April 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Great shave and photo Jim.


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Thank you Jim.


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Thank you Jared.


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Great photo of some splendid lather in a wonderful bowl. Also a good report to the Science class.

 

April 28, 2018

Razor: Impoverished Patrician
Blade: Dorco ST-301 (2)
Brush: VdH Boar
Soap: Williams
Post: Alum, Listerine, WH

There was a moment early in today's shave when I thought that my last set of tweaks to the Patrician might have rendered it ineffective. Instead, it was just a very smooth and efficient shave despite two days of growth.

 

Thanks Clint!

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Great picture Jared.


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I tried that garbage once, wow was it terrible. Felt like my face was on fire.


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It wasn't quite that bad for me, Scott. It was almost totally ineffective until I absolutely slathered it on but the liquid itself didn't hurt my face. It almost sounds as if you had a contact allergy reaction to some ingredient in the crap ... er ... I mean in the wonderful wholly organic concoction... But yeah, for something billed as a "magic" product, Dr. Bronner's Magic Organic Shaving Gel sure was garbage.

Mind you, I should have known -- the name is reminiscent of an Old Tyme "patent medicine", and most of those so-called medicines were just low-quality booze in disguise, so it's not surprising something mimicking that type of name was junk too...

 

Your probably right, it was really messy, and burned on contact, but silly me I didn't let that stop me, I finished the shave with it.
Speaking of lathering, I was watching a video of a guy lathering today, and I think I finally figured out how to lather properly. I made a few practice lathers and they where thick, slick, goop.



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We just returned home from a short trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and then on to Asheville, NC to see the Biltmore. The Biltmore has 43 shave dens...er...bathrooms! We stayed at a couple of really nice B&Bs. The second B&B sits atop a mountain just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and had no WiFi. We were forced to spend the evenings by the fireplace visiting with our friends. We had a great time!

I used my R41 head on a Weber SS handle, Voskhod DE blades (3 and out), Kent BK4 badger brush, Tabac shave stick, Trumper's Sandalwood Skin Food, and USB for my daily shaves. This is nearly a perfect DE travel set up for me.

It's good to be home!

@John Ruschmeyer and @Linuxguile - I love the family photos. You guys are definitely blessed.

@Bama Samurai - I'm glad you're there for your friend. Having the love and support of a good friend makes a huge difference. I'm praying for his continued recovery.

Have a great weekend, gentlemen!

 

Driving out of the Biltmore property, we spotted two bears the first day (a mom and her cub) and five bears the second day! My Bride took a few quick snaps from the car. Since we were just a few feet from the bears, I left the car running and shifted into Drive while she took the photos. Here's 3 of the 5 bears on day 2.

 

Arko Adjustable April!!

April 28
Razor - Qshave (Futur clone) (6)
Blade - (1)
Soap - Arko
Brush - Stirling Two Band Synthetic
Post - Alum

Three shaves left in Arko Adjustable April so I might as well go out with the biggest and baddest (as far as gap goes) adjustable of them all. Qshave set on my namesake setting and a Sharp Star blade. Russian Steel, Chinese clone of a German razor and Turkish soap. I feel like playing "We Are the World".

Putting this razor on 6 is daunting even if you've done it before. I always hesitate just a bit before starting the stroke just to make sure I have the angle right to avoid the removal of my skin. The Sharp Star was a noisy beast with this razor but it was smooth and comfortable. Loved the auditory feedback. Two passes and I have a very nice DFS. Nearly BBS but I chose not to try touchups tonight. Just didn't see the need.

Alum was quiet, even on a couple of spots I thought I might have gotten a bit heavy handed. Nice shave overall.

Same setup tomorrow with just a different brush. I think I'm going to take the remnants of the Arko in the mug I have left Monday night and do a 50/50 mix with Williams. Kind of curious how "Warkoms" soap might work.

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As I've mentioned a few times my wife is rather supportive of my shaving addicti...er....hobby. She actually bought the rug for my new den, and is still hunting down wall decor that I might like. She started using safety razors a few months after I joined up here. Of course I bought a couple of them and helped her get started, figuring if she had her own stuff she'd appreciate mine a bit more. Because we are both very environmentally conscious the idea of avoiding plastic carts and all the associated waste really appealed to her. (And I am a salesman, after all, so there was my main talking point).

Well, apparently one of her Facebook friends found an article on how safety razors are the most environmentally sound shaving options. My wife....the one who supports my obsessi...dangit....hobby.....but who also still looks at my picture taking of gear as a bit of an absurdity, responded to that post. She didn't tell me about it, just responded quietly and..........POSTED A PIC OF HER RAZORS!!



Yep, I just pulled that off Facebook. She has no idea I know yet. Soon. Soon.

 

Verry cool, Neal! Suggest to her the idea of photographing her set-up? Does she use a brush, bowl, actual shave soap, or post shave products? She could start a trend among her FB buddies.

 

SOTD

Karve Christopher Bradley B
Gillette Nacet (3)
Fendrihan Synthetic
Mike's Natural Pine&Cedar
Thayer's Witchhazel
Speick AS Splash
Speick AS Balsam

Well, well,well; look who learned how to lather! Me, and boy was it amazing. Had a terrific shave tonight, damn near perfect for me. Except for the slight redness from over shaving my mid-central neck. Like the smell of the Mike's, it has a nice pine note, followed a lingering slight cedar scent. Had great cushion, I could barely feel the blade on my skin, hell for 80+ of the shave I couldn't feel the blade at all. Had very nice slickness, on the atg pass the razor just sailed across my face. Third shave with the Nacet, a blade I'm really beginning to love. At this rate, I may have to change my avatar. Finished the shave with a healthy splash of Speick, followed by Speick After Shave Balsam. Have great evening, morning Gents.


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She has watched me take enough setup pictures I guess she just figured that was close enough. LOL She uses a brush, and actual shave soap. The brush she currently uses is a West Coast Shaving Synthetic, "borrowed" from me. Before that one she was using my Omega Pro 48. I got her to try a synthetic and she's hooked. She started with Arko, since I have a lifetime supply of that, but has now switched to exclusively using Stirling Witchy Woman. She also uses the Witchy Woman body butter and bath soap. She has tried Stirling's shampoo bar as well, though I'm not sure it's her favorite. She's still deciding on that one. No bowl, as she just loads the brush from the container and lathers as she goes. Her razor of choice is the Lady Gillette. It's her birth year (I lucked into that on the bay). The EJ Heather was the first one I got for her. When I bought the Gillette she put it on the shelf and left it there. After about a month I asked her if she didn't like it and she said she just didn't want to risk ruining it. I assured her that it was perfectly fine to give it a try and she's barely touched the Jagger since.

To give you an idea of how much she likes the Stirling products, my last order from them was all her stuff. Bath soaps, shampoo bar, body butter. Well, ok, so I did order a Stirling T-shirt for me - but all the product was her stuff. Makes it a bit easier when I order some new stuff in. It's more equitable that way.

 

It's SO very.

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Thank you, Sir! I swear, having tried maybe a dozen or so different bowls, a Captain’s bowl is the difference between loving to bowl lather, or just saying the Hell with it and face lathering all the time.

 

Thank you, Clint.