May 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

Brush Focus: Day 16/30
Brush: Fendrihan Classic Silvertip Shaving Brush, Black Handle, 22/49
Gillette Super Speed, Red Tip (1955- A-3)
Gillette Platinum Blade (2)
Bowl: KO Shave
Soap: Jack's Soap
AS: Aqua Velva.
Old Spice Coffee Mug.(soak brush)

Classic Silvertip in a good setting with a loft of 49mm. This is a brush I had some issues with at the start as a result of hair loss, however, now it seems to be fine. Soft tips a great lather. Another three pass shave with no need for a clean up. Really enjoying the Gillette Red Tip. A little Aqua Velva for a final and all is good. Must note that yesterday was not my seventh day with the Gillette Platinum Blade, but it was day one. I go back and change that. All and all this was a great shave today. his brush stays in the rotation.

 

Happy Anniversary!!!

 

Thanks, everyone, for the well wishes on my anniversary!

 

I'm glad this has been purchased, since I kept looking at it. Enjoy it!

 

I have been doing ATG on my chin. For me my facial hair also makes it difficult. Biggest help for me so far is to use shorter strokes than I did with a DE or shavette. Welcome aboard. This has been a great month to work on straights.

 

Great looking razor! Seeing your posts makes me want to try SRs every time.

 

Join us! It's been a great time of learning with a wonderful mentor this month for sure! I'm not turning back... Yet

 

I'm planning to - just have to spread it out to remain undetected by swmbo. I do wonder about honing/stropping though. I don't have a lot of time I could dedicate to that and not to mention my lack of skills when it comes to sharpening. Now that yall have gone through with it what is your experience with maintaining the edge?

 

Congrats

 

Yeah I wanted to make sure his next custom would eliminate second guesses for you lol

All you need for maintaining is a strop and when it comes time to sharpen you can always send it off to get professionally honed

 

Stropping is a skill you can develop with daily practice. It is also part of daily razor maintenance. Plus, the cost of entry is low.
Honing, however, is a much longer learning curve and requires a greater investment of both time and money. Sending a razor out every six months or so (it varies) to a pro is usually a good decision when starting with SR shaving.

 

Vs. home honing?

 

Unless one is willing to invest the time, effort and finances into learning how to hone properly, I always recommend SR beginners shop out their honing for two reasons, mainly…

1. Usually a beginner has enough on the plate just learning to shave with an SR and how to strop. Adding the dense layer of learning to hone overly complicates the process. Can a beginner do it? Sure. Does it make the whole process SR more challenging? Absolutely.
2. By having a pro do it, one can actually experience WHAT a well-honed razor looks and feels like. Sort of a benchmark to follow should one wish to eventually 'hone at home.' I sent a razor out to Glen for honing early on in my SR journey and this really helped me when I made the decision to buy sharpening stones….

 

Today is shave seven of the Personna Red (Israeli) It has been a great week, and I am not sure the blade is done just yet. It sure is in the running for my blade of choice, once the try a blade pack is done.

 

May 16th , SOTD (Shave 9 of this focus)
One and a half days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: Wade & Butcher pre-1890 square point 5/8
Strop: Chromexcel Horsehide and Linen 20/50 laps
Soap: Barrister & Mann's Seville
Brush: Semoge Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: The Shave Den Iced Barbershope

Used this razor to get a comparison with the Dubl Duck I used a few days ago. This razor, which only has three shaves on it since being professionally honed, is much more comfortable to shave with, and gives a closer shave. (I also attempted to polish the edge on my other W&B with a finishing stone. Did a shave test, and that didn’t work. That razor either needs to be sent out again, or I need to learn quickly on how to hone.) Looks like two and a half passes works for me pretty well with a straight. I do N/S on face and neck (including chin,) the do S/N on neck, jaw and cheeks, and XTG on the chin. Then my half pass, ATG on the chin, jaw, and part of the neck.

I have a one inch wide strip of hair that runs from under my ears to my Adam’s apple, where the grain points to my chin. I have been having a hard time figuring out how to get this cut ATG, since the handle of the razor seems to get in the way. @HolyRollah mentioned a few days ago about the “Fools Pass” under the nose, and it inspired me to try holding the blade by the spine with both hands. I was able to get the trouble spots on my neck, ATG, and smooth. Overall, this shave is a DFS, plus. Very little Alum bite. I did set the blade on my chin and face just hard enough to cut myself shallowly three times. I will need to work on that.

Used the last of my TSD Iced BarberShoppe splash today. I will be ordering more of that. The Semoge brush is a good one, but probably not in my top three. I think a lot of my issues with the soap this month are due to my Mayhem of switching a brush every shave, and rotating through my five brushes.

 

Blade Focus Day 17:

Homemade PS Oil
WD High Mountain Badger 30 mm
Stirling Port-au-Prince
EJ Chatsworth Barley
Nacet Platinum
Stirling Unscented PSB
Tabac AS

Day 2 on the Nacet and a good shave today. I still like the Gillette Nacet better, but this is a good blade too.

 

05/17/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade – Feather Super Pro (5)
Brush – Rudy Vey with Shavemac Finest
Lather – TSD Signature
Post - Witch Hazel and Captain’s Choice Bay Rum



Great 3 pass BBS this morning. I enjoy being able to take my time with the morning shave. I really like the scent of the TSD Signature Soap. I started with a dryer brush and built a fantastic lather on my face by gradually adding water as I lathered. Finished up with a splash of CC Bay Rum.

 

Day#16 of the 30-Day Focus
..and Day#2 of 7 with the Böhler Stahl Straight Razor.

I cleaned and honed a trio of razors yesterday. They belong to @PatrickA51 who inherited them from his uncle and father-in-law. I am always envious of those who are able to use 'family heirloom' razors—those that were used by dads, grandpas, uncles, etc. There's something special about using those items passed down from generations. These three razors were in fairly decent condition, with only one requiring a new pivot pin. All three were cleaned-up, polished, honed and finished on a natural stone, the Apache Strata (10-12k estimate). I enjoyed the feel of the edge off all three that I decided to run the Böhler through the same finisher. Did the Böhler need a touch up? Nope—but no harm, no foul. AND the resulting 3-pass shave that followed was extremely smooth.



Happy Trio for Patrick…(LtoR) Union Cutlery 'Spike' 4/4 Sq. pt; J. A. Henckel 5/8 Sq Pt; Unknown 11/16 full-hollow, Sq pt.; Apache Strata natural finisher

 

Welcome to the 30 Day Thread! You are doing well and definitely in the right place!

 

I have better luck face lathering than any other method.