April 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Welcome to the 30 day thread!

What tools did you use to enjoy your shave today?

 

Arko April Focus - CJB Kamisori
April 3, 2015 - Week 1 Day 6
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - VDH Boar
Soap - Arko
Razor - CJB & '59 Gillette Superspeed
Blade - (6) (6)
Post - Alum & The Veg

If I ever get the neck figured out this will be a great shave! Just seems like the neck is never as smooth as the face, but I know it's just going to take practice and continuing work on technique. One weeper today but nothing else and the blades continue to perform well. Off to face a Friday!

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04/03/15
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – GEM 1912
Blade – GEM SS Coated
Brush – Rubberset 400 with Omega Boar
Lather – Strop Shoppe Baker Street
Post - Witch Hazel and Dove AS Balm



@JR Reyes was kind enough to let me test drive some GEM razors. I didn't want to abuse his kindness by keeping the razors to long so today's shave I used the GEM 1912 with GEM SS coated blades. The Strop Shoppe soap whipped up a great slick lather which helped with a fantastic 3 pass shave. Not BBS but pretty close. I do have problems with the GEM razors above my lip so I cheated and used a Schick Injector in that area. I will add that I like the SS coated blades much better than the carbon blades.

 

April 3rd , SOTD (Shave 1 of the focus)
Three and a half days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor Feather Artist Club SS non-folding with Pro-Guard Blade (3rd shave on blade)
Razor Finish: Gillete Red Tip- B2 (1956)
DE Blade: Big Ben- Stropped 30 times per edge (1st shave on blade)
Soap: Barrister & Mann's Latha Soap
Brush: Tulip Wood Brush- TGN Best Badger Knot 22mm x 54mm loft
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block,
Aftershave: Barrister & Mann's Latha Post Shave Splash (Alcohol Free)

First shave for the April focus, had to skip the Arko today to use the Latha that @Chuck F was gracious enough to PIF. It was bowl lathered with my badger brush, which is probably my least favorite brush of the six I have. I am using it for this month’s focus (except travel) so I can see if my opinon of it has changed at all. Latha lathered up easily, and performed outstanding. The scent is barbershop, but with a very sweet note. My wife liked it. The post shave splash was also very nice and soothing.

Hadn’t shaved in three and a half days, which might be the longest I have gone since getting into wet shaving. I was in a bit of a hurry this morning, so only did one N/S pass with the Feather AC. Just scraped the latha off, and most of the wiskers went with it. Had a CCS on a single pass. Grabbed the Red Tip to do a S/N pass, and a bit of touch up on the neck. DFS plus shave! Alum was quiet today.

@NCoxSTL- I only got about 15 shaves in with my Feather AC in March. I think you will have more than that before April is halfway done.

 

Well I will be taking a day off tomorrow from the CJB. Saturday is an early day and I think a day off from it is in order.

 

Prep – Hot shower, homemade sugar scrub
Razor – Gillette Slim
Blade – Voskhod
Brush – Omega 48
Soap – Arko
Post - Clubman Bayrum

A little disappointed but overall I got a decent shave. I thought my neck was going good when the third pass didn't feel like it was cutting anything but there were still some rough patches. My plan for tomorrow is to focus on that area first then continue with the rest of my shave...maybe it will help improve. Sorry for the short post it's a hectic day already.

 

Prep: Hot shower, Neutrogena Invigorating Face Wash, TSD Jasmine Sambac preshave balm
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: RazoRock One-X
Razor: RazoRock Bamboozled RAKE OC
Blade: Baili Super Blue (1)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG (1, 2, 3)
Post: Cold water splash, Bloc Osma alum, Dickinson's WH, RazoRock One-X AS splash
Cologne:Jasmin et Cigarette by Etat Libre d' Orange

I cannot recall anyone singing the praises of the Baili blades. Friends, I'm here to tell you that the silence on this front is well-deserved. I had good prep, and face-lathered up a good layer of protective lather from the One-X and the Simpson; the razor continues to be easy to find the ideal angle with. However, the blade was not particularly comfortable or well-mannered, producing a couple of weepers and even some razor burn. . . and I tend to prefer platinum coated blades like this one. I'd rate the shave as DFS+, but not as close as the past couple of shaves I've had.

Happy Good Friday to those who celebrate.

 

I have never even heard of these blades. Where on earth did you find them?

Happy Good Friday to you as well!

 

They were part of a runner-up PIF distribution on this forum some months back.

 

Razor: Bluebeards Revenge
Blade: Wilkinson Black
Brush: WD Marble Handle Silvertip, 24/67
Cream: Bluebeards Revenge
A/S: Lucky Tiger
I will stay with this combination for a30 day focus.

Don't have Arko soap, not sure where to get it up here.

 

I have the Baili blade on my "bad blade list" for a future monthly focus. Glad to hear I have it rated right.

 

Arko April!!


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3 April 2015. Day 3, blade 1 - The mighty mighty MTO (Weishi 9306) late post

Blade still holding strong, face feels great six hours post shave. Automatic!

Happy Easter!
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Any set up you like is just fine. Welcome to the April thread, Arko optional!

Lucky Tiger is great stuff...was used in the barber shop my dad took me to as a kid. Great memories.

 

Good post. Happy Easter.

 

Thanks for the Welcome to the thread. Sounds like a great memory for you and your Father. It's funny how sometimes it takes us so long to recall great memories form our past.

 

Straight razor trial. The only weeper I got was from the Schick though. Every shave I have used the Schick with has resulted in blood below my lip and above my chin. I will continue with the Schick, but unless I get the blood thing figured out, it may go to the back of the cabinet.

 

Good picture. Thanks.

 

Day 3 and 4 April Arko Focus
Same setup as yesterday:
Prep: hot shower
Soap: Arko
Razor: ikon 102 short handle
Blade: Voskhod (shave number 3 and 4 )
Post: TSD signature 2x menthol milk. Proaso green post shave balm

The biggest thing I've learned in these for days so far is that each soap behaved different. I need to use a wetter brush with Arko direct to face than I would with a Marcos Stirling application. Got great lather and overall great shave. 3 pass and even don't mint the smell if the Arko. Someone said it reminded them on ivory soap. That's kind of what I'm thinking as well. My 12 daughter loves the combo of tsd signature milk and proaso green aftershave. Winner:

He has risen!

 

04/04/2015
Prep – MR GLO
Razor – GEM 1924
Blade – GEM Stainless PTFE (2)
Brush – Brothers Bristles with WD HM
Lather – AOS Sandalwood Cream
Post - Witch Hazel and CC Sandalwood AS



Very good 3 pass shave this morning. Not as smooth as yesterday's shave with the 1912. This razor just seems a bit more aggressive or harsh. Overall pretty pleased with the shave.

 

Merkur 39c focus

Semogue 1800
Vreto Premium Guava
Merkur 39c
SuperMax Super Stainless (2) - Gillette Platinum White (2)
Bello Bay & Lime

WTG+XTG+ATG=DFS

Getting the hang of the troublesome neck spot, much better results with less passes today. Supermax blade gave out after the right cheek and started tugging and pulling like mad so I tossed it and put in a Gillette Platinum White also on its 2nd use to properly finish the shave.