What shavette did you use today?

Growth: 3 day beard
Prep: Warm shower: Stirling Sheep bar soap

Brush: Semogue 1470
Lather: Colgate - Shaving Mug Soap
Load Bowl: Old Spice Mug
Lather Bowl: large CaYuen shave bowl

Razor: Focus R21 Evolution
Blade: 1/2 DE - Astra Superior Platinum (D3)

Third pass on chin:
Razor: Schick M (H2)
Blade: Personna stainless PTFE coated injector blade

Post: Stirling witch hazel, PAA Mysterium Serum

3 pass neck and chin, 2 pass elsewhere. No touch ups

Day 5 with Feather AC DX and day 2 Schick proline blade.

My scalp felt good and the growth was short (1 day post BBs shave) so I decided to use a different soap (Cella Organic) and to start in the back where I tend to have the most difficulty. I also tried mostly ATG shaving and tried some light stropping on canvas.

Poor choices. I struggled from the get go and eventually switched to my DE after getting just the back done.

The area I shaved is nice and smooth, but red and sore. No cuts to speak of and no weepers, just raw. These are areas that tend to get raw easily so this isn’t too surprising, just more so than acceptable.

I felt like the blade was dull whether with or against the grain, but it was only the second shave with this blade. My only thought is that my idea of lightly stropping the blade was a big mistake and I dulled it. It could also just be that I am not ready for ATG with the shavette, which is also likely.

I good example of changing too many variable and at the same time getting ahead of myself.

I finished with a nice bbs shave from my DC cosmetics v95 and a fresh Nacet.


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Shave #6 with Shavette.

Today I used a cheap Xuan Feng foldable from AE that arrived yesterday. It is lighter than the Feather DX and has a small lip so is more like a Feather SS or perhaps SR (haven’t tried either of those so don’t know which). Clearly more cheaply made than the feather, but serviceable. It came with some guarded blades that, I believe, are Kai Captain mild Protouch MG relabeled. So I used that.

I (wisely, pat myself on the back) only went WTG and XTG (80% WTG, 18% xtg and 2% ATG as there is a spot or two where only that works).

I used a glycerin soap pre-shave as usual and Cella Organic soap.

Surprisingly good shave. It needs a steeper angle than the DX and taught me a few things that I may apply to the DX in the future. For WTG, it did well. No irritation (except one area that is still recovering), no cysts, weepers or other issues.

I did have some clumsiness managing the folder and figuring out how to hold it.

Overall, a DFS if I say so myself.




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Shave #8 with Shavette

Today I again used the Feather AC DX with the Kai Captain Protouch mild mg blade. (3)

I thought this would be an easy shave because I shaved yesterday, but it wasn’t really. Maybe it is the lack of ATG so not as BBS yesterday, and the coarser areas of my head hair were more grown out.

Anyway, I think I tried a little too hard, and it wasn’t as easy or good as shave. Some irritation, but I take the blame for that. Not much irritation, though.

Overall, it ended up pretty good, no blood. So I have that going for me.

3rd shave with the captain pro-touch mg (I think that is what it is, rebranded). Full 2 pass head shaves, so maybe similar to 6 face shaves? The blade is definitely all done though. I could tell it was past prime by the later half of the shave. Since I pushed forward with it, it could have also contributed to some irritation.


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Head Shave #9 with Shavette (I think, starting to lose count as I get close to double digits)

Today, I used the Feather AC DX with a Feather Pro Soft Guard blade.

(My order from the RBC finally came!! 20 days to get from Holland to Colorado. An order from China took half as long…)

I skipped the Alum and just used my homade Black Pepper and Lime Witch Hazel splash.

The shave went fine. As expected not super efficient, but very mild and safe. The blades aren’t much less efficient than the ProGuard or Protouch. But noticeable and noticeably milder. I was able to avoid cuts and irritation very well with WTG and some XTG passes. Even a little ATG touchup is starting to go better.

I still need to get to a point that I can get closer to BBS, but that may take a while. I am invested in the process.

I was able to get a decent shave inside my limited time frame this morning, so that is a win. Still can’t get the neck right…


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Growth: 2.5 day beard
Prep: Warm shower: Stirling Sheep bar soap

Brush: Semogue 1470
Lather: Colgate - Shaving Mug Soap
Load Bowl: Old Spice Mug
Lather Bowl: large CaYuen shave bowl

Razor: Focus R21 Evolution
Blade: 1/2 DE - Astra Superior Platinum (D4)

Razor: Focus R28 Slim AL
Blade: 1/2 DE - Astra Superior Platinum (D4)

touch up on chin:
Razor: Schick M (H2)
Blade: Personna stainless PTFE coated injector blade

Post: alum, PAA Mysterium Serum

3 pass neck, 2 pass elsewhere. Touch up tip of chin.

I decided to do an A/B shave between the R21 Evolution (with plastic insert) and the R28 Slim AL. I had a memory line cut with the R28 in the sideburn area. I had three micro weepers with the R21 (most on the neck). I had quite a bit of stubble left over on the tip of my chin, so I used the Schick to clean that up.

The R21 scales are heavier than the shank/blade holder plus insert and in precision work under the nostrils, I felt like I was fighting against the scale weight which was disconcerting. I think the R21 may have given a slightly smoother shave on my face. I think the R28 gave me a slightly closer shave. The R28 is better balanced than the R21 Evolution. I think the smaller length of the R28 is also a bonus. I also prefer the solid feel of the R28 vs. the hollow feel of the R21 Evolution. That is my preference. Both are capable razors. Both left me with razor burn. I would lean towards the R28 for a DE barber razor shave.

Head shave #10 with Shavette

Feather DX
Feather SoftGuard
Cells organics pre-shave
PAA CK-6 unscented

I thought this was my 3rd shave with the soft guard blade, but looking at my last post, it may be only the second.

Well, what I can say is that the shave went safely. I did not add any irritation, scratches, weepers or cuts.

It was not efficient at all. It did “ok” but I had difficulty cutting hairs at all in some of the thick areas. Not tugging, just not doing much. It would have been passible, but I did touch up quite a bit with my DE just to be happy about it. I do prefer a close, bbs shave and am nowhere near achieving this with the shavette yet. I am learning to relax about perfection, which is a good lesson.

When I finished, I thought it was the third full head shave with the SoftGuard blade and it was just getting dull (I seem sensitive to dullness). I had only gotten 3 such shaves with the previous blade, a protouch mg after all.

But, per my last post, this may only be my second shave with this blade, so it probably isn’t dull, I am just discovering how inefficient and mild the blade is. Good and bad, I guess.

I have a couple more of the SoftGuard, so I think I will use them again until gone, even if I one shot them. It is very safe, so a good learning blade.


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This is becoming my thread!

Head Shave #11 with Shavette

Feather DX
Kai Captain ProTouch MG blade
Cella Organics Pre-shave
PAA CK-6 unscented soap
Homemade Pepper and Lime splash (witch hazel base)

First to note, several shaves back I used the blades that came with a Xuan Feng shavette from AE. It looked a lot like the Kai protouch so I thought it was. When my RBC sample order finally crawled its way over from Holland with real Kai Protouch blades, it is clear they are different, but similar. The metal guards have similar spacing, but the foil attachment for the guard is different and much less uniform and secure in the knockoff. That may be why I only got 3 shaves from one. Today I used a real Kai and it was good. Probably sharper.

Nice slow and careful shave. Little irritation, no cuts. I pushed a few complicated areas of hair a bit and have two small red spots (still have old healing ones, they take a long time).

Overall though, a pretty excellent shave for not going (much) ATG. A good balance I can almost live with.

My best XTG direction is not easy. It is essentially horizontally left to right from above my left ear all the way to above my right ear. With the occipital ridge (base of skull being a geographical obstacle that really requires a little ATG to get acceptable at all). Then I have two complex cowlicks where all directions seem to matter. Not to mention geographical ripples here and there. Sigh.

Slow and light. Speed kills…


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Since this is my thread..

Shave # 12 with Shavette.

After not shaving for a couple of days, I decided to shave last night with the Shavette to trim it back for a light morning touch up before work.

Xuan Feng SS style Shavette
Feather AC DX
Kai Captain mild (unguarded)
Cell Organic pre-shave
PAA CK-6 unscented soap

I started with the Xuan Feng Shavette (feather SS clone) and because I decided (because I am not so smart) to try a kai captain mild, unguarded blade.

This was really difficult. I felt with the SS style lip, the blade had so little exposure I had to shave at a steep angle and scrap the hair off. I bailed and swapped the blade over to the Feather DX.

It was better in the DX, but it felt like I needed a steeper angle as well, although not as much. I stayed WTG only, knowing I would shave again in the morning.

I did cause several small nicks/weepers. More blood than usual. But not much irritation around that. The cuts were the type that disappear quickly, at least. I also dodged a bullet when I essentially dropped the thing on my head…it remarkably didn’t land blade first and I didn’t catch the blade end in my hand. Phew! Murphy was still asleep I guess.

I did feel that there was a suction feeling with the blade, it didn’t glide smoothly. Although it could be the blade, I think it was poor prep. I rushed the prep a bit, so didn’t soak my bristles long enough. I used the Cella Organic pre-shave and although I have had good results with it, more often I haven’t been satisfied. The suction and lack of glide leads to the cuts. At least it didn’t leave me otherwise raw.

Lessons:
1. Don’t cowboy and jump to more advanced blade until ready.
2. Don’t rush or skimp on prep.
3. I like the unguarded blades, but the mild or lower exposure ones may not be for me.
4. Don’t drop a razor sharp blade on your head.

This morning I prepped better and used the Proof Whiskey pivoting head razor with anew Personna Blue blade. Not my favorite blade but not bad at all. Again the Cella pre-shave.

The Proof razor is so easy and forgiving. I got a near bbs shave (since it was already mostly shaved from the night before) without irritation or aggravating any cuts.

I did struggle as I don’t think the Cella pre-shave did what I want and I will go back to my trusty glycerin soap. However, the razor is so forgiving, there was still no irritation.

Interesting finding: after my shower, I used a handheld mirror to look for redness, the small cuts from the night before and so on. Couldn’t see much at all. I looked again after applying aftershave (PAA star jelly mentholated) and all the cuts were red and visible. I did not use alum or any astringent splash today. I think I may just need to use soothing un- mentholated balms.


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No Shavette today, used the DE. Nice BBS shave. I will return to Shavette practice in a day or two.


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