JUNE 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

26th Wedding Anniversary SOTD

06/11/2015
Razor – Gillette Red & Black New Deluxe
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – Rudy Vey with TGN Finest
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol F/Extra



A great 3 pass shave this morning. Love the scent and performance of the Seville soap. Finished off with a splash of Myrsol F/Extra. Looking forward taking my wonderful wife of 26 years out to a great dinner this evening.

 

6/11/15 - A Month of Proraso!!!

A very good shave today. Had one hiccup. Added just a bit too much water for my taste. But I got through it. A good slickness that provided no irritation.
This razor could spoil me. I like the very slim head. It could use a bit more weight, but it gets the job done.

BBS.

Proraso Red Soap
WSP Monarch Silvertip
1921 Gillette Single Ring
Pol-Silver Blade (4)
Speick Aftershave

 

Yeah me too. Quite puzzled actually but I've been confused before. lol

 

Day 5 of 5; 30-Day JUNE Rule
Final shave with this handsome, yet challenging, razor. I do enjoy the overall size and weight of this custom shaver—I made the zebra wood scales slightly thicker than most—so in the hand, the razor is quite comfortable.
It does, however, make you work in order to achieve a smooth, close shave! The overall shape/design and thickness of this blade has compelled me to really focus on blade position these past five days. I've had to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy repeating strokes to achieve the desirable results.
I find a more traditionally-shaped blade considerably more efficient, at least in my hands. Would I look to acquire another razor with this blade shape? Not likely—but this Rodgers has some sentimental value as the blade was a birthday gift from my wife several years ago (found while antique shopping). It will remain as part of the rotation for that reason. The Rodgers does provide excellent results—but requires more effort to reach that goal than other razors.

 

June 11 - Shave 8
Prep: Hot Shower
Brush: Omega 48
Preshave: Stirling Mentha Preshave oil
Soap: TSD Lanolin 2x iced Barbershop
Razor: Whipped dog Lakeside round point blade, 5/8"
Growth: 1 day
Post: Cold water splash, Clubman, Alum
Passes: WTG, XTG, WTG

No photo today as I lost my phone - I'm sure it's stuffed in my recliner chair somewhere. Three passes was very nice with the hollow blade. I love the audible feedback i get from it. I didn't like how my neck was a little scruffy still so I went XTG on my neck to get a BBS this morning. Lovin' it!
Cheers,
Eric

 

June 11, 2015

30 Day RULE - “Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Lather, Rinse….”

Morning Hot Shower
Prep: Pre-Shave Oil - The Art of Shaving
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: Gillette Tech “Fat Handle”
Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword Stainless (India) (2)
After Shave: Proraso Aftershave Splash Green



Continuing this week with a 2-pass shave. (WTG, XTG ) I changed due to a skin reaction - was getting razor bumps for the first time in my life.

Nice shave again today.

Cheers!
RT

 

Enjoy the anniversary celebration Clint, you both deserve it!

 

I'm gonna guess there's a few of those among us who've had similar experiences.

"Honey, where's my glasses?"
"Check the top of your head dear!"

 

@Rufus T. Thank you for the well wishes.

 

I do enjoy them all equally. More recently, I realized the 3 main tubs represent the colors of the Italian flag.

 

Razor: Gillette Redtip, (A-3) 1955
Blade: Gillette, Platinum (8)
Brush: Silver Tip Badger, Butterscotch handle 24/67 (VIG)
Soap: Knock Out Shave Cool Blue
Mug: Soak my brush in the Old Spice coffee mug for about a minute.
A/S: Clubman Pinaud Musk

Made a new brush last night and had to try it out today. Very happy I did. Excellent brush. I'll start using the boar brush tomorrow, and I'll change razors. Very good A/S, which was a good finish to a 3 pass shave. Also, this the first time I've used the Gillette Platinum blade past 7 days. Still worked well. Good soap whipped into a great lather. Didn't loose any hairs from the knot.

 

Finally with some free time and much needed rest I got in a straight shave today. I used some new soap my wife bought for fathers day which one of them was really nice and the other I'll have to work on the right water ratio. I'd say it was an acceptable 3 pass shave especially since I haven't used a straight in awhile. I'll spend tonight catching up on this thread as I've probably missed a bunch.

 

Happy Aniversary!

 

Allot of anniversaries on this thread. Congratulations!

 

Thank you. I guess June is a very popular month for weddings.

 

Shave #3 of my 30 day focus
6-8-15
Razor= Dovo astrale 6/8 round
Soap= Lea
Brush= VDH Boar
Alum = Osama/ to aid in skin stretching
AS = Himalayan Bay rum
Aloe = banana boat
ASB = dove

I am getting to know this shaver a bit better.less irritation at the end of shave. The razor is feeling good in the hand.

I am becoming aware that this blade's edge is holding up quite nice. I do believe the rumor about Dovo's factory honing isn't worth a tinker's damn per Glen's infamous knowledge.

A very nice clean dfs/bbs after DE clean up (neck and under jawline). I rather enjoyed this shave.

I am really liking this Lea shave soap...
my face really turns out soft,and happy happy.

Keen Blades & smooth shaves Gents


Shave #4 in 30 day focus
6-11-15

Razor= Dovo astrale 6/8 round
Soap= Lea
Brush= VDH Boar
Alum = Osama/ to aid in skin stretching
AS = Himalayan Bay rum
Aloe = banana boat
ASB = dove

Better shave today The edge is holding up rather well, by this time the blade would of needed a
appointment with the chrome ox.

I am hoping that the edge on this dovo will hold up for this focus without taking to the hones.
Has anyone else had an edge issue with their Dovo? Another smooth DFS shave today with DE cleanup. No weepers since my last shave with my square point.

Keen blades & smooth shave Gents

 

World Tournament of Blades - Russia vs. the World!!
June 11, 2015
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Soap - MWF
Razor - Razo Rock TTO
Blade - (1)
Post - Alum, Nivea Balm

Well after yesterday's surprising bad performance by the Kai we go to India for a challenger. The Super-Max Platinum by Vidyut Metallics. This is a platinum I like, as the Indian plats seem better for me than the St. Petersburg blades. Still the Pro 48 and the Fat so here we go.

Got a GREAT lather out of the MWF today. Best so far as I soaked the puck a bit longer and shook the brush a couple of extra times. Really got the brush loaded and the face lather was magnificent. Yep, thanks to @Bama Samurai I have a new top three soap if not number one! Had the Super Max loaded in the RRTTO and off we went. First observation, this is not a level 1 sharp blade. It's nice, it gets it done, but it's no Kai on sharpness which may not be a bad thing with this razor. First pass was a bit rough, not horribly so but enough to take a notch off for smoothness but it felt good as far as irritation went. Lathered again and went XTG. About as smooth as the first pass but I picked up a nick on my left jawline. That doesn't help. Neck was beginning to feel a bit rough after the pass so I did a quick cleanup on a couple of areas and stopped. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I actually STOPPED BEFORE doing any more damage. I had already decided that the sharpness was a 2. Again, sharp, but not on the same level as some. But, definitely up there. Smoothness....this one stumped me a bit but I decided due to the nick I had to dock it a point. It would have been a 2 but it became a 3. Irritation? This one surprised me because I felt it was going to be horrible. Nope, not so. Actually a very quiet alum pass. Even the nick wasn't too bad by the time I hit it with cold water. So, a 2. The finish? This one was tough. In fact, I was again happy I had little time to post so I could have the day to think about it and check it. I thought CCS at first given how it originally felt. After it settled a bit, though I decided it was better than that and by the feel of it tonight it had to be a DFS, if only slightly. I docked the nick onto the smoothness and not the finish, just to be clear. DFS is a 2.

Total - 9.

The winner of the round is the SUPER-MAX PLATINUM!!!

Am I surprised, yes. However, after yesterday not as much as I would have been. The Kai really under performed. Now, I think part of the blame falls on me for poor choice of razor for the matchup. However, I can't put it all on that as there wasn't a huge difference. A one point win is as close as it gets so both blades suffered the effects of my choice to an extent.

New round tomorrow. We go to Greece with the Bic Chrome Platinum. It's opponent, the Indian Super-Max Super Platinum. It's two great cuisines and cultures battling it out for the right to battle the SM Platinum.
Bring your friends...get here anyway you can as we move on to the next round.

​

 

I have always got irritation free shaves with super-max platinums.

 

My experience with them as been the same, especially in a mild razor. Very comfortable blade. The Super Platinum has been even a bit better for me so we'll see. If it wins the next round and they go head to head I'll put in the right razor choice and we'll have a great comparison. Still think the blame for the past two shaves goes to my choice of razor.

 

June Open Comb Focus
Day 9

Prep: Hot shower
Razor: Gillette New SC
Blade: Voskhod
Brush: Omega 10083 Boar Brush
Lather: TBS Maca Root Shave Cream
Post: Cold rinse, Alum, Witch hazel, Proraso Green