March 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

I've got a bunch I'm trying to give away, so if either of you want 'em, shoot me a PM

 

March 3
Good evening guys!
I normally wait until tomorrow to shave, but I am shaving this evening in memory of my mom who would have been 90 today.
Shavette shave #144
Jayaruh Silvertip #386
Parker SRB
Rockwell 1/2 DE Blade (6)
Stirling Coconut and Lime SS and AS
Tonight, I decided to do a headshave as well as a face shave.

Face Shave: Bloomed the soap and used the water as a preshave. This is the second time I used the JR 386 and it is a lather machine! It really whips up an excellent lather. On a 30 hr growth, 2.5 passes gave me an IBSS++(VBBS) without blood loss and without irritation. Applied the matching aftershave to finish this nice face shave.

Headshave: Reloaded the brush and it really gave me a nice lather once again. Did 2 passes and got an DFS/IBSS but the blade was getting dull so I binned it and decided to clean up with my Model 6 C. Again, no cuts and no irritation occurred. It amazed me because I haven't shavette shaved my head for months. If I had a fresher blade than I would've gotten an IBBS++. I don't like using new blades for a shavette headshave because of the higher risk of injury. Anyway, finished the headshave with the Stirling Coconut and Lime aftershave. I am glad that my memorial shave for my mom was a great one. Have a great evening and Wed morning guys!

 

Very nice, Neal! I have a long time before I finish any soaps. When I do, I will keep the containers to use as a lathering bowl for soaps that are in boxes or creams.

 

Thanks Jim

 

Glad you are home, Jeff! I think I would have sung Tom Jones song, Please release me, let me go so that they may have released you earlier.Lol!

 

@Bama Samurai Chris, Glad it went well for your stepson. Roll Tide!

 

Awesome shave Neal and that is the first empty Soap Commander container I have seen.

 

Y'all are busted!

 

Fantastic, Neal! The shave and photo as always, but I was starting to think that tub of Courage was immortal. Way to stay with it. I'm trying to polish off my SC so I can purchase a tub of "Respect." But like Rodney, I'm starting to think I get...

 

Awesome shave Joe. Your mom must have been a wonderful person and I know she was proud of her little Joe. Great way to commemorate her.

 

Thanks Danny! She went to glory 16 yrs ago, 12 days after her 74th on Mar 15 (Ides of March) I don't celebrate St Patrick's Day because we buried her on that day. Yes, my mom was a nice lady, but she had 4 boys so she had to be a little tough. My father was the real disciplinarian.

 

She done something in raising 4 boys. Discipline is something much needed today.

 

Yes, it is so true! I am very strict in the classroom. As a sub teacher, the kids know that I expect them to do their work and that I check it. I also entertain them with my singing. I am not at Primo's caliber, but I can hold a pretty good tune. I have even done push-ups for them. I love them! They keep me young!

 

Beautiful memorial shave, Joe. I can't think of a better brush choice, btw

 

Joe, they respect you and there is fun in that environment. I had a few teachers in high school like you and I always learned more and was more involved in their class rooms.

 

Thanks, Tim! The cross on the bottom of the brush comforts me.

 

Thanks for the kind words, Danny! I work in the MS and HS and they always stop in the hallway to say Hi Mr. T. or high fives or fist bumps and that really is heartwarming to have that love and respect for a sub teacher. I enjoy being with them.

 

March 3
Shavette Shave #3
Got a surprise in the mail yesterday, from your favorite source for blipvert-free news and mine, Bill @Edison Carter : a surprise that is going to signify a change in cast for my March Madness rule--the Focus R21 Shavette.

Gear

• Razor: Focus R21 Shavette
• Blade: Personna Blue (1)
• Brush: Stirling Kong
• Soap: Soap Commander “Drive”
• AS: Clubman Original
• Balm: Stirling Glacial Unscented

The Shave
I stuck with just two passes today and almost no touch ups. First pass WTG, and the second pass a hybrid of XTG and AGT--whatever was easiest to perform for the particular area I was working on. Lots of skin stretching!

Got some good advice yesterday about focusing on technique rather than results, and I learned something almost immediately today: my last two shaves did nothing to help me learn how to hold the razor and approach my passes. I was too focused on getting things smooth to pay attention to HOW I was getting them smooth. And so I keep fumbling around with the razor trying to find an angle that worked. After today, I already have a better feel for how I’m holding the shavette, and I expect things will get even easier now that I’m more closely paying attention.

At the end of the day, though, results are an efficacious benchmark to gauge improvement. Today’s results--CCS with less irritation than yesterday, and one small weeper on the chin. Winner!

Thoughts on the Focus R21 Shavette
Pros
First off, holding onto this shavette is much easier than trying to hang on to my Utopia Care (UC) shavette. There is a slight tackiness to the paint that resists slipping, and it allows me hold it in a slightly more relaxed manner. The blade insert also covers the corners of the blade, so I am much less likely to nick myself because of toe/heel issues--as discussed yesterday, that is a mixed blessing.

Cons
Downsides? Covering the corners instills an unearned sense of confidence. Also, the R21 is considerably lighter than the UC shavette, so I can’t always let the weight of the shavette do the cutting for me. That will take some adjusting to, but it’s nothing major.

After today’s run with the R21, I’ve decided to stick with it. Covering the toe and heel is a bit like riding with training wheels, so I think I will compensate by learning to shave ambidextrously. For me, the biggest issue I have shaving with my left hand is that when I look in the mirror, sometimes I move the shavette to the opposite side I intend to--which is frustrating. Where it gets dicey is my knee-jerk reaction to move it back in the direction I WANT it to go in. This creates a brief sawing motion... with an open blade.

Now I don’t consider myself an expert on shavetteology--not by a long shot--but to my untutored understanding, it seems like sawing back and forth with an open blade would be a bad thing. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong; as always I’m open to feedback. Add potential heel/toe stabbing/slicing into the mix, and you can see why I decided to just stick with my dominant hand. The R21 largely takes that fear off the table, so bringing lefty into the shave game seems appropriate. We’ll see tomorrow.

And I’ll see you all tomorrow. I have enjoyed all your reports and hope you all enjoy your evening!

3 down, 97 to go...

... and Roll Tide!

 

Congratulations on the nice shave with your new shavette, Tim! When using your non-dominant hand, train your brain to concentrate on feeling the direction of moving the blade while looking at the mirror. In other words, think of what direction you want to move before you set the blade in motion and then do it. Also, never use a horizontal sawing motion because you are a shaver, not a surgeon.