January 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Call me a skeptic,

Still not sure.

I was thinking on this, maybe the glass jar on the bottom of the fly traps we have out side in the summer. I can leave it out there for a few months.

Still skeptical

Hmmm...

What kind of mileage do you get from it?

I'm not willing to spend more than postage on this, but would be happy to trade one of my hot sauce bottle aftershaves for a glass bottle of the Veg. Likely, it will just get sent on to some other fool, but never let it be said I wouldn't try something.

 

I'm not sure, but I think he just called you fat AND told you that you don't know how to shave......

 

No, that would be me calling myself fat with questionable technique.

 

That was either a good save, an awesome comeback, or the truth. Regardless, multiple thumbs up are in order.

 

I would agree with your comparison between the Russian and Chinese razor to a point. A few Soviets haven't been all that sturdy but, yes, they are more solid as a rule.

 

January 18, 2017

Razor: F2 Gillette 195 Adjustable (5, 4)
Blade: Astra SP
Brush: Razorock Plissoft 22
Cream: KMF fragrance-free

For today, I've returned from my sojourn in the land of Mach 3-compatible carts. The KMF lathered well, as usual. On a whim, I turned the Fatboy up to 5 for the first pass as this blade had already seen several days of use. For the second pass, I turned it back down to 4 to avoid stupid mistakes. All told, a DFS+.

One observation- I really need to figure out the area right under my chin. The whiskers there are particularly coarse and I can tell that I get closer there with the Mach 3 than with the DE. (It's the one area that consistently makes me hold back from calling a shave a BBS.)

 

Once again the ex-wives rule applies. Any attempt to mock or insult me likely falls on deaf ears. Too many have tried and failed, and most of them were cuter than him. Not that he isn't cute.

 

Thank you Charlie. That is the factory knot. The brush is a Zenith Boar B02. That model has an aluminum handle. I really like the fact that brush was broken in from the first use. I had another brush with the chrome over copper handle and managed to destroy the handle trying to remove the old knot.

 

I have one of those too. I was maybe going to Dremel it out later this week. What did you do to it, if I may ask?

 

SOTD 1/18/17
Razor: Barbasol Floating Head
Blade: Gillette Platinum
Brush: Troth Handle with Envy White 24mm Badger
Soap: Wheat State Barbershop
Post: Cold Water, Alum, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Fine American Blend

Sticking with not sticking to my focus of using larger straights or rotating through my soaps, I tried a new to me razor today. This is one of the few DEs I still wanted, a Barbasol Floating head. Got it as part of a trade with @mrchick. I have three more DE blades out of their tucks after this one, so I am slowly working through my stash. I am down to 80 Rapira Sweedish Supersteels, 14 Gillette Blacks, 4 7 O’clock Greens, 2 Feather, and one GSB. At my rate of usage, that should last until about 2030. Went back to the Wheat State, because I want to do a review on the soap, but hadn’t used it in a week and a half. Also had only used it with a straight. Lathered up, set the cap on my face, and went to work. This razor has a different feel than my Gillette DEs. I’m not going to call it aggressive, because to me it was very smooth and efficient. I had three days growth, and it was almost a DFS with one pass. Second pass done, splashed a little water on the neck to get the rest of the soap slick, and buffed. BBS smooth! Cold water rinse, noticed two weepers. Grabbed the Alum, and holy crap, where did that come from? Shave was smooth and comfortable, but the Alum was hot. Need to try this razor a few more times to get comfortable with it. Thayer’s and aftershave, and called it good.

 

Good picture with excellent gear Andrew.

 

My Barbasol Floating Head is a favorite of mine. I hope yours settles down with use.

 

January 18

G2 (Birth year) Gillette FB -- Albert
Perma-Sharp Super (1)
Semogue Owners Club Two-band Finest
Jabonman Eufros Oriental Breeze
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Alt Innbruck

This was my first shave with Albert weilding a Perma-Sharp Super. Three trips plus touch-ups with Albert on 5, 3, and 1 for a great shave. I even went uphill on my upper lip on the 1 setting with no problems - pretty cool. I watched a Geofatboy review of the new Parker adjustable razor yesterday, and he inspired me on the 5, 3, 1 pattern. That may be the ticket for me to squeeze in more three pass shaves.

I judge the Perma-Sharp blade, although very good, to be a tad less smooth than the Polsilver. I notice a couple of red dots the first shave or two when I switch to a Perma-Sharp blade. (I'm sure this sounds like a crybaby to all you popsicle stick shavers.) The SOC badger whipped the Jabonman soap into a mountain of great-smelling lather. I finished up with Alt Innsbruck, which can easily double for a cologne or aftershave. I'm good 'till tomorrow.

I've got the Veg in a large Pyrex pot on my outdoor gas grill. I'll bring it to a rolling boil for 3 or 4 hours for proper aging. Who knows, it might even help with varmint control.

Bible study this morning, followed by guitar practice and lessons today. My beautiful Bride and I plan to sneak out for a midweek dinner date tonight. I hope you all have a great Wednesday in the salt mines, on the Colorado plains, trekking in your snow shoes, or in the mattress store of your choice.

 

Still maintaining focus
Route 66 Perfect Storm
B-400 Brush by Tom
Henry Mueller Traveler Razor
Alum
Lucky Tiger
Pitrulon Classic AS

 

1/18
Continuing my focus on hard to lather soaps.
Mystic Water Vetiver & Oakmoss
I soaked Jayaruh 94 with a whipped dog high mountain badger knot and then shook & squeezed dry. I loaded the brush and whipped up what i would call cream instead of lather in the bowl. This was truly the consistency of yogurt. I think that is the consistency that this soap should be. When applied to my face, it was very slick and did not clog my Schick Krona with a Wilkinson Sword blade. I think I have gotten what I want out of my Mystic Water soap and will return to the Mitchell's Wool Fat for the remainder of my 30 day focus.

 

I've been a voracious reader of SciFi since my teen years. Used to keep a paperback by my bedside to read myself to sleep. Not so much as I need glasses to read fine print and it's all fine print now.

Yeah, like these dudes? (Battleship, The Movie!)

 

Thank you Doug!

 

I love the brush, Adam. I know you have shown it before, but this was a great pic.

 

Same thing but I let the dremel get away from me and gouged the snot out of the handle (note the chrome is not very thick at all). Since it was chrome there was really nothing I could do at that point. If it had been aluminum, I would have tried to sand it out. I gave it away to a buddy that wants to try to fix it.

 

Gotcha, thanks.

I did try to steam it out, but was gentle because I didn't want the coating to peel.... No go.

Thanks.