JUNE 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

June 5 - Shave 3
Prep: Hot shower, Nivia Face wash
Brush: Omega 48
Preshave: Stirling Mentha Preshave oil
Soap: TSD Lanolin Signature 2x ice scent
Razor: "Spike" Henry Sears and Sons 1865, round point, 5/8
Growth: 1.5 days
Post: Cold water splash, alum, Clubman AS, Proaso Green + m-bomb post shave balm.
Passes: WTG, XTG, WTG
DE: Gillette SS with Wilkinson (5)

Tonight was all about getting that BBS. HASHTAGCHASINGIT!

So many exciting things to share tonight! Not only did I welcome two new whipped dogs to the rotationm, but actually added 4 new razors! Two were my whipped dogs (thanks Larry) and two flea market finds freshly cleaned and honed by Glen (@gssixgun) I started my shave this evening prior to checking the mail so I didn't even know my gemstar reconditions were in! So I took spike out for a spin on my face. Being that it's a round point, I didn't have to be as careful while shaving.

What a pleasure shaving with spike. Great shaver. I struggled with the stretching due to soap slickness - yeah hashtaggreatsoapproblems (@Queen of Blades) honestly the easiest soap to load and produce a great, slicker, lather. Off my "soap" box...

After three easy passes with very little pressure, I move to the DE to chase the BBS! The only thing needed was a neck XTG and a face ATG pass. GOT IT!!! So happy the have established a process - during the week, no DE. weekend - add the DE to "clean up" the goatee. I will say that in my process of working a handlebar goatee, I'm not 4 weeks out and entering that "freakin' annoying" phase.
Cheers!
Eric

 

Today is the last SR shave for a few days because tomorrow I am off to Macau for some R&R!

Last time I tried just 2 passes then DE to see if the extra passes was the cause of irritation. So today I went for 3 passes and had the least irritation ever for 3 passes with a SR. I am still not as close as I would like. I used a DE to touch my next for DFS. Even the alum did not highlight any irritation, hopefully the shaves will start getting closer. Either way I feel some sense of accomplishment before I head to Macau (I will be using a DE).

Proraso Pre Shave
AoS Sandalwood Tallow
Rooney 3/2 silver tip
Futur with a Super Iridium blade
Alcolado Glacial AS
Edwin Jagger Lime and Pomegranate ASB
Hermes Terre d' Hermes


Tomorrow Macau!

 

Looks like great! Orange menthol sounds very nice

 

Coming along very nice!

 

Thanks! I really like the TV Special, as it is probably the easiest razor for me to just pick up and shave with. I have a '48 Milord and honestly prefer the TV Special. That is a nice haul you have.

 

Cold water shave focus day 6:

Homemade PS Oil
Vie-long Horsehair Brush
TSD Iced Sub-zero
'58 Gillette TV Special
Stirling Unscented PSB
Aqua Velva AS

Once again a good shave this morning. I can see this becoming my way of shaving. The cold water intensifies the menthol. A nice chilling effect.

 

That's a very nice haul Charlie. Are you doing a vintage focus for June?

 

5/0615 - A Month of Proraso!!!

Proraso Green Soap
Semogue Italian Barber LE
Gillette Bostonian
Pol-Silver Blade (3)
Osage Rub

BBS Shave. Proraso, once finding the right water content, is a great soap. Slick with a good cushion. It's not a thick lather, but just right for me. The menthol and scent are tuned down to where neither is over bearing.
I like a good paste to help the blade glide, and this soap does just that.

 

06/06/2015
Razor – Gillette New LC with Triad SS Helix
Blade – Feather (2)
Brush – Shavemac Silvertip D01
Lather – Mystic Water Lime
Post - Witch Hazel & Myrsol Agua Limon Sample



Great 3 pass BBS shave this morning. This morning was the last shave with the New LC for this focus. This week reminded me that the New OC are truly great razors. You should give one a try if given the opportunity. The performance of Mystic Water is worth the increased effort to lather. The scent is fantastic and the soap is so slick. Finished off with Myrsol Limon.

 

Day 5 of 5; 30-Day JUNE Rule
Final day using the Red Imp.
I've decided to add one more razor to the June mix—which means each razor (a total of 6) will be used for five consecutive days before moving on to the next.
Five days is ample time to really see what each razor can do; how the edge feels on the face, how much effort is required to get a smooth result, how the razor feels in the hand and ease of navigation around the face.
In the case of this…Case Red Imp, I came away very impressed with the performance. Easy to use, very audible, keen smooth edge, brilliant results with minimal effort. If you have the opportunity to try or acquire one of these IMPS, I highly recommend them. This one is my third—the largest (6/8") of the RED IMP trio—and each one has proved to be a very good razor.


Tomorrow: A taste of Sheffield Steel….

 

No growth, no shave.

 

June 6th, SOTD (Shave 4 of this focus)
One days’ growth
Prep: Face Scrub
Razor: Wade & Butcher 5/8 The Celebrated Extra Hollow Ground- Post 1890 with wood scales
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel Horsehide/ Linen (25 on linen, 50 on leather)
Soap: The Shave Den Lime
Brush: Eveready 100T re-knotted with 22mm TGN Synthetic
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: The Shave Den Iced Lime Aftershave Milk


Decided to try shaving daily for a few days, and see how it goes. This is the second shave on this razor since I got it back. It honestly feels a lot like a Feather in my DE, in that it does a great job, but is a little harsh on my face. It was finished on an Apache Strata stone. I am hoping that it will mellow out some with use. Would taking it across a pasted strop do anything to help? Did a two pass with no touch up today, XTG then ATG. With only a day’s growth it was simpler to get a DFS. Because I could feel the irritation, I didn’t go for any touch up.


Getting ready to leave on another business trip, and am debating on taking a couple of straights in my travel kit. (I will remember soap this time.) The Shave Den Soap is nice, and the milk helped with the razor burn I ended up with.

 

I might see if I can get away with a daily straight as well, but if my weekend DE goatee maintenance keeps giving me such a close shave, not sure I'll be able to pull that off!

Take the straights on the trip! They love to travel

The milk was one of my first TDS purchases and LOVE IT!

I also think the wood scales look nice on that razor.

Cheers!

 

Thanks Charlie for the well wishes. Wish me luck for the Orthopedic appointment.

 

Razor: Gillette Redtip, (A-3) 1955
Blade: Gillette, Platinum (3)
Brush: Fendrihen Silvertip Faux Ebony Handle, 22/49
Soap: The Shave Den- Coconut
Mug: Soak my brush in the Old Spice coffee mug for about a minute.
A/S: The Shave Den- Coconut

Another excellent combination of Razor, Blade, Brush, Soap, and A/S. Had a great shave this evening. One of the main reasons is the THD soap. It is good to see @Sara-s understands the proper depth for of the container to allow DE shavers to mix a outstanding lather and not have soap all over the counter. Big thank you to @Sara-s. . The soap mixed into a fantastic lather with a great coconut smell. The Shave Den A/S finish was perfect. I think I lost my Focus.3 passes with a cleanup.

 

Dougls, I can't take credit. The soap you describe was made by JoAnna, not me.

 

Tell Joanna I love her soap. Did you make the A/S?

 

No, she does.

 

June 6, 2015
30 Day RULE - “Saturday Success - Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Lather, Rinse....”

Prep: Lucky Tiger Lemon Facial Cleansing Cream
Morning Hot Shower
Pre-Shave Oil: The Art of Shaving
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: Gillette Gold Tech “Fat Handle”
Blade: Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword Stainless (India) (1)
Mustache/Beard Trim: Schick Golden 500
Aftershave: Proraso Aftershave Splash Green



I decided that I'll change blades after 3 shaves for this regimen, just to take the guesswork out and maintain another element of consistency.

Continued focus on basic technique. I think I have found a good combination of razor strokes on the trouble spots of my face (jawline - at and below) as today's shave left almost no patch of unclipped whiskers! I know now that it's up to me to refine the repetition each day as I develop a consistent process to hone the technique. I won't mind doing things the same way for 3 weeks in order to get there.

Think I'll celebrate with a smooth rye and a nice cigar in the warm evening, cool breeze tonight.



Cheers!
- RT