Greetings Denizens..


The Cartel is proud to welcome you to the June 2016 edition of the 30 Day Rule and Focus thread. After MAYhem we may seem a little tame around here, but we're just trying to heal up some cuts, scrapes, gashes and bloody messes. Well, @Mr. Freeze93 is anyway. Seriously, that guy has to be the winner of most MAYhem of the month. And several other dubious awards. Now, on to June.

As one of the charter members of this thread, from January 2015, I can attest to the ability of the 30 Day Rule to build basic technique that provides the basis for the use of the 30 Day Focus to sharpen skills and develop new skills altogether. Our quest is, as always, to be able to develop technique so solid and strong that we can overcome any tools that may be at hand. The great overarching philosophy is "Technique Trumps Tools." The only caveat....."unless the tools are defective." One can't use a broken blade or a razor that won't lock the blade down and expect success.

My personal mission has always been to push the limits of the tools, and my skills, to find out what, if anything is defective. Most of you have remained sane and found instead new and wonderful ways to shave. Some, perhaps unfortunately, have followed my lead lately, but hey, no pain no gain. At the same time, practice makes perfect, and we have already learned how bad equipment can be and still produce a great shave with proper technique.


Now, on to the facts in the words of the one, the only, @Bama Samurai :


The 30 Day Rule (designed to build solid technique or learn new technique)

1 brush, 1 soap, 1 brand of blades, 1 razor, 30 Days. The rule is really that simple. It seems boring, but this is probably the most straightforward way to learn for a brand new shaver. This is the exercise that really allowed me to clearly see the interplay between the four elements. It is highly recommended for newly converted shavers and more experienced shavers who have a problem that defies resolution. This exercise eliminates variables and will likely solve any problem you may have, with a strict scientific approach.Any thing that strays from these simple guidelines is not a rule, but rather a focus (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

The 30 Day Focus (more flexible, for exploring and comparing)

This is a less rigorous exercise, designed for exploration and comparison of gear and technique. This is the most common exercise on the thread. Generally the elements are rotated one by one to allow clear observation. Examples of focus areas include brush types, blades, soaps, razor variants, or technique foci as a standalone.

These are the suggested guidelines, and serve as a starting point for the discussion each month. Any thematic elements are up to each individual. We believe that if you've ever sought a great shave, you have something to offer. And if you're searching for great shaves, we will definitely try to help. If you are new to TSD, I believe you've landed in a great place. Everyone here participating would love to answer your questions and help you get the most from your shaving. We are very glad you're here! So, if you're new, stop in for a cookie and meet the crew. If this is old hat, welcome back, and let's rock another month out.. I'm dedicating this to be “Jolly June” - a month of great shaves, or ever better ones for those learning for the first time, or perhaps for the first time on new gear, or just for those who want to continue getting great shaves every day.


Rules are the same people.
1. New Member always welcome. Start anytime.
2. Respect everyone
3. Follow the rules of the forum
4. All razor types and styles welcome
5. You may not say anything negative about Russian blades, especially Voskhod. The Cartel is listening.

(Ok, so maybe not number 5)

Let's have some great shaves people! Welcome to JUNE! So first things first.....group hug.....and off we go!

​

Jolly June it shall be!

My plan, with SDS included:

Barbasol
Schick G
Aust 5/8
Rodgers 5/8
WD 5/8

The idea this month is go minimalist, remove all variation other than the blade. In May, the focus was to "ride the cap". This month is blade angle, so more of the same. All razors are the same, right?

As a wrap on May, I spent the month using Sharp Star, sent to me from the Cartel Winter Palace outside STL, MO, by the czar himself, @NCoxSTL . They were awful, terrible, ridiculously bad NOS blades that no one should ever try to find on eBay. Do your face a favor, and leave the Star alone! If you see any lying around, send them immediately to Neal. He thinks they're awful too, and wouldn't want you to hurt yourself with a blade like that, he'll take care of them safely.

(The above paragraph may have been facetious.)

Angle is everything!

Hope everyone has big goals for June, and thanks Neal for keeping the lights on!

Good luck in June!

I get minimalist, but canned goo? Well, that is minimalist. Glad to hear the Sharp Stars were as bad for you as they are for me. Yes, anyone who finds any should immediately secure them, contact me here at the Cartel and I'll give you specific instructions on where to send them for disposal. If I get too many I'll have @Bama Samurai at the Kyoto headquarters help with disposal. Seriously, don't use them. They suck. Really. Trust me. In fact I had to hunt down an ebay seller who has them available and buy 100 of them just to save others the pain. Only took me a year to find him but glad to do my due diligence.

Well guys and gals, and all the ships at sea, what a great month May was around here eh? For those who actually performed MAYhem shaves BRAVO!!! Courage, dedication, and idiocy on that level is noteworthy! June should be a bit more comfortable for most of us as we move on to some Jolly Good Shaves!

I'll be focusing on straights and pain sticks this month. I have the Rabbit and the Gold Dollar 800 along with the Feather SS and CJB Greager on the pain stick side. A week with each razor to go for the best shave possible. I'll post a few pics of the gear up tomorrow. I'm rather bleary and wobbly from the past few days. Whoever decided that Memorial Day was perfect for selling beds was, well, ok so it works out well. Still would like to know how this particular holiday became the annual bed buying ritual.

To all of you who are back again this month....let's keep the party going! For the newbies, jump right in....all are welcome and you'll never find a more fun and knowledgeable bunch of enablers on the web!

Also, don't forget to check out and/or post as well in the SOTD thread. Those guys have some KILLER gear and they love seeing what you're up to as well!

On Barbasol Canned Goo:

I am just lucky, it doesn't bother my skin one bit. And the lather is identical everytime, so it will let me actually spend a whole month with the blades alone. Many people rail against canned shave cream, and they have some valid reasons. Barbasol produces lather that is consistent, and truthfully, better than I can make on anything of a consistent basis. I like shave soaps better. But for science, it's Barbasol in June.

On Sharp Star:

A true hazard. I'll be happy to help on the Kyoto side. A grateful world can thank us later...

Hey! Don't leave me out when it comes to hating Sharp Stars. I couldn't wrangle 100, but I did procure several tucks to prevent the unsuspecting shaver from a terrible experience. Wish I could find some more, you know to help the public out.

Thanks for offering to help eradicate this hazard. Your sacrifice is commendable.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

All I know for June is I will be using the Goose and my Stirling 24mm Finest Badger Brush. So somewhat of a focus. For soaps and aftershave I will use what ever strikes my fancy so that means a lot of Stirling, MWF, Tabac, and The Veg.

Don't tell anyone else but you can find the Sharp Stars HERE if you want to help out the Cartel in ridding the planet of them.

Sounds like a good month ahead for you. A nice and well deserved break from the butchery of May! And those soaps and especially the Veg? Heaven!

Please inform Yuri and the boys that I have disposed of another 100 for the cause.

I am starting it a day early as the Wife is taking me out for my birthday today. She already said I better not slaughter my face today or something about divorce papers...I wasn't really paying attention.

Going to use The Fat and The Veg later on.

You're doing a Soap Focus!

They raised a glass in your honor.

This month is straights and pain sticks for me. I am traveling the first week but will try to sneak in a pain stick shave while I'm in paradise.

Thanks to the 30 day focus thread and all my 30 focus friends helped me achieve a level of skill and comfort with my straights I did not think I could attain. I am now comfortable using a straight and confident of the results I will get. Even when I have a big meeting or date I can confidently pick up a straight razor for the shave.

The thread also provided me lots of laughs and entertainment.

In recognition of the cartel's support we are preparing the next shipment of soju (a cheap Korean version of sake or vodka) to pay our cartel dues.... unfortunately there was a small mishap during the delivery.



So we are sending the new and improved size soju bottles in the convenient 2 and 4 later sizes in hope that some of them will survive the journey.

For June I will continue to focus on technique and riding the cap as I feel it is THE technique no matter the razor or the blade. I will resume my blade trials and get acquainted with a few other razors that I have added to my collection. Looking forward to June!

May 31, 2016
I'm in for another 30-day Focus.

But with May 2016 coming to an end, so does my first year on TSD and as a convert to this way of shaving.
Thanks to all TSDenizens, especially on this thread, for not only your depth of knowledge but your willingness and efforts to share it all with newbies like me. This 1st year would not have been as successful for me without all of you. In fact, without your help I may not have even made it through the year. (though come to think of it, I wouldn’t have contracted all the Acquisition Disorders either! Oh well, life has trade-offs.)

The first shave of my second year, will replay the very first shave I had in May 2015.
(I realized quickly that day, that the pictured Pinaud products did not choose me, so I opted for the Proraso after that first shave. Pinaud still denies me membership to this day, but Proraso has embraced me!)



Today’s shave, pretty much the same as a year ago:



Hot Shower
Razor: Gillette Tech 3-piece “Fat Handle”
Blade: Astra Stainless
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Soap: Arko Stick
Aftershave: Proraso

2-day growth, 3-pass shave.
Wow, what a fantastic shave! Smooth shave, just riding the cap to an easy BBS.

What’s real interesting about that first post a year ago is actually the very first response to it - from @clint64 - probably the best piece of advice any newbie can get. A year later and I’m still with the 30DayCrew and continuing to learn each day. Which may help explain the reason for the great shave today.

Cheers!
RT

Vince, it is hard to believe it has been only a year. You are such a big part of the TSD community it's hard to think of TSD without you. Congrats on the first year.

Congratulations Vince. Thanks for all you have done to make this a better place to hangout.

I'm going to spend my shave time in June focusing on SE razors and injectors. I don't have many, however, I'm sure that will change in June.
I am not sure I will be able to post everyday, but I will follow everyone's progress and post my results when I have a chance.