March 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by NCoxSTL, Feb 28, 2017.

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Rule or Focus this month?

  1. Rule! It's all about solid technique!

    7 vote(s)
    21.9%
  2. Focus on soaps/creams

    6 vote(s)
    18.8%
  3. Focus on blades

    6 vote(s)
    18.8%
  4. Focus on a razor or razors

    11 vote(s)
    34.4%
  5. Focus on brushes

    5 vote(s)
    15.6%
  6. Cleaning house baby - stuff's gonna PIF!

    2 vote(s)
    6.3%
  7. Shenanigans

    9 vote(s)
    28.1%
  8. Focus? On cookies!

    9 vote(s)
    28.1%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    Man that brings back memories of when my guys were little. They always wanted to "shave" with dad when he was getting ready for work. Thanks for making my day!
    And come 1 April, I'll be back.
     
  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Welcome Wayne! In a couple days Neal @NCoxSTL will start a new thread, but you can jump in any time. If you read the first post in the thread you understand the concept. A Rule is great when starting out. You take your set up use the same razor, brand of blade (change often to avoid dull blade issues), soap, brush, etc. and figure out what works best for you. The rest of us have more than likely encountered the problems you may be dealing with. So you shave and evaluate. We offer advice, opinions, and even actual information. Plus you get to see us in our unguarded, fallible, blood on steel moments.
    There may be a theme for next month, but no one is required to follow the herd. For you it's about dropping bad habits & developing good technique. Have fun with it. That's why we're here.
     
  3. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    Thank you, it was so much fun. The best Saturday shave I have had in a long time!
     
    Drygulch, clint64 and PickledNorthern like this.
  4. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    Love that razor! Brush is really cool too. Love the transparent section combined with the dark upper opaque.

    That razor seems more pointed. Am I correct in saying you have some that are rounded? Do you have a preferred tip shape? To me it looks rather intimidating.
     
    mrchick, Drygulch, RyX and 1 other person like this.
  5. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    Thank you Jim.
     
    Drygulch and Norcalnewb like this.
  6. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    Very cute picture Jim. Thank you for making my morning.
     
    Drygulch and Norcalnewb like this.
  7. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel


    :happy097::happy097::happy097: Almost choked on coffee with this one.
     
    Drygulch and Norcalnewb like this.
  8. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    Thank you, Clint!
     
    Drygulch and clint64 like this.
  9. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    You progress has really been impressive. Congrats on the honing skills.
     
  10. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    That looks like the best day ever. You have great kids. That picture made MY day!!!
     
    mrchick, Norcalnewb, Drygulch and 2 others like this.
  11. Screwtape

    Screwtape A Shaving Butterfly

    That is a gorgeous razor, Brian. Is the handle spalted birch? It's almost enough to make me want to get into SR shaving -- some of the equipment is absolutely magnificent, especially for a knife nut like me. It's the thought of all the daily maintenance hassle that really puts me off. Which, come to think of it, was one of the big selling points of disposable blade safety razors when they first came out...

    But if any razor could lead me to make the plunge anyway, that would certainly be one of them.
     
    mrchick, RyX, Norcalnewb and 3 others like this.
  12. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    Congrats on the sharpening and honing skills. Also the SR shaving ones. Awesome accomplishment.


    I like that handle. From what I have learned from your brush reviews and my own trials, for me that looks to be a comfortable shape.
     
  13. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    Welcome! Jump right on in! This is the best place to learn with others who love shaving. We're all learning something new every month even if it doesn't look like it sometimes! Don't let the shenanigans fool you. We're a serious bunch.

    serious bunch stooges.jpg
     
    mrchick, Screwtape, clint64 and 4 others like this.
  14. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    Yes, this one has a spike tip which can be intimidating. It takes some care around the ear area. I also have razors with rounded tips. While I love the looks of this one, I have to say that this style is much easier to use.
    [​IMG]
     
  15. mrchick

    mrchick Odd, Terrible Avatar

    Thank you. Yes, it's birch burl. It's a beautiful piece of wood. If you learn to strop, you can keep a nice edge going for a long time. Do what I do, buy lots of them and rotate. It keeps honing issues to a minimum
     
    Screwtape, clint64, RyX and 3 others like this.
  16. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    March 25 - Frugal Frank and Rapira is done

    Merkur 34C
    Rapira Platinum Lux (day 3)
    23mm AOS pure badger
    DIY PSO
    Stirling Tuscany
    Alum/ Thayer's WH
    Nivea S-PSB

    With my lathering skills getting better, I decided to see how Che... Frugal I can be with the soap. I only did a 15 sec swirl in the Tuscany and made the perfect lather. It was enough for 3 passes and just a bit. Normally, that would be enough but not today. Tuscany has grown on me and now I think I am really enjoying it. It is becoming my weekend scent for casual laid back days. Still reminds me a bit of fruit punch but it makes me remember summer days as a kid so that might be why it is growing on me.

    The Rapira PL treated me well on day 1 and showed some wear on day 2. Today, it was behaving like the Astra SP that was worn in that it was comfortable but wasn't cutting as well as it had. I needed 4 full passes to get DFS+ needing to replicate the ATG pass for the 4th . I also needed lots of touch up work. During the first pass WTG I needed to steepen my angle because I did not feel much cutting going on. All the passes and touch up work combined with needed a steeper angle I was expecting a very irritated face. The alum was very tingling to the point of almost being hot but quieted quickly. Resulting shave was very good but I decided to retire the blade even though it did result in a good shave. Time is my other criteria. When it just takes too long, I believe the blade has dulled too far to continue use. It was just dull enough to notice it was past its prime but sharp enough to let me finish one final shave.

    Have loaded a Polsilver Super Iridium for Monday. Might try the Scientist with an Astra SP for Sunday.

    Wishing you all tranquil and close shaves!
     
    Linuxguile, Keithmax, mrchick and 7 others like this.
  17. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    Thank you, Frank!
     
    Drygulch and clint64 like this.
  18. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    Thank you. My skills are VERY rudimentary at this point, but I am pretty happy that I can make it happen. Since I don't plan on being much of a restore guy, it is just nice to know that I can pick up an old razor from ebay or wherever if it catches my eye, and make it shave.

    The brush is quite comfortable. Just big enough to grip nicely. A friend from another forum turned it for me. It is actually turned for a 28mm knot. The omega knot in its cup JUST fills the hole, but I liked a boar knot on that wood.
     
    Keithmax, NCoxSTL, mrchick and 4 others like this.
  19. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I used to try to keep track of the number of uses on a DE or SE blade. Now, like you've discovered, there's an expected feel to a dull blade. Sure you can push it for just one more shave. Maybe. For me the blades are cheap enough I'll toss one when it gives the signs it's dulling.
    Life's too short for mediocre shaves!
     
    NCoxSTL, mrchick, Screwtape and 4 others like this.
  20. PickledNorthern

    PickledNorthern Fabulous, the unicorn

    I was in the same boat as you, @Screwtape. I really didn't think I wanted to deal with the maintenance either, but in hindsight, it really (I think) turned out to be over- hyped. I would say it took me a month to get comfortable with stropping, refreshing, basic honing and storing them. I have six razors shave ready now, so could easily go over a month just with stropping. Refreshing a razor on lapping film literally takes a few of minutes, by the time you put your stuff away.

    I spent very little on stones and equipment. I am not saying it is the best way to do it, (in fact it for sure isn't) but I am proof that you don't need to drop much money on it to get started. I also have some stones on my list that I want now, but I don't need to rush, that's for sure.

    The only thing I think is a must is to have your first razor honed by someone who really knows what they are doing. It will establish a baseline for what it should feel like.
     
    Keithmax, NCoxSTL, mrchick and 5 others like this.

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