April 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Wow. Project Mayhem has really changed since Brad Pitt left.

 

Where is my mind? The state of Colorado frowns upon their soap recipe.

 

February was a great month, with the Schick I1. March of course, was the venerable Eveready 1914, and this month was Arko April, utilizing my Lord L6, SuperSpeed, and Krona. I was starting to feel that maybe I gave the Schick injectors too much credit, and so thought I should do a shave with myI1, and Arko, to compare shaves using the same soap.... WOW!!! If I wasn't convinced before, I will say that I am an ARKOLITE, an ARKO ADVOCATE, ARKO ADDICT... well, you get the idea. I had a two pass, no irritation, nothing but net, shutout, BBS shave. In my mind it is offical.... Arko delivers!

 

Couldn't wait! I had to switch up today! Gem customstar DFS straight came in!!!
Prep: Hot shower
Pre: Stirling Orange Chill Preshave oil
Soap: Stirling Orange Chill Soap
Straight: Gem custom Straight
DE Cleanup: Ikon 102
Blade: Voskhod
Post: Stirling Orange Chill witch hazel and aloe

I wanted to make sure that my first experience with a straight was as protected as possible so I knew that I knew that I knew if I used my Stirling Orange Chill, I'd at least have lube and oil taken care of. So the rest was up to me! Many thanks to @gssixgun for the amazing razor and patience listening to my questions.

After getting comfortable with the blade in my hand, I decided to dive in. First couple of strokes, I was needlessly to say, I was very nervous. As Glen suggested, I started slow and small. I was able to get both cheeks, lower chin, one small section on neck. Happy that I didn't cut myself, I cashed out my chips before doing any real damage Finished up the 2 passes with the ikon 102. Not the best but definitely not the worst! Super excited to get more comfortable with straight. Razor photo courtesy of @gssixgun via facebook.com

 

Very nice! I am rather impressed by the number of us who have attempted our first straight razor shaves this month and last, whether it was with an Artist Club or a Traditional. I definitely know how you felt the first time you were putting the blade to your face. It's rather nerve wracking until you realize that the first small pass didn't result in your death! Welcome to the wonderful world of bare steel on flesh!

 

Very nice. And also very ambitious! A lot of moving pieces in that plan but a lot of great variability plus the challenge of daily pictures as well. That will be rather chaotic at some point and that is the definition of MAYhem!

 

Congrats on the success and very nice looking razor

 

FB focus day 24:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Bay Rum SS
Vie-long Horsehair Brush
FB w/Rapira PL set on 7
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling Bay Rum AS

Ever had one of those shaves where you just felt off? Today just seemed like everything I did was just a bit different than normal. The shave was not quite as good as I normally get nor as comfortable. But the Stirling AS still felt good going on, so it is off to tackle this Friday.

 

@Norcalnewb We all have those days. Hope your Friday goes better and you have a great weekend.

 

I didn't shave yesterday afternoon. I'll shave this afternoon. I guess that make two that are in the plotting mayhem mode.

 

It happens to the best of us

 

04/24/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade –Feather Pro (8 )
Brush –Shavemac Silvertip D01
Lather – Soap Commander Passion
Post - Witch Hazel and CC Bay Rum



Very near 3 pass BBS this morning. First time using this new to me Shavemac Silvertip DO1. Managed to get a good lather but the knot is very dense. I'm sure I'll get it dialed in after a few uses. Finished up with witch hazel followed by a splash of Captain's Choice Bay Rum. Happy Friday! Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

I noticed that PSO seems to make it harder for some lathers to adhere to my face. If the soap and oil are fighting each other on my face, they keep either one from wrapping around a whisker. I have noticed that PSO and some Creams work really well together. I like soaps, so have pretty much stopped using PSO.

 

April 22nd , SOTD (Shave 10 of the focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: Wade and Butcher 5/8 Square point (post 1890)
Strop: Oiled Red Latigo and Linen- 20 laps on linen, 30 on leather
Razor: Gillette Red Tip- B2 (1956)
DE Blade: Dorco Stainless- Stropped 30 times per edge (1st shave on blade)
Cream: Babasol Original Canned Goo
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Regret
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman


Sorry for the delay, and the long post. Was traveling for work and didn’t get to post an update while on the trip. Had to give a couple of presentations, and needed to make sure I was professional and presentable. You know how you always forget one thing on a trip? This time is was my shaving soap. I had everything else. The drug store I finally found did not have any soap, or creams that could be used with a brush. I grabbed a can of my old faithful Barbasol. I used this stuff for a long time, and it worked better than other canned stuff. This is the first time I have attempted to use canned goo in over three and a half years. It didn’t go as well as planned.

The canned goo pulled all the water off my face, so when I went to shave with the straight, it was like dragging the razor across a face with no prep. I did one WTG pass with the straight, and skipped my chin. Then I grabbed the Red Tip. I made a comment in this thread about being able to get good results with a Dorco blade if I stropped it, so that’s what I had loaded. Maybe I get comfortable shaves with it on a well prepped face, but it was not comfortable on this shave. I did one ATG pass, cleaned up my chin, and called it good. I then proceeded to light my face up with an alum bar, and splash Clubman alcohol on it. My boss commented on how irritated my face looked. Sigh.

April 24th , SOTD (Shave 11 of the focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: Wade and Butcher 5/8 Square point (post 1890)
Strop: Oiled Red Latigo and Linen- 20 laps on linen, 30 on leather
Razor: Gillette Red Tip- B2 (1956)
DE Blade: Dorco Stainless- Stropped 30 times per edge (2nd shave on blade)
Soap: B&M Latha, Bowl Lathered
Brush: Tulip Wood Brush- TGN Best Badger Knot 22mm x 54mm loft
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block
Aftershave: B&M Latha/ Pinaud Clubman


Back home. Have all my gear. Grabbed the Latha soap and aftershave I won in the PIF to use today, because it makes a very nice and slick lather. Working on some different grips on the straight, and think I found the one that gives me the best control. I am holding it like I hold my Feather Artist club. With the handle extended. Except for the ATG pass on the neck, where I fold the scales out of the way, and can actually get where I need to. Did two passes, N/S and S/N with only one nick on the chin. Did a third pass ATG with the Red Tip. There was almost nothing to clean up! I heard it trimming on my chin, but my neck, cheeks, and jaw were smooth! BBS 95% of my face and neck, with just a couple of DFS spots. Alum had a bit of bite, but not too bad. Splashed on the Latha aftershave. It is non-alcohol, but is soothing and works well.

Finished my shave and asked my wife to touch my face to see how smooth it is. I do this because she is annoyed by the time I spend wet shaving, and thinks me asking her to touch my face is silly. When I found that out, I made it a part of my shaving routine. She commented on the smell of the Latha, and said she much preferred the Clubman. She asked if I really needed to use the Latha stuff, since I had so many options. I think the Latha just got removed from the rotation.

 

Since you travel so much why don't you make a travel kit and keep it in your luggage. A good cheap soap you know you'll have good results with an extra brush, razor etc. that way you only have to worry about what extra you might want to bring. Just a thought so you'll never be stranded again.

 

Yeah, I have a travel brush, and cases for all my razors. I keep them in my shave bag, ready to grab the other stuff. I have a smaller soap in a steel mug that I use a lot of times when I travel. This was a case of just forgetting to grab the soap and aftershave. I think I will build a kit, and if I decide to take something specific, I will take the soap out only after I have put a new one in.

I will be quite happy to not use canned shaving cream again for at least another 4 years.

 

@Drygulch I only have the Latha soap and the best thing I can say about the scent is it's gone by the time I finish lathering. Not sure I could take the AS Splash

 

Yeah, its a different kind of scent. The first time I used it, my wife liked it. I was on the fence, but with her saying she didn't like it, I am sending it to a new home.

 

Yikes- I have not touched canned goo since I started wet shaving. After reading your post I may never again.

You need to buy a 12 pack of Arko, and place a stick in your car and every travel bag you own...

 

I appear to be alergic to Arko, so that won't work either. It burns when I put it on my skin. My next order from The Shave Den is going to have a stick of soap in it though. Right now I have a mug full of the scraps of multiple soaps that is going to be my travel go to.