January 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

I'd just like to say I've enjoyed this 30-day thread this month. I am new to DE shaving and I feel the focus I came up really helped me work out some technique and continue on the path of good shaves. Plus the banter and camaraderie is fun to read and witness.

Now, next month.....I've already chimed in on this a few pages back. Right now my plan is to use my Maggard razor with both closed and open combs doing a comb comparison. Here's is what I'm thinking:

Mondays - Menthol Monday using Proraso Green.
Tuesday-Thursday - Use the same soap and same brush each of these three days to continue honing in on lather development.
Friday-Sunday - Wild card days; switch up soaps and brushes.
I'll use the Maggard MR1 handle with the closed comb head for the first half of February and then use the open comb the second half.

**I reserve the right to occasionally break focus and try other razors, mainly a new-to-me Schick Injector or a new-to-me Gillette vintage travel razor.

****I also reserve the right to totally change my mind if a better set of focus goals comes to me!

Thank you guys for a good month. I know we have a few days left but you must always think ahead.

 

Friday, January 29, 2016

Pre: Hot Shower, Sterling Pre-Shave Soap, Proraso Green Pre-Shave
Soap: Mike’s Natural Barbershop
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic
Razor: The One Blade
Blade: Gem Super Stainless #5
Post: Alum, Witch Hazel +Menthol, Whipped Shea Butter, CF Ghost Town Barber

Today's shave was BBS in two passes +clean up. The 5th shave on this GEM blade was very smooth. The One Blade continues to impress me. Using short strokes, buffing and added pressure to my trouble spots I was able to get a very close and smooth shave, with zero burn from the alum. Finished with a generous splash of Chiseled Face Ghost town Barber. TGIF! Have a fabulous Friday folks.

 

Jan 29 Focus Shave 21

Since it is almost the end of the month I wanted to try my new Feather DX with a Feather Pro blade and see the difference between a machined prepared edge and my hand prepared straights razor edges. This is also a good chance to see how my technique has improved since the shavettes are unforgiving.

While shaving I used a very light touch and while shaving the edge felt smooth and very sharp. On the second pass while it felt smooth while shaving right after I could feel there was some irritation. I completed the three passes and just splashing the water I could feel some burn. To have a fair test and in the name of science I decided to go ahead with a fourth pass so it's the same as my usual SR shaves.

With each pass I picked up a weeper even though I never felt it. This razor does not give any warning nor feedback like a SR. Despite the four weepers I did finish with a very good BBS. I applied the alum and as expected it burned.

Irritation C Closeness A Smoothness A? Keenness A+

Castle Forbes Cedarwood
Simpson Tulip 3 super badger
Woodhead scuttle
Feather DX, Feather Pro blade
No strop
Lucky Tiger AS
Speick ASB
Knize 10

 

I am impressed. I have not shaved with a razor where I set the bevel. I bought a cheap razor to try learn how to set a bevel.

 

I thought the one blade only used spineless DE blades like the feather. Are you removing the spine?

 

The OB uses a Feather FHS-10 Single Edge blade. Yes, I'm using a de-spined GEM SE blade which also fits the OB. I was only getting 3 good shaves with the Feather.

 

January 2016 Focus -- Blade search for the 1958 Executive

January 28

Razor: Gillette 1958 Executive adjustable
Blade: Feather (2)
Brush: Stirling Kong
Soap: Tabac
Post: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel, Fine Clean Vetiver


Day two with the feather and it definitely was smoother than day one but still just as sharp. I started the WTG/XTG pass on 6 and it has very good reduction and no irritation. A good first pass. The second pass was ATG and set on 7. Really eliminates the hair well with the sharp blade. No weepers today which was nice. The blade was definitely better on day two but I think the Bolzano will be my sharp blade of choice. It is just much smoother than the feather, especially on day one, and seems pretty darn close to being as sharp.

Finished up some minor touch up around my upper lip which is an unusual place for me to have touch up so not sure why I didn't get my usual smoothness there this time. Had the usual touch up on the jaw line and around the Adam's apple that went well. In the end a BBS shave. It is now about 15 hours since my shave and I have a light 5 o'clock shadow. Definitely one of my longer lasting shaves. Right there with the best of my GSB and Bolzano shaves.

The Tabac was my first time using it not as a shave stick. I bought the tub from perfumania for $9 after tax and shipping so no complaints at all. A little trickier to lather than the stick but worked great and it really is a great slick lather.

 

Shave twelve of my january focus. I will likely have only one further shave to complete january. I've got some new soaps and a new DE I am very keen to try, come february.

The idea of focusing on a single aspect of your shave for an extended period (week, month, whatever) seems so natural and logical, now that I've given it a try. It's a technique I plan to put to good use in the future!

 

Finishing January on my feet!

Razor - Mongoose
Blade - Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold rinse, Alum, Nivea, The Veg

My plan for the day was to use the Rabbit instead of the Mongoose but my hands are a bit unsteady still from the meds. So, rather than finish the month a bloody mess, which some assumed I had anyway, I stayed with the Goose. BoSFat for the perfect lather. I've been debating trying some new soaps. However, I think I'd be just as happy going minimalist with MWF and Tabac and the occasional Proraso Green and Arko just to mix it up a bit. Something to think about. As far as the shave today another nice DFS on two passes plus touch ups and out the door for work. Nice to be getting back in the routine. Now, what to do in February?

 

1/28/16
Phoenix Double OC
Gillette Silver Blue (3)
Jayaruh #27 with WD Silvertip knot
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Pinaud Clubman Original

I woke up later than I wanted this morning and had to rush to make up the time. Did a 2 pass minimum touch up in 9 minutes for the DFS+. I ended up with one nick when I set the blade down near the center of my neck. Needed the styptic pencil to stop the seepage. Other than that, shave was very pleasant and the Clubman mild - except where I cut myself.

I hope everyone had a great Thursday.

 

It's not legible. I'll try to get a tight pic of the tang tomorrow.


And thanks for the oil advice. Will do.

 

61F in CO. Foot of snow coming, probably Monday. Insane weather.

 

Straights Focus January 29:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Stirling Bay Rum SS
Ontario Cutlery Co
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling Bay Rum AS

Today's shave was almost a duplicate of yesterday's shave, just with a different scent. A WTG pass and some clean up on the jaw line, and I ended up with a DFS. I am now looking forward to my Friday and finishing up my week. Have a great day.

 

Hello TSD

This month is coming to an end and so is my comparison of the two Merkur Adjustables. I'll give you my final assessment tomorrow.

So today I used:



- Faena Aeolica Tallow & Lanolin soap
- Grosvenor "Finest"
- Merkur Progress on 4
- GSB (shave #6)
- Tüff sensitiv AS

This new Faena soap offers fantastic slickness and protection and is probably the best soap I know in terms of post shave skincare. My skin feels as if I had used some balm or cream, which I have not. On the other hand this particular soap is pretty finicky while lathering - you have to be very cautious with the amount of water you add. But even a thinner lather provides nice slickness.

The new brush knot is amazing, a true lather monster. And with the second use today it already lost some of the initial prickliness. Already love it.

The Progress again performed nicely today. Two passes (WTG and A/XTG), close and smooth. Though ATG it was a little rougher than usual, I guess the blade might be past its prime.

Finished with cold water rinse and a splash of Tüff sensitive Aftershave. No burning, no irritation. That's how I like it

 

1/29/16
AlumiGoose with Hempel Ti
Feather Pro (6)
Rudy Vey with Shavemac Finest
Soap Commander Passion
Witch Hazel
Fine L'Orange
Whipped Shea Butter



A near repeat of yesterday's shave, 2 passes ending in a near BBS. I like using the Soap Commander in shave stick form. I find it very easy to lather with ample slickness. The shave stick is so much easier to store in the drawer. Finished up with a splash of Fine L'Orange followed by whipped shea butter. I hope everyone had a great Friday.

 

Great picture, Clint!

 

Thank you.

 

Tomorrow just screams 'get the bike out' - I love the warm days we get in CO in the middle of winter!

 

1/29/16

Phoenix Double OC
Gillette Silver Blue (4)
Jayaruh #27 with WD Silvertip knot
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Pinaud Clubman Original



A comfortable near BBS shave with my Phoenix DOC loaded with the Gillette Silver Blue.
Both my passes seemed to have very good reduction. I followed each up with a tiny amount of touch up where I typically need it. A cool water rinse and a little more touch up and I almost caught the baby. The GSB on shave 4 in the DOC might be asking more of the combo than I can get it to deliver. Try as I might, I could not get to BBS in one of my trouble areas. As luck would have it, it was very close to where I nicked myself yesterday. I even thought at one point I had reopened the cut, but no, I just caught the skin. The Pinaud Clubman stung a good bit today, then settled down. I had enough lather left over for at least another 2 passes.

I hope everyone has a great Friday.

 

Friday - Shave #26 with the Blackbird and lather #66 on the TSE soap. Both of these tools are about as dialed in as they can get. Everything is just about automatic. A comment on the photo - I played around with a filter or two so the razor appears much lighter than it really is.

I finished off the shave with 2 passes plus 2 cleanups. I think the blade is done after 13 consecutive shaves - 3 full head shaves and 10 face shaves. It just wasn't getting the job done today - not rough but wasn't really cutting that well. I consider my head shaves to be the equivalent of 2-3 face shaves, so I guess you could say the blade was good for 16-18 daily shaves. Not bad. At that rate of use, I'll run out of blades after I run out of life.