Hi everyone!

We had a fantastic start for the first month of 2022. Everyone had awesome shaves for the most part and I might add that the posts were very encouraging and uplifting for all of us. I am grateful for each and every one of you who contributed last month and I am thankful for it.
The highlights of last month were the following:

1. Charlie's @wristwatchb tremendous report on Kathy's recovery. Prayers do work.

2. Paul @Paul Turner having the best month of shaves. Congrats to you my friend. Keep it going!

3. All three Erics @ewk, @MaineYooper
and @SRQShaver really got the essence of what this thread was about by sharing their strengths and weaknesses to improve their shaves. Lest I forget, @ewk congrats on competing your first focus!

4. @JACarbone I want to commend you in your continued efforts in straight razor restoration as you delve into making scales. Kudos to you Joe!

5. @brit Congrats to Gary for his new position! Glad you are settling in to it.

6. Last but not least, I started my monthly shaving videos. It is a pleasure to know that I can record with the audio working because I have a new phone.

OK, let's get with the program and discuss this month's theme(s). I believe in giving choices for you guys, so here it goes. The themes for this month are:

Favorite February
This is meant for using at least one favorite shave item on every shave. It could also be an entire favorite setup for a whole week. You decide.

Free for All February
I realize some of you may not have a lot of favorites so you can decide whatever you want.

Fatboy Friday February
If the Favorite February isn't your thing, then if you have a Gillette Fatboy you can choose to use it on Fridays.

**Remember it's your choice to do whatever you want to do and not follow the themes. These are suggestions and not written in stone.**



Moving on, I want to welcome all the veterans of the 30 DC and all the newcomers. This thread is for the purposes of improving your shave technique so that you will consistently get great shaves. There are a number of ways to do it. These are suggestions so feel free to do whatever you want in regards to your shave:

The 30 Day Rule
Take ONE razor, ONE blade, ONE brush, ONE soap/cream and use them EVERYDAY this month. Yes, everyday. But Trigger, I want variety! I know you do, but until you perfect your technique, it makes little sense to constantly change the variables of your shave.

For you out there that are not up to the rigors of the Rule, there is this alternative:

The Focus
Vary the gear for each shave, save for perhaps one or two elements.
This is a more accessible challenge for the majority of shavers. I like to pick a particular aspect of the shave, be it the lather, a certain blade or a new razor, that needs breaking in, and not change it daily, until I have mastered those tools.

Ok, to keep the thread on a nice even keel, I ask everyone to follow the thread etiquette as listed below:

1. New Members always welcome. Start anytime.
2. Old Members always welcome.
3. Respect everyone.
4. Refrain from political conversation.**
** This includes, but is not limited to: Covid-19, treatments and/or advice.
Please keep these discussions off of this thread.

I also want to suggest that we should try to assess our shaves as to why it was good or why it was not up to your standards and express these reasons in your comments. The spirit of this thread is to improve our shaves and if we share the reasons why a shave was good or bad, then we are giving our experiences to encourage good technique and discourage bad technique so that we have great info to get better shaves. I am not suggesting that we do it for every comment, but I think it would make for a healthier thread if we start to do it more than we have in the past years.

Moreover, you don't have to do a rule or a focus. You are free to change your setup on a shave to shave basis.

Finally, I want this thread to continue to be a friendly place. It is ok to disagree because that is how we learn from each other, but let's encourage and respect every member. Yes, even if you think they are off the wall. Let's face it! We all are a little off because of our different Aquisition Disorders. Lol!

Let's have a group hug!



Also, let's have a great February with great shaves and fine fellowship!

Sincerely,

Joe (Trigger)

Well said Joe and thank you for the shout out. For me, February will represent the return of the 1508.5 Project in my efforts to continue with the shave reduction of the multiple of soaps in my den. I hope to Edmund Fitzgerald 4 soaps this year. I will continue with my NB on soaps for the foreseeable future. However, come this Fall I will need to pick up another tub of DG Darkfall as my current tub should be completed by May courtesy of MICROMATIC & DARKFALL MONDAY.
I hope to complete one razor restoration with new kirinite scales vù the end of February. Currently, I am still practicing forming the scales with “hobby wood”.
Here is to another month of great shaves.

That sounds like a great plan! I also want to dispatch some soaps this year. Proraso Green, Fine Accoutrements Italian Citrus and the Gentleman's Nod Zaharoff Signature Series are definitely going to be done by the end of the summer or mid fall. Looking forward to seeing your scale work, especially the kirinite.

Oh, darn! I neglected to mention @brit Gary's new position in the monthly post. Sorry Gary. Again, I am ecstatic for you and congrats!
Oh, I went back to edit it and announced it like I should have done so in the beginning.
Brain fart and senioritis combined to cause me to stumble. I am sure it won't be my last time.

1st February 2022.



​

Shaving recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/Asda Sea Salt & Fennel Extract 2 in1 Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face.
Pears Transparent Bar Soap with Mint Extracts.
Brush: Semogue 1305.
Face Lather.
Lather: HWF Lanolin Shaving Soap (No.1) with Cedarwood & Patchouli.
Blade: Personna PTFE SS Injector. ( D3)
Razor: Schick Type G Injector.

Post:
Cold water face wash with brush squeezing's, Cold Water Face Rinse. /Homemade (~Autumn/Winter mix~) peppermint lavender, eucalyptus, + Tea Tree essential Oils Mixed Together With 200ml of Care+Witch Hazel./Cien X-Bolt ASL./L'0REAL Barber Club Reinforcing ASB.

Greetings,

Early morning shave,

Third shave in with the Schick injector....The smooth non-aggressive shaving performance from this razor is truly remarkable...The PTFE SS continues to feel efficient with no indication of dulling.

Another enjoyable 2 pass + pick ups close comfortable shave with no errors to report...Finishing the shave off with a small dollop of L'0REAL Barber Club Reinforcing ASB.

My face is feeling silky smooth & smelling divine.

Stay safe, and enjoy your day ladies & gentlemen.

Excellent Schick injector shave Barry.

Joe.

Terrific first shave of the month Barry!

Joe...It was a terrific first shave of the month.. My introduction to The Schick G type Injector is certainly making a pleasing impression on me.

You are welcome Barry. It's funny that I won a TSD raffle and it was slim pickings toward the end of it. At first, I was disappointed that all the great items were picked and what was left were items that I was not interested and one of them was the Schick E3 that I decided to choose. Little did I know what a nice razor it was. I was pleasantly surprised.

SRS # 636

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: Drew Dick 7/8” Half Hollow Damascus
Brush: Sawdust Creation Studio Malle Burl
Lather: Los Jabones de Joserra Gredos (1508.5 Project)
Aftershave: Los Jabones de Joserra Gredos
Additional Care:
Stirling Alum Block
Thayer’s Witch Hazel - Original
Stirling Unscented Glacial Balm
The recommencing of the 1508.5 Project will feature shaves every other day with the Gredos soap until it meets the fate of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The project time of it’s demise will be on or about March 1.

This morning’s shave feature my first custom razor, the Drew Dick Damascus. I completed a comfortably close three pass shave. Following the post shave routine, which feature a quiet alum, a weeper appeared on the right side of my chin. Hey Paul, @Paul Turner, these things have a mind of their own.

I am smelling good as I begin my day of errands. Paul, @Paul Turner, I will leave Aisle 12 for you.

I hope you all have a great day gentlemen.

Great shave my compadre! One's first custom razor always brings a special enjoyment to one's shave. It will always hold a prominent place in one's collection.

Eh, please permit me to make this comment on your Aisle 12 remark. It's kinda long, so bear with me: "Thanks".

I think it should be fine that you neglected to mention @brit. Man's current avatar looks like George Washington after a haircut.

I'm back for yet another month. Thank you, @Trigger for commenting on me Jan. success with shaves. Unfortunately, I could not keep up the good work to kick off this month of shaves. (See report). Ahhh, I'll do better tomorrow. Two foci for February-1)-improve the area around my ingrown hairs, 2)-do same with right cheek (why do I always leave a little Astroturf there). Busy month for me in general: 1)-Car inspection, 2)-finalize my plan to apply for Medicare next month-3)-get set for my taxes to be done(course we ALL need to focus on that #3 thing). But back to shaving: Another foci will be to continue with shave soap reduction.. And still ANOTHER-the return of the Stoylin Tony Awards kicks off tomorrow as Punks ka Tawney finds out how many more weeks of winter we have. Here's to another month of great shaves and fun for all!

It's wonderful when your pleasantly surprised with something you don't have high expectations with it...

Yes, it truly is!

You still have 27 days Paul to turn it around.

My shave this morning could have been MUCH better, but I dealt with it. A huge cut at North Porcupine (just under a nostril). In fact that's how the thing ENDED. Also, I left more Astroturf on the right cheek-something that has been done many times before. There was something wrong with the razor-it felt like I was shaving with a switchblade, odd for a cart disposeABLE. First time I had that feeling from a dispy. I hope my other dispies in the current purchase aren't like that! I'll find out tomorrow. Anyway, 2 passes, again with the Central Texas Soaps Grandpa's Barbershop. Cactus Nation was OK....mostly clear but a couple Knicks at the bottom. This was a perfect example of what appears to be the theme message of wet-shaving "Technique Trumps Tools". Pretty Excellent.

I expect I will be able to do just that.