minimalist quest for the #1

[Ckmaui]

well great shave with TOBS and the GSB
man I do love the scent of the Jermyn Street !

and another bad turn of events !

we had a storm come through out of nowhere !
wife was picking up our kid and a tree fell on the car when they were going down the road ! good thing of course is they are fine but shook up for sure !
underivable condition police towed it but pretty sure it destroyed the radiator not sure about the pan since the way it hit they were driving and the first branch they went up onto it and the car was stuck on it !
then the rest of the tree as it fell came down following lucky again mostly just the very front of the car
sadly so not sure how long that is going to take to get repaired ? but yeah bad week of events for sure and $$$$


so yeah I am bummed big time at the two hard hits this week, but life is good still they are OK we get new aircon (OUCH$$$) and hassle for the car repair OK a big hassle and just kinda kick when we were down haaahah have to laugh at it though

 

[lasta]

Acts of nature is part of your insurance policy no?

 

[thombrogan]

Thank goodness your family is alright, CK. Holy frijoles!

 

[Ckmaui]

Thank goodness your family is alright, CK. Holy frijoles!

thanks

todays TDS with TOBS very good not sure the GSB might be better for the TOBS more testing needed

 

[Ckmaui]

So pulled out the SV 70th last few shaves
The GSB and SV oh so good together

100% for sure for me the TDS is a one and bin blade kinda bummed but oh well

the GSB performs better all around than the TDS using SV soap

While the CC Cream has been my fav SV was still is tied I would say forgot how wonderful it is after using CC for so long but wanted that consistency of one soap for the blade testing

The post comfort on a GSB with 3 shaves was a touch nicer than a new TDS using SV hahaha did say need to test my top blades and soaps as I know this can happen so yeah very interesting

Going to push the GSB blade few more shaves for fun see how many I get roughly out of it

So might pull out my Spearhead Seaforth Spiced next ?
Just love the scent and curious how it will do with the gsb and of course where it stands against the SV

 

[PersistentlyBlunt]

consistency of one soap for the blade testing

I was having similar thoughts over the last week or so. I have had a bit of a mixed soap journey during the blade testing. Starting with Tabac, then Arko! and then over the last couple of weeks leading up to Arko! August I was using Cella Red. I found the Cella easy to get to a slick lather and the blades I tested using the Cella both ended up in the top rankings.

It made me wonder if I was testing the blade or the soap. Moving back to Arko! for Arko! August the lathers have been just as if not more slick so my concerns with Cell to Arko! are lowered but I may need to go back to the blades tested with Tabac. I hae never been able to get my non-tallow Tabac to the same slickness as the Cella Red and Arko!.

So much testing still to be done.

 

[Ckmaui]

I was having similar thoughts over the last week or so. I have had a bit of a mixed soap journey during the blade testing. Starting with Tabac, then Arko! and then over the last couple of weeks leading up to Arko! August I was using Cella Red. I found the Cella easy to get to a slick lather and the blades I tested using the Cella both ended up in the top rankings.

It made me wonder if I was testing the blade or the soap. Moving back to Arko! for Arko! August the lathers have been just as if not more slick so my concerns with Cell to Arko! are lowered but I may need to go back to the blades tested with Tabac. I hae never been able to get my non-tallow Tabac to the same slickness as the Cella Red and Arko!.

So much testing still to be done.

YUP I was going to do them together and found for me more of a mental me thing that kept me doing to many comparisons

but the top blades I think are still my top no matter what soap
but it is interesting how they might just change order a touch in that top 3 or 4 based on the soap!

and yeah soaps are going to take me a while and then I want to test some pre shaves
the after shaves I am pretty set to know what I love and why so blades are done and aftershave is done and I do kinda have a top 3 for each of those

 

[Ckmaui]

this is an awesome setup

 

[musicman1951]

I am also a "favorites" kind of shaver. I'm down to one razor, mostly two blades (Polsilver SI and Wizamet, which many people would argue is really one blade), one WH and one moisturizer.

I'm currently using Canada Soap, but I have MdC and will always sneak in the occasional SV. Brushes, on the other hand, will never be down to two. I am pretty consistently using 4 currently, but no promises.

But it's not a religion for me, it's just the way I roll. I totally appreciate that some shavers are happier using a different razor/blade and soap every day. Whatever works.

 

[Ckmaui]

very nice to know some others are like this just wanting that fav of favs as I say

what is the razor? curious now

I know too many options bug me so really looking forward to getting these down to the favorite one!

the blades with my top 3-4 once I get the soap narrowed down to say the top 3 I will find that soap razor combo that works and that will be the ONE

now I might keep a few of the second blades around just in case they change. OR just know I can go to that other blade if they change as some have?

same with soap maybe keep 2 brands but most likely just one brand maybe a few scents as I hate to change or rethink how I do things I am very Ok with ONE item

very much a minimalist when it comes to "things"

I have heard that about the polsilver and wizamet got to try both
the wizamet did better in my Wolfan with the 1.15 only tried the Polsilver in my Timeless !

SV was my prev fav and I think still is I love a few of the scents and just the way it's so consistent! tried the Canada not for me but its nice for unscented ! and will see what the MdC brings BUT I doubt its going to beat the SV and might match and I love the SV scent options way more!
so fun to hear those are your top 3 as they are great performers and makes me look forward to testing the MdC

I still want to get a Wolfman in a .85 to try as that might be the sweet spot for me but for now just doing the timeless which I do love


again knowing myself I would NOT be able to just pick something and use it without testing all the variables and knowing for sure hahahaha

 

[Ckmaui]

So today comparing the CC Cream against SV I am declaring that SV has won this battle and it's all because of the GSB!

so yeah now the combo to beat is SV/GSB

of course, will be testing my top 3 blades with each soap and maybe dipping into the 4th for curiosity
also I have used the SV so much I know its good with my 3rd and 4th blade FYI hahhahaha

in the past, I have said the SV was my fav soap and did love it for the post BUT I wanted to choose a single soap for comparing all blades and went with the CC Cream as it was better with some blades than the SV? not sure why and not by a huge amount but enough and again I just had to choose one so very glad I did as I do love the CC Cream!



CC CREAM:
CCC/TDS over CCC/GSB by a touch

SV:
SV/GSB combo over SV/TDS is more than a touch but still very close


POST SHAVE FEEL:
SV/GSB the post is pretty much the same as TDS/CCC last two days really focusing on that post feel I want to call that a tie!

DURING SHAVE FEEL:
OK here is where the GSB/SV pulls ahead and what clinched the win for SV

MAKING THE LATHER:
I prefer how the SV builds the lather and the way I can swirl out of the tin so the user experience is much nicer also and I just feel it's a richer feeling creamier the one note it does take a touch longer as it is a hard soap vs a cream so maybe a minute longer to build up not much and it's fun to do anyway!

SCENT:
I love Creed Aventus homage is one of my fav Scents and SV and CC have that
CCC has 45th parallel which is awesome and very unique but it can't beat the cologne-type scents I love it's more a fun unique scent to me maybe to say
SV for me has Opuntia, 70th, Cubebe, Morado, Felce Aromatica, and Cosmo all of which I just LOVE!

but I do LOVE TOBS and it's up there with the best and going to return to TOBS soap against SV in the near future and will of course use up all my CC Cream because it's just so good!

and of course, many other soaps I have I LOVE the scent of the Seaforth Spiced! or the PAA Doppelganger, etc..


SO RULES going forward

if the soap equals/ties in post comfort and during shave comfort of the current leader will come down to scent and how it works up to a lather or the experience using it

the scent is still second to the overall comfort of the shave knowing that I really do love all the scents of the soaps I have but do kinda prefer some over others again comes down to performance

and the performance how it builds lather since its behind the scent its not a big deal but I will mention what I think



CLOSING THOUGHTS!
again funny how the soap blade combo brings out these tiny details like the same steak but depending on which salt you use it changes it just enough that you prefer one!


WHATS NEXT:
onto the Spearhead Seaforth Spiced! I am very excited about this comparison!

 

[Ckmaui]

 

[thombrogan]

Hoping you and yours are staying safe

 

[Ckmaui]

Hoping you and yours are staying safe

Thanks not on island anymore live on mainland but it is hitting me hard as my place was less than 5 miles from that and where I lived from my 20s through 40s and met my wife had my first child etc...
so physically away from it but so horrible for so many there in it words cant describe as true for so many around the world be it hurricanes or floods or tornadoes or war or whatever so just saying prayers for all

 

[Ckmaui]

so last few days Fine Platinum
today the Ethos success

want to get some pics up but again been busy with life a good busy

started a youtube channel for fun more about the way I eat Carnivore and health and now that I am 60 how it's for me been life-changing for me
@MinimalistCarnivore if anyone is curious even to what I look like hahahahahaha
but had great growth already and putting in full days with it just learning YT but loving it

stopping my photo career and applied at Costco and hoping to get on this year maybe my main income from event photography since the lockdowns have not come back enough so time to move on and insurance for self-employed with 2 kids and a wife is just insane on our own!

also, good stuff got our car back yesterday from the accident I mentioned above and two days ago the final tweaks to the air-con happened and now it's how it should be!

 

[Ckmaui]

Still super busy so just quick check in

Comparing 3 soaps
Ethos Success and Fine Platinum and Captains Choice Venture soap and will use the CC Venture cream this coming week just to get back to the base feel again
only reason I did 3 is because of the Aventus Aug

as I narrow down soaps I wanted to be more detailed so sorry this will be quick
the CC Cream I know does well so still a base comparison I go back to for now and see what I think of the Ethos Success compared

the Ethos won over the Fine Platinum and the CC Soap both of which are now in my box of misfits

the Fine was better than the CC Soap which I never could get to work like the CC Cream

I was thinking I can finish the Fine and CC Soap off but decided I just want to get to my favorites and ones I enjoyed shaving with as shaving is to fun to not have it great

been doing 3 shaves with my GSB
then a Treet Dura Sharp for the 1 it lasts

and the big news GSB has slid into first place the TDS is amazing with the CC Cream but with the other soaps not as much which I thought could happen

tomorrow is the TDS with my base CC Cream again just to get my base feel again and then move onto the next two soaps

I was going to keep putting the current soap winner up against the next
but decided to just put the ethos aside as the winner of this round and get on with more soaps
my thoughts were to keep the amount of shaves kinda even with them over this comparison and think this will be best way


Other soaps that are sitting in the box of misfits
Speick cream LOVE the scent of this stuff though
Proraso the blue and green not my thing
Nivea Cream
Conk to drying
Cella
stirling had allergies
Baum.be
a few others I already passed on to others but forgot as they were that insignificant

 

[lasta]

Since I've kicked myself out of GRUME, I'll be picking up a few blades shortly!

Just added 120 Treet 7 Days to my cart.

As our resident Treet expert, do you have any color on these?

 

[Ckmaui]

Since I've kicked myself out of GRUME, I'll be picking up a few blades shortly!

Just added 120 Treet 7 Days to my cart.

As our resident Treet expert, do you have any color on these?

That is one I did not get in my treet test pack of 10 types so nothing from me sadly

Will be curious what ya think though

 

[Ckmaui]

Today was caties bubbles I love the sample size
it is very very good every-time I use it
like I keep forgetting how good I think because todays shave was one of those what I am after with the GSB

I think this might get interesting

 

[Ckmaui]

I love spearheads Seaforth spiced
But not sure it’s gonna make it to the final
the post on it isn’t up to some of the others, but it is absolutely one of my favorite scents so kinda sad

SV has always been on the top of my list Its favorite hard soap.
The CC cream is so good. But I do like the SV better

tomorrow is PAA CK6

If I had to choose right now, one soap, one blade
GSB & SV soap

Making progress but like I thought it’s gonna take a while