NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

NOVember - NO Variation

November 15

Razor - Feather SS AC Pain Stick
Blade - (5)
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea

Lazy Sunday around here today. Got up this morning, made breakfast (breakfast burritos with bacon and banana nut muffins), had a nice leisurely shave and went for a long walk around the Busch Wildlife Conservation area. Just realized I haven't posted yet. But, it's our last really nice day before the monsoons roll in for a few days. Hard to believe we're halfway through NOVember. Fifteen days to go.

Sunday means two shaves, head and face. The past couple of weeks I've dared to use the Feather SS on the sides of my head above the ears and suffered no problems. So, let's do it again, shall we? In fact, let's work closer to the ears and even around the back just a bit. I mean, what's the worst that could happen, right? Started on the right side like I have been. VDH Deluxe soap and boar brush and took about 2 strokes with the Feather and set down a bit wrong. Yep, there's a slight problem. Not a big deal just a small cut. Not even too much blood. Let's continue. Finished the right side above the ear, worked down just to the top of the ear and then moved further back and did a couple of strokes behind the ear. No further problems. Went to the left side, worked down the side, into the top of the ear and, as I was picking up to take another stroke I slid the razor just a tad. The effect has a golf shot named after it. Slice! Again, not horrible. Just enough to create a little trickle. Ok, still nothing horrible. So, on to the same area behind the ear as the right and call it good. That's enough of that. Two minor problems, both seem to have stopped bleeding, mostly, so let's go to the Merkur 23c with Astra SP to finish the back. Picked up the mirror, turned around to lather and saw the one I didn't feel. Just as I had set down behind my head on the left side I apparently went to steep. Nice blood trickle. Wiped it off, seemed to be slowing so on we go. Finished the head shave with the Merkur and checked the three problems areas and they all seemed ok. Well, not perfect by far but at least I covered more area and am still walking. And some of you thought I was crazy for trying it a couple of weeks ago.

On to the face and it was a great two pass as I have been having. Two days growth of beard so I took my time with longer strokes and repeated them to get the reduction. Finished with a nice DFS. Probably the best I've accomplished so far. Alum was fairly quiet except for where I applied it to the dings on my head. Yeah, ouch. I'm definitely seeing this razor as more of a legitimate shaving tool than a fearsome beast these days. Nice to feel that much in control but I do remind myself to not lose focus. All it takes is a slight lapse in concentration or technique and Whammo!

Hope your Sunday was as relaxing as mine! Who's joining me in using the Feather SS for a head shave this week? Come on, you know you wanna!

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I think that instead of throwing out the rule I've been doing I'm going to add to it a bit. Shavette loaded with the same GSB for the first pass then finish the shave with the setup I was using. I don't have a problem with the brush other then the PIF that landed me an Omega synthetic thats sitting unused. The only problem I have with the soap is the lack of scent in the Proraso White. The razor is just crazy easy, too easy to hold my attention now that I'm out of work. The shavette with a high quality blade like GSB should liven up my shave times. I'm almost out of Nivia so I'm hoping to do this with a minimum of irritation and bloodloss.

 

I just got done shaving and I did one pass with my $1.35 shavette and two passes with my Super Speed. Both razors loaded up with GSB, Shave 3 on the SS and day 1 on the shavette. I lathered my 20mm WD synthetic up with Proraso White in the tub. I got it alittle wet because when I shave with a straight or shavette I like my lather wetter and thinner. My first pass went well with no bloodshed or irritation. I almost had a BBS on the cheeks and it was DFS on the chin and above the lip. The neck was rougher but still a good CCS. I face lathered until the proraso thickened up and started my XTG and ATG passes, mostly for my necks sake. I skipped the cheeks because they were done and focused on the rest. After those 2 passes I have a no irritation BBS. I rubbed in the Gillette Fusion intense cooling lotion without so much as a tingle but boy was it cold.

This small change brought back excitement and an element of challenge that I was missing. Here's the picture.

 

So I have executives and a client on site at the cubical farm tomorrow. I need to not have the kind of scratches I have been getting with the pain stick. My other to razors for this month are the Pre-War Tech and the Spike Straight. What say ye, men of the 30 Day Focus?

 

tech,nice safe mild DE. a sraight can still bite hard like a pain stick.

 

Go with the Tech.

 

Do what you gotta do!

 

Fight song?

 

Day 15- 15 November 2015

No Variation November!

Shave Den Sunday!



TSD ISZ PreShave Balm
Utopia 3-piece
Gillette Silver Blue (15)
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Red
Alum
TSD ISZ AS Splash

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Day 15 on the GSB turned out great! My skin seems to like the balm once weekly, and ISZ is a guaranteed winner. 2 pass smoothness in effect per usual. The blade shall see a day 16. Broncos need to start over. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado!

Have a sterling Monday!​

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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!

 

Nice work on the neck!

 

Go with the sure thing - the Tech.

Unless you know the execs are straight shavers. Who best to understand your resolve - your scratches would be a badge of honor.

 

I guess you could say I one of the chosen, I don't love nor hate the scent but I can't deny its performance. Used to hide the shame of using Arko but now I don't care who knows.

For SR shaving I recommend a soap that is 'wetter' with a yogurt like consistency. My favorites for SR shaving are QCS creams, Castle Forbes and AOS tallow. Soaps are so different depending upon your water, so if Arko gives you the yogurt like lather then it will be good for straight shaving.

Just think 'wet and slick'

 

Nov 16 Focus shave 16

On the road in Hong Kong for a big meeting. Day 2 for Arko and today it's my Arko stick. The lather was awesome today and my travel setup, Ikon SB with a Feather delivered as always. 4 pass on only the slightest hint of shaving and BBS. A great shave on off the the meeting.

Irritation A, closeness A

Arko stick
Whipped Dog synthetic
Ikon SB with a Feather blade
Accolado Glacial AS
Santa Maria Novella ASB
Dior Eau Suavage

 

Go with the sure thing.

 

Good day everyone

Did not shave yesterday ... and today's shave was again uneventful. Not much to talk about, except that the lather dried on my face pretty quickly. Too much or not enough water?
Oh - and I shaved the left side of my face with my left hand. Worked quite well, though I only did the WTG pass that way this time

Two passes, DFS with zero irritation, and the GSB is still going strong.

My setup:

- Stirling Preshave Soap
- D.R. Harris Sandalwood
- Semogue 620
- Mühle R89
- Gillette Silver Blue (#6)
- The Body Shop Arber ASB

Have a great day

 

Aristocrat Focus November 16:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Gillette Aristocrat
Stirling Unscented PSB -- Mentholated
Fine Fresh Vetiver

I used a GSB for the first time in a while this morning, and I probably had the best shave I have ever gotten from these blades. Riding the cap really changes shaving for me, and this Aristocrat is a great shaver. Mitchell's Wool Fat is always a great way to start a day, and the Fine Fresh Vetiver just wrapped everything up for me. Have a great Monday!

 

11/16/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Triad Ti
Blade – Feather Super Pro (5)
Brush – Rudy Vey with TGN Finest
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine L’Orange



Another great near BBS work morning shave. I am really getting the hang of using the shave sticks. The RV Finest whipped up tons of great slick lather in short order. Finished off with a splash of Fine L'Orange. What a great way to start the work week. Hope everyone has a great Monday.

 

11/16/15

Gem Razor with Pal blade
Gillette Super Speed Y3
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Mystic Waters Lime
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Pinaud Clubman Original

This is my second day with the travel box. Broke out the Mystic Waters Lime and moved the Pal bade from the Gem Junior to the Gem Razor.


Scooped an almond size portion from the soap container and put it in my scuttle. I also put a bit of the soap on the sides of my neck. I left a lot more water in my brush because of what I read about Mystic Waters being a thirsty soap. Started loading the brush in the scuttle, then went to my face for the full lather. Here’s how the brush looked afterwards:


2 full passes with the Gem: Pass 1 XTG. Good reduction. Pass 2: ATG. Afterwards, did a small amount of touch where I could easily feel stubble. This gave me a near DFS. A cold water rinse followed by a moderate amount of touch up brought me close to a BBS, but it also began to irritate my neck. Brought out the Super Speed for some additional touch up of my trouble spots to see if I could come closer to catching the baby, but my neck was too irritated to do much there. The Pinaud Clubman stung a lot today, but began soothing my skin soon afterwards.

A near BBS from the Gem Razor. The angle seems identical to the Gem Junior: almost completely flat against the skin. The Mystic Waters Lime fragrance was pleasant. It was more pronounced than the Chiseled Face Tradewinds I tried yesterday, but still more subtle when lathered than in the container. The Mystic Waters held up well on my face and seemed to give good protection. It rinsed off more quickly than Proraso, but not as fast as the Chiseled Face. The brush had plenty of lather throughout the shave. It was thin on the sides of the brush when I applied it after the first pass, but with the water on the face I was able to work it back into a nice lather.

I don't know if it is the Gem razors, the Pal blade, my technique or a combination of all three, but the last two days have produced more irritation than I've seen in a long while. I'm going to give the Gems a rest for a few days and focus on the new soaps. Hopefully this will reduce the level of irritation.

Have a great Monday.