Middle Age Ramblings

Gillette Sheraton + Iridium Super blade, Speick & Cremo cream

For my last shave with the Sheraton I decided to go all out and use my secret weapon against razor burn – Speick cream ($6.00) mixed with Cremo Cream ($8.00) into what’s called a “uberlather”. This is one of the cheapest super lathers in my arsenal of cheap creams outside of Godrej cream ($2.99) but that’s for another post and it’s not quite as good as Speick or Old Spice imho.

The Cremo is a brushless cream that you apply with your hands and never lathers but it has one redeeming feature in that it’s the ‘slickest’ shaving product I have ever found so I mix an almond size squirt with any other soap or cream and it provides more protection than even I need.

The downside was that I struggled a bit getting a close shave since the Cremo coated my face in a thin layer. The upside unlike my first three shaves was that there was zero bumping or digging this time around and I was a bit more relaxed during the process I just had to work harder to get my normal close shave. I used a brand new Iridium Super blade just to see what that would do and surprisingly it was a good shave. Normally with the IS’s my first shave is just a tad bit rough and then it gets better but not this time the Sheraton hogged away the stubble like it wasn’t there on the first pass.

Hands down this open comb razor blows away my collection on first pass reduction nothing comes close including my Slim and Fatboy adjustables set to 7 (I’ve never used them on 8 or 9). My biggest problem was probably with my technique I just couldn’t get it to cut clean on the second or third pass like my Weber does (BBS without much effort). I’m blaming that more on me than the razor. I think I just need more time with it.

Overall this is one of the best razors I’ve used I just need to do more prep and take my time to use it. I’m going to miss this razor tomorrow when I mail it off. I’ll have to start hunting for it’s replacement

Sheraton + Iridium Super blade, Old Spice Fresh Lime and my Frank Shaver badger

I was fortunate enough to be included in a PIF thread on the B&B forum, a great member (rxonmymind) kindly mailed this razor out to other less fortunate members to try for one week then we mail it to the next member, this week is my turn so here goes.

I was a bit shy on the idea of using an open comb as I only use mild razors with my sensitive skin but I doubted I would get a better chance so what the heck. I started with a faithful Iridium Super blade going on its fifth shave without so much as a nick or drag. I coupled that with the greatest, cheapest cream I know of {Old Spice Fresh Lime}.

For $6.00 and free shipping you can’t go wrong buying this cream in bulk. It’s got a great scent  and makes enough lather for three people ~ seriously if it looks like it’s drying out or nearly gone just add a few drops of water and whip it you’ll be ready for a new three pass. Tabac edges it out on quality of lather but is twice the price.

~

I’ve experimented with a north-south/south-north two pass shave + touch up for a few weeks now and decided to keep the trend going. The Sheraton mows through stubble like no razor I’ve ever used but it pointed out my technique short comings in a hurry.

I didn’t get a nick or any burn but I’ve taken quick, choppy strokes with a loose wrist with my Weber SS but the Sheraton isn’t that type of razor. I plowed through the stubble around my ear quickly but once I rounded the jaw line the open comb really started bouncing and digging. I slowed down and took longer locked wrist strokes and it was all good again. Another thing this razor doesn’t like is a second quick pass after you’ve removed the lather it will bounce like mad and I was afraid of razor burn so I ended up going with third pass just to be safe.

A splash of witch hazel after rinsing and a liberal amount of Truefitt&Hill Trafalgar aftershave balm from my $10.00 sample pack and I was good to go. Maybe a 10 minute shave at most.

Overall this is a great razor it cuts stubble better than my Gillette Slim and SS’s and even my new Weber but it’s not going to be as forgiving as those razors and you’ll need to keep your technique in mind. I think I wouldn’t mind owning a Sheraton but I don’t think it would be in my daily rotation, more like a favorite that comes out ever couple of weeks when I have time for a slower shave. I can’t wait until my British Rocket arrives so I can compare it to this razor.

Ralph Lauren 'Safari" shaving soap, Gillette Blue Tip SS, + Personna Lab blade, Omega Pro 49 brush

It’s been awhile since I’ve used a soap puck so I decided to dig way down into the back of the cabinet to find the mug of vintage ‘Safari’ I got on a B&B group buy before they disappeared. It’s got the most heavenly sandalwood/leather scent I’ve ever smelled.  The only downside it has is that it always lathers extremely wet (lots of bubbles) but that doesn’t detract from the shave. It still give outstanding protection and slickness I’m just used to creams that look like meringue on my face than soap bubbles.

The Blue Tip was the first DE razor I tried and it’s still one of my favorites coupled with a three shave Personna Lab blade that’s getting better after I corked it. I suspect I’ll get five or 6 shaves from these blades and there nearly as good as the Personna Med Preps!

I’ve started using a quicker two pass north-south then south-north shaving system just to speed things up and this turned out to be a nice eight minute shave. The Blue Tip felt a little light and didn’t get as close as I like around the jaw line under my ears, I think the bigger Weber razor is spoiling me.

I finished the shave up with a liberal amount of Truefitt & Hill Lavender aftershave balm from the last bits of the $10 sampler pack I picked up last December. I’ll have to order a bottle of it soon!

Tabac Cream, Gillette Slim + Personna Lab blade.

I felt like going with a tried and true combination today so I pulled out the tube of Tabac and my trusty Slim Adjustable with a new Personna Lab Blue blade. The brush is my old Omega Pro 49 that I normally use for hard soaps but it’s been awhile since I’ve used it.

I skipped my normal pre-shave wash for just a hot towel and lots of water as the Tabac has always been enough by itself. Normally I face lather something like Tabac but with the bristly boar brush I bowl lathered a pea sized squirt into a ton of lather. Honestly there was enough lather for another three pass shave. If you can handle the smell of Tabac a $7.00 tube can’t be beat.

I spent and extra minute or so working the lather into my beard and decided on a two pass shave, one North-to-South followed by another hot towel rinse, a quick dab of Shea Butter baby oil then a  South-to-North pass. Just a bit of touch up and done, maybe 8 minutes from start to finish.

Another nick free and burn free shave.

After the smoke the wife demanded I take a shower and change clothes … just the reason to sequester myself away for a nice quiet shave.

Weber Razor + Iridium Super bade and P.160 soft soap

 I used my new weber razor which I’m quit taken with and a 3 shave used Iridium Super blade that’s just getting better with age.  After two weeks of use the Weber is fast becoming my favorite.

I’d forgotten how nice the P.160 soft soap is during my nearly six months of questing for the perfect shaving cream. I love the Marzipan/Almond smell even if it does dissipate quickly. Well worth the $9.99 from {italianbarber.com} if your wanting a nice luxury lather.

I prepped with a hot towel and washed my face with the Proraso’s Sul Filo Del Rasoio pre-shave soap then lathered and went to town. I took my time and did a full three passes this time for a full BBS shave. I followed it up with a cold water splash and some witch hazel and Old Spice Classic after shave.

A satisfying shave overall, who says shaving has to be endured instead of enjoyed?