Saturday 13th November to Friday 19th of November of 2021.

Nov. 18, 2021

Nice and easy 3 pass shave in the morning. Beautiful wake up call from the soap (sample puck) and aftershave - working well as usual!

One thing I'm always wondering whenever I'm using the tech - is why it's not recommended to newbies more often. It's an inexpensive and genuinelly brilliant piece of kit. Yes I love my SS razors, AC ones, GEM's and the straights... However the tech takes it to such a basic yet excellent shave. 3 passes for BBS on face and DFS on neck - trouble spot is trouble as always.

Splash has been finished off - so now to slowly terminate Old Spice slugger next... unless It'll end up on BST - At first I did like it more - but nowadays I know I prefer the scent of original or hawkridge!

Enjoy your shaves Ladies and Gentlemen!
 
One thing I'm always wondering whenever I'm using the tech - is why it's not recommended to newbies more often. It's an inexpensive and genuinelly brilliant piece of kit. Yes I love my SS razors, AC ones, GEM's and the straights... However the tech takes it to such a basic yet excellent shave. 3 passes for BBS on face and DFS on neck - trouble spot is trouble as always.
I do! Then folks tell them to get a Fatboy or the latest stainless dohickey with a boxful of different plates that they won't know what to do with.

Techs are simple, efficient, and inexpensive, and they give great shaves no mater how much experience you do or don't have.

.
 
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iKon X3, Lab Blue, ShedEleven Carnethy Ash Boar, MWF, Benjamin’s Bay Rum, Bulldog Balm
 
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SOTD: 19/11/2021

Razor: Rockwell 6s plate no. 4
Blade: Astra SP, 2nd use
Brush: Omega #625 silver tip badger
Bowl: Dscosmetics Shaving Bowl
Preshave: PAA Cube Unscented Soap
Soap: Stirling Campania Puck
Aftershave: Stirling Campania EDT
Balm: Bart’s Balm Sample Balm
Additional Care: Osma Laboratoires Alum Block

Not quite as smooth as yesterday but pretty damn close! I’m going to try no. 3 with a feather next to see if that’s the final winning combination but I’m still in love with this razor! Probably the best grip I’ve had on any razor I’ve had so far.
The Stirling is a delight, starts off mild and light in scent but builds up nicely to a medium strong, waking you up as you lather. The EDT has lasted me all day on 3 sprays,
It’s a lovely light citrus scent.
Enjoy the coming weekend!
 
Friday 19th November

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Ganders Goat Soap w/Hop, Sage & Birch
Imperial Leather (Vintage) Shaving Bowl
Kent Infinity+ Silvertex
MARS Razor w/Number 10 Plate
Super Gillette Blue Stainless (1) SE
Imperial Leather (Vintage) Aftershave

Drumroll ... time for the number 10 plate and what better pairing than a Super Gillette Blue, possibly Gillette's finest current blade?

In use, I did not get a lot of difference between the 9 and 10 plates, both of which I think are a step just beyond what is necessary and both requiring a conscious re-angling to get the smoothest from them where, say, the 8 plate and below do not. I'd also say that I don't think anything beyond the 8 plate is necessary for sweeping off a couple of weeks of growth. I'm guessing, since I'm a daily shaver.

In summary, I think I'd say that when faced with a pack of 10 graduated plates to adjust the capability of the shave, I'd say we're looking for one particular plate to suit the shaver rather than to adjust between passes as that is a tad fiddly. I suppose you could. On that then, we're perhaps looking for a couple of plates that suit our shaves: a mild one and a not-mild one.

From the mild end, I'd say that plates 1, 2 & 3 all have a relationship with each other than they do not have with, say, 4 or 5. I found 2 to be the Goldilocks plate as plate 3 gave the same mild shave but lacked in finesse, whereas 1 required much buffing to get just right.

Plates 4 & 5 change in character and are not mild, but most definitely somewhere in between and both capable of a reasonable single pass shave but more passes could perhaps fall foul of the increased gap and aggressiveness. These plates would be useful for every other day shavers wanting a milder shave, perhaps.

Certainly improving upon that state are plates 6,7 & 8 which (like 1,2 & 3) seem to have a relationship amongst themselves. My personal sweet spot plate was 7 which I found delivered the same sorta shave as 8 but with more finesse. Plate 6 was just a tad milder and less capable.

While leaves 9 & 10 which as I said above, I found an unnecessary step beyond 8.

I don't think there's merit in trying to list out the plates against known razors, but there were a few comparions that came to mind ...

Tonight's plate 10 immediately put me in mind of the vintage Wardonia, a razor that you have to modify modern blades to fit and once clicked in place you marvel at the yawning blade gap while in use it is truly frightening! My personal favourite, plate 7 was much like the original Merkur 37 where somehow it had a rigidity that plate 8 did not, less chattery. Highly capable yet super-smooth. Maybe 8 could be compared to the Yaqi SE? Plate 3 felt very much like the Gillette Guard while improving upon that, my favourite for a truly foolproof, safe and mild shave in plate 2 felt more like the often overlooked Gillette Twinjector delivering that little bit beyond what even the best cartridge razors can.

I've had a lot of fun with this razor and would happily carry on with plate 7 and reserve plate 2 for my holidays in place of the Gillette Guard.

I gather there a lot in the pipeline for the MARS system, not least a refresh on the handle itself and a revised set of plates that Rob suggested might be a new set of 10 but within the current bracket of 1-8, something I think is a good move as the current 9 and 10 do feel to be outside of the character of the rest of the set. Different colours, maybe? Also an injector head and perhaps an AC head.
 
Razor = Rockwell 6s ( 4 )
Blade = Treet Carbon ( 3 ) Bangladesh
Brush = 26mm High Mountain Badger from Bobby Moffat at Sawdust Creations
Soap = Peg Leg Nichols from Black Ship
with matching splash
Balm = Boots Freshwood
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Brilliant shave tonight as they always are with the Rockwell & a first for me with the soap which is fantastic.
i bought it on here on the BST and a great addition.
The blade was a third use carbon Treet and for me i wouldn’t like to use it a fourth time although it’s probably still ok ish.
Can’t wait for my next shave which will be another Black Ship
Onwards & Upwards
Stay Safe Lads & Lassies
 
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