30 Day Rule/Focus; May 2023. All Are Welcome!

Thanks Joe, looking forward to trying some of these samples in the next few weeks.

Paul will use my Proraso Shaving Mug Green for one of these, it's a small Mug and just right for the sample sizes I think. I will place the others in some cheap plastic tubs with lids and see which I like the most

 

Thanks Gary.

 

That looks amazing Danny. Nice to have got those skills to do it yourself.

 

22 May 2023

24 hours. Usual face prep.
Pre-shave: Proraso Green to the left side of the face only, leaving this on while prepping the lather (only left eye was tearing so there is some menthol in there!)
Soap: Stirling Executive Man. Bowl lathering, nice and shiny, almost runny, seems to work better for me.
Brush: Puro Tasso Boar.
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat `47 or thereabouts.
Blade: Gillette 7 o’clock new
Post: usual HWR, CWR, Thayers.
ASL: Proraso Rinfrescante followed by lashings of Guerlain Pour Homme EdP. Very pleasing, understated, lasted for most of the day.
Close enough, no blood was shed: 8 ½ out of 10.
No difference in the shave left vs right, so when this ProRaso Green Pre-shave is finished I will go without this for a while.

(Executive Man is now suitably tied up, time to put him to bed for a while I think.)

 

Excellent shave Chris. Figuring out what is necessary for a fine shave is important. It all comes down to the experimentation of different gear and software.
Case in point, do we need Feather blades for a great shave? If you have a heavy, coarse beard, then maybe I can see it. Is a preshave necessary? If you have very sensitive skin and need that extra slickness for the razor to glide much more easily, then I would say yes.
Eventually, you will sort it all out. That's part of the fun in this journey. Take care.

 

A much better shave this morning than wat happened yesterday. Course the fact that I had soap today and goo yesterday is a major factor in that persuasion. I'd like to see if I can use the Zingari Man during the summer-it feels comfortable enough to try for it. 2 passes. Zero Knicks and Polka-dots, but 2 Cuts. Aaah, they weren't THAT bad. Nice work on the cheeks&sideburns. Ditto North Porcupine.One of the cuts happened at South Porcupine. Cactus was OK. Stoylin Unscented for the A.S. and Passion 4 Men Cologne for the finish. Very Outstanding,

 

Thanks Chris

 

Ikon S3S stainless steel razor head.
Maggard's MR3 stainless steel handle (modified).
Astra SP blade (fresh).
Yaqi 24mm synthetic brush.
Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite soap.
Timeless Razor shave bowl.
Irish Chestnut by Andy Hilfiger cologne.

The shave was better this morning with the S3S. I paid close attention to the pressure. The razor is heavy and requires a light touch. The alum was almost quite with just a few warm spots.

The razor is very smooth even on the open comb side.

Happy Monday everyone!

 

Thanks Joe

 

great start to the week gents.

 

monday
aristocrat/kcg
yaqi silvertip
t & h
tobs



​

 

Looks like a great setup! And a lovely photo, Gary!

 

First-rate setup and shave Gary. Enjoy your day.

 

Monday May 22 - Menthol Monday with Merkur in Matching May

Prep: hot shower
Razor: Merkur 34c / IP Super Platinum (1)
Brush: Jason @jtspartan cypress handle with Maggard's 24mm 2-band badger knot
Soap: Stirling Iced Pineapple
Post: Rinse, alum, rinse, Clubman Osage Rub, Stirling Iced Pineapple splash

My last shave was last Monday. I had made it a menthol shave and really enjoyed it, so I repeated that. I used the same menthol-laden matching soap and splash set plus the extra menthol of the Osage Rub, but I switched to a Merkur razor in keeping with the other May Theme.

The Merkur 34c, as most of you probably know, is quite a mild razor. I find it more than adequately efficient, however. It reminds me, frankly, of shaving with a Gillette Tech with just a bit of extra heft to the razor.

I paired the German Merkur razor with an Israeli Personna Super Platinum - one of my favourite DE blades. I do not have any Merkur blades to use. Back when I was buying blades and razors before 2018, the Merkur razors had an excellent reputation for solid German engineering and craftsmanship, but the Merkur blades were widely considered to be dull and tuggy. Although to be fair, some people absolutely loved them and even their detractors acknowledged they were very very consistent in their dullness and tugginess...

Now, I built my stash of razor blades between about 2014 and 2018 and haven't bought any since. (My current supply should last for daily shaving for about 30 years longer than I could reasonably expect to live...). So I haven't really kept up with what is happening in the razor blade world. Do Merkur blades still have that reputation or have they changed?

Anyway, the badger brush did a very nice job of whipping up a smooth, icy-cold lather for me. And the sharp new blade in the hefty chunk of precision German engineering in my hand removed all my accumulated stubble in one pass.

The alum was silent, and then the Osage Rub topped by the Iced Pineapple splash chilled my face like a mid-winter blizzard wind..

Hope everyone had a good weekend and is starting a great week!

 

Great shave and post John. I have used Merkur blades and they worked well for me. Enjoy your day.

 

Most excellent Joe

 

Excellent shave John.

 

Thanks Joe.

 

SE Shave # 333 - MICROMATIC DECLARATION GROOMING MONDAY - Lamplight Penance

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
Blade: GEM Stainless (11)
Brush: Satin Tip Badger
Lather: Declaration Grooming/Chatillon Lux Lamplight Penance
Aftershave: Chatillon Lux Lamplight Penance Toner
Additional Care:
Dickenson’s Original Witch Hazel
Omega Alum
Stirling Unscented Glacial Balm

Another excellent Micromatic shave this morning. Two components of this shave I have not used in 2023, the brush and the DG/CL software. Don’t ask me why?

This DG soap is of an older firmer base compared to the Milksteak base that is currently being offered. Nonetheless, the badger brush whipped up a luxurious lather for my three pass shave. Following the shave, I decided to bin the blade as I usually get 10 shaves with these GEM stainless. Today was shave number 11. The shave, despite the multiple uses of the blade, was exceptionally close and comfortable.
Post shave feel with the CL toner is just out of this world.

I hope you all are having a great day.