August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Hey, watch the dares. You know I'm susceptible. However, in this case I'm safe as I don't line dance.

 

You mean I should stop dancing while shaving? Hadn't thought of that.

 

August Focus - Slim and Feather AC
August 15
Razor - Feather SS AC; '59 Gillette Superspeed
Blade - (4) (2)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold splash, Alum, Clubman

An interesting shave this morning. I had one of those shaves with a straight that reminds you that the mental part of shaving is equal too and sometimes greater than the physical act. I've experienced that before with the CJB when I was learning it. When you have that nervous feeling and get jittery, try to hurry, your mind leaves the game and cut, slice, bleed is soon to follow. I learned then that when that feeling shows up, put the razor down and get a DE out to finish before you are found in a pool of blood. Today's was similar but different.

The Omega and MWF, or BoSFat as I aptly named it (БоСФат), whipped up an amazing lather once again. Thick, slick and cushy and ready for anything. I grabbed the Feather and started right side as always on a two day growth. Great feedback and feel and I worked the right side down past the cheek, the jaw and the neck with no problem at all. Great first pass on that side. Yes, this thing is mastered! On to the left, Japanese style. Right hand grip, which puts the blade pointing back in the direction of the wrist. Normal Japanese approach for a kamisori. I've spent hours practicing and learning it. Started up by the ear and perfect. Settled in great, got good reduction, smooth transition to the cheek and jaw and then to the neck. As I made the first pass on my neck for some reason I noticed that in order to make the pass I have to adjust the grip slightly and lower the blade toward my thumb. I've always just done it instinctively but today, for whatever reason, maybe @Darkbulb put a curse on me over the Wolf Whiskers thing, I noticed how close the blade is to the thumb. Now, it's actually angled a bit away from it for most of the neck but at the bottom it pulls back in against the hand nearly touching it. And, at that moment, my mind went......."hmmmmmmm......if I lose my grip I could really slice my thumb". I rinsed the razor and went for one more run back under my ear and down my neck and my mind went......"hmmmmmmmm.....if I lose my grip I could really slice my thumb". made the pass and it wasn't quite as solid as the others. Felt a little scary, and just slightly off center as apparently my brain tried to make my hand adjust the grip without me noticing. Well, I noticed and put the razor down. Got out my '59 Superspeed and a Bic blade I had one use on and did the second and third passes to finish with a very very nice DFS.

A bit disappointing not to get the last two passes on the Feather but no blood was shed, no pain endured and I will have a talk with my brain about the problem of it thinking during a shave. It just can't do that. And, I'll practice that stroke a few hundred more times and the grip and be ready again Tuesday.

Hope you are having fun on a Sunday!

 

No blood = better day!

 

I tried to get a pic of each grip on the left side. First is the "backwards" grip that keeps the same side of the blade to the face. The handle would be pointing toward the back of my head, the blade on my face.



In order to get the neck I have to adjust the grip and lower the razor head and blade toward my writs...which puts it above the thumb more.


When you analyze it if someone were to push down on the head they could do a pretty good job of slicing right along the thumb joint. That's what my brain saw, reacted to and got weird about. Obviously if I don't do a Japanese grip then the left hand would be in control and the blade is clear of my hand completely. But, what's the fun in that? And how can I practice for a true Japanese razor without using the grips? I've spent some time already today working that grip and proving to my grey matter that there is no danger. Move along brain, nothing to see here.

 

You'll get it, just practice.

 

Day 16 - 17 August 2015

30 Day Rule - Phoenix OC


​

This razor is definitely in the running for the top spot. No matter what I try, I just get a great shave with it. It really matches well with the Rapira Swedes. Minimal cold water prep and shave for the automatic 2-pass smoothness. Alum felt great and the Veg handed out its usual congratulatory salute. My aunt's visit is extending due to a wiring issue on her RV tow package, I will be straightening that out this evening and in the morning. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a sterling Monday!
​

 

Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable (1965)(7)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (7)
Brush: WDC-4, Silvertip Badger, Butterscotch. (VIG) 24/67
Cream: C.O. Bigelow 1838
Bowl: Yokohama Studio (Hand Painted) (gift from my Wife)
A/S: Fine Platinum
Day 16
Moved the Slim back to #7 tonight and got a great 3 pass shave. The lather I produced was outstanding. Spent the afternoon watch a 17 year old Brook Henderson with her first LPGA tournament. I met her father and they don't live to far from us. Have a great night and week.

 

Back to the Feather blade focus. This blade went into my Grand Shave King for the first of three days. It was a good shave this morning, but I am struggling with Feathers on their first shave. I love them on days two and three. I have some neck irritation from chasing the BBS.

SOTD
Grand Shave King
Feather blade (1)
Omega boar brush
TOBS Mr Taylor's cream
AOS AS Balm
WSP Beard Oil
Florida Water

Have a great rest of your Sunday

 

Corresponding Theme Song​

http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/corresponding-theme-song.46365/page-5#post-876811​

 

August 30 Day Rule

Have a two day report for today. Saturday was a late start and so got to really take my time with the shave. Absolutely amazing! Had a 2 day growth to shave because of Friday's morning. Used my usual of the Lord L6, GSB on its second day, VDH Boar brush, Stirling MITA.

Started with a WTG pass on the face and it was great! Really a good shave with plenty of audible feedback! Thanks again @Drygulch! Turning the water off and really paying attention to what the blade is telling me makes a world of difference. I really paid attention and took my time on the chin. Turned out great with pass one. Moved to the neck and did a XTG pass. I had noticed the WTG pass on the neck really did me little good in most places. I was finding I had no choice but do XTG and in many places ATG to get a good shave. So started with XTG and it worked great! Have many different directions on the neck so paid attention to those. Rinsed and felt a great first pass!

Next pass was XTG on the face and ATG on the neck. Both went really really well. The XTG on the face got the chin really smooth. Somehow I managed to get one weeper on the crease above the chin. It did not even show itself until after the final cold water rinse and was definitely not a bad one. No idea where it came from. The neck turned out amazing. As smooth as I have ever gotten!

Overall Saturday was a wonderful shave. Even the AS was fairly quiet, something that never happens. I decided since I had plenty of time in the morning I spent my time doing lathers with the new fine badger brush to see if I could get it figured out. Lets just say it got better, but I definitely have a ways to go.

Sunday I followed the same plan as Saturday using the WTG on the face and XTG on the neck. Great first pass. Everything good and smooth and no irritation at all from the GSB. Really is a great blade with the razor on my face. Pass two was XTG on face and ATG on the neck. A good pass with no blood showing anywhere. Did a little touchup on the chin with a small amount of ATG. What a great shave! Smooth. No nicks. No weepers. No irritation. I have to say with this shave I think I caught the baby. It was super smooth and now, about 13 hours after the shave it is still amazingly smooth. So very happy with the weekend and its shaves!

Hope everyone has had a great weekend and hope the coming week treats everyone well!

 

August 16, 2015

No shave today. However I have much to report on about shaving.

So my children are visiting our family home in Seattle. My daughter (26 and living in Brooklyn) celebrated her birthday with us this week and my son (22 and living in Oregon) came up for the occasion. We had a fine time.

One of the best experiences that I'll remember forever are the two times I spent teaching my son to wet shave! With my daughter also there (to give her opinions on products, especially the scents), I required that my son use the same gear that I learned on - Gillette Tech, Arko, Omega Pro 48 and Wilkinson Sword blades. We all had a great time, with Mrs. F. commenting that his face felt just like when she used to change his diaper - BBS!

I sent him back to Oregon with the same basic gear plus all sorts of additional soaps, blades, aftershaves, etc...including a vintage 1980 Old Spice AS like his 90-yo grandfather uses. (Plus I'm sending him the website for all the mantic videos.)

Aside from that, my shaves were just excellent, as I think I found my sweet spot with the Slim at 8/9 settings for my two pass shave. I'll try a 9/9 on my next shave.

If all goes well I may continue on with the rest of Adjustable August by breaking out my 1961 Fatboy that I've not yet shaved with.

Cheers!
RT

 

Not to mention the little speedo you'd have to wear!

 

Sounds like a fine way to spend time! I hope you gave your son the address to the Den as well. We'd love to have him hang out with us, especially if his personality is anything like his dad's! What blade have you dialed the Slim in on? GSB? I spent a lot of time today looking at Fatboys on the bay. Just can't find one I like at a price I'm willing to pay. Given I'm not totally taken with the adjustables to begin with that's ok.

 

Not a chance

 

Have you tried hand stropping the Feather before its first shave? Just curious if that might make it smoother.

 

No, I haven't. I'll give that a try. Thanks!

 

Ah thanks, that reminds me, before I leave the Slim I wanted to dial down and try a Voskhod with it. I've been using GSBs. I'll try to fit all that in before the end of the month

RAD got such a hold of me in June that I'm sooooo far from committing to any razor. I want to try as many vintage ones as possible, as well as injectors.

As far as sending my son to TSD, I'm gonna hold off on that and make sure he follows up on practicing with it before all you 'bad influences' get a hold of him!


But you'll be happy to know Neal that I did send him away with a tuck of Voskhods!

 

I haven't had a bad shave with my Fatboy. I paid about $50 for it and it cleaned up almost new looking. I haven't been brave enough to try it on anything higher then a 7 yet. That might be my first shave after I help my mom move this Wendsday and Thursday. I plan on not shaving that day so the aggressiveness would be welcome to powerwack the multiple days growth. I think I might do a focus next month just to dial in my ideal blade for the fatboy. I have a few favorites presenting themselves so far.