August 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

BBS

 

August Straight Focus.
I would say that today's shave may be the one that finishes my conversion to the Dark Side. Up until now, I have dabbled with straights and had some fun along with a couple of bloody wounds. Some of you have been very encouraging and I did not give up.
I decided that if I m going to do this, I would like to learn how to hone. I posted my first honing efforts yesterday and the resulting marginal shave. I did some additional honing with a Kityama Fine stone and stropping with a felt strop with diamond spray. Today I stropped the razor on a matching vintage Kikuboshi strop and went at it. I had a very nice first pass with no pulling. I made a slight correction on the blade angle and did a second pass. This made a huge difference and I finished with a DFS. I think I have been using too shallow of an angle in the past.
Getting a shave this nice, with a blade that I honed, was very satisfying. I am thinking the DE and SE razors will be relegated to occasional use after today
Today's shave.
TOBS Sandalwood Cream
Wolf Whiskers Brush
Kikuboshi 600 Strop
Kikuboshi 3600 Razor
Thayers WH
Pinaud Lilac Vegetal AS

 

Very nice. You're right. It's hard to put it down once you "get it".

Angle is everything...

 

Congrats Brian,
It's been some fun watching you and the rest of the Dark Side Apprentices persevere to where you finally "get it."

You kept your nose to the grind stone (or should I say honing stone?) and through a whole bunch of adversity (I remember that gash in your cheek) to where the light comes on and it feels like you get it - and there's nothing like that feeling.

The long, tough road to accomplishment makes it all the more sweet. Well done!
Cheers!
RT

 

Thank you. It was my 30 day brothers that got me here. Best guys ever hang out here.

 

Adjustable August - Travel Edition


Glad I can drive to my current jobsite. No worries about checking baggage.
Haven't used my Omega #98 in months, but it's still a great brush. Good handful of handle with a wonderful knot. Face lathered Proraso for much better lather than my last shave. The Derby blade felt so much smoother than with the Barbasol, altho I'm not giving up on either. Technique triumphs tools! Left the '59 FB on #7 for all three passes and pulled off as close as I get to a BBS. Might be the well water. I should bring a jug home just for shaving! Forgot my alum block at the house, but no nicks so I got that going for me. A splash of AquaVelva reminded me that I had a bottle of Avon Oland to try. Too late. Next shave!

 

Thank you Vince. I was tempted to give up more than once. Holding the blood soaked towel on the face just about did it.
A lot of encouragement from you guys helped me not to give up. The angle, angle, angle mantra didn't hurt either.
Have fun!

 

I totally agree with that!

 

Vince-

You achieved Darkside credibility, for life, on Cinco de Julio, regardless of whether you ever pick up a straight or not.

 

The feeling of accomplishment from learning to use SR might just be the best part of it all! The fact that it's tedious and dangerous (unreasonably so, in this day and age) makes it a point of pride, and truly a skill. Now, when I DE shave, it seems as if the shaves are lacking something. They're almost too mindless. The "zone" experience of SR has me hooked, on some level, forever. Thanks for not giving up! It's been fun to read.

 

I agree. DE razors are kind of anticlimactic this point. I can still get a quick BBS with one, but enjoy chasing the good shave with a hunk of steel. I'm hooked.
Thanks for all of your support Chris.

 

AAA



1959 Gillette 195 Adjustable
Gillette Silver Blue (the toast of St Peter's City!)
Some synthetic brush I decided to try out
That soap, Y'all!
The Veg​

Ouch. Harsh photo, apologies. Days two and three on GSB #1 are in the books. GSB is smooth from the start, and this edge is still holding up to a FB on 9. Now, when using a wide open 195 with a very sharp blade, riding the cap is a game plan and not just an option. Today I rolled off the cap (allowed handle to drop toward floor) while going WTG under the nose. Angle is the everything, and a few drops of crimson provided a stark reminder of lessons lost. DE is still a very sharp blade, and dare I say it, my technique is not as tight with a TTO as it used to be? Probably. This blade gets another day, and the shave was near BBS on 2+ passes, one aforementioned issue. Skipped alum, and just used some of that Hungarian Cavalry magic. Today...the temperature didn't break 75. Love that in August. Jalapeños are coming in strong now, my puppy is a year old, and I am still here. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.
​

Have a fabulous Friday!
​

 

So glad you call it support! Just kidding. The cringeworthy stuff along the way just proves that you don't just decide to become a straight razor user. You kinda earn it bit by bit. Makes the victory sweeter!

Do you find a really precise and well done SR session to be the most comfortable (esp. least irritating) way to shave?

 

There is no 'going back.' Once you get hooked on the SR regimen- the choice of blade, the stropping on linen and then leather, the determined and concentrated approach to the task at hand, followed by the increasing levels of success achieved and the feeling of accomplishment afterwards...
DE shaves just seem so...routine.

You'll begin to see those shavers such a myself, who have relegated our DE shaves to maybe one every month or so, as kindred spirits in the SR journey.

 

I agree. My shave today was one of the most satisfying ever. I had the day off and just took my time. There was no irritation and only one weeper where I shaved off a small scab from a few days ago. All I have to do now is master the spike points

 

Kevin, you were a big part of bringing me over. Your SOTD posts were a big part of getting me interested. You and Glen also honed a couple of razors for me which opened my eyes to what a straight shave could be. Thank you for being one of the straight razor evangelists on TSD. You realize that you have also awakened the restoration bug in me as well?
It's time for a group hug with my 30 day brothers.

 

The pull of the Darkside is strong, glad to see you have made the complete transition.

 

My wife keeps asking me why I need 15 safety razors, since I don't use them any more. Even with all the travel I do, I have two or three that I keep going back to.

 

Now I am feeling the pull of the Kamisori, thanks to you

 

August 5, 2016

Razor: 60's SuperSpeed
Blade: German Wilkie (2)
Brush: Floppy Chinese Badger
Soap: Cella

This is the second day with the combo of the 60's SS and the German WS blade. While it is probably not the ne plus ultra of DE shaving, it is (for me, at least) a nicely working combination. A comfortable DFS with no blood and I'm off to face the world.