August 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Thank you Jared. That photo was taken on and iPhone 7+. I did use the phone to edit the photo by adding a vignette that made the granite darker. Between the phone and the Mac I have gotten better editing the photos.

I hope your day goes better today.

 

Thank you Jim.

 

Great picture. Congrats on finishing the sample. At that rate a full tub would last you a lifetime.

 

Thanks, Clint. I fear you are right! I have three full tubs of Soap Commander as well as all my other soaps. Too many soaps and too little time.

 

Or you could go with a more modern and technologically up to date explanation. During World War 2, the Allied air forces developed the concept of "gremlins" for precisely this purpose...

 

Thursday morning August 17

Rockwell 6s on plate #3 / Topaz Platinum ( 2 )
Canadian Rubberset 100V (probably - no model #) reset with Maggards 22mm plissoft knot
Kent / MWF in wooden tub
Alum and Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-free Rose Petal

Continuing my developing mini focus on currently ignored brushes, I hauled out the medium green Rubberset today. The handle is quite minty vintage Rubberset and the knot is a quality plissoft synthetic. It actually has a bit of heft to it -- I'm not sure now but I think I loaded the hollow handle with a few nickels or quarters when I reknotted it. It did a good job loading and bowl lathering the Fat and then painting it onto my face.

Anyway, it was a good lather from The Fat, leading to a good two-pass near BBS shave from the Rockwell. One spark from the alum when it hit the nick I put in my lower lip two days ago but otherwise no complaints. The rose-scented Thayers provided a very pleasant and mild scent for awhile afterwards.

For some reason, though, I am just not wildly enthused about either of my restored vintage plastic brushes, neither this morning's Rubberset nor a Simms I reknotted with a 22mm Maggards black fibre knot. They are good condition, solid handles of classic design and now sport top-quality synthetic knots. But I just don't seem to warm to them the way I do to my wooden or metal handled brushes, or even my modern acrylic one. Maybe it's time I PIFed them -- perhaps enter them as raffle prizes in the next TSD raffle?

 

Beautiful shot Jim! That's a keeper. Hope those guys had a great day.

 

August 17, 2017

Ever Ready C-40 with Envy White Two Band
Panna Crema Nuavia Verde
Blackland Blackbird OC with TRIAD Ti
Polsilver Super Iridium
Folsom Shambala
Brooks Brothers Classic

​

 

Great effects Jim!

 

Sweet shot amigo!

 

Thank you, Mark!

 

Great picture, Mark! That handle is pretty.

 

Thank you! Enjoy your day, Mark!

 

HOOAH!!

 

Now that we're in the back half of August, it's time for me to get used to having the same aftershave and/or cream/soap a few days consecutively. Not quite ready to pull up the Clubman, Rte 66, WSP(plus new additions that I will be ordering later as part of my "Mad Rush To NB18"), but I doubt you'll see many more "today it was this, tomorrow that" in my SOTD offerings. ()h yeah, I still have some TSD Russian Leather AS to work on, too.

 

August 17, 2017

Razor: Schick '500' Injector
Blade: Schick Proline B
Brush: Razorock Plissoft 22
Cream: KMF fragrance-free
Post: Alum, Listerine, WH

I didn't get around to posting yesterday, but today is the third shave with the Schick '500' and the Proline B. Yesterday's shave was a bit too close with a bit of burn from the Alum and two weepers. Today's was smooth and issue free. Both were BBS or close enough for me.

Tomorrow, of course, is Fatboy Friday!

 

Day 6 of 30 with the Timeless Ti 0.68, Voskhod, and Arko lathered with the SOC boar followed by alum, witch hazel, and Nivea ASB:

Really nothing to report! This combo continues to deliver irritation-free 3 pass with buffing shaves at DFS+/BBS-. I've ordered the 0.95 OC baseplate for the Timeless so when it arrives, I'll most likely add it to the Focus. With the additional aggressiveness of the 0.95, I would think one of the passes will be foregone to obtain the same closeness result achieved by the 0.68 plate in three passes. I'll probably start out by trying XTG and XTG with buffing for the 0.95. Had I known the Timeless would turn out to be such a good match for my face, I would have selected a slightly more difficult razor for the Focus. The goal I set out with for the Focus, to obtain the same great shaves with a DE that I can get with a straight, is a daily reality now.

One additional note, I've always loved Arko performance, but with the Focus, it seems to have stepped up yet another rung. The stuff is simply amazing soap at the price point. If it were to cost ten times what it does, it would still always have a place in my den. At $1.25 a stick, it's a no-brainer. The eau de urinal scent still not my favorite, but performance is simply top-notch.

 

I'm seriously looking forward to your comments on that one (STD-301). I know I don't have the frame of reference to quantify what goes on with that blade.

 

17 August 2017 Sure Happy It's Thursday Adjustable August Shave

Pre: Acqua molto calda, some soap from the puck and a hot towel
Razor: 1971 Gillette "Black Beauty"
Blade: Voskhod, 'Nuff said
Brush: Rubberset 303
Soap: Barberia Toscana sapone da barba
Post: Hot/Cold water rinse, alum block, cold towelx2
After Shave: Cella Lozione Dopobarba

This morning, I used the soap my lovely bride brought me back from Italy. I'm going to do a review in the Shave Soaps thread, suffice to say this was a very nice soap. Lathered easily was slick and smelled "sporty" to me.
The Black Beauty/Voskhod combo is still delivering shaving excellence. 2.5 passes and I had a near BBS face. Smooth, and nicely moisturized.
Splashed on some Cella A/S and feeling and smelling like a proper Italian gent, headed off to another day in my little metal box.
Avere un grande giorno amici

 

Great looking brush. I remember that one

Thank you Mark.