January 2015 30 Day Rule/30 Day Focus Pic and Discussion Thread- All are Welcome

Day 18-19
my 30-day focus
razor: Ever Ready 1924 SE
blade: Personna GEM teflon coated (1,2)
brush: Omega 31064
soap: Williams
finish: HolyRollah's awesome DIY balm >here<

A little catching up... Easier, since I skipped Saturday.

Sunday was almost a nice shave. Since it was the first use of a new SE blade, I tried that cork trick that Gary mentioned. It was awesome! Dragging the edge lightly through a cork smoothed it considerably. I think it was this smoothness that lead to my carefree — dare I say careless — zipping around to get a very nice BBS(rf). The cost was a bit of light, widespread irritation. <sigh> I guess I was a bit excited.

I could still feel Sunday's exuberance this morning, so I shaved rather gingerly. 1 pass DFS++, but I am an avowed baby chaser. Rather than risk a regretful shave, I grabbed a Schick injector for the touchups. Caught the baby with ease and no further damage.

The lesson? Just because it feels smooth, don't throw caution to the wind! What was I thinking?

 

1/19/15 - BSG - RESET Day 14

Prep - Hot Shower, towel soak
Brush - Omega 48
Soap - Proraso Green
Razor - '46/'47 Aristocrat
Blade - Voskhod (2)
Post - A/V Ice Blue

Zeroing in on a 2 pass DFS. Bowl lathered again and went to work. After the second pass still had a bit of clean up on the neck but far less than a week ago. Getting there. Didn't have to lather the entire neck to finish up so we'll call it a 2.25 pass DFS.

My new acquisitions from yesterday's trip to the flea market. My first razor was an adjustable Schick Injector so a bit of nostalgia for the brand. These are a Type E and a Type G.

​

 

Nice pickup! I am doing injectors in February!

 

SOTD 19 - BSG:

Prep: Shower, Proraso PreShave
Soap: Arko
Blade: 7'oclock SharpEdge (yellow)
Razor: Ball End Tech
Brush: 24mm WD Black Badger
Post: WH, club mend

Cold Water again, 1 WTG, 1ATG/XTG. I'll say CCS.

 

I plan to get to injectors as well and as soon as I collect a few more. My February is currently booked with blade trials, starting January 31st actually and ending March 1st. Three days on a blade, rate it, move on. I think I've narrowed it down to these 10 and in this order

1. GSB
2. 7 o'clock Yellow
3. 7 o'clock Green
4. 7 o'clock Black
5. Gillette Nacet
6. Gillette Rubie
7. Sputnik
8. Polsilver Super Iridium
9. Super Max Super Platinum
10. Feather

Still deciding what razor to use, whether to stay with the Aristocrat or go to the EJ89. Should be fun and hopefully enlightening.

 

Very nice! I would move Sputnik to slot 2, it is another Russian Teflon blade like Voskhod and GSB.

 

Ah you're right. Good call.

 

SOTD 1X
Prep: Shower, Hot towel
Cream: Bigelow
Blade: Merkur
Razor: Merkur Travel
Brush: Gillette Chrome Badger (AoS version)
Post: Proraso Post with aloe and vit e
Growth: 2 days
Pass: 3 (WTG, XTG, ATG) and clean up

Was hoping to try out the travel razor prior to business trip next week and shooting for solid technique and a DFS. Ended up with my best shave yet. No nicks, cuts, rash NOTHING! So please with my effort today - dare I saw it was a bbs kind of morning. Thinking that two day might be the key here. Question now is, how to I spoil my face on the non-shave days?

 

Easy. Wash face with Proraso/Bigelow on a cloth, apply Clubman (or your fave Great Cheap AS™). Face happy.

 

So a minty face is a happy face?

 

For some!

 

January 19th SOTD (Shave 15 of the challenge)
Prep: Hot shower
Razor & Blade: '63 Gillette Slim and Gillette Platinum
Two Day's growth
First shave on this blade, stropped 30 times per edge on kangaroo
Settings 5, 6, and 7 on the razor
Brush & Bowl: Semogue 1460 brush and soup bowl
Soap: Maggard Orange Menthol
Post Shave: Cold water rinse, alum block, Maggard Orange Menthol aftershave


Sorry, I missed posting my last two shaves. They were both DFS, the two day's growth was 2 pass and buffing, and the 1 day's growth was 1 pass and buffing. I have started dialing up the razor for next passes, and it seems to make them closer.

This morning I did a three pass plus buffing, mainly because my lather was drying out to much, and on the third pass and buffing I used a much more wet lather. Smooth first pass, less smooth as I dialed it up. Face had minor irritaiton, and a couple of nicks. All in all, DFS approaching BBS. The biggest difference is on the neck, much better shave. Lather in picture is just a little too dry.

Only a 12 days/ six shaves left before I can try the new brush, razor, and blades I have...

 

Just throw them together on a wash towel and wash away huh?

 

Yes, shaving soap is great for face washing. Take it easy on exfoliation on non shave days!

 

Day 17 of 30
30 DAY RULE with a Slim​

J2 Gillette Slim Adjustable
Kroger Israeli Personna
VDH Kit Badger
TSD Lanolin Shave Stick - Barber Shoppe Scent
Today's Great Cheap AS™ is Brut!

Gonna check out setting nine. Hope everyone is shaving well! Back later with a lab report!

 

Day 15
Prep: Hot shower
Brush: Van Der Hagen (the one from the premium kit)
Soap: Van Der Hagen Luxury
Blade: Hill Country (rebranded Personna)
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89
Post: Gillette Fusion ProSeries Intense Cooling Aftershave Lotion

Still scratching my head a little bit over how well it went. I haven't shaved since Friday night so I was expecting a rougher shave. No prep just got in from work, splashed my head and face with cold water and lathered up. Maybe not my best shave to date but it's very close. Again it seems like the less effort I put into it the better things turn out. The Fusion ProSeries was a nice change up in AS and it's been sitting in the cabinet for awhile now.

 

01/19 – Day 19 of the 30 Day Rule - Shave #16 with the Weishi

Objective: Survive a month using low end entry level products.

• Growth: 1 day
• Prep: Shower; Corn Huskers Lotion
• Lather: Arko – Face lathered
• Brush: Escali Badger
• Razor: Weishi 9306/Microtouch One
• Blade: Derby Extra (4)
• Post: Alum; Dove Men’s Sensitive AS Balm

Today’s Results: My practice with the Derby blades has led me to conclude that they are very a smooth blade. If only they were a little sharper they’d be a real winner. No irritation, weepers, or cuts again today.

 

Day 16 - Thirty Days with Merkur 34c (Jan 1-Feb 4 [No shave on Saturdays]) BSG 1-19-2015

Hot Shower and Prep - Neutrogena Men Invigorating Face Wash
Razor Merkur 34c
Blade Astra SP (4)
Brush - Plisson Synthetic
Lather - Proraso Green
Post - Warm water rinse, Maggard Razor Alum, wait 30 seconds then cool water rinse, Neutorgena Men Razor Defense post shave lotion

Two Passes WTG & ATG plus a few touch ups. Had to do quite a few touch ups on my neck and had one nick on my chin. - Alum and Styptic took care of it pretty quick. - Over all a good shave for the day.

 

I wonder if over thinking can sometimes create problems of its own. I feel like a couple of my better days are ones where I stopped thinking about the process and just enjoyed my shave.

 

Yeah I tend to over think things all the time. Usually the more I try and correct myself the worse it gets.