May 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

Beautiful photo Ben!

 

A new update. The second shave with my 1912 was more tough. I don't know if one day stubble is tougher or not, or off my technique was off, or even if it was because it was 2 passes. Anyhow, it had to be a fluke. Today, I shaved with my wife's micro touch one and it reinforced why I never EVER want a double edge again. 8 weepers. . I know my technique isn't that bad because I slowly and carefully rode the cap with a fresh astra SP. Had to do the ATG with my PAL. My face was absolutely on fire when it sensed the aftershave. Never again lol. I don't do face torture unless it's iced water with max menthol. I think I'll stick to my 1912 for the rest of my focus and really tune in on the angle. Once I have that down, only ruling the world and banning cartridge razors is left on the to-do list

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SOTD May 4, 2016
Injector/SE Focus



Prep: Warm shower
Blade: Chinese Schick
Razor: Schick G1 Injector
Brush: Semogue 1520 boar
Lather: VDH Luxury scented
Post: Witch hazel splash, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

Pretty good shave this morning. I should have touched up a couple more areas if I was able to do it again. Oh well. No big deal overall. The VDH lather was a little thin so tomorrow I'll go with less water. It wasn't overly thin but not quite as rich and luxurious as I wanted.

The G1 is continuing to provide great shaves. It's a really fun razor to use!

Have a great day!

 

Thank you Rob!

 

Thank you.

 

May Focus Day 3:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
La Toja Shave Stick
Schick Adjustable
Stirling Unscented PSB
Clubman AS

I had a very nice, if rushed shave this morning. I left my La Toja in my dopp kit which was at my parents. They were kind enough to send it back, so I got a chance to use it this morning. Between La Toja and Arko, I have been doing using shave sticks fairly regularly lately, and I am really enjoying them. I am thinking of getting some empty deodorant containers and turning some of my other soaps into sticks, as this is really a quick and easy way to get a good lather.

The Schick Adjustable was as smooth as ever this morning. I ended with a DFS which I capped off with some Clubman. I definitely smelled a bit better after my shave than when I went into the locker room.

 

May 4, 2016- Soap/Lather Focus

Razor: Standard 160 Goodwill (New LC-based)
Blade: Gillette Platinum Plus (4)
Brush: Chinese Pure Badger
Soap: Marvy

A couple of changes from yesterday, but the big one is replacing the VdH boar with the cheap Chinese Pure Badger. This is a bit of a "Hail Mary" play as I don't like this brush as much and, therefore, don't have as much experience or success with it. I figured, though, that it might make a difference in how the Marvy soap lathers and was worth a try. The basic plan was to follow @DDuckyMark's advice for handling the Marvy- soak puck, dry-ish load, lather dry and paint water. To give me a bit more control, I also decided to bowl lather rather than face lather or build on the puck.

Initial soap loading was a bit of a problem which I put off on the softness of the brush and my own inexperience with it. Lather building was also a bit messy as I had to keep squeezing lather out of the center of the knot. The lather itself seemed better than my previous attempts. It did end up a bit thin (possibly too much water on my part) but held up better than it has previously.

All in all, a one-pass DFS with no irritation.

Tomorrow should be interesting- the first of several attempts to try and take Marvy beyond its aspirations to mediocrity. I stopped by Walgreens on the way to work and picked up a small bottle of Castor Oil so, tomorrow, I plan to try and add a small amount during the lather building process to see if I can get a more stable lather.

Friday will either be a continuation of Tomorrow's experiment or I'll pull out the Dove shaving cream and try for SuperMarvyLather.

 

MAYhem 2016

May 4

Razor - 1959 Gillette Super Speed
Blade - (1)
Brush - Marvy
Soap - Marvy
Post - Cold Rinse, Alum, Styptic,Nivea

It's the @Bama Samurai shave. The setup is really good until you hit brush and soap. Then it's a virtual unknown but an expected disaster. The Marvy twins are up. Several have tried Marvy soap and I went ahead and used the "standard" procedure that they have worked out. The puck soaked all night long and was very soft this morning. Really just a hunk of goo. I soaked the brush for a bit longer than usual as well. The brush was a shedding fool when I first got it and broke it in with Proraso. Seems like it has that out of its system.

I shook the brush to a "dry" state and went to work on the soap. I was actually surprised and happy with what I saw. Looked good. Very fast to pop into a lather but will it last? I painted the lather on like I had a horse in my hand and then went back with a bit of water and whipped it up. Looked good. Until I was about halfway through the right side. Thinning out like crazy. Worse than Williams. However, it was leaving a slick film behind so I finished the first pass without relathering. The '59 and Kai were awesome. This is still my favorite Japanese blade. Sorry, Feather fans.

Second pass I re-lathered and got the same kind of lather and same dissipating effect. Made it across my face fine and down my neck. Went under my chin near the goatee line and turned the razor just a hair and caught the corner of the blade. Ouch. Nice nick left behind. Blood and all that. I want to be clear....that was a technique error....gear had nothing to do with it. Went for the third pass, lather getting harder as the brush empties but I got enough to do an ATG and Gillette Slides. Hit it with cold water, alum which was mild except for my chin, then styptic to close the nick. And......I found out from the burn not only did I open a small cut I also managed to scrape a bit of skin off. Nice. Great blade and razor and I screw it up. Well, it is MAYhem after all.

Finish has to be a DFS since the cut is my fault. My impression of the Marvy twins? Not as bad as I expected except for.....the scent of the soap. SWMBO thinks it's like Dove soap. I think it just reeks. The first soap I haven't liked the scent. I can still smell it even after the Nivea. Hopefully it will fade.

​

 

My Marvy brush started out find and then had a shedding field day. To be honest, it so unsettled me when it happened that I haven't gotten back to that brush.

That seems to be the soap's big fault. Hence, the planned Castor Oil experiment.

I've alternately seen the scent of the Marvy soap described as "vanilla", "bitter almond", and "amaretto". It's definitely better than the scent of a new puck of Williams.

I think that when MAYhem is over, a couple of us need to go in on an order of Master Shaving Soap (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QTF5DW/?tag=thshde-20). There's a couple of reviews on TSD from which I gather it could probably be described as the unholy marriage of a soap with the performance of Marvy and the scent of the Veg.

 

Straight Mayhem
I'm a little disillusioned today. I chose this razor because it has a muted tip and I'm tired of scratch marks in front of my ears. I stropped it 20/40 and did my first pass. I was disappointed with the results, and running late, so I got out my Feather AC for a cleanup pass, as I'm committed to straights only this month. I did a monthly focus with this razor and am apparently overconfident. I dug the blade in on an XTG pass and opened a flap on my right cheek the length of the blade. It took me ten minutes to stop the bleeding. I turned a hand towel more red than white and will probably look pretty bad for a week. Oh well, we aren't calling it Mayhem for nothing
Route 66 Sweeney Todd Soap
Omega Boar Brush
Faultless Razor
Alum
Styptic Pencil
Styptic Powder
Towel with pressure
Hydrogen Peroxide
Bandage
Lucky Tiger
Let the coworker teasing begin

 

@mrchick After a such a bad shave, I hope the rest of your day is better and that you heal up quickly.

 

Ouch! I hope that gash heals up quickly

 

Sweeney Todd soap. Just saying.

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Thank you! I'm a little upset with myself for being so careless.

 

But it's my favorite soap

 

They need to make a Mrs. Lovett soap. You don't slice your throat. It just tastes bad.

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Whoa! - is all this standard issue for all you Straight razor masochists?

 

MAYhem 4th 2016


Back to the Pain Stick..


CJB/Feather Pro (3)
Razorock 24mm Finest
B&M Seville
Maggard Alum Block
Thayers Medicated Superhazel
Brut


Went back to the pain stick today for some good ol' MAYhem fun. My RR whipped up the Seville into a superb lather in under 20 seconds and went straight to the face. Face lathered until I was happy and picked up the CJB for what is sure to be another bloody shave. Started my first pass (WTG) and managed to blow through it with no nicks or anything... wait something is not right.... where's the blood?!? Rinsed my face off and relathered up for my second pass (XTG)... I get through this one and get some great beard reduction. I rinse off and feel my face...damn.... I could stop right now... I am nearly BBS everywhere except the neck which is a DFS.. I say what the heck and lather up again for my third pass (ATG) ... cheeks just needed a little touch up and where BBS and I got the neck BBS smooth as well... I rinse off and apply the alum.... dead quite... rinse off again and throw some Witch Hazel on and inspect my face... BBS, no nicks, irritation or anything... what a boring MAYhem shave. Throw on some Brut and I am out the door for a few things.


Update: Cleaning the CJB and whatnot I managed to gouge my palm on the blade... There's the blood!!!

 

sorry... you are a better man than I though, I'll never go near them straights.

 

That's the same setup I use when I use a Old Type with a Bali blade...