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jshafer
10-11-2010, 02:25 PM
Using a new Merkur blade in my Merkur 1904, and a Tweezerman brush. I've been wet-shaving for about a month now, and a typical shave for me would probably be 3 passes, some combination of wtg and xtg, using a superlather of Conk's Bay Rum and TRSC moisturizing and finishing with a cold water splash and T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel.

The other day I decided to see how the Trumper's Violet sample I've got would work in a superlather with the Conk's. Honestly the lather was a little disappointing - I'm getting the hang of the Conk's, with or without the TRSC, but I haven't quite gotten the right ratio of Trumper's to water yet. It was fine for two passes, but for the third I ended up rubbing a little TRSC on my neck, adding a bit more water to my brush and working it up for another minute or so.

In spite of the lather difficulties, I managed to finish with an ATG pass on my neck. This was a little tricky, since the grain on my neck is mostly from the center out, but ended up without any nicks and with the closest shave my neck's gotten yet...

Feeling a little overconfident, I skipped the witch hazel and went straight to the Barbasol alcohol splash. This, um, may have been a mistake. The initial burn was minimal, but over the next 30 seconds or so it built up into a rather intense burning sensation that lasted for several minutes.

While far from perfect, the end result of all this was the closest I've gotten yet to a true BBS. My jawline and immediately below my nose still had a bit of stubble, but it's getting there...

Loric
10-11-2010, 02:37 PM
Good work on your shave. You are a step ahead of the game if you realized your neck grain is going in odd directions. It took me a couple months to figure that one out.

If I might make a couple observations from my own personal experiance. The Murkur blades were very rough on my face have you tried anything else? Maybe a Shark Super Chrome, they are very smooth for me? If your lather is not doing so well Proraso cream lathers wonderfully. It might help you out to try just one product that lathers easy??? Finally I stay away from alcohol splashes for the same reasons you described. Do you have an aftershave milk or balm that would not burn at all?

All and all good job, and I hope the shaves only get better from here on out.

Luc
10-11-2010, 04:09 PM
Good work on the first shave! A bit of bruning reminds you that you're alive! I like it in the morning, it wakes me up!

jshafer
10-11-2010, 05:27 PM
A bit of bruning reminds you that you're alive!

See, I was expecting a bit of that "you're still alive" burn. What I got was closer to "you're a Nazi at the end of Raiders of the Lost Arc" :blink:

Luc
10-11-2010, 11:46 PM
See, I was expecting a bit of that "you're still alive" burn. What I got was closer to "you're a Nazi at the end of Raiders of the Lost Arc" :blink:

You should consider Lilac Vegetal...:tongue_sm

jshafer
10-12-2010, 02:38 PM
The Murkur blades were very rough on my face have you tried anything else? Maybe a Shark Super Chrome, they are very smooth for me?
I was planning on trying a small assortment of blades once I start running low on the Merkurs. I'll make sure to try the Shark Super Chromes, and was planning on trying the Red IP's. Anything else I should try while I'm at it?

pauls51
10-12-2010, 06:49 PM
Super Iridiums should be on your list to try too... That, and the obligatory Feathers...