May 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix and Discussion

Or get yourself some of these cool outdoor smoking pants.

 

Thanks but I think I would rather get bit by the snake again then wear those.

 

Mystery May!!!
Feather TTO Week



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This is a pretty sweet razor, even more so because it's widely available for about fifteen bucks. It's an SS clone with a longer handle...and used in conjunction with the "ride the cap" concept, delivered the automatic two pass DFS! Alum was good, and the Skin Bracer was a fun change up. The mystery blade seems a good match for Feather Popular, and I will go one more day before I try to max out a mystery blade on the Fatip Grande. Headed out to stargaze a bit, it's perfect on the prairie tonight. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.
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Have a terrific Thursday!
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May Focus Day 23:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
Stirling British Leather SS
J Wiss & Sons
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling British Leather AS

I pulled out the new Wiss & Sons razor this morning and was rewarded with a truly great shave. This razor just effortlessly wiped away the lather and took the whiskers with it. One pass, a little clean up, and I ended with a DFS.

The Stirling British Leather whipped up into a wonderful lather this morning. I didnt use a third of what I had, and I almost felt bad washing it down the sink.

All of this has me set for a busy Tuesday. A few electrical engineering managers from sister refineries and I are evaluating a vendor for use on future projects. They are taking us on a whirl wind tour of Texas as we are visiting a job site outside of Dallas and then their shop in Lubbock. All of this, and I will supposedly be back in Houston in time for dinner. I hope everyone has a great day.

 

Sick day home from work. I attempts to get ready feeling terrible but only managed a one pass cheat shave.

Edge canned gel
Sam Seong
Dorco BB
Pinaud Citrus Musk

the blade was tuggy today. I've Los count of how many shaves this has on it so Its probably just dead from use. SAS.

 

Well I fiddled with the Cadet OC for over 30 minutes last night trying to get the blade aligned and I am convinced it cannot be done. The problem is not with the top cap, the posts hold the blade perfectly aligned in relation. The problem is with the base plate, it seems the holes that accept the posts from the top cap are drilled off center. So the problem is not uneven blade exposure on opposite sides(I might be able to live with agressive/less agressive sides), the problems is uneven blade exposure on the same side. So I decided I will go with the red tip and possibly try to find another cadet head.

 

SOTD May 24, 2016
Injector/SE Focus



Prep: Warm shower
Blade: Chinese Schick (5)
Razor: Schick G1 Injector
Brush: Omega 10049 boar
Lather: VDH Luxury
Post: Witch hazel splash, Fred's Old Spice knock-off, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

Smooth, comfortable shave with the G1 injector. The VDH whipped up into beautiful, protective, cushioning lather. I struggled with the lathers earlier this month but have found a ticket with the big boar brush and lots and lots of added water. This soap is really good and very inexpensive!

As you all know if you've been reading this month the G1 Injector is rising higher and higher in my estimation. It may become my daily workday razor. I get a smooth shave with fewer passes than a DE. It's a great little razor and I've tremendously enjoyed improving on the technique with it over this month.

Hope you all have a good Tuesday!

 

Very nice Perry! How close are you to using up that VDH ? Who knew that 2.5 Oz of soap would last so long LOL

 

I can't quite tell! It's going strong, that's for sure. I've been loading A LOT on the brush and it still doesn't seem to make much difference. It's amazing how long soaps last.

 

according to the recent poll, it appears @Bama Samurai likes to make cookies.

 

I like mine

 

Straight Mayhem
Another very nice shave. It's been over a week since I even had a weeper. This is fun!
Tabac
AoS Pure Badger brush
Hien 650 Kamisori
Thayers WH
Ogallala Bay Rum
Have fun!

 

22-24 May 2016- Soap/Lather Focus

Razor: Chinese Gillette Super Blue Blade (aka Sterling) / Fat Tech handle
Blade: GSB
Brush: Noname Chinese Pure Badger
Soap: Arko

On vacation at the Kalahari Indoor Water Park in Sandusky, OH.

I can definitely see what you all see in Arko. I've been having some of the easiest and nicest lather that I've had in a while. The floppy Chinese badger is a bit annoying at times, but seems to do a good job at getting water to soap.

The Sterling is a bit more aggressive than my pre-War Tech, though not overly so. It's probably more like my 48-49 Milord. I've had to be a bit more conscious of technique, though that's not a bad thing as I've probably been getting a bit sloppy.

All in all, despite the use of inexpensive gear for a travel setup, I seem to be getting some very nice shaves.

A couple of side notes...
I ended up having to go to the Walgreens in nearby Norwalk, OH where they do have the Gillette Platinum Plus blades a $6.99 for 9 along with the usual VdH products. The Sandusky Cracker Barrel has the Badger brand shave soap, but not the horsehair brush which I had been hoping to see in person.

 

You hitting up Cedar Point too?

 

Glad this thread has helped you. I know it's made all the difference in the world to me as well. I was thrilled to be a charter member and am thrilled to be the humble host now.

 

MAYhem 2016!!

May 24
Razor - Durham Duplex
Blade - (1)
Brush - Marvy
Soap - Arko
Post - Cold water rinse, Alum to check, Nivea

It's the @Rufus T. second round shave and it's a WILDCARD day. He landed on the Durham Duplex which I was hoping to get a chance on. Very interesting piece of gear. The company started in 1908 and began advertising in 1909. It is a "safety straight" razor with an open comb guard system on it. The one I acquired even has original blades with it, though I haven't tried one yet. They are carbon so I'm a bit gun shy. Or should I say rust shy.


Personna makes blades that fit the razor, though there is some discussion on if they are really "shaving" blades. There are others made for carpet cutting and, as I have learned here, pathology. Clearly a blade for a dead person doesn't have to be the sharpest. They probably don't complain much about the roughness. In 1920 the company claimed 9 million users, or roughly 1/3 of the shaving market in the U.S. They were so successful that Gillette actually sued them in the U.K. to keep them from being sold there. Clearly Gillette saw a potential competitor to be dealt with.

The hold on the razor is essentially that of a straight. These were an attempt, obviously, to provide a safer option to straights in order to woo the growing market that included Gem SE's and, of course, the Gillette Safety Razor. They also produced a hoe type razor that I still haven't been able to acquire, but it's on my short list just because of the novelty of these razors.

So, enough history. Let's shave. While the razor didn't bother me, the choice of brush did. The Marvy. YUCK. Small little irritatingly stiff brush that likes to shed some still. And I'm using Arko, per @Rufus T. so a face lather is essential. I can say I had a decent lather ONLY because of the Arko. I think you could whip up a lather with it using a feather duster, so the Marvy did the trick. Enough lather and slickness to do the deed.

The Durham is a comfortable razor and provides lots of audible feedback. What it doesn't provide is a really close shave. Whether it's the guards that keep it milder or just the blades available today, one pass doesn't produce enough reduction to ever consider stopping there. I did three full passes, same directions and passes as with a straight, and did finish with a barely DFS. I think that's as far as I got it the first time I tried it to. The blade either doesn't get enough exposure on the face or, more likely, just isn't quite sharp enough. It's not an uncomfortable shave, just less than ideal for result. Still, using it from time to time is really fun since it's a nice piece of the history of shaving.

Cold water, Alum to prove it's pretty mild. Just a bit of burn but I'm still roughed up from two days of the Blendax so no surprise there. Nivea to cool it off and make it a nice feel.

Also, for full disclosure, after my CJB head shave yesterday, I did "Heisenberg" my head today. (disposable in the shower) just to even things out. There were a few rougher patches this morning than normal.

With that shave in the books I considered ending my MAYhem shaves since I'm up against a very busy weekend. But......only four more to give everybody their second shot so I'm not stopping now.

@Drygulch - you're up! Give me the numbers and let's see what my back to work shave tomorrow is!

 

No shave today. My face and scalp still look like I went 12 rounds with Mike Tyson. Will pick it back up tomorrow.

 

A wise move. I would say you deserve a day off after that many passes with the Tiger.

 

I'm heading out tonight to meet friends for a Bon Voyage dinner. They are leaving for Italy tomorrow. I treated myself to my favorite shave. A full N/S pass with my Boker Red Injun (a bit politically incorrect, but a great shaver) which on my beard is mostly XTG, followed by a combination ATG, touch up pass with my Weber Polished Head with a Fresh Voskhod. Easy BBS and the alum might has well have been a glass block. A splash of Floid Blue which I will renew as I head out the door. The Boker is my favorite straight as I picked it up NOS and honed it from scratch myself.

 

I will go for 3, 3, 3, and 3. You have had a pretty rough month. I am considering getting you a gift.