NOV 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

11/19/2015
Razor – Wolfman OC with Triad SS Helix
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – Rudy Vey with Shavemac Finest
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel & Fine Platinum



I decided to up the change over to the Wolfman a day earlier than planned since the blade in the Mongoose was getting tired. I went with a regular 3 pass shave with touch ups around my chin. This resulted in a great near BBS work morning shave. Finished off with witch hazel and a splash of Fine Platinum. I hope everyone has a great Thursday.

 

That's a good way to lose a toe.

 

Aristocrat Focus November 19:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Pre de Provence SS
Gillette Aristocrat
Stirling Unscented PSB
Aqua Velva AS

I went with a Gillette Platinum blade this morning, which has historically not been one of my favorite blades. Today, it performed well, and in fact if I had gone ATG instead of XTG on my second pass, I would have ended up with a BBS. As it is, I got a DFS with no irritation.

I believe I have made significant strides in my technique the past several weeks, and now I really see that technique does trump equipment.

 

Hello everyone.

At the risk of boring you all: After a nice long shower I had an equally nice, uneventful shave again.

- D.R. Harris Sandalwood
- Semogue 620
- Mühle R89
- Gillette Silver Blue (#8)
- Myrsol Agua Balsamica

Just two relaxed passes, no touchups, no ambition to achieve BB smoothness. Still a DFS and the Aftershave did not hurt at all. The really hard soap puck is showing some signs of wear finally.

 

Thanks!

 

That's great! I wish my hands weren't so stiff in the morning from arthritis I'd give SR a try. Members giving back!!

 

SOTD
November 19, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Red Tip 1958 D4
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Lather: Stirling Executive Man
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Stirling Executive Man
Super shave. Stirling Executive Man
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

November 17, 19

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

I completely forgot to post Tuesday night's shave (or maybe was trying to forget it). Lets just say I am glad I shaved at night and not the next morning before having to be in court. In doing my ATG pass along my mustache, I somehow managed to catch the corner of my lip and got a good bite from the SS and GSB. I honestly have no idea how I did it other than just not paying attention to where the razor was going. After some serious sting from the styptic pencil, it settled down. I finished the save with a DFS shave but for the nick. Reminder, pay attention to where you send the razor!

Today's shave was much better. I managed to not reopen the nick or cause any further issues. Went with a 2 pass shave using my WTG on cheeks and XTG on neck and chin combo for the first pass to get good reduction. Then did ATG everywhere for the second pass. Again everything seemed to do quite well. Finished up with the J hook on the neck around the sides near the adams apple and some light buffing on the chin. After a good cold water splash, the only touch up was one small spot on the jaw line and one spot of J hooking to be done over near the adam's apple. Another cold water splash and was nice and smooth! The Aqua Velva hardly made a noise and the cooling felt great on a humid morning here. Looks like with this razor the J hooking around the adams apple is a required step to get BBS. I may give it a try with the cadet and L6, just to see if there can be any improving of the shaves I get from those razors (of course this is for another day). It will also be good to remember these techniques with future razors that have yet to be given a good 30 day focus.

 

November 19, 2015

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

Razor: Mongoose B3
Blades: Feather Artist Club Professional (6)
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Manna
Brush: Omega 31025 Scarlatti Boar
AS: Changes at will. Today: Proraso Green



Two-pass shave. (XTG, ATG) Face-lather.

Yesterday: Excellent, clean shave for the second day in a row. Now I need to build muscle, visual, and audio feedback memory.
Today: Lather, rinse, repeat. Lather, rinse, re….

Cheers!
RT

 

I shaved today with a fresh blade in both the shavette and the superspeed. I haven't shaved in a few days so I had 3 days of growth to mow down. I made the first pass with the shavette and went from shaggy to CCS in my first pass. I was tempted to not pick up the SS but I did for one ATG pass to finish up with a A- on closeness and a A+ irritation. I have a few spots that needed touchup but I'm not too concerned with it so I left it at DFS. The clubman didn't even tingle and I felt no need for balm afterwards. My lather started out a bit dry so after flicking water up on my face and rewetting the knot of the WD synthetic I manged to get way more of the better soft slick lather I wanted. I'm going to try loading less on the brush because when I got done I squeezed out the knot and had enough lather left for 3 or 4 more passes. Staying with the proraso has made it easier to lather it up into something so much better then I had gotten from it before. I know now why everyone says its such a great soap.

The few times I've shaved with this shavette in the past few months I always put duller blades in it and got OK but not great results. The GSB has me wanting to try a feather in it to see if that makes it even easier to shave with. every time I've gone up in sharpness it has just glided across my face and I wondered how I was able to use it with the lesser blades. The results I get from my little shavette makes me wish I could afford a painstick and blades from any of the other brands. Next month I'll be working on straight razors using my Rolls as a crutch. I have 2 razors I'm going to try, a no tang stamp straight I have thats between a 1/4 and 1/2 hollow and a wedge that a member is going to send me to try out. I'm hoping to only have the rolls out for the first week of both razors and shave the 2nd week without the crutch. I'll be trying out different brushes and soaps all next month. There are 2 days I might cheat. I have a court date on the 11th and Christmas itself. I don't want to slip and need stitches on chrismas day. I can imagine the comments I'll get from the family if that happened.

 

Nov 20 Focus shave 20

Day 3 for Valour and I wanted to use a straight but didn't have enough time. I opted for my BBS-1 razor. In the past it has not worked as well as I wanted to so I want to give it another try. The lather was very wet and slick and the 4 passes felt very smooth. The alum test and zero reaction. I was expecting a BBS shave but what I got was barely DFS, not close at all. I will but this razor away for a while and give it one more chance before I put it up for sale.

Irritation A+, closeness B-

Valobra
Zebra beehive Shavemac silver tip
BBS-1 with Gillette Silver Blue
Santa Maria Novella Patchouli AS
Edwin Jagger ASB
Dior Patchouli Imperial

 

Day 19 - 19 November 2015

No Variation November!



Utopia 3-piece
Gillette Silver Blue (19!!)
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Red
Alum
TSD ISZ AS Splash under Pinaud Lilac Vegetal
​

Another fine two pass version of the automatic smoothness. Alum was good. Blade lives to see day twenty! Other than that...All is quiet in Colorado.

Have a fabulous Friday!!

​

 

Thanks Clint! Your suggestion to overload the brush sure paid off. I agree, over time I should be able to see when I have enough proto lather on the brush and get consistently good results. In the meantime, having too much soap and adding water is far better than the alternative.

 

NOVember - NO Variation

November 19

Razor - Feather SS AC Pain Stick
Blade - (1)
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea

I'm beginning to feel like I'm boring. What, me, boring? Yep, me. Why? Because of the effect doing a 30 day Rule has on technique with a razor, that's why. Oh, I know we have called it No Variation November.....but it's really a 30 day Rule. Nothing wrong with that, though, and this month has become another lesson in why the Rule is so important for success! It's also a fancier way of saying "practice makes perfect". Yet another great lather from BoSFat and a DFS two pass with some touch ups from the Feather and a new Pro blade. The only challenge was the new blade. That first day the sharpness seems to creep up on me a bit. I had one minor nick on the right cheek but it didn't really bleed. More of a weeper really. So, all's well in the land of the BOPS! At least on this end. And on we go to Friday!

 

You're on to me...

 

That was noteworthy in that it's been a while since your last mishap. You should catch a perfect shave tomorrow!

 

11 more days to find excellence! Hope your ribs are getting better.

 

I couldn't find any pictures of crossed kamisori razors or I would have used that. What I posted is the Original Hurt Hinge.

 

From day 1 my friend.