July 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Are you saying that last line to me or the razor?!!

 

Thank goodness no blood was shed again today...at least except for them nasty mosquitos!

 

well a little meditation may just be the thing you need Grasshopper?

 

Remember, there's no money back on this one Charlie!

besides, what would I know...i've never even used one myself!

 

Thanks Charlie!

and as for the razor in the photo...now you know why Neal sent me to Lloyds of London for an insurance policy before he'd agree to send it!

 

Can you believe it @Bama Samurai - someone actually reads my posts!

 

or we can call it what it simply is - dumb beginner's luck!

and I am enjoying it!

 

1956 Gillette Super Speed Flair
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Proraso Sandalwood cream
Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Current Blade under review: Gillette Silver Blue

Shave #1 with 4th Gillette Silver Blue blade. Fine BBS results, a great shave. Very close, really comfortable, no nicks, weepers, irritation or razor burn.
2 Full passes: Pass 1: WTG on my face (N/S), and XTG on my neck (N/S). Pass 2: ATG. At this point, I had a solid DFS and almost a BBS shave.
Lathered up those areas that needed touch up. I used some stretching to get the remaining spots. Several of them always require more attention, I used blade buffing on those. The Aqua Velva burn lasted less time than yesterday.
It occurred to me that while my blade angle is fine for most of my face, in some areas I either need to be more exact or use a more aggressive shaver/blade combination. In some areas, the stubble can't be felt after my 2nd pass unless I drop my chin and that area of my neck becomes slack. In other spots, I can't feel the stubble unless I press against my neck a bit as I come toward my Adam's apple under my jaw line. I may reach for the Fat Boy and use it on these areas to test the aggressiveness hypothesis.

A nice 2 pass shave from the Gillette Silver Blue. I really don't know if I can tell a difference between the Silver Blue and yesterday's PolSilver Super Iridium. I think either one would give me a fine shave. For the purpose of my current focus, I'll use the Silver Blue as the basis of my comparisons until something better presents itself.

 

July 24th, SOTD (Shave 13 of this focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co Green Lizard Model B54GL
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen (20 laps Linen/ 20 laps Leather pre and 10/10 post)
Soap: The Shave Den Iced Yin Yang (Lime, Lavender, and Menthol)
Brush: Spalted Maple Brush with Badger Knot
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: The Shave Den Iced Yin Yang Splash(Lime, Lavender, and Menthol)

Feel like I am getting to know this razor better. This is my 4th shave with it. It’s a light razor that is very thin, and requires all of your attention. I got a little too fast on my clean up pass today, and managed an almost inch long cut on my jawline from setting it down too hard. Good news is that it is sharp and smooth again. I increased the number of laps pre-shave. Not sure if that is in my head or not, but it shaved great today. Did my normal N/S, S/N, and half pass on my neck, and was rewarded with a DFS plus. Alum got my attention this morning, partly due to the cut, and the weeper on my chin.

Noticed something with the menthol soap today, and wonder if this is true for other people. I whipped up my lather in a bowl, and set it aside as I prepped my razor. I took a little longer on that than normal, and had to work the lather some more, as it had started to fall in on itself. When I had it built back up, and worked it into my face, it was cold for the first pass. Typically, if I use menthol soap, I don’t feel the cool until my second or third pass as the water works on the menthol. Is letting the lather sit for a bit the best way to feel the menthol on all passes?

 

30 day rule - Day 24
MDC lavender Face Lathered
Ladas blade
Slim Adjustable set to 8
3 passes


The 30 day system has really helped me get my technique down to an art.

Yesterday I did a face lather with MDC unscented and Stirling Glacial Obsidian. Since they are both hard soaps, it is nearly impossible to load both on the brush. So, I rubbed the the Stirling on my face and loaded my brush with the MDC. If you have an alternative method for using 2 hard soaps while face lathering, I would love to hear it.

 

07/24/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Triad Helix SS
Blade – Feather Super Pro (11)
Brush – Rubberset 400-3 with WSP HMW
Lather – Jabonman Citricos
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine L’Orange



Another fantastic shave this morning. Not quite as good as yesterday but still exceptional. The Jabonman is super easy to lather with a complex citrus scent. Thank you again @Drygulch for the PIF of the soap. Finished off with a splash of Fine L'Orange. Happy Friday.

 

SOTD 30 day SR focus day 27.
Hot shower
Pre: AOS lavender pre shave oil
Strop handmade
WD HMB brush 24 mm
1953 old world Shulton old Spice mug
AOS sandlewood cream supercharged with M-bomb from TSD.
Dubl Duck goldedge SR
Post: cold water rinse
Pat dry
AOS sandlewood balm and
Clubman original.


Dubl Duck Goldedge

 

Well can't it be both?

 

Unexpected side effects of my focus have occurred.
I have been doing my focus on straight razors. I like all my straights and they all give great shaves. Usually I finish off with my sandalwood balm and a splash of clubman original. The other day I changed and went for the old spice. To my surprise, my wife said I smelled like a man, but not her man. Why?
As it turns out, she likes the sandalwood, Clubman original combination (or at least gotten used to it). So, since she has expressed herself on this matter, the Brut and Old Spice will have to sit in the back of the cabinet.

 

Well of course, and thanks very much, we both are.

Mind you, he did have a little rough period at the start.
(must've been the long road trip, and as I remember he did look a bit green on the ferry ride)

But he seems to be settling in nicely now...mumbled something about never having traveled much with you.

 

Thanks for kind words gentlemen.

 

July 24, 2015

***COMPLETED*** 30-Day Focus - Blade Trials for Gillette Tech

Day 3 of 7-day Vacation in
Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
48.8450° N, 123.2808° W
Island climate, island time, island life.

...and then the rains came. Actually it's a good thing.
All of Western Canada and the US are in drought mode with wild fires blazing. This may at least help a bit with the fires.



the gang wanting to go outdoors...

Oh well, at least we can shave in any weather!

Omega brush, Stirling Island Man, Aristocrat/GSB and YingYand AS.

Great two-pass shave once again.
Ahoy!
RT

 

I do this all the time, especially with a hard soap and a cream. Nice going!

 

Several years ago, I was reading a post somewhere and a guy was replying to someone who was having trouble lathering MWF. He suggested to the guy to just "rub the puck" on his face. Reading that was like a spiritual moment for me because I was having trouble figuring out how much product to load on my brush.

 

I know. It's like telling your kids something for the 500th time and they finally do it and you question whether you really saw it or not. LOL!