April 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I have never even heard of these blades. Where on earth did you find them?

Happy Good Friday to you as well!

 

They were part of a runner-up PIF distribution on this forum some months back.

 

Razor: Bluebeards Revenge
Blade: Wilkinson Black
Brush: WD Marble Handle Silvertip, 24/67
Cream: Bluebeards Revenge
A/S: Lucky Tiger
I will stay with this combination for a30 day focus.

Don't have Arko soap, not sure where to get it up here.

 

April 4 (Holy Saturday) Plans

Stirling Sheep facial soap
Merkur 37C slant bar razor
Feather blade (day 1)
Kent BK8 silvertip badger brush
Arko shave soap & glycerin
Two passes
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave balm

Grace and Peace!

 

I have the Baili blade on my "bad blade list" for a future monthly focus. Glad to hear I have it rated right.

 

Arko April!!


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3 April 2015. Day 3, blade 1 - The mighty mighty MTO (Weishi 9306) late post

Blade still holding strong, face feels great six hours post shave. Automatic!

Happy Easter!
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Any set up you like is just fine. Welcome to the April thread, Arko optional!

Lucky Tiger is great stuff...was used in the barber shop my dad took me to as a kid. Great memories.

 

Good post. Happy Easter.

 

Thanks for the Welcome to the thread. Sounds like a great memory for you and your Father. It's funny how sometimes it takes us so long to recall great memories form our past.

 

Straight razor trial. The only weeper I got was from the Schick though. Every shave I have used the Schick with has resulted in blood below my lip and above my chin. I will continue with the Schick, but unless I get the blood thing figured out, it may go to the back of the cabinet.

 

Good picture. Thanks.

 

Day 3 and 4 April Arko Focus
Same setup as yesterday:
Prep: hot shower
Soap: Arko
Razor: ikon 102 short handle
Blade: Voskhod (shave number 3 and 4 )
Post: TSD signature 2x menthol milk. Proaso green post shave balm

The biggest thing I've learned in these for days so far is that each soap behaved different. I need to use a wetter brush with Arko direct to face than I would with a Marcos Stirling application. Got great lather and overall great shave. 3 pass and even don't mint the smell if the Arko. Someone said it reminded them on ivory soap. That's kind of what I'm thinking as well. My 12 daughter loves the combo of tsd signature milk and proaso green aftershave. Winner:

He has risen!

 

04/04/2015
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – GEM 1924
Blade – GEM Stainless PTFE (2)
Brush – Brothers Bristles with WD HM
Lather – AOS Sandalwood Cream
Post - Witch Hazel and CC Sandalwood AS



Very good 3 pass shave this morning. Not as smooth as yesterday's shave with the 1912. This razor just seems a bit more aggressive or harsh. Overall pretty pleased with the shave.

 

Merkur 39c focus

Semogue 1800
Vreto Premium Guava
Merkur 39c
SuperMax Super Stainless (2) - Gillette Platinum White (2)
Bello Bay & Lime

WTG+XTG+ATG=DFS

Getting the hang of the troublesome neck spot, much better results with less passes today. Supermax blade gave out after the right cheek and started tugging and pulling like mad so I tossed it and put in a Gillette Platinum White also on its 2nd use to properly finish the shave.

 

Aggressive April - Day One (4/4/15)

Doing a 30 day focus using the Cadet open comb that @Bama Samurai sent me for winning his PIF. Got it after the 1st so I'll be running into next month a little. The setup:



Voskhod blade today, blades will be the only thing changing for the next month. I'm using the Shave Den Barber Shoppe scent soap that Chris included with the PIF and my Omega 13522 boar brush. Post shave will be Witch Hazel and Nivea Sensitive Balm.

First impressions: the Cadet is huge and heavy compared to my Tech.



Decent 2 pass shave today out of it, I'm thinking the Voskhods aren't the blade for me with this one. I can hear and feel every hair being cut with this thing but I think I need something a little sharper than the Voskhods. Will try them a few more days though.

 

Focus- Injector Razors
Pre- Hot water wash
Razor- Schick J1
Blade- Chinese Schick
Cream- MWF and Rose of Bulgaria super lather
Brush- Best Badger Brush
Post- Cold water rinse, alum as needed
Aftershave- TOBS Jermyn Street



Took a break from the cheap travel creams today. Going out to dinner with mother in law, wife and kids for Easter. Enjoyed a lovely super lather and high end aftershave today. Finished it off with some Grey Vetiver cologne....

I am continuing with the great injector shaves. Also still not getting the neck quite as close as I can with a DE razor. So far, the important thing is I am past the irritation and weeper stage. Now it's just honing my technique and trying a few more razors out.

Have a great weekend gentlemen!

 

April 2015 ... 30 day blade focus ...

pre: dr.bronner's, PSO(diy)
brush: EJ best badger medium
lather: proraso green soap
razor: EJ89lbl
blade:
post: alum block, thayer's witch hazel (various flavors)

03/31/15 ... wilkinson sword (1) ... my last time with this blade was a wakeup call ... to get better! so, it was a nice surprise to have a nice shave today.

04/02/15 ... wilkinson sword (2) ... 1 1/2 days growth ... i had another fine shave with the wilkinson today ... no nicks, cuts, or irritation.

boy, what a difference just a few weeks can make! the last time i tried this blade was about two weeks into my wet shaving journey. it was a very styptic-heavy couple of shaves. the correct angle and better overall technique made these two most recent shaves pretty effortless. they were also bloodless and stingless.

i think, from a derby comparison, the only real difference that i noticed: my heaviest/densest/coarsest area - on the underside of the chin - took less effort and/or less touchup to get smooth with the wilkinson than the derby. it's a general consensus that wilkinson is sharper than derby. while i think i'm still too newb to really understand this degree of sharpness (all the blades are 'sharp'), maybe this underside of the chin area will help me to get a feel for that.

 

Back at my 30 day after a day off due to a barber shop shave. I set the FB at 4 after previously going with 3 and 5. It was bigger difference from 5 to 4 than I expected. I used the FB for my ATG pass after starting with a straight. All in all a good shave!

 

Arko April!!


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4 April 2015. Day 4, blade 1 - The mighty mighty MTO (Weishi 9306)

Blade still doing just fine on day 4. Caught a mid afternoon shave, date night downtown with Mrs. Samurai tonight, face feeling smooth and refreshed. The divinely inspired, lemon scented Turkish gift to wet shavers everywhere is such a pleasure to lather! Alum was quiet, the Veg felt like a winner!

Automatic!​

Happy Easter!
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Easter Plans

Stirling Sheep facial soap
Merkur 37C slant bar razor
Feather blade (day 2)
Kent BK8 silvertip badger brush
Arko shave soap & glycerin
Two passes
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Nivea Sensitive Post-Shave balm

This set up is working great for me, and I plan to stick with it for the month of April! I am using Arko as a shave stick for the first half of the month. I plan to load my brush off a puck of Arko for the last half of the month to see if there is any difference in performance. I hope you all are having as much fun as I am!

Happy Easter, everyone!