SEPT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

September 8 Focus Shave 6

Three passes and done with my PRC western kami. One small nick (pimple) no irritation and a solid DFS. I did not expect such a big difference between razors but this PRC razor always seems to deliver a irritation free and closer shave than my other straights. There is still a long road ahead to get to BBS.

Proraso Pre Shave
L'Occitane Cade Shave Cream
Savemac zebra beehive silvertip
PRC western kami
Dry Gulch strop
Alum block to keep my fingers dry
Alcolado Glacial AS
L'Occitane Cade ASB
Creed Aventus

 

Wow. 650+ posts in just the first week. I think @Bama Samurai and @GDCarrington may have started a movement.

 

Salute to those like you who get it done on a holiday Neal!

 

+1 Mark!

And thanks for all those years in the classroom. I come from a long line of teachers, including my father. I know it's not as easy as many think!

 

Smart move with the After Sun Lotion instead of any AS!

 

Come on in and join us, the water is fine!

 

I wish I could say I had no ill effects...but once enough Red Bull and Waffle House enter the equation, there is not enough Alka Seltzer in the world to balance it back out. Only time...

and in the South it's more like "I knew I shouldn't have ate the whole thang, y'all..." Details. Though I am sure that if redneck Alka Seltzer commercials existed, @wristwatchb would have posted it, not really his fault.

 

Thanks Charlie! Yes, it was nice. Spent a relaxing time with my wife, my step daughter, and our 7 year old grandson. Lots of swimming, digging in the sand, and foam sword fights. A good time was had by all.

 

1953 (Y3) Tech
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Noxzema
C.O. Bigelow
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Shave #1 with the Astra Superior Platinum in my birthday Tech. Used an almond size dollop of C.O. Bigelow to each side of my neck and squeezed out the water from the well wetted Vulfix Super Badger brush and did a face lather. Had plenty of lather, although a little drier than I like.
2 & 3/4 Full passes: Pass 1 WTG on my face and XTG on my neck. Passes 2: ATG. Comfortable shave. Not as close as yesterday at this point just a near DFS. Did a cold water rinse and lathered most of my neck and jawbones and again went ATG for a 3/4 pass. Then did cold water rinse followed by touch up. Seemed BBS at this point. The Aqua Velva was surprisingly quiet this morning. I thought I might have gone overboard in my effort to secure the baby.

A surprising comfortable BBS shave from the Astra SP in the Tech. Needed almost a complete 3rd pass and touch up to get there, with some areas hit 3 or 4 times, but caught the baby.

 

09/08/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade – Feather Pro (4)
Brush – Olivewood with TGN Finest Fan
Lather – B&M Latha
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol F/Extra



Another fantastic near BBS 3 pass shave. The Feather Pro blade has smoothed out nicely. Finished up with a splash of Myrsol F/Extra and I am ready for the work day.

 

SEptember Focus Day 8:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Injector Type G
Stirling Unscented PSB
The Veg

I kept myself to a single pass with a little clean up along the jaw line this morning. I wouldn't call it a DFS, but I do have a CCS. I also managed to minimize irritation.

I also decanted The Veg into a glass bottle, and the scent really changed. Straight from the bottle, it has the nice floral, powdery scent. Gone was the initial urinal puck kick u used to get. It was a great way to top off my first work day of the week shave.

 

SOTD
TABAC Tuesday!!
It's going to be hot! 100F
September 8, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Mongoose B3 Dr. Bomber Handle
Blade: Feather ProGuard
Brush: Ever-Ready 150 TGN 24/54mm Synthetic by @GDCarrington
Lather: TABAC
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: TABAC
Cologne: TABAC
WOW! I'm all TABAC! Fantastic shave. You either love or hate TABAC. No middle ground with TABAC. I changed blades, the Super Pro is a very sharp, smooth blade. The issue is it's much too efficient and I really could go without shaving for 36 hours. The ProGuard is a very capable blade. My Burma Shave custom brush whipped up a pile of luscious lather.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

 

Razor: Valet Auto Strop Model "C"- 1935-40/ Gillette 1958 TV Special(1) Feather blade)
Blade: Valet New Process (1)
Brush: Frendrihen Silver Tip Badger Faux Horn Handle 22/49
Cream: Proraso
A/S: Pinaud Lime
Day 8
Got home late yesterday after golf Tournament and didn't shave. Morning shave today. Used the Gold Valet Model C with a Valet blade. Can't seem to get the GEM Feather blade to fit this razor. The razor has a nice feel to it, however, the blade was dull and didn't provide a good shave. Finished with the 58 TV Special and all was saved for a DFS. I'll have to learn to use the Strop that @Drygulch helped me get back in shape.

 

Tabac Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Mr. Glo
Mongoose with Triad Ti Helix Spiral
Feather Pro #6
Paladin PK-47 LE
Tabac Shave Soap
Dickinson’s ++Menthol, Cucumber Melon Whipped Shea Butter
Tabac Aftershave Lotion

Shaved this evening since we have an early flight to New England. A BBS on three passes with shower and clean up in the morning. With the Paladin the Tabac soaped easily into a thick, slick, and creamy lather. Mongoose needed a blade change after the first pass. Finished this morning with a generous dousing of Tabac Aftershave. Next stop Chicago Midway. Have a great Wednesday all!

​

 

Today I moved from Injectors to single edge Gem type razors. I started out with my Gem Micromatic Open Comb razor and a new Gem blade. I lathered up with TOBS Grapefruit cream and got started. My initial impression was good as I liked the feedback from the blade. I started out with the razor flat on my face and tipped it until I could hear the blade and proceeded to shave. By the finish of the WTG pass I had a couple of weepers. I lathered again and went ATG for pass two. By the end of the second pass I was a bloody mess. I had at least six small and one large weeper. I’m not sure what happened as this is my first experience with this particular razor. I tried to use light pressure and just enough angle to cut.

Can any of you experienced Gem guys tell me what I might be doing wrong?

SOTD

Gem Micromatic Open Comb

Gem blade (1)

TOBS Grapefruit cream

AOS AS Balm

Florida Water AS

Thanks and have fun!

 

Well it was a holiday in name only. LOL Had to do a short shift anyway.

 

Wow. Not a fun shave. My only experience has been with the 1912 and I had no issues. Looking at the open comb, though, I wonder if that is a big difference. I know my 1918 Gillette DE is an aggressive bastard, much more so than any closed comb I have. Not sure if that is the same difference in the OC Gems or if it's something else with technique. I'm one to always try and blame the razor first though. I'll be watching to see if any of the real experts with these can solve it.

 

Thanks. I'll give it another try tomorrow and then switch to my Gem 1912 or ER 1914 to see if I notice a difference.

 

Sorry about the bad shave. I have found that the GEM blades are rough for the first use. I have found that I cut down on weepers by hand stropping the blade before using it.

 

Beautiful brush!