December 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Beautiful picture Doug. If we had that much snow in Atlanta, the city would shut down for days.

 

Thanks Neal. I appreciate your insight. I might pick up some Perma-Sharps and do a four-way comparison (Astra, Polsilver, Perma-Sharp, and Feather) for fun in January.
One day, I may ascend Mt. Voskhod.

 

I lived in Snellville from 1990 to 2010. Early on in that span, maybe '93 there was an ice storm that cut our power and the roads in the subdivision never did get plowed. Eventually it melted and life went on. Only place with snow equipment is Hartsfield/Jackson airport

 

Day 2 into AdP soap and continuing December Decadence

As promised today I brought out my 2011 R41 on a heavy brass handle and loaded it with a GSB. I hear a rumor this a favorite blade of @Bama Samurai, it is tied for my top blade. My Jayaruh 69 brush also woke up early to join the shave. Once again this stuff smells great, once again I wish it was slicker. This razor is that standard by which I judge all other razors, it delivered and excellent and super close shave again but I there was a little irritation which I attribute the lather. But I am super smoooooooth.

 

When your whiskers won't grow fast enough for another shave, and you want to shave again.

 

I will not deny that it is good exercise. I have never thought of it as fun.

 

Monday, December 5.....



R41 (2013) w/Voskhod (1) ~ Deruitem Shaving 22mm Silvertip ~ Stirling Ozark Mountain ~ Chiseled Face Summer Storm

In the last year, I have sold all but a few of my favorite DE's, and the R41 (2013) is one of those. In a month of trying to use the best products possible, it is fitting that it gets an invite.

One of the things I love about Stirling soap is how stable the lather is. It is a thirsty soap, but nearly impossible to break unless you are careless or trying. It is the perfect choice for a shave where you are going slow, like tonight.

My new brush from DeRuitem Shaving was fun to use. The handle fits my hand perfectly. I did not custom order it from him, and purposely did not ask whose knot was in it, because I wanted to judge it 100% on it's performance without preconceptions. Based on my discussions with him when I bought my last brush he made, it is either a W.D. or a TGN, if I remember rightly, but not sure. It was plenty soft, not super dense, but good flow through. I had the loft set short enough so that it isn't floppy at all (22x45), although it isn't going to win any awards for backbone. All in all, the knot will serve me just fine, and the handle is instantly one of my favorites.

I finished up with a splash of Chiseled Face Summer Storm, and was feeling quite spoiled when I left the bathroom.

Merry Christmas!

 

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Paladin Strawberry Amber Chief
Saponificio Varesino Stella Alpina
Wolfman WR1- DC with WRH3 Brushed Copper
Polsilver Super Iridium #2
Folsom & Co. Shambala


​

 

Sweet set up!

 

Mark, that brush handle looks kind of unbelievable. It almost looks like there is a rose blooming in the bottom. Great picture!

 

When I lived in North Dakota we had a name for days like that. Spring.

 

Decadent December!!

December 5


Razor - Master Barber Magic Shavette
Blade - (1)
Soap - Arko
Brush - Semogue 620
Post - Alum, Nivea

First chance to try my newest addition, the Magic Shavette, courtesy of @Bama Samurai . He swears by these things and it's not the bad kind of swearing either! So, let's see what it has to offer besides the potential for blood.

I wasn't really very nervous going in. Having mastered the pain stick (yeah, I know I said mastered - that's a guaranteed slice and dice festival next time I pick up the pain stick) and using straights I figured I had this well in hand. The difference is just in weight and the fact it's half of a DE blade. The Derby, though, should be pretty easy to work with. It's a smooth blade and not the sharpest but that's a good training blade. I chose Arko to guarantee lots of slick lather with the Semogue.

On the first stroke I knew I liked it. Honestly, if you've used straights, using this is just a small adjustment. The smaller thinner blade is definitely a bit more hazardous, but it's still a DE blade, just without a guard leading the way. Get the angle right and work it and it really mows down your beard. Nice first pass and I did a second pass just to work on going XTG and ended with a barely DFS, but that's all I was after. Another pass and some extra focus on a few areas and I could have easily been near BBS.

All in all, I'd have to say this is a good addition to my den. I even see potential for head shaves with this. Fun shave and finishing totally blood free and with the alum just barely hot......makes it a DECADENT day in the den!

 

So glad to hear that worked out! Good write up as well. Oh yeah... Can't wait for the head shave....


On a serious note, you mentioned Derby being a good blade for this. I chose it for the reasons you mention. There are actually several makers of saloon half blades. Smoothness is more important in a shavette configuration than sharpness. And with the push style blade mount, the blade stays so rigid that it handles similar to the way a straight does. After a couple more runs with the razor, fold a wrapped Voskhod until it breaks. And get ready for the closest shave of your life.

 

Voskhod is definitely on the menu after a few shaves with it. I also ordered the 12 blade sampler from tryablade.com to give all of the half blade guys a shot.

 

I should do that Sampler with you, I'll grab one too.

 

Decadent December 2016 - Day Five



Another really nice Shave from the shavette with Voskhod. Route 66 was great per usual, and my face felt DFS-nice after two passes. Quiet Alum and AV for the win! This afternoon, I was outside under the blue prairie sky, 54f and mostly sunny; it was an unusually pleasant afternoon. Then...our first polar front arrived...its 14f (my thermometer) a mere eight hours later. Other than that... all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

 

December 5, Dual Comb focus, test #2

Fendrihan Scientist stainless
Rockwell blade. (1)
Old TOBS Avocado croap
Nameless drugstore brush
Alum, InfaLab Nick Relief, and Thayers Witch Hazel Original

Screwtape v. Fendrihan Scientist stainless dual comb, Round 4

I think I will call this one a draw.

The new Rockwell blade felt sharp, smooth and comfortable while I was using it, and at the time, the razor didn't feel like it was scraping at all, as it did on my first two shaves and even a bit yesterday with the Schick Plus Platinum blade. I thought I got a nice clean shave. Then I examined my face and neck in the mirror and admired my FIVE (edit : SEVEN) new weepers.

And three of them were big enough they weren't completely stopped by the alum but needed the styptic powder. On the other hand, the alum was pretty quiet elsewhere, so razorburn was minimal. And most of the weepers - particularly the worst one near the corner of my mouth - were spots I had opened during my last 4 shaves. So I don't think they were really the fault of the blade or even necessarily the razor today. It was more a case of going aggressive again without waiting long enough to heal first.

Anyway, I think I will mix and match blades and milder razors for a week or so before I maybe try the Fendrihan Scientist again. Maybe. In some ways it reminds me of the shaving equivalent of riding a sportsbike that has just a bit too much torque and horsepower on tap for my level of riding skill and experience -- like I am not totally in control but am just skirting the edge of disaster. Not a peaceful and relaxing time, which is what I want from my daily shave. On second thought, I may just stuff the Fendrihan Scientist away in the cupboard and either try again in several months or else just sell it.

The Rockwell blades, on the other hand, I will continue to use.

 

That's what my Fatip Piccolo was like when I started using it. I didn't have another handle with the same threads, but I found the cap and handle of a Muhle r89 Grande works. After a months Focus I was getting very nice service. The longer handle (and maybe the cap, too) really helped me reduce weepers.

 

Don't give up just yet! My money goes on theory:

Steel is dense, and the mass of a stainless handle--coupled with loss of fine angle discipline from a breakdown in technique in the downward stroke are drawing blood.

A possible two point remedy is grip change and focus. Holding the razor closer to the head reduces the mass resting upon the skin, so a "choked up" grip is one way to reduce pressure. The other is to raise your chin and use your off hand to skin stretch. Try to look up and slightly turn your head away from the side aboit timbe shaved. Don't lean in the mirror, and try to ride the cap, but keep your wrist stiff on the short grip. Use your slight subtle shoulder and elbow movement to follow the contour of the now flatter neck surface. This may be more gentle. I believe you're up to that razor, and shouldn't bail out now!

Also try Derby. Not kidding.

 

Going heavier would give the razor more inertia, and address stability and smoothness issues another way. And we all the cap! It's the easy way to BBS!