NOVember 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by NCoxSTL, Oct 31, 2016.

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What are your plans for NOVember

Poll closed Nov 30, 2016.
  1. No Variation baby! Gonna RULE this month!

    16.7%
  2. No Variation on the razor/blade but I'll FOCUS around it!

    10.0%
  3. Gonna do my own thing, thank you very much....because I CAN!

    36.7%
  4. Shenanigans Palooza baby!

    20.0%
  5. Forget this shaving thing....it's really NO SHAVE November, no matter what you say!

    3.3%
  6. I'm more worried about getting in shape to make it to the table on Thanksgiving!

    3.3%
  7. Cookies. Lots of cookies. SO MANY cookies!

    36.7%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    Yes, that is a nearly dream setup. Like my Aristocrat and Voskhod. The Detente shave is one of the finest and most consistent.
     
  2. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    Always fun to revisit the blades you hated early on. It's good to see if the blade really is that bad or if your early technique, or lack thereof, caused the problem. The more blades I try the more I am coming to be convinced that the differences in most of them aren't as great as we sometimes perceive. Yes, there are bad and horrible blades (I'm looking at you Flying Eagle and Tiger) and different coatings and sharpness can make a difference as well. But...in the end.....with the right technique they all can be made to do their job even if we like others better.
     
  3. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    What? Keeping secrets in your shave den? :eek: Why, I'm shocked! Well, ok, so sometimes what they don't know doesn't hurt us. Mine, who is actually very supportive of all of this, asked me last night if I was getting tired of the "whole shaving thing". I looked at the end of my desk with my razor and brush racks, soaps on the desk, blade stash on the other end of the desk and my browser firmly locked on here as I was replying to something and just kind of rolled my eyes and kept typing. End of discussion.
     
  4. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    NOvember Focus Begun

    Cremo & Omega Pro 98
    Fatip/Muhle & Israeli blade
    Alum & Clubman S.R. AS

    SOTD 11012016.gif
    Starting this month off knowing I have another DE and a shavette on the way. I'll try the shiny new stuff when it arrives, but my Focus is on getting my best shaves from my hybrid.
    Cremo does make lather. Not Arko volume, yet its got that citrus scent and plenty of slick for me. Three passes + clean up finds me learning my angle of attack. The Muhle Grande handle is longer than a Fatip Piccolo giving better control making angles easier to see. Less irritation, better reduction. I'll get a FatBoy like shave from this tool before months end. Alum was warm under my chin and neck.
    Slapped on some smokey leather AS and I'm out the door!
    Good Shaves Y'all
     
  5. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Think I am going to keep the razor, blade, and brush the same this month. I will be rotating through creams and soaps as I making progress in cleaning out the soft goods.

    Gillette Tech on a Weber Bulldog Handle
    Rapira Swede or Gillette Silver Blue ( I have 1 more shave on the current blade and wont throw it out early.
    Semogue BC Mistura
    Alum
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2016
  6. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    My wife is also supportive of my hobby. I was just having fun with this. Turns out I already have Personna Blue blades which I think are also called 74's. :)
     
  7. Edwin Jagger Loyalist

    Edwin Jagger Loyalist Active Member

    I'm participating in Movember but that's just my moustache area that I won't be shaving. My focus for the month will be on blades. I'm shaving with my EJ de89 and trying out 4 different blades for each week of the month to see how those do. Rapira, Derby, Feather, Personna. I'll be watching my technique too as I go through this process. I'll only be using Stirling soaps as well with Lucky Tiger Aspen aftershave and Cerave lotion as a balm.
     
  8. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    Which Rapira? Sounds like a great way to spend the month.
     
  9. Edwin Jagger Loyalist

    Edwin Jagger Loyalist Active Member

    I just got some super stainless that I want to try out. Is there a better one I should try?

    Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
     
  10. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    All of the Rapiras are quite good so you're good to go. There are two "super stainless"......... rapira-stainless.jpg rapira-super-stainless.jpg .

    The red and blue wrapper is also called the Rapira Chrome. The blue/black/pink is the classic Rapira. I prefer it to the Chrome, but not by much and it is, of course, a personal preference as all blades are.

    The Rapira Platinum Lux is also an excellent blade and worth trying at some point. And, of course, there's the Rapira Swedish Supersteel which many consider the best of the Rapiras. I, however, would choose the classic, then the platinum lux, then the chrome, then the Swedish. But, of course, I'd still choose Voskhod as the top made by the company.

    I'm looking forward to what you think of the blades you've chosen this month!
     
  11. Edwin Jagger Loyalist

    Edwin Jagger Loyalist Active Member

    @NCoxSTL Thanks for the rundown! They're the classic Rapira but I'll have to try out the others to see which I like!
     
  12. Pierce Jordan

    Pierce Jordan Well-Known Member

    Day 8 - 1 Nov 2016
    Today was my 8th day of my 30 day focus.
    Adequate smoothness.

    Pre Shave: Prorasso + KOS Oil
    Soap: La Toja
    Brush: Omega Boar
    Razor: EJ DE89
    Blade: Wilkinson Sword Classic (New)
    Post: UltraPure WitchHazel w added Lime Oil

    IMG_20161101_201339933 (1).jpg

    Post Shave: Davidoff Cool Water range (Great scent and performance)

    IMG_20161101_201142239.jpg
     
    Drygulch, Linuxguile, mrchick and 8 others like this.
  13. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    Well, after much consideration and thought, I have a plan for NOVember. The Grand Blade Trial has been my focus since July and......will continue into November as originally planned. I will scale it back just a bit this month, however, in order to add a NOVariation element. So basically, here goes.

    GBT continues with only one blade a week instead of two. The next four blades up are the Bic Astor, ASCO Red, V12 and Bolzano Superinox. On the four days in between blades I'll be going straight! I'll use my W.B. Rabbit to start with tonight's shave and use it through Friday. Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be the Gillette Slim with Astor. Then, Tuesday through Friday next week will be the Gold Dollar 800. Again, Saturday through Monday will be the next blade in the Trial, the ASCO Red. Then, repeat. Rabbit for four days, next trial blade for three, Gold Dollar 800, then the final trial blade. That will actually cover 28 days of the 30 so I'll plan on the Rabbit on the 29th, finishing on the 30th with the 800. 18 total days on straights, 12 on the Trial.

    My reasoning behind the month is to spend some time back with traditional straight razors to refresh my technique and hopefully expand it. That is especially true for stropping. I could probably easily switch to TSR's if it wasn't for that stupid piece of leather. Something about that just kills my joy so I need to focus on it to master it and appreciate it as the huge part of the process it is. And, further reasoning is to continue making forward progress through the mountain of DE blades to get through on the Trial.

    Soaps will be Arko for the GBT days, and either MWF or Tabac for the straights. Brushes, of course, rotate with the Pro 48 back in the stable now so that will be a bonus. A/S choice most likely Veg for a majority of the time but other vintage will get in there I'm sure. Alum for finishing and stopping the inevitable blood flow as well as styptic at the ready.

    I'm looking forward to some serious variation and focus this month. I think my switch to evening shaving will add in my skill development with the TSR portion as I won't feel rushed. I'll be able to stay a bit more relaxed and focus.

    NOVember 2016.jpg
     
  14. Douglas Carey

    Douglas Carey Wildman

    Razor: Mongoose B2 w/Custom Made Handle (England)
    Blade: Feather Pro (2)
    Brush: Rubberset 400 Unmarked w/Omega Pro 49
    Soap: Route 66 Cavendish
    Aftershave: Folsom Shambala
    Special thanks to my amigo @clint64 for sending me the Rubberset unmarked shave brush. What an excellent gift!!! This brush whipped up an outstanding lather. I ended up with a great 3 pass and a light cleanup for a near BBS shave.
    The custom made handle for the Mongoose B2 weighs in at 95 grams and is 3.25" in length. works great.
    1 11 16b.jpg
     
  15. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    The brush looks fantastic Amigo. I hope you enjoy the brush and I look forward to seeing it in your SOTD photos.
     
    RyX, Drygulch, Bama Samurai and 3 others like this.
  16. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    IN MEMORIUM

    N Mug RIP.jpeg
    Getting ready for some company in a bit and SWMBO headed for the shower. For the past couple of weeks my N Mug, a PIF from @Shotwell in 2015, has resided on the corner of the tub since she took out the small table that was holding it along with a few things. No worries, right? Well, she somehow (and I'm still not clear after interrogation) managed to knock it off, shattering it into useless shrapnel. I am not a happy camper. This mug has been a part of my shave every day since I first received it. I soaked my brush, whipped up lather, and it was central to every shave. A moment of silence for the loss of a favorite gift and most useful old friend. And then, it's time to Google "divorce attorney". Ivan has already brought me a double vodka martini. Let the healing begin.
     
    RyX, Drygulch, Bama Samurai and 8 others like this.
  17. Shotwell

    Shotwell Well-Known Member





    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    RyX, Drygulch, Bama Samurai and 5 others like this.
  18. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    November 1

    Gillette New LC
    Astra SP (1)
    Kent BK8
    Tabac shave stick
    Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, CC Bay Rum, and Hermes Terre D'Hermes


    This is the same set up I used in October except I substituted Astra SP for Feather blades. A month with Astras will allow me to fairly compare them to Feathers. I have enjoyed traditional shaving for four years this month, and I've used Feathers exclusively other than a Derby blade that came with my first DE razor.

    So, today was my first-ever shave with the Astra SP blade. Two passes (WTG & XTG), and it was a very good shave with no nicks or weepers. I won't chase a near-BBS shave with these new blades for a few days until I see how they work for me.

    I hope you all had a fantastic day!

    1.gif
     
  19. NCoxSTL

    NCoxSTL AAACK!

    I knew you were devoted to Feathers but I didn't realize it was THAT devoted! Glad the Astra treated you well today. I think you may have found a new friend.

     
  20. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    That's nothing compared to my 32-year devotion to Toyota...:rofl:

    ...and, of course, my 55-year devotion to cheeseburgers! :eatdrink020:
     

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