The Shaving Cadre
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The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Thread starter Spider
- Start date
Sweet! I just got back from my Lodge tonight. Good luck!
Wait, what? You're a straight user, and this shavette looks ominous? You'll cut yourself faster with a straight than with this. Some Sextoblades still have the shaving guard on them and make it a very easy shave.I'll be staying far away from the Weck contraption. It looks ominous.
If you'd like to try out the Sextoblade, let me know! (or anyone, for that matter) I'd be happy to start a pass.
I'm so confused by that statement. Oh well, YMMV....
Wow! I've never seen Speick locally. I'll have to check again.
Doing some research if you have a "flagship" Dollar Tree in your area, (usually the bigger store) that is where I found it. If I go to the store closest to my house no luck. But if I go to big one they have a much bigger selection and that is where I find it.
I live in the boonies, our store is small. I searched for Flagship, came up empty. How are you supposed to know?
Usually in the bigger cities, and from what I have gathered from some YouTube videos, they are just significantly BIGGER stores. Dollar Tree doesn't really give an outline of how to tell.
Today I went with Mystic Water soap, which is one of my absolute favorite soaps. And Lily of the Valley is my favorite scent of Michelle's soaps. Great pot shave feel, and is how I judge post shave feel for all other soaps (much like folks, including me, who use Stirling as a baseline for judging slickness).
Now, I had used my Weck Sextoblade yesterday, and only did 2 passes, so it was not as close as my normal DE/SE shaves. Then Dave (in KY) made the comment, " I see the techmatic is up for some more work today!" I'm not sure if that was a comment on me having more growth than usual for todays shave or what, but I'll address that anyway. Because I've never understood that mindset.
To me, the amount of growth is irrelevant to the shave. When I hear someone talk about adjustables, and they say one day of growth gets this setting, or two days of growth gets that setting...... I just don't understand. I've never given growth any second thought when selecting my razor or going into a shave. One Day or Three Days of growth and I'm going to end up with the same quality of shave in the end. So I'm just curious, for those of you who do change up your razor, or setting based on growth..... why?
Now, I had used my Weck Sextoblade yesterday, and only did 2 passes, so it was not as close as my normal DE/SE shaves. Then Dave (in KY) made the comment, " I see the techmatic is up for some more work today!" I'm not sure if that was a comment on me having more growth than usual for todays shave or what, but I'll address that anyway. Because I've never understood that mindset.
To me, the amount of growth is irrelevant to the shave. When I hear someone talk about adjustables, and they say one day of growth gets this setting, or two days of growth gets that setting...... I just don't understand. I've never given growth any second thought when selecting my razor or going into a shave. One Day or Three Days of growth and I'm going to end up with the same quality of shave in the end. So I'm just curious, for those of you who do change up your razor, or setting based on growth..... why?
Great setup and picture KJ!
I don't get the changing adjustable setting for any reason. I just find a setting that works and that is what I leave my adjustable set on. Some who change the setting on an adjustable during a share, have a great shave, but they just had a great shave the day before from a non adjustable also, so I don't get it.
I don't get the changing adjustable setting for any reason. I just find a setting that works and that is what I leave my adjustable set on. Some who change the setting on an adjustable during a share, have a great shave, but they just had a great shave the day before from a non adjustable also, so I don't get it.
I haven't changed based on the different passes, or chosen a different razor due to having more growth. I just like the variety. Some days I like my adjustables more aggressive, some days mild. That's what I like best about the adjustables...it's variety in a single razor.
dkeester
"TSC's Master of Bourbon"
This for me too. I change up my razor and/or blade every day. I mostly leave my Gillette adjustables on 5, but sometimes I change them up. Some days I want more aggressive, some days less. Like KJ, I find that amount of growth is irrelevant to the razor and/or blade that I am using. I just like the different feel of the different razors and settings. Each razor and blade is a new challenge to master.
As for why other guys have different razors for different growth, or change adjustable settings mid-shave... well, I can't say for sure, but here is my $0.02...
I think that we have all built up a bunch of ceremony and ritual around our shaves based on our experiences. Things that we do to make our shaves better that may or may not have total basis in reality but they work for each of us. Call it shaving superstition if you want. However, these things get our minds in the right place for getting a better shave. They are mnemonic devices that help us get the most of each shave. For example, I don't find the Fatip Piccolo or my Muhle R41 to be aggressive. I don't worry about them cutting my face to ribbons because I know that they are really no different than my Merkur 34c or any other razor. The blade gaps differ, but that just means I have to use slightly different angle or pressure. I have used my MingShi 2000s on the highest setting with no bloodshed and great results. However, some guys can't get any of those "highly aggressive" razors to work well without blood or serious irritation. Some guys won't even go near any of them. They have a different mental map of those razors than I do. One of the reasons that YMMV is so prevalent in wetshaving is because most of it is in the eye of the beholder. So, guys that change the adjustment on their razors mid-shave aren't any different than the rest of us, they have just have a different bit of ceremony that works for them to help them get good or great results from their razors. Mind over matter and all that.
But, then again I am no expert on psychology or the human mind... At the end of the day I only know what works for me.
Funny that you asked about changing aggressiveness. This morning for the first time I ramped up the setting of my Slim to seven for my first pass. I hadn't shaved in a few days and thought I would test this approach out. After the first pass, I set the slim to four. And then for cleanup I set it to two. I got a pretty good shave but definitely not better or worse than any other day. I will say...that I did not enjoy my first pass and I won't be doing this again.
It's just a different experience. Most of the time I am shaving with a non-adjustable and everything is pretty much the same every shave except for the 3rd pass on the neck. If it's a more aggressive razor or blade, then I'm a bit more careful. Maybe avoiding a stroke or two that I would take if it were less aggressive. If it's an adjustable razor there's the possibility of more aggression and then turning it down for that last part. Not necessary, but changes things up. Last year I was on a kick for a week or so with using one DE for the first two passes and then switching to another DE that was a little more mild with a milder blade for a last pass. I was getting some great shaves with that, without any alum burn. Heck, if you don't want variety, you only need one razor right? But that's driving KJ about insane right now.
I guess my point is not changing it up for variety... I get that. Someone a few days ago posted (maybe Don, but I can't remember) that in regard to the Rockwell, they would use plate 3 for one day of growth, plate 4 for two days of growth, and plate 5 for three days of growth (or somehtign to that effect). This is mainly what I'm getting at. Why? As I said before the amount of growth is irrelevant to me. In the case of the rockwell, I would use Plate 4, because that the one I like the best, and I will use that for every shave, no matter what. Doug elluded to the fact thatit could be all mental. Maybe they believe that it will affect their shave (and therefore does). I'm just curious if theres, more to it, and if anyone does that, to explain why. Don, was that you?
I think it boils down to beard type with regards to days growth. If one doesn't have a thick beard and has thin, fine whiskers, then it probably doesn't matter what type of razor one uses after any number of days. But if one has a very thick beard, with coarse, copper safety wire type whiskers (like me), then a more aggressive razor definitely takes more off on that first pass after several days. For me, on the rare cases where I've gone several days between shaves, I've found that the most comfortable and efficient razor for that situation is my Schick Injector. Even more so than a traditional straight. But maybe it's all mental anyway.