NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

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.

 

Setting the Williams on fire, eh? Just for that, here's your punishment:


"LLLLLLLLLLLECTRIC SHAVE!!!!"

 

I have to shave each morning for work so my quest has been to minimize the amount of time it takes. I know I could get up earlier etc and I do but I also have other things I want to do in the mornings as well. I have the shave routine down to under 10 minutes including cleaning up my area. I do enjoy the weekends when I can have a leisurely shave.

 

Breaking News: Please check it out.

 

with a stiffish brush I can have amazing shaves off of williams I started shaving with it and other then a short stint in the Army used it until just a few years ago. My anticipated problem today is the floppy prone to tangle waste of badger hair I'll be using to make the challenge really hard. I may bowl lather it if I cant get any decent results face lathering. I normally don't pull out a lather bowl and never did but I always had a stiff brush (peerless gen 1 synthetic). I'll get pictures of the lather one way or the other.

Here is the setup I'm getting ready for. I'm going to soak my beard with a warm towel and attempt this shave in about 10min.