December 25, 2016

Razor: F2 Gillette FatBoy (4)
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Brush: Razorock Plissoft 22
Soap: Mineral Fusion

Back to normal after yesterday's shenanigans. The brush is new, however, a gift from my wife and daughter. I think I need to read up on technique for using a synthetic, though, as I ended up with lather everywhere.

A mostly uneventful shave ending in a DFS. The shave gods did step in to chastise me for tempting them yesterday and humbled me with a pair of small weepers.

Hope you and yours are having a good holiday.

It's been my experience that it doesn't take as long to load a synthetic as it does boar or badger. I generally only load for a few seconds (maybe 10) with my Stirling Kong.

10 seconds for me with my synthetics too. I do use a fair amount of pressure when loading them though.

Sent from my Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

Back to work decadent shave. It's Monday and back to the office also no pic today.

I changed my technique with SMN cream yesterday and it was big success so I tried it again today. Tea kettle and scuttle were deployed and took a couple of good size scoops of the SMN and put it in the hot water at the bottom of the scuttle and built an awesome lather with a Shavemac silver tip. Day 3 for the Rocnel adjustable with a day 2 Feather blade. Took the razor to 8, the highest number but I think it can go past the max number (to be attempted next shave) and got busy. For the 4th pass I turned it down to 5 and went for the epic shave. The first two shaves I was just a few weepers short of an epic shave but today, it was epic. No irritation, no blood, long lasting BBS.

I hope the rest of my TSD brothers are enjoying their Christmas Day.

Christmas Day

Muhle R41 head (2013) & Weber Bulldog handle
Feather (3)
Edwin Jagger XL Synthetic
Tabac
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and CC Bay Rum

One pass and done this morning for nice, close shave. I finished with CC Bay Rum aftershave, which seems perfect for Christmas Day, and Terre d'Hermès cologne. I'm still fairly close nine hours later, but I had some dried red dots along my jaw line and a tiny bit of neck irritation.

I'm starting to think that the heavy-handled R41 may be a little much for an everyday shaver with the blades/routine I've used this month. I have occasionally been pushing my blades past three shaves, so I'm going back to my three and out routine to eliminate one variable. I also think the lower humidity has dried out my face, and that's not helping. With limited data, I'd say my R41 performs best for me with an Astra, followed by Perma-Sharp Super, and then Feather. I've yet to receive my shipment of Polsilvers, and I'm curious to try them in the R41.

My instincts tell me that a less-sharp blade, as I understand a Voskhod to be, may be the best bet for this razor. I'll likely drop a ten spot to find out. Yes, you guys read it here first, and your eyes are not playing tricks on you. I may order some Voskies in 2017, if they're legal east of St. Louis. I loaded a new Perma-Sharp Super for tomorrow's shave. I'm going with a real careful routine this week to see if I can achieve good shaves with no weepers or irritation.

My Bride and I spent yesterday afternoon with my side of the family, we celebrated Christmas together this morning, and we spent this afternoon with my Bride's side of family. Plenty of laughs, hugs, gifts, and food to go around. We're kicking back now and watching A Christmas Story.

I hope you all had a joyful Christmas!

The Cartel has no interest in the legality of Voskhods......we merely have an interest in seeing that they are used. If anyone gives you any trouble where you are just report it to the boys here and we'll remove the obstacle(s). They aren't the brightest but they do a great job in pest removal.

It's been a couple of no shave days for me. My parents are visiting for Christmas, so it has been a bit busy. I had planned a shave today, but my dad got sick, so we stayed home instead of heading to church. I have been playing with the kids and cooking a lot of the day, which has been fun. My wife seems to be coming down with whatever my dad has, so hopefully this thing doesn't run through the family.

More importantly: Merry Christmas to all of you. I wish you and your families a joyous day (evening).

I assumed this was Standard Operating Procedure. But then I recall the rest of y'all shave in your bathrooms. At the kitchen sink I've got elbow room, a higher counter top, & shorter pipes to the water heater. Then there's the coffee pot within reach, plenty of cabinet space, and no SWMBO to tell me I'm doing it wrong.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Simpson Captain 2 Manchurian
Fine Platinum
Wolfman WR1-SB with Darwin Deluxe Titanium
Feather HS #1
Fine Platinum
Creed Adventus


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Decadent December!!

December 25

Razor - Soviet Consul
Blade - (3)
Soap - Arko
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Post - Alum

Time for shave #3 on the Consul at setting 3 and the final night for the Swede. We have some high stakes donation action riding on my results from here on out so the pressure to perform is high. Let's hope the razor is up to it. The big Pro 48 produced lather with Arko like a machine and enough to share with the neighborhood. I kind of forgot about the size difference and overdid it a bit. Oh well. Arko is cheap.

Dialed the razor up to 3 and tightened it back down, looked at the blade and the gap and.....I think we're seeing a weakness developing. Looks to me like the corners of the blade, meaning the ends, are squeezing down just slightly more than the center. It's subtle, and perhaps even an illusion at this point, but I would swear it's bowing ever so slightly upward in the middle. If that's the case and, if every setting exacerbates the issue, this is going to get interesting before it's over. A bowed blade will drive up irritation and perhaps create the opportunity for those corners to do a bit of blood work. Time will tell.

As for the shave tonight it was still smooth and no problems at all. Again, this 3 feels more like a 5 or so on a Slim and it looks more aggressive as well so 9 is going to be a trip. Two passes to a very solid DFS and the alum was basically quiet. The razor passes 3 with flying colors. Tomorrow we change to the Rapira Platinum Lux and dial it up to 4. We'll see if it continues to get the job done without a problem.

I trust your day was relaxing and enjoyable for the holiday. We attacked a Chinese buffet earlier and had our traditional meal and sat around and did nothing. Perfect holiday. Now, the only problem, I am working every day this week as this is normally our busiest week in the year. I will be totally lost on what day of the week it is.

I liked the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon from @wristwatchb today. And for those of you not familiar with the plot of the strip or its origins, I thought I'd give him a treat by sharing the very first Calvin and Hobbes as an extra holiday gift. The tuna remark from the earlier strip may make more sense for the less informed as well.

Have a great Monday!

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"We're kind of stupid that way ". Sounds like another 30 day focus group t-shirt idea.

We should start keeping a list of all of the ideas and put it to a vote at some point.

Here's another one.

I enjoy following your progress with the Consul. It should be interesting once you're shaving with it wide open. All kidding aside (I hope I'm not breaking any rules here), it's hard to beat Arko and an Omega boar brush for a fantastic shave.

Neal, have a great week, my friend.

We'll let the rules violation slide this once. But Ivan's watching you.

Chrstmas Night



-Mongoose
-Duke 3
-Stirling Iced Pineapple
-Stirling Orange Chill

Had to do a fairly quick shave at the end of a long and tiring, but really nice day. My kids even got along all day without bickering, which is a present all by itself. Moved a little too quickly with the Mongoose and a Super; even though there wasn't so much as a solitary stubble left standing anywhere, I paid for it with a couple of weepers.

Hope you all had a peaceful day.

No work today, so no shave. But as you can see ingrained habits are no respecter of off days. You'd think a guy would be able to sleep in on his day off, but NOOO. Obviously I did not drink enough last night during the festivities. I'll have to do better next year in that department. However in the eating department I was a champ. Herself really did a 4.0 job. Two bacon wrapped pork roasts from Sams Club, homemade apple sausage stuffing, roasted potatoes, homemade cranberry/blueberry sauce, corn, string beans and butternut squash. I'll be fasting today. That is all.

Hello everyone - I hope you all had a pleasant Christmas weekend.

Today's shave:



- CRSW "Spiced Amber"
- Simpson Commodore
- Schick G
- Chick blade
- Alverde ASB

First time I tried one of these chinese Schick blades in one of my Injectors. I have to admit: I like them better than the Personna blades I've used to date. Very nice shave, smooth and close. BBS in two passes.

Jim, I hope your Dad and wife get well soon. Here is hoping that whatever it is, doesn't work through the rest of the family.

Beautiful photo. Love the Fine Platinum Soap and AS combo.