May 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

Just kidding. The BV3 got me interested in Schick razors. Your gift and today's shave also helped out.

 

I'll try a softer touch with the Pony on it tomorrow. I like where your head is.

 

I'm getting bored so tonight's shave will be. . .

Angry Russian
Tiger 3H
Marvy
Peerless Gen 1 Synthetic
Alum
Tears (probably)

 

Yeah, yeah, I know. The universe is taking its sweet time getting that Tiger shave on my list. Good luck with that shave. I see pain in your future.

 

That actually makes sense as my best Marvy lather (minus the super lather) was with my floppy Chinese Pure Badger.

 

If enough of us keep working on it we may solve the mystery of this soap yet!

 

Other than the pumice, Lava in a bar made a really nice lather. If I can lather that then I think I can lather Marvy. I'm going to get it this week.

 

The Lava shave. Slick, cushiony and abrasive. The ultimate MAYhem moment.

 

Mystery May!!
Planned Weishi Day 1 - 9 May 2016



Weishi 9306
(Mystery blade (1))
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Route 66 - Lumberjack
Alum
TSD ISZ AS
Mennen Skin Bracer

Have a terrific Tuesday!

​

 

Tuesday MAYhem shave

I feel like my shaving skills will not be complete until I can master the pain stick. Today was BBBS, bloody baby but smooth shave. Even from the first pass the weepers started the AOS tallow slickness was enhanced with blood and turned a cute shade of pinky. No nicks, no cuts but weepers.... or maybe I had more acne than I thought. Not sure why the pain stick gives me so much grief, at least the alum was not as bad as I expected. At least the Feather cuts without pain.

@Robyflexx are you a fan of Antaeus?

Irritation B+ Closeness A Smoothness B Sharpness A+

 

I am now! Sorry about the weepers Keith.

 

The shave result is in.

Let me start out by saying that I checked the edges of the Tiger blade with the jeweler's loupe. they were beautiful after I finished honing, pasted stroping and stroping the blade. A nice matte edge with nearly no scratch marks. The bevel met and it was just beautiful. I wish I could get this perfect looking edge on my straights. So I started out the shave with this.

Angry Russian
Tiger 3H
Marvy
Peerless Gen 1 Synthtic

I started the first pass and. . .


It was smooth. It was hair free. It lasted about 2 inches before the rough feeling started coming back and, by the time the blade reached my jawline it had stopped cutting hair. I rinsed and attempted it again and made sure that there was no hair being cut by disassembling the razor and checking the lather on the blade. I checked the blade under the loupe again and it looked like the blade had been through a war zone. Chips, pits, nicks in the edge. I was shocked so I rubbed it over a hone dry and saw how soft the steel was. I then wrapped one of SWMBOed long head hairs around the blade looked at it through the loupe and tryed to cut it while I was watching and saw the edge being destroyed. My beard hairs are much thicker and stronger than her hair. I say defective tool. No good shave can be had with this blade.

So what was I going to do with the Marvy lather still on my face? ( I got it to last) I decided to test the soap against a variety of shaving techniques. Here was my complete shave.

Angry Russian/Tiger 3H
unmarked WD straight
Gem MMBT/ stainless Gem
Marvy
Peerless Gen 1 Synthetic
Alum
Gillette Fusion Hydrasoothe Balm

It was Slightly too dry for the straight, Worked fine with the Gem and I am at a nice DFS.

Alum!!!

It was on the list so how did it do? Well this is disappointing but, It only stung at one spot to the left of my adam's apple. The Marvy is more drying than the Arko or Williams and Alum drys me up a lot so I went with a balm to moisten myself back up.

Now the question I'm sure at least 2 people are wondering. How did he lather the Marvy? Well, My kids killed my hot water so I was forced to use cold water. The lather built itself. I used sweeping light paintbrush strokes with a very scratchy but backboneless brush in icy water. The scritch of this brush loaded aggressivly and quickly. I remember people talking about how the water in a scuttle being too hot degrades some soaps' lather. It might make sense. Try cold water and see if the lather maintains itself better on your face. I'm wondering if it was the solution or a fluke.

 

I have a Russian straight that was like that, good for half a pass. I need to send that to Neal.

 

Fantastic write up. It would appear that the Tiger is made of the world's worst imitation steel. That explains a LOT. I just have to wonder where in the world they sell enough of them to keep them in business?! I'll still give it a go if it comes up this month but yeah, we seem to have found a tool too defective for technique to trump.

Cold water for the Marvy? I'll give it a go tomorrow. See if I can replicate your results.

 

If it's good for half a pass it's better than the one I have!

 

They are nice shavers and lots of fun to collect. You need one of each

 

Marvy's law, at work again!

 

I know that it's late but finally got my shave on. and this was the best yet! I omitted the PSO tonight and just went with the bloom water. 2 passes and a clean up. I got one little weeper but when I touched it with the my new styptic pencil it stopped immediately. Then went with the witch hazel, and finally the Nivea sensitive Balm. I got a really close shave tonight with just a spot or two of irritation. It's getting better every day.

I used my Gillette Super Speed, Astra SP blade, VDH Soap, VDH boar brush, Wal-Mart witch hazel, and Nivea sensitive balm. I'm riding the cap on the razor going WTG and XTG with clean up.

I just was looking at some things online earlier and my Gillette SS may actually be a TV special it has D1 date code and it is a flair tip. Any info would be appreciated.

 

No picture and no crazy dangerous antics as I have an interview tomorrow and cant afford to damage the money maker (my face).


Gillette New LC/Voskhod (1)
B&M Seville Shaving Soap
Razorock 24mm 2 Band Finest
Maggard Alum Block
Thayers
Clubman Pinaud Aftershave


Went with the New as I haven't shaved since Thursday or Friday so I had some serious growth to knock back (I was cursed with fast growing facial hair so 4-5 days growth for me is pretty much a beard). Loaded up the New with a Voskhod and hacked away. 4 passes later and I am BBS without a nick, irritation or blood. Alum was silent so I am happy. Threw on some Thayers, let it dry down and splashed on some Clubman. What a great shave..... until I walked past SWMBO........




I'm guessing she doesn't like Clubman as this was her facial expression as soon as she got a whiff of it^^^^ ... Oh well at least the couch is comfy...