Journey of the 1767 blade newbie.

[CuppaJoe__]

08/06/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP (2 / +2 Passes) Blade 1
Soap:
> Crowne & Crane- Green Tea
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin & neck below.

TLDR:
Super smooth passes, maybe even more smooth that the first. More stubble when feeling ATG however. 1 small quick closing weeper. Still some irritation but not as much as the first shave with this blade.
DFS-

Even after waiting an extra night, it seems like I still get a bit of irritation. I'm not sure what could be causing it, maybe something to do with the coating?
This is the first "Platinum" branded blade I've tried, & before this the only blade that has caused irritation was the Shark Super Chrome. Either my skin is just super sensitive, or I'm doing something wrong.
I do have some red dots on my neck that get more pronounced after shaving, & that's where most of the irritation is.

Either way, this is a nice blade. No tugging with 2 day stubble so far.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/07/2024 SOTD
Afternoon Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP (4 / +1 Pass) Blade 1
Soap:
> Crowne & Crane- Green Tea
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin & neck below.

Shaved a bit early today as I went to a drive-in movie theater, & got home at 1:30am. Saw both Deadpool & Twisters.

Very nice shave today, no blood, no tugging. Same amount of stubble feel ATG as last shave but most importantly, no irritation.
DFS

 

[Juanmosey]

07/28/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Gillette Super Speed Regular
Blade:
> Voskhod (0 New / +2 Passes)
Soap:
> Master Soap Creations- Peppermint Lime, Mentholated
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.

TLDR:
New razor, new blade, new soap. No nicks or cuts, nearly BBS in some spots. Rough initial start, then very comfy.

I will be moving my shaving schedule to nights, as I want to be allowed more time to properly enjoy and assess my shaves.
I'm also deciding on how to count the shaves. While shaving with multi-day stubble will affect the blades more than doing a second or third pass after the initial shave, those extra passes can still cause degradation.
Let's start with 0 New, with +# of passes each shave. For example, the next shave It will be
2 (Total passes) / +# of new passes from that shave. I usually will only do one pass with minor touch-up as my skin can be very sensitive at times. I may do a second pass if I am really enjoying the shave, soap, or am unhappy with the first pass.

The shave:
This Gillette razor is practically the same as the VDH I have. It is of slightly better quality seeing as the entire head of the razor doesn't flex or rattle like the VDH. This is the second time I am using the Gillette, & it seems to be more mild than the VDH with a smaller effective shave angle.

At first, the Voskhod blade looked like it would be an instant throw away. It was having some trouble with my 1.5 day old stubble for the first couple of strokes & on my chin, but it did eventually catch on. This could also be due to my lack of experience with this specific razor. I'll have to try it in my Henson ++ tomorrow.
Very comfortable shave once the blade caught on & I figured out the angle with the razor.

This Peppermint Lime soap is very nice. I wasn't sure about the smell when I first got it, but now that I'm using it I quite enjoy it. It is very mentholated, maybe more than the Catie's Bubbles- Mile High Menthol I tried before this journal. Kept me quite cool feeling during & after the shave. I'm still figuring out my lather, but this soap was pretty easy to get started.

My stubble grows to be quite stiff in my opinion, & my GF always says it's too sharp for her. I will likely never actively chase BBS, as I can't stand the inevitable irritation that would come with that.
I guess that would mean I prefer DFS based on the wiki, but I see some users that will add "+" to DFS. I could use some extra input for the shave ratings please.

The result:
DFS with some spots that were BBS. Aftershave did not cause any burns, but that's likely due to the 14% alcohol content and the Aloe. No battle wounds.

Looking forward to the next shave.

Please tell me about Catie's High Menthol.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

Please tell me about Catie's High Menthol.

For me, eucalyptus isn't a very noticeable smell. I also just have trouble catching the scent of many things. For example, one time my gf was showing me her new perfume and I could not smell it for the life of me.

It does lather up very quickly, and I don't have to use much. It also had has a good amount of slickness. I find that the menthol is actually quite mild despite the name. If you want something with a high amount of menthol, the MSC I used is great.

 

[Juanmosey]

For me, eucalyptus isn't a very noticeable smell. I also just have trouble catching the scent of many things. For example, one time my gf was showing me her new perfume and I could not smell it for the life of me.

It does lather up very quickly, and I don't have to use much. It also had has a good amount of slickness. I find that the menthol is actually quite mild despite the name. If you want something with a high amount of menthol, the MSC I used is great.

Thank but now I see it's discontinued? What's MSC?

 

[CuppaJoe__]

Thank but now I see it's discontinued? What's MSC?

Master Soap Creations- Peppermint Lime. That's the only other mentholated soap I have so far, and the one I prefer.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/09/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP (5 / +2 Passes) Blade 1
Soap:
> Master Soap Creations- Peppermint Lime, Mentholated
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin & neck below.

Very nice shave. BBS & nearly BBS in some areas.
No irritation tonight, but a small amount of tugging likely due to the 2 day old stubble & the age of the blade.
No weepers.
This blade is a little confusing, but I'm happy that it's working out better now.
DFS++

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/11/2024 SOTD
Morning Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP (7 / +2 Passes) Blade 1
Soap:
> MacDuffs Soap Co- Morning Ritual
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin & neck below.

Quick shave today.
The soap is interesting since it's more of a paste than a hard soap, lathers quick & an interesting chocolate smell.
Shave was okay, but it left more stubble than before. 1 weeper, & the blade seems to be a bit dull now. Parts of this shave weren't as comfortable as earlier shaves, but it didn't cause any irritation. I'll see how the next shave goes then decide if I want to move on.
It's interesting how Fridays shave was the best of all & the one following was the opposite.
Acceptable+

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/13/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP (9 / +2 Passes) Blade 1
Soap:
> Ariana & Evans- Aqua de Boracay
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on lower neck below chin.

This shave was more comfortable than the previous during the actual shave process. Idk what's up with this blade at this point lol. Maybe the previous soap just isn't that great?
Average amount of Stubble feeling ATG, none WTG. Passes required a little bit of cleanup the closer I got to my chin.

Oral Commisure (end of lips), mustache area, & neck especially feels irritated post shave. No blood.
I'll give this blade another shot, 6 total shaves so far. It doesn't hurt to give it a full week I suppose.

Acceptable++
(I can't call it a DFS- due to the overall irritation, but it is better than the previous shave.)

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/14/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower and Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Gillette 7 O'Clock SP Blade 1 (11 / +2 Passes) 13 Total- 7 days- Toss
Soap:
> Ariana & Evans- Aqua de Boracay
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water.
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on lower neck below chin.

No problems with this shave. Less stubble feel than yesterday. No blood, no irritation. DFS

The blade seemed to be recovering, but I went ahead & tossed it in favor of comparing it to one of my current favorites, the Dorco Titan.

Overall, I'd say this is a very good blade, & could probably handle more shaves. However I did experience irritation, & the results seemed to be inconsistent at times. Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but there's just something odd about this one for me.

I'll revisit the Gillette 7 O' Clock SP after my comparison, & maybe by then I'll have some other 7 O'Clocks to try.
I do have Silver Blue, London Bridge, Permasharp, & Super Thin to compare as well.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/15/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Water & Hand Scrub
Razor:
> Gillette Slim Adjustable J1 1964- purchased from @Tanuki
Blade:
> RK Stainless (2 or 3 shaves) + 1 Pass
Soap:
> GIBS Clear Shave Gel
Aftershave:
> Afta by Mennen- Fresh Scent
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on neck below chin.

Taking a small detour to use up this RK blade that's been stored in my Super Speed. I can't remember how many shaves it's had, but I'm leaning towards 2-3 before I swapped to the Voskhod. I also need to use up my stock of less than ideal soaps & aftershave to clear up some shelf space.

This will also allow me to test out the Slim before I send it in for repair.
Unfortunately the bar is a little out of alignment. I saw this thread and attempted to fix it myself, but I can't seem to get it & I'd prefer not to ruin it, so I'll be sending it to Razor Emporium soon for them to work on.

So far, I can see where the hype is around adjustable razors. This shave was acceptable, despite the lack of proper preparation. 1 small weeper and a bit of irritation. However, there was less stubble left when feeling ATG compared to the last shave with the Henson & 7 O'C SP.

Acceptable++

I expect that the shave will be much better with proper prep, soap, & a correct blade gap. It's not too out of alignment, but the blade does touch the bottom bar on the left side.

Thank you @Tanuki. I will enjoy this razor, & I look forward to learning its quirks.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/16/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower & Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Gillette Slim Adjustable J1 1964
Blade:
> RK Stainless (±4 shaves) + 2 Passes
Soap:
> MacDuffs Soap Co- Morning Ritual
Aftershave:
> Afta by Mennen- Fresh Scent
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on neck below chin.

Started with razor set to 3, then quickly upped to 4 and restarted my first pass.
Comfortable shave, no blood, very mild irritation. About the same amount of stubble as last night, maybe slightly less.
DFS-

I decided to attempt bending up the bottom bar again, & got it pretty close to even. However, I'll still be sending the razor in at some point just to have it properly serviced.

Side note:
I have a few B&M soaps coming soon from a user on the Wicked Edge Discord, looking forward to those. My acquisition disorder keeps leaving me voicemails, asking to me to buy more blades & stuff. I have to keep reminding it that the wallet only goes so far.. This really is an addictive hobby.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/18/2024 SOTD
Afternoon Shave

Prep:
> Pears Mint Soap Bar
Razor:
> Gillette Slim Adjustable J1 1964
Blade:
> RK Stainless (±5 shaves) + 1 Pass
Soap:
> GoodFellow & Co Moroccan Mint & Cedar Cream
Aftershave:
> Afta by Mennen- Fresh Scent
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on neck below chin.

Setting 5 everywhere except chin, 4 on chin & below.

Not a terrible shave, but not amazing either. Some tugging, a good amount of burn when applying aftershave, no blood.
Average amount of stubble feel ATG.
Had to work a bit to cut the stubble down, probably due to the shave cream. It's cheap shave cream & it clogs up every razor I've tried it in.

Acceptable++

I'll give two more shaves with this blade then switch to the Dorco Titan with the Henson.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/20/2024 SOTD
Morning Shave

Prep:
> Shower, Charcoal Face Wash, & Pears Mint Soap Bar
Razor:
> Gillette Slim Adjustable J1 1964
Blade:
> RK Stainless (±6 shaves) + 1 Pass
Soap:
> GIBS Clear Shave Gel
Aftershave:
> Afta by Mennen- Fresh Scent
Pass type:
> WTG | XTG on chin | WTG on neck below chin.

Setting 4 everywhere.
Nice comfortable shave this morning. Some buffing required. No blood or irritation. Mild burn from the aftershave.
Average amount of stubble feel ATG.

DFS-

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/22/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower & Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Dorco Titan [#2] (0 / +3 Passes) New Blade
Soap:
> Master Soap Creations- Peppermint Lime, Mentholated
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water
Pass type:
> WTG all around | XTG on chin

TLDR:
Favorite soap, favorite blade, favorite razor, favorite aftershave, three passes.
Nearly BBS, no irritation or blood, very efficient & effective shave.
DFS++

The Dorco Titan is exactly how I remembered it from the first blade I tried before joining B&B. Sharp, efficient, & doesn't cause any irritation. It pairs very well with this soap & razor.
The blade has a very small tugging sensation initially, but it goes away after a few strokes.
Despite that, I'll definitely purchase more of these for stashing as I feel overall this blade really works for me.

I will give this blade 1 week of shaves minimum for comparison to the Gillette 7 O'Clock Black SP.

Thank you for sticking around!

 

[CuppaJoe__]

08/23/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower & Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Dorco Titan [#2] (3 / +2 Passes)
Soap:
> Barrister & Mann: Beaudelaire
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water
Pass type:
> WTG all around | XTG on chin | XTG on neck below chin

TLDR: New-to-me soap, not a favorite in the smell department, but it lathers nicely.
1 nick from user error, other than that a smooth efficient shave. Not as close of a shave as previous. No irritation.
DFS+

I received my new-to-me soaps today. First off, I am surprised at the amount. 4oz seemed like such a small amount from a price standpoint. (When purchasing new anyway) Some soaps I've viewed are pretty steeply priced..

Question for those that are still tagging along: How long does a 4oz soap last you? Do you scoop, lather in the jar, or face lather?
If you've purchased anything more than a 4oz soap, how long did that last you?

I'm not a fan of the smell for this soap. It's kind of harsh to me, I prefer lighter scents. Reminds me of burning hair.. I am a fan of how well it lathers, however.

This blade is still sharp and efficient for me & required no clean up or buffing. I did get one nick that lasted well after the shave, but I'd put that up to user error- applied a bit too much pressure on the chin.

Overall, a nice shave but nothing particularly special for this one. Less stubble when feeling ATG than average.

DFS+

 

[tehnothing]

08/23/2024 SOTD
Evening Shave

Prep:
> Shower & Charcoal Face Wash
Razor:
> Henson ++
Blade:
> Dorco Titan [#2] (3 / +2 Passes)
Soap:
> Barrister & Mann: Beaudelaire
Aftershave:
> My own formulation of Witch Hazel, Aloe, & Water
Pass type:
> WTG all around | XTG on chin | XTG on neck below chin

TLDR: New-to-me soap, not a favorite in the smell department, but it lathers nicely.
1 nick from user error, other than that a smooth efficient shave. Not as close of a shave as previous. No irritation.
DFS+

I received my new-to-me soaps today. First off, I am surprised at the amount. 4oz seemed like such a small amount from a price standpoint. (When purchasing new anyway) Some soaps I've viewed are pretty steeply priced..

Question for those that are still tagging along: How long does a 4oz soap last you? Do you scoop, lather in the jar, or face lather?
If you've purchased anything more than a 4oz soap, how long did that last you?

I'm not a fan of the smell for this soap. It's kind of harsh to me, I prefer lighter scents. Reminds me of burning hair.. I am a fan of how well it lathers, however.

This blade is still sharp and efficient for me & required no clean up or buffing. I did get one nick that lasted well after the shave, but I'd put that up to user error- applied a bit too much pressure on the chin.

Overall, a nice shave but nothing particularly special for this one. Less stubble when feeling ATG than average.

DFS+

Good soap there somewhere in my hoard of shave goods I have it the matching splash, and, EdT.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

Good soap there somewhere in my hoard of shave goods I have it the matching splash, and, EdT.

Sounds like you're a fan of the scent? Haha.
It just really burns my nose.. Thankfully when actually lathering the scent isn't AS potent... but still.

 

[Flanders]

Question for those that are still tagging along: How long does a 4oz soap last you? Do you scoop, lather in the jar, or face lather?
If you've purchased anything more than a 4oz soap, how long did that last you?

It was once said that these were intended to last 80 shaves, YMMV definitely applies. I am pretty conservative with B&M due to the cost, but I still have to load well over 1g of soap. I know some load 2g, that might still last 60 shaves!

I used to scoop so I could control how much I was loading, but it became tedious. Then I loaded from the jar until some of mine started getting the dreaded dark spots(bacteria of some kind). I ended up having to scrape a layer off and went back to loading from the tub, but being more careful to leave the lid cracked all day.

I do face lather, but right now I am using a hybrid approach of loading in the jar and then working some water in, so the soap in the brush isn't pasty, with a separate cup or bowl and then moving it to the face.

 

[CuppaJoe__]

Then I loaded from the jar until some of mine started getting the dreaded dark spots(bacteria of some kind).

This is my worry when it comes to purchasing used soap.
The guy I got these from said he loaded from the jar on Beaudelaire, Oceana, & Seville. Do these look like they could be problematic to you? Seems like it's just the Beaudelaire by my eye. Thankfully he only charged $5 per.