OCT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I can't seem to get 4+ shaves out of the 7 O'clock Blue. 4th is noticeably rougher. Must be me...

 

SOTD
October 5, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
Blade: Ladas
Lather: Italian Barber Rosa di Bossolasco
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Folsom & Co. Capri
Wow! New soap. IB Rosa di Bossolasco is off the charts good! A light rose and citrus scent. Outstanding performance! The Aristocrat again was flawless. Finished with Capri. Smelling great!
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

 

Put a couple bucks on black for me! Have fun on your trip!

 

30 day focus - Day 5
Fat Boy set to 6
Sputnik Blade
MDC
3 passes

With Fat Boy set to 6, I seem to be getting slightly better shaves than with it set to 5. I will keep it at 6 for another day or two before I try it at 7. As usual, face lathering MDC makes a wonderful lather.

 

October 5th SOTD (Shave 3 of this focus)
One and a half days’ growth
Preshave: Hot Shower
Razor: unrestored J. Wostenholm EBRO, from around 1865
Strop: Drygulch Leatherworks Oiled Latigo (20 laps linen/ 20 laps leather pre, 10 /10 post)
Brush: Handturned Tulip Poplar Badger
Soap: The Shave Den Iced Yin Yang (Lavender, Lime, Menthol)
Postshave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: The Shave Den Iced Yin Yang (Lavender, Lime, Menthol) Splash

Great shave this morning. I was on the fence on if I was going to shave, because my whiskers were at the sandpaper face stage where they can be very hard to cut. Usually, I get a lot of irritation if I shave at that point. Decided to risk it, as today will be a big day at work for one of my contracts. Instead of my normal WTG N/S pass to start, I did an XTG nose to ear pass. Focused on skin stretching, and this big ole wedge just slid through the whiskers. I ended up with two cuts, mainly beacause I am not used to doing an XTG pass. Finished up with a S/N ATG pass, and got a great shave. DFS plus in two passes.

The lather was great this morning. I am still trying to remember how much water needs to be left in this brush, so I started out too dry. I added water to the bowl several times as I worked the lather, but it still seemed kind of dry. Used the brush to work the lather into my face, and the lather exploded! Enough in the brush to do two passes, and still wash the Jeep. Good stuff. Happy Monday, all!

 

OCtober Focus Day 5:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
La Toja Shave Stick
Schick Type C3
Stirling Unscented PSB
Wholly Kaw Fougere Bouquet

So I know this isn't an open comb, but I am on travel for work, so I brought my travel razor. I figured that I could extend last month's focus a but since I only got one shave in with this razor. I did a quick one pass and am sitting here with a CCS+. I am not sure, but I would almost call this a Grail Shave. It is an amazing razor.

 

Razor: 20's Old Type
Blade: 7oC SharpEdge (1), no shim

Two differences from the past 3 shaves: 1) I've moved on to the next blade in the sampler (7oC SharpEdge) and 2) I've ditched the shim.

This is the shave I remember this razor as being capable of- close, comfortable with minimal irritation. Clearly, while others feel it is necessary to shim their Old Types, something in my technique, face or specific razor does not do as well with the additional blade gap.

Anybody care to help me interpret what that means?

JR

 

Menthol Monday
October 5, 2015

Gillette Rocket
BIC Chrome Platinum #2
Simpson Classic 2
Palmolive Classic Shave Stick
Alum, Dickinson's +++Menthol, Gold Bond Green Lotion
TOBS Jermyn St. Aftershave
Brooks Brothers 1818

Today was the closest road shave I've had thanks to the Gillette Rocket. Taking a break from the 30 day OC focus. A BBS on a three pass shave. I'm refreshed and ready for a day with Southwest Airlines. Palmolive Classic Shave Stick is a travelers best friend. Face lathered with the Classic 2 is my favorite travel brush. The sun as made an appearance today for the first time on this trip. The Right Coast is wet and very soggy. Can't wait to get back to the Desert. Hope you all have a wonderful week.



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There are so many factors you can play with on a DE to dial it in. I never liked the shims because they are a PITA to get lined up correctly, and with most razors you can adjust the angle to get a different feel on your face. To me the shim make the blade feel less ridgid, which makes it harder to get a good shave. YMMV.

 

October 5

Gillette New LC in Gun-Kote Bronze by Delta Echo Razor Works
Feather blade (2)
Kent BK4 silvertip brush
Arko and glycerin
Two passes
Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Trumper's Coral Skin Food

I enjoyed a near-BBS shave this morning. Arko provided a creamy, slick, and very protective lather. Enjoy your day.

 

The more pictures I see of that razor, the more I like the finish. Who did you say did that, and what was the plating?

 

Thanks Adam. I appreciate the kind words. Jay at Delta Echo Razor Works uses a Gun-Kote finish, as I understand. Check out the website and this thread for details.

 

That's a very cool looking razor! If it shaves as good as it looks, you have a winner. Gonna have to try the La Toja shave stick. Have safe travels!

 

YMMV...of course.
I'm usually a 3 shaves and out guy by routine. I thought I'd just push this one to experiment. I'm also usually a 2-pass shaver, so less passes as well on each shave.

 

I am doing OK. Thank you for asking! Fortunately I am on higher ground. Still have about 4 inches of water in the back yard to deal with and about a foot of water in my crawlspace. Worst damage for me is part of my wooden fence collapsed. Neighborhood over has a creek running behind it and numerous people had to get evacuated from houses by boat. Definitely some bad spots around Columbia where I am and other parts of the state. Thanks again for asking and keep those really affected by it in your thoughts and prayers!

 

Glad you and your family are safe. My prayers and thoughts go out to you and those affected by the floods.

 

I think it's the old saying that technique trumps "tech" (or something like that). You've got your technique to a point where you can use the razor as it was designed. You don't have to resort to gimmicks (IMHO).

 

OK, I feel better. I normally do 3 passes. So, occasionally, I get 4-5 shave from a blade. But, the shave is similar to what I get out of a very mild razor...too many strokes with too little result.

 

Sweet looking tough, manly razor you got there.

 

IMHO, shims are used to compensate for lack of proper technique. No razor manufacturer intended for their razor heads to be shimmed. Your technique is responsible for your success.