JoWolf’s Lather Slide

[JoWolf]

The Fasting Wolf

The wolf was fasting from shaves during Lent. I wanted to try an eleven day shave. The Grande did not like an eleven day and neither did the Lupo. Six to nine days are most efficient with seven day shaves being my sweet spot. This was the last comparison to the Fatip Grande that I was interested in trying out. I’m all lined up for five March Madness weekly Sunday shaves. I look forward to refining my weekly shaves as I continue dialling in the Lupo. Today’s first pass face and head were less close, but not quite as close as I’m used to. Because of the eleven day growth. Even though the second passes felt extremely close. Extra buffing was required to get the shave I wanted face and head. I had a little white head on my left cheek. The Lupo stroked through and drew blood. It was the first blood the wolf had seen, I hope he doesn’t acquire a taste for blood. A septic stick swipe sealed the crater. An excellent shave with a mild warmness in some of the buffed areas after an alum application. I got the cue ball shine and I’m happy. Looking forward to the romp through FFFMM.

Happy Shaves

The channel at the foot of our property as well as the marsh or bayou behind us freezes up during winter. It is not unusual to see coyotes travelling through. Today one decided to take a break on our rocks. I thought it was a dog. My wife insisted it was a coyote. She sent the picture to our local Naturalist and Terry confirmed it was a coyote. He said that the blond coats are common to our area. He also said it wasn’t unusual to see them about in daytime during the mating season. We hope it didn’t like our rocks too much. We definitely don’t want any coyotes helping us with our gardening.

We’ve heard that they don’t like the smell of Tiger Balm. We’re going to spread some on the rocks and hope they give us a pass, as they travel through. We don’t see them once the ice is out. Just occasionally roadside coming and going over the causeway.

 

[thombrogan]

Puppy!

 

[JoWolf]

Puppy!

 

[Phoenixkh]

Puppy!

For dinner. <eg>

 

[thombrogan]

For dinner. <eg>

There is room for all of G-d’s creatures at our table. Some are in a serving dish near the mashed potatoes and gravy.

 

[Jay21]

There is room for all of G-d’s creatures at our table. Some are in a serving dish near the mashed potatoes and gravy.

One of the courses I teach is a laboratory survey of the diversity of life. I always make a point to tell my students which ones taste good.

 

[JoWolf]

FFFMM Sunday March 3/2024

Blade - Single Use Feather
Razor - Lupo OC95 driven with a Chiseled Face Pineapple Twist Titanium Handle
Brush - Zenith Boar B35-31x57mm
Soap - SV-Franken - Three combined soaps Felce Aromatica, Tundra Artica, Cosmo

The last three years have primarily been a fixed four for me on my shave journey. My kit had remained the same. Establishing high performance from each component assured me of consistent comfortable shaves. Three years exclusively using the Fatip Gold Grande came to a close a few months back. The design and head profile along with the high efficiency of the Lupo OC95 had me replacing the Grande. The Chiseled Face Pineapple Twist Titanium Handle replicated weight and balance of my Fatip Grande razor. The last half dozen shaves have confirmed the increased efficiency I sought. My face and head shaves have improved in efficiency and comfort. I had explored longer shave intervals 9,10, and eleven day shaves to test the Lupo’s performance and limits. My five weekly face and head shaves in March will help me refine my technique with the seven day shave, which is my preference.

I had two SV soaps Tundra Artica, and Cosmo with diminishing rings which I did not care to finish. Combining them with the diminishing ring of my Felce Aromatica is how the Franken SV occurred. The soap will go well beyond my five March shaves.

I am well acquainted with my Single Use Feather blade. I find that there are minute adjustments required in technique and soft touch. These adjustments will also be refined in this month’s face and head shaves. The increased efficiency of the Lupo may have the possibility of me reducing or eliminating my second pass. Which has been my standard for a year or so. It is not a goal but may be a result of the higher efficiency the Lupo delivers. My one week whiskers are very close to the four to five day whiskers I had with carts. A distinctive improvement over the Grande’s efficiency. I look forward to my shave challenges this March.

The SV Franken soap is the creamiest shave soap I have ever used. The combination of the three soaps has canceled their individual scents. I’m not a fragrance connoisseur or expert on scents. I would say the scent is of a very nice mild bath soap. Slightly present on initial lathering and not noticeable during the shave.

I love my Zenith B35 Boar. It is totally broken in and is softer than any of the two band badgers I’ve used, and would rival a few silvertips. I’ve always preferred larger brushes and the large handle is perfect in my medium sized hand. I load the brush straight from the tin and build and develop lather on my face and head. The heavy yogurt consistency of the load lends the brush to nice dunks in the saved water from the soap bloom. It isn’t any problem creating a thick foamy lather for the first pass or a thinner lather for the second pass and buffing. The thirty-one mm holds a good load. The scrubbing and painting are exquisite as it seamlessly goes about its duties. The Big Boar delivers excellent performance in all areas and requirements of lathering.

The Lupo head combined with the Chiseled Face Titanium handle has a weight and balance that I was accustomed to from my Grande. The handles indent improved my grip and it has turned out to be the best head shaver I have ever used. As I suspected my shorter whiskers on a one week growth improved the razors efficiency. Although I still did a two pass face shave. The scalloped indents on the shave head provide excellent maneuverability around the nostrils. A single pass with another half pass or some targeted buffing is probably where I will end up with my face shaves. The one week head whiskers are always shorter than the face whiskers. A single pass head shave is all that is required. The improved grip for the head shave when I choke down on the handle and use the indent changes the razors performance. I hardly needed any follow up buffing on the single pass head shave. The Lupo has exceeded my expectations and it has demonstrated excellence in its performance. The fine tuning and adjustments I’ll make this month will endear a Docile Wolf to my weekly shaves.

Thank You Cal for the March Madness. Your encouragement is helping us to improve our shaves and comfort.

Happy Shaves


Any good groundhog knows spring isn’t here yet. These pictures taken the last day of February. Both pairs are staking their claims to nesting spots adjacent to our channel. If there are any disputes the swans always prevail. Our springs are always announced with the return of the Red Wing Blackbirds. Any day now in March. Their return turns up the volume and ends the winter quiet. The wetlands exploding into numerous nesting nurseries. Once temperatures reach 50 degrees the frogs awaken starting with the mighty choruses of the Peepers. We love the seasons with spring being our favourite. A harmonious noise of nature and a lot of action.

 

[JoWolf]

FFFMM Sunday March 10/2024

Blade - Single Use Feather
Razor - Lupo OC95 driven with a Chiseled Face Pineapple Twist Titanium Handle
Brush - Zenith Boar B35-31x57mm
Soap - SV-Franken - Three combined soaps Felce Aromatica, Tundra Artica, Cosmo

My second weekly face and head shave for the month. It’s always fun and rewarding dialling in new equipment. Learned and perceived outcomes not always predictable. The Lupo’s efficiency has exceeded my expectations improving skin comfort and eliminating shave passes.

My weekly face and head whiskers are definitely different. They are shorter attesting to the improvement in efficiency and closeness. As I dial in the Lupo the main changes from my extended Grande use has turned out to be in gripping the handle. My head shave grips are different than the grips I use on the face shave. I choke down on the handle closer to the razors head. I’ve also increased my thumb and forefinger gentle skin stretch’s on the head skin. This in combination with the Lupo’s improved efficiency has eliminated a second head pass. I do miss the extra lathering. The closer shaves with higher efficiency a satisfactory trade off has improved skin comfort.

The brush performance and soap loads have been excellent. I will endeavour to replicate this performance once I finish my SV Franken mixture. Using the same blade and a different razor requires additional adjustments which are ongoing. Participating in the FFFMM always creates a different mindset in lmproving your shave outcomes.

Back in the saddle again. Both face and head shaves are ATG Single Pass shaves. Without getting into a debate as to what designates a pass. My definition of a pass is a complete skin rinse off and a re-lather. Albeit I do reach for the brush and double back on touch-ups in difficult or stubborn whorl areas. Some may like to describe this as a pass and a half or quarter. That’s okay with me but I will stick with my definition. No rinse no re-lather no pass.

The shaves were both up to my ultra close BBS standard. Next Sunday’s whiskers should confirm. If I may I’ve shaved some time off the shaves. Although this was not my goal or intent. Less strokes is less skin removal and increased skin comfort. I would like to comment on pre shave prep. My opinion. I don’t think there are any barbers out there who would consider doing your shave without pre shave skin prep. I believe if you scrimp or eliminate this important part of your shave you miss an opportunity for an optimal shave result.

Each use of the Lupo strengthens muscle memory and allows the many minute adjustments to be refined. I am enjoying my shaves more with improving results. New equipment is always exciting.

Happy Shaves

 

[JoWolf]

I went to the Feather Company website being a single use Feather blade user. I was also interested in looking at their AC offerings. I most definitely am not in the market for one. I just wanted to view them since I come across them from time to time in the various threads here.

I watched their Japanese Barber dressed to the nines shaving a patron. I will never get to Japan, but if I ever did I would be visiting that dude, right after the cherry blossoms. Who wouldn’t want their forehead and eye lids shaved. Their cartridge razor was pretty cool as well. Enjoy the vid.

:

 

[Guido75]

I am always amazed at how the Japanese also shave their forehead. I only see that in Japanese videos.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I am always amazed at how the Japanese also shave their forehead. I only see that in Japanese videos.

I think the forehead thing is as much about exfoliation as it is shaving.

 

[JoWolf]

I am always amazed at how the Japanese also shave their forehead. I only see that in Japanese videos.

I shave around my eyebrows and between them, I’ve never shaved my forehead though. My surprise with the Japanese barber was shaving the eyelids and nose. I would call that a complete face shave. The dude he was shaving was young. If he was a little older the ears and nose hair would probably been done as well.

 

[cajunrph]

If he was a little older the ears and nose hair would probably been done as well.

I was thinking while trying to shave my ear hairs the other day, whose idea was it to have the hair on our heads thin and the hair in our ears get thicker. That seems counterproductive to me.

 

[JoWolf]

I was thinking while trying to shave my ear hairs the other day, whose idea was it to have the hair on our heads thin and the hair in our ears get thicker. That seems counterproductive to me.

It sure is. I only have to attend to those rascals every two weeks, if I didn’t I’d have to start braiding them.

 

[Guido75]

It sure is. I only have to attend to those rascals every two weeks, if I didn’t I’d have to start braiding them.

I also believe they grow faster ever since I started shaving my head! I do shave earlobes now and again and I try to do the ear as well, but they are more like the Sea Sherpard - no matter what I throw at them they won’t budge.

 

[JoWolf]

I also believe they grow faster ever since I started shaving my head! I do shave earlobes now and again and I try to do the ear as well, but they are more like the Sea Sherpard - no matter what I throw at them they won’t budge.

I agree Guido. They are a scourge. I wear earbuds quite often. The buds get very uncomfortable if the hair on the inside is not cut. I also shave the lobes. And they do grow much longer than face and head hair. Some swimmers and cyclists also shave leg and arm hair. Smooth is quick. Resistance is futile.

 

[huck1680]

As you get older, I find as have most of us, hair grows in places it NEVER used to appear. EVER. And to add insult to injury it seems to have migrated from my scalp to do so.
Have you thought about "marking" your territory? You know by peeing on it so the 'yotes know it's yours? It's how they do it.

 

[JoWolf]

As you get older, I find as have most of us, hair grows in places it NEVER used to appear. EVER. And to add insult to injury it seems to have migrated from my scalp to do so.
Have you thought about "marking" your territory? You know by peeing on it so the 'yotes know it's yours? It's how they do it.

View attachment 1812069

Age surprising on many fronts. It’s hard not to mark your territory since it’s dripping at will, without encouragement.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Age surprising on many fronts. It’s hard not to mark your territory since it’s dripping at will, without encouragement.

George Carlin said: After a certain age, you learn to never trust a fart.... Add to that: I carry around tissues with me for the aftermath of peeing.... just in case a restroom is out of TP or paper towels. No need to be the old man with stains on his cargo shorts.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

After a certain age, you learn to never trust a fart

Aint that the truth! You think your about to audition for your Tuba solo, next thing you know your changing your underpants. OOPS!

It wasn't me!​