April 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

Lovely set up and shave, Joseph. Your daughter crafted a beautiful scuttle for you.

I don't like clanking my brush handle against the sides of anything, either. I use my scuttle to soak my brush prior to the shave and then to keep my lather warm during the shave. I face lather. I also protect brush handles with my fingers when I'm loading soap from a small container.

I hope all is well. Praise the Lord that you completed your 14-day quarantine without becoming ill. How is your dear friend, Bob? Praying for him today.

 

April 6th
Anything goes in April
Menthol Monday

Razor: Gillette Toggle Adjustable (F4)
Blade: Astra Superior Stainless (3)
Brush: Simpson X3 Best Badger
PS: Stirling Mentholated Preshave Soap & Proraso Green
SS & AS: Chiseled Face Cryogen

So, I had tried Astra Superior Stainless back when I first started shaving. I didn't really like them. However, now that I'm better at this, the Astra Blues seem to do a pretty good job. Set the Toggle to a 5 as I'm turning down all my adjustables these days. That seemed to be about perfect. The lather was shinny and just about perfect. The menthol chilled my face nicely for the 3 pass shave to BBS. I did something slightly different this time. I buffed over my typical trouble spots first on my XTG pass. So, I blade buffed my chin and jawline first, then proceeded with my XTG pass per the usual pattern. I'm very happy with the results.



Hope everyone is safe and healthy out there. My kids are on spring break. My 7 year old told me she was hoping for some time to relax without so many demands on her time. So, I know she hears what my wife says. At least she hears enough to repeat what she's hearing. Now if I can just get her to say she wants a nice rare steak for dinner.

 

Terrific shave Evan! I like the CF Cryogen, but it needs to be a little warmer for me to use it. Jeff has been trying to get me to use it for a head shave. Talk about the ultimate brain freeze! Lol!

 

i am well James,thank you..playin with the pics.. tuesday sneak peak..

 

awesome..

 

awesome shave and pic Evan..

 

Well, I already had one that I officially called Super Duper, but I have some other real positive words saved for anything better than S.D. Your choice will be taken and studied by my one-man staff(me). .

 

Wonderful shave, Evan! I hope you get your steak!

 

Jeff had some cold things to say in describing Cryogen, but then he went "colder" than that, with some of his other faves. (I don't mean "cold" as in "mean, nasty).

 

I agree. Using Cryogen isn't as much fun when it's cold. Just in the last few days, our weather has warmed significantly. It's been in the 60's which is warm enough for me. I could be convinced to use Cryogen for a head shave. Maybe in June I'll give that a try.

 

@Trigger, you may recall my verbal description of trying Stoylin Wintergreen for the first few times(the soap)-I write it on occasion when one of those glacials are mentioned:


YEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWWZEEEEMAMAYUTRYINTOKILLME?WOOOUUGHHHHH!

 

Another awesome shave, Evan--that Cryogen has me shivering just looking at it. Also glad to hear you found something that works on your trouble spots. I say it enough, but the chin... CHIIIIIIN! At least someone is showing that part of the facial geography who's boss.

 

It was in the 60's by me, but it is still not warm enough for me to use Cryogen. Hopefully, Long Island will have some nice warm days in May.

 

So. Much. Blue! Awesome

 

Came in from cleaning up some of the trees I cut down the other day.
So...
Now that I have a little internet for a while.....

Thanks Jim!
Gave it a good try.

Thanks Joseph!
Me neither!
But this one shouldn't even be given away to anyone.
Unless.... you really don't like them.
Hmmmmm????
No! I don't hate anyone, THAT much.

Thanks Clint!
I made it through it, but I needed to change tools.

Thanks Jim!

Thanks Tim!
The Stirling was the best part.

Thanks Joe!
It happens, well....

Thanks Gary!
I really like it, cool lemon is great in the morning.

Hey James!
I think the one I about used is what your talking about.
It was either or... I picked or.

Thanks Jason!
You have a point there, but you gota try new stuff sometimes.
Put it away, then see if it's as bad as you think it is.
This is bad....

Thanks Jeff!
I do have a few GEM Junior's.
Maybe after I run a few more adjustables, maybe sooner.
Good suggestion!

Started super, chicken barbequed, rice, some veggies.
I'll see if my net works later too.
Get to read about the days antics.

Thanks everyone!
tp

 

LOL! Paul, I am sorry that you will never enter the Ultimate Frozen Tundra of Shaves.

 

Well now let's not be too sure about that-might get a combo glacial or just an aftershave in which I can douse my Frost Drops(these would be from Stoylin), or try a frigid soap from Soap Exchange that I've been eyeing. Bottom line-I will be sure to be comfortable in the humid months ahead.

 

Thank you Jim.

 

April 6
Shavette Shave #34

Went to the Walmart Grocery today to see if I could score some eggs, bananas, and diced tomatoes. The Missus said that I should be a good global citizen and cover my face.

“To show I’m trying to do my part to stop the spread of the corona virus?” I asked.
“Sure,” she said, “that too.”

The woman is hilarious.



Being a good global citizen makes me feel like a bandito--and it makes my glasses fog up.

Gear

• Razor: Max Headroom Focus R21
• Blade: Bic Chrome (2)
• Brush: Semogue Boar--I’m losing bristles every time I shave. Shame. It’s a nice, soft brush.
• Soap: Stirling Iced Pineapple
• Menthol: Stirling Frost Drops (soap and AS)
• AS: Aqua Velva Ice Blue with a single Frost Drop added
• Balm: Stirling Glacial Unscented

The Shave...

Inspired by watching Chris @Bama Samurai take on the Pipes and Drum challenge, I thought I’d give it a whirl (minus the music) just to see how it would go. It went twice as long, and the results were probably half as good (about what I figured it would be). My pass was not terribly efficient, and I also found that I’m wiping away smaller strips of lather than my exemplar (especially around the neck). Probably something to focus on for the next shave. I think I will keep focusing on obtaining an efficient one pass shave for the rest of the month. If I can learn to get a CCS on a single WTG/XTG hybrid pass, chin included, I think it will have been time well spent.

If it weren’t for my chin, I’d say this shave was close to CCS, and even presentable. Blasted chin. The hair on my chin has mocked me most of my life. The brighter side of all this, is that irritation seems to be hardly an issue. If I can increase my efficiency without an increase in irritation, I’ll be the happiest of campers.

Enjoy your Monday, folks--no matter where you spend it!

Still 34 down, still 66 to go!

 

Thank you Jim. It has certainly been a day.

Thank you Joseph. I hope the rest of the week slows down a little. I hope you are doing well.

Thank you Tim. I am so tired I can't even think about tomorrow.

Thank you James.