NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

Congrats on your fine shave! Great post!

 

Congrats. It is amazing when everything comes together for a great shave.

 

Go back to the puck, you don't have to get it all the first time around. Nice shave!!

 

11/08/2015
Razor – Wolfman OC with Triad Ti Aristocrat
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – Rudy Vey Rover with TGN Finest
Lather – TSD Yin Yang
Post - Witch Hazel & Fine L’Orange



For today's shave I used the Wolfman OC following this month's goal of comparing it to the Mongoose. I went with a traditional 3 pass shave, WTG, XTG and ATG and the baby was in sight. Touching up the area below my chin produced a BBS that was smooth and drama free. I would rate the shave has closeness A and smoothness at A+.

The TSD Yin Yang face loaded using a shave stick whipped up into a slick and protective lather. I really like the scent with a mix of lime and lavender. Some days I pick up more of one scent than the other which makes it even more interesting. If you've never tried TSD soaps, you should consider giving them a go. Finished off with witch hazel followed by Fine L'Orange. Hope everyone has a great Sunday.

 

SOTD
November 8, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette British Rocket
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Lather: Gingers Garden Rose Petals
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Gingers Garden Osmanthus
Great shave. Gingers Garden Rose Petals is a delight to use, the scent is truly amazing. I'm really hooked on the older Gillette's, with the exception of my Mongoose I see no reason for me to have anything else. The Plissoft seems to be the brush I reach for the most often.
I am starting a no buy 2016 early. I have one razor coming Monday and then I'm done. I've finally realized that the newest soap is no different from the one I already own, I've yet to finish a soap, cream, aftershave. I want to relax and enjoy what I have. The chase has gotten old. Boring.
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

 

Aristocrat Focus Day 8:

Homemade PS Oil
Frank Shaving Pur-Tech Brush
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Gillette Aristocrat
Stirling Unscented PSB
Clubman VI Bay Rum AS

I have a bit of irritation on one spot on my neck this morning, not too bad, but I do think I let the angle go wild for brief moment. Still a pretty decent shave, though. I am going to stick with the Wool Fat for a couple of days. I think I am wrong actually cut down my soaps for the remainder of the month and work with just three until December. Not exactly NOVember but less variation than normal for me.

 

I know the feeling. I have found myself with too many soaps as well and am trying to finish up a couple more this month.

 

Shaved with the B this morning and found I like to angle it down slightly from horizontal. Maybe 10-15 degrees. I gave myself a nice little nick trying to keep it flat to my face. I'm overthinking things and really need to go by feel the way I normally would.

 

I'm out of control, it's no longer fun it's become chasing the next best thing. I'm not a retail store, but my inventory looks that way. I need time to really enjoy what I have, try things I haven't tried yet but have.

 

11/8/15

Gillette Super Speed Y3
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Kiss My Face Lavender & shea Moisture Shave Cream
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Pinaud Clubman Original

Shave #1 with the second Gillette Silver Blue in my Birth Quarter Super Speed.
Lathered in my Georgetown scuttle. Used plenty of Kiss My Face cream and added water gradually. Was rewarded with a very thick lather that left lots of sharp peaks when I pulled the brush out of the scuttle.


2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG. Great reduction, but it seemed like the lather was drying my face where I had already shaved. Pass 2: ATG. A near DFS at that point. A cold water rinse followed by repeated touch ups in my trouble areas. I gave up on chasing the baby when I realized that the lather was just not providing enough protection during this touchup. Maybe it was breaking down, but the razor didn't want to glide very well. The Pinaud Clubman was mild today, so I guess the Kiss My Face protected enough.

To my surprise, once the Pinaud Clubman had dried and some time had passed, I did end up with the BBS. The Kiss My Face fragrance is very subtle. While it lathered well, it didn't seem to be a good match for my face. At least in the Scuttle. I like my Proraso Sandalwood cream much better and I think it offers more protection and gives me an easier shave.

Have a wonderful Lords Day!

 

While all the soaps I have preform well, there are some I enjoy more than others. My goal is to get the inventory down to 10-12 soaps that work well but I truly enjoy using. I can't commit to a No Buy 2016 but I am pretty much done with razors and brushes. I will replace get some more soaps and aftershaves as I use up the current inventory.

 

+1
I understand where you're coming from. I've bought a bunch of razors, but I'm almost to the point I want to stop my acquisitions. Now, I'm only casually on the hunt for a few iconic ones and then, only if I can find them at a decent price. I'd also like a Phoenix Double OC, which would be my only non-vintage razor. I don't have that many soaps and from the reviews it has sounded like most all of them work pretty well with the occasional YMMV. I'm next on the Nation Wide Box Tour III route, so I'll get a chance to try some soaps soon. I hope at that point to be able to choose the fragrances I like and a few brands that work for me. I'll probably wind up ordering 3 or 4 more soaps and creams and then stop until I've become well acquainted with them.

 

Didn't post my shave yesterday. Got off a plane, went to my in-laws' house to change. Grabbed a blade from my brother in law's stash and did a no prep shave. House has a water softener, and I am using Homestead ranch goat butter soap. First bit of lather was pretty thin, so I loaded more soap and got the tips of my travel brush wet. I worked my face like it owed me money, and once I got enough water, the lather exploded. Since only one day's growth, I did XTG and ATG, followed by touch up and J-hooking on the neck. Ever notice that Clubman in a plastic bottle looks like a urine sample? Followed all my normal post shave to end with a BBS.

 

Shave Den Sunday!

No Variation November!

8 November 2015
(Planned)



TSD ISZ PreShave Balm
Utopia 3-piece
Gillette Silver Blue
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Red
Alum
TSD 2x Iced FW AS

Have a great Sunday!​

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I realized I was going nuts with it last Christmas. I have been on a "no gear" 2015, but focusing on the technique and the experience as a whole has given me a new way to appreciate all these things we collect.

 

NOVember - NO Variation

November 8

Razor - Feather SS AC Pain Stick
Blade - (7)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Aloe

Ahhhhh Sunday. I got an extra few hours of sleep last night, my pancreas has stopped acting the fool for a day so it's a great day to spend some time with a razor. Or two. Head shave then regular shave today. Got out the VDH Deluxe, VDH Boar brush and Merkur 23c with Astra SP (3) to get that smooth dome back. Last Sunday I used the Feather SS on the left side of my head just to say I did before completing my usual head shave. A few of you thought that was a bit daring so I didn't do that again. I shaved BOTH sides of my head with the Feather instead. Just the sides over my ears and down to my sideburn area where I normally start my shave. It actually worked very well and I was tempted to try a bit more around the ears. But, no reason to start bleeding before the shave really begins, so I put it down and picked up the 23c and finished the chrome dome.

On to the "real" shave and I have two days growth to deal with since I was out of the game yesterday. I've never tried the Feather on more than a day's growth. BoSFat for the lather, not quite perfect but definitely workable (need to watch that water to soap ratio), then went to work in my usual pattern. Right cheek, right neck to start. Had to set a "no shave" line on my right jawbone near the ear....the cut from a few days ago is still healing back there so I kept the razor in front of it. As I worked through the right side a statement by Geofatboy on his demo video for this razor came to mind. As he's working his way through the start of the shave he states how smooth it is and how it is nearly impossible to cut yourself with it. Oh really? I have found it amazingly easy to slice and dice my way around with this thing. However, after a full week with it and no help from any other razor for cleanup, I can understand what he means. I'm feeling very confident and comfortable with it now and finding it to be a really nice experience, if a bit on the edge of disaster still at this point. But, the right side was quite smooth and a great first pass.

Left side was equally good. I didn't go Yakuza, instead handing the razor off to the left hand. I'm finding that a bit more stable with this razor, though the Yakuza grip works well. I think once I go to a true kamisori the switch in the grip will provide the absolute best results. But with this beast the left hand seems to keep it out of danger while getting a good shave. First pass results were very good, near CCS. Actually only the neck and a couple of spots near my ears stopped it. So, lathered again and worked on touch up spots. No full pass, just touch ups XTG and ATG and any other direction I could to eliminate trouble spots. I finished with a near DFS and I'm going to take that to the bank. No cuts, scrapes or anything else.

So, it's off to do some digging today. One of our female friends found an out of the way antique store near here a couple of weeks ago and sent me pictures of razors after razors. Curiosity is killing me. Have a great Sunday!

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Sunday, November 8, 2015​

B-3 Mongoose with Triad Moku Ti
Feather Pro Super #2
Varlet Beehive
Barrister and Mann Seville
Alum, Witch Hazel ++Menthol, Cucumber Melon Whipped Shea Butter TSD Aftershave Splash 2X Iced Barber Shoppe


Three pass BBS. The Mongoose with a Feather Pro Super blade gives me the closest shave. The Varlet badger gaves a luxurious full-face feel while lathering. It loaded up quickly and generated more than enough lather for 3 passes. Seville is one of my favorite barbershop scents. Ended with a generous icy spritz of TSD Iced Barber Shoppe. Happy Sunday!





FS: Vintage Gillette Razors

 

Good luck, Kerry. If we're being honest, I think you described the majority of us. I've got a crazy amount of stuff.

I get a kick out of sharing my stuff with new shavers, and I know a lot of guys here do as well. That's one nice benefit of having some extra gear.

The nice thing about focusing on technique is that it can take your focus off getting more stuff. For that reason, I will hang with these 30 day focus groups.

 

I recommend avoiding Pinaud Clubman PIFs.

 

Congrats, Neal, on a great shave with the Feather AC! I also think of Geofatboy's comment every time I use the Feather...and laugh to myself. Have fun on the razor hunt. Glad you're feeling better today.