June 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Maybe that was my problem in my younger consume mass quantity days. I'd usually start with beer then move to the hard stuff and end up hungover for days as well as sick in the process. Didn't do it often. But put the liquor down first, then the beer........is there an alcoholics forum that I could do a focus or rule on?

 

True, but the vise grips eliminate the need to actually remember to squeeze the blade.

Why limit yourself to one?

 

I will do it. July focus starts now. I will keep a pass/fail list. Asterisk means top pick.

Derby - Pass
Voskhod - Pass*

 

Youth is wasted upon...

 

12 pack pre-shave, another with vodka chasers to numb the pain after.

 

Yes.

 

They are ultra cheap. I got my steel scaled one for $150 shipped on eBay. A touch more bitey then a painstick. I blame the thinner blade. Much easier for me to maneuver around the hollows of my neck and jawline much harder around the mouth and chin. The greater flexibility in angle makes any blade work better. I managed full DFS off some blades that hurt in a standard DE Las month. Sharp blades like feather, Kai, GSB, and Sharp Star are like cheating. One pass ATG would give me a near BBS with no aftershave burn.

 

Happy Birthday. Hope you had had good one.

 

June Focus Day 27:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
MWF
Barbasol Floating Head
Stirling Unscented PSB
Avon Leather AS

I may have to call my focus over a bit early. I just got this razor from the local antique shop, so I am going to spend a couple of days with it. I loaded a Rapira PL blade and went to work this morning. The weight of this razor is amazing, and it helped to make this razor just mow through my beard. I had some good reduction after my first pass, so a lathered up and did the second pass. My face was at a BBS level, but I had a few patches on my neck, so I spent a little time chasing the baby. I managed to catch it this morning. I had a little tickle from the alum, but it was a irritation free shave.

I also picked up a bottle of Avon Leather yesterday, which I had heard being described as leather in a bottle. This is a pretty good description. The decanter is a rider on a horse, and I almost felt like an old cowboy after putting it on. A nice, manly smell. I am definitely ready for my day. I hope everyone has a great day!

 

Tuesday Shave

Brush- RazoRock Tri-Colored
Razor- Schick Type G
Blade- Schick (3)
Soap- Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic
Post Care- Crystal Alum
Thayers Witch Hazel with grapefruit EO and M-Bomb
Osage Rub

Wonderfully cold shave this morning. First try with the Osage Rub and I'm a fan, great barbershop scent and cooling feel. This was also my first shave with the MITA and I love it. Wonderful citrus scent, great lather and protection, nice menthol kick. I'm very impressed with this soap. The Schick performed great today, three passes with minor touch up and I'm dolphin smooth.

Now that the Bunny has sadly moved on I'm continuing to focus on injectors. I'll be using my Schick until the PAL gets here. Have a great day folks!

 

Happy Birthday! Your first SR shave went better than mine. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

Good answer.

 

Stirling Finest Badger Focus
I switched Russian blades this morning. The is my next to last blade test from the Russian blade PIF from @NCoxSTL. This blade is a great performer but my alum talked to me a little more than usual, kind of similar to a Feather on day one. It will be interesting to see if this one settles down.
Route 66 Bourbon Vanilla
Stirling Finest Badger
Gillette Big Fellow
Rapira Super Stainless (1)
Alum
Thayers WH
Fine American Blend AS
Have a great Tuesday!

 

Pink, black and blue wrapper?

 

Yes

 

Great blade, as you just found out. It does smooth out a bit like a Feather. Gets better with age. I find myself placing this one on the same level as Voskhod.

 

ok guys, I've seen several references to shaving with a DE blade between two pop-sickle sticks. well someone actually did it a videoed it. LOL

 

Jolly Good June!

June 28

A week of just plain good shaves (and today)


Razor - 1918 Old Style Gillette
Blade - (1)
Soap - Tabac
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip
Post - Alum/Nivea/Aloe

Well, after deciding to do a week of just great shaves I realized I hadn't tried the Quick Tiger yet. The knockoff of the real Tiger from the Czechs. You know, the Tiger that couldn't cut butter if it was melted. But that can rip the beard right out in the process. If the real thing is that bad, how much worse can the knockoff be? And, why in the world are they doing a knockoff on a blade that is already horrible? We know that its main market is Africa, specifically Nigeria, which makes me feel quite sad for even the scam artists who haunt the internet cafes there. Perhaps that's why they are trying to scam us all for money.....to buy something other than the freaking Tiger!!!

Anyway, low, low, low expectations for this shave today. The only razor I have that will fit it is the 1918 Gillette Old Style, otherwise known as the mutilator. It's not really that bad, just hyper aggressive. I tried the Rimei since it has three posts....no go as the side posts have an added piece at the bottom to better hold modern blades. Nice thought.

So, soap is Tabac, brush is the Wolf and I loaded it like it was my last shave. Got it nice and wet and slick. I'm going to survive doggone it! Great lather, grabbed the razor and........unbelievably.....the first stroke was amazingly smooth. What?!?!?! Now, I had my SS and Ladas laying there too....did I grab it? Nope. The Quick Tiger actually gave me a very nice stroke with great reduction. Seriously....smooth baby smooth.

Are you buying that? If so I have some swampland in Arizona I need to talk to you about. How many ways can I say bad here. Let's see. Bad, horrible, terrible, horrendous, terriblay, sucks, double sucks, ridiculously horrendous......you get the idea. Now, while I don't really remember the Tiger enough to compare them directly (as I've tried to block that out of my mind) I do believe this blade is worse. Which is saying a LOT! Between the Tiger and Flying Eagle you have the two worst blades on the planet. Throw this one in there as a contender too. Rough, pulling, dull, abrasive even. So, what do I do about it??

Finish the side of course. I decided to see what it was capable of if given enough time and effort. So, I continued to work on my right cheek. Literally taking quarter inch strokes and repeating. After about 15 minutes I had cleared my cheek and could honestly say I was near DFS. But, as SWMBO will attest as she walked by about then, my face is RED!!! I worked WTG, XTG, and ATG. Even tried a little sliding. And after 15 minutes I had one cheek ready to meet the world. That means at least an hour to get an acceptable shave all over AND with incredible irritation and pain all along the way.

I finished the rest of my shave with the SS/Ladas combo, rinsed and checked out my face. Right cheek is still bright red. Alum was quiet where I used the SS, screaming hot on the right cheek. Nivea calmed it. A little. Aloe seemed to take the rest of the burn down. However, sitting here typing this, I can still feel the burn on my right cheek and I finished about 30 minutes ago. Seriously bad shave, and perhaps a bad decision to push it for a result. But....I got a result.

Could I use this blade if it was the only blade available (and I had a razor to fit it)? Ummmmm, technically yes. Would I? Let me put it this way........if this was the last blade on earth and the only way I had to shave.....I'd have the most beautiful full beard you've ever seen.

Hope you have a great day!!