April 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

April 12, 2020
Colonial Brass General
Feather Pro
Antica Barberia Boar
LNHC Barber Shoppe
Shave Soap & Post Shave Elixir

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@jgreenepa Jeff commented that I had not used my brass General in a long time so I decided to give it a go. Of course pulling it out led to an antiquing project on the razor. I also decided to use Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations, hence for known as LNHC, Barber Shoppe. I am happy to say that this barber shop scent does not have the powdery notes of most. Instead it bergamot and basil over oakmoss and patchouli. I would say the scent strength is medium. It would have been nice if the scent were a touch stronger. Loading the General with a new Feather Pro blade, I went to work. I decided to go with a 2 pass shave, ATG followed by a XTG pass. Sadly I had to still buff my lower right neck in order to catch the baby. I used the matching LNHC Post Shave Elixir which left my face feeling fantastic but I think I would have preferred an aftershave splash. I hope everyone has a blessed Easter and enjoys their day of celebration with family or friends as much as social distancing allows.

 

thank you Clint ,Happy Easter..

 

awesome shave and pic Clint..hope you have a relaxing Easter Sunday..

 

thank you Dan..

 

Using any NOS razor, is a joy to behold!
My Henckel's straight was a NOS and I have enjoyed it, despite the pinky injury.

 

Terrific shave and Happy Resurrection Day, Clint!

 

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Thank you Gary and Joe.

 

April 11
Slim Sunday--”Nothing Either Good or Bad…”

Gear

• Razor: Slim Jim (Gillette Slim adjustable)
• Blade: Personna Blue (2)
• Brush: Semogue Boar
• Soap: Barrister Reserve Cool (and a guest appearance by Stirling Iced Pineapple)
• Menthol: Stirling Frost Drops
• AS: Aqua Velva Ice Blue (1 Frost Drop)
• Balm: Stirling Glacial Unscented

The Shave...
Attitude. It’s rather amazing how it guides the quality of my life. Hamlet said it best: “For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Take today’s B&M Reserves Cool escapades for example. I scooped a double-almond-sized bit of soap and pressed it into my bowl. My brush was squeezed out to merely moist, and I loaded, and loaded, and loaded. Once the boar picked it all up (approximately 5 years later), I slowly started adding water until I got a consistency that I was satisfied with. I completed the first pass (WTG and set at ‘9’), and went to apply more lather for a 2nd--but there was none! Not even squeezings. Just a bit of runniness which I added some water to and used almost as a residual slickness 2nd pass (XTG and set at ‘6’).

I am not going to lie and say that I was not colossally frustrated. Or that I did not at one point in time wonder how far a sample-sized container of ‘Cool’ might travel if thrown side-arm fashion over one’s house--could I get it over the house behind ours as well and into the street where a cement truck might run it over? Of course I would never do such a thing. That would be irresponsible. Someone might stumble across it. Then try to use it.

Roughly at this point I identified the downward spiral of negativity I so easily slid into, and had to decide whether or not I was going to stay there--I occasionally indulge myself in that ride, but it never takes me anywhere good. Slim Sunday was starting to look like a bust. However, after a deep breath or three, I was able to identify the positives: (a) the 1st pass was wonderful, (b) the 2nd pass, while largely latherless, was slick enough that it was still comfortable and I was already at a BBS/DFS, (c) those passes (laced with 3 Frost Drops) were wonderfully cool, and (d) I smelled terrific.

Still, all the positivity in the world was not going to squeeze out a 3rd pass from that lather, and I had neither the emotional fortitude nor the physical stamina to whip up another batch of B&M Cool lather. Then I saw the Iced Pineapple shave stick. Done! Slapped a quick layer of soap on the ol’ mug, face-lathered it into a glorious yogurty consistency, and started a 3rd pass (ATG set at ‘3’ (btw, the ‘3’ setting on a Slim is ridiculously mild--too mild--way too mild). It took a bit of concentrated effort at that setting, but with a few touch ups on the chin, I was introduced to the baby.

Funny. What I initially perceived as a catastrophic 2 passes was actually pretty decent; I just needed to see it with different eyes to nudge it back to fantastic. Speaking of fantastic, B&M Reserve Cool smells equally wonderful when laced with Stirling’s Iced Pineapple!

Have a happy and safe Easter, everyone!

 

fine slim sunday shave Tim..Happy Easter..

 

Even better! I can't imagine what the end of April is going to look like--my guess is uncanny

 

Wonderful shave and report, Clint!
Happy Easter!

Rough start but terrific finish, Tim!

Unfortunately I have several Reserve soaps. Seems they lose performance with age. The last couple of uses I pre-hydrated and that seemed to do the trick, for now anyway.

Happy Easter!

 

Thank you Gary. Have a good day sir!

 

Nice one Tim!

 

Another awesome Avon shave, Angelo! That bottle for Island Lime looks amazing

Happy Easter!

 

April 12th
Easter Sunday

Razor: Rex Ambassador
Blade: Astra SP
Brush: Aluminum Tuxedo
SS: Arko
AS: Aqua Velva and Afta

Hope everyone is having a great Easter. We had a 2 hour Video call with my parents and siblings. Kids got candy.

Happy Easter!

 

Wonderful photo and shave report Tim. I think I would move to another soap. Life is too short for that amount of frustration.


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Thank you Jim.


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Beautiful photo and shave Evan. Happy Easter.


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Happy Easter, Evan!

 

It's actually amazing how much progress can be made with a few minutes focused practise each day. He does no more than 30 minutes of drills in total. The end of the month should be interesting!