February '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion Thread

It's nice having you on board in the morning!

 

Put me third in line in case the other two get lost in the mail.

 

Thank you sir. I really enjoyed this set up. In fact all the shaves this week have been really good.

 

Great photo. I like the filter you used.

Route 66 soaps are fantastic. As soon as I use up some of these soaps on hand, a order will be placed.

 

Great looking brush Doug. How did it work for you.

 

Thanks Kerry! I usually sleep from like 00:30-06:15ish this time of year, and my day starts about 7. Earlier days and nights in summer. The lights failed in one of the greenhouses that grow basil and Cilantro. Waiting on a ballast system and cycle control box. Supposed to be here at 730, gonna be more like 10:00 now.

 

Nice filter on that photo!

 

February 2016 Focus -- Schick injectors

February 23 and 25

Razor: Golden 500 Schick Injector J Type
Blade: Chinese Schick
Brush: Maggard 24mm Synthetic
Soap: Stirling Gin and Tonic, Stirling MITA
Post: Cold water rinse, Alum block, Fine L'Orange Noir/Fine Snake Bite


I got a shipment from Maggard Razors. I ordered one of their 24 mm synthetic brushes based on the glowing reviews by @RaZorBurn123 (Review will be in a separate post because @Rufus T. is already breaking out in hives over how long this one looks). I also got an Alum block to use. They have scratch and dent alum blocks for $2.38 and since I was getting a brush anyway, figured I might as well through a couple in. Both were near perfect. One I could not find anything wrong with it or the case. The other has a small hole in one in where it was cracked. Definitely worth the money if you are already ordering something.

On to the shaves. I decided to put away the Canadian E Type and move on to the Golden 500 or J type Schick injector. This one has a longer handle than the others and also the hydro-magic cleaning system, where you flick a lever on the underside of the razor and it opens the head a bit for better cleaning near the blade. The handle has a very nice contour and I love the ribs for extra grip, which I found nice for the light weight razor. I am not the biggest fan of the length of the handle however. It makes it more clumsy to use in my opinion. I think I have better control, especially under the nose and at the chin with a shorter handle. I can definitely see why the long handled version though was selected as the model for the lady's schick like I got my fiancee. It would be perfect for doing one's legs.

I started my use of the J type on Tuesday. I loaded a blade, everything looked good, and I started my first pass. WOW that was rough! Probably the roughest first pass I have had outside of the MEM chinese junk blade. It really felt like it was just dragging along my face. I checked the head, everything looked good, even blade, no problems noted anywhere. Made certain I had the right angle and went for the second pass down my right cheek. YIKES this was not good. Examined the head again and could not see anything wrong. Decided to put a new blade in just to be sure, and see what happens. The difference was night and day! Apparently the first blade was a complete dud! The rest of the shave with the new blade was perfectly smooth and did a very nice job with my beard. The razor was definitely milder than either the G or E types I used previously. Still had a very good first shave with it. It was a DFS+ with some decent irritation caused by the first blade. Alum set me on fire where I made the first few passes with the bad blade!! Otherwise it was pretty cool. I did like the after shave feeling of the alum (except the fire part) overall. I think I will use it and witch hazel in a rotation.

My second shave was this morning. It was with 2 days of growth on my beard. The razor is just too mild to handle the two days growth. It did a decent reduction in the first pass, but after my ATG pass I had much more than usual remaining. I did a full XTG pass and some ATG touch up in order to reach near BBS with the razor. So in the end 3 full passes and a fair amount of touch-up and I could not get the baby. Very little irritation at all even with the extra pass and touch-up. Alum was quiet except for a little peep on my neck near the Adam's apple.

 

Bunk blade for sure. Glad to see you on the Alum train! I am a big advocate. It verifies the techniques in a tangible way.

 

Will do!

 

Planned Day 56 - 90 Day Intro to SR
SOTD - 25 February 2016



Ralf Aust 5/8
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Route 66 - Lumberjack
Alum
TSD ISZ AS

Have a terrific Thursday!
​

 

Maggard brush review

Figured I would do a post solely on the Maggard synthetic brush. I have become a complete synthetic convert and am very happy with the three brush sizes I have now. The Maggard brush, however, is AMAZING! It is everything Kerry says it is and more. I love the feel of it. It grabs soap and produces a great lather while feeling incredible on the face. It is not quite the soap and lather hog that the Kong is, so I don't feel like there is as much wasted product with the Maggard. It has good backbone with some splay. The tips are very soft, but I never felt like the brush is floppy. I used the AOS badger and while it was incredibly soft, it flopped all over the place like a wet noodle. This brush is every bit as soft on the face, but has the backbone necessary to get a good message feeling out of face lathering. The brush is a great size, though I do like the weight of the larger Kong. Below are the three synthetics I have. Obviously the Kong, then the Maggards, and the final is a 22mm AMACK4SHAVING sunrise knot off Etsy. It is still to be mounted to the Ever Ready 100T brush handle, I just have not gotten around to doing it (though I have done some test lathers and face lathering with it temporarily affixed and really liked the knot based on the limited use). The 22mm will be my main travel brush. I love the quick drying aspect of the synthetics. A few shakes and the brush is dry and good to be put up. The Kong and Maggard will get to split time in daily rotation. Thanks @RaZorBurn123 for highlighting this brush.



I have to admit, I originally bought the Maggard brush with the purple marble to give to my fiancee because purple is her color and I am trying to get her to use her razors and all more. HOWEVER, after deciding I better try it out before giving it to her, there will be a slight delay in her receiving a brush to use. A second brush will be on order shortly.

 

Figured it was about time to jump on the alum train. It really was good to have the feedback of where things were good (though the feedback because of the bad blade was not very welcomed!). I think it will be a helpful addition, especially when first trying out razors or blades to get that added verification the proper technique was used.

 

This is a plan...my wife won't convert....

 

Thank you Clint. The knot worked perfectly. There is some weight to the handle, which I prefer.

 

I am going to keep trying on my fiancee (will be wife come April 30!!!). I bought her the lady's Schick injector and the blue starburst lady Gillette razors. She has used each once since Christmas. When she moves in for good, I plan to keep pushing the idea of giving up carts for good until one of us gives. I think the purple brush may just be the "pretty thing" she needs to get more excited about it. We shall see. My daughter has actually commented a few times about giving it a try, so may snag one of my fiancee's razors and let her give it a try, or just let her try the J type since it is clearly what the lady Schick is based off. Maybe if I can get at least one of them to convert it will be ok.

 

Good stuff! I concur on the Schick, it seems like the perfect starter for large area shaves like legs. Very cool.

 

Not quite sure what's going on the past couple shaves. I switched up from Voskhods to Polsilvers mid month. Polsilvers do seem more consistent but... Last couple shaves have been smooth but bloody! First example was shave #3 in my New LC with Haslinger soap. Last night was shave #1 with New Standard LC and Mitchell's Wool Fat. Both shaves resulted in 5-6 significant weepers though I felt little or nothing. Don't know what to blame it on.

 

Bunk blade or it could be the edge was ruined during loading. I have messed up the edge when loading injectors and pay particular attention to make sure the blade does not run across the stops as it is loaded.

 

Did not think about messing up the edge. A couple of questions come to mind. When putting the blade in, how do you make sure the blade does not run across the stops? Just making sure the dispenser is put in properly and not at any kind of angle or is there more to it? There did not seem to be much leeway in terms of installing the blade. Also, is there a way to know before you use it that you have messed up the edge? Is it visibly nicked or scratched up or anything such that a visible inspection would let you know not to use it and install another? Thanks for the information and food for though.