May 2022 30 Day Rule/Focus and Discussion. All Are Welcome!

Thank you Gary.

 

DE # 402

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: The Smith Long Handle
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Brush: CRD Sky - O- Earth 26 mm Synthetic
Lather: Arko
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue
Additional Care:
Stirling Alum Block
Thayer’s Witch Hazel - Original

First shave in the southern Villa. Keeping with this month’s weekend DE theme, the Smith Long Handle received the honor. That being said, it is the only DE in the Villa at this time. Eventually I will move a few more down here from the Northern Den.

The CRD synthetic brush whipped up a nice Arko lather. I received a very close and comfortable shave which was finished off with the AV splash. I am smelling good for a nice day I. The hot but not humid Florida weather.

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.

 

Fantastic bay rum shave Hogie.

 

Excellent Hogie. Nice razor to eventually develop both shave and honing techniques. I would agree with Jeff, @jgreenepa, that perfecting your technique with the DX should be your first approach.

 

Excellent cooling shave Daniel.

 

Great shave Joe! Enjoy the weather!

 

Excellent shave Joe, and a really cool razor, love the handle! But I have to ask, is the baseplate upside down or some sort of 2 in 1 design?

 

Thank you, Joe!

 

I’m not familiar with that DE brand. Sounds like it’s working for you!

 

Thanks. Good to be back! I only shave every two or three days right now, but I will post the shaves when I do.

 

Great photo and some really cool history. I have heard stories of guys saved by bullets deflected or stopped by pocket Bibles, but this is the first one I have heard of partly saved by their razor! Guess it was a good thing it was a "safety" razor -- and a metal-handled Schick instead of the ubiquitous bakelite or plastic Es and Gs of that era...

If I understand how that straight works, it has a set of multiple blades that are slid into the frame? So it ends up being like it's contemporaneous 7-day straight razor sets but with only the blades being changed daily?

Was this the precursor to the early wedge safety razors like the Wilkinson Empire sets?

 

Since you have both the 2.0 and the Pro, maybe you can answer a question for me. How does the upper end aggressiveness of the Pro compare to the 2.0 three-dot plate?

 

One possibility is to buy a bottle of menthol crystal M-Bomb from the TSD Shop. (They used to sell it, and now that the Shop is back, probably either do already or could if asked.). Add a drop or two of the liquid menthol additive to a lather bowl or brush full of any soap or cream to make your very own mentholated product, iced just as much or as little as you want!

 

I did not know the TSD shop was reopened for business. I assumed it was closed permanently.

 

Thanks, John! But yes, in answer to your question, there were three numbered blades available for each razor. It’s similar to the modern shavette, except in those days there were no DE, Injector, hairshaper/trimmer or AC blades available. 7 day sets were just seven different traditional straights labeled by day in a case. Hope that clarifies it. Enjoy your shaves!

 

John, I'm kind of embarrassed in not being able to answer your question. I have never shaved with either the one dot or the two dot plates.

 

Thanks Joe...I really enjoy Lakewood.

 

Yesterday’s shave

Gillette New Deluxe head.
Signature Shaving brass handle.
Bolzano Superinox blade (fresh).
Yaqi two band badger brush.
Mitchell’s Wool Fat soap.
Timeless Razor shave bowl.
Cremo Bourbon and Oak EdT.

Awesome shave yesterday. Today will be a no shave day. Three nice passes. The Bolzano blade does a great job...I just don't know if they are worth the price. I picked 5 up to get a discount a while back. I'll get a few more shave in with and make a decision.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

That's a good tip, thanks! I've considered doing something like this, but if I would order from the US, I would have to pay customs and I'm trying to avoid all that hassle. But in this city is a few vape stores, and while I don't vape, I know that they sell similar menthol drops very inexpensively. Maybe I'll try that some day and see if it would work!