March 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

@Bama Samurai I think you're pushing me to go out and buy a SE. Maybe I'll browse the antique store this weekend and see what they have.

 

I really am surprised that injectors fell out of fashion. I get great results! My only reservation is that blades must be ordered online where I live, but they are $6.49 for 7 blades on walgreens, and the blades are lasting up to 8-10 shaves. The blades are much thicker than DE, and also less forgiving, but wow they cut close!

 

Kerry- great looking brush! Classic style.

 

Thanks Chris! It's a great brush..

 

March Focus - Vintage and Carbon
March 6, 2015 - Week 1 Day 6
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Soap - Arko
Razor - Gillete New Long Comb
Blade - (2)
Post - RazoRock Alum & The Mighty Veg

Second and last day for this dog of a blade. Hate it. Not only was it fairly rough today it left two nice nicks on my neck and my technique was solid. Just not a blade I'm going to use again. If it works for you then awesome. I did manage a DFS on three passes but that was the only positive. The alum absolutely raged today even where I didn't have the nicks. So much for the Lord Platinum.

One more day before changing to the Aristocrat and another carbon blade. I think I'll just toss a Voskhod in the New tomorrow. I still have a blade open from my Russian Roulette shave with only one use on it.

Another early start and late finish. Welcome to my Thursday and Friday bell to bell days. I'm ready for Sunday when I can catch up around here. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

At least today's shave ended well with my favorite after shave at the moment.

​

 

March Focus- Be modern, (and I am already missing my vintage DEs. ) Learn to use my Feather Artist Club razor. Any touch ups with a Maggard MR6B.

March 7th, SOTD (Shave 4 of the focus)
Two Day's growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor Start: Feather Artist Club SS non-folding with Pro-Guard Blade (3rd shave on blade)
Razor Finish: Maggard MR6
DE Blade: Sharp Durablade- Stropped 30 times per edge (1st shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister and Mann Seville Tallow based soap, bowl lathered
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block (Didn’t need styptic pencil! Woot!)
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Kyovu Original

Decided to shave tonight, so I won’t have to rush tomorrow. Face was still a little irritated, but not horribly. I also wanted to try the new soap I got for my birthday, along with the aftershave sample. They say on their website that this is a thirsty soap. I think I added too much water. It was too thin, and sliding all over the place. Still worked though.

Did a slow and easy WTG first pass with the Feather AC, and I could see/hear/feel the hairs just sliding off my face. Got two nicks, one right under my mustache and one on my left cheek. Spent a little more time with angles, and using both sides of the blade. Even did a little work with my left hand. Rinsed my face and realized I had gotten a better shave with that one pass than my last shave with the DE. Lathered back up, took it easy and did an XTG pass with the Feather. Two more nicks on my jaw line.

At this point, I could have called it good. It was a better shave than I had had this month. I know that I would have been unhappy by tomorrow afternoon though. I had to mentally stop myself from doing a third pass with the Feather. I grabbed the Maggard razor, with its fresh blade, and did an ATG pass. There were only a few spots where I heard/felt any cutting, mainly around my chin and jaw, and the trouble spots on my neck. I don’t remember liking this blade before, but it seems stropping most blades makes them smoother for me. I am using an oiled latigo strop and using about 12 inches of the surface. Seems to work better than my kangaroo one.

Did a cold water rinse, and hit the alum block. It got my attention, but didn’t make me swear. It also stopped all the bleeding. Dried off and put the aftershave on. I like this stuff. And then I realized, the baby had stopped by. Good shave.

 

Stirling is my favorite soap with the shave den stick a close 2nd. When I dry loaded the Stirling soap it took longer than when I soak the soap with hot water and I start with a wet brush (Marcos method). This expedited the load process quite a bit. Working the lather, there's a point when you add a bit of water and a bit more then the blows up and it's epic. Keep trying.

 

In finishing one entire puck of Stirling Vanilla Sandalwood, I found it easier to soak the puck while I was in the shower and start with a wetter brush. Then load it like it owes you money. If you use the new Omega well soaked it should whip right up.

 

SOTD
March 7, 2015

Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Shield Face Wash
Razor: ATT Kronos S1 Slant Bar Razor
Blade: Polsilver Super Iridium
Brush: L'Occitane Plisson
Lather: RazoRock Essential Oil of Lime
Post: Alum. Thayers Lavender WH.
Aftershave: RazoRock Problem Solver Lime
Wonderful shave. Holding the ATT you know you have a great quality razor in your hand. This RR Lime soap is super! I love it!
Go out and get it

 

03/07/2015
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – ATT S2
Blade – Persona Lab Blue (1)
Brush – RV with Shavemac Finest
Lather – MdC
Post - Witch Hazel and Dove AS Balm



I decided to change up a day early from the ATT S1 to the ATT S2. The only difference between the two base plates is the S1 is a closed comb slant and the S2 is an open comb slant. The S2 was easy to find the correct angle and mowed down the whiskers with ease. A 3 pass shave yielded a near BBS but my errors resulted in 2 small weepers. This is not unusual for me the first time out with a new razor. I look forward to using the S2 the remainder of this week before both go back to their owner.

 

Really diggin that brush!

 

Thank you. It is certainly one of my favorites.

 

Seven shaves in a row with the Ikon shavecraft 101 (OC side only) and still not feeling the love. Like Drygulch, im missing my vintage DE's. Maybe it's withdrawl from Chrome Im experiencing....

 

Tell me about that RR lime soap and aftershave. I have the Orange scented version of both (Don Marco) and they are both fabulous. It's all I can do to not buy some right now after looking at the pic.

Is it a nice, strong and most importantly fresh lime smell?

 

I thought about my grandfathers today. I know they shaved in the traditional way because I remember watching them as a youngster. My grandpa on my dad's side was a school superintendent when he retired and I don't recall more than a few times I saw him that he wasn't clean shaven every day. He had a variety of razors, from DE to SE to disposables and electrics. My grandpa on my mom's side was a rancher and he only shaved about once or twice a week. He used a Super Speed if I recall what I saw - I know it was a TTO. Both, however, used a brush and a puck of soap and I pretty much remember them just face lathering as we call it now.

With all of that said, I wonder what kind of pansy I am to always feel like I need a pre-shave oil or something.

Prep: hot wash and Cornhusker's Lotion
Lather: Frankensoap
Brush: Vie-Long 13061M
Razor: Gillette New LC
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (1)
Post: cool rinse and Proraso green aftershave

 

I remember my dad shaving using a TTO, brush and puck of soap as well. Not sure what he would think about all the effort I put into the simple act of shaving.

 

It's excellent! fresh, summertime, I found myself smelling the jar for a couple of minutes. The problem solver is a must! They go hand and hand.

 

Why haven't you used the other side? I find the closed side a better shave.

 

Because of this bold statement.....

 

Placing an order at Italian Barber today. The word "summertime" sold me. I really need some summertime in my life right now....

I think I am going to find a fourth good Italian soap to go with my Cella, and the two Razorocks, and do this as a focus next month.

Any suggestions gentlemen???