February 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

Hembree said: ↑

I hope everyone has this great of a shave today. The Karve with plate E took care of business. The Soap Commander is just good slick stuff and I don't think it gets the love it deserves. Finished it off with a splash of Clubman aftershave lotion.
I was going to write a Joseph @Primotenore article but I did not have time. Some folks have to work for a living and mostly I am not qualified plus a great shave does not need to be embellished.
Hope everyone has great day! View attachment 218944
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Awesome shave and set up, Danny! Soap Commander gets all kinds of love from me. Great product. Enjoy your day, sir!

wristwatchb · Feb 25, 2020

Hembree said: ↑

Next time I want Cliff Notes.
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timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

brit said: ↑

View attachment 218949
good morning gents,tuesday shave.second go with the british superspeed/platinum combo.fine barrister's waves lather built with the razorock 400 synthetic,lovely 2+ pass near bbs.waves aftershave to cap it off with an aquatic edt just before the drive to work..enjoying the flare tip february focus.getting some fine shaves in.maybe an all Tech or New focus next month.have a fine day everyone..
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Wonderful photo and shave, Gary. Love what the dark, reflective surface is doing. Tech shaves! Do the Techs

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

clint64 said: ↑

February 25, 2020
RR Lupo
Gillette 7 O’clock Black
Mondial Boar
The Dead Sea
Shave Soap and Aftershave

The Lupo's shipping saga ended with its delivery yesterday. The DLC coating on the razor was evenly applied and uniform in color. I think I would have just preferred a polished SS like the Jaws. Today was my second time using the Dead Sea. I absolutely adore this scent. As @Norcalnewb , Jim said it smells like a hot dry beach. Three passes with touch ups along the jawline and buffing the neck caught the little guy with ease. A very good first outing with the Lupo. I will load up a Feather blade before the next outing. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.
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A wonderful maiden voyage for the Lupo (glad the shipping drama is over)! Photo is stunning, as always, sir!

clint64 · Feb 25, 2020

9nein9 said: ↑

Fantastic reports guys! Paul , be careful with razors. Jason , be careful with banned scents . Jeff, be careful with watch purchases.
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Thank you Patrick

clint64 · Feb 25, 2020

timabababaluka said: ↑

A wonderful maiden voyage for the Lupo (glad the shipping drama is over)! Photo is stunning, as always, sir!
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Thank you Tim

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

Paul Turner said: ↑

I felt a bit rushed this morning, as they are shutting off the water at 9 to "fix a problem in the bldg.". Happens a lot here. But because of that, I felt I should hurry through the shave to allow for enough time to prepare for the shutoff. That decision cost me 4 weepers around the jaw area and just above the upper lip. I also thought I'd try going north to south on that upper lip area at the corners. Produced the weepers. Everywhere else was fine, both face and neck. The technique ruined it, not the tools. I'll do better tomorrow, I'm sure. Tips The Scales At Excellent.
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Sorry about the shave, Paul. Rushed shaves are my arch-nemesis (sooooo many battles lost). But still excellent, even if just barely so

wristwatchb · Feb 25, 2020

Primotenore said: ↑

February Focus

Stirling Glacial Wintergreen~~Simpson PL10~~Heljestrand MK32~~Super-Mentholated Florida Water
This article...I mean, post, is dedicated to @Paul Turner
I am feeling rather verbose this fine Monday morning, so it is with exquisite and eloquent
explanations, I elaborate excessively about today's exceptional shaving experience.
Being Monday on this side of the international dateline, I felt the call of the cold.
For those of you who consider your menthol-Monday's to be in the chilly-range,
I will say only this:
Winter is coming and it arrived directly on Primo's kisser.
View attachment 218883
To begin my cryogenic-freeze, I reached for my tub of Stirling Wintergreen.
Now, this soap, in its normal iteration, is fairly cold, BUT...
in the Glacial Form, well, Ladies and Germs, it's downright frigid.

My super-cold suds were a bit on the over-hydrated side, if that is at all possible.
For your consideration:

Now this lather will numb your skin, it's so frigid.

One must use...
View attachment 218886 View attachment 218887 View attachment 218888 View attachment 218889
...which I did.
Now to the shave.
How am I doing Paul

To brave these ice-cold elements, I chose a blade with ice in its veins.
The Swedish Heljestrand MK32.
Born from the glacial mountains, just south of the Arctic Circle, the MK32
was ice-forged by gnomes, born of Skadi
View attachment 218890
and Thor
View attachment 218891
These gnomes took chunks of the glaciers and created the original
COLD STEEL Straight razor.
Booyakasha.
After 2 passes and almost passing out from the rapid drop of my skin temperature,
with fingers nearly frost-bitten, I rinsed the liquid nitrogen from my skin.
But that's not the end, nooooooooooo, not nearly.
I donned my fire-proof gloves for what would be the finale of all finales.
Mentholated Florida Water.
Yes, a full 10 grams of menthol crystals dissolved into this juice.
More than one splash is considered life-threatening.
The liquid began immediately to eat through the 3" leather palms of my gloves.
I braved the elements and threw caution to the wind and with a stiff-spine
applied the elixir.
If you are reading this, I am now in a cryogenic state, only to be awaken when the price of a
Wolfman razor drops below $100.00 and a Varlet Ranger can be acquired for $59.99.
Good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.
This article is copyrighted ©2020
All rights reserved.
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Fantastic articlepost, Maestro. You had me at Stirling...

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

wristwatchb said: ↑

Thanks gentlemen. I appreciate the kind words!

I was having a little fun, Jeff. Teflon is a synthetic fluoropolymer called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The Teflon molecule is a repeating chain of Carbon and Fluorine atoms. It has a variety of commercial applications.

View attachment 218950

I find the first shave with a Voskhod blade to be the smoothest. I attribute that, to some degree, to the Teflon coating on the blade.

Thanks Tim. Agreed. My transmogrifier was on the blink. I have the repairman coming out today.

View attachment 218951
Click to expand...

Funny. I initially used the word transmogrify until I realized I was speaking to the king of Calvin and Hobbs--guess transmigroalized was still too close

wristwatchb · Feb 25, 2020

SilverSwarfer said: ↑

Today’s the day. I’ve been lurking this thread for a couple weeks with the clear determination to improve my skills overall, but IME: participation serves progress. I’m jumping in and joining up. Please forgive and correct any missteps of praxis, incorrect terminology, and faults of etiquette.

Background
I'm a new guy. Bought my 1st "real blade" (Tosuke Kamisori) from a member of another forum that supports my main "hang-up:" which is sharpening and polishing kitchen knives. At that time, my primary objective was to learn the razor with the intent of gaining further theoretical understanding of apex development. Naturally, I was instantly impressed with the ingenuity in design of the tool. So I wanted more. The Tosuke was to be a practice blade for learning how to hone. I bought another Kami for shaving... a Takami, which is completely different from the Tosuke, and was much better in hand as well as on the stones. I started shaving around my beard; pretty much just to use the edge so I would need to make it sharp again.

I became enamored with the wet shaving process, and wanted to improve my experience because I was really enjoying my time using the new tools. I started shaving at night when I sharpen... sorry --> HONE..., when I could take my time. So I started learning much more. I had flirted with razors many times in the past, due to the intersection with sharpening and stones. A lot of my research, equipment, and experience is applicable to razors, so my time spent was very rewarding because I was struggling a little and frustration felt more like challenge.

In terms of equipment, I am/was ahead of the curve. All I am/was missing is/was blades. When I bought my 1st straight razor was when I really came to terms with how firm a grip that this "little" ritual really had on me. The Kamisori were doing weird things on my hanging strop... <-- that's my excuse for getting a traditional straight razor.

Shaving around a beard with a Kami is much more handy than with the western straight. But I was taken aback by the feel and performance of the Dovo BQ I picked up off Amazon. The feedback from the thinner blade is just awesome! Realizing my preference lay squarely with Western style blades I guess I kinda steered toward the sunset and picked up an old beater Henkel 91 off the bay to get a feel for practicing heavier stone work and bevel setting.

Lots of eye candy on the bay triggered an impulse buy(s). USPS delivered the razor I have been using exclusively (pictured) ever since 2/19.

30 Day Rule

Brush WCS "Lantern" Silvertip

Soap Stirling Scots Pine

Razor Herder #77

Pre/Post (so far/may vary)

Pre-Shave Stirling Mentholated Pre-Shave Soap scrub and hot water rinses, post-shower

Post-Shave Cold rinse, Alum rub, AS Splash, followed with AS Balm, re-up on the balm 2-3x through the day as desired

I have been using the designated trio since 2/19. Minding my details as best I can my shaves are... variable. If allowable, I am putting my 30DR kickoff at 2/19.

2/19 I took the Herder to the stones... sorry --> HONES... as quickly as it was in-hand. 1st thing was to lose the beard. This went very surprisingly well. I had settled in for a long session and prepped up for a bloodbath. I went slowly, very slowly and I rinsed and re-lathered often. I did not count but I ended up with a few weepers but no cuts. I nicked an earlobe, which is apparently a "thing" for me as I've stung one or the other 3x total with the left lobe currently leading right by a score of 2-1.

2/20 Shave #2 was rougher than the last, mainly around the chin and moustache area. Skin was irritated due to stubbornly pursuing BBS and poor technique. I think I was using too much pressure and I forced the fool's pass when I should've settled with a 2nd WTG. Uncomfortable SAS overall though cheeks were super smooth and comfortable. Nicked an earlobe and scored a couple weepers on my weak hand side at the neck and above the lip.

2/21 Shave #3 was progressively less comfortable. I'm chalking this up to elevated sensitivity and lack of skin acclimation to shaving. Still insisting on the ATG pass because skin condition post-shaving looks good, except a touch of redness above the lip and under the jaw on the dominant hand side. Having settled on a diagnosis of poor pressure management, and paying extra attention to this through this shave I started to recognize some poor angle management. So I'm trying to develop more dexterity and paying more attention to the point of focus through each stroke.

2/22 Shave #4 was much better. Watching where I'm working at the toe is paying off. Feel for the blade in hand is more comfortable. Through this shave I recognized I don't have a procedure. A plan might help. I think I should have a routine through the shave and I started thinking about this. Where to start? What's next? ... etc, ... Where to finish? When to decide about ATG and pursuit of BBS? Does BBS matter? This shave is close but not quite comfortable. Not as comfortable as Shave #1, but better than the last 2. Nicked the other earlobe, weeper at a bump near a sideburn, and some stinging and a couple weepers through the fool's pass. Much less redness post-shave than #3.

2/23 Shave #5 was a little better than #4. I did not stick to my plan to make a plan. I just stepped to the mirror and cleared my mind. This worked nicely and I had more fun than any prior shave. Nicked an earlobe (lol). Fool's pass is a dumb decision but I do it anyway... this time my excuse was testing the edge. So far, this stroke looks like the best measure of the edge. Whiskers came off better than ever above the lip but it's uncomfortable there (I know... that's why it's called "fool's pass!!"). My neck is improving but the chin is rough. My ATG approach at the chin needs improvement. I don't roll these strokes around the chin, but rather parse it out as multiple planes and use buffing strokes.

2/24 Shave #6 (pictured) feels like things are coming together. Still have a little weepiness when I do the fool's pass but the shave is finally even and smooth above the lip. I went for a 4th pass because the edge felt really nice around the cheeks and neck. Doing this may be foolish but I realized I am missing spots throughout my ATG pass. Weak (left) hand passes on my right side cheek ATG are not efficient. My best guess is pressure/angle management and possibly reading feedback poorly. I am trying to focus more on feedback with the goal of discerning how to tell if/when the razor is striking/glancing off whiskers. Small nick above the chin, below the lip. Still having trouble navigating the chin through my buffing strokes. The nick was the result of momentum when the blade skipped across tougher whiskers there mid-stroke. Probably an angle of attack issue, certainly not helped by my lack of experience issue.
View attachment 218909

Other Thoughts

At this stage I’m hyper focused on my lather. I bought a soap off reputation and compared to the others I’ve tried, it seems like a strong choice for 30DR. I invest a lot of time in making lather. My method is a sort of synthesis based on some vids and my feel.

As mentioned, honing is one of my favorite things. I end up splashing some water on a few rocks every evening and learning as much as feels natural. I don't have an established benchmark edge that somebody else honed, but my understanding of the "standard" sharpness tests and my experience with knives all point to "shave readiness" once I finish honing and stropping. I might be tinkering too much and I'm considering honing the 30DR razor much less. Now I have other blades to tinker with and to learn honing with, based on feel and observation.

I am hoping that with the increased accountability of reporting my shaves, that progress will come and my shaves will feel more natural. Speed is not a concern because I shave at night because I want to be relaxed because I want to enjoy the experience. And learn. I have a tendency to dive into things too deeply in the beginning and I know I would start buying old razors and trying to fix them up just to confuse my efforts and progress more slowly. I need to develop my touch through repetition and that works out better if I bond with I single tool (I think).

Tinkering with my edges may/not be affecting progress. I think I’m starting very near to the same level of sharpness with each shave; at least I’m focused on making sure as best I can, that my edges are the same for each shave.

Thanks for reading this. And thanks in advance for your feedback. The goal is to learn patiently and not to achieve some artificial instant mastery. This is a complicated game with a million variables. There is an awful lot of wisdom present here and I’m here to learn and hopefully return the favor when/if that’s appropriate.

While I am still a rookie and I have a long path to proficiency, my self-assessment is (ambiguously) "so far, so good!" Most importantly (to me), I am having a lot of fun with this. It is important to have a daily treat or at least some semblance of a reward to look forward to, and this sport has an awful lot to offer folks with interests similar to mine. Echoing my 1st post on TSD, "Happy to be here!"
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Terrific intro post! Welcome to TSD and the 30 Day Crew!

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

Primotenore said: ↑

Tuesday, February 24

Gotta get to work, so not enough time for a full-blown article...
.
Click to expand...

That's the trouble with being awesome--people expect it all the time

Fantastic setup, Joseph. That Old Virginia looks like nice software (the fact that you use it adds weight to the hypothesis)

wristwatchb · Feb 25, 2020

Norcalnewb said: ↑

View attachment 218953

February 25 SOTD:

Razor: Prime Med Prep
Brush: Razorock Plissoft
Lather: Speick Shave Stick
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Hotel shave this morning, and it was nice and easy. It is also me middle daughter's birthday as Jenna is turning 11 today. I hope this meeting gets done quickly so I can catch my plane in time for dinner tonight. I hope everyone has a great day!
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Safe travels and Happy Birthday Jenna!

blondblue · Feb 25, 2020

timabababaluka said: ↑

Sorry about the shave, Paul. Rushed shaves are my arch-nemesis (sooooo many battles lost). But still excellent, even if just barely so
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Well, it's like I said....all my shaves are excellent, the question is ..how much? .

blondblue · Feb 25, 2020

9nein9 said: ↑

Fantastic reports guys! Paul , be careful with razors. Jason , be careful with banned scents . Jeff, be careful with watch purchases.
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Thanks Patrick,.....although I think I blew it by trying a different approach than I normally do. I suppose my motto on here is-If It's Going Good, Why Change It?

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

jgreenepa said: ↑

View attachment 218947
SOTD 02/25/20

Yesterday I shaved with my Muhle R41 (2011) with a Feather blade, and while I received a BBS shave, I did experience some level of skin irritation on my neck and on the left side of my head. So today I broke out my new H&S No75 with its new shorter handle. I did not like a long handle, and therefore traded the longer 3.75” handle that came with the razor for the older shorter handle. The owner, Aji was happy to oblige. The jury is no longer out on this razor for me. It has a rather narrow sweet spot, which increases the difficulty of its use in my dome shaves, given my arthritis, and doesn’t seem that efficient for me. YMMV!

I received my new aluminum Alpha Shaving T400 brush handle with two ferrules from Hong Kong two days ago. I ordered two knots from Maggard’s - a synthetic and a 70/30 Badger Boar. The beauty of this brush is that it allows one to use multiple knots with the same handle. I mounted the synthetic knot which arrived first in one ferrule. I’ll mount the mixed knot in the other when it arrives.

I lathered up with the new brush after my cold water rinse and had at it with the H&S No75. Everyone raves about this razor’s smoothness. I’m not sold. It doesn’t possess as wide a sweet spot nor is it as efficient as my current modern favorites:

1. Colonial Silversmith
2. Blackland Vector
3. RazoRock SS DLC Coated Lupo
4. Rex Ambassador (narrow sweet spot, but incredibly smooth and efficient)

The first WTG pass was completed with two minor weepers on the left side of my head which my styptic dealt with. I proceeded gingerly with the second XTG pass and succeeded in generating a nick to the right of my Adam’s Apple. I guess I should rename today as bloody Tuesday. Again my styptic came to the rescue. My third ATG pass was completed without any new wounds, but things were nowhere near as smooth as I would have hoped, requiring some additional cautious buffing leading to a fourth nick and what can best be termed a CCS.

This was my 4th and most likely last shave with this razor. I just have too many razors that work better for me. This one’s going on the block in my upcoming den clearing. All I can say is I feel clean and refreshed after this very unsatisfactory shave.

RAZOR: H&S No75
BLADE: Wizamet Super Iridium
PREP: Cold Water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T400 w/ Synthetic Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Old Spice Fresh Lime Splash. I finished with A&E Post-Shave Serum to treat my irritated shave surfaces.
Click to expand...

Sorry the shave turned out so unsatisfactory, Jeff. We live to shave another day, no? Still, great report and photo. I'm excited to see what other razors survive the cut.

timabababaluka · Feb 25, 2020

Norcalnewb said: ↑

View attachment 218953

February 25 SOTD:

Razor: Prime Med Prep
Brush: Razorock Plissoft
Lather: Speick Shave Stick
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Hotel shave this morning, and it was nice and easy. It is also me middle daughter's birthday as Jenna is turning 11 today. I hope this meeting gets done quickly so I can catch my plane in time for dinner tonight. I hope everyone has a great day!
Click to expand...

Wonderful travel shave, Jim! Get it done, get home, and may joyful celebrations for Jenna be in today's forecast.

jgreenepa · Feb 25, 2020

timabababaluka said: ↑

Sorry the shave turned out so unsatisfactory, Jeff. We live to shave another day, no? Still, great report and photo. I'm excited to see what other razors survive the cut.
Click to expand...

Tim:
I’ll be listing as many as my hoarding needs will allow me to part with.

Tommynick · Feb 25, 2020

Turkish Tuesday 2/25

Gillette UK Aristocrat
Gillette Platinum Blade
Arko sensitive SC
C&E Travel Brush
Arko sensitive ASB

Some weepers today. I may dial down the blade choice, The ASB has a light lavender scent s bit lighter than the T&H Lavender Cream

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Linuxguile · Feb 25, 2020

wristwatchb said: ↑

February 24

Parker SRX and L4 Gillette Travel Tech
Voskhod (1)
Simpson Chubby 2 Super
Tabac
Alum, Thayers WH, USB/Almond Oil, Floid Vigoroso, & Aramis EdT

2020 Shavette Focus Shave # 3

I enjoyed an early morning two-passer followed by a day of errands and visits. I suffered a small nick on my cheek, again due to the leading corner of the blade. The root cause was either inattention or sidefumbling due to the prefabulated amulite residue on the blade. Overall, it was a good shave; however, I have some very slight irritation after three super close daily shaves with the SRX. I'll give my skin a break tomorrow by performing a single WTG pass and calling it a day.

Happy Monday!

View attachment 218917

View attachment 218918
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Wonderful shave, Charlie! Have a great day!

NCoxSTL said: ↑

February Favorites

February 24

Razor - 1918 Gillette Old Type
Blade - View attachment 218924 (2)
Soap - Stirling Orange Chill
Brush - 30DC LE
Post - Alum

Yep, you guessed it. I skipped Sunday's shave. Really tough day on the road and I just decided to let it go. No regrets. Switching back to the 1918 Old Type tonight with the Treet Silver carbon blade. It's MENTHOL MONDAY so Stirling Orange Chill fills the bill. With the 30DC LE brush from @jtspartan it was a quick and easy lather that both smells great and "orangey" as well as being nice and chilly! With two days growth and a carbon blade that's been sitting for two days I wondered how this one would go. No problem at all, as it turns out. The Silver, while carbon, seems to have a bit more life in it than some do. I'm confident I can get tomorrow's shave out of it as well.

Hope you had a great Monday and start to your week! Cold and rainy in the Lou so also hoping you had better weather! Have a fantastic Tuesday!!

View attachment 218923
Click to expand...

You had me Stirling and lost me at Treet Carbon and got me back with the 30DCLE!

SilverSwarfer said: ↑

Today’s the day. I’ve been lurking this thread for a couple weeks with the clear determination to improve my skills overall, but IME: participation serves progress. I’m jumping in and joining up. Please forgive and correct any missteps of praxis, incorrect terminology, and faults of etiquette.

Background
I'm a new guy. Bought my 1st "real blade" (Tosuke Kamisori) from a member of another forum that supports my main "hang-up:" which is sharpening and polishing kitchen knives. At that time, my primary objective was to learn the razor with the intent of gaining further theoretical understanding of apex development. Naturally, I was instantly impressed with the ingenuity in design of the tool. So I wanted more. The Tosuke was to be a practice blade for learning how to hone. I bought another Kami for shaving... a Takami, which is completely different from the Tosuke, and was much better in hand as well as on the stones. I started shaving around my beard; pretty much just to use the edge so I would need to make it sharp again.

I became enamored with the wet shaving process, and wanted to improve my experience because I was really enjoying my time using the new tools. I started shaving at night when I sharpen... sorry --> HONE..., when I could take my time. So I started learning much more. I had flirted with razors many times in the past, due to the intersection with sharpening and stones. A lot of my research, equipment, and experience is applicable to razors, so my time spent was very rewarding because I was struggling a little and frustration felt more like challenge.

In terms of equipment, I am/was ahead of the curve. All I am/was missing is/was blades. When I bought my 1st straight razor was when I really came to terms with how firm a grip that this "little" ritual really had on me. The Kamisori were doing weird things on my hanging strop... <-- that's my excuse for getting a traditional straight razor.

Shaving around a beard with a Kami is much more handy than with the western straight. But I was taken aback by the feel and performance of the Dovo BQ I picked up off Amazon. The feedback from the thinner blade is just awesome! Realizing my preference lay squarely with Western style blades I guess I kinda steered toward the sunset and picked up an old beater Henkel 91 off the bay to get a feel for practicing heavier stone work and bevel setting.

Lots of eye candy on the bay triggered an impulse buy(s). USPS delivered the razor I have been using exclusively (pictured) ever since 2/19.

30 Day Rule

Brush WCS "Lantern" Silvertip

Soap Stirling Scots Pine

Razor Herder #77

Pre/Post (so far/may vary)

Pre-Shave Stirling Mentholated Pre-Shave Soap scrub and hot water rinses, post-shower

Post-Shave Cold rinse, Alum rub, AS Splash, followed with AS Balm, re-up on the balm 2-3x through the day as desired

I have been using the designated trio since 2/19. Minding my details as best I can my shaves are... variable. If allowable, I am putting my 30DR kickoff at 2/19.

2/19 I took the Herder to the stones... sorry --> HONES... as quickly as it was in-hand. 1st thing was to lose the beard. This went very surprisingly well. I had settled in for a long session and prepped up for a bloodbath. I went slowly, very slowly and I rinsed and re-lathered often. I did not count but I ended up with a few weepers but no cuts. I nicked an earlobe, which is apparently a "thing" for me as I've stung one or the other 3x total with the left lobe currently leading right by a score of 2-1.

2/20 Shave #2 was rougher than the last, mainly around the chin and moustache area. Skin was irritated due to stubbornly pursuing BBS and poor technique. I think I was using too much pressure and I forced the fool's pass when I should've settled with a 2nd WTG. Uncomfortable SAS overall though cheeks were super smooth and comfortable. Nicked an earlobe and scored a couple weepers on my weak hand side at the neck and above the lip.

2/21 Shave #3 was progressively less comfortable. I'm chalking this up to elevated sensitivity and lack of skin acclimation to shaving. Still insisting on the ATG pass because skin condition post-shaving looks good, except a touch of redness above the lip and under the jaw on the dominant hand side. Having settled on a diagnosis of poor pressure management, and paying extra attention to this through this shave I started to recognize some poor angle management. So I'm trying to develop more dexterity and paying more attention to the point of focus through each stroke.

2/22 Shave #4 was much better. Watching where I'm working at the toe is paying off. Feel for the blade in hand is more comfortable. Through this shave I recognized I don't have a procedure. A plan might help. I think I should have a routine through the shave and I started thinking about this. Where to start? What's next? ... etc, ... Where to finish? When to decide about ATG and pursuit of BBS? Does BBS matter? This shave is close but not quite comfortable. Not as comfortable as Shave #1, but better than the last 2. Nicked the other earlobe, weeper at a bump near a sideburn, and some stinging and a couple weepers through the fool's pass. Much less redness post-shave than #3.

2/23 Shave #5 was a little better than #4. I did not stick to my plan to make a plan. I just stepped to the mirror and cleared my mind. This worked nicely and I had more fun than any prior shave. Nicked an earlobe (lol). Fool's pass is a dumb decision but I do it anyway... this time my excuse was testing the edge. So far, this stroke looks like the best measure of the edge. Whiskers came off better than ever above the lip but it's uncomfortable there (I know... that's why it's called "fool's pass!!"). My neck is improving but the chin is rough. My ATG approach at the chin needs improvement. I don't roll these strokes around the chin, but rather parse it out as multiple planes and use buffing strokes.

2/24 Shave #6 (pictured) feels like things are coming together. Still have a little weepiness when I do the fool's pass but the shave is finally even and smooth above the lip. I went for a 4th pass because the edge felt really nice around the cheeks and neck. Doing this may be foolish but I realized I am missing spots throughout my ATG pass. Weak (left) hand passes on my right side cheek ATG are not efficient. My best guess is pressure/angle management and possibly reading feedback poorly. I am trying to focus more on feedback with the goal of discerning how to tell if/when the razor is striking/glancing off whiskers. Small nick above the chin, below the lip. Still having trouble navigating the chin through my buffing strokes. The nick was the result of momentum when the blade skipped across tougher whiskers there mid-stroke. Probably an angle of attack issue, certainly not helped by my lack of experience issue.
View attachment 218909

Other Thoughts

At this stage I’m hyper focused on my lather. I bought a soap off reputation and compared to the others I’ve tried, it seems like a strong choice for 30DR. I invest a lot of time in making lather. My method is a sort of synthesis based on some vids and my feel.

As mentioned, honing is one of my favorite things. I end up splashing some water on a few rocks every evening and learning as much as feels natural. I don't have an established benchmark edge that somebody else honed, but my understanding of the "standard" sharpness tests and my experience with knives all point to "shave readiness" once I finish honing and stropping. I might be tinkering too much and I'm considering honing the 30DR razor much less. Now I have other blades to tinker with and to learn honing with, based on feel and observation.

I am hoping that with the increased accountability of reporting my shaves, that progress will come and my shaves will feel more natural. Speed is not a concern because I shave at night because I want to be relaxed because I want to enjoy the experience. And learn. I have a tendency to dive into things too deeply in the beginning and I know I would start buying old razors and trying to fix them up just to confuse my efforts and progress more slowly. I need to develop my touch through repetition and that works out better if I bond with I single tool (I think).

Tinkering with my edges may/not be affecting progress. I think I’m starting very near to the same level of sharpness with each shave; at least I’m focused on making sure as best I can, that my edges are the same for each shave.

Thanks for reading this. And thanks in advance for your feedback. The goal is to learn patiently and not to achieve some artificial instant mastery. This is a complicated game with a million variables. There is an awful lot of wisdom present here and I’m here to learn and hopefully return the favor when/if that’s appropriate.

While I am still a rookie and I have a long path to proficiency, my self-assessment is (ambiguously) "so far, so good!" Most importantly (to me), I am having a lot of fun with this. It is important to have a daily treat or at least some semblance of a reward to look forward to, and this sport has an awful lot to offer folks with interests similar to mine. Echoing my 1st post on TSD, "Happy to be here!"
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Welcome aboard! While I dont have much experience with honing or straight shaving, Ill happily read alone and offer support when I can!

Keithmax said: ↑

Tuesday shave: This Atlas Jwest is a near wedge. I just refreshed this blade and as documented I struggle with near wedges. The edge was good enough to shave with but definitely not where I enjoy it. Thought the second pass I was thinking I should follow my own advice. I loaded a GSB in my Ikon DE and finished the shave. The near wedges are going to be looking for new homes.
View attachment 218931

Today's wrist check is a Ball watch and the cufflinks are made with ancient glass, well at least that is what they told me when I bought them.

View attachment 218932
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Fantastic shave Keith!

Bama Samurai said: ↑

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
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Very nice Chris!

Terry said: ↑

Good morning all!
Tried out Pear soap from Dollar Tree.
Decided to shave "on the cheap"
$1 brush ( for makeup )
$1 soap ( Pear )
$1 After Shave (wally world)
$1 Razor (Dollar Tree Special)
I didn't cheap the blade, 1 new Feather.
View attachment 218938
2 passes face, 2 pasdes head, no issues.
Just a tad better than yesterday's Red Tip shave.
I'm not a fan of the soaps scent by any account, but it does a good job.
Even with the poor choice of brush, it lathered good in my water.
If I could buy decent blade, I could easily get a good shave for just a few bucks walking through a Dollar Tree store.
Well then....
ENJOY!
tp
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The Dollar Tree razor works surprisingly well! Good stuff Terry!

jluc said: ↑

February 25th
Razor: Razorock SS Lupo
Blade: Feather NHS (3)
Brush: Maseto 30mm Finest
Pre-shave: PAA The Cube
Soap: JoHS Tobacco Bay Leaf
PAA Galactic witch hazel
PAA unscented Star Jelly
AS: JoHS Tobacco Bay Leaf

Good morning

Excellent shave to start the day! Three passes for near BBS. Silent alum.

Have a great day!
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Wonderful black theme, Jim!

Hembree said: ↑

I hope everyone has this great of a shave today. The Karve with plate E took care of business. The Soap Commander is just good slick stuff and I don't think it gets the love it deserves. Finished it off with a splash of Clubman aftershave lotion.
I was going to write a Joseph @Primotenore article but I did not have time. Some folks have to work for a living and mostly I am not qualified plus a great shave does not need to be embellished.
Hope everyone has great day! View attachment 218944
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Awesome setup Danny!

brit said: ↑

View attachment 218949
good morning gents,tuesday shave.second go with the british superspeed/platinum combo.fine barrister's waves lather built with the razorock 400 synthetic,lovely 2+ pass near bbs.waves aftershave to cap it off with an aquatic edt just before the drive to work..enjoying the flare tip february focus.getting some fine shaves in.maybe an all Tech or New focus next month.have a fine day everyone..
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Great setup, Gary!

clint64 said: ↑

February 25, 2020
RR Lupo
Gillette 7 O’clock Black
Mondial Boar
The Dead Sea
Shave Soap and Aftershave

The Lupo's shipping saga ended with its delivery yesterday. The DLC coating on the razor was evenly applied and uniform in color. I think I would have just preferred a polished SS like the Jaws. Today was my second time using the Dead Sea. I absolutely adore this scent. As @Norcalnewb , Jim said it smells like a hot dry beach. Three passes with touch ups along the jawline and buffing the neck caught the little guy with ease. A very good first outing with the Lupo. I will load up a Feather blade before the next outing. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday.
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Fantastic shave Clint! I find the Lupo to be highly efficient!

Primotenore said: ↑

Tuesday, February 24

ASW Old Virginia~~Mondial~~Heljestrand
Gotta get to work, so not enough time for a full-blown article...
Great shave with some great gear.
Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday.
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Great shave, great gear, great post!

jgreenepa said: ↑

View attachment 218947
SOTD 02/25/20

Yesterday I shaved with my Muhle R41 (2011) with a Feather blade, and while I received a BBS shave, I did experience some level of skin irritation on my neck and on the left side of my head. So today I broke out my new H&S No75 with its new shorter handle. I did not like a long handle, and therefore traded the longer 3.75” handle that came with the razor for the older shorter handle. The owner, Aji was happy to oblige. The jury is no longer out on this razor for me. It has a rather narrow sweet spot, which increases the difficulty of its use in my dome shaves, given my arthritis, and doesn’t seem that efficient for me. YMMV!

I received my new aluminum Alpha Shaving T400 brush handle with two ferrules from Hong Kong two days ago. I ordered two knots from Maggard’s - a synthetic and a 70/30 Badger Boar. The beauty of this brush is that it allows one to use multiple knots with the same handle. I mounted the synthetic knot which arrived first in one ferrule. I’ll mount the mixed knot in the other when it arrives.

I lathered up with the new brush after my cold water rinse and had at it with the H&S No75. Everyone raves about this razor’s smoothness. I’m not sold. It doesn’t possess as wide a sweet spot nor is it as efficient as my current modern favorites:

1. Colonial Silversmith
2. Blackland Vector
3. RazoRock SS DLC Coated Lupo
4. Rex Ambassador (narrow sweet spot, but incredibly smooth and efficient)

The first WTG pass was completed with two minor weepers on the left side of my head which my styptic dealt with. I proceeded gingerly with the second XTG pass and succeeded in generating a nick to the right of my Adam’s Apple. I guess I should rename today as bloody Tuesday. Again my styptic came to the rescue. My third ATG pass was completed without any new wounds, but things were nowhere near as smooth as I would have hoped, requiring some additional cautious buffing leading to a fourth nick and what can best be termed a CCS.

This was my 4th and most likely last shave with this razor. I just have too many razors that work better for me. This one’s going on the block in my upcoming den clearing. All I can say is I feel clean and refreshed after this very unsatisfactory shave.

RAZOR: H&S No75
BLADE: Wizamet Super Iridium
PREP: Cold Water rinse
BRUSH: Alpha Shaving T400 w/ Synthetic Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Old Spice Fresh Lime Splash. I finished with A&E Post-Shave Serum to treat my irritated shave surfaces.
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Too bad the H&S didnt perform better for you, Jeff. Perhaps a Shakesharp shave is in order for tomorrow!

Norcalnewb said: ↑

View attachment 218953

February 25 SOTD:

Razor: Prime Med Prep
Brush: Razorock Plissoft
Lather: Speick Shave Stick
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Hotel shave this morning, and it was nice and easy. It is also me middle daughter's birthday as Jenna is turning 11 today. I hope this meeting gets done quickly so I can catch my plane in time for dinner tonight. I hope everyone has a great day!
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I'll cross my fingers for you, Jim!

jtspartan said: ↑

February 25th
Gillette NEW LC
Omega ‘49/Walnut&Brass
Stirling Gentleman
Thayers
Jeeves Tobacco Bay Leaf
View attachment 218958
Had an excellent, if somewhat rushed shave this morning. Slowly built a great lather, and had a fantastic first two passes with this awesome shaver that @MrEE did a great job replating. About to lather for the 3rd pass and what do I hear? The front door open. Mrs. Spartan returning from walking the dogs...a matter of minutes until she walked back upstairs...Gas! Gas! Quick boys! But someone still was yelling out and stumbling and flound’ring like a man in fire or lime...(a little Wilfred Owen for @timabababaluka, our resident English teacher)
I then had the quickest 3rd pass and rinse in history. Splashed on a healthy dose of the Jeeves AS to mask the awesome Gentleman scent and apparently I am still married.Ironically, I am still stuffed up and can’t properly smell much of anything this morning.
Have a great day all!
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That was a close call, Jason!

MrEE said: ↑

February 25th
Favorites

Razor: Gillette RedTip
Blade: Voskhod (1)
Brush: @jtspartan with Hybrid Knot
Bowl: @jtspartan
PS: Proraso Green
SS: MWF
AS: Proraso Green

Almost a month now and I still really love the RedTip Voskhod combo. After trying a number of brushes with the MWF I am convinced the hybrid knot works the best. MWF seems to do best with a firm brush.

The shave was great. Perhaps a little too close as the alum felt a little warm, but I've done far worse to myself.

Life is still busy but good. Hoping to do some TSD catchup during the second half of the week. I did a quick count and I am over 1000 messages behind.

View attachment 218961

@wristwatchb apparently I collect watches now. SWMBO isn't happy.

View attachment 218962
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Very Nice! Jason knows how to make a mean bowl(and brush)!

Edison Carter said: ↑

I can not remember the last time I used the Parker Variant.

Since I was lucky enough to be included in the pass around of the newest invention of @twhite Tom White (a really neat custom pair of adjustable razors) I figured I should get reacquainted.

Stirling Piacenza - YUP!
Stirling Tuxedo - My most used brush
Stirling collapsible paddle bowl - gotta be careful not to over aerate
Parker Variant - wide open, but I remember being afraid to do so.
Personna Blue - not great performers for me, they will go 2 or 3 shaves, but I only use them once.
Stirling Piacenza Aftershave Splash - YUP!, from The Max Headroom List of Most Glorious Stanks

View attachment 218959

Totally comfortable. Went my my normal 3.5 passes, 'on pattern'. There are a couple of spots I'll need to re-adjust my pattern the next time. I knew it, but y'all missed it (as if you care).

Plenty time to get my adjustables game-on in time for the big event.

Next up, my new Gillette Slim from the Raffle and generosity of donor @Tommynick.

Edison Carter reporting for Network XXIII, or 20 Minutes into the Future.
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Great setup and shave Bill!

jluc · Feb 25, 2020

Linuxguile said: ↑

Wonderful shave, Charlie! Have a great day!

You had me Stirling and lost me at Treet Carbon and got me back with the 30DCLE!

Welcome aboard! While I dont have much experience with honing or straight shaving, Ill happily read alone and offer support when I can!

Fantastic shave Keith!

Very nice Chris!

The Dollar Tree razor works surprisingly well! Good stuff Terry!

Wonderful black theme, Jim!

Awesome setup Danny!

Great setup, Gary!

Fantastic shave Clint! I find the Lupo to be highly efficient!

Great shave, great gear, great post!

Too bad the H&S didnt perform better for you, Jeff. Perhaps a Shakesharp shave is in order for tomorrow!

I'll cross my fingers for you, Jim!

That was a close call, Jason!

Very Nice! Jason knows how to make a mean bowl(and brush)!
Great setup and shave Bill!
Click to expand...

Thank you, Andrew!

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February 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Name your favorite!

Straight razors.

Vintage DE razors.

Modern DE razors.

SE razors.

Pain sticks.

Badger brushes.

Boars

Synthetics

Cookies

Polls that don't take 10 minutes to fill out!!

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

clint64 Blind Squirrel

clint64 Blind Squirrel

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

blondblue Well-Known Member

blondblue Well-Known Member

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

jgreenepa Nasal Barbarian

Tommynick Well-Known Member

Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

jluc smelling pretty

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February 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Name your favorite!

Straight razors.

Vintage DE razors.

Modern DE razors.

SE razors.

Pain sticks.

Badger brushes.

Boars

Synthetics

Cookies

Polls that don't take 10 minutes to fill out!!

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

clint64 Blind Squirrel

clint64 Blind Squirrel

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

blondblue Well-Known Member

blondblue Well-Known Member

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

timabababaluka No exceptions. Except.....

jgreenepa Nasal Barbarian

Tommynick Well-Known Member

Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

jluc smelling pretty

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