April 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

With some warm days ahead, I'm putting away some of my soaps for next fall. I'll be doing SOME soap-shaving this spring and summer, but not with my current arsenal.

 

I am a sucker for orange and I just love that handle!!! Reminds me of a warm creamsicle ice cream that just started to flow together.

 

Suppose I should actually post my three shaves so far this month. I have mentioned I do use a spreadsheet to track my shaves. Here’s April so far.

April 1- Used my Korn American Double Hollow and the last of my Wheat State Sweet Tobacco sample. Good shave, with little irritation.

April 3- Broke out the Rolls Razor. Awesome BBS shave with three passes and some touch up. I actually get a better shave from this razor than my straights. Also started using my last sample before I return to my normal rotation of soaps. Hopping to finish it up this month. Mama Bear Soaps should be in every shaver’s den. Good slick soap, easy to lather and tons of cushion. Scents are great. I can’t really pin this scent down, but it has some ozone and a floral piece. Like it a lot.

April 5- Geneva 5/8 spike tip. It will be muted before its next shave, but it had a fresh edge on it from a pro honer. I like the sharpness, but I always feel like a fresh JNat edge is a little rough, like a feather DE on its first two shaves. Stropping and use calms them down into a more comfortable shaver. Got a DFS, but had two cuts from the spike tip.

 

Glad I am not the only one that uses a spreadsheet to track my shaves.

 

April 6 - The feather flies the coop, Mama Bear makes a visit and Dark Chocolate gets bitten.

Merkur 34C
Feather New Hi Stainless
Dark Chocolate brush (Jr #148)
DIY PSO
Mama Bear Ice Citrus
Alum/ Thayers/Nivea SPSB

After my experience yesterday, I wanted to see if technique was to blame or if the Feather was showing wear. I left it in for one more shave. The gang associated with the Pass Around box decided that certain samples were taking room and had so little left that they should be distributed permanently. I got my hands on a a bunch, one of which was today's soap, Mama Bear Ice Citrus. Having so little to work with and not desiring to waste it, I fell back to old habits of applying the dollop to the bowl and adding about an equivalent amount of water and began whipping. Lots of whipping and several additions of dribbled water yielded a fluffy lather with a some shine. Not my shiniest but it worked.

First thing I noticed was that this soap had lost all its menthol and nearly all of its scent. I could just barely detect a hint of tangerine or citronella but whatever it was, it was faint. I was disappointed that my first menthol soap experience would have to wait. The soap felt light on the face and , to me, had less slickness than Stirling. If pushed for a preference, I think I prefer Stirling a bit more but MB is acceptable and worked fine.

3 passes and touch up yielded some alum sting and a DFS. I knew today was not to be pushed when I saw the XTG being louder and draggier than WTG. Definitely, this blade was done. As nice and sharp as this blade is, I think I can only really get a single shave from it before it dulls enough to be an issue. I was extremely light in touch and focused on angle but it did not result in the quality I obtained on the first day. Only downside was that I stupidly placed the razor on my neck and it dropped against it and left a razor mark the length of the blade. No blood but a maker none the less.

Tomorrow: Supermax Super Stainless is loaded and ready for a trial run. Check back tomorrow for which new sample will be tried next....

 

This could get fun.

 

Stay safe.

 

Stay safe. We had constant tornado warnings yesterday.

 

Thank you. This California boy isn't used to this popping up on his watch

 

Adjustable April Non Arko

Tabac, B-400 WD HMB
'59 Fat Boy, Personna MP
Alum block and Canoe AS


Skipped the Arko today. Is Tabac Thursday a thing? Easy lather and I like the scent. Though it's a hard soap I felt like getting luxurious so I swapped on the High Mountain badger ferrule. With a fresh Med Prep blade three easy passes & a little clean up brought me to a DFS. Been using the #195 long enough errors are seldom and the alum was quiet. Splash of Canoe for that Barbershop scented finish.
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

Thank you, Clint!

 

Pretty razor! It fits nicely with the brush and Nuavia dish. Great photo!

 

I had the same thoughts this morning. I avoided them for so long, as they just don't look like much, but they can shave smoothly. I am glad I finally picked one up. It was a $4 from a local antique store just before the holidays. Well worth it in my opinion.

 

Thank you Jim.

 

Thank you, Charlie! Have a great day!

 

scary stuff.

 

Any day is a great day for Tabac

 

Do you have a Futur as well? Everything thing I have read about the closes is that they shave as well (some say even better) as the Futur. I would be curious to see a direct comparison. Congrats on the new razor!

 

It is definitely a nice looking razor. Congrats on the great shave!

 

Beautiful picture, Mark! The flowers and brush just seem to fit.