August 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Update following shave... dry hands before handling MWF in ceramic dish. RIP dish.

Thank god I have 2 more as back ups

 

Sadly I don't think one city could stand up to our antics in shaving. Not enough quikclot available.

I've seen the weather reports for up there. If I wanted that much heat I want it on a beach with a nice sea breeze. Explains why I'm moving south to the FL beach.

 

Awesome Adjustable Arko August!!!!

August 3

Grand Blade Trial


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

Final day on the Royal Red and I had planned to post this earlier. Now that I can access the board from work it's easier but.....forgot today started a new quarter for us and my Area Manager would be around to go over last quarter's numbers and all that stuff. So, here we go.

This has been an interesting blade to use and dig into a bit. I appreciate the input several of you have had on its origins and also how it works. Pretty obvious that they are much more interested in the barber market and shavettes but if you need to shave and this is the only blade at least it's workable for that. So far anyway.

Today was the wide open Slim and my curiosity was high. Would it be better or worse with the extra aggression? From 2 to 6 it performed better but also added some irritation. Ran the horse through the lather and started the shave.

Pass one - WTG - and one of two things is going on. Either the added gap did decrease the smoothness again or else the blade is getting tired. Definitely rougher than yesterday and noticeably so. Reduction was good but not that much better than yesterday to me. Second pass - XTG - and still rougher and again, not a huge improvement over yesterday. Final ATG and Gillette Slide and I'm pretty sure the alum is going to bark today.

The actual result of the shave was a near BBS. I could probably be generous and give it the baby, but with that feel it doesn't deserve it. Too rough. Again, not so bad you have to stop but definitely getting rougher as we get more aggressive with the razor (and/or the blade ages). The thought went through my head that if they are making these for the shavette market they may not care about longevity. After all, barbers are supposed to toss them after one use or one customer I suppose. So who cares if it lasts three days? Well, I do. And, if they really are making them to last only one shave per customer then that's a problem for me. To be honest I'm not sure what you'd do to limit a blades life but, you never know.

Oh, the alum was definitely noticeable today. Ouch. Not searing hot but a nice slow burn all around. Certainly some all over irritation.

Tomorrow we move on to the Gillette Stainless. It's a Russian from St. Pete's so should be a pretty nice three days ahead. Time will tell. Hope you all had a good Wednesday.

​

 

How about a nice beach (with a few rocks and stuff) and a nice river breeze? You know, that rotten fish/muddy/rotting dead body smell that the Mississippi can so easily provide? Mmmmmmmm good!

 

You forget that I've been there. I'm good without that experience again. The FL beach isn't much better with the blue algae blooms. But at least it's home for me.

 

3 August 2016

I really like the Route 66 shave soap. The Twisted Tweed is yet another excellent product.

 

Congrats on surviving the Royal Red without leaking any red!

Sent from my Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

 

One comment on your testing methodology. For me, I would be running this test in the opposite direction, with a fresh blade at wide open. Wide open is more prone to irritation, and a third use on a possibly crapptastic blade would only make that worse. I humbly suggest when you get a bad one on the last day, you re-run a fresh blade at wide open and see how it goes?

 

I've had the same thought. Actually I thought at first of using a fresh blade all three shaves. Probably more scientifically consistent (if there is such a thing with blade trials) but seemed a bit overkill. This may be a case where I should consider it though. Noted.

 

Softer steel, maybe? Think of a continuum with the Personna 74 at one end and the Tiger at the other.

 

Makes sense.

 

I unfortunately had no power this morning so no shave for me today with the Royal Red. I will either shave tonight or in the morning. My blade was giving me irritation the second time when set on 6. So to rule out a blade going bad quickly I will use a new blade for the next shave at 9 and see how it does. Sadly it is the only remaining Royal Red I have.

 

Great soap! Twisted Tweed is my second favorite scent behind Sweeney Todd.

 

August Straight Focus
I have the week off and my wife was not home today so I broke out the honing gear. First step was to lap the hones with the DMT. I relied heavily on Glen's @gssixgun videos to get things setup and ready to go.

I started out with a Naniwa S1000 and progressed through Norton 4000 and 8000 stones.
This picture is the bevel on the Adoration razor.

I honed three razors and then ran them ten laps on felt with diamond spray followed by 50 on leather.

Now it was time for the shave test. All three razors shaved a little differently. The Adoration is a $&@! Spike point and scratched me right in front of the ear. The Kikuboshi performed the best. And the Union Razor was the a very nice sounding blade. All three weren't cutting as well as some of my professionally honed razors. So I decide to do some more work on them.
I have a Kitayama fine stone that I purchased for my Japanese knives that was still new in box. I understand that this stone is a very nice stone that is equivalent to a 10K. I lapped it, created a slurry with the Nagura, and honed them a little more. I followed with the same stropping routine. I also muted the Adoration
I sharpened one of my knives while I was at it.


Unfortunately I had no whiskers left for a shave test, and do not shave other parts of my body, so these razors are up for tomorrow morning.
I also restored a strop this week. It's fun being on vacation.
Have fun!

 

Great job! It sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day.

 

Thanks! It was. I enjoyed it a lot and look forward to more practice.
I refurbished this strop and will use it with its matching razor tomorrow.

 

And of you brings lots, a level 4 plate for your vest is highly suggested.

It's the 'Lou.

 

Also @NCoxSTL

Lower grade steel coupled with understood obsolescence after 1 use, for the Barber market, would be Occam's choice in razors here.

 

Oh I'd keep you safe. I sold for ADT all over the City and County. I know the neighborhoods to avoid, since I've walked them all. They'd probably still recognize me as just some overeager sales guy so just say right in front of me and all will be fine. You can trust me, right?

 

What's the worst that could happen?