July 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

A question for those of you who have used both Barbasol Pacific Rush and Aqua Velva ice sport, how do they compare? I thought Pacific Rush was quite harsh and wouldn't want to waste my money on ice sport if it is similar.

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I like Iced Sport very much, good skinfeel for me. It's moderate menthol and smells like Brut 33 and AV had a love child.

I've noticed a near universal trend that, as skill and experience increase, preference for more aggressive geometry follows.

Schick G is a gateway drug. You've been warned.

 

July 2016 Bigfoot Focus Detour

July 29

Razor: 58 Executive sweet on 9
Blade: Rapira Sweedish Supersteel
Brush: VDH Boar
Soap: Stirling MITA
Post: Cold water rinse, Alum block

Another day with the Rapira SS. No picture today but wanted to give my report. This time the executive was set on 9 to see how the blade handles in the razor's most aggressive setting.

The blade is sharp, I mean sharp. With the Executive on 9 it is a fairly unforgiving blade. It is also not quite as smooth feeling as it was with the Executive on 6. But it cuts great and I ended up DFS+ without any need to do touch up.

On that unforgiven part, I managed to give myself a good weeper right on my chin. My wife found it funny that I have myself a nice red dot right on the point of my chin. She called me Rudolph the red chin shaver. She quite enjoyed herself. I will do anything to keep her happy and entertained.

 

Glad you made it back safely and it looks like it was a good trip! You bring any tabacco back with you from Kentucky?

 

Thank you! No, green tobacco isn't really my thing, though I dropped off a pile of cash in Birmingham with @BamaT on two vintage French-made Chacom pipes and some German processed Flake.

Maybe some of you now understand why I don't have RAD. Pipe AD is worse.

 

Never used the Barbasol but the Aqua Velva is nice. A little burn but definitely not excessive. The menthol is also at a good level to me, it is something you feel but it doesn't overwhelm or make your eyes water or anything like that.

 

Pipes and tabacco are not my thing. When you say green I assume you mean straight out of the field or is that a specific type?

My father smoked a pipe for years when I was young and I loved the smell. I just never took one up. I still love the smell though.

 

I'm that way with cigars. I like the smell of someone else enjoying one, but not for me. I've been a cigarette smoker for a few years, but just recently picked up a pipe. Today I didn't purchase a pack of cigarettes for the first time in years. I am sampling several new to me products and developing my preferences.

Yes, sir. I can feel the wanderlust. I want to visit all my razor hunting shops, but to find vintage Estate pipes.

 

Exactly right about color. Pipe tobacco, my faves anyway, are cured and aged. Burley is a phenotype or cultivar of the tobacco plant, as is Virginia. I posted a link to a photo thread in the chatterbox about Burley, the smaller plants are "white Burley" and the larger are "broadleaf or common Burley".

Burley is chiefly cigarette and chew tobacco. Cigarette tobacco is flue cured using heated forced air. This prevents the leaves from fermenting and keeps them bright. Pipe tobacco is largely air-cured in drying barns, and it ferments and darkens the leaf. The smell you fondly remember is likely American air-cured OTC tobacco, and a mixture of the Virginia and Burley, along with molasses/rum/whiskey, cocoa and vanilla flavoring agents.

 

SOTD
7/30/16

Pre: Shower, Nivea face wash
Razor: Gillette Fat Boy (3)
Blade: Gillette SB (2)
Brush: TGN Finest
Soap: Haslinger Sandlewoood
Post: cold water, alum, Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Tonight was a pretty good shave and although I didn't get BBS, I got close. I didn't push it tonight and my skin thanked me for it with no irritation and almost no feedback from my alum tonight. " I love it when a plan comes together", if you don't know I'm not telling. Anyway first pass was really good WTG and got good reduction on my beard. Second pass XTG was even better with a minor cleanup ATG, and I called it good right there. I'm finding I can get BBS shaves most of the time if I want to push it, but I can get close without pushing it and it's a more enjoyable shave. The alum was mostly quiet tonight and after splashing on the aftershave and feeling it's cooling effect I really enjoyed my shave tonight. Hope everyone had a great shave today and an even better one tomorrow!

 

In the Good Old Shavertime!

July 30

Grand Blade Trial


Razor - 1962 (H1) Gillette Slim (9)
Blade - (3)
Soap - Arko
Brush - Vie Long 12601
Post - Alum, Nivea, The Veg

Final day on the Swede and it started with a bit of a rush, but.....at least it started very well. Busy busy day but the shave I got this morning lasted it with flying colors. Three passes and the baby was in the house. A bit of burn from the alum on the neck. At the wide open 9 setting it's easy to get a bit heavy handed and the sharp blade will remind you its there. But, smooth other than that and the blade really showed its stuff. A very nice shave at 2 on the Slim, a great shave at 6 and maybe even a bit better wide open. Gotta love this blade.

Programming note - Yes, I'm very much behind on commentary and other items. They are in draft mode and I plan to start pushing them out Monday and Tuesday when I'm off. Supposed to rain and I went ahead and got the lawn mowed tonight so I'm ready for some keyboard time to get caught up on this project. Tomorrow is a day off again.....think I know what I'll be using but we'll check my mood in the morning. Monday brings up the Royal Red - a blade I've never used and have absolutely no knowledge of. I'll be trying to learn a bit before the first day but we'll see.

Hope you are all having a great weekend! Sorry for the late post today.

 

+1 this

 

July 3/3 Brush Focus

Stirling Mountian Man
The Body Shop Synthetic
WD Brandt 100 5/8 RP
Drygulch #43 Strop
'58 Flare Tip / Rapira SS
Alum / Osage Rub


Spent a good part of my day flat on my back in the shade. Mom's 2005 Taurus's needed a tranny fluid, filter, & gasket change. Merkon V is soothing to the skin, but I don't like it in my hair. Between her mustard potato salad, and dad's St.Louis style pork ribs it was a good day.
After a couple shampooings to get the transmission fluid out of my scalp, I brought out my sample of Stirling tallow soap. I've about decided my one synthetic brush is better for face lathering. Just can't get a decent bowl lather using it. Touched my first straight up on a Cattaragus barbers hone, 20 laps on linen, then leather. Only WTG on my cheeks as I haven't been using straight recently. Finished up with the SuperSpeed for a CCS. I love the burn free alum swipe after a nick free reduction, especially followed by the cooling Osage Rub AS.
Is it August yet?

 

I could swear I posted this once. Here's the link for the August thread. One day left in July!

 

Sunday Shave

Brush- Semogue 620
Razor- Ever-Ready 1924
Blade- GEM
Soap- Stirling Barbershop
Post Care- Crystal Alum
Thayers Witch Hazel
Osage Rub
Bombed Florida Water

My first shave with the 1924 and I'm very impressed. I had a hard time getting the blade to stay put but I adjusted the clips in the head and it held firm. Three passes today and I couldn't be smoother. I think the hair may have recessed a bit out of fear of this razor. Very efficient with wonderful blade feel and very audible feedback. I highly enjoyed this shave. I'm still trying to figure out the 620, I think I'm loading it too dry. I had a fairly thin lather when usually the Stirling is nice and thick. There are many differences between this brush and my synthetics, I just need to spend more time with it. Once I get it loaded with the proper amount of soap it feels good on my face and produces a nice lather. The alum was barely noticeable and the finish of Osage Rub and bombed Florida Water might be my favorite. Have a great day folks!

 

SOTD July 31st


Gillette New LC
Rapira Swedish Supersteel(3)
Satin Tip The Purest
Arko

By far my best shave with the Swede, it performed beautifully in the New LC. BBS, couldn't ask for more.

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July Focus Day 31:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
TSD Lavender and Rose Wheat SC
Gem Junior
Stirling Unscented PSB
Wholly Kaw Chypre Rose Concerto

Last shave of the month, and it was a good one. This razor is a definite performer. I was easily BBS this morning before church.

I don't know that I kept my focus too well this month. I did get use the razors I borrowed from @Drygulch, and these were all great. The Korn razor was a definite different experience for me, but it was great. I also used my Barbasol Floating Head quite a bit, and quickly discovered this razor is a great shaver. I will have to get it replated at some point. The biggest thing I learned is I have too many razors, so that will be my focus the next few months. Thanks for another great month. I hope everyone has a great day.

 

I am trying to decide if I am sticking with the FB or already just gonna call it a shavette month. For my experience and skill level, nothing I've ever tried suits me better than a shavette. Yep. If I only had one shavette as my only razor, I'd be BBS, grateful and happy.

 

Time to go minimalistic and make it simple? The synthetic brush, shavette, and only one blade? And soap? A lifetime rule?

 

You can never have enough razors......said every enabler in the group!