OCT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Awesome photo.

 

Glad the Bic treated you well. I have to credit @Jasman for getting me to try that blade. I have them in stock all the time now. As for the technique error, yeah I know that well. Suffered from my own today. And don't worry about Ivan. Since I'm ignoring the Russian blades this month he's taking some needed vacation time back in Siberia. Says the view and weather there suits him.

 

So here are the two wedge razors I have, and the brush I will be using this month. Dubl Duck Satin Wedge (Obnoxious Orange Scales) and Union Cutlery Co Spike, (faded green scales, mostly yellow now.) Brush is hand turned Tulip Popular made with a 24mm badger knot set high enough to be a little floppy. Awesome brush for bowl lathering, then working the lather under the whiskers, then painting it on.

The Duck is ready to go, and will start the rotation tomorrow. The Spike was a Bay purchase, and I actually have three of these razors. This is the only one I have seen though that is over 5/8 thick. Its in decent shape, other than the faded scales. I get the feeling these were everyday razors, and used until they weren't able to be used anymore based on the condition I see a lot of them in. I need to clean up the blade and hone this one.

I pulled the trigger on my third straight today. My new 150ish year old straight. It's an all original unrestored J. Wostenholm EBRO wedge in excellent condition. Between 6 and 7/8's. Made ~1865 (+/- 5 years). The scales are in great shape, and it's never been unpinned or repined. Not polished, but has honest patina. Haven't explained to the wife this is coming yet.

Those are the razors for my focus, and I may also be testing out some strops.

 

Thanks Adam!

 

Sweet looking plate

 

October 2 Focus Shave 2

I was going to test a new injector razor today but last night I took some of my straights to the 12k stone and stropped them with Dovo paste.... so this morning I just could not resist doing a straight shave.

The first three passes went great so I attempt a 4th ATG pass. I was able to complete 3/4 of the ATG pass, I still need to figure out a way to go ATG on the lower part of my neck. I got one small nick on my neck, I think it was a pimple. Applied the alum and some very light burning but pretty good. The final results as close to BBS as I ever got with a straight, it is BBS but not as long lasting as my best BBS shaves. Irritation B+, closeness A-, overall I would rate this as my best straight shave ever.

Homemade Pre Shave
L'Occitane Cade shaving cream
Vie Long Elk antler silver tip
PRC western kamisori
PRC hanging strop
Alum block to keep my fingers dry
Spieck AS
L'Occitane Cade ASB
Sonoma Scents Studios Champagne de Bois - smells like Cade but with aldehydes

TGIF

 

Adam, I look forward to hearing your opinion about the wedge razors. Two of my favorite straights are 1/4 grinds so I am very curious to try a wedge or near wedge, preferable a 7/8.

How heavy does the Wostenholm feel? I like heave razors.

 

Frame it. Hang it. Nice pic.

We have now set the bar for OCtober pictures! Anyone?

Nice work Mark!

 

Having SR guys and getting to see and read SR stuff is a real treat. I am so glad you guys are back! Still keeping notes, my time is coming.

 

And congrats on getting there with the kamisori! You wrote that you did 4 passes. What was the progression with regard to direction of grain? (Ex: ?wtg wtg ATG ATG?)

 

Good morning everyone!

I wanted to let you guys know that me and my wife are on vacation spending time together until the tenth. My posting will likely be only one session a day if possible, so any rumors of my demise would be greatly exaggerated. I will be starting a 30 Day Focus on a Gillette Fatboy, with the focus being spending the first week or so with GSB adjusting the dial each day. When I find what I like, I plan to play around with some different blades to see how they match with the FB. Probably will even use a Feather like Charlie Danger uses.

Keep the cookies stocked. Back full force on the tenth. I hope everyone has a great Friday!

 

Mark your photos are all great but you out did yourself here. Stunning.

 

Congrats on a great shave.

 

10/2/15

Gillette Old Type
Frank Shaving Pur-tech Synthetic
Proraso Sandalwood cream
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Shave #2 with the Rapira Super Stainless in my Old Type and #6 with the Frank Shaving Pur-tech Synthetic.
Did face lather and 2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG on my face and XTG on my neck (top to bottom today). Great reduction but not as comfortable as yesterday. Pass 2: ATG. Almost a BBS at this point. A cold water rinse followed by a very small amount of touch up in my problem areas and the baby made another appearance. The Aqua Velva yelled a bit, but not as much as yesterday.

A very nice BBS shave from the Rapira Super Stainless in my Old Type. I went much slower during my passes today and perhaps that is why my first pass wasn't quite as comfortable as it was yesterday. Still, a BBS with no irritation 30 minutes after the shave, so it's all good.

Have a fine Friday!

 

Guys, the Gillette New LC I announced that I would be using for the second half of my focus came yesterday, but the handle isn't serviceable. I'm thinking of sending it back, but I'd like your opinions.

I started a separate thread since I'm hoping for a lot of input. Please take a look: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/badly-cracked-new-bar-handle-repair-or-return.47322/

Thanks a lot!

 

10/02/2015
Razor – Wolfman OC with Triad Helix SS
Blade – Feather (2)
Brush – Romera Olivewood
Lather – B&M Latha
Post - Witch Hazel & Myrsol F/Extra



Another fantastic 3 pass shave this morning. Not a BBS but as close as I will get on most work mornings. I am interested in seeing how the New LC and Deluxe stack up in comparison. I am trying to finish this soap so I will continue to use it more often in effort to get it done. Finished off with a splash of Myrsol F/Extra.

 

I use the same progression with a DE, WTG, XTG, XTG in the opposite direction and the. ATG. If I have not done allot of reduction before the ATG pass then I get irritation. It sounds counter intuitive but I get less irritation even though I make an extra pass than if the third pass is ATG.

 

OCtober Focus Day 2:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Stirling San Antonio SS
Gillette New LC
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling Glacial Lemon Chill AS

I had my second shave with the LC this morning, and it went very well. I am somewhere between CCS and DFS and just a touch of irritation on my neck. Every time I use Stirling San Antonio, I like it more and more. It produced a fantastic lather this morning. My Friday is off to a great start.

 

Whoo hoo! It's good to see your shaves getting better, Keith!

 

I don't have that razor yet, but the current owner says it's pretty heavy, and said it just wiped the whiskers off.