Best shave ever!

...well to date. I recently had the best shave I've ever had. I don't know why but the stars all aligned and everything worked exactly how it should. I searched the forum and couldn't find a thread for this amazing phenomenon so I decided to start one and hope some more people share some of the amazing shaves they've gotten. If anything just to tell someone who cares hahaha. Not everyone enjoys the story of an awesome shave as much as we do.

Ok so let me just say I owe a lot of the quality of this shave to stuff I've read on this forum. This shave in particular came about with a desire to try a new blade that a few people were raving about on the "Best Blade" thread. The Personna Med Prep. I finally got my hands on some and since they are touted as extremely sharp blades I wanted to use an agressive razor. But let me back up and start from the beginning.
This was just supposed to be an experiment. Trying out a new blade and not expecting much because I didn't really know what I was in for. I grabbed my PAA Cube and applied it per the directions. Then I reached for my absolute all time favorite scent Stirling Barbershop and face lathered with my all time favorite brush the Omega Hi Brush.
Now, before I go on I just want to say even though I used a lot of my favorites I wasn't guaranteed the best shave ever. I've had crumby shaves using these soaps and brushes because of different things here and there.

So I've got a nice lather that smells great on my face and I pick up my 1955 Northshore razors custom Deadpool Red Tip Gillette because if I'm going to use one of the sharpest blades it's got to be with a pretty agressive razor. It's usually hit and miss for me with my Red Tip. Sometimes it's great other times it's too agressive for some reason. But I took my first pass with the PMP blade and was stunned. Damn near BBS after my first pass with the grain! Wow! But that first pass was so enjoyable even though I probably didnt have to I did an across the grain pass then an against the grain pass. Not one slight nick when I was done and I was super smooth. After a good rinse I used an alum block for the second time ever in my life. A slight sting here and there but it left my face feeling great. And after a few seconds and another rinse I splashed on some of the matching aftershave to the soap I was using and felt like a million bucks.

Like I said I used a lot of my favorites but I don't necessarily think they deserve all of the credit for my shave. It was just one of those shaves that just stood out as the best. Everything just worked together in that magic moment. I could try the exact shave again tomorrow and have a completely different experience. But I think a lot of us have had that one shave that stands out so I started this thread. Now it's your turn. I would love to hear about them

Congratulations! That sounds great, the stars aligned for you today and I hope you're able to replicate the shave so that you'll be able to say "among my many outstanding shaves, today's ranks right up there with the best." I had to chuckle when you pointed out at the outset of your post that this is probably the only place where anybody cares to hear about your awesome shave. Imagine strolling into work with a smile, rubbing your chin saying " I had an awesome shave this morning" If anybody was even listening I'm sure you'd get the "there's gotta be something wrong with that guy" look. Maybe they'd call in HR. Yup, here you can safely go into all the details and we'll listen, ask questions and maybe even request pictures. And that Stirling Barbershop is a nice soap/aftershave.

Good stuff, Lockbutcher!  Congrats, man!

Maybe the stars aligned or maybe you're just getting into the "zone."  Can you stick with this same set-up for a little while?  That way nothing else changes and maybe the "best shaves" will become the most consistent of your shaves?  

I sometimes wonder if I might expect too much.  I have a friend at work that I kitted up DE razor, blades, synthetic brush, soaps, and creams(on his request.)  He said that he wanted to try out the way I shave, because, "You always look so smooth and clean shaven! You get the perfect shaves."  I didn't think I agreed with my friend's observations of my shaves, but maybe I'm being too critical of my results.

And, yes, this is the only place where we can talk about such things.  But that's OK, you're in the midst of friends of kindred spirits!

u sir need to get off the forum and write a book lol

Congratulations, Lockbutcher.  There is always that first "perfect" shave but now that you have accomplished it there are bound to be so many more.  It sounds to me that you not only used excellent equipment but that your technique was spot on.  As you continue with your shaves, you will find that your technique will become second nature with your most familiar razors, blades, brushes, and soaps/creams.  New additions to those may call for tweaking the technique but then that's all part of what makes shaving for us as much a hobby as a necessity and why we're happy to hear of your success.

It's wonderful that you experienced that shave. As Freddy noted, with time and practice, one's technique becomes virtually automatic, although attention and focus still are required. Nearly all my shaves now are great ones, with the only differences being the subtle ones created by the varying - but finite and carefully selected through trial and error over time - combinations of soap, brush, razor head and handle, blade, and aftershave. The tunes are all great, but the harmonies differ.

Remember that you can always go too far in the quest for the perfect shave. No matter the experience level of the shaver there is always that temptation to try to get just that little bit smoother or maybe if I try a couple of different directions on that particularly difficult area and then boom you've gone too far and have excessive irritation, weepers or that oops nick with all that blood. Gauge the quality of your shave by how it feels maybe an hour after you've applied aftershave. If you keep running your fingers against the grain with the lather on and try to get it feeling bbs there, you're likely going to overdo it. True, you won't need to shave for two days but what fun is that? And the discomfort will tell you you overdid it. We're all looking for the perfect, close comfortable shave. Are you a coffee drinker? Espresso? Have you heard of the God shot? Its the elusive, perfect espresso shot. You're always moving towards it but never quite reach it. But dang the process is fun. Same with shaving.

Remember that you can always go too far in the quest for the perfect shave.  No matter the experience level of the shaver there is always that temptation to try to get just that little bit smoother or maybe if I try a couple of different directions on that particularly difficult area and then boom you've gone too far and have excessive irritation, weepers or that oops nick with all that blood.  Gauge the quality of your shave by how it feels maybe an hour after you've applied aftershave.  If you keep running your fingers against the grain with the lather on and try to get it feeling bbs there, you're likely going to overdo it.  True, you won't need to shave for two days but what fun is that?  And the discomfort will tell you you overdid it.  We're all looking for the perfect, close comfortable shave.  Are you a coffee drinker?  Espresso? Have you heard of the God shot?  Its the elusive, perfect espresso shot.  You're always moving towards it but never quite reach it.  But dang the process is fun.  Same with shaving.

I agree if you have found Nirvana stay with it. Trust me and don't go chasing the dragon trying out a dozen different razors. I did so and found out that I already had it dozens of razors later lol.

Wonderful to hear! Congrats!

Cheers, Steve