No Variation November - A TSD Challenge

26th day in a row with this setup. I've learned, in this relatively short time, that Astra SP blades seem to give me about 6 total shaves. The current blade has one 2 pass head shave and 5 daily 2 pass face shaves. Today it was a little tuggy, but did not bite. I'll change tomorrow or Sunday if I don't shave on Saturday.

Now off to a day long "professional development" day or as I like to call it, reform school for teachers.

 

Thirteen days in a row and I'm running out of things to say about this setup. I did a thorough two pass shave today and ended up with a very nice DFS. I did get a couple of small weepers on a trouble spot on my neck. It was because I have difficulty keeping the correct angle on the offside lower part of the neck. I know where my focus will be for a while. All in all, I am pleased with the shaves I am getting.
SOTD
TOBS Grapefruit
Rubberset 400
Feather AC SS
Feather Professional (6)
Florida Water AS
Happy Friday!

 

13 November 2015
Day 13
No Variation November!



Utopia three-piece
Gillette Silver Blue (13)
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Barbe Dure
Alum
TSD 2x Iced FW type AS Splash

Great shave today! Almost halfway there guys!!

Have a fantastic Friday!
​

 

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Saturday's ​

Dove Men Face Wash
Tabac Shaving Soap
Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip
Gillette Super Adjustable
Astra Super Platinum
CWR, Asma Alum Block
Thayers Rose Petal WH
Aqua Velva AS​

The Tabac Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip brush. Two passes with my Gillette Super Adjustable razor and an Astra Super Platinum blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Rose Petal WH and then Aqua Velva after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

Fourteenth shave of No Variation NoVember.
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Progress at 4
Astra SP
TOBS Grapefruit
Asylum brush

Been shaving at setting 4 for the last few days. It's been going well - no irritation or blood loss. My usual routine is WTG, XTG x 2 on face. WTG, XTG and ATG on the neck.
I decided to try ATG on my face this morning to see how it would go....not bad on cheeks and chin but above my upper lip got some irritation. I adjusted the razor so that I was shaving more diagonally up and that seemed to help. I think tomorrow I might dial it back to setting 3 for above the lip and see if that helps with the irritation.

Hope everyone has a great Saturday.

 

Shave 7-8

Had to take a break between shave 7-8 because it was the worst shave I've had since I started the month.

I was rushing and the kids all over and around me. Not much zen going on...

Anyway took a break for 3 days to recuperate and today's shave was great. I think I want to say it was my 1st DFS no irritation no weeper , reasonably close.

Now if I consistently get this kind of shave for the next week or so I am considering narrowing the shaving interval to every other day. My ultimate goal is to be able to shave every day.

Phoenix DOC
Astra SP
Soap Commander Vision
Omega 10066 Boar
Nivea AS

 

I had to skip a day yesterday because my whiskers never appeared. Sometimes it happens.

 

14 November 2015
Day 14
No Variation November!



Utopia three-piece
Gillette Silver Blue (14)
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Barbe Dure
Alum
TSD 2x Iced FW type AS Splash

14 in a row on the GSB!

Have a great weekend!
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Day 14



Great shave today. With a new blade in the type F, I managed an irritation free atg second pass. Something I usually dont even attempt.

 

November 14, 2015

No Variation NoVember
This No Variation month is perfect for me to learn skills with new-to-me equipment.

Razor: Mongoose B3
Blades: Feather Artist Club Professional (2)
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Manna
Brush: Omega 31025 Scarlatti Boar
AS: Changes at will. Today: Myrsol Limon

My shave frequency has tapered off this week since I fractured a couple of my ribs a week ago. Hence my movement along on the training path for this set-up has not been as consistent as I’d like.

Three-day growth, three-pass shave. (WTG,XTG,ATG)
Face-lather.

Still struggling with my ribs, but needed a clean shave. I got that and more. My technique wasn’t the best (a few missed spots). But all in all a very clean shave.

Cheers!
RT

 

Sunday's


Dove Men Face Wash
Tabac Shaving Soap
Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip
Gillette Super Adjustable
Astra Super Platinum
CWR, Asma Alum Block
Thayers Rose Petal WH
Aqua Velva AS
​

The Tabac Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip brush. Two passes with my Gillette Super Adjustable razor and an Astra Super Platinum blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Rose Petal WH and then Aqua Velva after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

Fifteenth shave of No Variation NoVember. Half way there...
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My shaves have been going well Friday did a 3 pass WTG and XTG on 4, ATG on 2 no alum feedback. This morning shave was another 3 pass this time left the Progress on 2 for all passes. Little feedback from the alum this time. If there's one thing I've learned about the Progress it's that no matter where I have it set I get a really good shave. Very forgiving razor.

 

Another great shave last night! A little sting from the alum on my lower neck.
Didn't rush through the shave but kept a steady pace with the strokes.
I guess for me going too slow is a bad thing.
Only a slight few bumps this morning.
Loving this razor and no variation!

 

Progress 4
Astra SP
TOBS Grapefruit
Asylum Brush

WTG, XTG, ATG face an neck. Tried ATG again above the upper lip and experienced major burn.

Unless I can figure out another way - different blade, soap, razor or setting on the Progress, ATG on the upper lip might be a no go. Need to come up with a plan for next months 30 focus.

 

Bama So sorry I fell of the wagon yesterday. I received a PAL injector-matic Friday night. The temptation was too great for me to resist. I took it for a test run last night. It shaves great! I owe that in part to the fact that my last 8 shaves have been with a SE. So I am trying to rationalize it being ok to have erred in my ways once. I beg your forgiveness.

I did my 9th shave this afternoon with my correct equipment. I did my standard 3 pass shave. Really nothing new to add tonight. Another great shave. I am really liking SE and injector shaves. All you need is some good concentration and a steady slow pace. At least for me. starting to get really consistent shaves.

Tom

 

I changed mine in the middle. I failed at a 30 day rule. My shave was too easy so I added in a shavette first pass and kept everything else the same. I was getting bored but I didn't complete the month with no variations.

 

We are half way through NoVember. Not much of a challenge with the kit I picked out for the month. Love that Tabac shave soap.



Dave

 

Day 15

Good shave again today. Half way through the month and the B&B boar brush is still just breaking in. This is one stiff brush that will likely not make my rotation once this month is over.

 

I had a coupe of nice shaves this weekend. I got a couple of weepers Saturday but got through today with zero blood or irritation. I am happy with a very nice two pass DFS today. I finally managed to get the problem area of my neck without irritation.
SOTD
TOBS Grspefruit
Rubberset 400
Feather AC SS
Feather Professional (8)
Pinaud Clubman
I am getting more confident each day.
Have fun!

 

Oh now I understand....this is No Variation month.....Funny, I've used a greater variety of shaving supplies than normal....I must have thought this was "Never Obviate Variations" month...yeah....thats it...My mistake, but I have enjoyed every minute...I'll be back and recount the details....

I'm back:
I've used my Schick Simplified Automatic Magazine Repeater and always got BBS close, irritation free shaves... I've used my E-Type and got one or two pass BBS's.Always very fast but not neccesarily irritation free...My 1955 Hydro-magic gave me a 2 pass BBS from a 3 day growth, usually this razor requires more passes, but this time it shocked me with how efficient it was...I think the stars were aligned and the lather and whisker hydration must have all been perfect....I used both my ER 1914 and 1924 curved comb, and both performed effortlessly and the results were stellar....Now comes a shocker, I haven't used a DE in ages, but last week I used my 1952 Black Tip Steel Super Speed...and it gave me an absolutely marvelous 3 pass BBS....now I'm actually looking forward to DEcember....

Thats funny...I've practically sworn off DEs...and I love those more agressive SEs like the 1914, 1924 and OCMM....But this Super Speed flat knocked me out...I was using those Perma Sharp Supers from Russia based on the old Turkish blade...my absolutely favorite DE blade...

Have great shaves everyone and I'll try and decide on a NO Variation set-up for the rest of the month....}8^))