal Barbarian

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SOTD WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

Today was the day for my first three pass (WTG, XTG, ATG) mug shave, and things went decently. There was one minor weep on my neck totally attributable to user error. I failed to stretch my neck skin adequately and felt the irritation leading to the minor weep. I’m having Some difficulty trimming both beard and sideburn lines. I’m still not enjoying this straight shaving process which feels needlessly primitive. It takes a long time, and I'm definitely not enjoying the face shave the way I usually do.

The faithful FrankenFamex was still required to clean up the facial stubble in spots and get to the level of smoothness I seek for both face and head shaves. I’m hoping that eventually I’ll begin to enjoy the process of straight shaving. The maintenance associated with this method just seems tedious to me. My dome shave was a joy in comparison. I was relaxed and able to enjoy the cooling lather as this French-American hybrid safety razor sang the buttering toast song through the one and 1/2 passes to deliver me to VBBS land. I feel cool, clean and velveteen!

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Face). FrankenFamex (Head)
BLADE: Sharp Star (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Rearden Razor 316L SS Synthetic
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Nancy Boy Signature Scent Cooling After-Shave Gel.
 
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SOTD THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020

Stropping at night has done wonders for my sleep, but is so unpleasant! But unfortunately, it is necessary. It’s just so much easier to drop a fresh blade into a safety razor. Anyway, after strapping a 3 lb weight to each forearm I launched into my face shave this morning . The Dovo no longer feels as alien in hand as it did a week ago. Straight shaving my face is no longer as tentative as it was, but still does not come close to the closeness I’ve come to expect from the 17 safety razors in my regular rotation. Today’s two pass (WTG, ATG) face shave was the best yet, but still required cleanup with my Eclipse Red Ring. I still don’t get the attraction so many of you have to this approach to shaving. But I get it, different strokes for different folks.

The easiest way to get through my straight shave each day is looking forward to the upcoming mug cleanup and dome shave that mark one more day towards my goal of being able to finally put the Dovo Special away in victory, and finally return to just safety razor shaving. The Eclipse Red Ring (ERR) is an adjustable highly efficient safety razor. It has never failed to deliver a superb velveteen BBS (VBBS), and this morning was no different. After cleaning up my beard lines and shearing away the remaining stubble around my Adam’s Apple, I launched into my usual two pass (WTG, ATG) noggin shave. The razor’s baseplate design was unique for its time, and has been appropriated by Classic Shaving’s Occam’s DE in the design for the aggressive plate for the latter razor. Using the ERR this morning was a joy that again delivered your smiling narrator to that cool, clean, refreshing velveteen BBS zone.

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug). Eclipse Red Ring (Dome)
BLADE: Sharp Star (1)
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as a Preshave
BRUSH: Jayaruh Custom Boar #372
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Nancy Boy Signature Scent Cooling After-Shave Gel.
 
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SOTD WOOL FAT FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020

Welcome to Wool Fat Friday. I'd like to begin by offering a heartfelt apology to all of my straight razor shaving brothers out there in shave land. Yesterday I received a message from one of my shave friends from an Australian online shave forum I'm a member of. It was quite straightforward. I quote, “Mate, since you picked up the Dovo, you’ve started sounding like a whiny %*&#$(c-word)”. After rereading those posts, he’s right. I in no way meant to put down your shaving practice. There will be no repeat of that tone in my posts from this point forward. Please accept my apologies for any unintended insults! I guess I was masking my own anxiety about reentering open edge shaving after my 5 year hiatus. At my age I should know better.

Back to this morning’s shave! Use of the Dovo Special is improving day by day. Today’s three pass (WTG, XTG, ATG) face shave felt more comfortable, although I'm still struggling with proper holding technique for my XTG and ATG passes. Any recommendations from you more accomplished open edge shavers would be welcome. My WTG pass was uneventful as I’ve become more comfortable In using both hands. There were two set down errors resulting in minor nicks one for each of the next two passes on my right non-dominant side. Proraso styptic gel took care of them. Is there a video showing the best way to hold the razor for XTG and ATG strokes?

Classic Shaving has a reputation as a safety razor design innovator. They offered up the Cobra Classic as the first or one of the first successful AC safety razor designs followed by the Oren, Enoch and Hiram, all named after the owner’ssons. The Occam’s DE was another one of their innovative offerings. Crafted from molten SS through a MIM process instead of CNC, allowed them to offer the razor at an unbelievable price point for a 316L SS razor, around $60 for threebaseplates and two top caps. Unfortunately, due to its amazing shaving reputation, the razor is no longer available.

What I like about it is the aggressive baseplate which is remarkably similar to theEclipse Red Ring’s, and which delivers a shave every bit as good as the latter. The software for today’s shave was my old stalwart, MWF, which my Viking SilvertipBadger whipped up into the thick, protective, and slick lather it’s famous for. The Occam’s easily cleaned up the remaining stubble on my mug, and mowed through my noggin stubble in two slow, relaxing passes (WTG, ATG) with just as much ease. I feel refreshed, cool, clean and velveteen, happily returned to VBBS land.

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug), Occam’s DE (Noggin)
BLADE: Sharp Star (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as a Preshave
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Chel Cooling Gel as an AS Balm.
 
No nasty grams from me brother, vent when you need to. Parkinson's and using weights to steady the tremors —- respect.

Josh, aka @Dagwoodz on the forum, has a new video. Check out his shaving style. I found the ATG pass interesting. He opened it up like a kami. I tried it and it was comfortable, it didn’t feel unnatural. You might check out some of @BarberDave videos as well.
 
MilkCrate said:
No nasty grams from me brother, vent when you need to. Parkinson's and using weights to steady the tremors —- respect.

Josh, aka @Dagwoodz on the forum, has a new video. Check out his shaving style. I found the ATG pass interesting. He opened it up like a kami. I tried it and it was comfortable, it didn’t feel unnatural. You might check out some of @BarberDave videos as well.
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Thanks, Tim, will do!
 
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SOTD SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Continuing progress on the straight razor front continues. I still have not progressed beyond the CCS, but my strokes are more comfortable, and I find myself Using skin stretches with my safety razors. Two passes (WTG, ATG) reduced the facial whiskers somewhat unevenly, requiring some cleanup buffing. The Occam’s DE was happy to oblige, and cleaned up the remaining stubble around the Adam’s Apple. I’d forgotten how sharp and smooth Suneko blades are. They compare quite favorably to the Sharp Star I finished with yesterday in this razor. I'm working on my ATG pass with the Dovo, but still need some work.

The rest of the shave was very pleasant, although uneventful. MWF, my stalwart soap, again delivered the goods. The longer handle on this Jayaruh brush works well for me, particularly when lathering the back of the dome. I realized that while the heft in hand differs from the Eclipse Red Ring, the shave was every bit as close and efficient. The only difference is the lack of adjustability. But this is still one great razor. Removing the 3 lb weights from my forearms does make it seem lighter. Both noggin passes (WTG, ATG) mowed down the 24 hr stubble nicely. I feel refreshed, cool, clean and velveteen (VBBS)! Great shave!

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug) Occam’s DE Aggressive Plate (Noggin)
BLADE: Suneko (1)
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as Preshave
BRUSH: Jayaruh Custom Rosewood Silvertip Badger #378
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash.
 
That kind of pisses me off, youre shaving your face and journalling it; youre not doing a paid advertisement for someone elses preferred shave method. Write what you want, if someone doesnt like it they can choose not to read your journal.
 
jgreenepa said:
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SOTD SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Continuing progress on the straight razor front continues. I still have not progressed beyond the CCS, but my strokes are more comfortable, and I find myself Using skin stretches with my safety razors. Two passes (WTG, ATG) reduced the facial whiskers somewhat unevenly, requiring some cleanup buffing. The Occam’s DE was happy to oblige, and cleaned up the remaining stubble around the Adam’s Apple. I’d forgotten how sharp and smooth Suneko blades are. They compare quite favorably to the Sharp Star I finished with yesterday in this razor. I'm working on my ATG pass with the Dovo, but still need some work.

The rest of the shave was very pleasant, although uneventful. MWF, my stalwart soap, again delivered the goods. The longer handle on this Jayaruh brush works well for me, particularly when lathering the back of the dome. I realized that while the heft in hand differs from the Eclipse Red Ring, the shave was every bit as close and efficient. The only difference is the lack of adjustability. But this is still one great razor. Removing the 3 lb weights from my forearms does make it seem lighter. Both noggin passes (WTG, ATG) mowed down the 24 hr stubble nicely. I feel refreshed, cool, clean and velveteen (VBBS)! Great shave!

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug) Occam’s DE Aggressive Plate (Noggin)
BLADE: Suneko (1)
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as Preshave
BRUSH: Jayaruh Custom Rosewood Silvertip Badger #378
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash.
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You’re doing great with the straight! It’s taken me over 40 shaves with a straight to just about get to a DFS result without the help of a DE. Keep on keepin on!
 
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SOTD SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2020

Hubris towards the shave Gods was the theme that unfortunately governed this morning’s shave. I guess I was feeling kind of cocky! Yesterday’s shave generated a lot of supportive comments from many of my straight shaving friends. Well, I thought, intrepid, disabled yet innovative shave adventurer that you are, you don't need no stinkin’ 3 lb forearm weights. Guess what! I sure do. Starting with my dominant left side I picked up my Dovo and ended up with a tremor induced nick on my upper left cheek and then stupidly repeated the nick with my non-dominant right arm on my right cheek..

Fortunately, neither was serious. Chastised by the Shave Gods, I put the Dovo down, and proceeded to strap on my forearm weights and pick up the Dovo. My intention was to address the nicks which were each streaming a thin line of blood down each cheek, just as dear SWMBO decided to enter. She took one look at me, shook her head, muttered “idiot, I told him” and about faced out the door. Today is my youngest grandson’s birthday. My punishment for hubris will be the “I told you so” lecture I’ll have to sit through on the 30 minute ride to my son’s house.

Back to the shave! The shave was otherwise great following the brief hiccup described above. The two pass (WTG, ATG) mug straight shave again left me at the CCS level, which my Valet Auto Strop (VAD) VC1 cleaned up nicely bringing me to the VBBS smoothness level expected. The dome shave was the usual two pass (WTG, ATG) excellent shave. I’m seriously wondering whether it’s physically possible to nick myself with one of my five VAS razors.

Inspired by our supreme gadgeteer and razor builder, Evan (@MrEE), I plan to begin stropping my Feather FHS-10 blades. It should prove to be an interesting experiment. Hopefully, stropping two blades won’t put me in a coma! I feel cool, clean and velveteen, which should help on the 30 minute ride to my grandson’s. Yeesh!!

RAZOR: Dovo Special (Mug) Valet Auto Strop VC1
BLADE: Feather FHS-10
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T-400 w/ 24mm Hybrid Knot Ferrule
PREP: Cold water rinse and Chel Cooling Gel as a Preshave
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Krampert’s Frostbite.
 
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