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Sharp’s Tales: There Will Be Blood

Dec Shave #5 (1 day)

Razor: Blackbird SB
Blade: Astra SS (2)
Brush: Black Eagle Buffalo 25mm
Soap: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag
AS: Thayer’s Medicated Witch Hazel

The inaugural flight of my Black Eagle tonight. As I try to use up this sample of Chiseled Face to get ready for the NY 3017 I thought I had Dialed this soap in perfectly. This brush easily lathers up a nice batch of suds... For a dense brush, the tips were quite soft. I can't wait till it plays a bit more and really breaks in. Pass one was easy enough but the shave itself did not wow me.

Then something strange happened. Picked the brush up for a second pass and the soap was flat and lifeless. Had to start the process over again to get a thin layer on. Very Strange. I had CSC at best. Fine all I needed for a night out at the movies.
 
Dang, sorry the shave fell flat tonight. The brush must just need some more break-in.
 
cmh737 said:
I was thinking the same thing.
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i thought that too. Was weird. Never experienced that. I mean the first pass soap was perfect and performing well. Not like the brush failed there. Had me ready to get a second one of these

Maybe I should show some restraint for once? Hey that’s a good idea.
 
What movie did you go see? I saw Robin Hood yesterday, I know the reviews were kind of low but I actually enjoyed it.
 
Cvargo said:
What movie did you go see? I saw Robin Hood yesterday, I know the reviews were kind of low but I actually enjoyed it.
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Cool I want to go see that but will have to be San wife..

I went to a prescreening of On the Basis of Sex. A friend of mine is the screenwriter and my wife put this event on for her colleagues (about 150 people). It is actually being released on Christmas day.
 
GearNoir said:
Dang, sorry the shave fell flat tonight. The brush must just need some more break-in.
Click to expand...

I might have to make that my second video so people can see for themselves. Maybe I didnt use enough soap for more than one pass or as you said the brush needs to be broken in.
 
Dec Shave #6 (1 day)

Razor: Blackbird SB
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Brush: Black Eagle Buffalo 25mm
Soap: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag
Alum
AS: Jack Black Post Shave Cooling Gel

Today I experimented with using much more soap. So relied on more soap and not as much water to get a thicker lather but plenty was made.
(Must have Been using to little.).
Here there was plenty of soap for two solid passes. The third was a little weak.

So I feel like I am shaving to soon from
the previous shave to get a descent follow up shave. Somewhere nearer to CCS than DVF. I feel 30-48 hours is better for the closeness and quality of my shaves.
The Black Eagle is breaking in more.

The Atra SP performed slightly better than the SS. So they are all up there in performance.

I want to try to wait at least till Sunday before the next shave. Man this will be tough.
 
I have to wait at least 48hrs between shaves. I tried daily once and gave up after about 4 days. just got an irritated face and never as good a shave as every other day.
 
uacowboy said:
I have to wait at least 48hrs between shaves. I tried daily once and gave up after about 4 days. just got an irritated face and never as good a shave as every other day.
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I feel that is it. The irritation has not subsided. The whiskers don’t stand up as much. My shave level feels as that of a cart but without any irritation.
 
I want to say that I felt I could not shave every day for my first couple of years, as much as I wished to; because of irritation, I was an every other day shaver. I believed I had sensitive skin and thick, wirey stubble and that daily shaves could just not be done in my case.

Finally this last year, my 3rd year in the hobby, I made it my goal to begin enjoying this daily. I used my most mild razor and really focused on what I was doing and how to improve it. First I did one week, then another, and just kept on going. As it so happens, for me, the only thing that had kept me back was my fine tuning in technique and getting to know my products. I have continued to be a daily shaver since. Granted I still have rough shaves, but it’s never stopped me from moving on to the next one. I now enjoy majority BBS/DFS almost daily.

I’m a firm believer that with the right gear, attention, a willingness to adjust, and a light touch, almost everyone could be a daily shaver if they wanted. Not guaranteeing this could be either of you, maybe it could, maybe it couldn’t, just putting my two cents out there.
 
GearNoir said:
I want to say that I felt I could not shave every day for my first couple of years, as much as I wished to; because of irritation, I was an every other day shaver. I believed I had sensitive skin and thick, wirey stubble and that daily shaves could just not be done in my case.

Finally this last year, my 3rd year in the hobby, I made it my goal to begin enjoying this daily. I used my most mild razor and really focused on what I was doing and how to improve it. First I did one week, then another, and just kept on going. As it so happens, for me, the only thing that had kept me back was my fine tuning in technique and getting to know my products. I have continued to be a daily shaver since. Granted I still have rough shaves, but it’s never stopped me from moving on to the next one. I now enjoy majority BBS/DFS almost daily.

I’m a firm believer that with the right gear, attention, a willingness to adjust, and a light touch, almost everyone could be a daily shaver if they wanted. Not guaranteeing this could be either of you, maybe it could, maybe it couldn’t, just putting my two cents out there.
Click to expand...

Don't think i have found a "mild" straight yet
1f609.png


But yeah i am sure if i really wanted to chase it i might be able to get away with it but i am, at least currently, fine with the roughly every other day shaves. Many times i is more longer than that due to kids/my screwy work schedule but most of the time i get 2-3 in a week.
 
uacowboy said:
Don't think i have found a "mild" straight yet
1f609.png


But yeah i am sure if i really wanted to chase it i might be able to get away with it but i am, at least currently, fine with the roughly every other day shaves. Many times i is more longer than that due to kids/my screwy work schedule but most of the time i get 2-3 in a week.
Click to expand...

Straights are included my statement! They might actually be the mildest razors of all, with certain angles. But organically constrained time limits due to life I understand. ?
 
Chris,

i thank you and really appreciate the thought and effort and suggestions you are giving.

I have been wet wet shaving since at least 2010. I just keep pushing and testing the limits. That is why for the past two months I have been sole using the blackbird. But mixing other things to what works and does not. I have tried 9 different types of blades into it and have tested them at different states of their lives. I have about 3 more to try.
Pushing testing. Developing muscle memory with one of the most aggressive razors. Mapped every cm of my face knowing where a blade can it will catch and where will float.

Remember we are Test pilots in a world of Steel and cream.

I seek nirvana.

Namaste

Que dramatic music.
 
I can shave with a mild DE everyday...but I do find that I get more comfortable shaves and sometimes closer if I wait a day between shave. I don't do this all the time, but I typically get only four or five shaves in a week!
 
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