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

It only takes one person or a mechanical problem to wreak havoc for the flying passengers and crewmembers. Glad you got to your Southern Den safely.

 

11 Nov 2023

(No Repeat November: same setup as the 10th except for this blade)



Prep = Cold Water Prep and shave, using Tabac-in-a-tube for preshave
Soap / Cream = Derby stick pressed into a tub. I scoop pressed into the bowl, 6 cc water needed, still some Derby left behind.
Brush = Omega 49
Bowl = Timeless
Razor = Gillette Tech aluminium 30 grams
Blade = Gillette Minora (1)
Passes = 3 + tu
Post = Usual CXR. Alum. CWR. Thayers. Stirling Bay Rum
Damage = felt something in my lower right neck area but no damage seen. However, I did shave the back of my neck and the blade found a small skin blemish there. Minor weeper.

Score = 9.5/10. Overall very smooth shave, smoother than yesterday. DFS plus some BBS

Note the Lion’s claws on the blade tuck: perhaps they are trying to tell us something? Clever marketing?

Comments = Apart from the blade, the setup was exactly the same as yesterday, and yet this shave felt more aggressive and not as safe as the vintage Minora of yesterday. But, I got a smoother shave. Technique? Luck? The Blade type? Age of blade? Day of the week? Day to day variation? Who knows…. Some say a blade is a blade is a blade, either way it was another good shave. I will try it again next shave and see if it smooths out a bit, but in the spirit of No Repeat November I will use a different razor, which means another variable, and so we go round in circles. All good fun, though!

 

+1, it's a thing of beauty

 

Interesting point John, I was wondering that during my shave this morning. I am also interested in @Trigger 's response below.

I wouldn't go so far as to contradict @Trigger John, but all I can say is for the last 2 shaves I have used my lightweight aluminium Gillette Tech and found myself wanting to reach for the Rocket HD again. The lighter razor gives me a sense of needing more pressure, which is not a good thing. Perhaps this is why some folk swap our their handles for heavier ones and land up with Frankenrazors? I have no doubt that the geometries play a major role in the feel of shave. The amount of variables in shaving are what a manufacturer and marketing teams' dreams are made of, perhaps? I think of all the variations in the vintage Gillette sets we see floating around.

 

Thanks guys. Simple might be best.

 

thanks Joe, I watched this again and note that you actually place the soap in the bowl and flatten it out, makes sense, more surface area exposed to the water. I tend to dollop my hard soaps into the middle of the without spreading it around, and there is always some left and the end. Using your way I can likely use less soap and control the soap:water ratio better.

 

I also bloom the soap in the bowl, while I am wetting my face with a brush. Alternatively, I use the bloom water from the bowl to wet my face. Of course, I empty out the bowl. Lol! So, I start with wet soap in the bowl and a damp brush to begin the lathering process.

 

11th November 2023.


​

Shaving Recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/Nivea Men Power 24H Fresh Effect Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face & head.
Wrights Coal Tar Bar Soap.
Brush: Omega 11047 'Mixed Midget' Badger/Boar.
Bowl: Tesco's Ceramic 'Cosmo' Side Bowl.
Lather: HWF Lanolin Shaving Soap. (no.3)
Razor: Merkur 34C. (Face) - Lord Silver Star. (D1)
Razor: Supply V2 (**) base plate. (Head) - Personna Injector PTFE. (D4)

Post:
Cold water face & head wash with brush squeezing's, Cold Water Face &head Rinse./Alum Rub./Homemade (~Autumn/Winter mix~) peppermint lavender, eucalyptus, + Tea Tree essential Oils Mixed Together With 200ml of Care+Witch Hazel./L'0REAL Barber Club Reinforcing ASB./Ard Al Zafran Dirham Oud EDP.

Greetings,

A new eclectic shave set up to start the weekend...

The HWF Lanolin Shaving Soap. (no.3) with Lavender & May Chang is another soap that I've infrequently added to my rotation which is a joy to use providing a slick protective lather. The zesty citrus scent from the May Chang is a wonderful addition to the Lanolin Soap recipe.

Everything in my shave set up worked together excellently resulting in a comfortable face & head shave with no errors to report.

Finishing the shave off a with a few small squirts of Ard Al Zafran Dirham Oud EDP to the chest and pulse points.

My face & precious swede are both feeling super smooth & smelling divine.

Stay safe, and enjoy the start of the weekend ladies & gentlemen.

 

Thanks Joe

 

Very nice shaves Barry. The Lavender and citrus combination has to smell divinely. Enjoy your afternoon.

 

Fine shave this Vet Day. Clean and clear along the cheeks&sideburns. N.W. Porcupine Alley didn't cooperate as well as did South. (Course I'm the one doing all the "cooperatin'"). AQuite good down at Cactus, but it can be better. 2 passes. No cuts, Knicks, Polkadots. The OSP really lathers well on the brush. Nice finish from P&G's New Spice aftershave. At least it says Classique on the bottle, as well as the year Old Spice began(1938). Most Outstanding.

 

November 11 Veteran's Day Shave

Good morning.

Shavette Shave #505
Dovo
Personna Hairshaper Blade (8)
MrEE LE #10 Cashmere Brush
Cella SS
Stirling Alum Block
Modessa Witch Hazel
Beard Growth: 24 hrs



Later today, my family is having an early 75th birthday celebration for my brother James. I really don't need a reason to shave, but I wanted to be clean-shaven for the occasion.

I just love shaving with this razor. I would be satisfied using it if it was my only one in my den. It just flat out gives me great shaves every time and today was no exception. I feel like King Arthur waving his Excalibur sword. Ok, that's a little over the top. Lol! However, you catch my drift.

As for Cella, it never disappoints. The lather is easy to make and it's slick as black ice.
Here's my lather:



Three passes gave me a BBS result without any blood leakage. I would say that I am just below passing the cotton ball test. There wasn't any alum feedback which is awesome because I usually get a zing or two on my neck, especially with a shavette shave.
Splashed on the witch hazel to calm my skin and finished with the Aqua Velva Ice Blue aftershave. I definitely was pleased with this shave. Take care.

 

Thank you Joe...The Lavender & May Chang is a great combo, it's not a "in your face scent" but it last throughout the shave & beyond. Have a great start to the weekend.

 

SE Shave # 355

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: PAA Injector - Type L
Blade: Persona Injector
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft Monster 26mm
Lather: Arko
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Musk
Additional Care:
Maggards Alum
Thayer’s Witch Hazel - Original
Nivea Sensitive Balm

Outstanding classic shave this afternoon in the Southern Den. I needed a quick shave after running a few errands with the missus this morning. A face lather shave with the Arko soap was just the ticket. Now I am looking g good for an afternoon in the pool with one of my high friends along with his wife and my family. Awesome weather.

Hope you all had a great day.

 

Awesome Arko shave Joe.

 

12th November 2023.



​

Shaving Recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/ Nivea Men Power 24H Fresh Effect Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face & head.
Wrights Coal Tar Bar Soap.
Brush: Semogue 1305.
Mug Lather.
Lather: Williams Mug Shaving Soap.
Blade: Lord Silver Star. (D2)
Razor: Merkur 34C.

Post:
Cold water Face wash with brush squeezing's,/ Cold Water Face Rinse./ Alum Rub./Cold Water Face Rinse./Homemade (~Autumn/Winter mix~) peppermint lavender, eucalyptus, + Tea Tree essential Oils Mixed Together With 200ml of Care+Witch Hazel/Nivea Men Replenishing PSB./P&G Old Spice Original ASL.


Greetings,

Remembrance Sunday morning shave. (UK)

'In honour to the fallen heroes of all wars past & present'....'All politicians around the world should make it their duty to visit war memorials to be reminded what happens when politics fails'.

I have nothing but utter contempt for politics, most of all politicians of what they have done and are still doing to the world that we live in. Shame on them! Enough said.

Everything in my shave set up this morning worked together wonderfully...The love/hate classic Williams Mug shaving soap yet again provided me an slick acceptable lather for the shave leaving a wonderful post shave feel.

Finishing the shave off with a generous splash of P&G Old Spice Original ASL.

My face is feeling super smooth & smelling divine.

Stay Safe, and enjoy your Sunday, Ladies & Gentlemen.

 

12 Nov 2023

(No Repeat November )

Prep = Cold Water Prep and shave, using Tabac-in-a-tube for preshave, the scent of the Tabac in a tube is different to the tub, more lemony
Soap = Tabac (tub), much nicer floral scent
Brush = Omega 49
Bowl = Timeless
Razor = Gillette Tech aluminium 30 grams
Blade = Gillette Minora (2)
Passes = 3 + tu
Post = Usual CXR. Alum. CWR. Thayers. Tabac ASL
Damage = None

Score = 9/10. Super smooth. I think the 2nd day of Gillette Minora was smoother
Still some left over in my troublesome Zone 8 to the right of the Adam's apple...multidirectional buffing was undertaken, but you do get to the point where the skin feels over-exfoliated and it is time to stop.

So, would I buy more of these blades? Maybe, at the right price.

 

Sunday November 12 very early morning (2am here) - Neutrogena No Variant November

Prep: Hot face wash with Aleppo 20% laurel bay oil soap
Razor: Supply 2.0 injector with SE comb plate / vintage US-made Schick Plus Platinum (20)
Soap: Neutrogena Skin Clearing Shave Cream
Brush: none
Lather Bowl: none
Post: rinse, alum, rinse, InfaLab Magic Touch Nick Relief Powder, Thayers Unscented Alcohol-free Witch Hazel
Last shave: Thursday late afternoon - 2.5 days



Still with the Cunning Plan(TM) to send the Neutrogena shave cream tube to join the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Slowly getting there.

One pass was sufficient. Alum was silent, except for one tiny spot on the point of my jawline where I nicked as I went over the edge. I used a dab of the styptic powder to seal the blood spot. Later I spritzed my face with witch hazel for a bit of moisturizing and protection.

Hope everyone had a meaningful Remembrance Day or Veterans Day weekend.

 

SOTD 20231112 Tempo

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