April 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Thank you Doug.


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Thank you Jim.


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Love the colors.


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SOTD April 10, 2017

Blade: GEM Stainless
Razor: GEM 1912
Brush: Surrey badger
Lather: Proraso Green
Post: Witch hazel splash, Barbasol Pacific Rush aftershave
WTG, touch-up

First attempt with the GEM 1912 and it didn't disappoint. Nice, smooth, comfortable shave. I'm pleased to add this razor to my arsenal! Two days growth was mowed down with ease and it all came together for a nice shave.

Have a great day!

 

Thank you, Clint!

 

Day 15 of 30 days of Henckel straights

Not a lot to write today. Great 2 pass shave that left me smooth and clean


DIY Pre-shave Oil
Sampsons All Natural Shaving Soap Face Lathered
24mm High silvertip set an extra 10mm deep
2 passes, WTG, WTG
Sampsons All Natural Aftershave Balm
Round Toe 4/8 Henckel 89 1/2

 

April 10

Z3 Gillette Super Speed
Voskhod (2)
Simpson Chubby 2 Super
KMF Pomeganate Grapefruit
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Floid Vigoroso

A nice way to start the day. The weather is beautiful here in Kentucky this morning. My Bride and I are heading off to the gym and to run errands once I finish my Bible study. I have guitar practice and taxes planned for later.

Have a super week!

 

April 10

Gillette Old Type w Polsilver SI (2)
TGN Finest Fan/ Maple Handle
Jeeves of Hudson St Apothecary
Thayers Unscented
Barrister's Reserve Cool AS

Day 7 of the Canadian Old Type focus, first day with the Polsilver. 2nd day for the blade, as I used it this weekend. I went out of focus this weekend and used my EJ89 for the first time in about 3 months.
This morning I whipped up a very nice lather with the Jeeves and my face-lathering Fan. This is really a top notch soap, but (to my nose anyway) I just don't get a tonnes of scent off of it. Performance-wise, it is fantastic.
The last few shaves, including the weekend shave, I have done a true ATG touch up the upper part of my neck. It has essentially been a 4th pass on my neck. I have had great results. This morning, not so much, and had the type of irritation I usually get on my neck going ATG. I'll have to explore this a bit. Splashed on some Cool, which I definitely felt.
Have a great day all!

 

With my sense of smell non operational, I decided to forego the soap testing and go back to my familiar TOBS sampler with a new blade. I found the Persona Blues to be very comparable to the Astra SPs I had been using. 3 passes produced a DFS with minimal irritation. I have very little blade experience, but so far have no complaints from either of these two blades.

 

missed a chunk of my right sideburn today. Make-up time tomorrow!!

 

10 April 2017 Blade/Soap Focus Shave

Pre: Plenty of hot water
Razor: Gillette Ball end Tech Travel Razor
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: Omega 10098
Soap: Catie's Bubbles "Tonsorial Parlour"
Post: Hot/cold rinse, cold towelx2, Dominello Vitali Calming Post Shave Moisturizer
After Shave: Clubman

Today's picture is what was supposed to be yesterday. Anyway, this morning was the second day of my lathering Focus. Screwed up the water ratio and almost did not have enough lather to finish the shave. But we persevered and got 'er done.
2.5 pass WWS. Tomorrow is another day. I'm really liking this soap from the scent standpoint.
Splashed on some Clubman, and redolent of same it was off for a short week in the wonderful world of corporate security.
Have an outstanding Monday people!

 

Great lineup Perry. I too found the 1912 to be a very smooth shaver.

 

Haha... I was almost ashamed to go to the gym yesterday morning. Looked like i got my butt kicked by my kitty cat....

 

Nice picture, Perry. The 1912 is a great shaver.

 

Thank you gentlemen! The 1912 was a really pleasant surprise this morning. I'm going to use it again tomorrow and hope for similar results.

 

Good setup Perry. Have a good week.

 

Thank you, Doug. Hope you have a great week also.

 

April 10 - Dorco 301 Day 3 and playing with Bubbles

Merkur 34C
Dorco (Day 3)
The Phoenix brush
Catie's Bubbles Celtic Knot
DIY PSO
Alum/Thayer's/Nivea S-PSB

Let me start off by saying that anything following Castle Forbes is at a disadvantage. CF is a hard act to follow.

This is my first use of anything from Catie's Bubbles. The scent was stronger than the sample puck of Stirling's Sharp Dress Man. Both are renditions of Green Irish Tweed. The other difference form Stirling's was that Stirling's smells fresher and more like springtime where as CB was more earthy. Stirling's is sweeter as well. I liked the stronger scent but missed some of the sweetness. Don't get me wrong, it is good as well. Just, to me, Stirling is better.

As for lather, I put the sample in the bowl and added about a teaspoon of water, maybe less. I proceeded to mix it in and get it dissolved and then added water in small amounts.

Something new I discovered. If I dip my fingers in the lather, I can get the current slickness and cushion. the new thing is I can wet my fingers and then apply some lather to get a small sampling of what adding more water would be like without ruining the entire bowl of lather with too much water.

Doing this, I was able to water the lather to a nice slickness. I would say this is right up there with the Wheat State, Castle Forbes and Stirling in slickness. Unfortunately, it was a little less cushiony and dense as Castle Forbes. In all it was very good and would classify it as one of the better soaps.

3 passes with a Dorco on its third shave yielded BBS and the Alum was quiet again.

The only downside of this shave, this one sample was only enough for one shave (as are most of the samples I received) and this scent is no longer made. Might need to try some other Catie's Bubbles because the performance was among the top.

 

Spank your unicorn. Wow. You really are trying for a new CT aren't you.