Best of luck cleaning house, Jeff. Having less stuff can be liberating. Keeping the best of the best in hardware and software guarantees enjoyable shaves every time!
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Natterings of a Nasal Barbarian
- Thread starter jgreenepa
- Start date
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
SOTD 02/26/20
Time for a great shave! After the debacle yesterday, I decided to shave with a razor I haven’t shaved with in some time, my Blackland Vector. After loading it with a Schick Proline blade I launched into what turned out to be an excellent shave.
The new Alpha Shaving brush generated that nice thick paste that was then face and head lathered into that thick, yogurty, glistening MWF lather that has served me so well this month. I’d forgotten how using the Vector feels like sweeping away the whiskers effortlessly. Two passes - WTG and ATG - did the trick.
The beauty of this razor was the way it glided over the shave surface without disturbing yesterday’s injuries. Given the state of my dome and Adam’s Apple, this near BBS shave was a welcome change from yesterday. I feel clean, smooth and refreshed.
RAZOR: Blackland Vector
BLADE: Schick Proline
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T400 Synthetic
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Florida Water finished w/ Lisa’s Naturals Balm
Time for a great shave! After the debacle yesterday, I decided to shave with a razor I haven’t shaved with in some time, my Blackland Vector. After loading it with a Schick Proline blade I launched into what turned out to be an excellent shave.
The new Alpha Shaving brush generated that nice thick paste that was then face and head lathered into that thick, yogurty, glistening MWF lather that has served me so well this month. I’d forgotten how using the Vector feels like sweeping away the whiskers effortlessly. Two passes - WTG and ATG - did the trick.
The beauty of this razor was the way it glided over the shave surface without disturbing yesterday’s injuries. Given the state of my dome and Adam’s Apple, this near BBS shave was a welcome change from yesterday. I feel clean, smooth and refreshed.
RAZOR: Blackland Vector
BLADE: Schick Proline
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T400 Synthetic
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Florida Water finished w/ Lisa’s Naturals Balm
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
SOTD Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Well, here I am, back again after a brief 6 day health blip with 6 days of whisker growth to remove. And ironically, the razor chosen for the job was my Rex Ambassador, my former nemesis, until Razor Emporium worked their magic and sent me back what to all intents and purposes is now an entirely different razor. So much so, that I found myself shaving with it every day upon its return. The Gibbs #17 used to be my favorite adjustable, but no more! Rexie’s my boy, and he sure knows his business. Back to today’s shave!
This being the first day of the month, I opened my new PannaCrema Nuavia Blu and followed their directions for bowl lathering, which is not my normal approach, but when in Rome! They recommend 3 grams of soap to 7 grams of water. I have the RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Plissoft Synthetic here in the condo, and it did a spectacular job whipping up a very rich-looking, glistening lather. Which I then applied, following my customary cold water rinse, after inserting a vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium,
I set Rexie on 6 and had at it! My customary setting is 5 for my face and 3 for the noggin, but given the density and heaviness of the whiskers, I stepped up one level for that first pass. It was the right decision. 6 and 4 did the trick! Those old Polish Wizamets - I’m down to my last 70 or so blades - are amazingly smooth and quite sharp. Rexie swept through those whiskers like the Romans through Gaul. That bloodless WTG first pass left me at the DFS+ level. Amazingly, an Alum check revealed minimal, if any, heat, so I decided to go for it.
For my second ATG pass, I set Rexie at my regular 5 and 3 for an uneventful, bloodless BBS finish to the first shave of March. An adjustable razor is the perfect tool for six days of growth. This new soap has an incredible post shave feel. My post shave cold water wash with the Nuavia Blu brush squeezings left me with the same luxurious skin softness I have after a MWF shave. I do think I’m going to like this soap. I feel smooth, clean and refreshed.
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (6,4; 5,3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Plissoft Black Synthetic
SOAP: PannaCrema Nuavia Blu
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by T.N. Dickenson’s Witch Hazel and finished with Fine Accoutrements Lavender AS Splash
Well, here I am, back again after a brief 6 day health blip with 6 days of whisker growth to remove. And ironically, the razor chosen for the job was my Rex Ambassador, my former nemesis, until Razor Emporium worked their magic and sent me back what to all intents and purposes is now an entirely different razor. So much so, that I found myself shaving with it every day upon its return. The Gibbs #17 used to be my favorite adjustable, but no more! Rexie’s my boy, and he sure knows his business. Back to today’s shave!
This being the first day of the month, I opened my new PannaCrema Nuavia Blu and followed their directions for bowl lathering, which is not my normal approach, but when in Rome! They recommend 3 grams of soap to 7 grams of water. I have the RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Plissoft Synthetic here in the condo, and it did a spectacular job whipping up a very rich-looking, glistening lather. Which I then applied, following my customary cold water rinse, after inserting a vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium,
I set Rexie on 6 and had at it! My customary setting is 5 for my face and 3 for the noggin, but given the density and heaviness of the whiskers, I stepped up one level for that first pass. It was the right decision. 6 and 4 did the trick! Those old Polish Wizamets - I’m down to my last 70 or so blades - are amazingly smooth and quite sharp. Rexie swept through those whiskers like the Romans through Gaul. That bloodless WTG first pass left me at the DFS+ level. Amazingly, an Alum check revealed minimal, if any, heat, so I decided to go for it.
For my second ATG pass, I set Rexie at my regular 5 and 3 for an uneventful, bloodless BBS finish to the first shave of March. An adjustable razor is the perfect tool for six days of growth. This new soap has an incredible post shave feel. My post shave cold water wash with the Nuavia Blu brush squeezings left me with the same luxurious skin softness I have after a MWF shave. I do think I’m going to like this soap. I feel smooth, clean and refreshed.
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (6,4; 5,3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Plissoft Black Synthetic
SOAP: PannaCrema Nuavia Blu
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by T.N. Dickenson’s Witch Hazel and finished with Fine Accoutrements Lavender AS Splash
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Was just thinking I wonder where that guy with dem old razors went.
Well, that's the first time I've heard a shave described in this way! Nicely worded, Jeff.
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
Spent six days in Kildare land. I'll tell you, this age stuff ain't for sissies!
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
Old guy, old razors, and I'm back.Was just thinking I wonder where that guy with dem old razors went.
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
Yes, it was a good shave! I was offered one of those multi blade things in Kildare land, but turned them down.
Multiblade? Ahhhh!
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
SOTD Thursday, March 5, 2020
Another excellent BBS shave on what is rapidly becoming one of my favorite razors. It’s the second and final shave on this vintage Polish Wizamet. I never use any DE blade for more than two shaves. I’m quite curious as to how the Russian manufactured version will compare. I may order a tuck or two in the future to check them out.
There’s really not much to say about the technical shave itself - another bloodless, two pass (WTG, ATG) relaxing shave. It’s the soap, PannaCrema Nuavia Blu, that I really enjoyed. Rather than wax on about hints of this and layers of that, and in staying true to my olfactory barbarian ways, let’s just say it has a strong smell. Perhaps a bit too strong, as SWMBO complained about it.
It does provide a wonderful post shave feel, one that is quite comparable to MWF. My only concern is the softness of the soap. It’s clearly not triple milled. MWF never lets me down. My only concern would be the soap’s staying power. It’s strong smell, however, moves it out of regular use category, since SWMBO can’t tolerate it. So it’s back to my faithful MWF tomorrow. Today I feel clean, smooth and refreshed!
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (5,3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Synthetic
SOAP: PannaCrema Nuavia Blu
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Dickenson’s WH and finished with Fine Accoutrements’s Lavender Pour Homme AS Splash
Another excellent BBS shave on what is rapidly becoming one of my favorite razors. It’s the second and final shave on this vintage Polish Wizamet. I never use any DE blade for more than two shaves. I’m quite curious as to how the Russian manufactured version will compare. I may order a tuck or two in the future to check them out.
There’s really not much to say about the technical shave itself - another bloodless, two pass (WTG, ATG) relaxing shave. It’s the soap, PannaCrema Nuavia Blu, that I really enjoyed. Rather than wax on about hints of this and layers of that, and in staying true to my olfactory barbarian ways, let’s just say it has a strong smell. Perhaps a bit too strong, as SWMBO complained about it.
It does provide a wonderful post shave feel, one that is quite comparable to MWF. My only concern is the softness of the soap. It’s clearly not triple milled. MWF never lets me down. My only concern would be the soap’s staying power. It’s strong smell, however, moves it out of regular use category, since SWMBO can’t tolerate it. So it’s back to my faithful MWF tomorrow. Today I feel clean, smooth and refreshed!
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (5,3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Synthetic
SOAP: PannaCrema Nuavia Blu
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Dickenson’s WH and finished with Fine Accoutrements’s Lavender Pour Homme AS Splash
I am in the same category. I struggle to pick up the scent nuances others often describe. I've more or less given up, but I know what I like and that's good enough.
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
Back at TSD they call me the nasal barbarian for that reason. I’m more interested in a soap’s slickness, glide and lather consistency
That's the bottom line for me, though a soap's smell is important, too. If a description intrigues me, and I know it meets the other criteria, I might give it a try.
I'm in the same boat. I can't describe a soap scent much past if it smells good or not.
jgreenepa
TSC's "Velveteen Shaver"
SOTD Friday, March 6, 2020
I had been hoping to try a new soap (Imperial for @Hembree) and brush (courtesy of @MrEE) combination, but those danged Kildares had seen something for rule-out, and asked me to come in quite early this morning for their customary prodding and poking. Gromit and I are definitely returning home today, because he misses his cat buds, and I miss my single malt.
Back to today’s shave which was delayed. Since SWMBO was present with her fragrance allergy, I selected a relatively new tube of one of my favorite traveling creams, C.O. Bigelow, great stuff and unscented, or at least below my bride’s scent threshold. After my regular cold water rinse, the RazoRock 400 Special Edition Synthetic generated a rich face and dome lather which Rexie swept away with his customary aplomb on that first WTG pass.
After relathering, the second ATG pass was business as usual and delivered my hoped for all-around BBS with one slight weeper to the right of my Adam’s Apple, which closed up after application of the astringent witch hazel. Fine Accoutrements Lavender Pour Homme put the baby to bed, and left me feeling clean, smooth and fresh. Great shave!!
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (5, 3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium (1)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Synthetic
CREAM: C.O. Bigelow
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce soap followed by Dickenson’s WH and finished with Fine Accoutrements Lavender Pour Homme AS Splash
I had been hoping to try a new soap (Imperial for @Hembree) and brush (courtesy of @MrEE) combination, but those danged Kildares had seen something for rule-out, and asked me to come in quite early this morning for their customary prodding and poking. Gromit and I are definitely returning home today, because he misses his cat buds, and I miss my single malt.
Back to today’s shave which was delayed. Since SWMBO was present with her fragrance allergy, I selected a relatively new tube of one of my favorite traveling creams, C.O. Bigelow, great stuff and unscented, or at least below my bride’s scent threshold. After my regular cold water rinse, the RazoRock 400 Special Edition Synthetic generated a rich face and dome lather which Rexie swept away with his customary aplomb on that first WTG pass.
After relathering, the second ATG pass was business as usual and delivered my hoped for all-around BBS with one slight weeper to the right of my Adam’s Apple, which closed up after application of the astringent witch hazel. Fine Accoutrements Lavender Pour Homme put the baby to bed, and left me feeling clean, smooth and fresh. Great shave!!
RAZOR: Rex Ambassador (5, 3)
BLADE: Vintage Polish Wizamet Super Iridium (1)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: RazoRock 400 Special Edition Black Synthetic
CREAM: C.O. Bigelow
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce soap followed by Dickenson’s WH and finished with Fine Accoutrements Lavender Pour Homme AS Splash