SOTD : Saturday 30th January to Friday 05nd February 2021.

[Asfalloth]

Todays Shave Kit Friday 5th Feb 2021

Shave Score 9.75

PreShave: Hot Shower
PreShave Cream: Proraso Refreshing
Soap: OSP Sandalwood
Brush: Clear Confidence Co Synthetic Shaving Brush - Vegan-Friendly
Razor: Merkur 34C HD
Blade Astra SP Platinum (3)
Post Shave: Proraso After Shave Green Refreshing
Post Shave Balm: Proraso Aftershave Balm White

By mistake I did my usual WTG pass, then unintentially went straight to ATG and missed XTG, for some reason this is the closest shave I've had yet, with a couple of tiny touch ups, no nicks.

It could also be down to this being the first shave with the new OSP Sandelwood (which was glorious btw, I have the Stirling version too, much prefer the OSP one

So many variables to think about

Not sure if I'll do that tomorrow, I kinda missed the middle XTG pass from the point of view my shave was a bit quicker today, nuts I know

 

[Electrif]

Thursday's shave 4th February
RazoRock Plissoft - Vitos Red Super - General Aluminium - Schick Proline P #7 - Superdrug Forest Fresh A/S - Aloe Vera Gel

Vitos is soft enough to press into these superb type bowls.
Great result!!

Note. Good work the admin for getting us back.

 

[Jester]

Wednesday's Shave

Prep: Shower, Palmolive Olive Oil Soap,
Pre: Proraso
Soap: Proraso Green
Brush: DS Cosmetics handle with 26mm Ubersoft PIF'd by @SeanC
Razor: Gillette Fat Boy from Pass Around (2 passes - 6 then 7)
Blade: Gillette 7 o'clock Green (2)
Post: Alum, Brut, Bulldog

Well this was a MONSTER of a brush! I normally face lather, but after I'd filled both nostrils with menthol-y goodness I decided it was time go back to the bowl! Proraso's foolproof so all good.
I dialled up the Fat Boy, and while I had an extremely close shave, my neck told me afterwards I'd been a bit ambitious. Alum took care of the weepers, but back down a notch for the next one I think.

 

[Palmolive fox]

SOTD : Thursday 4th February 2021.



​

Shaving recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/Asda Tingly Mint & Tea Tree Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face.
Pears Lemon ~ Flower Transparent Bar Soap + Nuage Menthol shaving Oil.
Brush: Unbranded Turkish Boar.
Face Lather.
Frankensoap : (Grated) Arko Shave stick + Dettol Original Anti Bacterial Soap & Palmolive Classic Shave Stick.
Blade: Derby Premium. (4)
Razor: Lord L125.

Post:
Cold Water Face Rinse./Homemade (~Winter mix~) Lavender + Tea Tree Oil Witch Hazel Mixture./Duru ~ Mandarin Cologne /Aloe Vera Gel.

​

 

[Tony'schin]

03/02/21
Pre: Shower
Brush: Simpson Duke 2 Best Badger
Soap: Stirling Soap co. Bay Rum
Razor: Stainless Hawk "A"
Blade: Feather PB (3)
Post shave: Cold water splash ,TC's Bay Rum Infused Witch Hazel
Balm: TC's Bay Rum Argan Oil Lotion
Aftershave: DR Harris Bay Rum
Hawk v Vector Comparison Day 3.

Yesterday it was the stand alone challenge, up was the SS Hawk.
A wonderful lather from the Stirling soaps giving a very well scented slick & thick face covering. Its been a little while since i used this Bay Rum and boy have i missed it. The scent is right up my street.
I completed 3 easy and comfortable passes for a BBS finish. Its definitely a razor i could use as a daily driver.
Stay safe and enjoy your day All.

 

[Tony'schin]

04/02/21
Vector v SS Hawk day 4

Pre: Shower
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2
Soap: 1912 Scottish Heather
Razor: Vector
Blade: Feather PB (3)
Post shave: Cold water splash, TC's Infused Witch Hazel
Balm: Barts Balm Amber and Moroccan Jasmine Balm & Lotion
Aftershave: Mäurer & Wirtz 4711 EDC

Today was "stand alone day" for the Vector.
A great lather from the Wickams and Chubby synth, i overloaded really and had enough chin goodness for 4 passes.
So 3 easy Comfortable passes today for a BBS face feeler, i could have got away with 2 and a touch up, however, i hate to waste a lovely lather.
A nice post shave leaving me a very happy shaver.
For me the Vector wins this little trial, not exactly "hands down" but it just does.
The Hawk is an excellent razor and i am pretty sure with more time and trialing a few different blades it could match the Vector's shave quality, not that i am saying it does not shave well.
To me, the look and feel of the Vector is better. YMMV, of course.
With the Hawk you get a great tool for a very good price, and i would recommend it if you did not have either a General V2 or Vector.
I did not find the A Plate overly aggressive, it was efficient but did not give any indication it would bite. I did think the Std plate struggled a bit, i don't have a heavy beard either.
Will i be chasing one? Not really, however, if one crops up i could be tempted to add to the collection.
A massive Thank You to Chris @Boycie83 for allowing me to try it out (you probably saved me a quid or two this month).

Stay safe and enjoy your day All

 

[pjgh]

Wednesday 3rd February

French Pink Clay & Charcoal Face Soap
Wickham's 1912 Frankincense
Semogue SOC Butterscotch (Boar)
RazoRock German Slant
Vidyut Super Platinum (3)
Harvard Vetiver Aftershave

Three very enjoyable shaves from this Vidyut Super Platinum ...

The SuperMax house appears to be in a right state, with blades all over the place, same names, same brands, different names, different brands; but I think I know what's going on now and it's that the market is flooded with two or three generations of blade. The is almost certainly one of the new generation which seems to be centered around the Super Platinum and the Titanium, across three brands: SuperMax, Zorrik & Vidyut.

As a shave, this blade indeed felt very much like the SuperMax Super Platinum but perhaps more defined. I gather SuperMax have gone through a revamp and a retooling, and this is no doubt the old Super Platinum blade run through their new machinery. It's good! I've also read that EuroMax (based in the UAE) is pushing out blades on old SuperMax equipment. They're not so good, to my face.

I'm going to run through all the SuperMax that's I've got, old and new, and see if my theories feel right as a blade on my face ...

 

[pjgh]

Thursday 4th February

French Pink Clay & Charcoal Face Soap
Wickham's 1912 Parma Violet
Semogue SOC Butterscotch (Boar)
Muhle Rocca R96
Zorrik Super Platinum (1)
Puig Quorum Aftershave

I tried this blade back in 2015 and after several shaves, I settled on 8.5/10 as I found in my notes when looking back through my experiences with the SuperMax house. Curious, because that's the highest I rated a SuperMax blade from my old notes yet had literally no memory of using it.

Lately, I've been revisiting SuperMax and found that I particularly like the (now discontinued) SuperMax Super Platinum and very much enjoyed a new generation Super Platinum under the Vidyut line for the last three shaves.

Popping the last of these Zorrik Super Platinums into my razor this evening gave me yet another lovely shave and very much akin to both of these blades mentioned, so much so that I would say that I think they're ostensibly the same blade. I believe the (now discontinued) SuperMax Super Platinum might have been an older generation and I am led to believe that there has been a retooling at SuperMax, hence the "New sputtered technology ..." and "New robotised technology ..." that we're seeing on the latest generation of blades.

Curiously, I put the (now discontinued) SuperMax Super Platinum at 9/10 and the new generation Vidyut Super Platinum at 8.5/10. From this shave, I am happy to confirm my thoughts from five years ago and would say 8.5/10 is about bob on!

I'm of the belief that the (now discontinued) SuperMax Super Platinum was likely the template and the process has continued, but on new equipment to produce a very similar blade ... just more defined, somehow.

It's also worth saying that this particular blade appears to have had a facelift in the last five years, which leads me to think that this was probably one of the first of their new technology blades. The proven grounds, if you like. I have a tuck of the facelifted pack coming, so will be able to make better comparisons then ...

I think I'm starting to make sense of the apparently chaotic array of blades from SuperMax. Either way, I am enjoying their Super Platinums and certainly, to my face, it feels like the SuperMax, Vidyut and Zorrik lines are likely the same (very nice) blade.

 

[Sicsemty]

WEDNESDAY ‌02/03/21 SOTD

RazoRock SLOC w/MÜHLE R41 baseplate
Gillette‌ 7 O'clock SharpEdge Yellow
WCS Two-Tone Tall 26mm BOSS Synthetic Knot
Barrister and Mann Le Grand Chypre Shaving Soap
Epsilon Blue Mediterranean Aftershave Splash

THURSDAY ‌02/04/21 SOTD

Gillette '40s Brit Fat Handle Flat Bottom Tech #77 Set
NOS Wlkinson Sword made in England
Yaqi Moka Express 26mm 2-Band Badger
Declaration Grooming Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli Shave Soap
Declaration Grooming Yuzu Rose Patchouli Aftershave

FRIDAY ‌02/05/21 SOTD

Yates 921-M Stonewashed 3.25" Handle
Gillette‌ 7 O'clock SharpEdge Yellow
Shave Forge 24mm Silvertip Badger
Ethos /CBL Fresh Lime Shave Soap
Barbasol Brisk Aftershave​

 

[Pat-W]

Thursday’s shave

Blackland Vector/Schick Proline P
Epsilon 2 Band
Wickham 1912 Irish Fern
Thayers Cucumber
Aloe Vera Gel

​

 

[Jester]

5/2/21

Prep: Shower, Palmolive Olive Oil Soap,
Pre: Proraso
Soap: Executive Shaving Bay Rum Cream
Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm
Razor: Gillette Fat Boy from Pass Around (2 passes - 5 then 6)
Blade: Gillette 7 o'clock Green (3)
Post: Alum, Aksay Tobacco Cologne, Nivea Balm

Now THAT was nearly the perfect shave. A first full run out for the Bay Rum cream (cheers @merchant_seaman) paired perfectly with the tobacco cologne (again, many thanks @SeanC ) and 5 into 6 on El Gordo was irritation free and smooth as you like. I'll have another couple of shaves with it - maybe try a different blade manufacturer through, and then relist on the pass around page. Have a good weekend, gents.

 

[RussellR5555]

Friday's Shave

Pre: Argan Oil Soap
Soap: Lauger Älvdans
Razor: Feon 6/8 Japanese Straight Razor
Brush: Chubby 30mm Synbad
Splash: Hega Original
Balm: La Chinata Hombre
EDT: ADP Mirra

 

[FrankieG]

Valobra stick
Yaqi Aqua 24mm Synthetic
Colonial Stainless General
Feather Pro (13)
Aloe Vera Gel

 

[Scotshave]

Nice to be back! Only a couple of days, but did miss ya all. Anyways, Friday

OSP Neroli
RazoRock Plissoft 24mm synth
Face lather
Ever Ready 1912 ‘Bathroom Set’
Gem SS PTFE
Thayer’s Rose Petal and Aloe Vera
OSP Neroli aftershave tonic

Bliss. I hadn’t used the Bathroom Set in ages. This was an ‘old new stock’ purchase a whiles back. I can still smell the oil that was used to keep the Corrux blades good.

A great shave: the OSP soap and tonic harmonised beautifully. Think of a more complex, layered 4711 and you have an idea of what this lovely splash smells like. Fantastic post-shave feel too.

 

[Nearsmooth]

5 February

D R Harris Arlington
Razorock 400 Noir
Ikon B1 OSS
Feather Hi-stainless
Bart’s Amber and Moroccan Jasmine

​

A really excellent shave this morning. The Razorock 400 does make the Arlington soap bowl feel small, in real life as well as in the picture. A superb lather was created on the face and the Ikon was just the tool with a Feather blade to produce a comfortable and close shave.

 

[donnie_arko]

5/2/21

Good to have the TSR back

Brush - Yaqi Sagrada Tuxedo
Soap - Signature Soaps Eboracum
Razor - Yaqi Katana
Blade - Lord Classic SS (1)
Post - Witch Hazel
AS - Denim Original

Not a great shave today, over hydrated the lather and it was on the airy side of things, lacked slickness; first time I'd got a bad lather with using a shaving bowl purely down to having too much water in my brush.
The blade didn't feel great, felt a bit rough but I'll chalk it off to not having enough slickness in the lather but I ended the shave without nicking myself or too much irritation so it could have been worse.
I'd not used Denim AS for a while, it's stronger and heavier than I last remembered it to be, but I'm liking it.

Have a good day chaps.