February 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

The Cartel announces the pending import of some of the finest Russian steel ever found on the planet Earth. Two variety packs of 100 blades each are currently in Chelyabinsk awaiting the truck to Moscow, then a few more trucks across Moscow, then hopefully a plane to somewhere other than Russia, though a truck may have to do, then either the slow boat or the somewhat faster plane to the American coast. Why, you ask, would the Cartel import 200 blades now? It has something to do with March. Old hands may have a clue.

 

Nice photo! I obviously missed this, but do 1oz Stirling samples count for @Drygulch 's contest? If so, I might actually finish something this year.
Does your Unscented PSB have menthol as well, Jim? The menthol and glacial versions are favourites of mine.

I hope your weekend is better than your M-F this week, Clint. That beautiful photo is certainly a good start!

More expensive and not as good is certainly a bad combo indeed, Perry. Perhaps hit up a few of the smaller online retailers to see if they still have the older packaging? Even if it is still the same price, the quality will be better.

I'd like to see a picture of all of your vintage brushes, Mark. It is an amazing collection, I am sure.

Cool brush, and an even cooler pic of your son, Andrew. I had to enlarge the photo on my phone though, as it appeared at first that he was holding a carbon DE blade on a Sayuri until I got a better image...

Yesterday's Ivory look is today's Ikea look, Bruce. Very nice combo!

 

Thank you Jason. I am sure it will be a good weekend. Now that I am in the middle of tax season most work days are rough.

 

Thank you Jason!!

 

Thank you, Gentlemen.
Clint, I agree about the Seville. Great scent.

 

It's a low priority, slow moving project. Initially I collected tail hair from several horses on my aunt's Texas petting zoo. Technically it's a farm, but she "doesn't eat her friends". So the cattle go to market, but not her freezer, no chickens, and very few have fished her 6 or 8 acre pond full of fat lazy fish. Since the horse hair is a renewable resource, I was allowed to harvest.

Then I found out that shave brushes are a mix of mane & tail hair. Doh! When I talked to an uncle about making brushes he passed me some mane hair! My next step is getting all the collected materials sterilized. Troy @Bookworm has offered to run my materials through an autoclave. This will safely hold the temperature high enough to kill any anthrax that may be present without damaging the hair.

I may have a line on locally sourced Russian Boar bristle, too. Waiting on a phone call from a pig farmer. He butchers for the meat, but tosses the hide & hair.

It's not a fast moving project, but I can see it coming together. The next hurdle is figuring out what to use to hold the bundle of hair. Patrick @9nein9 has hinted at making a synthetic knot for his current heirloom brush restore. I'm picking the brains of the Best & Brightest for the info I need to get it right the first time.

Meanwhile I'm watching pawn shops for a cheap functional lathe. I'd like to carve my initials into a brush I fashioned from start to finish.

 

Awesome shave Bruce!

 

Thanks, Bruce!

Well, at lease we know that if he were playing with a Sayuri, it wouldn't have cut him. Thanks Jason!

 

FAVuary Fat Boy Friday!

Klar Mandel - Almond soap
Omega Pro 98 boar brush
Suribachi & warm water
'59 (E-4) Gillette 195 on 9
Kai SS blades (1st time!)
Canoe AS & EDT


Quintuple milled soap? This stuff is so dense it'll last until the wheel of time turns. Not scented for the feint of heart, either. It's happily unapologetically Almond. The small aluminum tub is something I'll put up with to get the great lather. Should I ever finish this soap it's on the try another scent list. Having seen Kai blades appear from time to time, when James @LOOT sent me a tuck I had to try them in the FB. The blades are unmarked inside their wrappers, and seem to made of thicker stainless steel than many other blades. Only one setting I use for Feather blades, so I pegged it at Number Nine. Lather achieved & applied, I set razor to face - three passes with my usual clean up. Very nice combo. Been a while since I had the Fat Boy out. It likes the Kai blades and together they gave great audio. I did reopen a nick on my chin from the Blackbird. It hasn't fully healed using the Lutz. Just a little blood on steel and that's par for the course when I won't stick to a Focus. After recommending Canoe to Dalton @LevelupShaves I was inspired to use both AS & EDT. I'll be paying attention to see how long the scent last.
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

You could do a Siri type app.

Hey, Neal, is it raining?

Ding!

I won't say it is, but I won't say it isn't. I'd be prepared for everything. Or nothing. You need a new mattress.

 

Thank you, Andrew!

 

Terrific picture of your son, Andrew! What's he holding?

 

Excellent picture, Jason!

 

Beautiful picture, Bruce!

 

Thank you, Jason! My balm is actually the Glacial version, and it is fantastic. I have been a fan of this balm for a while, and when he brought out the unscented glacial, it was perfect.

 

Great picture, Rick! I like the perspective!

 

I have the glacial unscented balm as well. It's incredible!

 

Adam said anything 1 ounce or over counts. The Stirling samples are usually more than 1 ounce. Get your name on the list!

 

Fantastic shave, Rick! Do you have a lady friend coming over tonight ?

 

I think its either a tube of lipstick or mascara that my wife handed him to keep him content.