April 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

I'd also recommend to pick ONE setting on your adjustable and stick with it for the 30 day rule. I used a lower setting. You will have plenty of time to crank it up later.

 

Just stop!

 

Cheers
Montie

 

Thanks. I figure I will keep it at 2 and won't likely need a higher setting anyway.


Cheers
Montie

 

@montieg
Figure out which way the grain goes.
My neck is north to south at the top, and south to north at the bottom. In the beginning I had to limit myself to With The Grain (WTG) passes to maintain comfort, which was my primary goal.

 

Seeing as how I'd probably never get past a setting of '1' or '2', anyway, I'm tempted to ask if I could borrow your old one for MAYhem.

 

I did 2 passes. First was with the grain and second was across the grain. You're right though, I should do with only until I figure out.


Cheers
Montie

 

How bout it ya'll? Whose in for Mild May-use all of your mildest razors?

 

No problem at all.

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Welcome aboard Montie. The advise given already is the key. Keep us posted on your progress and let us know if we can help.


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I will. Thanks.


Cheers
Montie

 

Welcome, Monty! We're always happy to have new blood here! You have a great avatar and motto for this place!

You listed some excellent kit: good solid razor that will work for a lifetime of shaves, fine choice of blade, and an excellent soap (I have been trying a sample of it lately and it works great.)

Question out of curiosity: What brush are you using?

Two items you may want to add to your setup are a bar of alum and a bottle of witchhazel. You use the alum bar on your wet face after rinsing off the lather. It shows you your problem areas by stinging on the places where you used too much pressure. It also closes up any small nicks or weepers and also generally tones your skin. You then rinse the alum off and apply any postshave product you are using. If you don't have a specific one (or even if you do), witch hazel is an excellent addition. It soothes any razorburn and cleanses and disinfects any nicks or weepers. You can also use it as a general household treatment for cuts, burns and insect bites.

 

Thanks. For the brush, I am using a Fendrihan synthetic black and white brush with a 24 mm Knott.
I ordered an alum block and will be getting witch hazel for sure.
I think the main area I had problems with is my neck. Since I have a beard it was the largest area and I think I either put too much pressure or wrong angle or both.


Cheers
Montie

 

Excellent choice of a brush as well! The new synthetics give the old traditional badger and boar brushes as run for their money while being lower maintenance, and 24mm is a great all-round size.

Edison Carter hit the key points of our 30DC mantra here. Follow them and you will have excellent shaves sooner than you expect would be possible.

The three key elements: Ride the Cap, No Pressure, and Skin Stretch -- Touch down on the cap first, then rotate the razor down until the blade just very lightly touches and that's your shaving angle. Let the weight of the razor do all the work while you just guide it without ever pressing down. And use your off-hand to stretch your skin taut.

There is a thread on Riding the Cap which is well worth reading. Here's the link: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/3pc-de-aggressive-razor-fundamentals-riding-the-cap.51048/

I would add that while 3 passes, WTG, XTG and ATG, is the conventional wisdom on shaving sites now, everyone is different. I almost never do three passes myself. I do two -- sort of diagonally WTG and then XTG on my face and ATG and then WTG on my neck. It gets me a shave that is clean enough for all social purposes without any irritation. If I try to go three passes and possibly some cleanup to get the fabled BBS (baby bottom smooth) or Dolphin Smooth, I just wind up with a lot of unnecessary razorburn. And the BBS shave feels like sandpaper in a few hours anyway, so what's the point? That was one of the biggest things I learned here on the 30DC -- shave to my comfort level and not other people's.

Happy shaves!

 

That is super helpful thanks. A mantra that will for sure help me improve.



Cheers
Montie

 

APRIL Focusish, and Inspired!

Barbasol Arctic Chill; Canned & Molested
SP⇨2 Cypress & VS Black Badger brush
Osaka Suribachi bowl and cool water
Ming Shi 2000S (Merkur Futur Clone)
Gillette Wilkinson Sword ; made in India
Alum block, Barbasol Pacific Rush AS
TSD was mentioned in an article and which shave soap did they list? Good old Barbasol! So I jumped the gun on a Menthol Monday since I'm an every other day shaver anyways. Wet the bowl & brush because that's what we all do. Shot a generous portion of foam into the bowl and punched it down. This thickens up the product and incorporates added moisture. The badger knot absorbed most of the lather, but released as I added a couple more trickles. Popped a fresh blade in the zamak dohickey and noted the place of manufacturer. It's not Russian or even Japanese steel but with half 100 pack I figure either I'll like them or send em to Neal. Noting the cap alignment - it's either correct or other - snapped the unit together, checked the setting of 4-1/2, and commenced a WTG pass. It's become N-S jawline and above, S-N on most of my neck. Relathered and went ATG being opposite of 1st pass. Third pass generally ear to nose followed by squeezing the rest of the soap out of the greedy knot and some chin buffing. Rinsed and swiped alum for a little noise on both sides of my neck. I didn't even try for a BBS but disturbed the skin a little. Rinsed off the alum and applied AS with a great alcohol burn. Smells good too.
Good Shaves Y'all!

 

Many people have issues with their neck. I would add one further tip. Do not try to get a perfect smooth shave. That will come perhaps come with time or like many of us, you learn to be satisfied with a very good irritation free shave. Most days, I do not end up with perfect shave myself.

 

I hope I can eventually get a perfect shave. With multi blade razor I seem to have been able so it gives me hope.


Cheers
Montie

 

You likely will be able to then. I have one spot on my lower right neck that takes a lot of work to get perfect. So most days I accept near perfect as good enough.

 

I think I'm a little ways away right now. One step at a time.


Cheers
Montie