Fixed 4 for July

[Highspeedlane]

That Old Guard is beautiful.

It sure does Dave. There's something about open combs that just look cool!

 

[Cal]

Moments ago shave #11 went on my trusty 7 o'clock SS. Based on a BARELY perceptible increase in pulling, I decided to go ahead and flip it, so this will be a good evaluation of what shave #12 will be like, most likely Monday morning.

During this month's shave 9 (for me), I noticed that the blade seemed just a tad duller. Going on previous advice from my multi-shave-per-blade hero [MENTION=30982]bosseb[/MENTION] I assumed it's probably just me not being 100% for some reason. So I did nothing. Sure enough, on this month's shave 10 (today) the blade was perfect. (Us humans are strange creatures.)

Between flipping and if necessary stropping, I want to take this blade right to the end of the month. This has been very revealing, particularly in the blade longevity department.

As per my musings above Lane... it might be an idea just to let sleeping dogs lie and see how far it will go as is. That of course would mean unflipping it (back to its original position). Your move.

Excellent Cal

Thank you Lane.

 

[Cal]

That Old Guard is beautiful.

Thank you Dave.
View attachment 675492

If you'd like to know more about it click this Old Gard 60 link.

 

[-Murray]

The Fixed 4:
View attachment 675473

Optional Prep: Splash of hot water on face
1. Brush: Omega S10065
2. Soap: Proraso Red Tube
3. Razor: Old Gard 60
4. Blade: Personna Red (14)
Optional Post: Proraso Red ASL

After four days, this was a real hobo to clean-shaven transformation shave. I couldn't delay it any longer because I was getting that old pre-beard itch. Notwithstanding the near-beard, the Fixed 4 performed faultlessly using only my standard two passes: 1 WTG/Freestyle and 2 ATG/Freestyle.
Another most enjoyable July shave with the Fixed 4.

Glad to hear it. Is there a clear winner Piccolo vs Old Gard with 4 days growth?

 

[Cal]

Glad to hear it. Is there a clear winner Piccolo vs Old Gard with 4 days growth?

Nah Jason. I'd say they're about on par in that regard. On saying that, as much as I'm enjoying my new Old Gard 60, I'm really looking forward to getting back with my beloved Piccolo in August.

 

[Cal]

The Fixed 4:


Optional Prep: Splash of hot water on face
1. Brush: Omega S10065
2. Soap: Proraso Red Tube
3. Razor: Old Gard 60
4. Blade: Personna Red (16)
Optional Post: Proraso Red ASL

Another enjoyable July shave with the Fixed 4.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Wellllllll I went ahead and flipped the blade for shave #12. The shave this morning while not horrible, was definitely meh. Slightly rough even, but still do-able.

So I flipped it back for tomorrow's #13 but not after running it through my Twinplex strop for a total of 20 handle turns. This is all in the name of science! (and to see if stropping hurts or helps the edge

 

[Cal]

Ah science! I'm looking forward to reading how your shave #13 goes Lane.

PS
I hope you're not a triskaidekaphobiac! Congratulations on your 2000 posts!

 

[Highspeedlane]

Soooooo...flipped the blade back over after giving it a run through my Twinplex strop. I will say the blade felt every bit as good as it did when brand new!

Stropping does not actually "sharpen" but smooths and realigns the shaving edge. I was not certain it would have a noticeable affect on stainless steel blades. These devices proliferated when blades were predominantly carbon steel. Whether or not I would have gotten the same shave without stropping is hard to say but the blade was certainly not worse off. It still had the ideal balance of sharpness and smoothness I find in the 7 o'clock Super Stainless when fresh out of the wrapper.

Now I will leave it exactly as it sits in the razor for the remainder of the month at the least and longer if possible. I really never imagined I could get this many shaves out of a blade, and more to follow.

Re: 2000 posts. Thanks Cal, I hadn't noticed until you pointed that out!

 

[Cal]

... I really never imagined I could get this many shaves out of a blade, and more to follow. ...

Isn't the information here at B&B just amazing Lane?

I stumbled across the Excalibur Club thread purely by accident (and I'm very glad I did). I suspect that to find all of the cool, incredible, outlandish, etc threads that are highly worth reading here could take years of browsing.

 

[Cal]

The Fixed 4:


Optional Prep: Splash of hot water on face
1. Brush: Omega S10065
2. Soap: Proraso Red Tube
3. Razor: Old Gard 60
4. Blade: Personna Red (18)
Optional Post: Proraso Red ASL

Another great July shave with the Fixed 4.

 

[Highspeedlane]

The Fixed 4:
View attachment 676533

Optional Prep: Splash of hot water on face
1. Brush: Omega S10065
2. Soap: Proraso Red Tube
3. Razor: Old Gard 60
4. Blade: Personna Red (18)
Optional Post: Proraso Red ASL

Another great July shave with the Fixed 4.

I'm right behind you Cal, 14 shaves on my 7 o'clock, still nice and smooth!

 

[Cal]

I'm right behind you Cal, 14 shaves on my 7 o'clock, still nice and smooth!

 

[-Murray]

I'm a day behind you both- just finished shave 14 of July with the fixed 4. Maybe we should call this the every other day shavers club.

 

[Highspeedlane]

I'm a day behind you both- just finished shave 14 of July with the fixed 4. Maybe we should call this the every other day shavers club.

+1

One thing this restraint has taught me is that when I was normally accustomed to binning a blade, there were actually many more shaves left in it.

Whether that was the self-imposed challenge of blade endurance testing or the quality of the blade I'm using, or both, I'm not sure. I just completed shave #15 on a DE blade this a.m. and that for me is a personal record!

 

[Cal]

... I just completed shave #15 on a DE blade this a.m. and that for me is a personal record!

Great stuff Lane. Keep on truckin'.

 

[Highspeedlane]

Today and tomorrow will be off days for me, and Monday morning I will attempt to shave with a NOS Gillette 3 hole blade that is nearly 90 years old using a ball end Old Type that is approximately the same age, possibly older.

Thus I will have completed the Fixed 4 for July. It was my first ever commitment to any sort of shaving restraint. It was interesting because it was challenging on a personal level.

I thank you Cal for for the concept and Jason for your participation as well. Have a great day gents!

 

[-Murray]

Just completed shave #15 of July, which finishes out the month for me as well.

Although this has been a good experiment, and my technique has improved greatly as a result of sticking to my fixed 4, I'm looking forward to switching to Proraso Red on Monday! Thanks guys!

 

[Cal]

Today and tomorrow will be off days for me, and Monday morning I will attempt to shave with a NOS Gillette 3 hole blade that is nearly 90 years old using a ball end Old Type that is approximately the same age, possibly older.

Thus I will have completed the Fixed 4 for July. It was my first ever commitment to any sort of shaving restraint. It was interesting because it was challenging on a personal level.

I thank you Cal for for the concept and Jason for your participation as well. Have a great day gents!

Thank you Lane. All the best for the 3 hole blade trial.

Just completed shave #15 of July, which finishes out the month for me as well.

Although this has been a good experiment, and my technique has improved greatly as a result of sticking to my fixed 4, I'm looking forward to switching to Proraso Red on Monday! Thanks guys!

Enjoy your Proraso Red tomorrow Jason.


I've just completed July's Fixed 4 with shave #16:


Optional Prep: Splash of hot water on face
1. Brush: Omega S10065
2. Soap: Proraso Red Tube
3. Razor: Old Gard 60
4. Blade: Personna Red (20)
Optional Post: Proraso Red ASL

The final fun July 2016 shave with the Fixed 4.

I'm looking forward to getting back with my beloved Fatip Piccolo next shave.