For future reference, when stropping, the angle should be 0 degrees. Both the edge and spine should be in contact with the strop at all times.

I knew you would have to give that straight a try! Any chance one is in your future? I think I will have to give one a try at some point, but it will be next year as I still have several razors to give a good try. Glad you are enjoying the box!

Enjoy the sweet 16! Mine has hers next year. How do you like the Yin Yang soap? It is on my list of possibles to get.

Today was day 22 with the Feather AC SS and required some care. I mentioned Friday that I took the top of a scar off. The last two shaves have required a gentle touch not to remove Friday's scab. I have managed to continue getting a nice DFS while wondering If BBS will ever happen. I have eight more shaves this month to see. I can't wait for Different December
SOTD
The same as yesterday and the day before, and........zzzzzzz

I have two daughters and it's been much easier this time around. I really like the scent of the Yin Yang. I do pick up more lime than lavender.

November 22

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

Did not shave for the last couple of days. Mostly out of a lack of time, but also because of feeling sorry for myself on getting passed over for a promotion. Realized the feeling sorry for myself really did not help things, so trying to be much more optimistic and also getting my resume together (been about 13 years since I have had to actually send out resumes). Enough of that and on to the shave.

I think I have finally figured this razor and blade combo out. It requires my usual 2 passes of WTG on cheeks, XTG on chin and neck, and then ATG everywhere for the second pass. I then have no choice but to do some J hooking around the adams apple, which I will call touch-up though it really is closer to another pass in that area. The chin with some buffing and really paying attention on the ATG pass to go slow and deliberate has come together as well! Ended today with BBS as declared by my fiancee and I agree. We are now 6 hours later and all is looking good still.

Got a few more shaves with this razor and then it will probably be used only around my birthday as I have several others I enjoy using more and this one really was only bought because it is my birth year and quarter razor.

Thanks for the reply! I actually am happy to hear it is more lime as I already have a lavender based soap.

My daughter is incredibly laid back . . . my ex not so much. Will be interesting to see just how much of a fuss is made next year. I am hoping not much! Glad this one has been easy for you! I will begin seriously praying for easy come October next year!

NOVember - NO Variation

November 22

Razor - Feather SS AC Pain Stick
Blade - (3)
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea

Is it Sunday already? Sheesh! It's almost like thanksgiving is almost here or something. Oh, wait! Is that turkey I hear? Anyway, since it's Sunday it means it's two shave day. As usual it's the head up first on the list. VDH Deluxe soap and badger brush and the ever-reliable and efficiently effective Merkur 23c with Astra SP. A brand new Astra SP. The past two weeks I've wandered off into semi-sane land and worked on the sides of my head and a bit toward the back with the Feather SS. Last week I bled a bit for my efforts and while the results are good with it on those areas there really isn't any reason to keep trying that. The Merkur 23c works fine. So, lathered up the right side over and around the ear and picked up.........the Feather SS. I'm telling you, there's really no logic or reason involved here. Right side over the ear to start. I didn't make a mistake on the set down, made several good smooth strokes and had it working well. Bent the top of my ear down with the left hand and set down to clean up a bit closer to the ear and felt the bite. Just the slightest dig as I was a bit too steep. Finished it up and went behind the ear working downward strokes. Made it about halfway from my ear to the center of my neck and called it good. Went to the left side and repeated everything except the bite over the ear. No blood or issues there. Ok, well, let's grab the 23c and finish the rest of the head shave. Done and done. The cut over my right ear was very minor, just a couple spots of blood that stopped and disappeared with just a bit of pressure and cold water.

On to the face. Working on a two day growth and the Feather likes the heavier beard. Or at least it seems to. Once the angle is right it just goes right through. Finished the first pass CCS, second pass DFS. No blood or errors involved. Nice! Alum was a bit hot on my neck where I had done some extra clean up work during the second pass but otherwise a great shave from the razor.

I have noticed since the shave that the areas of my head where I used the Pain Stick are a little sensitive. Nothing major but clearly a bit of irritation. Not surprising. But no, I'm not going to use alum on my head to check it. That's really just too crazy, right Ivan?

After a full three weeks on the Feather SS I am with @wristwatchb in saying that I am finding it to be a really nice razor and one that is fun and effective to work with. The intimidation factor of the razor seems to be gone, as long as it's just a regular shave....the head shave is still a bit nerve wracking, and the results are solid and getting better all the time. Not bad for being made in a country that tends to puzzle us in so many other ways.

​

Announcing the Brothers of the Pain Stick 2016 concert tour!

I knew we were good but I had no idea we were THAT good! arty:

NoVember 22, 2015 Shave Den Sunday



Hot Shower
Soap: TSD Unscented
Brush: Omega 31025 Scarlatti Boar
Razor: Mongoose B3
Blade: Feather Artist Club Professional (1)
TSD Witch Hazel
TSD Aftershave Milk
TSD Yin Yang

2-day growth, 3-pass shave.

Continued focus on the new Mongoose. Smooth skin all around except for a bit of trouble around my mouth with a couple of nicks.

Cheers!
RT

Shave Den Sunday!

Day 22 - No Variation November!



TSD ISZ PreShave Balm
Utopia 3-piece
Gillette Silver Blue (22!!!)
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Red
Alum
TSD 2x Iced Barber Shoppe AS
​

Day 22, and I am quite surprised that the blade is still usable, bit indeed it is. Been using the TSD balm on Sunday, it feels really nice in the cold weather. Just finished up a nice two pass TSD Sunday shave. In for a treat tonight, Mrs. Samurai and I will be watching the undefeated Golden State Warriors try to go 15-0 versus my Denver Nuggets in downtown Denver. I think it's looking good for the W's tonight, but can the Nuggets pin a "schedule loss" on the league leaders? We shall see... Broncos have a QB controversy, Aaron Rodgers is running for his life in Minneapolis, but other than that...all is quiet in Colorado!

​

I love Sundays with TSD!
Have a sterling Monday!​

​

Thanks Chris, I appreciate your letting me know. I really should have researched how to do it before stropping.

Call Ivan! I have more popcorn on order for December! Actually it's been great to see you master it!

Ha-ha, I thought about it long an hard, and decided I couldn't let it slip away even if @TheFiveO said it was only rough shave ready. I've thought about getting one, but since a have a bunch of razors, I want to try out more soaps, and the wife still thinks this is a silly hobby, it's likely to be at least a few months before I take the plunge.

Staying with injectors this month I moved on to the type l with the twin blade. Great shave but probably no better than a single blade. I'm enjoying the injectors and haven't seen a DE all month!

I think I'll hit both sides of the pasted board a few laps and give it a try as well. I've never used a frameback or its faux cousin. I'll need to get the board out to work on both my rolls blades and touch up my straight for next month. They all shave but they should shave better after I get done.

I'll be waiting to see what you think of it. Keep us posted!

Ivan and I have been in conference most of the day today. Can't say his creative juices are at their peak right now. More vodka may be the answer. I'm pretty sure how I'll be starting out December, at least the setup, but it's a one-off type of thing with a unique but not necessarily dangerous (I think) razor involved. After that the basic idea is forming and a few names are dropping in. "Cloud". "MEM", "Souplex". Those are in the discussion with a few more. I really want to give everyone here a good December as a gift from me for the holidays......in the form of some questionable judgement or at least interesting combo shaves. Besides, I still have plenty of blades that need tried. Also, likely by the end of the month, a special Russian tribute to the season. Still waiting on everything to come together on that one. So lots of moving pieces at the moment. I think you'll have plenty of opportunities to pop that popcorn.

Oh, and a special anniversary shave on December 20th. My one year mark here at TSD. More on that later. Ivan just brought more vodka so our intelligence level should soon be hitting a workable level!

There is a chance the reason the blade didn't go smoothly is that the edge was rolled it was stropped. SRs are normally very smooth and give a great reduction on the first pass.