Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

Today was the Razorock Hawk v3 on a TiBam handle, Proline (5), MdC Nature, and the beloved Fluffy Industries Copper handle with the TNS shoat knot. 
The knot lost a half dozen hairs at cleanup. I must be too rough in removing excess suds. They were all along the outer edge of the knot. But otherwise, this knot in this handle is one of the top boars in the bunch! One nick on my chin due to NOT heeding Mr. Solo's advice


I have a cautionary tale to share. Some of you may be aware that I bought an expensive vintage razor, cased with a strop and strop mechanism. The Streamline. I found it wasn't for me and I had been corresponding with another member who was also looking for one. I repackaged the razor with the packing the sender used (lots of bubble wrap to protect the case. I did insure it, as the Streamline seems to be rare. 

The buyer, a great guy who shall remain anonymous, sent me these photos yesterday. 



I have his permission to share these photos. What was the feeling in the pit of your stomach? Mine dropped to my toes. 

BUT all was fine inside! The leather strop was dry as was everything else. I am assuming the bubble wrap kept it all intact. Which I am so thankful for having from the guy I bought from, allowing me to reuse it. I sure hope I would have been smart enough to do that anyway, but this has driven home the importance of packaging to me. From here on out, the item will be encased in a sealed bag. I have never seen the like of this. I have received items from amazon that had broken or spilled due to poor packing, but this box looks like it was submerged or left in the bottom of container that was open to rain!

Thanks for sharing that Eric!  It's a good thing you went the extra mile with the packing.

I myself have only had issues with USPS, and they are the exception rather than the rule.  In one case, I mailed soap samples to four friends, dropped them off at the local PO (and got a receipt), and one of the four was lost and never found.  Another time they left a package behind a bush, where it sat out in the snow and rain for a while. It should have been dropped at the front door.  We've also either had other people's mail delivered to us, or had our own mail brought to us by strangers, in on case from someone who lived two miles away

So when I have an exceptionally important package - perhaps a very valuable and hard to replace item going to a friend - I use PayPal shipping.  It allows me to choose different carriers, even though I do not have a business account, and the prices are at least sometimes better than retail.  You do not have to be shipping a PayPal order, although in that situation your only protection is whatever insurance you buy.  I most recently used it to ship a pricey, out-of-stock item to a friend, choosing UPS instead of USPS.

Third day of irritating shaves. Minor, but something is amiss. I have used 3 different razors, so I suspect that it may be the soap, which was MdC Nature every day since Sunday. So tomorrow I will use a different "known" soap and see how it goes. It wouldn't be the first time an unscented soap didn't get along with my face!

The brush above I got from Ohio Bob and the Overlander plated in nickel was in part due to his influence and providing photos of how the razor would look! The brush is a 26mm SynBad set to a high loft (which I like but Bod didn't) and in the Rose Gold Fleck handle. It lived up to expectations, as did the Overlander. But still I had that irritation feeling on my face upon rinsing. The nice thing with shaving is we get daily do-overs, barring a catastrophe!

I believe the MdC Nature irritated my skin. This morning I used a "known" soap, Stirling Sheep, and have no irritation other than user error. And that was fleeting. 
Razor: Ti Vector
Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild (2)
Brush: Stirling handle/AP mixed badger/boar

I was originally going to use the Overlander for a known smooth shave, but at the last moment grabbed the Vector, which is super close and smooth but was one of the "offending" shave tools used. Maybe not the brightest move (changed 2 things instead of just the soap) but the titanium version has been wonderful for me compared to SS so I just went with my (ever expanding) gut!

Swapping the Kai to the Hawk for tomorrow, then back to the Vector with the Hawk's Proline for the work weekend.

Now, for the first time in 18 mos or more, we have dental cleanings. Man, I love being tipped upside down while some one picks at my teeth with medieval torture probes while wanting to discuss what I've been doing. Or scolding me for my inability to maintain regular flossing. (Really, floss while watching TV??. Sure, right after I clip my fingernails during the sermon next Sunday!)

I believe the MdC Nature irritated my skin. This morning I used a "known" soap, Stirling Sheep, and have no irritation other than user error. And that was fleeting. 
Razor: Ti Vector
Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild (2)
Brush: Stirling handle/AP mixed badger/boar

I was originally going to use the Overlander for a known smooth shave, but at the last moment grabbed the Vector, which is super close and smooth but was one of the "offending" shave tools used. Maybe not the brightest move (changed 2 things instead of just the soap) but the titanium version has been wonderful for me compared to SS so I just went with my (ever expanding) gut!

Swapping the Kai to the Hawk for tomorrow, then back to the Vector with the Hawk's Proline for the work weekend.

Now, for the first time in 18 mos or more, we have dental cleanings. Man, I love being tipped upside down while some one picks at my teeth with medieval torture probes while wanting to discuss what I've been doing. Or scolding me for my inability to maintain regular flossing. (Really, floss while watching TV??. Sure, right after I clip my fingernails during the sermon next Sunday!)

I think that was a great choice, using the vector. Being a more aggressive shaver, if it came out well (as it did) you could be really sure it was the soap. Good choice and great results. Send MDC to the benches and carry-on (with the flossing).

I miss the Carol Burnett show 

I miss the Carol Burnett show 

IKR! I watched the clip before posting and started laughing out loud, for real! And when Harvey is struggling so hard Not to laugh, it just makes me laugh more!

A Canadian theme shave this morning.

Razor: Razorock Hawk v3 (Canada)
Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild (3)
Soap: Canada Shaving Soap 
Brush: AP Shave Co Mixed badger/boar (Canada)

Very pleasing shave, and no irritation!

Blackland Ti Vector
Kai Captain Titan Mild (4)
Bartigan & Stark Nil
TNS shoat in Fluffy Industries Copper handle

Yup, that 27mm shoat knot made loading in that small tub interesting. Loading over the scuttle helped contain possible messiness!

Vector (Ti)
Kai Capt. Titan Mild (5)
Canada Shaving Soap
TNS shoat in Fluffy Industries Copper handle

Thoroughly enjoy this version of the Vector (SS was too much for my face!). Soap made a great lather and I am ready for a working weekend!

The days of using different soaps to figure out what was irritating my mug got me wanting to mix things up more as I've enjoyed being different from my usual mostly fixed 4 for the week. So I decided that this week, I'd change up the soaps daily. Gasp. What?! But my eye didn't start twitching, so I thought "baby steps."


And then I read that some crazies in a nearby (at least in my bookmarks!) place are doing a Mistura/Mixed Madness May. And I decide to push outside my normal even more by using my mixed brushes on some as yet to be determined rotation. (still no twitch, so I may be okay!)

For this week, the razor is:


and the soaps will be chosen from these

(notice I have trouble counting the days of the week!)

Lastly, today's pick