March '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion Thread

What part of the South might you move to?

 

They aren't quite the same. The Rubberset 400 is a solid chunk of aluminum you can sand and polish. These Dubl Ducks are thin aluminum plates stamped into the shape, with a wood dowel inside. That's why you get the dents. I read that someone sanded through the aluminum trying to get scratches out, so I didn't try to polish this one.

 

March 3 - Straight Shave 5
Henckels Twin Works #50
PSO, hot shower
Omega 10066 Boar Shaving Brush
Route 66 Sea & Citrus soap
Alum, Nivea balm,Chiseled Face Trade Winds AS
Doc Elliott Beard Balm

Feeling a little more comfortable with the straight. Got a pretty decent shave this morning. I can feel a fairly evenly dispersed stubble all over, but it's close. I think I'm getting the goatee edge decently. I do really like a straight so far, I'm glad I tried it. Need a lot more practice though.

 

2 days ago it was mid 60s yesterday and today it has been below 30 and its been snowing a few hours. I'm in far western NC.

 

Wow

 

South Eastern FL to the Saint Lucie county area. Its where I'm from and I've had enough cold weather and mountains in the last 10 years. I'm ready for sub tropics and flat sandy beaches again.

 

Pso-Homemade mint oil
Razor-Gillette Flair Tip Super Speed
Blade-Feather (2)
Brush-Omega S
Soap-Arko stick
ASB-Nivea Sensitive
Cologne-Old Spice Classic

I did a cold shower tonight, it's too hot here already. I did a hot water shave to stick out the week but realized once summer hits here I won't be doing that anymore. I got by with a two pass shave tonight, WTG and ATG. I am loving this Feather blade/Flair Tip combo, not quite BBS but a DFS. I could have done another pass with all of the lather I had left but my daughter has a recital tonight and I didn't want to push it. Speaking of the recital, I put on some Old Spice cologne to smell purty and instantly thought "I need to get some aftershave". A nice burn with the cologne. We're off to the recital, have a great evening folks!

 

Happy Birthday Adam! I haven't gotten around to getting an alum block. I'll see if I can pick some up locally and give it a try.

 

Happy birthday, Adam! The razor looks great!

 

Happy Birthday, Adam! Today is my dad's birthday too. You're in good company!

 

I agree. Once you get past the mental block of the whole bare steel on skin idea it's just learning the motions, grips, angles and all the other things that go into it. I remember my first month of DE was rather dicey and felt risky due to the blade exposure and all that. Now I don't even think about it. Straights and AC's are the same, just with a much steeper learning curve.

 

March into Artist Club Blades

March 3

Razor - Feather SS
Blade - (3)
Brush - Vie Long 12601 The Pony
Soap - Tabac
Post - Cold Rinse, Alum, Nivea Original Balm, The Veg

A rather strange day today. The first day was a great shave, given the time since I'd used this razor. Second day was just not a good day. Today was a mixed bag. But, the good news is the worst part of the shave was NOT the blade or razor, though they weren't perfect. The lather was the problem today. But, my morning was off a bit and I created the problem myself by rushing. The Vie Long takes a bit longer to soak than my other brushes and I know that, but I was a bit behind this morning and didn't put it in the N mug until right before getting into the shower. It probably only had about 2 minutes soak time and when I went to load the Tabac I got a horrible result. Just not enough water to pick up any soap. I did dip the brush again and get the puck a bit wet as well and managed to get something resembling a lather. And, it did produce two passes worth of something that resembled a lather.

The good news is that Tabac, even when totally abused, is slick enough to avoid any major injuries with the Kai Mild. I did, however, pick up one very minor cut on my left cheekbone when I set down too vertically. That error I blame on my fixation on the bad lather and just not paying attention. You can't place any AC blade against the face vertically. Well, you can, but you bleed. Luckily the Kai Mild was even very forgiving for that and it looked more like a bad paper cut than a razor cut.

Two passes and I called it a shave with a barely DFS. Good enough after all of that. Hopefully day four will produce something resembling order since I've messed it up two days in a row. I can only imagine how bad things could have been these past two days with a Super Pro Feather in. Yeesh!

 

This is Alum and it is sold at most stores. Its what I have and use.

 

ShaveSecret & VDH Luxury
Vulfix 660S / face lathered
Manhattan Cutlery Co. 6/8
Alum block & Krampert's AS

Shave Secret may not be smoothing out my process, but I'm beginning to like the scent. Van Der Hagen Luxury wouldn't lathered in my suribachi so I loaded up again and face lathered. VDH better work for me again using a boar or I'm going to divest myself of it. This Sheffield near wedge isn't picky but it deserves a slick thick lather. Of all my usable straights this one ought to be pro honed. It's heavy and so pretty but not as smooth as more hollow ground blades I've done my best with. I ought to sell my dog & buy a good set of hones. A quick bit of cleanup with the FB on 4 -n- done. Even with my griping alum after a cool rinse revealed smooth and nick free. Krampert's Finest compliments the preshave oil with enough cloves to remind me how this shave started.

 

No shave today. I wanted to but we had cable/internet/phone hooked up unexpectedly a day early and the children came home early too because of snow.

 

Happy birthday Adam!

 

Where do you draw the line between seeking the baby and chasing the baby. A 3 pass shave? Every day? Followed by a little touch up? In 7 places? And another pass? Or is it one of those philosophical questions that can only be answered in terms of cookies?

 

Next on the chopping block is a Wade and Butcher straight. I bought this razor cheap on the 'bay so I could try this famous name razor without a large investment. It is on the chopping block purely for aesthetic reasons. It is wider in the tip than the shoulder and the bevel looks all over the place.

The razor must have know this was a do or die situation, it delivered an awesome shave. The edge was both smooth and sharp. Applied the alum and just a tickle and at the same time I caught a long lasting (for me) BBS.

Irritation A Closeness A+ Smoothness A+ Keenness A

So the option now is do I sell it and use the money to help pay for a nicer Wade and Butcher or just keep it. After this shave I have a better idea, I will keep it and then after I acquire a nicer W&B I will consider parting with this razor.

To Date:
Definitely staying:
Genco Easy Aces SR, hard to let go of cool looking, great shaving piece of vintage American steel just because it is smaller than I like. It is also my only vintage American SR.

Leaning toward staying:
Wade and Butcher will stay in the SR stable until a much nicer specimen can be sourced.

Leaning toward releasing:
Jerry Stark 5/8 SR. Looks great, shaves great just to small a blade. I would prefer to sell this and trade up for a larger blade

Will be released:
Sight unseen Whipped Dog SR. This shaves great but I want to PIF it to someone who wants to get started with SR.
Merkur Vision - despite major coolness she can't compete with aggressive Futur.

 

In cookies you will find the answers you seek.

 

Happy Birthday