May 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

Nick doesn't have much (any?) success with Williams, either.

 

It really works!

 

Well I'm trying to avoid any "outside" help with the setups. But glycerin is not out of the question as the next week and a half goes by. Once I hit the 16th and can use real soap again I should be fine. Glad you are following along. The only scary part is that the 7 a.m. blade isn't even the worst of the bunch if my research is correct. I still have at least two of the three that are supposed to be worse! Hopefully there won't be any pictures from the ER.

 

He gives it a good go, though. The difference between him and me? He won't use a razor with Williams. Some might say a better sense of self-preservation or just plain smarter.

 

Well something very simple, yet so far effective in changing the quality of the shave was discovered. Water! The lather was good and had been good, or so I thought, for every shave. Apparently a lather I can get a good shave with a DE doesn't necessarily mean it will work with a straight. For the third pass I decided to add more water to the brush while face lathering and the following NS shave was way more comfortable. Now to build upon this success and hopefully this fix helps with problems I'm having.

 

This could be an important lather distinction! I think you're on the verge of yet another breakthrough!

 

Advice - when using Williams skip the razor! Brilliant! Safety First!

 

Well I'm just dumb enough to keep using the razor with it! Another Crazy Ivan moment. I mean, horrible lather, terrible razor, blade that can't cut butter if it's melted.....what could possibly go wrong?

 

Valor over discretion. Like an oligarch. Boss move!

 

Shave number five with the Voskhod blade. Another slippery shave.... no tugging or weepers, but some roughness at the neck, and not quite as close as I like, there. Time to try another blade.
The Voskhod blade is certainly one I really like, so far. Which one for tomorrow, out of the eight left??? I have heard so many good things about the Personna Red (Israel) . The next contestant.... come on down!

 

Blade Focus Day 6:

Homemade PS Oil
Vie-long Horsehair Brush
AOS Ocean Kelp
EJ Chatsworth Barley
Feather Blade
Stirling Unscented PSB
Florida Water AS

Last day on the Feather. I really enjoyed this blade. I provided three smooth, close shaves. I am looking forward to the next blade.

 

Good post , thanks...

 

DAY 5 of the 30-Day
Back to the ol' reliable Böker this morning after a one-day Sheffield venture. Light, fast, maneuverable…an ideal-sized razor for a quick three-pass shave early his morn. Only thing that really kept my speed-shave in check with the razor's square point. One small nick occurred as I was attempting to trim around the 'stache, which is where a square point really shines in reaching and 'manicuring' tight spots. As I was removing excess growth stubble on the upper lip, a sharp sting was evident that I had cleanly sliced a 1/16" line. It happens…...

 

05/6/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade –Feather Super Pro (10)
Brush –Rudy Vey with Shavemac Finest
Lather – TSD Signature
Post - Witch Hazel and Captain’s Choice Bay Rum



Another great near BBS 2 pass shave this morning. The TSD Signature is a very interesting take on Bay Rum that I really enjoyed. Again the lather was very slick with nice post shave feel. I did mess up the lather by having to much water in the brush at the start. I was able to salvage it by reloading the brush before the first pass. Just one of those days. Finished off with a splash of CC Bay Rum which paired nicely with the soap.

 

Voskhod is in my top three rotation with Wilkinson sword and yellow Gillette 7 o'clock.

 

Good to know that it's not just the newbies that nick themselves!

 

May 6th , SOTD (Shave 4 of this focus)
Two and a half days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: Wade and Butcher 5/8 Square point (post 1890)
Strop: Chromexcel Horsehide- 20 laps on linen, 40 on leather
DE Razor: 1941 National Razor Company Bakelite Razor
DE Blade: Astra SP- Stropped 30 times per edge (3rd shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister & Mann's Fireside (Brandy scent)
Brush: Semoge Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Aubrey Men’s Stock North Woods

My shaves are much better when I have at least two day’s growth. I used the straight for a N/S pass, including my chin, then did a S/N pass, but didn’t do the part of my chin where I have been cutting myself. I used skin stretching, and carefully went over my face with the straight, listening for the sound the full hollow makes when it is cutting. That sound is helping me figure out the angle needed. I wasn’t paying close enough attention and cut an inch and a half off my left sideburn again. My wife also commented that the bars on my horseshoe mustache are getting very thin. I think I might end up clean shaven if I don’t pay more attention. I used the National Bakelite razor to do a WTG and ATG on my chin between the bars on my mustache. My neck was actually in good enough shape that I didn’t touch it up. Overall, I would say DFS. If I had touched up my neck with the DE, it probably would have been BBS. Very little feedback with the alum bar, so the skin stretching and listening to the razor is helping.

 

The progress you have made over the last month or so is fantastic.

 

NOISEMAKERS: Audible feedback is helpful, at least to me, as it reinforces the a sense of purpose that I'm actually removing something. Full-hollows tend to 'sing' much louder than most other blades. I mentioned the 'silent killers' yesterday—those large wedge razors that yield absolutely NO sound as they shear off stubble. Razors such as this 1.0" wide Wade & Butcher full Wedge take some getting used to as they shear über-close with nary a sound emitted!


In contrast to the silent wedge above, this large-bladed 13/16" full-hollow Tortolani (Brooklyn, NY) razor was probably the LOUDEST razor I've ever used.
My wife actually asked "What are you doing in there?" due to the loud rasping noise the razor made....

 

Day 5 (late post for Tuesday)

30 Day Rule with a Schick!



Recycled the pic because this Schick blade feels like day one...it's amazing that in day five, I was able to get to near BBS on two passes. I did it by trying to shave precisely and by using skin stretching even more than before. Automatic!

Have a Happy Wednesday!
​