NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

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.

 

That's great commentary, I didn't realize it was more dense. Maybe it's time to try!

 

Today will be day nine on my current GSB!

 

Don't get it twisted...the Williams is on you!

I would go @CyanideMetal style, or choose a different soap!

 

I think mild razors also trick many users into applying more pressure than is needed, leading to excess irritation!

 

Proper technique and blade angle can greatly lengthen blade life.

(Ymmv)

 

Why only go half way? I used Williams successfully for years. What's the worst that could happen? I am hearing face lather cold water from the slightly accented voices in my head. They are telling me it would work out better with alternating shots of ice cold vodka and warm saki.

 

It would hurt less!

Hey y'all...watch this!!

 

I do these thirty day exercises with each razor...and then I decide, "love it or PIF it!". Much like @RaZorBurn123 , I went a bit overboard at first. I am not pro or anti anything with regard to collecting, but for me, it had become an unreasonable obsession. Instead of continuing down the eBay rabbit hole, I decided to abstain from new gear (brushes, razors, DE blades) this year. The reward is that I've gotten to spend more time on what is going on with others, particularly newer converts, and less time obsessing over my "wants". I am still allowing myself to buy consumables, like Veg and injector blades, but am less than $100 on shaving expenditures on myself this year. This change in mindset has actually freed my brain to enjoy the tools I already have!

 

I just have to interject here for any newbish lurkers: My path has been a little different from some I think. I've used my Gillette Fatboy for 2-3 years. Either Kroger or Walgreens generic blades. (Whichever had some in stock.) First with canned soap and the last year and a half or so with a Williams puck, initially a beat vintage brush I got with the razor and the last couple years with a cheap brush from Amazon. One pass and touch up, face lather with no bloom, hot water, sometimes after a shower, sometimes not. No balm. Alcohol based after shave.

You know what? I got a shave out of the above! Maybe not BBS by forum standards but certainly much quicker and less expensively. My point is I know for a fact that minimal equipment and method works just fine. Not great. I'm not saying that. But almost from day one even using canned goop, I think I got a better shave the latest multi-blade monstrosity. The learning curve to reasonable proficiency was maybe two careful, untutored shaves.

And I still miss the smell of Noxzema...

 

I feel that minimal equipment is the best setup for learning. Some guys unwittingly sentence themselves to a never-ending rotation of mediocre shaves with high end equipment. The only difference between what you describe as "just fine" and "great" is technique. Great technique can coax a great shave out of almost any equipment, but no amount of effort will make a valuable vintage razor shave correctly without the requisite technique in play.

 

I should have explained I just lucked into the Fatboy and original brush. I had been looking for "an old razor" without any knowledge of what was what. My entire criteria was I wanted something that looked like what I remembered my dad using and I remember him using Gillette. I forget what I paid but I remember it costing less than a pack of high tech blades once I'd gone to Walgreens for my first pack of blades.

 

Yeah I understand that way of thinking, and that's where I'm heading, as it stands right now I won't need witch hazel, blades, alum things that one would go through more so than other things I'm good for a year or two. I want to enjoy what I have, and stop obsessing over what's coming out tomorrow.

 

Williams isn't my favorite, mostly because it's not as slick as I like and the post shave isn't great, but I can get a good lather out of it. This pic is after soaking the pick for 5 minutes, loading with the Slightly damp Kong for about 30 seconds and whipped for about a minute adding a few drops of water here and there. Maybe 3 or 4 teaspoons.

Next is after 10 minutes of sitting

And finally after sitting 20 minutes.

I guess if I was stuck on an island with it I could make do. Providing I can take my soft Georgia water and Stirling Kong with me.

 

I am not sure it has as much to do with high end equipment as much as too much equipment in the beginning. Pick a razor, brush and decide on a blade and then shave 30 to 45 times before chasing down the latest and greatest. Technique is certainly the most important part of the process and you really are not in a position to judge the razor, brush etc until the technique is mastered. I also feel that your preferences or expectations change over time with your improvement in skill. I am the point you are with your "love it or PIF it". Just because something works doesn't mean I enjoy using it.

 

Neither a "valuable"vintage razor or "high end" razor will shave correctly without the requisite technique. Too much equipment, low end or high end, too early could slow learning the required technique.

 

I do recall that home man McCarver was involved in the winning play somehow. Also recall Denny McClain doing a "perfect game" for his 3 innings. Y'know, I still have the program .

 

I guess technique is a thing... For me, the most challenging part is remembering all the steps. Feel like I need a checklist taped to my mirror. What I think goes under emphasized at times is visceral and aesthetic satisfaction. What started me down this rabbit hole was my brush feeling and looking cheap compared to my Fatboy. At first I wasn't even really looking for a performance upgrade. Biggest technique thing I had to learn? If I hurry too much, there shall be blood. There again though, it gets over emphasized. I regret telling my youngest son about nicks and cuts when he was curious about wet shaving because now he's never tried it thinking it's too hard to do. The truth is, it's not all that hard to do competently. It's just hard to master.