July 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I feel like sometimes that lather is a most overlooked part of the learning curve. Glad to see you are working it out. Those vids are good stuff!

 

Congrats on another Anniversary! I hope you and your bride had a great day!

Glad you got the TTO door mistake safely out of the way. Most guys end up cut!

 

You have a superb eye for cool brush handles.

 

Day 26 - 26 July 2015

30 Days of Maggard and MITA!


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Same Photo? Yes! The shave on Saturday was so good I did it all again! GSB was superb, providing the normal automatic 2-pass smoothness. Alum was calm, face felt great after the MITA, and FW got two days in a row. Back in the oven today 94F, 17% humidity, 11.5 UV. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a sterling Monday!
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Day 30 SR focus

I guess my 30 day focus on straight razors has finally been completed. My WD HMB brush 24mm is broke in. Round or square point has not made much of a difference. A single pass with the grain produced a good shave. For a true BBS shave my R 89 had to do it. In reality this is not the end of my journey into SR shaving. The journey is just beginning. I've learned to make a strop, how to strop and hone my SR s.

 

You are so right, the videos are great! So is the knowledge that is shared by all the fine folks in The Shave Den. You and the others have made a wonderful contribution to my shaving success. Thanks!

 

1956 Gillette Super Speed Flair
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Georgetwwn G12 Scuttle
Proraso Sandalwood cream
Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Current Blade under review: Lord Platinum Class

Shave #1 with the Lord Platinum Class blade. Nice BBS results, a pretty good shave. Very close, mostly comfortable, no nicks, weepers, irritation or razor burn. Lather was a little dry today. Yesterday I had a wonderful lather by shaking out the brush and then dipping the tip into the water to mix with the cream. Today, I didn't shake out as much water and while it appeared that I had enough water, I didn’t. It was too dry to offer the protection I wanted.
2 Full passes: Pass 1: WTG on my face (N/S), and XTG on my neck (N/S). Pass 2: ATG. At this point, I had a solid DFS and almost a BBS shave.
Lathered up those areas that needed touch up. I used some stretching to get the remaining spots. Several of them required more attention, I used blade buffing and some j-hooking on those. The Aqua Velva burn was pronounced, but only lasted a couple of seconds.

A good BBS shave from the Lord Platinum Class. While the shave was mostly comfortable, my dry lather gave me some bumping and some drier passes with the blade than I would have liked.

 

Phoenix Dbl OC Focus:

Homemade PS Oil
VDH Boar Brush
TSD Lanolin Iced Sub-zero
Stirling Unscented PSB
Osage Rub
Stirling Glacial Lemon Chill

Another DFS with no irritation from the Phoenix. This razor has proven to be just smooth and easy to shave with. Very enjoyable.

 

07/27/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade – Feather Super Pro (12)
Brush – Rubberset 400 with Omega Boar
Lather – Soap Commander Renewal
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol F/Extra



Another fantastic BBS shave this morning. I decided to do a full 3 pass shave to compare it with the shave from the Slim on 9. Right now this shave feels noticeably closer but the real test will be what it feels like this evening. Finished off with a splash of Myrsol F/Extra and I think I am ready for the day.

 

30 day rule - Day 27
MDC Lavender Face Lathered
Ladas blade
Slim Adjustable set to 9
3 passes


This is the second day with the slim set to 9. I think I am getting a slightly better shave than with it set to 8, but I am not sure. Also, if it is a better shave, then it is only slightly better. But, since I have been getting such great shaves, there is little room for improvement. I will try it with the slim set to 9 at least another day before deciding whether or not to go back to 8. While the higher settings on the slim make me think I am more likely to nick myself, this has not been the case.

 

Happy anniversary to you and your bride! I hope you are getting as many photos of the two of you as of Neal’s razor.

 

I think the biggest problem I was having is that I put the razor away wet without stropping it post shave, and the water on the edge caused it to not be quite as keen. I took it to a pasted strop, and have upped my number of laps back to 20, and it seems to be working well. With a light razor like this, it has to have a really good edge to shave well.

I love the smell of leather too, but my wife actually asked me to get some of the strops out of the bathroom. She didn't feel that it was needed for me to have five strops hanging in the bathroom. Apparently she wants to use that hook for something silly like towels.

 

That sums the difference up perfectly!

 

July 27th, SOTD (Shave 15 of this focus)
One days’ growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co Green Lizard Model B54GL
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen (20 laps Linen/ 20 laps Leather pre and 10/10 post)
Soap: Barrister & Mann Bay Rum plus M-Bomb
Brush: Spalted Maple Brush with Badger Knot
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Aubrey Men’s Stock Northwoods plus M-bomb

Because I had shaved yesterday, I only needed one pass and touchup today. Did a S/N pass, and worked on my neck a bit. BBS on the face, and DFS on the neck. One cut on my jawline. Added M-Bomb to both the soap and the aftershave today. Soap was just the right consistency, and the menthol was nice. Adding the M-Bomb to the Northwoods took it from an aftershave I was trying to use up to one I actually enjoyed. Overall, good shave. Happy Monday, all!

 

Menthol Monday shave July 27

Prep: Hot shower, homemade lavender pre-shave oil.
Razor: Lord L6
Blade: Last day with the Gillette 7 O'clock SharpEdge (Yellow package)
Soap: Stirling Gin and Tonic plus M-Bomb

Brush: VDH Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Thayer’s Witch Hazel M-Bomb added
Aftershave: TSD Signature with, yep, M-Bomb added

Not my coldest Menthol Monday, but a good blast to wake me up. Last day using the 7 o'clock (Yellow) SharpEdge. Never bad shaves, never great shaves, just kinda eh. In the days using it I got a couple weepers, but nothing too bad. Some mild irritation today on its third use, but I also had a couple days growth and probably tried to hard to get ASAP -- as smooth as possible. Did end up with a DFS. It has been fun trying out several new blades and I have settled in on the Astra SP to begin my 30 day rule and focus on getting my technique down.

Happy Monday to everyone!

 

Razor: Merkur 34 C
Blade: Merkur Super (2)
Brush: Semogue 1305 Superior Boar
Soap Captain's Choice Bay Rum
A/S: Captain's Choice Bay Rum

Day 27

Love the smell of Bay Rum. Very good shave with the 34C and Captain's Choice products. The brush is performing well.

 

Doug, how is the scent strength on the soap? I was fortunate enough to test the pre-production CC Sandalwood soap and thought the scent strength of the soap could have been stronger. Otherwise the CC shave soap was great.

 

I guess the scent could be stronger, however, it is perfect for me. I did find their Sandalwood a little mild. YMMV.

 

Thanks I really like the CC Bay Rum AS so I will need to try their Bay Rum Soap. I found Catie's Bubbles Sandalwood Soap to be a near match for CC Sandalwood AS.

 

Thanks for that. No sense in buying Catie's if it is close to CC.