#2,891
(01-18-2020, 02:23 PM)LOOT Wrote: Dragonsbeard Frankie, was the first person I saw mention variations to BBS. He has a level system 1, 2, or 3 to rate his shaves. I don't know the definitions, maybe he can chime in...but yeah, all BBS shaves are not created equal. It's seems like an odd concept but totally true.

The duration of the shave is how I can definitively tell you one razor cuts closer than the other.

LOOT
James I’d be glad to create a post with all the info on the level system and how it works in a detailed explanation as soon as I get out of work which won’t be more than 4 hrs as I just had to go into the labs for a bit.

An yes all BBS shaves in my books are definitely not equal.

Great shaves!

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#2,892
(This post was last modified: 01-19-2020, 05:24 AM by Cutty Sharp.)
This is my third full week with my WR2 0.95 SB (my first WM) and I have developed some initial thoughts.

Quick backstory - I got into wet shaving in approximately 2011/2012 with the hopes of trying to get a more cost effective and comfortable shave. Cartridges would dull quickly and I would have to mash them into my face resulting in lots of tugging, weepers, and a lot of pain. I went down the usual beginner bunny trail of testing and trying a lot of different stuff. After about a year and a lot of horrible times tearing up my face trying new things, I settled on an extremely mild razor (Merkur open comb). I then proceeded to leave the forums and accepted my fate. I finally was able to get a halfway decent socially acceptable shave because if I tried to get anything closer, pain and/or bleeding would result. I have a very hard beard to shave because it grows at such a low angle (almost flat) against my face. This makes it very hard to go ATG because the blade can easily deflect down into the follicle causing weepers, tugging, and pain.

Just over a year ago, I returned to the forums hoping to find a solution to get a closer shave so I could look at least a little more presentable. With my mild razor, I always looked like I had a 5 o'clock shadow and I was tired of it. With some tremendous help reading threads and directly from a member of the forum helping me with technique and lending me a few razors. I settled on a Timeless 0.68 SS SB.

The Timeless was the most comfortable and most efficient razor I tried to that point. Of the 12 razors I used, across varying blade gaps, types (SB, OC, Slant, Ajustable), different blades, etc, I was finally getting an even closer shave than the Merkur OC with no expense of comfort. It was the first time in 6 years that I ever noticed a positive difference due to hardware.

Fast forward to 3 weeks ago, my first WM arrived. Since then, I've been playing with technique, blade angle, and blades. With Feathers and Gillette 7'o clock yellows, I'm getting an even closer shave than the timeless with absolutely no difference in comfort and that is just going once WTG and once XTG. It's amazingly efficient and comfortable AND it does so consistently without much effort. Because of that, I would sometimes add even a third pass of very very very lightly ATG and if I had a light touch, I could also sometimes get an even closer shave (although not BBS)

Finally today, I popped in a new feather - went WTG, XTG, and did an ATG on my right cheek and upper lip. This was my second time trying a feather in it - the first time was not so good. I changed my ATG technique to steep angle (riding the safety bar and rolling the razor until the the blade touched my face). The result was extremely close on my upper lip AND BBS on cheek with no weepers and no ingrowns. BBS lasted for 8.5 hours till I felt the smallest hint of growth. This was the second successful BBS in my 6/7 years of shaving and it felt so good. In all honesty, the WTG pass was so good, I'm not even sure the XTG was even necessary. I may even try just a 2 pass WTG/ATG next time!

I'm looking forward of trying this technique on other parts of my face (albeit they may be harder). I'm really also hoping to try 1.05 at some point to see if it helps with getting the upper lip to BBS a little easier.

For me, the combination of larger blade gap but low blade exposure just seems so perfect because it presents the blade at such a wonderful angle to my face. Pervious razors that I used had larger gaps but also more exposure putting the blade at an angle that was more perpendicular to my face - almost scraping skin off. The Timeless 0.68 was unique because it presents the blade at a more shallow angle due the the extreme bending of the blade around the base plate. This was great for WTG but posed problems ATG as the blade was more prone to slide under the hair and into my follicle. I don't know the other razors that have this higher gap to exposure ratio like the Wolfman but I absolutely love it. I'm thinking the 1.05 or maybe even a 1.15 would be an interesting thing to try next but it will be a long time till he gets toward that part of the waiting list.

While I can only speak to the peculiarities of my face, I really appreciate this thread and I hope this helps someone in their Wolfman journey.

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#2,893
[font=Roboto, sans-serif]Expected delivery:Wednesday, Jan. 29[/font]

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#2,894
(01-20-2020, 06:33 PM)Rakkasans 2187 Wrote: [font=Roboto, sans-serif]Expected delivery:Wednesday, Jan. 29[/font]
Congratulations for the news.
#2,895
(This post was last modified: 01-22-2020, 03:28 AM by Dragonsbeard.)
(01-18-2020, 02:23 PM)LOOT Wrote: Dragonsbeard  Frankie, was the first person I saw mention variations to BBS.  He has a level system 1, 2, or 3 to rate his shaves.  I don't know the definitions, maybe he can chime in...but yeah, all BBS shaves are not created equal.  It's seems like an odd concept but totally true. 

The duration of the shave is how I can definitively tell you one razor cuts closer than the other.


James and members I'm sorry it took so long to get this up but I've been working a lot of hours and also trying to get the World Shave Off Showdown up on here and this explanation will also be in there as well but since this thread is so extensive and all about Wolfman razors I think it needs to be in here all by itself.  First off some may or my not agree with my definition of a BBS shave but it works for me and it's easy to reference the types of BBS Shaves I get when writing up a Shave Off or review. I do believe that all BBS Shaves are not equal as James put it so hopefully this system I came up with works for you as good as it does for me. Also please feel free to ask any questions on it.



I have categorized BBS shaves which I use when describing the results of a BBS shave I get from each razor I use especially when doing my Shave Offs as the members who followed the thread know what I'm referring to when I say I got " an entry level BBS 1 shave"  or " a solid level 2 BBS Shave " and I also understand if some members don’t agree or have their own way of describing a BBS Shave I want you to know I respect that.  So the number system I use which is BBS level 1, BBS Level 2 and the more elusive BBS level 3. For some I know you’d rather it be about how long the BBS shave lasts. For example a 8hr, 10hr or 12hr etc. and that is one of the bases I use when determining what level BBS I got but when I have to do a lot of Shave Offs and I  like to try and give the final results as fast as I can,  name a winner and move on to the next Shave Off. So I also do what's called " a cotton test " after a shave so I can be more accurate in my description like I mentioned immediately after the Shave Off. I got a little case of OCD and when I started to look into this method I found it worked for me and took me about 6 months to get it down pat. 

So how do you do a cotton test you may be asking and it's pretty simple and all you do is take a ball of cotton and I like the organic cotton balls better than the normal one as they seem to be more sensitive if that makes any sense.  Then you start to  pull gently on the ball and transform it into a cotton pad a little smaller than credit card  size. After the shave you have to wait until your face is dry and then lightly run the cotton pad across your face going WTG, ATG and XTG and according to your own beard map. I do a little skin stretching when I use the cotton pad to make sure I'm getting an accurate read and also that I'm on a smooth landscape. Generally a Level 1 BBS will reveal some cotton residue in many places on both face and neck while a Level 2 will reveal much less and a Level 3 won't have any at all. My theory is and I've experienced this many times. So when I'd do a hand feel of my face and neck,  yes it will feel like a BBS shave but then when I'd do a cotton test it may show different results. So hand feel alone does not always reveal what level BBS shave is achieved where as the cotton test doesn’t lie. I have done so many Shave Offs now that I can now usually tell by hand feel what level BBS I've achieved only because I’ve become super sensitive to each level because I've done so many cotton tests but it took a few years and a lot of shaves to get there. 


Anyway to make this simple so some that relate to how long a BBS shave lasts here is a little chart I put together. 


1. A BBS Level 1 can range from an entry level 1 that lasts from 4 to 6 hr 
2. A very solid BBS level 1 can last from 5 to 8 hrs
3. A entry level 2 BBS can last from 8 to 10 hrs 
4. A very solid level 2 BBS can last from 11 to 14 hrs
5. A entry level 3 BBS can last from 15 hrs to 18 hrs 
6. A very solid level 3 BBS can last from 20 hrs up to over 24 hrs

Footnote: The longest I've ever had lasted was just over 30 hrs and it's never been duplicated since but I'm going to go for it with some of these hyper efficient razors that are out now.  I will also add one more note. All of these calculations are based on me using my Skin Stretch Technique. So think of using a DE razor like a STR8. If done properly you can drive your stubble deep beneath your skin's surface.

Ok so some may be saying a BBS is a BBS but in my experience it depends on how far under the skin's surface you can get your stubble which determines what level BBS I'm getting which in turn equates to how long it lasts.

If you have any questions on this please feel free to pm if you'd like. 

Great Shaves!    

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#2,896
Got my order confirmation email today (1/21/2020) for my e-mail order placed on 9/7/2019 at 5:27 PM EST for those wondering where you are on the list.

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#2,897
Frank, Dragonsbeard dont know if you realize but your font size is very small, difficult to read on my phone. Great thread though.
#2,898
(This post was last modified: 01-22-2020, 02:37 AM by david581.)
(01-20-2020, 11:46 PM)Dragonsbeard Wrote: 1. A BBS Level 1 can range from an entry level 1 that lasts from 4 to 6 hr 
2. A very solid BBS level 1 can last from 5 to 8 hrs
3. A entry level 2 BBS can last from 8 to 10 hrs 
4. A very solid level 2 BBS can last from 11 to 14 hrs
5. A entry level 3 BBS can last from 15 hrs to 18 hrs 
6. A very solid level 3 BBS can last from 20 hrs up to over 24 hrs

For BBS 5 & 6 (15 - 24 hours) I wouldn't have a face left!!! 1,2,3 are ok - any more and I'll get some serious irritation. I am very happy with a 1 or 2 and am good to go.
#2,899
(01-22-2020, 01:41 AM)Shavemd Wrote: Frank, Dragonsbeard  dont know if you realize but your font size is very small, difficult to read on my phone. Great thread though.


FIXED! 

Sorry about that I didn't notice it and thanks for catching the mistake. 

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#2,900
(01-22-2020, 02:36 AM)david581 Wrote:
(01-20-2020, 11:46 PM)Dragonsbeard Wrote: 1. A BBS Level 1 can range from an entry level 1 that lasts from 4 to 6 hr 
2. A very solid BBS level 1 can last from 5 to 8 hrs
3. A entry level 2 BBS can last from 8 to 10 hrs 
4. A very solid level 2 BBS can last from 11 to 14 hrs
5. A entry level 3 BBS can last from 15 hrs to 18 hrs 
6. A very solid level 3 BBS can last from 20 hrs up to over 24 hrs

For BBS 5 & 6 (15 - 24 hours) I wouldn't have a face left!!! 1,2,3 are ok - any more and I'll get some serious irritation. I am very happy with a 1 or 2 and am good to go.

LOL! It is a challenge to get a Level 3 but it is doable to get one without irritation, nicks or weepers.

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