August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Best post of the month on TSD!
Nothing better than a good shave and a ballgame, except to share both with your son!
Enjoy!

 

August 22, 2015

Adjustable August
30-Day Focus - Gillette Adjustable Slim / Fatboy

Mid-morning shave.
Hot Shower
Soap: Arko (homemade travel stick)
Brush: Butterscotch Fauxmere 24mm synthetic
Razor: Gillette Fatboy (1961)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
After Shave: Proraso Green

Fatboy settings at:
7 - WTG
7 - ATG
No touch-up or repeat strokes. This is as much about technique as it is about finding the best settings on the razor for me.

This month has gone by so quickly as I've tried to learn the Slim and then attempt the same with the FB. I've gotten very nice shaves all month, but feel that I've rushed the process, getting to 9 on the Slim and then trying for the same on the FB. I'm sure I could get there, but...

...as usual, @Bama Samurai got me thinking about my statement of liking the FB better. I answered that I liked the added weight and that the shave seemed smoother. And that was it. I think I should do better than that.

At some point, in some month down the road, I'd look to do more extensive assessments of each and a comparison of them.

But given the time left in the month, I'm going to try to attempt a quick comparison using a mini 8-day Rule.

Starting today I will use the FB for two days in a row with the setting at 7, then switching to the Slim for two shaves , and back and forth until the end of the month. That will give 4 shaves at setting #7 with each razor. I'll keep the same soap and brush, and use a new GSB blade for the two shaves and then a new blade for the next razor.

At the end, I'll attempt to answer BamaS's question again.

Shave 1A Fatboy
- first pass, solid. I continue to notice a good deal of audible feedback, as with both adjustables in my brief experience with them. I rotate higher onto the cap, noise lessens.
- second pass, AOK. Focusing on blade angle (which for me is minding the cap placement and relative angle of the razor handle to cheek - it seems just below perpendicular)
Close shave. FB feels very comfortable in my hand.

Cheers!
RT

 

Looks like your decision isnt as hard as you think.

If you dont like it all the time, then you don't like it full stop.

I made that mistake with AOS Sandalwood. Sometimes I liked it. Sometimes I didn't. It ended up at the bottom of the pile because I was using soaps I liked all of the time.

I only have a couple more shaves left with the Tabac sample. I'm glad I tried it but I won't be buying it.

 

I am by no means a guru on straights, but I have been enjoying them a lot lately. I have started using the same razor for longer periods to get a good assessment on it, and have found that if I strop 10 laps on linen and 10 laps on leather after I dry the razor, the edge seems to stay better longer. Part of this probably has to do with how I use or strop the razor, but I seem to need a bit of a touch up after about 10 shaves give or take. I know a lot of people can go longer, but since I have finishing stones, I don't mind doing this. @HolyRollah could give a much better answer.

 

8/22/15 SOTD (Shave 12 of this Focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Face Wash
Razor: Ontario Cutlery Co. 5/8 (Muted) Spike Point
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue

Did another light round of touch up on my finishing stone prior to this shave. Got the smoothness to be similar to day two on a feather DE blade. Didn’t need much pressure to slice the whiskers down today. Did a two pass with no touch up and ended up with a DFS Plus shave, and had quiet Alum and aftershave today. I think I am going to call this razor good, and stop with the contestant touch ups on the stone. At this point I have hit two of my milestone goals for my focus this month. I am pretty happy with that. May try and work in the third one as well, of taking one of my shave ready razors and seeing if I can improve the edge with my hone.

 

Because there is a variance in the amount of wear our beards have on the blade's edge (as well as our technique), I don't believe there is a 'one answer applies to all.'
I tend to be a proponent of 'less is more' when it comes to the amount of stropping laps, touching up edges with pastes, etc. and so recommend pasted strops and taking a blade 'back to the hones' ONLY if one is feeling the blade tug consistently. With an existing keen edge, daily stropping should keep it that way for some time. Those with heavy, barbed-wire face beards, however, will tend to reveal the edge fading faster than some light-bearded shavers (like me!).

 

Razor: Gillette Fat Boy (1961)(7)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (6)
Brush: Fendrihen Silver Tip Badger Black Faux Ebony Handle 22/49
Soap: Synergy Shaving Soap Bay Rum
A/S: Captain's Choice Bay Rum
Day 22

Another excellent shave this evening with FB setting and brush. My wife isn't a big fan of Bay Rum, but I love it. Great smell and a excellent lather from the Synergy Shaving Soap. Wish the container was deeper as I get soap all over the bathroom when lathering. Not a big deal. The Captain's Choice in a glass bottle is outstanding. I'll take the FB to # 8 tomorrow and give that a try. #7 has provided me with an excellent shave.

 

We are getting ready for the game to start and having a grand time. Already had some hot dogs, shared some nachos, Cracker Jack, and ice cream. This has been the best Saturday in a long time!

 

Outstanding to here. Have fun, life is short.

 

Ha! Reminds me so much of taking my son and daughter to games from age 6 - 12. I'd refer to it as the 9 inning smorgasbord!

 

Nice shave!

 

Suppose you were to hone a razor, then use it exclusively for a while. What would your strop usage be like each day? When is a pasted strop necessary?

 

Great tagline![/quote]

 

Assuming your razor starts out 'shave-ready'—all you need for upkeep is daily stropping prior to the shave (12-20 laps on leather. Some also like to do 10-20 on linen first to 'prep' the edge prior to the leather). Some do a dozen or so laps post-shave to dry the edge. A strop is pretty much essential for regular straight razor shaving in order to help keep the edge keen and smooth. 'Pasted' strops are simply another way to treat the edge. Not necessary for the beginner, in my opinion, but some guys like to use them for 'refreshing' the edge. It's enough for a beginner to learn to shave with the blade and strop—and not have to worry about pastes and other methods.
SR shaving can be quite the rabbit hole to fall into so I'm really trying to keep it to the essentials in order for you to enjoy the experience it without making it way too complicated.
Stropping isn't difficult—but to do it efficiently and effectively does take some practice.

 

I've been practicing my stropping on a "poor mans strop " and then moved to another one that is barely a step up from that. I feel like my technique is good enough that I'm not going to cut up my strop, so what do you recommend for my first good one?

 

August Focus - Slim and Feather AC
August 22

Yeah, too early this morning to even think of putting anything sharp next to my face. But.....to make up for it.....tomorrow will be the inaugural shave with the Mladost II!! Think of the possibilities....a vintage Soviet razor with a Russian blade against two days of growth. Glorious shave ahead comrades!

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Ni Pukha, Ni Pyera!

 

K chyortu

 

Day 21 - 22 August 2015

30 Day Rule - Phoenix OC


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Another August day brings yet another nice performance from this kit. One thing I have realized this month is that I enjoy shave sticks more than any other form of shave soap. Two quick and easy passes later, the automatic smoothness was achieved. The solution to the chin with this razor is to use buffing strokes on the first pass. Alum felt great, ISZ and the Veg today. More horrible smoke today, low visibility and hot and hazy to boot. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a Super Sunday!

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Good luck! I know your tetanus shots are up to date and that you've stocked plenty of Alum. Have fun!