DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

You going dark side huh? I assume not with Soviet straights along with Neal and Adam. Definitely will be interested in reading about it. One day maybe I will test it out. Probably not but maybe.

 

It's all that.

 

January through March on SR.

What's the worst that could happen?

 

12/28/2015
Razor – Gillette Super Speed (J4)
Blade – Feather (3)
Brush – DK7 with Druida Manchurian
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel & Folsom & Co Shambala



It's hard to believe that the month is almost over. The B&M Seville lathered up easily this morning. It is a thirsty soap but once the water ratio is dialed in the lather is nice and slick with great post shave feel. Now that I am used to this brush, I had more than enough lather for 4 or more passes. Back to the trusty SS Flare Tip to finish up the monthly focus on vintage razors. Just an automatic 3 pass with minor touch ups near BBS shave. Finished up with a splash of F&C Shambala. I hope everyone has a great Monday.

 

12/28/15

Gillette New LC
Rapira Super Stainless (3)
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Strop Shoppe Baker Street
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Pinaud Clubman Original

Squeezed out my brush and loaded for about 20 seconds from the soap container. I worked up the lather in the scuttle adding water from time to time until it was nice and rich.


The lather went on my face nice and smooth. 2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG. Very good reduction. Pass 2: ATG with a small amount of touch up. A cool water rinse followed by a moderate amount of touch up. The Pinaud Clubman stung like fire, especially around my Adam's apple where it is particularly hard to get all of the stubble. But the sting faded and my skin felt nice and warm in no time at all. Still had tons of lather when I finished. Enough for at least a couple more passes.

A nice BBS from the Rapira Super Stainless in my New LC with the Strop Shoppe Baker Street. The New LC seems to be more efficient than the Phoenix Double OC, but it could simply be that I haven't gotten the angle down with the Phoenix yet. It would also help to use a sharper blade. I'll stay with the New LC through the end of the month and then take up the Phoenix for January.

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

 

I've decided to try some new soap today given that I stuck to the focus and feel my technique has arrived I'm going to finish the moth playing with soaps and decide which to use for my vintage se focus have a good day all

 

SOTD
December 28, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed 1959 E1
Blade: Ladas
Lather: Route 66-Retro Spice
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Fine L'Orange Noir
Repeat shave from yesterday. I wanted to see how Route 66 would perform back to back mornings. Spectacular! Retro Spice is fabulous! Slick, rich, creamy, cushion-y, moisturizing, great smelling soap. The Gillette Flare Tip is a great daily razor, I can see how millions of gents used one for years.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

Razor: Gillette Aristocrat w/case
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
Brush: Simpsons CH1 Best Badger
Soap: Fine Platinum
A/S: Proraso Bowl Shaving Soap Eucalyptus

Thanks to a gift certificate from @clint64 I was able to purchase my first Simpsons Best Badger brush. Thanks.
Heavy snow storm tomorrow.

 

Great photo Doug. It certainly qualifies for a frigid Menthol Monday Shave.

 

The wait is almost over. On my way to give the Soviet its best chance at shaving that I possibly can. I'll be back in a bit with the result of day one! Or, in the event you don't hear from me again, I'll just leave this here.


Last Shave Will and Testament


I, Neal Cox, being of questionable mind and incredibly sexy body, do hereby lay my hand to this will to dispense of my most prized possessions in the event of my untimely death due to cuts, nicks, severed arteries, or limbs. Should I fail to survive my encounter with the finest piece of Soviet engineering in the form of a straight razor that might actually cut something, I hereby bequeath the following:

To @Bama Samurai – I leave my collection of memes, images and other assorted digital media used to fill space and detract from the shocking lack of content my posts on TSD sometimes display. May they be used to further distract and entertain members who really should have something better to do.

To @Rufus T. – I leave the Aristocrat that spent such a good time in the woods last summer on vacation in the great Northwest and Canada. Such a good time, in fact, that it has been miserably depressed and spends its nights asking why it had to come back to the paradise that is St. Louis. May it provide great shaves forevermore in the calm and green woods that you, sir, call home. Oh, and I’m sending 100 Voskhods along, just to keep it company.

To @Drygulch – I leave both the Rabbit and the Soviet that you so generously challenged me to try. Thanks to your encouragement I’m now just a bloody heap on the bathroom floor and SWMBO has never been happier. You might want to ask her for some of the insurance money as an extra fee for arranging my demise. Well played, sir, well played.

To @clint64 I leave my Feather SS along with the remaining Feather Pro blades, and a few Kai blades as well. No matter what you say I know you want to try it. Now you have no excuse. Because if you don’t, my ghost will never rest until I find you and do it myself. Sleep well.


To @HolyRollah – I leave you my strop. Lightly used, but it did serve well to prepare that fine Soviet you so lovingly honed to, well, ok, we’ll say perfection. I don’t blame you, my friend. An artist is only as good as the canvas he has to work on, and we handed you a lousy rotten canvas. Considering that led to my downfall imagine if a lesser honer would have honed it in a lesser manner. Sorry, I thought I had a run on honing puns and lines there but it, sadly, died almost immediately. Long may this strop enjoy real razors that come alive from your skill.

My collection of blades, especially the extras from my failed blade trials, I leave to the 30 day crew to divide up as you see fit. With over 1000 on hand you should find something there you like, or perhaps more fitting, you loathe with the hate of a thousand hells.


To @Darkbulb – I leave the remainder of my razors. Not like you don’t already have 14 of each, but you can always use them for Ebay bait. I’ll throw in my Wolf Whiskers brush as well, just so you can save the cost of your 8th one of those.

My soaps I am taking with me. I have requested that they be cremated along with my remains so that I can enjoy the awesome aromatics of Tabac, MWF and Proraso for eternity. The left over Williams, however, is to be immediately removed by hazardous waste experts and placed in a secure facility to ensure that it becomes harmless over the next 1.4 million years of its half-life.

And finally, to the moderators, staff members and owners of TSD, many thanks for creating such a special place that we can all hang out, learn about shaving, talk about shaving, encourage over-buying of shaving supplies, and generally have a good time. Of course, without you, I’d still be alive, but I’m not one to hold a grudge. Especially now as I’m not even breathing when you read this.


A final note – at this incredibly sad and emotional time, let’s all remember that I gave my life to prove that Technique Trumps Tools! And, should I slowly bleed out while trying just one more pass with this incredibly horrid razor, know that I will have finally answered the question…”how defective must a tool be before technique fails”? The answer is that perhaps technique couldn’t trump the Soviet tool in my dying grasp, but the quest for Technique did indeed conquer the biggest Tool of them all. Me.


Farewell and may all your shaves be BBS.

 

I can hear one of the shaving gods saying to another, "Tom's shaving. Hold my beer, watch this!"

 

Hmmmm, You missed my name in there. Can I get your bottle of the Veg?

 

An oversight. Sorry, Yes the Veg has your name on it.

 

The haz mat crew was supposed to take care of that with the Williams.

 

And by the way, I appreciate your concern. Touching, really.

 

I'm unconcerned. To hurt yourself badly the blade would have to hold an edge. I'm not sure that the razor is able. You'll be fine. Alum and cold water are your friends. Vodka splash for the finish!!

 

I'll take the Williams too. I like the stuff.

 

You started it. The vultures are circling...