Gillette (the all things Shaving Thread)

[BroSlinger]

Dude, there's no pre-requisite to using an open comb. It does the same thing. They are all bark, and no bite.

I think I cut myself more often with safety bars than open combs.

[Steinmetzify]

So this right here is the perfect shizz......best shave yet, 10/10.

That little bit of added weight from the TII handle gets it RIGHT THERE.

[BroSlinger]

Nice^. I sure wish that TFS Sensitive soap would have worked for me. It smelled really great.

SOTD:

Day 1 with the TFS Kilogram. It shaved like every other Italian almond soap. It definitely had a great lather though. The stuff is pure white, and doesn't have any yellowish, off scents or anything. Nice and sweet like P160 or Barberia Bolognini.
Wenge Fatip Gentle seemed too gentle today.
Dorco Prime platinum felt bad again. How can it feel great for weeks, then terrible 5 times in a row?!?
Barrister and Mann Reserve Classic AS. YES! I could use this every day if needed.

7/10

[Steinmetzify]

Fuckin Hawk blades shipping from Japan; got the email that basically says they’ll get here when they get here. Might be a month.

Should have just spent the extra $2 and ordered em from IB.

[BroSlinger]

Eli, usps says I underweighted your package. So I’m assuming you don’t have it.

EDIT: ELI, USPS is saying the package weighed 6 lbs.

Can you take a picture of what I shipped? Any chance you still have the box????

[BroSlinger]

BTW< SOTD. crummy shave today. Nothing is going well today.

Razor: This is the replacement OREN after the defective one. It's actually quite nice. No complaints.
Blade: Feather standard. Sucks. Damn, I don't get the feather obsession. The Kai mild is a better blade. Convince me I'm wrong.
Soap: TFS 70th Sotto La Molle. Got it from Groomatorium. I think it's old. Not much scent. GREAT lather
Aftershave: Matching TFS 70th Sotto La Molle. Stung my face like fire. I should have known better. lime + verbena = burn.
Brush: Turns out, not all synthetics are made equal. This west coast brush can't hang with the razorock brushes. Prickly. FLoppy. smelly. Everything I hated about every brush prior to my razorocks.

BTW, Note, there are 2 TFS 70th anniversary scents. The packaging is identical, but the scents couldn't be more different. The "corte sabaud" scent is a wretched floral funeral vomit smell. The sotto la mole is like pez candy.

Bummer of a shave today. THe aftershave will have to find a new home. So will these stupid blades.

[ajaxlepinski]

The Sharpologist (aka, Mantic59) writes great articles about blades, with videos and electron microscope photos...

Sharpologist
What Your Father Didn't Teach You About Shaving
What Is The Best Razor Blade?
What is the best razor blade? It is not as easy an answer as you may think. I have been researching razor blades over the past few months, even using a scanning electron microscope to look at blade edges, and have come to realize there are a number of variables that come into play with deciding on what is "best." Even though I have been looking at double edge (DE) blades I think my comments should apply to any razor/blade combination, including blade cartridges (Fusion, Mach3, Dollar Shave Club, etc).
Looking for an article about the best cartridge razor? https://sharpologist.com/2013/11/proglide-cartridge-alternatives.html.
Looking for an article about the best double edge safety razor? https://sharpologist.com/2019/01/best-double-edge-razor-2019s-changing-market.html.
Looking for a more in-depth article, with lots of pictures of blade edges under a scanning electron microscope? https://sharpologist.com/2014/07/best-razor-blade.html.

[BroSlinger]

The Sharpologist (aka, Mantic59) writes great articles about blades, with videos and electron microscope photos...

Sharpologist
What Your Father Didn't Teach You About Shaving
What Is The Best Razor Blade?
What is the best razor blade? It is not as easy an answer as you may think. I have been researching razor blades over the past few months, even using a scanning electron microscope to look at blade edges, and have come to realize there are a number of variables that come into play with deciding on what is "best." Even though I have been looking at double edge (DE) blades I think my comments should apply to any razor/blade combination, including blade cartridges (Fusion, Mach3, Dollar Shave Club, etc).
Looking for an article about the best cartridge razor? https://sharpologist.com/2013/11/proglide-cartridge-alternatives.html.
Looking for an article about the best double edge safety razor? https://sharpologist.com/2019/01/best-double-edge-razor-2019s-changing-market.html.
Looking for a more in-depth article, with lots of pictures of blade edges under a scanning electron microscope? https://sharpologist.com/2014/07/best-razor-blade.html.

Yep. I'm still convinced Feathers aren't for me.

Any of you guys try the Tiki brand Soaps from Groomatorium?

[BroSlinger]

Survey:

1. Do you build lather in a bowl, or on your face/hand/puck?

2. How long do you load your brush?

3. How long does it take you to build a lather?

4. How many passes do you do?


Reason I've asking: Watching these youtube shavers is ridiculous. How fucking long can it possibly take you to shave? 24 minutes? 28 minutes? Seriously? Sorry, that lather looks the same as it did ten minutes ago when you started rubbing your face with your brush. Do you have a brush fetish???

[Steinmetzify]

1. Do you build lather in a bowl, or on your face/hand/puck?

On the puck

2. How long do you load your brush?

30-40 seconds or so

3. How long does it take you to build a lather?

less than a minute

4. How many passes do you do?

at the most two

28 minutes?! Bitch I have shit to DO.....ain't nobody with some job shaving for 28 fuckin minutes every morning....I actually get up the latest I physically can while still avoiding traffic, then run my ass off for work and shave when I get home. I still do 2 passes in less than ten minutes...

[andvari7]

1. Hand. I use Cremo cream, in the tube.
2. No brush.
3. About thirty seconds, if you can call what Cremo does a lather.
4. As few as possible. I generally do two or three. It doesn’t take me twenty minutes to shave, and, since I shave at night, or before important occasions, time isn’t as crucial to me.

[newholland]

Survey:

1. Do you build lather in a bowl, or on your face/hand/puck?

2. How long do you load your brush?

3. How long does it take you to build a lather?

4. How many passes do you do?


Reason I've asking: Watching these youtube shavers is ridiculous. How fucking long can it possibly take you to shave? 24 minutes? 28 minutes? Seriously? Sorry, that lather looks the same as it did ten minutes ago when you started rubbing your face with your brush. Do you have a brush fetish???

1. in a big old edwin jagger mug.
2. load the brush-- in the soap tub- maybe about 15 seconds or so? i usually get all the moisture outa the brush after soaking it, and leave about a tablespoon on the soap, then whip it about in the soap tub til it's starting a small lather in there.
3. build lather maybe 30-45 seconds if it's good soap, longer if it's not. that extreme rosewood soap.. good lord- super fast!
4. depending on how long my beard is, i'll generally do 3-4 passes. 4 for like christmas day. but seriously-- down, across, and ATG, usually.

half an hour? damn.. what're these dudes, doctors or bankers starting work at 11 am? i'm thinking mebbe ten minutes if i'm slow, longer if a nick myself? don't gemme wrong, i like taking my time doing it, but good lord.

[BroSlinger]

So, I'd better answer my own survey for the heck of it:
Survey:

1. Do you build lather in a bowl, or on your face/hand/puck?
No bowl for me. Lather is built in 3 quick stages. puck/hand/face.

2. How long do you load your brush?
Depends on the soap, but any where from 15 to 25 seconds.

3. How long does it take you to build a lather?
Maybe 20 seconds on top of the 20 or so seconds of loading.

4. How many passes do you do?
About 1.5 or so, but they are thorough since I keep so much lather around (shower shaving. no worries of making a mess with too much product). That doesn't mean I won't go over the same chin/neck spot 2-3 times though.

[BroSlinger]

SOTD:
Bustin' Stubble today.

Razor: RR Wunderbar Slant. Worked great. Just solid, sharp, smooth, etc. Everything I need.
Blade: Gillette Blue Platinum. second shave with this blade. I can tell it doesn't have the juice it did on the first use.
Soap: Stubble Buster Grunge. Scent based on Jean Paul Gautier - Le Male. Outstanding. great shave. Shaves like $25, costs $9. Very Oily soap, easy loading. Yogurty lather. Same maker as Chiseled Face. Available at Groomatorium, (along with lots of great stuff including Tcheon Fung Sing)
Aftershave: Stubble Buster Coastal. Smells aquatic. Kind of burns, but not in an allergic way. I think they liquified aspirin in there. Face feels great. I smell great. $7. seriously. buy some stubble buster stuff.

Why I love stubble Buster = Instead of the same rehashed cloned shit (Hermes/Creed/Guerlain/Davidoff/etc), They cloned random 90's stuff like Joop, le Male, Very Sexy, Chrome, Fahrenheit, D&G, CK Obsessed, Boss #1, Curve, etc.

Stubble Buster RULES.

[ajaxlepinski]

For posterity....

1. Do you build lather in a bowl, or on your face/hand/puck?
Nancy Boy Signature Peppermint Cream - on face
Soaps like Uncle Walter - on the puck

2. How long do you load your brush?
Nancy Boy Signature - dip it in the cream... 2 seconds tops
Soaps like Uncle Walter - 30 seconds while building lather. Timed it this morning

3. How long does it take you to build a lather?
Nancy Boy Signature - 20 seconds
Soaps like Uncle Walter - 30 seconds. Timed it this morning

4. How many passes do you do?
With the grain, across the grain, against the grain, with touch ups around the chin and mustache area.

[Steinmetzify]

Man I think these Wilkinson Sword blades are one and done; I’ve used em twice now, first shave for each was amazing and the 2nd time I cut the fuck out of my neck both times.

Maybe they’re just too aggressive for me the 2nd time around.

[BroSlinger]

Man I think these Wilkinson Sword blades are one and done; I’ve used em twice now, first shave for each was amazing and the 2nd time I cut the fuck out of my neck both times.

Maybe they’re just too aggressive for me the 2nd time around.

Are you talking about the vintage NOS UK models? or the modern Germany Wilks?

[Steinmetzify]

Man I think these Wilkinson Sword blades are one and done; I’ve used em twice now, first shave for each was amazing and the 2nd time I cut the fuck out of my neck both times.

Maybe they’re just too aggressive for me the 2nd time around.

Are you talking about the vintage NOS UK models? or the modern Germany Wilks?

Whichever ones you sent me, if you can remember. I thought you said they were vintage...

[BroSlinger]

I sent both.

[Steinmetzify]

I sent both.

Interesting, I think I only opened the one pack. I'm going to have to check out the other ones and see if they're better.

[Steinmetzify]

Gene, checked and it's just the one pack....back of the box says they're made in England.

[BroSlinger]

I bought bunch o shit:
B&m
nocturne soap - smells like skoal cherry dipspit
42 soap - smells like a candle store at the mall
Promises soap- smells like straight up absinthe, supposed to smell like idling snow mobiles.
Behold the what’s is soap - smells like carpet powder from a frat
Patches soap - smells like chewing gum
Waves aftershave- smells like 90’s Gillette wild rain
Behold the what’sis aftershave- smells like frat Carpet cleaner. Awesome.

They’re all pretty good. The behold the what’sis is great.

[BroSlinger]

SOTD:

Behold the Whatsis! Dr. Seuss soap from Barrister & Mann.

Figured it would burn the hell out of me with Rose and Citrus, but alas, it didn't at all! It shaved great. The aftershave is fantastic.

The Mingoose was great, but I have a feeling it shreds blades. Usually, injector blades last longer than 2.5 shaves. Oh well. Still great. BTW, I realized, I don't like a heavy head with a light handle. Time to go stock again, or switch to a weber. Overall, GREAT shave!

9/10

[BroSlinger]

Sotd:


Don’t waste time or money on the focus single edge razor. Unless you want to buy it from me for cheap. It uses half de blades snapped in half. Weird design. Didn’t shave well in practice.

HOWEVER, I finally found a linea intenso tfs soap that doesn’t burn me. This Sotto zero has a beautiful eucalyptus, incense smell. Like Santa Maria novella. It’s not even very mentholly.

This tiki captain aftershave smells identical to captain Morgan. Great stuff.

[BroSlinger]

Sotd:


1. So this is a 40’s Bakelite og type e injector with a b20 proline blade. Hated this razor. These are chintzy stamped steel no matter how vintage. I hate g types too.
2. Had to finish the shave with this fatip grande, which was smooth as silk.
3. Tfs bff soap. Amazing scent and performance. Kind of a sandalwood lime.
4. Stubble buster vigor. Great scent, but starts kind of skunky. Good feel. Nice product.

7/10 overall