NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

SOTD
November 9, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Lather: Vintage Yardley
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Folsom & Co. Muir
Goodness!! Vintage Yardley is amazing! I don't know how old this soap is but the lavender shines through, beautiful rich, creamy lather. Love it!! The Gillette Aristocrat feels so good in my hand, if you don't have one I'd get one. Great shave.

It's better to give than to receive.

 

Staying with the G for a couple more days then I'm going to the PAL adjustable. I got a clean 2 pass shave using Williams and Old Spice!

 

Magnanimous Moos??!

Congrats!
(I think?)

 

I have made some of the same mistakes as well. I went through a period of buying razors and chasing the next best thing. Luckily it never got totally out of hand but I ended up with too many just the same. By participating in these monthly focus threads all year, my technique has improved to the point that I can get a good to great shave from any of my razors. At the same time, I did develop a preference in what I like to use best. The same thing has happened with soaps as well. My goal at this point is use up some of my soaps and replace them with brands that I truly enjoy. On the razor front, I will order an additional Wolfman OC head with increased blade gap whenever James opens up to new orders. My real downfall has been brushes. I get more enjoyment out of rotating through top notch brushes than all the other parts of the shaving ritual. However, the mishap on restoring my white whale, Rubberset 400 #4, really put a damper on that desire. I have one custom brush ordered that I should get before Christmas and then I am done for a while.

I won't commit to a blanket No Buy 2016 because I will replace soaps, aftershaves, and blades as I finish the existing inventory but I do not plan on adding any more brushes or razors with the exception of the Wolfman OC + noted above.

 

Thanks, Vince.

I had to look up Magnanimous, but it came from the Let's Make a Deal PIF. I'll take it!

 

Good to know not everyone is one shave except me!

 

November 6, 8

Razor – !974 Gillette SS
Blade – GSB
Brush – AOS Badger
Soap – Gada Cool Mint shave cream
Post - Cold water splash, Witch Hazel and Aqua Velva Ice Blue


So I head out of town to be with my fiancee and of course there is no internet and my phone service stinks. So I come back and have over 200 messages to catch up on. Looking forward to doing some reading. Over the weekend, my Gillette 1958 Executive came back from Razor Emporium. It was stuck and nothing I could do would get the adjustment unstuck. They did a great job with the tune up service. The razor came back looking beautiful and the adjustment works flawlessly! I am pretty sure I already know my December focus!

So had two more shaves with the setup above. They both went well. I think I have finally figured out the AOS fine badger. I can produce a good quality lather and have a pleasant experience with the brush. I am definitely partial to a brush with a little more backbone to it, though I do really like its softness. The other thing that arrived just before I left for the weekend was my Stirling Kong! I am so looking forward to using that brush in the future.

On Friday the shave went pretty well. Most of the face and neck was smooth and irritation free! I again had some difficulty with the chin, notably the transition from the top of the chin to the underside of the chin. A little irritation, but main problem was I left it less smooth than I would like. That shave was a DFS- because of the chin.

On the 8th I really paid attention to stretching around the chin. I am certain I have the blade angle figured out. So, I had to do something to adjust the shave on the chin. I really contorted my face and pulled down on my neck with my fingers so that the chin itself was as tight as possible. I usually don't have to stretch quite to this extreme with the other razors I have used. The facial contortions are usually sufficient. Well, for this razor, the contortions and the pulling are what is necessary. The chin ended up super smooth with almost no irritation. Today was a solid DFS. Tomorrow I am really hoping for a great shave now that I am not going to be trying different pulling and stretching and since I seem to have figured out the SS's angle requirements.

 

I've done a lot of the same but have been making adjustments along the way. I have my DE razors pretty well sorted I've sold off the ones that we unused or whatever and have settled at 13 that will stay. For example I sold the Aristocrat because I have a President that I like better and is pretty much the same as far as the shave goes. I sold the Fatboy because I prefer the Slim. I have been using the proceeds to pick up some injectors and add a couple of brushes. I have some SE razors that I will look at again because I never really got along with them and while they are cool to have they don't get used and will need to go someday. I'm not spending more just rearranging things now that I've owned and tried so many razors. It is a hobby of sorts but not so much an obsession now. Maybe you can "rearrange" things a bit?

 

So now the question is, bowl lather or face lather?

 

Follow up to my post-it was so hot at that game, I could have drenched myself with Osage Rub, but at age 9 I was too young to shave!!!

 

I think I'll add another "experiment" to "Science Monnth No Variation Movember"....additional passes where they are most needed.

 

So far, it appears that "Face Lather, Warm Loaded Brush" is the Secretariat of this one.

 

The Magnanimous Bob Barker?(or was that Monty Hall?)

 

I'm unqualified to answer because me and my "party" left in the 7th inning. And you're right....the Cardinals have had 3 Busch Stadiums. I was a fan of the Red Sox and Giants-my teams were well covered in that game.

 

Yes they were when you go back and read the details of that game. The MVP was Brooks Robinson on 3B for the American League. It's an interesting piece of trivia because it's the only time the MVP was selected from the losing team. That's the only reason I can remember it. LOL

 

I was asking about my experiment today. tech with Derby, Williams and a floppy tangle prone super shedder, 2 pass no touch up. @Bama Samurai says its the true test of wetshaving. was wondering how to treat the Williams. warm or cold, face or bowl lathered?

 

NOVember - NO Variation

November 9

Razor - Feather SS AC Pain Stick
Blade - (1)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Aloe

A new Monday morning and a new blade in the Feather SS. Same soap, brush etc. since it's NOVember. I found myself looking at my Vie-Long 12601 longingly this morning but BoS it is. The pony gets to stay in the pasture this month.

The lather was instant success this morning. And, the first pass was amazingly smooth and comfortable. And effective! Seems like I settled right in on the angle and just made it work. Finished the WTG with a DFS on the face and CCS on the neck. Decided to just worry about the neck so lathered the jawbone down. Then, added a little up the right cheek just to make sure. Yeah, when I start thinking I usually get myself in trouble. Started up by the ear and set the razor to start and went too vertical on it. ZING!! That little burn that tells you with one of these that the blood is on the way. The amount of pressure necessary to cause this is so tiny it's unbelievable it can happen. But if the blade is a hair too vertical and you lay it on the skin expect Sweeney Todd to make an appearance.....or is it BENJAMIN BARKER?!?!?!?!!? The blood was rushing down my face, I grabbed a towel and it soaked through......oh who am I kidding. It's one of those Feather Pro slices that takes a minute to remember to bleed, then just gets annoying about it for a few minutes until you hit it with cold water and alum. All's well.

Finished the neck and ended with a DFS after two passes, well one and a half we'll say. Very impressive performance on the new blade. I could definitely tell a difference from the 7th shave on the old blade yesterday. That shave was still far better than any other blade I've tried with that much use on it, but the fresh Pro really reminds you of the quality and precision you're playing with.

Have a great Monday!

 

I recommend setting the Williams on fire and tossing it as far away from you as possible. Short of that, grab a shotgun, hand the puck to a friend and yell PULL!! The rest should be automatic.

Now, since I know you probably won't follow that advice, the only thing I can say is you can't get too much water on it. For a tallow soap it's amazingly thirsty. I've used warm water and hot water, so not sure any of them matter that much, just lots of it and load until this evening then when your wrist falls off then face lather. You should get a nice, consistent, runny and totally ineffective layer of soap suds that immediately begin to disperse. Happy shaving!


Edit - P.S. - If you follow my first suggestion and burn it, make sure you check with local authorities so you aren't violating any regulations on the burning of toxic substances or the release of toxic fumes.