July 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

I was wondering if anyone would catch that.

 

How was the first use of the brush?

 

Great picture Jim.

 

Thank you Jim.

 

Thank you! The wrapped handle makes all of the difference

 

I liked it a lot. The handle is the perfect shape for my hand. It'll take a couple of uses to get the knot broken in, but this one is going to be a winner

 

Thank you, Clint!

 

Cinco de Julio
Popsicle Sticks/Staples/White Hockey Tape w Sharp Star (1)
NEW LC w Polsilver (2)
TGN Finest Fan
Stirling Gin and Tonic
Thayers
Stirling Glacial Balm

Well, this was my first day with an open blade, that can cut, of any kind. I say that because technically I did use the Sayuri last month. Anyway, used my face-lathering machine to whip up a nice lather and then gingerly and nervously put the Sharp Star to face. I did a full pass- face, jawline and neck- with a lot of short strokes. It did cut, and I didn't bleed, that's the good news. There was, however, quite a bit of blade flex and chatter. I see some other pics of wider sticks and I probably could have used with those, especially with being a complete noob with any kind of open blade.
Used my focussed NEW for the last two passes and finished with the ice-cold Glacial balm. I'll put more time and effort into construction next year to get something that'll get me through 3 passes.
Have a great day all!

 

Congrats on a good first open blade shave, Jason! Great picture!

 

Already been done.

You know the rules, you're up.

 

No SR experience
One full pass
No injury

Winner!

 

Cinco de Julio All In!

Strop Shoppe London Morning
LE30DC Cashmere Cypress
Osaka Suribachi bowl
Strawberry Shortcake sticks
Fresh Feather Hi-Stainless
(Gillette Red Tip/P-Med Prep)
Pinaud Citrus Musk AS


I wasn't sure my stapler would do the duty. It came through well, though I needed to tap down the staples that came out the other side. You know, for safety! No tape, I went bare wood handled.

Jason's turning made quick work of producing lather from the discontinued and defunct tallow soap. Setting open blade to face, the first stroke on a three day beard was tentative. Huh! Just like a double sided shavette? Proceeded to go with a full N to S pass. Not wishing to push my luck I set the makeshift razor down and completed my shave with a more well know DE. Expecting I did have an error I skipped the alum and went straight to an alcohol splash. No particular burn so maybe I did alright. We have a Yoda emoji. Can we get a Darth Vader, too?
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

So, vintage carbon blade in a razor that was set fire to. That's about as dangerous as I have around right now. I just had to pay $525 on a bumper skin replacement for someone I backed gently into in a parking lot, so I've had my excessive pain for the week. 2 mph, my plastic bumper is fine, but the ram 2500 Pickup _bent_ on the bumper. Steel, my tuchus.

 

FYI... we ARE judging you.

 

Which one of you is the Russian?

 

Kleenex?

 

Sure it isn't Statler? (The Statler brothers were named after a brand of facial tissue)

 

Which one are you?

 

July 5 - Straights and Razorock!

Black Straight made in Soligen, Ge. : Pass 1.5r
Merkur 34C/ Astra SP (day 4: pass 2-4)
Rockwell 6C/Rockwell (clean up pass)
30 DC LE brush
Razorock Classic Black tub
Alum/ Thayers/ AOS PSB

Today was my first attempt at a straight. I figured all you guys were trying a popsicle razor, this would be the closest I could get and live, maybe. Fuzzy PIFed me a pair of razors made in Soligen Germany. He already had them sharper by @gssixgun recently so I cleaned and disinfected them and made myself a newspaper strop on a nice 6"X1" x 14" board. 25 passes on the paper and I threw caution to the wind.

Hot towel and a lather more on the wet side, I proceeded with my first attempt. Not being very ambidextrous, I kept it in my right hand. I tried to keep the angle about the width of the spine of the razor away from my face. I kept the strokes short and tried to keep my focus in the middle of the razor. The tip won't nick me if I am using the middle most. In all, the first pass was a little rough but I was able to remove all the lather. No blood or at least none that didn't take a little while to show. Two weepers showed up while I was attempting a XTG pass . I quickly realized that I had no idea HOW to do one with a straight! Well I normally do them eat to nose but couldn't figure out how to hold the razor so I attempted to do a nose to ear instead. Al was going well until..... I hit my ear where my earlobe attaches. Eureka! We found blood! Not a lot and it was a small cut but a cut nonetheless. I finished my right side and gave up the straight for my DEs.

The Merkur had a 3 day old Astra SP so I said what is one more pass. It was one pass too much. The blade had had it. I did my usual and then a clean up with the Rockwell.

In all a BBS mostly. Alum was a bit less than a burn and more than a tingle. Dulled quickly. I will call this a success. This was my first try at an SR and in all it went well. Not so scary either.

Thank you Fuzzy! The adventure begins again!

 

I'd be the Yugoslavian judge. you know, the one that nobody actually pays attention to.