I have made plenty of acquisitions since finding the B&B, and have learned a lot about things I didn’t realize I had an interest in, so here is the start of my journal. I’ll update with shaves when I remember and different gear I’ve accumulated.
Well, I guess I should start a journal
- Thread starter HellGuapo
- Start date
Welcome to the Journal section of B&B... I, too, look forward to reading your posts in your thread.
Thank you for starting a journal. Here’s hoping sharing your thoughts in this turtle bucket of demented enablers lets you share the joy of Happy Razor Fun Time.
Jay21
Collecting wife bonus parts
Welcome to the journals section. We have cookies. You’ll enjoy it here.
Welcome to the journals, we look forward to your future entries.
- Thread starter
- #6
Wow, thanks for the warm welcome 
I had planned to talk about last night’s shave and then begin cataloguing my shaving paraphernalia when life decided to throw a curveball. Spent the better part of the day doing a brake job, but the upside is I was in town close to the local antique shop. The nice lady knows I’m often in there looking for shaving gear, so she set a couple razors aside for me. The first was a gem g bar, which I don’t have (yet), but the other was an open comb 3 piece I haven’t come across before. I thought it was an old type, but the base plate doesn’t match. The head was completely black when I got it. No before pictures unfortunately. I will try to get better in the future
I had planned to talk about last night’s shave and then begin cataloguing my shaving paraphernalia when life decided to throw a curveball. Spent the better part of the day doing a brake job, but the upside is I was in town close to the local antique shop. The nice lady knows I’m often in there looking for shaving gear, so she set a couple razors aside for me. The first was a gem g bar, which I don’t have (yet), but the other was an open comb 3 piece I haven’t come across before. I thought it was an old type, but the base plate doesn’t match. The head was completely black when I got it. No before pictures unfortunately. I will try to get better in the future
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Welcome to the journal section. I started mine a few weeks ago and every one had been super helpful. I look forward to following your journey!
- Thread starter
- #8
Since I missed the last shave, I used a Sheraton with a fresh lab blue and cremo amber in the shower. One pass with minimal touch up as I was in a time crunch to get from work to a gig. Great close shave, doubt it was full bbs but I didn’t invest the time. Zero irritation. Lined everything up with a straight. I know I am going against years worth of great advice here, learning to hone/shave at the same time, but the results have been positive so far. Tonight I’ll try out this new razor that I think is a new improved head on a skinny ball end handle. The handle is thinner and heavier than my others. The head has no serial number and a bit of damage on the corner, but I’m not too worried. You only live once
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- #9
Finally got around to using this New Improved head. I know the handle is a mismatch, but I like the heft of it, despite being pretty thin. I need to see if I have a handle that could match, but it’s not that big of a deal to me. The shave was great. I tend towards the more efficient razors and less passes, and this one got me where I like to be in one plus a bit of touch up. It is not as efficient as my old type with a shim, but is much smoother (My Old has a wobbly blade no matter what I put in it, and I found a shim is the only way to ‘safely’ use it. I may try a bit of heat shrink or similar on the posts). Again I shaved in the shower with Cremo. I have a decent brush and great soaps, but I also share a shower and am often short on time. I have no rating system for my shaves, but it was quick and smooth. Finished with PAA Copalli.
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I didn't know there was a journal section. Very cool. B&B continues to impress.
Great things happen when great men come together.
Great things happen when great men come together.
- Thread starter
- #11
It has been a while, so I will begin by recapping my last few shaves: New Improved, Stirling Texas On Fire, PAA Green Ray, Lab Blue, Copalli. In the shower after washing with bronners and PAA cube pre shave. I tend to keep the same razor in rotation until the blade wears out, then switch it up, so this weekend I switched to a New LC. I am really liking this. It is close and comfortable and I can get it done in under two passes. I need to start taking better notes, or else this thing will just be full of “shaves great”. I do have other razors that require a bit more presence, but they all mostly work. I’ll try to catalog them as I go.
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- #12
It’s been a week in and just changed the New in for a Gem 1912 squat head or whatever it’s called. Nothing but great shaves. Hope it’s not just me and I’m cursed to have positive reviews of everything I try. Bonus points for the almost clean Hindostan.
Edit: no pics of the Gem yet
Edit: no pics of the Gem yet
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- #13
- Thread starter
- #14
It seems I just can’t help but accumulate more stuff, so here’s my latest score. 10 bucks and besides the scales, it doesn’t seem like it’s too far off from being s(h)aveable. The grind is probably 1/4 hollow. It is unlike my other couple W&Bs (which have their own problems), with its squared off features. The top of the spine is nearly flat, and there is no jimping. The blade is about 11/16”. I’ve never thought about doing scales before, but now I just might.
<edit> It has obviously been used a bunch, and the spine wear is all over the place, but I am pretty sure I can get it to shave, for me at least</edit>
<edit> It has obviously been used a bunch, and the spine wear is all over the place, but I am pretty sure I can get it to shave, for me at least</edit>
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Check out the Restoration subforum. Lots of good advice, ideas, and pictures.
- Thread starter
- #16
Thanks, I will. I used to only look at the DE section, then ventured to General and SE, now I’m more often looking in Honing and Straights. This place has a lot to keep one busy 
Welcome to the Journals section. I'm sure you will find you are not alone in your propensity to acquire shaving stuff here!Wow, thanks for the warm welcome
I had planned to talk about last night’s shave and then begin cataloguing my shaving paraphernalia when life decided to throw a curveball. Spent the better part of the day doing a brake job, but the upside is I was in town close to the local antique shop. The nice lady knows I’m often in there looking for shaving gear, so she set a couple razors aside for me. The first was a gem g bar, which I don’t have (yet), but the other was an open comb 3 piece I haven’t come across before. I thought it was an old type, but the base plate doesn’t match. The head was completely black when I got it. No before pictures unfortunately. I will try to get better in the future
We tend to do a pretty good job of corrupting each other.
- Thread starter
- #18
Speaking of acquisitions, this is one of the last razors I’ve gotten. The lady at one of the local antique shops put aside a few razors for me to look at, and this one I couldn’t say no to. It is missing the blade box, but I can find one later. The others I eventually went back for, but that’s a different story. The past week or so with the squat 1912 has been great. Gem razors are the only ones I tend to unload and dry the blade after every shave, because they develop spots easily. I also palm strop often, though not every time. All that to say, I’m pretty sure I can keep this blade going for a while, but I feel like a change up, so tonight starts the Aristocrat shaves. I love the heft of this thing. It feels great in the hand and perfectly balanced. It tends to give great “autopilot”-like shaves, and typically not too angle sensitive. I will use lab blues and probably a Stirling soap with my green ray. Hopefully the shave gods don’t punish me for calling my shots.
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- #19
The shaves with the Aristocrat have been going well. Hard to tell if I just have dumb luck, or that this razor gets me where I want to be in under two passes with no irritation or anything. Anyways, to add a bit of danger to this journal, here is a night time shot of some of my stones/hones since I’ve expanded into straight razors. As a footnote, I use a straight after every shave to trim my ‘stache and goat. And chops. I have a ‘shave ready’ razor that I keep stropped and ready to use, but I’ve been liking my own edges more for my purposes. They are getting to the point where I just may make the plunge
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- #20
This morning I had to wake up early (for a Saturday), so had a quick shower and shave. Despite, or maybe to spite, the time crunch, I used the soap and brush method. Stirling Texas on fire in a lip balm tube, with my trusty green ray. I can’t help but feel like the big bambino when I use the Aristocrat. Five hour round trip plus a hot gig in the sun, and I feel like I can maybe skip tomorrow. We shall see
