January 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

Jan 21, 2016 - Day 1
Edwin Jagger DE89
Feather (1) <-this number is how many times that blade has been used?
Omega 10066 Boar Shaving Brush
Reef Point Dragon’s Blood
Alum, Pinaud Clubman, Nivea post shave balm

So I got a package in the mail today, all kinds of new stuff. If you haven't seen from other threads, I'm new to this. I started with some Van Der Hagen I picked up at King Sooper and Walgreen's. I've been working with that the last few days, trying to get the basics down. I couldn't get a very good lather going, but it was good enough. I got massive razor burn the first time, because I didn't read at all, and just dove in. Watched a ton of videos, and read a bunch, practiced, and was doing pretty good yesterday. I didn't want to start the 30 Day Rule until I got all this stuff though. So, I see there is a new thread each month, are you supposed to start new each month or carry over? Please let me know if I am doing anything wrong for this..

Anyhow, I like everything I have now better almost immediately. I don't think the VDH razor was too bad, I will hold on to it and try it again later, but I will stick with the EJ for a while. The Feather blades are far better then the VDH blades though. I know I'm supposed to stick with as much same as I can, but I got a sample pack, so I will need to try some others for a bit. So far, I love the Feathers though. I had read the VDH brush in the kit I got isn't very good, the other VDH kit is pretty decent. The Omega is noticeably better than the VDH I have. It's a Boar, so I understand it will be even better once I break it in. The Reef Point Soap is a lot better than the VDH too. I grant I couldn't make a great lather, and that could be the brush. I will try lathering the VDH soap with the Omega and see if it's better. But I will stick to the Reef Point soap for a while. Still not making a fantastic lather but I'm sure I just need practice. Dragons blood smells fantastic, really like it.

So lathered up, did a WTG, XTG and ATG pass, then a couple touch ups. Love the weight of the EJ, didn't feel any pull or roughness with the Feathers. Definitely was running out of foam in the brush at the end, think I need to load the brush a little better. I found that face pdf a few days ago and drew out my pattern, so I was using that, not north-south. This was the first time I used an alum block, was using witch hazel. Wet it, rubbed it on my wet face, dried the bar and set aside. hardly any sting, and I understand if I scrape or nick, this will let me know. I like how if feels though. Left it on a couple minutes and rinsed.

Splashed some Pinaud Clubman, which has also shown me some places I was being rough in previous days, and hardly any burn. Then a dollop of Nivea. End result was a really fantastic shave. I didn't achieve a BBS, but from my limited experience it is certainly a DFS, I wouldn't be too sad if I could just achieve this on a regular basis. There's a couple little lightly rough spots, especially Adam's apple and jawline. I have a goatee so some of the harder spots, like chin and upper lip I get a pass on for now.

Oh and I see I get to indulge in another hobby here as well! Love photography, haven't ever done any real product shots, so I get to practice that too! Bonus!

 

Beautiful watch and ring, Adam!

You and Keith are quite the honemeisters! I have soooo much to learn.

 

Ha ha, nope, not a honemiester. I am a guy with rocks he rubs razors on. Sometimes they turn out sharp. I have tons to learn. I am actually going back to the stones with The Magnet, because the irritation was so high. There is a direct correlation to level of keenness and the comfort of the shave. Learning to hone a razor is a different skill set than just maintaining one that has been professionally honed, which is a different skill set from shaving with it, which is a different skill set from DE shaving. Its a lot of fun to learn though. And the cookies are great.

 

Grass doesn't grow on the playground, I say.

That is by far the coolest looking injector I've ever seen.

Injector loaded with a FergieFeather. Hmmmmm.

 

SOTD January 22, 2016
Focus day 19

Prep: Warm shower
Blade: Rapira stainless
Razor: Wet Shave Club
Lather: C.O. Bigelow cream
Post: Witch hazel splash, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

Quick travel shave today. I'm at a work conference out of town. I hand-lathered the Bigelow but used a little too much water. It was a little thin but still got the job done. I really like the Bigelow cream. I'm looking forward to trying Proraso green soap and compare it to this cream.

This weekend I'll revisit my enormous Omega boar along with a soap that's in a deeper dish so I can really load it up! It may be MWF or VDH or a couple of other choices.

Have a great Friday!!

 

Troy, that is a sweet looking combo. I'm glad it's working so well for you.

 

Chris, thanks for letting us know about Neal. I'm praying for him also.

 

Kerry, I agree with everything you said about the 830, and it only gets better after the first month of use.

 

Shave Nine of my january focus. Another good one, and I'm still using the same blade!

It's funny, but I don't miss my other razors during the focus, so much as I am champing at the bit to try some new soaps I bought -- steady on though. I will stay with my Stirling soaps until february. After that it's Everybody out of the pool!

 

Interesting handle. What razor?

 

That pic is cool. I looked at it real quickly and thought the black rock and the wispy bits of snow looked the side of a volcano. I was wondering how you got the shot.

 

Bullgoose sr108
It's a great handle. Love it

 

Welcome to the thread, JR. If it was me, and since February is a short month, I would probably spend a couple of days trying out blades to find one that works. Then I would dive into a 30 Day Rule set up of razor, blade, brush, and soap for the remainder of January and February. If you spend a few more days on the same set up, it certainly won't hurt. It sounds like you have made some good progress already. Congrats!

 

Thank you, Charlie. I have to say, I think this thread really helps me put so much. I read through the SR threads, but it just feels like I get better advice here, by reading through how others are going. It is a great place to be!

 

You are making me want to set up a light box now. I have really been finding issues with shadows and glare lately.

 

He's B-AAACK!! Well, at least in front of the computer. I appreciate the thoughts after I see Chris posted today. It has not been a fun week. I am home, though, and should be fine. I have chronic pancreatitis and it occasionally likes to throw an acute attack at me. I suspect the travel last week and all the extra food I ate that I probably shouldn't didn't help. Short version....it sets off an incredibly painful inflammation of what remains of my pancreas which essentially doubles me over in pain and vomiting. The only treatment? IV fluids and pain killers, specifically Dilaudid, which is a wonderful drug designed to knock you out of the universe. I was able to get back on liquids yesterday and ate a solid meal today so they sent me home. With any luck I'll be back to my normal routine by the weekend, but paying close attention to my diet. The good news? I lost 17 pounds in the past week. It is an effective, if undesirable, weight loss program. I'll be reading to get caught up and look forward to being myself around here again. Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers.

 

Right on, I think I would need to order more blades, I think, to make 30 days (or end of February). See how long this one lasts. I have 10 of these yellow label feathers and 5 black label feathers. Not sure if its a different package or different blade. 15 should certainly do it. I am really pleased, hard to imagine a better blade, but I haven't tried many, so I can't say for sure. Perhaps stick with these and do my compare afterwards? Or when I run out of these anyhow.

I wonder if the mild burn I feel is even from today or still from earlier in the week, not all healed. Absolutely better than the first day!

 

I am far from a honemiester. So far all I am doing is maintaining the edges. This is a long learning process, but I am enjoying the challenge.

 

Welcome to the thread. I just pick one thing I want to improve or discover for the month. If find participating in this thread keeps me focused because I right about each attempt. Glad to have you with us.

 

Glad you are back home and happy to see you posting again. I hope your recovery gains speed.