February '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion Thread

And more importantly, I didn't need the styptic pencil or bandages. It was the first shave with this combo that didn't have bloodshed, either nicks or weepers.

 

Thanks Doug.

 

SOTD
February 17, 2016
Prep: Hot Shower. Noxzema
Razor: Blackland Blackbird
Blade: Voskhod
Lather: RazoRock One X
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: RazoRock One X
Fantastic!
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

Mongoose Focus
It took a couple of weeks, but I like this razor! The focus has helped me figure out angles and pressure. I had on of my best two pass shaves ever this morning. The fantastic performing Route 66 soap was a big part of it.
SOTD
Route66 Barbershop Hop
Vie-Long horse hair brush
Mongoose
Feather Pro (3)
Alum
Old Spice AS
Have fun!

 

So. I know zero about straight razors. Absolutely nothing. But. if I were to get one this is the one I'd want. Fantastic!! I mean I could really see myself liking the experience using a straight razor with one like this.

 

February 2016 Focus -- Schick injectors

February 12-17

Razor: Canadian Schick Injector E Type
Blade: Chinese Schick Injector (3-6)
Brush: Stirling Kong
Soap: Proraso Red, Stirling Gatlinburg, Stirling MITA, Stirling Gin and Tonic
Post: Cold water rinse, Witch Hazel, Fine Platinum, Fine American Blend, Fine Snake Bite, Fine L'Orange Noir


I have missed everyone in the week I have been gone, and nothing like returning to about 300 posts to go through. I think I am up to Monday at least. I spent Friday at a miserably long day at work and then training and then a forced social experiment. Basically not how anyone should have to spend their Friday! Saturday was dedicated to wedding planning, including getting invitations printed, cakes picked out, trying to figure out tux rental or suit buying or what the heck I am going to do since one of my groomsmen is 6'6" tall and about 320 and no one likes to carry extra long suits or tuxes. Saturday night was spent trying to fix the plumbing in my guest bathroom. For some reason, the pipe (behind the wall of course) developed a serious leak so had both plumbing and drywall repair fun! Fortunately Sunday was Valentines and I got to spend the day with my fiancee. We went ice skating, which is MUCH harder than it looks especially for a big guy. We had a good time, except for the broken finger (my pinky on my right hand, so not the worst option if I had to break one) I got falling into the glass surrounding the rink. The swelling has gone down and it no longer is black, so that is progress. We still had an excellent dinner of beef red curry and Pad Thai and both of us left plenty stuffed! Monday and yesterday were both long work days getting briefs out that the court felt necessary to expedite, so there was no rest for the weary. Came home to having to finish repair work so the bathroom would be usable by this weekend when company is expected. Needless to say, I am glad life seems to be back to normal (whatever that means) and I am able to get caught up on the important things like the 30 Day Thread.

My shaves have all been with the E type and all have been pretty consistent. Sunday I managed to get a BBS shave even with the hurt finger (my financee enjoyed the fact I was holding my broken pinky out like the British drink tea as I shaved. This provided her a very good laugh at my expense. A near BBS out of the shave Monday, which was also one very cold menthol shave using the MITA followed by the Fine Snake Bite! I did have to do some extra touch-up along the jaw line to get there though. Today's shave was another near BBS shave. I seem to have a really hard time right under the jaw line with the injector for some reason. It definitely looks clean, but there is always a slight bit of stubble so that it is not BBS. Love the L'orange Noir AS, definitely one of my favorites. I plan to use the E type a few more times and then switch over to the Golden 500 J Type injector. After I have used it for several shaves, I will be switching from the Chick blades over to personnas I received from a medical supply company so that I can compare the two.

Looking forward to getting caught up on everything. If you managed to read all of that, I am sorry . . . especially for you Vince (@Rufus T. ) since I know you hate loquacious posts.

 

I am certainly no expert on straights, but I do find this to be a very nice razor. It wasn't horribly expensive, and the steel seems to very good. Based what I read, the quality was higher than some other brands at the same price point. My experience with it would lead me to believe that it is certainly a good value razor.

I will also say the experience of a straight razor in general is fantastic. I still have lots of room for improvement, but even now I feel I get more comfortable shaves with a straight. Once I got the hang of stropping, that too turned into a fun experience, as there is just a rhythm to it that feels very relaxing.

I can see the dark side is starting to pull on you. Come on over, it is worth the time.

 

Seriously. We have cookies. And hones. And really cool sharp things people are afraid of.

 

I would love too! I suffer from arthritis in my hands and in the morning its the worst. I certainly do enjoy watching you fellas learn and bringing new guys over.

 

February Focus - German blades

February 16

Razor - Merkur 23c
Blade - (2)
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip
Soap - Arko stick
Post - Cold rinse, Alum, Aqua Velva Musk

This is Wednesday. I have to remind myself since I'm a day off this week. What does that mean? Nothing, really, except to try and keep me on track the rest of the week. Age creeping I think. Don't change the old man's routine. He gets cranky and irregular. We can't have that.

Day two on the Croma Diamant blade which underwhelmed yesterday. Average at best from the first day. Maybe it will improve its standing with me. Grabbed the Arko stick and Wolf today. I am considering adding a La Toja stick to the rotation at some point. A few people around here rant and rave about it so I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger. But for now, Arko is my stick of choice and the Wolf really gets a great lather out of it.

First pass WTG and underwhelmed is the word of the day. Not painfully rough but far from smooth. It's the kind of feel I expect from a cheap Indian or Bangladeshi blade. Well, ok, maybe not as bad as a Bangladeshi but you get the idea. The result on the first pass was not good either. Just acceptable. XTG on the second pass. Still underwhelmed. The feel of the pass would make me cranky at any age. Again not so bad as to be unusable but I can certainly do better than this. Third pass ATG and G-slide to a DFS finish. Mediocre DFS. And a nice alum burn to go along with it on the neck. Apparently the German engineers who produce the Timor, Bolzano and Wilkinson have never visited the Croma plant. One more day to go. Maybe I'll sleep late tomorrow so I have to rush the shave before work and stop at two passes. That's the idea! Happy Wednesday!

Oh, the boys finally checked in. I demanded to know where they were and what they thought they were doing and got these in response. Yuri and Kolya seem to have found some friends. I suspect I know why they disappeared.

​

Blade rating today..........giving it three steins. Seems less effective than yesterday, and I'm making it pay for my irritation at sending the guys to Germany instead of going myself!

​

 

Another Blues fan! Awesome!!

 

Razor: Gillette Red Tip
Blade: Personna Blue (3)
Brush: Fendrihan Silver Tip 22/49
Soap: Route 66 Ghost Town
A/S: Fine American Blend

Re shafting Vokey Wedges, 60*, 56*, 52*. Excellent DFS. Thanks to all for the, "LIKES".

 

Next Shave - Denver!

 

But oh, verbosity (i.e., diarrhea of the mouth - as they say in the most informal vernacular) is so much more sophisticated when using 'loquacious'.

(oooo, I just get all tingly just saying the word -
l o q u a c I o u s....mmmm. )

 

Perhaps prolix fits better!

 

I am starting to feel like I may not meet the minimum IQ requirements for this thread!

 

You may not be alone.

 

Day 17 - Schick repeater focus

Nailed a BBS today with the type C2. Second day on the Dutch made Schick blade is nirvana when it comes to this combo. 12 hrs later and Im still smooth...if it wasnt for a need of variety in my shaving life I could easily choose this razor as the only one in my den. I plan to keep on enjoying the C2 until the blade dulls and then move on to the Open comb version C1 for the rest of the focus.

 

Congratulations
Nice brush also.

 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Soap: Savonnerie Du Bon Berger Cedar Mandarin
Brush: Shavemac Silvertip D01
Razor: Blackland Blackbird
Blade: Feather #3
Post: Fine L’Orange Noir