Slow Strokes and Thank Yous

As planned, I took the Super-Max Titanium (SMT) blade into uncharted territory this morning, using it for the eighth shave. It was a good shave, and otherwise uneventful. My first pass was with the Merkur 15C open-comb razor, which, though a mild shaver, has been harsh on my skin when used for multiple passes. However, I find it is a good instrument for a standard, one-pass shave (which I almost never do) as well as for a first pass in a two-pass shave (which I almost always do). After the first pass, I used the 15C for a few extra touch-up strokes under my jaw line, then transferred the SMT blade to my mild finishing razor for the final pass and any clean-up strokes.

I find that the key to a two-pass shave that goes from a with-grain first pass directly to an against-grain second pass is slow, deliberate strokes during the second pass. These slow strokes can also be helpful during the first pass when shaving injured or otherwise sensitive areas.

I have given up on achieving baby-smooth-shave outcomes. My beard and skin make that goal a high-risk and low-probability outcome. Yet, with more modest ambition, I am actually able to achieve a rewarding and still-very-close shave in two full passes with some extra touch up, and still have my skin in good shape -- day after day.

Today I capped the shave with some tea-tree (astringent) lotion, which I like for its pleasant citrus bouquet. Then after that dried, I applied some Aveeno fragrance-free moisturizer topped with some Aqua Velva musk after-shave lotion. (The musk version is not as initially pleasant to my nose as the ice blue, but it's fine after a short while -- and I have to use the stuff up anyway.)

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Tomorrow is the ninth shave with the SMT blade in the c.1948 Tech for the first pass. As usual, looking forward to that one.

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It occurred to me that I owe thanks to those who have provided useful information and food for thought in my shaving endeavors. Also there are those who have supported my humble blog. Below is a short list of kind and hard-working characters to whom I say thanks:

• Gotta start with Mantic59, the Sharpologist, who is recognized far and wide for his fine, informative videos and his interesting web site. Thanks, big guy!
• Also want to extend a thank you to Shawnsel and his peers who have striven to accumulate and make available objective data on razors and related stuff.
• Thanks to those who take the time to post comments on my blog site. It's always nice to get input from others.
• Thanks, of course, to regular readers of this blog. I appreciate the fact that you take a few minutes from time to time to review my articles.
• Finally for the moment, I want to thank Bruce Everiss, the Brit who wrote the blog, BruceOnShaving.com. He no longer posts new shaving articles, but has kept his blog going for those who might review his significant archive. He was the first to make me aware of the potential for using more than one razor for a shave. In that sense he is the intellectual father for my preferred method of a two-pass, two-razor daily shave.

That's it for today. Happy shaving!