March 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Thank you Clint, there is some patina on the razor but I am pleased how the razor turned out. Amazing what a difference changing the scales made. Unfortunately I did not take any before pics.

 

Oh man is that a sweet razor.

 

Synthetics, Day 1:



A while back, I saw the 400 that @RyX put a Tuxedo knot into, and just loved it. I had seen a couple of the 400 style brushes that @Jayaruh had carved, and asked him if he would make me one in a very light colored wood. He agreed, and went about making me this brush.

The 400 is such a great design for a handle. It is just the right length to palm, and it seems that wherever a finger lands on it, it is wrapped comfortably around it. It is fantastic in the bowl, but still comfortable when face lathering. Jim did such a nice job with this. Considering how much work went into it with hand tools, as opposed to being all lathe turned, it is that much more impressive. Its lines are perfectly uniform, perfectly sanded smooth, and the piece of oak it is made from is beautiful. With the Tuxedo sitting atop of it, it is both great looking and unique.

Somewhat new on the scene, the Tuxedo is a great knot. I could not comprehend tips being any softer, and while it doesn't have much backbone in the traditional sense of the word, it still has a presence on the face when it is splayed. It also doesn't have any of that annoying springiness that leaves flecks of soap all over your mirror. I have heard it said about it that you can't feel the brush, only the lather, and this is a somewhat accurate description. For someone who places softness on the top of their list of importance, this is your brush. My only complaint, if complaint is the right word, is there really isn't any scrub to it at all. I mean, you can feel that it is there, and it isn't floppy, but it just doesn't have any oomph behind it. This is really the only score that it didn't get high marks. Like most synthetics, it loads the soap quickly, works up a great lather, and gives it all back when you ask for it. This is just an awesome brush. It comes in tonight with a score of:

 

Beautiful razor! I love the scales.

 

The brush is beautiful, and it put up an impressive score!

 

Thank you!

 

I have seen that video. Ok. I tend to try to only go the the puck once. Maybe I just need more as others have said. Thanks for the help

 

Day 14 of 30 days of straights

Another good shave today with a 6/8. For me, this appears to be the perfect size

DIY Pre-shave Oil
Sampsons All Natural
30mm High Mountain White set an extra 10mm deep
3 passes, WTG, XTG, XTG
6/8 Square toe

 

I just sprayed water out of my nose laughing so hard !!

That is too funny!!

Stingy Frank

 

Gorgeous razor, Keith!

 

I don't mean to imply that you should do it the same way I do. Just more to explain the difference if it doesn't look quite the same. There are a ton of ways to do it, and none are wrong, just different.

 

I love that phrase!! Well, presumably it wouldn't take me long to settle into Western lifestyle, but I'd just be another Easterner moving West.

 

Too-shay .

 

I purchased a Trac II handle and some Personna Twin II carts this week. I've hardly shaved with a cart in the past 35 years. (Most of my shaving has been with electric razors, but I recall starting with a Trac II or Atra.) I plan to do a mini-focus to see if this would be a good travel razor. I've read that it's pretty decent when used with good technique and a soap or cream and brush. I hope to find out.

 

Interested to see what you think. I bought one earlier this year, and they shave pretty okay. Reminds me of the milder Schick injectors.

 

You nailed the description of the Tuxedo knot. As for Jim @Jayaruh - He's gone passed Craftsman into Artisan territory.

 

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Eight Ball with Envy white two-band
Savionniere Du Moulin
Asylum Evolution
Feather HS #2
Chatillon Lux Champs de Lavande
Brooks Brothers Classic

​

 

March of the Soaps Focus

Crowne & Crane, JR #130 synthetic
Gillette NEW LC and Feather blade
Alum &Pinaud Special Reserve AS


Late report on an earlier shave. Next sample from The Pass-around Box is a vegan soap scented tobacco leaf, amber, & vanilla. In keeping with my newly adopted procedure I wet my face using the moistened brush and rubbed the soap on stubble to load. The Maggards knot in cypress handle made quick work of raising a decent lather. On the sweet side because of the vanilla note, the tobacco is very much present. WTG pass and I captured the lather off the razor combs. Into the suribachi bowl and up jumped plenty more suds for the next two passes. Great scent as the lather took on more water, nice glide for the very sharp Japanese blade. No errors during touch-ups or buffing. Alum was a little loud for my neglecting this razor these past months. Next October I'll tame it again. Finished with a deeper tobacco & leather AS/cologne that complimented well.
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

March Madness & Spring Cleaning!!

March 8

Razor - CJB Greager AC
Blade - (2)
Soap - Tabac
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip
Post - Alum, Nivea

Time to get back to the pain stick. And, yes, I'm giving the Greager another go in spite of discovering its flaw. Now that I know the issue I'm going to see if I can adjust and make it work. My plan is to stay off of the tip of the blade because that's where the gap opens slightly. My thinking is that the blade is chattering just a bit at that spot and that seems to be the area that keeps bringing the blood.

Tabac for the soap. I've neglected it while playing with the new kids on the block. Just like my return to the Fat a few shaves ago I was instantly reminded why these two soaps have stayed at the top of my ranking. That classic scent and lather....it will never leave my den, even if it does share some time with a few newbies.

Another focus on this shave is pressure. Basically to avoid it. I sometimes find myself pushing a little bit with the pain stick trying to accomplish too much at a time. That will hopefully not be an issue.

First pass was actually quite good. I worked the center of the blade more and didn't try touching up with the tip. And, when I turned the fixed side of the blade to my face I lightened up even more than normal so that the slight curvature wouldn't dig in. No blood or other problems on that pass. On the second pass - I'm happy to say it went as well. Knowing where the blade got slightly out of line and how to avoid it made a huge difference. I did some touch up and ended up near-BBS. Alum was a touch hot but not horrible. Nivea cooled it down very well.

Clearly the Greager is a nice cheaper version of an Artist Club razor and, if it didn't have that slight flaw, would equal the performance. It's just kind of a crap shoot on whether or not the one you get will be less than perfect. I'll keep it around for occasional use but will go back to the Feather SS tomorrow to compare again. And, in the next few days, I'll have the Kai Captain to throw into the mix too!

My Monday was uneventful but long. Is it Friday yet?