SEPT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I am going to join the chorus saying what a beautiful brush! Have a blessed day with your mom!

 

Planned Day 27 - SEptember 2015

30 Days with a Schick G




Schick G
Schick Injector Blade
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
TSD Iced Subzero Shave Stick
Alum
TSD Iced Subzero AS Splash


Have a great Sunday Afternoon!

​

 

The Crazy Ivan in SEptember!
September 27

Razor - '59 Ball End Tech
Blade - (2)
Brush - Vie Long 12705 The Horse
Soap - Proraso Green Tub
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Aqua Velva Musk

It's Sunday. That means two shaves today. Head then face. Let's go to the head first, shall we? My head shave is always the same. VDH Boar brush, VDH Deluxe soap, Merkur 23c, Astra SP blade. I usually change blades after three shaves, so every three weeks. Today was shave number 3 on the blade. This shave is so automatic that it is almost thoughtless. I lather by area, shave that area, lather the next, shave the next and so on until it's all nice and smooth. I have the angles all perfectly memorized, it's simply automatic. That's why I never change anything with it. I'll play with setups and combinations with my regular shave but the head shave is a locked down shave.

The problem with a locked down shave that is that automatic is you can easily jump in without thinking about basics. For instance, when using a TTO one should always check the tightness of the doors before proceeding. Otherwise you can run into slice and dice territory. With a three piece like the Merkur 23c you don't have that issue. I did my usual quick look and inspection, lathered up after a hot towel on my head and went right to work. Right side above and around the ear first. No problem. Lathered the left side around and over the ear. Rinsed and shook the razor and set it and took a stroke.........and felt a strange sensation as the top cap and baseplate seemed to separate a bit.......leaving the blade loose.....causing it to catch.......making me say some very choice words........causing SWMBO to stick her head in the door to ask if I'd cut myself......just as the blood welled up. Yep. Sure did. Her next response? "Well why did you do that?" I don't know, love of my life, just felt like some excitement.

Once I determined it was just a small chunk I excavated on my temple and that the blood wasn't going to run much I checked the razor. The handle was loose, everything was flopping a bit and the gap it allowed was roughly a Slim or Fatboy on 16 (compares to a 4 on the Russian Ideal). I tightened everything down, checked alignment and finished without a problem. I was a bit puzzled what happened but I believe it loosened when I shook it after the right side. So, I loosened it again, barely tightened it, and gave it a good shake and sure enough....that was it. So.....back to the basics.....check tightness on a three piece prior to beginning. Duh!

As for the face? A great and problem free day with the Thai Gillette.

 

September 30 Day Focus--Blade Search

Sept 26

Razor -- Schick G Injector
Blade -- Schick (China)
Brush -- VDH Boar
Soap -- Arko
Post -- Cold water splash, WH

My last shave for a while with the Schick injector. Going to be giving the L6 some more work with the Voskhod blade.

Another good shave. Did this one as a three pass shave. WTG-XTG-ATG. Each pass was smooth and efficient. Think three passes is unnecessary because did not see much improvement over my usual two pass shave. Ended with a DFS+ shave.

Used Arko for the first time. Since I am face lathering for a few days because of cracking my bowl, I figured why not give this stick a chance. Wet face, smeared stick around my face, grabbed the brush which I left very wet, and BOOM massive lather. Really impressed with the amount. Not as impressed with the slickness. Not sure if I did something wrong or not but it just did not seem as slick as my Stirling soaps. Will definitely keep using it but it will be mostly travel purposes.

Have a Blessed Sunday and Happy Shaving!!

 

Arko is slick but there are others that do better in that area. MWF for instance, in my opinion at least. Tabac as well. But, for the price and ease of lather, Arko's hard to beat.

 

Congrats on the year! Wouldn't be the same place without you!

 

I think the Pitcher of Plague is genius. Can you franchise those stands?

 

September 23rd and 25nd - week four - focus Henry Sears and Sons Full hollow 5/8"
Razor: Henry Sears and Sons Full hollow 5/8"
Strop: drygulch horse hide strop
Brush: Omega 58
Bowl: KO shave mug
Preshave oil: Homemade Lemon lavender preshave oil
Soap: AoS Lemon Lavender soap
Post shave: cold water, alum, Proaso green
Growth: 1.5 days
Shave 13 and 14

I have had issues with a little burn in my neck from ATG passes. So I tried less pressure and while it wasn't as close as I'd like, no burn. Nothing that a DE clean up can't resolve. Both shaves been better.

Since starting wet shaving, my life has been turned upside down and my shave time has come to be a sacred down time for me. Love the encouragement from this group and appreciate you all. Wish I had more time to troll some of the posts, but in time, I might be able to.

1st - WTG: N/S on face and neck
2nd - XTG: E/W face S/N neck
3rd - ATG: S/N on face
Clean up - ATG/XTG: w/ Merkur Progress DE with Rapia (1 and 2 shaves)

Cheers,
Eric

 

Thanks guys. I had a great day with Mom. Church followed by a lunch at Henderson's Restaurant near Jackson Lake. The place has the best fried catfish around and brings back childhood memories.

 

Congrats on the year. I have enjoyed reading your posts and getting to know you over the year.

 

Thanks Charlie. I can say I've never had a ride like that.

Here is a link from a video of Wade and I riding last winter above Helen, GA. The video is shot from Wade's bike.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzlPu_QWqG5KSThRUi1IZ0lLQVk/view?usp=sharing

 

Congratulations on your first year! I enjoyed your posts Charlie. Here's to many more.

 

Way cool Clint! Love the speedometer in the corner of the video.

 

After my wife and daughters saw that video I made sure to remove it from future videos.

 

Congrats on one year!! Thank you for everything you have contributed especially to us newbies!

 

Congratulations on your 1 year TSD anniversary! It wouldn't be the same place without you. I've enjoyed and learned a lot from you and many other members of our Den family too.

 

Menthol Monday, September 28, 2015

B-3 Mongoose with Triad Ti Helix Hex
Feather Pro #4
Varlet Beehive Badger 24 X 50mm
Krampert’s Frostbite Soap
Alum, Dickinson’s ++Menthol, Gold Bond Green Lotion
Krampert’s Frostbite Aftershave

Excellent two pass near BBS today. Started with Mr. Glo Soap. The Beehive Handle may be one of the ideal designs for a shave brush. The Varlet Knot has outstanding flow through, excellent face coverage, with substantial backbone, and holds enough lather for more than 3 passes. It loaded up in seconds with icy cool Frostbite and whipped up a mountain of creamy slick lather in a New York minute. I will continue to ride the smooth comfortable shave of the Mongoose through OCtober occasionally using one of my OC razors. Finished this great shave off with a healthy cold splash of Krampert's Frostbite Aftershave. Hope you all had a smooth easy shave today.
Have a good week folks!

​

 

Fat Boy on 16? Nice! Russian engineering marvels never cease.

 

I like this. A lot.

 

It s almost the 28th out on the prairie... And I would like to say congrats to Charlie ( @wristwatchb ) for a great year on TSD! He and I joined within two weeks of one another, and he was one of the 30 Day Originals. Thanks Charlie for all you bring to the table, and look forward to a great year 2! Keep it Dangerous!