SOTD - November 2021

[Grassy]

Cold Water Shave w/ Hot Water Lather
Pre: Aloe Vera Glycerin Soap Face Wash, Noxzema Cream as Pre Shave
Razor: Schick Type J2
Blade: Personna PTFE Injector (1st Use)
Brush: Omega Pro 49 Boar
Lather: Cella, Face Lathered
Post: Generic Reformed Alum Block, T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel, Clubman Pinaud Lime Sec EDC, Nivea Sensitive Balm

This razor was a Black Friday antique store score. BLUF...this shave will do nothing to minimize desire for future acquisitions of injector style razors!

First time shave with an injector razor was a successful two pass affair. I started out on the first pass experimenting with my technique. I quickly realized that "riding the cap" was not the optimal angle and adjusted to a less shallow angle. Even then, I still felt like I wasn't shaving off many whiskers. I also found myself rinsing the razor more often, as the lather port area appeared to clog up more easily. The shave came into its own on the second pass while going ATG on my neck. Though I feel like the Type J2 is a mild razor with minimal blade exposure (please correct me if I'm wrong), I was able to find the sweet spot that afforded an efficient pass. I was most pleased while going ATG on my chin and mustache, it just seemed to work well. The most odd thing I realized with this razor was during cleanup. I'm accustomed to removing all blades to do a quick cleaning of the razor...no such action required here other than rinsing off and drying.

I've been using a rubber o-ring on the Omega 49 for a short while to increase backbone. I added a second o-ring and it felt even better. Before soaking the brush, I slide the o-ring's down onto the knot. During clean-up, I slide the o-rings back onto the handle for storage and to allow the knot to dry out more easily.

This was also a first time use of Cella. I found it to work just fine, nothing spectacular...just solid. I think the Italians have the croaps nailed on!

As I've previously struggled with the Gem Featherweight, I'm announcing that beginning tomorrow I will be participating in the Festival of Featherweights. This will be a week long adventure where I attempt to become simpatico with these fine razors, much like srqshaver did in a recent shave. I see Grassy already started the pre-festival celebration with his Featherweight shave today! I'll be shaving with a Gen. I Deluxe on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday...a Gen. I on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday...and since I don't have a Gen. II I will use a Heavy Flat Top on Thursday.

Feel free to pull out a Featherweight this week and join in on the festival atmosphere! 

A festival of Feather-Weights! Count me in. I love the Feather-Weight, it was my first SE razor and still my favourite. I'm sure your struggle will be over soon and it will become a favourite for you too.