April 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix&Discussion Thread

CJB
Feather Micro Guard (3)
Route 66 Sweeny Todd
20mm WD Synthetic
Pinaud Vanilla

I pulled out the synthetic brush this morning since I didn't have time to soak the brush. I run warm water into the bristles to drive out the air that gets trapped in there. I think the folks that say soaking synthetics make them work better could get the same preformance by running the water into the knot this way. I believe that soaking it gives the water time to drive that air out and helps it hold more water between the bristles. My way works for me and I'm sticking it up here just in case it works for anyone else.

My lather was amazing. The synthetic brush really makes the Route 66 shine. Every natural fiber brush I've used has hogged a bit.

I started with a N/S pass with no issues. I then started a S/N pass with some scything on the neck and some buffing around the goatee area. There was blood but only a nicked bump at the corner of my mouth. I finished with my normal everyday expected shave quality. A BBS everywhere but the neck which is a DFS. If I chase the baby and get the extra pass and touchups then I end up cherry red with small nicks where the tip of the razor digs in under my jaw. The curve of my neck makes it very hard to get the stroke direction I need for a true BBS. I can do it with safety razors but not a straight or a straight like razor like a shavette or a painstick.

I finished up with the Pinaud Vanilla. Its light and doesn't last too long on me so its good for work. Mild burn on my normal trouble spots but all in all a good shave.

Not bad for 5am stumbling with my eyes mostly closed.



I'm really not liking the feel of the Micro Guard blade. I have to use a bit of pressure to get a good close shave. If I don't then the stubble is about the same length as the guard wires are thick. Just enough to feel and, with my dark beard and pale skin, to see too. I'll give it until it gets dull but I'm not going to get any more.

 

First Shave of my April GEM pushbutton focus 4-3-16

First shave with my new Omega brush (which is massive!!!) Lather was TSDshop London For Men Type. Finished it off with some clubman. The end result was an okay shave. Not the closest but take off quite a bit. And the razor bit me a couple of times when I lost the low angle. One thing about this razor though is it's effectiveness on the neck. I had a better shave on my neck than on my face which is a first for me. I am also finding it difficult to shave the jawline with this razor. May have to experiment with some skin pulling. Let's hope my shaves get better as my focus continues.

 

Thanks! You will get a lot of good tips and support here when you finally join! I'm only 3 days in so take what I say with a grain of salt. The only advice I can give so far is if it doesn't feel right stop....put the blade down and try again or finish with a DE/SE...no one here is in a competition of manliness to see who can get the coolest scar or to see who chickens out mid shave. If it doesn't feel right no one is going to give you any slack for going the safe route.

When do you plan on joining by the way?

 

Nearly everyone has been there with a straight. I didn't have a moment like that until after my first week or 2. I got overconfident and the razor decided to let me know how wrong that was. I ended up filleting a sliver of cheek off. It grew back in and healed without a scar and made me popular with the ladies for a few weeks while it was still visible. I only tweaked the story a little for them.

 

I told SWMBO I got into a knife fight with 30 guys and she should see them!!! She didn't buy it...

 

SOTD April 3, 2016
Shave Den Sunday

Prep: Warm shower
Blade: GEM Blue Star
Razor: GEM Featherweight
Brush: Satin Tip 'The Purest' synthetic
Lather: TSD Almond (sample)
Post: Witch hazel splash, Florida Water, TSD Aftershave Milk (unscented)
WTG, WTG, touch-up



First shave with the GEM Featherweight. Holy cannoli!! That was quite an experience. Honestly the razor was a little intimidating. I was really scared to maim myself, but I persevered. I went WTG on two passes because I didn't feel confident enough for a XTG pass. But the two WTG passes and touch-up led to a pretty close shave. The angle was not too hard to find or maintain. The audible feedback is incredible - really loud! I am really impressed with the GEM.

The TSD Almond soap was fantastic! Loads of thick, yogurty lather. You can never go wrong with TSD soaps.

This was my first use of the TSD aftershave milk as well. Interesting stuff! More liquidy than my normal Nivea balm. I'll see what my face feels like in a little while and if it feels dry to get a real read on it. Seems to be good stuff though.

Hope you all have had a great weekend!

 

Listening to the voices is a great tip. I'll be joining soon, getting funds together and working on a plan

 

I know! I like mine, too. Preparing you for the inevitable disappointment - the label is not permanent. I'm a sloppy lather everywhere shaver and my sticker didn't last through the first week. On the upside, the brush just keeps getting better.

 

Belated Day 2 - Arko April!!!

2 April 2016



Have a great Sunday!

 

That's a shame about the label. I think it may be just a little too big for me. I very rarely bowl lather and it is a little much for face lathering lol. Maybe I can set the knot in deeper. May give that a shot. Do you have the silver one too?

 

I was in my 2nd year of highschool. I just told them what happened. They thought the straight was neat. I exaggerated on the size of the blade. I shaved with this

I told them it was more like this

 

Arko April in Russia!

April 3

Razor - 1959 Gillette Super Speed
Blade - (3)
Brush - Vie-Long 12601 The Pony
Soap - Arko
Post - Cold water rinse, Alum, The Veg

Final day on the Platinum Lux and the Pony brush is up to whip up the Arko face lather. I've never tried a horse brush for this before so interested to see how it works. Horses don't splay like a badger or boar so not sure what to expect. I gave it a good layer of soap from the stick then went to work. And, as I said, hard to get a splay but the brush still produced a great lather. It's a different type of motion as it's more swiping along with swirling, but still got a great lather and loaded the brush.

Day three on the blade and there is a hint that it's losing the smoothness. Just a hint. And, after three passes I finished with a very near BBS, but not quite what it has been. I remember this blade being a fantastic blade for three shaves but dropping off from there and it appears I remember it correctly. So, the first three days of Russiany goodness were just that....very Russiany and very good. Tomorrow we move to the Sharp Star, a more obscure blade, but one I have also held in high regard. We'll see how it compares to the Rapira PL.

Trivia time, boys, girls, and all the ships at sea. I have been doing some research into Mostochlegmash and the Rapira line. Hoping for a response to an email I sent them with an information request. Their website, which works well in Russian but not so well in English, lists four blades. The Voskhod, Rapira Platinum Lux, Rapira Swedish Supersteel, and the Ladas. That means I have another question or two for them but I digress. By running the page through Google Translate I was able to find info specific to those four blades and was surprised to find a common ingredient in all of them. No, it's not steel. I'm talking about the coating.

Anyone who is curious or interested.....take a guess at the common ingredient. Their may be a prize involved for someone.

While you're pondering that, I thought I'd share a touching photo. Ivan found his long lost brother who apparently has been wandering Siberia for years, and they had a great reunion. Buried the hatchet over a lifetime of disagreements. Brings a tear to my eye.

​

 

I'd try that razor.

 

3 months or 100 shaves, don't worry it will improve quickly.

Check your edge and see if it is chipped or folded. We all sacrificed some blood to learn. It sounds like you learned the same lesson we all learned in e same manner. Put the razor down if it does not feel right. Let it heal and them get back on the bike.

 

Sunday Shave

Prep- Noxzema
Pso- Noxzema
Brush- RazoRock Plissoft
Razor-Gillette Slim on 9
Blade- Gillette Silver Blue (4)
Soap- Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Gondolier
Thayers Witch Hazel
AS- Nivea Sensitive

I tried shaving before my shower today, the shave went great up until I hit the shower. At that point the warm water hit my face and I could feel the irritation level rising. I tried Noxzema as my pre-shave today and it worked great, I'm trying it again tomorrow but after my shower. The Slim on 9 is perfect for my beard, efficient and comfortable. Thank you @gorgo2 for giving it to me, I love it. I used cold water for everything today including using it to build my lather, it worked better than the hot. I am now officially a cold water shaver for everything.

As for my April rule I continued expanding using my left hand, it's getting better but still a little weird. The face stretching is going great, I'm definitely getting better shaves because of it. I hope you folks have a great day!

 

I have two foci this month. Today's focus is on clearing the den. I don't remember the name for this SE, well it is a SE. I have two of these one so the decision is keep 1 or they both go. I loaded up the gold one and did my four passes. The passes felt good but the alum gave some feedback, just missed the baby. Let's see if the blade settles down tomorrow or if it is the razor.

Irritation B Closeness A- Smoothness A- Keenness A-


Definitely staying:

Genco Easy Aces SR, hard to let go of cool looking, great shaving piece of vintage American steel just because it is smaller than I like. It is also my only vintage American SR.

Leaning toward staying:
Wade and Butcher will stay in the SR stable until a much nicer specimen can be sourced.

Leaning toward releasing:
Jerry Stark 5/8 SR. Looks great, shaves great just to small a blade. I would prefer to sell this and trade up for a larger blade

Will be released:
Sight unseen Whipped Dog SR. This shaves great but I want to PIF it to someone who wants to get started with SR.
Merkur Vision - despite major coolness she can't compete with an aggressive Futur.
BBS-1 - Give my move to the dark side it is just not aggressive enough to remain in my DE stable. (sold)
Mongoose
Merkur 37C slant

 

I purchased mine in a Marvy brand box from a beauty supply store in Nederland, Texas. It's a model #248 Omega. Uses the same chrome handle as the #48, but the bristles are dyed to imitate the coloring of a badger brush.
It was my third brush, after a VDH boar, and an Omega #98. Stepping up in size each time I am happy with the big chrome handle of the #48 type and I like the huge knot. It works well for my big face.

 

They are all coated with Chromium and Teflon or as they say in Russia, xромa и тефлоновые. I knew this because my face hates teflon and these blades burn a bit because of it. I looked into it before. GSB's teflon is different enough to not cause problems. I haven't looked to see if they have chromium on them but if they don't then that is what causes the burn.

 

I want that razor. Its a 9/8ths blade with smile in a 1/2 to 1/4 hollow. I would like it more if it was a straight edge in a true wedge that size.

 

Its nice to see Ivan and his brother together again. That reminds me I had a cartel enforcer checking my place after all my Japanese razor use. I thought it would get rough until he found my Russian blade stash. After that it was blurry but I'm now out of Vodka and there is a hole in the wall. The only thing I remember clearly was the interesting haircut he had. He may be working for someone else. I smell a rat.