Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

Eric, have you tried rinsing the wax dot blades under very hot water for a few seconds? That will generally melt away the wax. I won’t claim to be some zen calm guy but the wax dots don’t bother me. Lots of other does but not that.

Eric, have you tried rinsing the wax dot blades under very hot water for a few seconds? That will generally melt away the wax. I won’t claim to be some zen calm guy but the wax dots don’t bother me. Lots of other does but not that.

Rubbing alcohol will also dissolve some wax dots.

thanks guys, I will try both the hot water and the rubbing alcohol!

This is the setup for tomorrow. Dave in KY posted about what I will call a reflective shave regarding a friend or loved one. After I read his post and looked at at what I chose, I realized most of the setup is somehow due to him. And I so appreciate that.

Another week in the books! I have started a new system, which I call the "minimal thought put into selecting gear" method. No, I don't call it that. But it basically involves using up a soap, taking a brush based on what is next in line in the brush drawer, and using a different razor every day or so. The only thought I put into this plan is what razor to use. Folks who have read my drivel over the years know I tended to the Fixed Four for a week at a time. But since before last Christmas, I have been enjoying the Use Whatever I Want method. As our buddy Dave says, Variety!

Back a few years ago, I found myself fretting over what to use and if everything was being used equally, and other silly hangups. To alleviate that, and focus on enjoying the morning's shave, I did a weekly fixed four. For me, it not only helped home in my technique, but relieved my mind of the silly stress of choosing tomorrow's set up. Seriously, in mid-shave I'd be thinking about the next shave's setup and totally missing out on the shave I was doing at that time!

With all that said, I have enjoyed many of my brushes and am not finding too many that may need to move on. Not due to the brush being inadequate, but due to my preferences for my brushes. I seem to be locking into 24mm, and more badger and synthetics. As for razors, most modern have left the razor drawer with the exceptions of some Karves, a Romulus, and a Tatara, with a Hawk maybe leaving maybe staying. But my Schicks, GEMS, and Gillettes have trimmed down to those I just love to use and get a great shave from. So this makes me happy and wanting to use them all every day!

Today was my Enders Speed Shaver with the adapter from HC&C and a Schick Proline B-20 blade, Stirling Sheep (I have a hole in the bottom but probably a couple dozen more shaves), and an AP Cashmere (26mm, bucking the pattern!) in a Trotter layered birch handle that I just love to look at!


(sorry, this photo looks huge on my laptop, and I can't be bothered to make it smaller!)

Hope all who celebrate this season, whatever your faith, that you have a blessed week or had a blessed week!

Beautiful brush! Eric, I love your descriptions as they resonate with me. "Majoring in the minors" and learning contentment with what is in your hand in the moment . . . I am very glad shaving is fun, regardless of how much mental real estate we allow it to live in our brains rent free.

Beautiful brush! Eric, I love your descriptions as they resonate with me. "Majoring in the minors" and learning contentment with what is in your hand in the moment . . . I am very glad shaving is fun, regardless of how much mental real estate we allow it to live in our brains rent free.

Well said ewk. 

Eric:  Thanks for posting the brush.  It reminds me of Paul.  He made some beautiful brushes, and that is certainly one of them!

A nor'easter is predicted for tonight through Friday. My last two days at work have been madness. At 8PM when I closed the pharmacy, there were no bananas to found in the produce section! (I work for a grocery chain pharmacy.) I had thought toilet paper was the go-to item for disaster prepping. 


Here is an excerpt I wrote to a friend: Yesterday was madness, and for good or bad, I was getting to enjoy keeping a serious face and telling everyone 30 to 60 minutes if they wait. Oh, you'd think I told them something terrible, given all the sighs, groans, and some arguing (I have always wanted to tell someone that the longer you argue with me, the longer it'll be before your script is ready, but I fear complaints and I am pretty sure I am still tainted in the eyes of my district manager from several years ago now. She is a ladder climber, and too many colleagues and stores have become rungs or have taken to brown-nosing).

Where was I? Oh yeah, grousing. And the phone, often 3 of the 4 lines, ringing almost nonstop. I decided a while back that a call doesn't automatically move to the top of the queue. I'll pick up when I can and ask them to hold if I have other tasks needing resolution sooner. All corporate policies are answer in 3 rings or else, and CVS & Walgreens track how many rings and how long on hold! I would like to believe that as the person on the front line, so to speak, that I have a better grasp of what is truly the most important stuff. And with caller ID, I can see if it another healthcare office calling, and that does indeed move them up the queue. But blindly answering for the sake of metrics appalls me.


Back to today and happier things! The Canadian Schick Type E with a newer Schick blade (2nd use I think), a Muhle STF XL knot in my Trotter Supernova handle, and Stirling Sheep. A lovely shave! That STF knot could be my #1 synthetic, but it's not a competition, so I'll just say I am so happy to have so many great synthetics today, compared to that first Omega S that could catapult lather amazing distances!

And my shave log informs me that today was my 982nd consecutive shave, so less than 3 weeks to #1000!! Who'd a thunk it?!

The snow is forecasted to start  around 10PM here and carry on through Friday. I am off today and tomorrow, so the plan is relax and watch it pile up outside, while enjoying a good cup of coffee or tea and read a book!

Enjoy some well deserved rest Eric and BIG congratulations on approaching 1,000 consecutive shaves !!!!!

Enjoy some well deserved rest Eric and BIG congratulations on approaching 1,000 consecutive shaves !!!!!

Thanks, Dave!

A nor'easter is predicted for tonight through Friday. My last two days at work have been madness. At 8PM when I closed the pharmacy, there were no bananas to found in the produce section! (I work for a grocery chain pharmacy.) I had thought toilet paper was the go-to item for disaster prepping. 


Here is an excerpt I wrote to a friend: Yesterday was madness, and for good or bad, I was getting to enjoy keeping a serious face and telling everyone 30 to 60 minutes if they wait. Oh, you'd think I told them something terrible, given all the sighs, groans, and some arguing (I have always wanted to tell someone that the longer you argue with me, the longer it'll be before your script is ready, but I fear complaints and I am pretty sure I am still tainted in the eyes of my district manager from several years ago now. She is a ladder climber, and too many colleagues and stores have become rungs or have taken to brown-nosing).

Where was I? Oh yeah, grousing. And the phone, often 3 of the 4 lines, ringing almost nonstop. I decided a while back that a call doesn't automatically move to the top of the queue. I'll pick up when I can and ask them to hold if I have other tasks needing resolution sooner. All corporate policies are answer in 3 rings or else, and CVS & Walgreens track how many rings and how long on hold! I would like to believe that as the person on the front line, so to speak, that I have a better grasp of what is truly the most important stuff. And with caller ID, I can see if it another healthcare office calling, and that does indeed move them up the queue. But blindly answering for the sake of metrics appalls me.


Back to today and happier things! The Canadian Schick Type E with a newer Schick blade (2nd use I think), a Muhle STF XL knot in my Trotter Supernova handle, and Stirling Sheep. A lovely shave! That STF knot could be my #1 synthetic, but it's not a competition, so I'll just say I am so happy to have so many great synthetics today, compared to that first Omega S that could catapult lather amazing distances!

And my shave log informs me that today was my 982nd consecutive shave, so less than 3 weeks to #1000!! Who'd a thunk it?!

The snow is forecasted to start  around 10PM here and carry on through Friday. I am off today and tomorrow, so the plan is relax and watch it pile up outside, while enjoying a good cup of coffee or tea and read a book!

Woohoo... 1000 is quite a milestone! I'll be watching the countdown.

Sounds like you need those two days away. Stay warm and dry and enjoy your time at home Eric!

(And watch out for that Omega catapult)

A nor'easter is predicted for tonight through Friday. My last two days at work have been madness. At 8PM when I closed the pharmacy, there were no bananas to found in the produce section! (I work for a grocery chain pharmacy.) I had thought toilet paper was the go-to item for disaster prepping. 


Here is an excerpt I wrote to a friend: Yesterday was madness, and for good or bad, I was getting to enjoy keeping a serious face and telling everyone 30 to 60 minutes if they wait. Oh, you'd think I told them something terrible, given all the sighs, groans, and some arguing (I have always wanted to tell someone that the longer you argue with me, the longer it'll be before your script is ready, but I fear complaints and I am pretty sure I am still tainted in the eyes of my district manager from several years ago now. She is a ladder climber, and too many colleagues and stores have become rungs or have taken to brown-nosing).

Where was I? Oh yeah, grousing. And the phone, often 3 of the 4 lines, ringing almost nonstop. I decided a while back that a call doesn't automatically move to the top of the queue. I'll pick up when I can and ask them to hold if I have other tasks needing resolution sooner. All corporate policies are answer in 3 rings or else, and CVS & Walgreens track how many rings and how long on hold! I would like to believe that as the person on the front line, so to speak, that I have a better grasp of what is truly the most important stuff. And with caller ID, I can see if it another healthcare office calling, and that does indeed move them up the queue. But blindly answering for the sake of metrics appalls me.


Back to today and happier things! The Canadian Schick Type E with a newer Schick blade (2nd use I think), a Muhle STF XL knot in my Trotter Supernova handle, and Stirling Sheep. A lovely shave! That STF knot could be my #1 synthetic, but it's not a competition, so I'll just say I am so happy to have so many great synthetics today, compared to that first Omega S that could catapult lather amazing distances!

And my shave log informs me that today was my 982nd consecutive shave, so less than 3 weeks to #1000!! Who'd a thunk it?!

The snow is forecasted to start  around 10PM here and carry on through Friday. I am off today and tomorrow, so the plan is relax and watch it pile up outside, while enjoying a good cup of coffee or tea and read a book!

Woohoo... 1000 is quite a milestone! I'll be watching the countdown.

Sounds like you need those two days away. Stay warm and dry and enjoy your time at home Eric!

(And watch out for that Omega catapult)

Hilarious! I loved that movie!