Hi everyone.

We are now into early summer and early winter depending on where you live. It dictates appropriate cool or hot drinks, meals and most importantly shave setups. Thankfully, we have many choices in our shave den that our shaves never get mundane. I feel sorry for those people missing out on what we have discovered to make our shaving experience pleasurable. In any event, I want to thank you all for sharing your shave posts last month.

Monthly Themes

Ok, this month's themes are pretty easy. It's the same as last month It's a Just Do The Basics July. In our early days of wetshaving, we used the basic hardware and pedestrian software. It aligns with our motto, "Technique trumps tools." In other words, you don't need to bring out your fancy stuff to get a fine shave. So if you choose this route, then make life easy and use the average, run - of - the - mill shaving supplies.

It can also be Jagger/Gillette July. It really is self-explanatory. If you have a Jagger or a Gillette razor than your as good as gold. I don't believe Jagger makes blades, but Gillette does. Therefore, if you have Gillette blades, but not a Gillette razor, then you are still solid.

Finally, there's always Just Shave/No Worries July. It's another way of stating that you can shave however you fancy. No pressure. It is your shave, so do it your way.

The 30 Day Rule

Take ONE razor, ONE blade, ONE brush, ONE soap/cream and use them EVERYDAY this month. Yes, everyday. But Trigger, I want variety! I know you do, but until you perfect your technique, it makes little sense to constantly change the variables of your shave.

The Focus

For you out there that are not up to the rigors of the Rule, there is this alternative:
Vary the gear for each shave, save for perhaps one or two elements.
This is a more accessible challenge for the majority of shavers. I like to pick a particular aspect of the shave, be it the lather, a certain blade or a new razor, that needs breaking in, and not change it daily, until I have mastered those tools.

Ok, to keep the thread on a nice even keel, I ask everyone to follow the thread etiquette as listed below:
1. New Members always welcome. Start anytime.
2. Old Members always welcome.
3. Respect everyone.
4. Refrain from political conversation.

I also want to suggest that we should try to assess our shaves as to why it was good or why it was not up to your standards and express these reasons in your comments. The spirit of this thread is to improve our shaves and if we share the reasons why a shave was good or bad, then we are giving our experiences to encourage good technique and discourage bad technique so that we have great info to get better shaves. I am not suggesting that we do it for every post, but I think it would make for a healthier thread if we start to do it more than we have in the past years.

Moreover, you don't have to do a rule or a focus. You are free to change your setup on a shave to shave basis.

Finally, I want this thread to continue to be a friendly place. It is ok to disagree because that is how we learn from each other, but let's encourage and respect every member. Yes, even if you think they are off the wall. Let's face it! We all are a little off because of our different Aquisition Disorders. Lol!

Let's have a group hug!



Also, let's have some awesome July shaves and fellowship.

Sincerely,

Joe (Trigger)

Another great introduction Joe to start the month.

1st July 2025.



​

Shaving Recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/Cien Men Kenya Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face & head.
Pears Naturalé aloe vera & olive oil bar soap.
Brush: Omega 11047 'Mixed Midget' Badger/Boar.
Face & head .
Bowl: Tesco's Ceramic 'Cosmo' Side Bowl
Lather: Palmolive Classic Shave Sticks. (Grated)
Blade: Lord Shark Super Stainless. (D1)
Razor: 1960's Gillette Slim Twist.(ENG)
Razor: Gillette Guard. (Head/Dome) (D2)

Post:
Cold Water Face & Head Rinse./Cold water face & Head wash with brush squeezing's,/Alum Rub./Cold Water Rinse./Homemade (~Spring/Summer mix~) Lemon, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Essential Oils.5 Menthol Crystals Mixed Together With Care+Witch Hazel./Aloe Vera Gel./ Blue Stratos Original Blue ASL.

Greetings,

(Face & Head Shave)

A relaxing cooling early morning face & head shave.

Starting off the month off with 1960's Gillette Slim Twist.

The 1960's slim twist was my first vintage Gillette DE razor which was kindly passed on to me by a friend of the family. I've said this on many occasions, it still amazes me that a 60-year-old + vintage razor can still shave so smoothly.

The Lord shark super stainless are a good match for the mild, yet efficient with the 60's slim twist feeling comfortable smooth & efficient.

Another close comfortable acceptable face & head shave with no errors to report.

Finishing the shave off with a generous splash of Blue Stratos Original Blue ASL.

My face & precious swede are feeling smooth and smelling divine.

Stay safe, and enjoy your day ladies & gentlemen.

Thanks Joe. It is amazing to think that some folk just use the same stuff day in and day out. While we are having fun!

Nice start to July Barry. I did get gifted some Blue Stratos and agree with you it is very nice. One can afford to be genorous with it in its application!

01 Jul 2025

2 Days growth


Hot Water Prep: no preshave
Soap = Woolly Wash Soapery OUTBACK
Brush = Pura setola
Bowl = white plastic
Razor = Gillette The New Long comb Gold Plated
Blade = Vintage Zwilling JA Henckels (3)
Passes = 2 +
Post = Usual CWR, Alum, rinse, pat dry, Thayer’s rose petal
ASL = Pinaud Clubman or is it Clubman Pinaud
Scent = TBS Black Musk

Another smooth damage free shave

Today I tried shaving without prep once again, sine the Woolly Wash Soapery is so impressive. Just the hot water prep, no Preshave

Worked out fine as it turns out

Probably added a little too much water to the soap, need to keep this thicker, but still worked out just fine

Great start to (what already?) another month!

fabulous start to the month gentlemen

Great intro as usual, Joe!

I am going to do Just Cold Water Shaving July. I will let the chips fall where they may as far as the equipment goes.

-Tuesday-
1930 canadian new SC
omega
canada
razo-rock puros



good morning gents
gillette july
fine canada lather ,smooth 2 passer,minor pickups
puros tobacco splash to finish
awesome
have a fine day everyone
​

Great shave to start the month, Barry!

I had a Gillette Slim Twist (and may still in a carton of razors somewhere). It shaved much like a Tech but I didn't particularly like it: I found the handle felt too light and the balance felt "off" as a result. I know: picky, picky, picky...

Lovely closeup photo of that razor, Chris!

How old is that "vintage" Zwilling JA Henckels blade? I don't think Henckels makes razor blades anymore does it? I assume it's still recent enough that it is a coated stainless steel blade of some kind and not old carbon steel?

Great Canada Day shave, Gary! A vintage Canadian Gillette razor and Canada Shaving Soap -- doesn't get much better than that!

thank you John,Happy Canada Day.

Thank you Gary.

Tuesday July 1 ( morning) - Just Cold Water July and a Canada Day shave


Prep: Hot shower with Aleppo olive oil and 20% bay laurel oil soap (traditional anti-acne); followed by cold water pre-shave face rinse

Razor: Matte black stainless steel Supply 2.0 injector with "nick-proof" SE comb plate / Supply White Label (house-branded Personna)(7)

Soap: Crown Shaving Co Shave Cream

Brush: Jason @jtspartan 30DC Limited Edition maple with ApShaveCo cashmere synthetic knot

Lather Bowl: None

Post: rinse, alum, rinse, Osage Rub, Clubman VIBR

Last shave: Tuesday June 24 (early morning) - 7 days ago

The Crown Shaving Co shave cream face lathered easily and provided excellent glide and protection as well as good post-shave skin care. The spearmint oil gave the lather a bit of a tingle on the face, but the earlier cold-water rinse reduced the feeling -- and then the shock of the menthol and eucalyptus in the Osage Rub followed by the alcohol and bay leaf oil burn of the Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum rendered the spearmint oil's "slight tingle" insignificant.

Two passes - one WTG on my face and ATG on my neck and the next XTG everywhere - removed the stubble with no need of any cleanup passes.

Alum was silent and I had no visible nicks, blood spots or razorburn. The double whammy of the chill and burn of the two splashes finished off a good shave.

Same to you, Gary!

fabulous shave John.

Thank you John...Everyone has an opinion John, I personally like the Slim Twist, some people don't like the light handle.

You're all hot out of the gate for July! Great shaves, all!

“Un'altra bella introduzione alla nostra gloriosa comunità di rasatori.”

“Another fine introduction to our glorious shaving community.”

Excellent cooling shave John.