SEPT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Congrats on a great shave. You're making fantastic progress in such a short period of time.

 

Thank you and I have been getting better shaves but I did go through hell when I first got my DE and then the three weeks before September were well lets just say unpleasant. And not to mention I am able to watch and read alot on youtubes and different sites.I am surprised at how popular and how much information is out on the interwebs about this style of shaving.

 

Got out the Fatip today to give that a shot as a daily shaver. I'll be focusing on that for at least a week. Everything else stayed the same. Should have my PAA AS in soon and then I'll be switching soaps to match.

Thus razor is great. Still aggressive but not in the "I'm going to flay you alive! Why are you making me do this to you?" kind of way that the r41 felt on my face every day. Very efficient with the GSB in place. XTG & ATG and a couple touch ups on my neck and side burn area. That was it. Top notch DFS. Felt a bit irritated but this razor is light and I remember having to focus on the angle more from last time I used it.

AS caught me off guard this morning. Thankfully the fire on my neck died down in about 10 seconds. No need for 911 or EMS. Couple hours later and I call this a good shave!

 

Your experience mirrors mine. It took me about 30 days before things clicked and I started getting consistently good shaves. This holiday weekend marked 1 year into DE shaving. Now it's the exception to have a bad shave.

 

September 8th - week two focus Dubl Duck Wedge
Razor: Dubl Duck Wedge 5/8
Strop: drygulch horse hide strop
Brush: Omega 48
Bowl: KO shave mug
Soap: Stirling Island man
Post shave: cold water, alum, Stirling island man post shave splash
Stirling unscented post shave balm
Growth: 1.5 days

Shave 5
Tuesday evening shave was all about the Stilling rad. In the past 3 weeks, I've picked up 5 new flavors of Stirling soap because I wanted different scents. Luckily, I did opt for the sample size to reduce the impact to the overall shave budget (funny hour I justified wet shaving as a newbie as a cost shaver over cartridge shaving, HA!) If Simpson if my golf standard Sunday shave, then Stirling if currently my golf standard daily soap. After 4 months of experimenting, I think I've got the combo to produce a repeatable slick lather. The key for me I'd to load the brush like it owes you money!

First pass, THIS DUCK BITES! Caught a cut just to the side of my mouth, but not too bad it's noticeable, but i can feel that I've cut myself. I'm pretty comfortable with my technique after 4 months of straight shaving still, not perfect but i note know what to look and feel for.

Second pass, smooth. Could have stopped there but why not, let's get that bbs.

3rd pass i started to notice some irritation on my neck so i called it a night. Smelling like a sweet pineapple coconut, i put my head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep with the thought of waking up on a beach in Mexico or Hawaii (dealer's choice!)

Getting to the point with a couple of my straight that they'll need to be freshened up on a finishing stone so I might need to lean on Kevin (@HolyRollah) for honing advice.

1st - WTG: N/S on face and neck
2nd - XTG: W/E on face and S/N on neck (really it's ATG pass on neck)
3rd - ATG: S/N on face and 2nd N/S on neck

Cheers,
Eric

 

You usually kiss the dog, then pet the wife?

 

Today was day two with the Gem Micromatic and I think I'm figuring it out, thanks to advice received yesterday. I was careful with the angle and lightened up to no pressure. I am used to heavier razors and must have been applying pressure yesterday when I opened up a bunch of weepers. Today I did a two pass shave with a little touch up and had zero weepers. I actually got a DFS and am looking forward to tomorrow's shave.
SOTD
Gem Micromatic OC
Gem blade (2)
TOBS Grapefruit Cream
AOS AS Balm
Florida Water AS
Have fun!

 

Precisely

 

September 9th SOTD (Shave 5 of this focus)
Five days’ growth
Preshave: Face Wash
Razor: Case Red Imp 133
Strop: Drygulch Leatherworks Chromexcel Horse/ Linen (20 laps linen/ 20 laps leather pre, 10 /10 post)
Brush: Handturned Maple Badger
Soap: TSD Iced Yin Yang
Postshave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: TSD Iced Yin Yang

First shave back from vacation. Haven’t had this much growth in quite a while. The Imp did a fantastic job, and landed me a DFS with two passes and no touch up. That is exactly where I want to be with shaving. One cheek slice with the spike tip, but cold water closed it up.

Haven’t really set a focus for this month, so my goal will be two pass and done. Used a DE while in Hawaii, and will use this razor and one of my new German ones for the rest of the month.

 

Super looking razor! Nice work!

 

Very nice! I will not be addressing your posts whilst sleep deprived ever again!

 

Kerry-

I started on a La Toja stick because it was my turn to choose the soaps for the review thread, and stuck with it this month because it's so good. I can't even describe why I love it so much, other than it's foolproof great lather every time. The scent is quite mild, and hard to place, but I find it most pleasant. I am so glad you liked the cream, and feel like La Toja is good for anyone who likes good soap at a reasonable price.

 

My experience also! Laying down some good fundamental techniques has turned a chore into a joy!

 

Yeah, at first I thought wow these are good blades! But as I moved up the aggressive scale the more I disliked the way they cut. My daily blade will be the Feather Pro, I'll use the Super Pro for special occasions

 

Chris
The only way I can describe the scent is nice and clean, this soap is a GEM! It doesn't get as much love as some of the other sticks/creams and that's alright! For those who have tried La Toja know what it's about. Thanks for bringing attention, my attention to La Toja...

 

Wow! I'm totally confused just reading through that chain of posts and I'm doing it in broad daylight!

You guys are off the charts and way out of my league.
Too much caffeine? Or perhaps too much inhaled fumes from your industrial strength cleaners as you polish up all your shines - AGAIN!

 

Looks like a definate lack of caffeine to me. I'm a bit of an expert in extreme tiredness and a lack of get up and go. I've worked late night shifts since I got out of high school and I have a family that sometimes prevents me from going to bed in the morning.

 

Welcome back Adam!
Still have your tan?!!
(no photos of your tan line are necessary...just a verbal summary will do!)

 

Dang Scrubbing Bubbles

 

September 9, 2015

Morning shave
Hot Shower
Soap: Proraso Green
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: Schick Type E - Canada
Blade: Schick Injector (China) (3)
TSD Witch Hazel
Aftershave Cream: Proraso
After Shave: Proraso Green


Third shave with the Canadian Schick. No definitive word whether it’s a Type E-something or perhaps a G? Oh well, love those wacky, non-conformists.
And I’m dropping attempts to figure it out. I don’t care. This is a quality shave, it looks good doing it and, well, so do I!



I’m intrigued by this razor not just for its identity, but how I can control the shave.

First shave - I rode the blade/cap for nearly the entire shave, hardly any feedback, two passes (WTG, ATG) and very good results after repeat strokes and many touch-ups. Shave reminded me of the G.

Second shave - came off the cap a bit. More feedback, fine shave, minimal stubble after 12 hours.

Third shave (today) - Two-pass shave (switched to XTG,ATG).
XTG just off the cap. ATG increased the blade angle just a bit more on this pass - velcro-ripping sound, but blade sliced through without problem, but the sound was a bit disconcerting.

Glanced into the make-up mirror (it belongs to SWMBO! but at my advancing years and receding eyesight - i admit to peeking at it from time-to-time!)

Trimmed around the mustache and goatee - checked for missed spots and touch-up needs - found or felt NONE!
That was a first. Next best part - little or no irritation based on AS application.

Six hours later - no sign of growth!

I’m sure I will have some growth by tomorrow morning so here comes the audience participation part of the program…

Similar to @Norcalnewb my shave tomorrow may be unnecessary.

Studio Audience Poll

I don't have much growth since yesterday, but I will shave today because ________________. (fill in the blank)

Also, since it’s minimal growth do you:

a) do your normal 2 or 3 pass shave.
b) alter the direction of your normal 2 or 3 pass shave.
c) it’s so minor just do a ATG pass and be done with it.
d) just cut to the Chase and whack away!

Cheers!
RT