February 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

February Fat Boy Focus

ToBS Eton College, B-400 WD/HMB
Gillette 195 E4, Yellow 7 O'clock blade
Alum block & Lilac Vegetal AS Lotion


New products in my den! Thanks to John @Sparrow and the marvels of International Shipping, today I enjoyed ToBS cream with a lemon & patchouli scent. The vintage suribachi bowl he sent from Osaka, Japan did well containing my overzealous application of the generous sample. Mental note; a heaping snurdle is too much product. Whipping up plenty lather with the B-400 using the Whipped Dog High Mountain badger knot made for suds to spare. First pass WTG at 9, subsequent passes as Gillette intended adjusted down to 6. Having an excess of cream in the bowl I completed ATG, XTG, G-slides on my neck, and still had leftovers for chin buffing. The ToBS never gave up and the scent made me want to keep going. Reducing the razor setting has allowed a couple extra swipes but not increased irritation. Alum was pleasantly cool even on my admittedly over shaved neck. Even The Veg went on pain free. I don't claim BBS often, this was close.
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

Eton College is good stuff.

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I had a sample of the avocado but couldn't force myself to use it. I'm not a fan of those black skinned evil green beasties. Of the three samples I received Eton smelled the best. I had to look it up to see what the scent is.

 

I get lots of orange from it. It pairs nicely with Clubman Citrus Musk.

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Beautiful picture, Mark!

 

That bowl is great. Eton College is the one TOBS cream I have purchased. I wish I had gotten the matching AS.

 

Jim.

 

That is one beautiful brush amigo.

 

Onward and upward.

 

Thanks very much Charlie. As you know Marines are part of the Navy, so we run into an Admiral ever once in a while. Thanks for you kind words about my photo. We've had snow this year for sure, but not that much. We had freezing rain last night, so we'll have see what the roads are like this morning.

 

February 8, 2017
Gillette Aristocrat Jr 1949
Feather (3)
“Amigos” Elite Ironwood Beehive with Envy White
Czech and Speake Oxford & Cambridge
Fine Lavender

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I will deal with the good before the bad. The good news is that this brush is amazing. If you want a badger knot with good backbone, scrub and flow through then I would suggest an Envy White knot. The C&S soap is working out well. I have found it pretty easy to lather with a great scent. However for my purposes it does not equal MdC so I am confident it won't make the "Buy Again" list. In razors I am looking for a reasonably efficient smooth drama free razor. Unfortunately with the Aristocrat Jr I am not getting those qualities. Like the Slim, I find the razor overly harsh for something so inefficient. I kept the Slim and Super Speed around because they are my birth year razors. With no such attachment I am fairly certain that the end of the week will see my last use of this razor. I finished up the shave with a splash of Fine Lavender. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.

 

Sorry to hear of your unhappy experience with the Aristocrat Jr. Clint.

 

I can't seem to keep up with the thread this month. Last two shaves were both using razors removed in a trade from @alpla444 in the U.K. Still trying to work through a sample of Soap Commander Inspire.

Sunday's shave was with my first French blade. In new acrylic scales, with an awesome wedge, we have a Nessel 56, full hollow, 13/16 round point. The back side of the blade reads, "Garanti Trempe Et Affile, A La Main, M.D. 112. 481-M.I.54 762". The size on this razor is about perfect. Very keen edge, and a very smooth shave. I did three passes, and then figured out a new pass on my neck that got three quarters of the stubble, going from the bottom of my neck on the outside, up to the corner of my chin. I was holding the tail of the razor, and using my wrist to move it in an arc, rather than my normal grip. No blood, quiet alum, and Lustray Blue Spice mentholated awesome.

Today's shave was with vintage Sheffield Steel. Original horn scales have some nice color to them, and it has the original lead wedge. It is marked B.I.R.R. Trademark on one side of the blade, with a wagon wheel. The back side of the blade says 1501/34. French point, half hollow and 6/8 in size. Did my normal three passes, and the half pass on my neck, and ended with a very high grade DFS. This razor isn't as smooth as the Nessel, but still a good shave. Finished off with Fine Green Vetver. No irritation and no blood.

 

Feather Fatboy day 8 - the blade is still smooth and getting the job done. Another shave and it will be record for me and a Feather blade. I brought out a 2 year old tub of TSD Wheat shaving croap that has dried into a harder soap and it is doing well. Looking at my records, today was lather #41 with this tub of soap. At the rate it is going, I expect it to last at least 80 more lathers, so it is another fantastic value from @Queen of Blades

 

SOTD February 8, 2017

Random selection:


Pretty good shave today. I think the Nomad soap was drying to my face some. My neck feels a little raw today and there is a little irritation. My upper face is pretty smooth but still feels a little dry. But overall decent results I guess. The randomizer is fun and today provided a good scent combination.

Have a great day!

 

Great looking pictures Adam.

 

Clint, that is a great picture! Too bad the razor isn't giving you the performance you would like.

 

Good looking razors, Adam. How does the French steel work for you? Sounds promising.

 

February 8 SOTD:

Razorock Plissoft Brush
Palmolive Classic Shave Stick
Ikon X3 Slant w/Maggards MR5
Stirling Unscented PSB
Proraso Red AS

Along with the Henri & Victoria soap I used yesterday, I also got this Ikon X3 and Proraso Red AS with the gift certificate. This was my first use of a slant razor, and I have to admit the angle did not feel too natural when looking in the mirror. I had to focus a bit more, but it is plenty capable, and I got a DFS on two passes. The AS is nicely scented, as I find the scent more pleasing than TOBS or some of the other Sandalwood scents I have tried. The post shave feel of the AS is very good. On initial use, I would rate it higher than most AS, but I will hold off for a few more uses just to make sure.

I hope everyone has a great day!

 

8 February 2017
Hump Daaaay Blade/Focus Shave.
In honor of today's tropical temperature here in the Great Garden State, I pulled out the Taconic Bay Rum Shaving Cream. To me it seems more like a croap. No matter, the 10098 whipped it into a great smelling lather. The Feather blade is doing an adequate job on my weekday stubble. Two passes today with just a bit of clean up in the lower neck. Some Clubman VIBR and I was good to go.
Have a good 'un.