NOVember 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Think we might need two grounding strings? Or are we way past that point?

 

Great photo, Doug. The brush looks great!

 

Thanks very much @Norcalnewb. Have a great weekend.

 

Stranded copper, dude. It'll perform better when things get all hinky.

 

HI GUYS!!!
I had so much fun last month, I am back for more. I will continue my Straight Razor Focus.

I have not shaved for 4 days (on purpose) to see how a straight works on longer growth.
I chose a JR Torrey 4/8 near wedge. Fresh off the stones.
I made sure that my beard was well hydrated. I had a nice hot shower, followed by lathering and hot towel. I re lathered and proceeded with the shave. First stroke I was greeted with no resistance. The blade slid right thru.

Long story short I had a wonderful shave resulting in a very nice CCS. My neck is the only lacking area tonight. I am not going to worry about that for the time being. I am concentrating on learning to shave with my off hand. Also developing good strokes with the simple passes.

Have a great weekend.
Tom


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You make it sound like you don't trust me. It's Ivan you really have to watch. I know his voice in my head can be a problem.

 

Once we get you hooked you're ours for LIFE! Great to have you continuing with the straights!

 

NOVember!!

November 4

Grand Blade Trial - NOVember Shave

Razor - Rabbit Straight
Soap - Proraso Red
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip
Post - Alum, Nivea

Final night for this week of straight razors. So far three nights of nice shaves with the Rabbit with no real blood. Can I make it through four? Giving the Proraso Red a shot again. I used it once when I got it and it performed like, well, like Proraso. Loved the lather. And the sandalwood scent is pretty nice. Should work well with the straight.

First pass and all was well. No issues other than a near disaster on a set down. Felt the blade coming in too vertical and pulled back just in time to avoid a cut. After that, smooth, effective, felt like shaving with a straight razor. That's probably a good thing. Second pass more of the same and I used the third pass as a touch up pass only. Got to a nice DFS. Nothing near the baby but good enough for the next 24 hours and still not bleeding. And, my left hand is getting more confident as I go. We'll see if it can just continue improving after three days off.

Tomorrow starts the Bic Astor in the Grand Blade Trial. Three days in the Slim. I love the Bic CP so we'll see if the Astor performs as well. Hope you have some great plans for the weekend! Mine are as usual......SELL SELL SELL!!!

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Day 3 with Knize Ten. Going for a macho shave today, the leather smell of the Knize Ten, my big Omega boar brush and a big mean looking Koraat and finished with some Clubman.

The Omega Pro is meant for hard pucks and worked the Koraat like it owed me money and was late on the payment. I had to work to keep the lather SR wet and did the usual four passes. I grade the shave A all around except for irritation which was A+, passed the alum test with flying colours. Now off to get my flu shot.

Irritation A+ Closeness A Smoothness A Sharpness A

 

November 5, 2016
Wolfman WR-01 Ti OC with Triad Ti
Personna 74 (7)
Simpson CH2 Synthetic
Mystic Water Eucalyptus & Spearmint Shave Stick
Witch Hazel
Floid Blue

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Another fantastic shave this morning and a great start to a wonderful Saturday. I took extra time this morning to face lather the MW Eucalyptus & Spearmint soap adding water slowly as I lathered. When finished I had enough rich slick lather for 4 or more passes. At the end of my normal 3 pass shave routine I decided to chase the baby. With minor touch ups in my trouble spots I ended up with a BBS. I can't really ask for a better result and a smoother shave. I finished up with a splash of Floid Blue. I hope everyone has a great Saturday.

 

Gillette Tech Bulldog Handle
Gillette 7OC Indian Green (2)
Semogue BC Mistura
Tet-a-Tet SC
Alum
Superior 70

I really wanted to use something else, but I had one shave left in this tube of Tet-a-Tet SC. It is now finished.

Not the best shave this morning, but definitely not terrible either. I am not sure if it was the prep or the blade, but I had a little tugging throughout the shave. I will pitch this blade in favor of something else tomorrow. After a week with the flat bottom English tech, I think that I like the triangle slot American version a little more. B-

 

NOvember On Focus

VCSA Lime Musk soap/ B-400 brush
Fatip base + Muhle Grande handle & cap
Generic Israeli blade, Suribachi bowl
Alum , Aqua Velva AS Cologne


Shuffling through my soaps and out comes The Vermont Country Store Apothecary. Disappointing. Bowl lathering produced a airy lather that dissipated quickly. Face lathering much the same. I bought two pucks at a flea market stall. Win some loose some. A fresh blade still gave an acceptable performance though it started with a bit of tugging. I questioned blade alignment using the Piccolo handle on the Fatip. The Muhle cap and handle sit great on the OC base plate. This was substandard lather. Still and all got my 3 passes in for a SAS but went light on the clean up. Alum was quiet, AS a no burner.
Had a B-day party cancel for later today. My ex-sister in law (who's my stepsister because my parents took her in) that married my 1st cousin (making her also my cousin in law) thought her four year old grand daughter (I can't do the relationship math on that one) wasn't over the flu yet. So that makes it a working Saturday!
Good shaves, Y'all!

 

My head hurts


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November 5 SOTD:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
Stirling Gatlinburg SS
Pain Stick
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling Gatlinburg AS

I broke my focus again today to use my Pain Stick, since I got the blades I ordered for it yesterday. It lived up to its name today. I had a little cut just under my jaw by my ear where I set the blade down wrong and several small weepers. I have a little irritation in all those spots now as well. Tuesday could truly be Painful.

I hope everyone has a great day!

 

My ex-s-in-l who's my step sister that married my cousin is from West Virginia. Kind of expect that behavior from those people.

 

Yesterday I was rushed for time, so I went to my cart and gel foam. I didn't like it, but I had to make do quickly.

Today, I used the same set up as Wednesday. I can feel yesterdays bad shave in the irritation on my neck, but I had to clean up.

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It's encouraging that at least one of the razors I honed last weekend is shaving very well! I had a great shave today, smooth, smooth, smooth.
The Body Shop Maca Root Cream
B-400 Brush by Tom
Dubl Duck Dwarf
Thayers WH
Ogallala Bay Rum
Have a great weekend!

 

I am using a Kai Captain Mild blade.

The grip can definitely be good with this razor, unfortunately my control wasn't. I don't know if it was due to lack of practice, too much coffee, or just a bit of nervousness, but I definitely had a little shaking going on this morning. I still feel the results.