January 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

Foci, right? But focuseseseesess is much more fun!

 

Almost sounds like something Gollum would say!

 

We hates focuseses, we hates them forever!

 

Straights Focus January 4:

Homemade PS Oil
VDH Boar Brush
Stirling Cool SS
Ontario Cutlery Co.
Stirling Unscented PSB -- Mentholated
Skin Bracer

This was my first shave with a straight before having to go into work. I set my alarm a little earlier just to ensure I had some time. I also did my stropping last night. All in all, it went pretty well. After reading a post from @Drygulch about Stirling Glacial Spearmint numbing things too much, I went with something a little lower on the menthol spectrum. I got a nice slick lather and went to work with my razor. This was the first straight I ever got, which was a Whipped Dog sight unseen purchase. I can tell my technique has improved since the last time I used it, as I remember it being a bit tuggy. Today, it just went through the whiskers. I think that in the past, I have been almost too tentative when using a straight, and that has caused the blade to skip some and not get a clean cut. Today, I got a nice SAS after one pass, so I went for a second XTG. I ended with a CCS, and very little irritation.

 

Well done on improving your technique. I'm very aware of when u mention being to tentative. It's my biggest problem at the moment. I'm enjoying that back and forth battle of clean confident strokes and either to cautious or to confident strokes it's a very narrow line between the two and it's a problem I didn't face on my mild razor.

 

That's the spirit!

 

Only one way to find out...

 

Shaved with my new SR108 from Bullgoose today because reasons (curiosity mainly) and had a DFS. Officially calling an audible for January and will use the SR108 over the Weishi. Cheers

 

That will work! That's another 89 type head, it will serve you well.

 

89type? definitely ignorant on the different head types

 

Patterned after Muhle R89

 

January 2016

Straight Feather Goose Focus

January 4



For January I'm focusing on two razors, the W.B. Speed Rabbit TSR and the Mongoose, on loan from @Rufus T. Since the Goose uses AC blades I'm using the Feather Pros.

Razor - W.B. Speed Rabbit
Brush - Vie Long 12601 - The Pony
Soap - Tabac
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea

The start of my weekend so a late morning shave with the Rabbit. Great lather from Tabac and the Vie Long. Still love the scritch of the horse. Really need to invest in another horse brush and, since I am not going NEAR NB 16 I can do so at will. Not to rub it in or anything of course.

Had a good two pass shave with the Rabbit and did a partial third pass trying to push it a bit further than I have. Ended up with a couple of weepers on my neck. Nothing major but the first real problem I've had. Just got too aggressive, though I did finish with a low-end DFS. I'll take it. My work around the goatee is still a bit clutzy but getting better. It's just a matter of getting the angles right and setting the razor down right as well. It will come. I'll do another day on the Rabbit before going back to the Mongoose.

Happy Monday and return from the holidays to you all! Hopefully 2016 is off to a great start for everyone. Here's a little inspiration from my friends at Bloom County to put things in perspective.

 

Glad your having interesting shaves with your rabbit. I've taken to naming anything but a perfect shave as "interesting" for moral purposes. Absolutely loved your shout out to the NB crew

 

Nailed it!
Prep: hot shower
Pre: lime, tea tree and grape seed
Razor: ER 1924
Soap: Maca root
Post: Ilgar lemon cologne

I went into tonight's head shave with two new philosophy's. The first after a discussion with @Bama Samurai about not thinking about the baby and just focusing on doing ones best. And the second came from @Norcalnewb triggering a mistake I had been making without even thinking, in my approach with confidence levels. I kept these in mind throughout my entire shave, and by the end there was no baby chasing needed. It just presented itself with two minor touch ups behind my ears. Superb shave finished off with straight lemon, no post balm it was unnecessary. I've by no means nailed this razor but I nailed it tonight ( just to keep those shave gods at bay).

 

Gotcha thanks

 

Good to hear you're feeling better.

 

Yep. Look for a check in tomorrow

 

Jump in, the water's fine. I think I'm going to like the DOC once I get a sharper blade in it. It'll be nice to hear any insight you might have.

 

January 2016 Focus -- Blade search for the 1958 Executive

January 4

Razor: Gillette 1958 Executive adjustable
Blade: SuperMax Blue Diamond (3)
Brush: Stirling Kong
Soap: Proraso Red
Post: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel, Fine Fresh Vetiver


Yesterday I did not shave so today was the first day with a two day growth trying the SuperMax. It did a decent job, but either 3 days is too much or 3 days with a two day beard is too much for it. A little tugging and definitely not nearly as smooth as days one and two. My usual two pass shave. The first pass was WTG on the cheeks and XTG on the chin and neck. Had decent reduction but it was in this pass that the blade did do some tugging, making me think it just was no longer sharp enough to deal with my coarse two day growth. The ATG pass was fairly smooth and left me with a pretty good shave. I definitely had some touch-up to do on the neck and jaw line. After the touch-up had a little minor irritation, but nothing terrible. Ended up with a DFS+ shave. Overall three good shaves from the blade and one I could use, but will probably not seek out to buy a bunch of any time soon.

The Proraso is such a great cream. I decided to put a dime sized dab on each cheek and a little on my neck, smear it around a touch with a dry brush, then wet the brush some and go to town making lather. Worked great! Had lather all over the place. Think next time I will do a little less cream to start with. Ended up with enough for probably 5 passes total. Thank goodness it is cheap and I don't have any problems using what I need to get that great lather out of it!

Next blade up will be the Dorco blade. Never used this one so I have no idea what to expect.

 

Two products I'm desperate to try red proraso is the only one I'm yet to use and I want all things fine what is the fresh vetiver like?