August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Thanks, you're right, I shouldn't. But it's hard not to chase the baby a little bit, he's so cute! But I do need to know when to call it quits for the day. This will come with time. - I hope

 

Phoenix Comparison Focus Day 23:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Gillette Ball End Tech
Stirling Unscented PSB
TOBS Sandalwood AS

This was the second shave with my Ball End Tech, and it was great. I don't remember the last time I used this razor before yesterday, and I am wondering why. It is just smooth and easy going.

I also used Mitchell's Wool Fat for the first time this morning. Lots of lather and slick. I really like the scent. Most of my soaps and creams are scented, so the few I have that have a classic soapy smell really stand out. The post shave feel does seem different as well. All in all, this was a good start to the work week. Have a great Monday!

 

SOTD
August 24, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Mongoose B3 Dr. Bomber Handle
Blade: Feather Professional
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
Lather: Knockout Shave S'more
Post: Alum. Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Country Club Southern Oud
Nice shave. This @KnockOut Shave S'more is fantastic! The scent, oh boy, good enough to eat. But don't. I'm experimenting with my angle usage of the Mongoose.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

 

8/24/15 SOTD (Shave 13 of this Focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Face Wash
Razor: Wade & Butcher 5/8 (pre 1890) with Worm Eaten Scales
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen (20 linen 20 Leather Pre, 10/10 post)
Soap: Barrister & Mann Lime, Lavender, & Cedarwood plus M-Bomb
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Mandom

This shave was to set a baseline for the next one. A large part of my focus this month has been on honing straights to shave ready. One of the items on my list was taking a shave ready razor and seeing if I can improve the edge. I will shave again with this razor on Wednesday, after touching it up with my finishing stone. In future focuses, I am going to limit myself to two razors, so I can get to know them better.

Shave was good. This is a heavier razor than some of my more modern ones, and the weight makes it easier to use. No tugging, but some hesitation on the chin and jaw line. This razor is hollow ground, but doesn’t seem to be quite as thinly ground as some of my other ones. It makes a different sound on my face and the strop. Did N/S and S/N pass, and a half pass on my neck and jaw line. I need to pay more attention to the angle at the base of my neck; I got some irritation there from being close to a 90 degree angle.

I highly recommend the Omega 10066 Boar brush for a cheap and easy to use brush. It is a no thought, easy to use brush that makes great lather in a bowl or on the face. After a year and a half, I finally used up my first container of Thayer’s Witch Hazel. I have some unscented that I will be adding EOs to for scent. Got my first use of Mandom aftershave in today. I immediately roundhouse kicked the door to the bathroom open, and went to make a steak for breakfast. Good stuff. Made my face feel good and smells good too.

 

Great photo.

The best advise I received on angles and the Mongoose is "if it drags you have to much of the razor on the face so drop the handle a little" The perfect angle does change a little for me with the different blades. The other thing I discovered is that I get better shaves with the Mongoose using longer strokes unlike the shorter strokes of a DE razor.

 

08/24/2015
Razor – Gillette Slim J3 set on 9
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – EJ XL STF
Lather – B&M Latha
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol F/Extra



Another very good 3 pass near BBS shave with the Slim. Finished off with with a splash of Myrsol F/Extra.

 

Great breed! I wasn't sure because of the black. My grandfather always had GSP dogs and I shot many dove, quail and pheasant over them. I agree about the loyalty and trainability. I also like Brittany's for the same reason. Someday I will have a GSP. Enjoy him.

 

I'm starting to notice a pattern in my Feather focus. I like day two better than day one, even with a palm strop on day one. The blade settles down and is smother on day two.
SOTD
Gillette Double Ring
Feather (2)
TOBS Mr Taylor's Cream
Omega boar brush
Witch Hazel
AOS AS Balm
Old Spice AS
WSP Beard Oil
(Oops, I forgot Menthol Monday)

Nice three pass shave with no irritation.

Enjoy your week!

 

Two important points I also found. One common complaint has been that the Goose Drags. As Clint suggests, lowering the handle reduces drag and the blade being used does affect the angle. Longer strokes are more efficient and natural given the weight of the razor.

 

It is interesting that you are finding the second shave better than the first. I have noticed several blades seem to perform better on day 2 for whatever reason. It doesn't make sense to me, but it seems to be the case.

 

It could that the edge has a little roughness that gets stropped off on your face

 

August 30 Day Rule

Been out of town for the weekend trying to get my fiancee settled into her new apartment. Hate she is in a different city, but she has an excellent job opportunity to make it worthwhile! So while out of town, there was no shave Saturday. Sunday I realized I did not have my Stirling MITA with me, just completely forgot it. Fortunately I had some TOBS lavender in my travel bag so I used it. It produces a nice lather, but just not as slick as the MITA. Couple of great passes with the fiancee watching me on the second pass. First pass was WTG on face and XTG on the neck. Focused on the stretching on the neck. Pulling towards the ear works quite well except on my lower neck. On the lower neck I will be pulling from away from the back of the razor. Produced a very good pass. Second pass with the fiancee in the room went a little slower because I was focusing and paying attention while also talking with her and answering 100 questions about why I make the faces I make and pull my face the way I do and things like that. She loves the smell of the lavender soap though and stole some to use with shaving her legs. She left the bathroom before I finished the second pass, XTG on face and ATG on neck. Went very well and produced an excellent shave.
Felt good, felt smooth. Met up with my fiancee out in the living room and she touched my face. Her response . . . it is like a baby's bottom! Nothing like getting the validation on a good shave! She also approved of the AS, TSD Bourbon Vanilla, truly an excellent scent!

Today was Menthol Monday. Used my MITA again. Cold water shave today, something I am really starting to enjoy (especially in the South Carolina heat)! Had a good shave, but not a great one. The first pass went ok, smooth WTG on the face and XTG on the neck. Was really trying to focus on hearing the feedback and getting all the stretching right. Second pass just did not do well for me today. Again a XTG face and ATG neck. No blood drawn, but it just felt irritated. It was not widespread, but it was enough to note (especially when the ISZ aftershave hit). Have a feeling I tried too hard, but I really thought I was focused on not trying to chase the baby. I am going to give the GSB blade another try tomorrow to make sure it was not the blade giving out on me. I will definitely NOT be chasing the baby!

 

I used to strop all my DE blades before using them, and before each shave. I did 50 laps per edge on leather. IMO there is more truth to this statement than you think.

 

I'll strop the next one and let everybody know what it does for me. Thanks.

 

Shave 10
21/08
Pre: Proraso White
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Semogue OC Boar
Razor: Kai Excelia non folding
Blade: Kai Mild (4)
AS: Old Spice Musk

Looks like I lost my mojo already.
Rough shave again with a few weepers.
Not sure whether to stick with the Kai Mild or try a Feather for the next shave.

 

8/21 & 23/15
Two days’ growth
Prep: Face Wash
Razor: C.V. Heljestrand, No 24 & AJ Jordan Full Hollow 5/8" square point
Strop: @Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen (20 linen 40 leather Pre, 10/10 post)
Soap: TSD Bayrum with 1x iced
Brush: Omega 46 synthetic
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Clubman Bayrum AS
Aftershave: Stirling post shave balm

Both shaves were nice, but I have to say that the shave with the AJ Jordan (GEMstar customer) was possibly the BEST shave I've ever had. Beyond bbs. From the stropping meditation to soap prep. I'm struggling with some major issues in my personal life, but the time that I have with my evening shaves has been very therapeutic.

 

Thanks Clint! Good advice. I'll give it a go tomorrow.

 

Kerry-

1) is the Gold Bond the one with the blue label?

2) are you going more shallow on your angles?

 

I have noticed this with some blades also.

 

And no irritation at all. I love this stuff!
Eric