March '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion Thread

SOTD March 4, 2016
March focus shave 4

Prep: Warm shower
Blade: Personna lab blue (4)
Razor: Maggard MR1 handle with V2 open comb
Brush: Omega 10049 boar
Lather: Soap Commander Vision
Post: Witch hazel splash, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

Nice shave this morning. CCS results with one pass and touch-up on the neck area mainly. Soap Commander Vision has a fresh, minty scent that I really enjoy. Of course it lathers up nicely and provides great slickness and protection. The Omega brush is a big boar and whips up tons of lather with little time and effort.

I get great results with the V2 open comb from Maggard. My razor choice is pretty limited but I think the MR1 handle with V2OC would be my main choice or daily shaver. It's an efficient razor.

This Vision soap is a sample. I think I've shaved with it five or six times and can probably get two or three more shaves out of it. That's a long life for a sample! I'm eager to try some of their other scents, particularly Endurance. I have several more samples to enjoy.

Happy Friday to everyone!

 

SOTD
March 4, 2016
Prep: Hot Shower. Noxzema
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
Blade: Ladas
Lather: The Strop Shoppe Russian Tea
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft Disruptor
Post: Thayers Rose Petal WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Folsom & Co. Black Powder
Great shave. New soap, The Strop Shoppe Russian Tea is amazing. A beautiful orange, clove and spice filled shave of love. This soap is a top performers! Easy to lather, very slick, plenty of cushion, outstanding post shave skincare. I almost didn't want to use an aftershave. If you don't have TSS I highly recommend this one, and you better hurry as they are going out of business
The Aristocrat. The best Gillette ever made.
It's hard not to like the RR Plissoft line of brushes.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

@Bama Samurai managed nearly a month on a single GSB. If I remember correctly he changed it from boredom more than need. I've only stretched them out 5 days but I'm afraid to try more.

 

Yes, it has really broke in nicely. I can't really compare it against much yet, but I like it.

 

Ha ha.

 

You really seem to making quick progress with the straight! Congrats!

 

Injector Focus
I got a little distracted today by my new brush. My Jayaruh #44 arrived last night and it's purty. I lathered up some Route 66 with it and got a great shave on day five with a Chick blade.
SOTD
Route 66 Retro Spice
Jayaruh brush
Schick E-2
Chick blade (5)
Alum
Ogallala Bay Rum AS
Happy Friday!

 

Thanks. I must have used one in a past life or something. Still a long way from proficient with it, but I don't feel completely awkward either. Just take my time and focus.. It probably helped working on using both hands and skin stretching for a couple weeks when I was using a DE.

 

It took me a while to finally get around to getting an alum block, but it has been a great purchase. In addition to helping like Adam said with stretching and pulling the skin, the feedback on the face after a shave is great. A little irritation, yep it will let you know. A nice well done shave, it is as cool as ice. I only wish Chris (@Bama Samurai) had said something about the alum block before.

 

Happy belated birthday! Hope it was a great one!

 

March 2016 Focus--Gillette Tech

March 3-4

Razor: Gillette Tech
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Maggard 24mm Synthetic
Soap: Stirling Gin and Tonic and Stirling MITA
Post: Cold water rinse, Alum block, Fine L'Orange Noir


So yesterday I did my usual two pass shave again. It was only one day's growth so I was hoping for better than the first shave. WTG on cheeks, XTG on chin and neck for the first pass. Got good reduction on the first pass, but noticed part way through that the audible feedback was not nearly as good as earlier, so I think I lost the optimum angle. It really does not take much to be off the sweet spot, but off a little the razor does not cause any problems. No irritation, but again I did notice that feedback change. (Thanks again to Adam and Clint for the tips on turning off all noise and listening for the feedback, it really has made a world of difference in getting and keeping the angle on a new razor!). Second pass ATG everywhere. Still no irritation, held the angle better. After touch-up along the jaw and the Adam's apple, I ended the second day with DFS again.

Today I decided since there has been absolutely no irritation the first two days I would go for three passes. WTG, XTG, and then ATG. It was a single day's growth again so the GSB had some to get through but not too much. The shave went very well, with each pass ending with noticeable reduction in the beard. After the ATG pass I had much less touch-up to do than I had the previous two days. So did the touch-up along the jaw and noticed a little irritation there for the first time with this razor. Finished touch-up and did my cold water splash. Still not BBS because of a couple areas near the chin and on the neck. Definitely a better shave than yesterday though as far as closeness. However, the alum did have a slight hit when I put it to my right jaw. I think I lost angle in a bit of a hurry to get through the touch-up. The irritation was not much, but the alum let me know there was some. In the end, it was better than DFS, so probably a DFS+ or near BBS shave. Tomorrow I will be able to really take my time in the morning since I have nothing to do until 10. Going to put a new GSB in the razor and set off to see how three passes while taking my time will treat me.

 

I'm soaking 2 brushes today. A new VDH boar brush and my Semogue. I'll be lathering them both with VDH luxury. I don't want to ruin the shave with a brand new brush so I'll be lathering up at first with the VDH then setting it to the side overnight. I'll be lathering up every other pass with the semogue.

Evahs shave 2
Astra SP shave 2
Nivia Sensitive Cooling ASB

I'll be back with full shave report in an hour or 2.

 

Day 64- 90 Day intro to SR
4 March 2016



Frederick Reynolds 5/8
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Jabonman Ylang-ylang
Alum
Kroger Arctic Blue AS
​

Probably the next to last day with this soap and razor. Four really nice shaves. Thanks Adam, once again for the chance to try! This blade is going to stay in my rotation permanently. Done early today, headed out to dinner and NBA with Mrs. Samurai. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have great afternoon!
​

 

Razor: Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip 1955
Blade: Wilkinson (5)
Brush: WDC-3 Silvertip Olivewood Handle 24/67
Soap: Eufros Tierra Humeda (Wet Land)
A/S: Pinuad Musk
Same setup as yesterday. Flare tip is an excellent razor. DFS today. Been in meetings all day. Such is life.

 

2 pass shave with the evahs Astra SP combo. The VDH brush was extremely stiff but it will break in. I ended up using it for both passes and drying off the Semogue. I liked the soap alot it lathered well with a nice but mild scent. The razor gave me a few weepers on the first pass XTG but was much more comfortable ATG. I did not touch up at all and ended up with a near BBS on the cheeks and the goatee area but only a CCS on the neck. This razor feels mild and aggressive depending on what part of my face I'm on. I think I need a more aggressive G-slide on my neck to get to an even whole face 2 pass DFS or better. I think I may need a sharper blade as well. I will give it 15 days on the Astra and switch to the GSB after that if it still feels grabby instead of smooth. The first 15 days should show me some improvement if its a technique issue.

 

As far as boars goes it's right up there with the $25 Semogues.

 

Have a great time Chris!

 

Thanks Kerry!

 

I just completed a head shave, used the same setup from this morning with the exception of the razor which I used a Gillette Atra cartridge.
Shaving your head is much like shaving your face, at some point in the shave you need to decide when it's time to stop.
Today, I stopped at 3 passes with minimal touch up. This is the best head shave I've ever had, absolutely no irritation, am I BBS? No. Is my head smooth? Yes. Does my head look great and not like I've lost the battle? Yes.
Learning to know when to stop is a constant struggle for me not only with my face shave but also with my head shave.
Because I'm in the zone and have a great lather and a fantastic shaving tool in hand.
Comfort over irritation..
Kerry

 

Well done Kerry. I've mapped my hair growth on my head to where I now do two passes..wtg, atg, and clean ups. It looks totally smooth but I know it's not and that's good enough for me to avoid irritation especially on the back of my head where the indentation is.