July 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Allegedly...

 

I am going to be in what I will call the Pre-30-Day Rule period. I will be sampling blades to see if I can find the one for me, or at least a good one for me, to use for the 30 Day Rule, which hopefully will begin next month unless further sampling is needed.

My plan is to use my Lord L6 razor and will use the following 5 blades (I cheated and actually started Sunday so I could get 5 full weeks to test that extra blade just in case it was the one ):

1. Personna Lab Blue
2. Astra SP
3. Voskhod
4. SuperMax Super Platinum
5. Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharpedge

The blades are subject to change because I have samples of a wide variety of blades thanks to tryablade.com

I plan to use each blade for 3 days in a row, then change to a different blade for the next 3 days. So Sun, Mon, Tues will be one blade, and Wed Thurs Fri will be a different blade. I plan to go through the blades 1-5 in the order above and then switch and do 5-1. So basically in the middle of the month the Gillette will be used for an entire week. I saw where @Rufus T. was going to use the same blade type for a full week and then switch to a new type. I decided to just do the 3 days with one blade type before switching because I am hoping that as the month goes on, my technique improves and so I plan to rotate to try and give every blade a more fair chance.

The rest of my choices are

Stirling Soap MITA, Lemon Chill, and Gin & Tonic will be rotated.
VDH Boar Brush
VDH Ceramic Shave Bowl
WH splash


So that is my plan. Any suggestions, critiques, etc would be greatly appreciated!

 

Welcome aboard. That sounds like a great plan. You are off to a great start. Once you are thru this month you should have your blade picked out. I look forward to following your progress this month.

 

Day 8
This might look familiar.. Lol


All shave products: pre, soap in teak wood bowl, AS lotion, are all AOS lavender.
24mm WD HMB brush 52mm loft.
SR: DOVO Spike with Ebony wood scales.
DE: Muhle R89 with astra platinum blades.

1. Shower with normal Axe bodywash
2. Brush and soap soaking in hot water
3. Get outta shower, apply generous amount of preshave oil
4. Strop SR on same VB.LLC. 2" Black latigo strop. 20X
5. build up good lather and paint face.
6. First Pass with the SR..with the grain raising tip slightly as not to nick up face with end of blade. Use multiple short strokes, getting close shave with one single pass.
7. Second Pass: chin area and jaw line clean up with DE. against the grain for BBS shave.
8. rinse with cold water and pat dry
9. Use AOS Alum block. found 2 small nicks..not bad.
10. Pat dry
11. Apply AS Lotion
12. Splash dime size amount of Clubman original.

This has been the same basic routine for past 7 days prior. Minus alum(most of the time). So keeping with this focus, I find myself slowing down with the SR and trying different holding patterns, and techniques. I have 2 small nicks on my left side, instead of the 2 gashes on my right side. I've noticed I want to get in a hurry, usually then is when the nicks come.

 

Welcome wmbjr, great to have you here!

As you noted we're at similar stages in our shaving journeys. In fact, your method as described is pretty darn similar to how I started. Joining in mid-May with a sampler pack of blades, I knew I wanted to do the 30-day Rule with one blade brand in June. Having only two weeks before June, I only gave myself two shaves on a brand and then moved on to another and another until it was June. Frankly it was hard for me to discern which blade would be "best" for the focus. So of the ones I was considering it came down to using the one that didn't cut me up! and the brand I had enough blades of to get me through the 30 day Rule!

I also told myself that I could always find time after the 30 day Rule to reapproach each of those brands to see if my new-found technique changed the way each blade felt. I'm kind of embarking on that during a July Focus of one brand a week to narrow down a few "favorite" brands for regular future use in this razor. I may even go a couple months on that process.

So your 3-day per blade trial through a full month is even better than my initial test. I'll pass along the advice many of the people in this thread gave me - take notes for yourself - after each shave about the experience, as well as throughout the day about skin feel and how quickly stuble reappears.

I look forward to your experience and progress. The guys on here are great for sharing their expertise in a wonderful, sometimes witty, and non-condescending way. So leave detailed desriptions, ask questions and enjoy the trip!

Cheers!
- RT

 

I'm going to stay with the new boar brush my wife purchased for me. I didn't have any other ideas for July's focus. I want to use different razors, soaps, creams, and aftershaves. Therefore my focus will be the boar brush. It is going to be hard enough to get through July without purchasing any shaving related products.

 

You will be amazed at how much better the brush is by the end of July. That should enough time to fully break it in.

 

That's one of my favorite brushes. It amazed me how well it performed after a week or so.

 

Ah yes, the good old Omega 10066. Lovely knot. Great performer.

 

First shave of July. I woke up a little late but I didn't want to miss day 1 of my July focus, improving my straight razor shaves. Everything was great except the Xpec, what a huge disappointment, I just could not get a good lather no matter what I tried. The best I managed was a watery lather. The Rasurpur western grind kamisori is now my favourite straight. I love the handle and how it shaves. I did 3 passes with the SR and no blood, no irritation and maybe DFS. I went ahead and the did the 4th pass with the DE and got BBS with no irritation. It is amazing how the cap transforms the 2013 R41, a welcome improvement and it shaves similar to the 2011 now.

Proraso Pre Shave
Xpec cream
Rooney 3/2
Rasurpur Kamisori (western grind) 2013 R41 modified with a Shapeways cap.
Harold Russian leather strop
Alum block to keep my fingers dry
Speick AS
L'Occitane Cade ASB
Amouage Jubilation XXV

 

Phoenix Dbl OC Focus Day 1:

Homemade PS Oil
WD High Mountain Badger 30 mm
Arko Cool SC
Phoenix Dbl OC
Stirling Unscented PSB
Fine Fresh Vetiver

I have been using this razor for a few days already, and it seems to perform well. Today, I pushed the Rapira PL one shave too many, as I got a couple of nicks on the neck. I am still getting to know this razor, but thatnis the purpose this month. So far, I really like this razor.

 

07/01/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Triad SS Helix
Blade – Feather Super Pro (1)
Brush – Rubberset 400-3 with WSP HMW
Lather – MdC Fougere courtesy of @Boojum1
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine Platinum



Great 2 pass plus touch up near BBS shave this morning. This set up is much more aggressive than any of the OC razors last month. Two small nicks from placing the razor against my face to hard. Got to watch that with this blade exposure. This is my first use of MdC Fougere soap. Like the original MdC the soap is extremely easy to lather and the Fougere scent is great. Finished off with a splash of Fine Platinum.

 

It has surprised me how well it has worked after only a few days. My July focus will be on the boar brushes I have. I have one Whipped Dog boar knot I will install in a new handle, and a Every Ready 100T will also be part of my focus. Thanks for your help with the strop. I have mailed you an outline of said strop as promised.

 

I have decided that I will be doing a 30 day Rule starting today. My objective is to become proficient at face lathering, something I seldom do. One thing I am hoping to discover is how much I should load the brush. I routinely over-load the brush and am hoping I can break that habit. I will be sticking with the same brush, razor (slim adjustable set on 7) and blade (Ladas). I will be using MDC as my soap and adding small amounts of creams to add scent or menthol. Actually, I will be using either MDC Unscented or MDC Lavender, depending on my mood. They are for all practical purposes identical except for the scent.

30 Day Rule

Lavender MDC
Ladas Blade
Slim Adjustable set to 7


I do have a question for those who routinely face lather. When I am face lathering and I want to mix a soap and a cream, I simply put a little cream on my face and neck, load the brush on the soap, and then the two mix together on my face as I am forming my lather. However, how would I mix two soaps? I can't spread a soap on my cheeks. When using a scuttle, I will smush a small amount of one of the soaps into the scuttle, load the brush with the other soap, and the two mix inside the scuttle. Any suggestions?

 

I am sure there will be other suggestions. My first thought was to load some of the soap into a shave stick. Apply that to your face and then bring the loaded brush thus mixing them on your face. I never tried mixing two soaps.

 

To kick off July’s Focus for me, I want to accomplish four things:

1. Use my three newest razors exclusively for the month. I will be using each for 5-6 shaves.
2. Use my newest Badger Brush exclusively for the month. I got it on a giveaway on SRP, and haven’t spent much time with it.
3. Become more efficient in my shaves, to be as close as possible with a two pass shave. This will include changing my pattern of shaving, and following the grain more closely, along with finding the minimum amount of stropping to keep the edge maintained.
4. Hone one of my not shave ready razors to a working edge, using my 1K stone and Welsh natural stones.

As its July, I will be trying accomplish all of this using American products as much as possible for software. Of all of my soaps, only one is not US made, and of my aftershaves, the only ones I am not sure of are my Gillette Gel and Aqua Velva. I am pretty sure my alum block is not, but I don’t know if I can find one that is, especially with No Buy July.

July 1st, SOTD (Shave 1 of this focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor: “Caveman” Cattaraugus Cutlery Co small razor
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel Horsehide/ Linen (Post Shave Only)
Soap: Barrister & Mann Lime, Lavender, & Cedarwood
Brush: Spalted Maple Brush with Badger Knot
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman with Menthol added

Good shave today. This is a tiny razor, about 2/3s the size of my other straights. I was surprised at how much of the blade width I typically use in my shaves that simply wasn’t there. The upside is that this razor is very easy to maneuver around facial hair, and the round point inflicted no cuts at all. The brush feels very full and splays easily, to give a great lather with minimal effort. I did a N/S and a S/N pass today, followed with clean up on my neck and jawline. DFS shave overall, followed by Clubman goodness with some M-Bomb added.

 

DAY 9?
Same basic set up.
AOS Lavender pre oil
DOVO ebony spike SR
VB LLC 2" Latigo strop
Simpson Special Best Badger Brush
AOS Sandalwood cream
Witch Hazel
AOS Sandalwood balm
Clubman original

Made it thru 2 passes today, and even around my jaw line, and no new cuts...
Finished/cleaned up with my R89 DE. Good shave. I'm happy with my SR progress. I have 2 other SRs here, but they need honed, and I'm not that good at that yet. So I stuck with the DOVO.

 

That m-bomb sounds more enticing the more I hear about it. I may have to try some.

 

Everyone should give it a try. You can always send me your bottle if you don't like it, I will dispose of it properly.

 

Gotta wait until next month. I'm going to try this "no buy July" thing. Except for the custom work I'm having done on a dubl duck restore and hone and polish on my bur I just got on the 30th. Don't think that counts, that's just good maintenance... Right?