August 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Quick update...head shaves are a free for all but I will be sticking to the rule for my face shaves. So if on a different thread you see you a different picture I have not abandoned the rule that will just be a head shave.

 

Thinking I have to find a new guy. The crystals make my face feel funny. After the sale he told me to "stay out of his territory" so I guess I will have to go to amazon when I run out.

It came down to Glacial MITA, Tabac, and The Fat. I chose The Fat and asked SWMBO to pick one and she said The Fat or Tabac. She finally settled on The Fat and honestly I would have been happy with either but seeing as The Fat is my favorite soap I am really happy. Tabac will be the soap for next months Rule.

 

Adjustable August it is! I've got my Fat Boy, a smattering of odd blades, and a desire to have smooth comfortable shaves. The heat is frying my brain, but I'll attempt to follow The Grand Blade Trial if I have the Blade of the Day available. Otherwise soap, brush, and aftershaves are wild cards. Nearly a No Focus Focus!

 

Just a quick note...

As I said over in the July thread, my focus this month will be on the razors that don't get a lot of play in my rotation. I started early with the '64 SuperSpeed which was actually my first razor from last September. Early on, I fell in love with the Slim Adjustable and this one garnered the label of being too mild. In retrospect, I think the too mild part was probably the combo of the Astra SP with the 60's SS as I had a much different experience last evening using it with the Gillette Platinum Plus from Walgreens.

After that will probably be my Super-109. I actually like the razor as it shave very similarly to my Slim, but something about the handle texture or length throws me off and causes my hand to cramp. I hope to see if I can locate and address that issue.

I'm not sure where I'm going after the Super-109. Probably, it will be my New LC-based Goodwill or my Thick-Cap OT. I actually really love both, but don't seem to use them as much as my Slim and my 40's SS.

I'm considering finishing up the month Neil-style with either the cheap Chinese 3-piece that I've never used, the *plastic* Chinese TTO I've never used, or the Cadet OC TTO which I've used once and had such a bad experience with that I've been afraid to pick it up again.

Blades will vary with the razor, but will definitely be Astra SP's for the last week. Soap will most likely be Cella, but may vary. Brush will either be my VdH boar or, on rare occasions, my floppy Chinese badger.

Here's to a great month.

 

I will be joining @Rufus T. @Bama Samurai @RyX and others for Adjustable August. I will be using my Executive and any other adjustable I happen to obtain during the month. I will try to use blades along with @NCoxSTL starting Monday with the Royal Red. Otherwise I will be using only blades I have never used before. Soap and brush will be chosen daily but the brush will definitely be one of my synthetics after a month of issuing my VDH boar.

A big shout out to Chris and Neal and all who join in for what this thread is today! Looking forward to another month on the 30 Day Thread!

 

Hmm, no adjustables for me. Just two rules. For the first 2 weeks I will get to know my Ikon X3 slant. And the second 2 weeks I will use my Shake Sharp. Loading them up with my favorite blades.

Sent from my Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

 

I've decided to focus on injectors this month and a little into next month. I'll spend a week with each starting with the Hussy. I didn't have a great shave from it in the past and I'm starting a pass around with it so I want to use it first. I'll also be using my new Semogue 620 brush this month so I can work on mastering it. @Robyflexx gave me some great tips on its use. Soaps will be a rotation of Route 66, Stirling and PAA. I'm looking forward to a great month.

 

Once that 620 breaks in you are going to love it. I have one as well and there is a reason it's the only boar in the den... no other boars hold a candle to it IMO (YMMV...just my opinion....don't kill me)

 

So if it doesn't work out I have both you and Rob to blame?

 

...ummm.... ill just withdraw my comment and hold a sign pointing to @Robyflexx

But seriously man it is a great brush. This is coming from a Badger snob (I think badgers are the best brushes (again just my opinion...not fact) and use them 99.9% of the time) but in all honesty the 620 has proved to be a great brush for me and I refuse to be without it.

 

You have the Royal Red? If so, awesome.....tell me everything you know about them. Totally unknown to me.

 

Always good to try the earlier disasters at least once more. Sometimes you find that your increased technique fixes the problem......sometimes you just verify you were right in calling it a disaster. The second one is usually my result.

 

Well the adjustable part makes it a focus. Even if not as focused as some focuses focus.

 

Badger is next on the list, one day...

 

I like it! And, given my setup again this month....Adjustable Arko August works for me! Two months to celebrate Arko now. April, August....and it's probably good that's the end of the "A" months!

 

Very nice! She is acquiring some good taste there. As to those crystals you bought from that guy? I tried them too. Biggest problem was the fact that right after using anything with them in it I had the urge to use it again. And again. And again. Must be good stuff.

 

But, you don't need an excuse. It's Arko. Feel however you like about the smell, but if one can't lather Arko, it's time to go back to the can. It's great shave soap.

 

Semogue 620. Hmmmmm. Have never tried a Semogue in spite of hearing they are great. Oh, fantastic. I think my BAD is acting up now. Somebody lock my Ebay account. Quick.

 

No argument there. This far into the Grand Blade Trials and not one bad lather. The smell doesn't bother me either. Never has. And those daily perfect lathers make it almost seem a shame to take a day off.

 

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