A true BBS shave, a lesson in time...

[Blade_Runner37C]

ok so the title was just to get you interested. I had an unboxing today and can say I hit a BBS shave in 3 passes with a touch of clean up. The absolute smoothest shave and zero weepers, throats slashed, lips peeled off or nose holes clippings. Not a drop of blood or irritation. Here's my line up. Trigger warning: if you dislike PAA, turn back now....

pre-shave - SamHain Paa cube 2.0
brush/lather: new SOC black boar brush / Stirling Electric sheep w 4 drops of menthol drops. whipped to perfection.
razor / razor blade Ikon shavecraft SC / Astra green / white label
PAA Alum block (wow never used Alum, felt like a Bio-synthetic skin mask hit my face, seriously my face i could feel tighten like never before, kinda creepy first time)
Finished off with 1 sample tester atomic age bay rum/1/3 tester coconut rum/1/3 tester pineapple rum. mixed into an atomizer 5ml spray bottle.

This was the easiest and most comfortable shave in history. Only thing I did was lower my angle from the razor to my face, might have had the handle up a little higher might account for my daily weepers. 11/10

I know their are better razors out there than the Ikon SC but I would love to know what they could offer since this just gave me a BBS shave and no weepers or irritation. BTW with the sheep tallow and cube, It was the slickest shave also.

 

[DesertIguana]

Apparently there is nothing wrong with your equipment, and you got BBS out of it because you had GREAT TECHNIQUE. Hope you get more BBS shave, you did it once, why not a week in a row every day.

 

[@ngel]

It might not happen often, but when the stars align: “bliss”.

Is worth to say, good tools help…but if one doesn’t know how to properly use them it doesn’t matter if they are made out of vibranium with space engineering, if there is no technique they are just as good as a piece of broken glass.

On top of that I am a firm believer that there are more variables that just the tools or technique like: how hydrated is the skin? How exposed to the elements have you being? Was it in the morning or at night? Water hardness? So many things that come into play for a perfect shave that is hard to always pinpoint what goes wrong if it is not achieved.

 

[horizon]

In fact, the reaction from the alum shows how good or bad the shave was...

 

[gdawg55]

Nice job. Love it when I get a true BBS. I shoot for it everyday but don’t quite get there most days.

 

[purecro]

Well done with the BBS, very well done.

 

[losing]

Yours is a good/great story to read. You "discovered" your best shaving gear. If you haven't posted in a gear rating thread or a SOTD thread or haven't gone through a thread like that, do it. My current favorites are "what did you use today? +Rate the shave 1-10" in the same forum section this thread was made in or the ones for each piece of equipment like bush, bowl and soap.

Enjoy your shaves...

 

[Blade_Runner37C]

If you haven't posted in a gear rating thread or a SOTD thread or haven't gone through a thread like that, do it. My current favorites are "what did you use today? +Rate the shave 1-10" in the same forum section this thread was made in or the ones for each piece of equipment like bush, bowl and soap.

Well what I shaved with today thread would be pretty boring for most of you since that's been my shave (plus i don't have a lot of options to choose from) but I will look into making a post and try to change something up.

 

[Mitzie]

In my experience, when I use my cheap (£4) fairly rough boar shaving brush, I get a closer shave. It's as if the stiffer bristles help exfoliate the stubble more? Razor aggressiveness and choice of blade also play a part in achieving BBS (ie agressive razor:milder razor blade and vice-versa)

Yaqi Cobbed Head (also marketed as V3A with 1.64mm blade gap, agreesive)

 

[losing]

Well what I shaved with today thread would be pretty boring for most of you since that's been my shave (plus i don't have a lot of options to choose from) but I will look into making a post and try to change something up.

You don't need a lot of gear to make a post in those threads. I have been posting every shave on there since i got back on the B&B. And i have 1 razor, 1 brush and 1 shaving bowl. And a little surprise to me my posts/gear get a bunch of different likes every time.

So please go post this shave or your latest shave. No pictures are not required. Just your gear list...

 

[BigJ]

Congratulations!!

Technique trumps most anything in ‘traditional’ wet shaving (IMHO). So your technique was spot on!!

 

[dotKomo]

Congratulations!

 

[Blade_Runner37C]

i have had a 1955 Gillette Flair tip TTO that was bought at a flea market and used a time or two when I started. Decided to clean it up and throw an Astro green/white label blade in it and can get a BBS shave everytime with zero irritation and zero cuts, weepers, etc. I guess my technique has changed even as recently as a week ago but really stretching out the face and flattening some of those hard to cut around jawline areas has been producing a BBS shave with everything, but some razors give a bbs. Who knew I could have saved tons of money just sticking to a $10 70 year old DE razor.

 

[Hugh]

Congratulations!!

Technique trumps most anything in ‘traditional’ wet shaving (IMHO). So your technique was spot on!!

When you get those BB shaves there is nothing like it! As stated above by Big, technique seems to trump most other factors. Using my vintage Gillette I can use any of the better blades and a great soap and get a BB shave. For me it was getting the technique down for my beard. Understanding how your hair grows matters a lot.

 

[Blade_Runner37C]

Technique is 90% gear is 10%. I can get a BBS now with a 1955 Gillette TTO or an Icon short comb or RR game changer. i can't believe how true this is. the 90% also includes a descent blade not the best just a good blade.

 

[EdHeart]

Congrats...Yeah easy BBS!

"I know there are better razors..." Hmmm, really? Friendly push back...Better in what sense? Isn't the best razor the one that provides you the greatest joy to use and the smoothest shave?

Shave in great health and enjoy the new tool.

 

[h3hound]

easiest bbs i consistently get is with a permasharp or feather in my fatboy set to 7. i have shaved with this fatboy for years and have it down.
now, i am working on getting close to bbs with a dovo 5/8 straight, i believe it is possible, but this will take a while because time, technique, and practice is required. no shortcuts!