FEB 2015 30 Day Rule/30 Day Focus Pic and Discussion Thread

2/4/15 - Blade Focus/Face Lather February

Mornings are not when I want tuggy shaves, so I removed the Derby blade and used a Ladas Super Stainless. Night and Day! I'm going to have to look back at my records and see what razor the Derby worked well in because it doesn't seem to be the Weber. However, the Ladas was amazing. 3 passes and BBS without even trying to achieve it. The little BodyShop synthetic brush surprised me with how quickly and well it made a slick and shiny face lather. I may need to stick with it for a couple of days to see what I think of it with extended use.

Prep: warm wash and Cornhusker's Lotion
Lather: TSD Grey Vetiver type
Brush: BodyShop synthetic
Razor: Weber PH
Blade: Ladas Super Stainless
Post: warm rinse and Proraso green aftershave lotion

 

02/04/15 February Focus on Blades

Prep - Hot Shower
Razor - Mongoose Satin B2
Blade – Feather Pro (4)
Brush – Rudy Vey Rover Briar with Shavemac Finest 26mm/52mm
Lather – AOS Sandalwood Cream
Post - Witch Hazel and AOS AS Balm



Great 3 pass work morning shave. The Feather Blade was much smoother today. I've read comments that it gets better after several shaves and after today, I believe that is the case. The AOS Sandalwood Cream and Balm were gifts from my daughters. The cream proved to be easy to lather and very slick. I'm still more of a soap guy.

 

February Focus - Blades
2/4/15 - Day 5

Brush - Omega Pro 48
Cream - C.O. Bigelow
Razor - EJ89L
Blade - (2)
Post - RazoRock Alum and AV Musk

Day 2 of the Sputnik and the smoothness continues. No drag, no pull, just a smooth pass everytime, and today without the nicks. So, improvement there. I could have stopped after two passes with just a little cleanup with a DFS but went ahead with the third since I need to be consistent. Third pass caught the baby. Nice. Alum bit some on the neck but better than yesterday as well. Seems this blade may need a first run to settle down.

Grade - A on the BBS with no nicks/drag. The alum still stung some but was improved enough to save the 1. So, A1 today. Definite step up from yesterday.

The answer to the bonus picture yesterday.....the Soviet spacecraft was the VOSKHOD. @dbersh and @txskimo both got it right so they have Voskhod blades headed their way. Today's gratuitous Soviet space picture features two cosmonauts in the Voskhod. This craft only flew two times between the Vostok and the Soyuz-1. To say it was an engineering nightmare is to be kind. Interesting history.

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Day 4 Feb Focus with 66 Slim Adj
Very good shave today. Even with a blade at end of its life cycle, the razor provided a close comfortable shave.

 

Focused February


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Dad's Schick Revere Handle Injector
Chinese Schick
L'occitane Plisson Synthetic
Proraso Eucalyptus Tub
Today's Great Cheap AS™ Is AV Musk!


Yesterday was absolutely the easiest and most intuitve shave I have yet experienced. I can already tell that Dad's injector is a great shaver. Wide sweet spot on the angle and lots of gap/exposure make quick work of one day growth. the skinfeel after the shave was awesome, the alum block was quiet.

I can really tell that injector blades are thicker and stiffer than DE blades. Not kidding, I loved this setup! I am so happy I chose this after last month...

Happy Wednesday!

 

Talk to us about your dial settings...I did a 30 day rule on a Slim last month. Only nine really worked out for me, I would like to hear your thoughts.

Seems like Russian PTFE blades really like your face!

It's interesting how blades change over the week as they dull.

I would love to hear more about how you feel about that brush!

injectors are amazing!

Shaving like a hero!

 

Today I had it set on 4. I know that is pretty mild, similar to my Merkur 34C. Working with proper angle is my ultimate goal. Although I get very good shaves, at times it feels like I am scraping my face even though no irritation or feedback from Alum or AS. I haven't felt the "scraping" the past 2 days so I am going to bump to 5 tomorrow and see how it goes. The more comfortable I get the higher I'll adjust to find the best setting for me.

 

I agree. I have noticed that the Teflon blades tend to work very well for me, and also a couple Platinums I've tried, such as the Rapira PL. Stainless blades have not been as good for me, but we will see if that trend continues. Up after the Sputnick are two stainless Gillettes followed by a platinum Gillette.

I love that razor. Class and style. Now I have to start looking for one. Once again TSD has enabled my RAD. Love it here.

 

I'm going to say today was a horrible shave. Maybe no irritation and some minor nicks but from the start I knew it was bad. The lather just wasn't slick and instead of correcting the problem I just kept going. All in all it was a decent shave but horrible comparing it to the last two days. Now to find the culprit in my lack luster lather!

 

My Wednesday Afternoon shave was the equal of Tuesday's shave! (which turned out to be an amazing one, with less than normal whisker growth by the time I shaved the next day.) Two passes, with some chin touch-up, and I had another BBS day. I am really liking the "effortless" great shaves. My only worry is that this little sports car razor will spoil me for anything else in my shaving drawer. (except maybe the G razor) (Day 4)

 

Day 5 of my 30 day focus on blades and face lathering is in the books. The Ladas Super Stainless blade is simply amazing. The bad news is I only have 1 other Ladas blade among my over 400 blades! The good news is that I have a lot of different blades to try over the rest of the next couple of months. Today's shave was as easy as any that I've had in the past year. The lather came together quite well with the TSD Grey Vetiver and the Bodyshop synthetic brush. 3 passes just because I could. I think I could have stopped on 2 but everything just felt good so I kept going.

 

02/05/15 February Focus on Blades

Prep - Hot Shower
Razor - Mongoose Satin B2
Blade – Feather Pro (5)
Brush – Rudy Vey Rover Briar with Shavemac Finest 26mm/52mm
Lather – MdC
Post - Witch Hazel and Dove AS Balm



Excellent 3 pass shave this morning. While remaining extremely sharp, the blade has smoothed out. In fact it feels sharper after 5 shaves than the Kai Mild Blade did at the start. Negative of this is a couple of small weepers that were my fault. I plan on finishing up this week with this blade and then moving onto another for next week.

 

Day 5 Feb focus on Slim Adj
Bumped up to setting 5 on the adjustable (made adjustment when I loaded the blade after photo was taken). A little scraping first few strokes, adjusted my angle of attack and results were very good to DFS. Will work a few days at this setting and see how it goes.

 

February Focus - Blades
2/5/15 - Day 6
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Cream - C.O. Bigelow
Razor - EJ89L
Blade - (3)
Post - RazoRock Alum and Proraso

Final orbit of the Sputnik. Oh, come on, you knew I'd say that at least once. This blade really intrigues me. Today was as smooth as before, no nicks/weepers etc. Two passes produced a near BBS and I do believe if I'd stopped there the alum would have been quiet. However, since I am on a protocol I did the third pass on my neck only, caught the baby yet again and yet again felt the alum biting after. Proraso, however, produced no further burn.

A for the BBS again and by the amount of alum feedback I have to go 2. So, A2 to finish.

FINAL GRADE = A-/1.7. This puts it just behind the GSB. However, I plan to revisit this blade for a couple of reasons. Number one, it feels like this blade could have a long life. I'd like to see how long this blade can last. Number two I'd like to try some 2 pass for DFS/BBS and check irritation. I believe this may be a great choice for the 2 pass when needed.

COST = Best online price right now is $7.70/100 or 7.7 cents per blade.

I'm putting the Sputnik after Voskhod and edging ahead of GSB based on overall comfort and price.

Sputnik is manufactured by Gillette in St. Petersburg. Tomorrow - the Gillette Sharpedge (yellow). A platinum blade also from St. Petersburg.

Final gratuitous Soviet space picture today features Valentina Tereshkova - the first woman in space. She piloted the Vostok 6 for three days in June 1963. It would be twenty years before the first American woman would go to space. Also, Valentina was the first civilian to fly in space as her appointment to the Air Force was only honorary.

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Today was a lot better although it still could have improved. This water to soap ratio is kicking my butt but I'll eventually get it down. Shaving while listening to Dean Martin was a nice way to wind down after work. Sinatra was yesterdays musical choice, who should it be for tomorrow?

 

Glenn Miller...

 

Good choice. Honestly I don't have a lot of knowledge about this music other than hearing it from time to time but I must say I enjoy it. A lot more relaxing than my normal musical choices and it really does help after a hectic day. Classical is also a favorite of mine.

 

When I was in Florida early December, at one of the zillion flea markets I bought a 4 cd set of big bands...at only 48, my wife says I was born in the wrong generation..I tend to agree

 

@txskimo and @dbersh - You mean to tell me I'm the old man and I'm the one with Pink Floyd and Emerson Lake and Palmer going? I do like big bands however, and classical. But I also like a lot of modern stuff too.

 

Razor: '52 Gillette Super Speed Black Tip (X2)- Steel Handle and Baseplate
Horsehide leather razor cover
Blade: Astra Platnium-First shave
Soap: Homestead Ranch Goat Butter Shaving Soap- Naked in the Woods Scent- face lathered
Brush: Omega 50014 Boar Travel Brush
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block
Aftershave: Theyer’s Witch Hazel, Cucumber scent

Apparently the hot water at my mother's house doesn't work in the bathroom. Cold water shaving does not work well for me. Two pass socially acceptable shave with two weepers. My neck feels rough, but no long term irritation.