July 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

07/24/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Triad Helix SS
Blade – Feather Super Pro (11)
Brush – Rubberset 400-3 with WSP HMW
Lather – Jabonman Citricos
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine L’Orange



Another fantastic shave this morning. Not quite as good as yesterday but still exceptional. The Jabonman is super easy to lather with a complex citrus scent. Thank you again @Drygulch for the PIF of the soap. Finished off with a splash of Fine L'Orange. Happy Friday.

 

SOTD 30 day SR focus day 27.
Hot shower
Pre: AOS lavender pre shave oil
Strop handmade
WD HMB brush 24 mm
1953 old world Shulton old Spice mug
AOS sandlewood cream supercharged with M-bomb from TSD.
Dubl Duck goldedge SR
Post: cold water rinse
Pat dry
AOS sandlewood balm and
Clubman original.


Dubl Duck Goldedge

 

Well can't it be both?

 

Unexpected side effects of my focus have occurred.
I have been doing my focus on straight razors. I like all my straights and they all give great shaves. Usually I finish off with my sandalwood balm and a splash of clubman original. The other day I changed and went for the old spice. To my surprise, my wife said I smelled like a man, but not her man. Why?
As it turns out, she likes the sandalwood, Clubman original combination (or at least gotten used to it). So, since she has expressed herself on this matter, the Brut and Old Spice will have to sit in the back of the cabinet.

 

Well of course, and thanks very much, we both are.

Mind you, he did have a little rough period at the start.
(must've been the long road trip, and as I remember he did look a bit green on the ferry ride)

But he seems to be settling in nicely now...mumbled something about never having traveled much with you.

 

Thanks for kind words gentlemen.

 

July 24, 2015

***COMPLETED*** 30-Day Focus - Blade Trials for Gillette Tech

Day 3 of 7-day Vacation in
Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
48.8450° N, 123.2808° W
Island climate, island time, island life.

...and then the rains came. Actually it's a good thing.
All of Western Canada and the US are in drought mode with wild fires blazing. This may at least help a bit with the fires.



the gang wanting to go outdoors...

Oh well, at least we can shave in any weather!

Omega brush, Stirling Island Man, Aristocrat/GSB and YingYand AS.

Great two-pass shave once again.
Ahoy!
RT

 

I do this all the time, especially with a hard soap and a cream. Nice going!

 

Several years ago, I was reading a post somewhere and a guy was replying to someone who was having trouble lathering MWF. He suggested to the guy to just "rub the puck" on his face. Reading that was like a spiritual moment for me because I was having trouble figuring out how much product to load on my brush.

 

I know. It's like telling your kids something for the 500th time and they finally do it and you question whether you really saw it or not. LOL!

 

Razor: Gillette Black Handle Flair Tip (P1)
Blade: Wilkinson Sword (6)
Brush: Semogue 1305 Superior Boar
Bowl: KnockOut Shave
Soap: Jack's Shave Soap
A/S: Fine American Blend
Day 24

May have reached a break through with the 1305. I had a good lather last night, but thought it was a fluke. I whipped up an excellent lather tonight and easily had enough for my 3 pass shave. This focus has taught me a lot about soaps and boar brushes. The American Blend is a good finish to a DFS.

 

Beautiful place!!!

 

Great picture and an excellent looking ring.

 

Nice gathering.

 

I thought you would like the New LC. It's one of the best DE razors I've used.

 

Saturday, July 25, 2015
Day 21 with the Mongoose

B-3 Mongoose with Triad Rolling Hex Titanium
Feather ProGuard #5
Rubberset 400 #3 Omega 1066 Boar
MDC Le Bol En Bois – Fougere
Whitch Hazel ++Menthol, Unrefined Shea Butter
Chilled Proraso Aftershave Lotion

My first 30 days with the Mongoose continues, with day 21’s shave, a BBS on two passes plus clean up. The Feather ProGuard blade gave me another very close shave. The combination of MDC and my @clint64 restored Rubberset 400 produced a huge pile of thick and creamy lather. Witch Hazel and Shea Butter followed by a generous spritz of cold Proraso Aftershave Lotion. Ooo Wee! Hope your Saturday shave was great. Have a good weekend all.

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30 Day Rule - July 2015
July 24th
Razor - Feather SS AC/Gillette New LC
Blade - (7) (4 1/3)
Brush - Omega 10066 (BoS)
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold Water splash, Alum, Nivea

Welcome to a Friday morning, on Friday evening. Had time for a good shave this morning, no time to talk about it. An interesting day...check for my post in The Haul that I'll be putting up shortly.

BoS and Fat were again great this morning. Maybe I should just refer to that as the BosFat, or FatBoS combination. Possibilities. I'm ready to have the rule finish, though, so I can get back to the Tabac, as well as try some different brushes with both soaps. I feel like I'm getting close to a couple of brush/soap combinations that may become a daily go-to setup. I'll be looking at that in the near future I'm sure. As to the actual shave this morning I got a very nice pass from the Artist Club with no cuts/nicks so was happy with that. Did the XTG second pass with it as well with only a minor nick on my left neck. I think I'm getting there. Closer and closer every day. Went ahead and did ATG with it on my neck and used the Gillette New and Voskhod for final touchup down to a very nice DFS everywhere. Cold water, alum for the sting because that's what the Feather does, and then Nivea to finish up. Now, can I repeat that tomorrow or even improve on it? We'll see soon enough! It's getting late and Saturday meeting madness is getting closer by the minute. Hope you all have a great start to your weekend. Make a car guy happy...go buy a quality used vehicle this weekend! Or a new one for that matter. It's just that the new car guys aren't as much fun as the rest of us.

 

Day 24 - 24 July 2015

30 Days of Maggard and MITA!


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Day 4 and the blade shows no signs of wear, and another great shave was the result. Took the MITA for the usual face lathered 2 pass automatic smoothness, albeit shoddy blade angle gave me a nick under the jawbone. No big deal, the Alum sealed it right up. I finished with some unscented TSD ISZ AS underneath a good blast of Myrsol Agua Limon. The hype surrounding Myrsol is true. It smells really good, and the skinfeel is superb. This has been a really good month as far as products are concerned. MITA, ASCO, 7OC Blue, Rapira, and Myrsol have all been most pleasant surprises. I'm sold on Myrsol, it goes from "try" to "buy"! (Kudos @Rufus T. on Myrsol and @Bobcat on the box of fun). This Maggard is hands down the most mild shaver in the arsenal, despite the comb. However, if applied at a very shallow angle and perfect pressure, delivers an absolutely smooth and comfortable shave. The MR11 handle is machined steel, and it has been fun to photograph the diamond knurling. Maggard sells mix and match style heads and razor handles, of good quality and value. This was my first time to use a Maggard OC razor head, and find it to be a solid razor choice, even for a straight up newbie. The head geometry is mild enough that it seems to benefit from sharper blades, though my selection and testing here was by no means exhaustive.

Spent the afternoon out in Denver with Mrs. Samurai, and checked out a new rooftop spot in old Denver proper. We liked the arepas very much. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a great weekend!
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Hope you move a few cars tomorrow!

BoSFat, cause I think that's how they would say it in Soviet Russia. Or mostly because it sounds cool.

 

That pic looks like a catalog shot by a pro. Very Nice!