DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

12/19/15

Gillette New LC
Rapira Super Stainless (2)
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Pre de Provence
Pinaud Clubman Original

Third day with the Pre de Provence and my first face lather with it.
A small amount of warm water on the top of the soap to soften while soaking the brush. Spread the small amount of bloom water on my face and neck. Today I loaded the brush for only 10 seconds. Surprisingly, this gave me a nice amount of product. I guess over time the soap has softened and it seems to be releasing product more easily.


I began to lather on my face and this produced a nice thick creamy lather. 2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG. Pass 2: ATG. Small amount of touch up using the lather on my face. Did a cool water rinse and then spent a little more time touching up my trouble spots. The Pinaud Clubman stung a little, but settled down quickly. The brush still had enough lather for another pass. It was easier to see squeezed out. It looks a little watery in the picture, but it preformed fine during my touch up.


A nice near BBS from the first face lather with the Pre de Provence and the Rapira Super Stainless in the New LC. The PdP lather was a little thinner, but still offered good protection. There was less lather, but I expected that because I only spent 10 seconds in the container. Tomorrow, I'll load more.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

12/19/2015
Razor – Gem 1912
Blade – Gem Stainless PTFE (5)
Brush – Brothers Bristles with WD HM
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine Platinum



Continuing with the vintage razor focus for December I am revisiting the Gem 1912. Using B&M Seville from a shave stick, I whipped up a very good lather. Seville is a very thirsty soap but adding water slowly as you lather brings out the best in the soap. I went with a 2 pass shave, XTG and ATG followed up with touch ups around my chin and under my nose. I didn't catch the baby and most likely didn't scare him either but I did get a very good shave. More importantly, I was able to at last get a decent shave under my nose. Not perfect but I'm getting there. Today also provides an interesting comparison to Gem 1912 Damaskeene I used last weekend. While very similar, I do find the 1912 Damaskeene noticeably smoother. Finished off with a splash of Fine Platinum. Hope everyone has a great Saturday.

 

SOTD
December 19, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed 1959 E1
Blade: Personna Lab Blue
Lather: Monsavon Bol à Raser
Brush: Oscar11 Root Beer/Black 28mm Silvertip
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Myrsol F/Extra
Great shave. Monsavon Bol à Raser is absolutely amazing! I'll do a review later, this soap is well worth the $8.50 and some. I'm getting fantastic shaves from the Flare Tip, just as good as I would from my Mongoose. Oscar11 brush is a beast! 10 swirls on the puck and I had enough soap for the entire 30DC.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

The Twelve Ten Blades of December!

Hard to believe we've almost put this year to bed. Wow. Where did the time go? But, here we are and as a gift to everyone here I'm offering up my shaves with twelve ten blades that have never touched my face, randomly paired with twelve ten of my DE razors. Two shaves with each setup to finish on Xmas Eve December 20th.. So, sit back, get the fire burning and enjoy what I hope is an enjoyable month of further proof Technique Trumps Tools. I hope for that....my expectations aren't as optimistic.

December 19

Razor - Long Feng
Blade - (1)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - MWF
Post - Cold water, Alum, Nivea

The last blade in the changed schedule arrives! The razor is the Long Feng, that wonderfully inexpensive and cheap (yes both) Chinese delight that actually works, it's just a bit on the harsh side it seems. Aligning the blade is a bit of a chore but once it's in it isn't all that bad. Certainly light years ahead of the Rapira razor. Lather is provided by BoSFat and was a great one this morning. I'm seeing a two soap rotation forming.......MWF, Tabac, MWF, Tabac. It's been coming for some time but it just gets more natural to reach for one or the other.

Got everything lathered and the blade loaded and went to work. I am happy to report that, finally, in this month of surprisingly good or simply "meh" shaves that I have found a Chinese blade that lives up to my expectations. The MEM Super Silver Platinum is an all Chinese blade and boy is it dull, tuggy, rough, irritating, horrible at times and just all around filled with the goodness I've come to expect from most Chinese blades. I managed two passes, one WTG and an XTG (and wasn't THAT one fun). It was reaching the point with the XTG that as soon as the razor got close to my face I was already wincing. What is surprising is that those two passes produced a CCS. And, while the alum burned, it certainly wasn't the hottest I've felt it, but this is no Flying Eagle. This one can actually cut hair if given enough opportunities.

I am probably one of the few who can appreciate finding a blade like this that shaves like what I know it is, yet outperforms the worst in class to actually be usable in an emergency. With the Flying Eagle, given the choice between it and a tin can I'd take the can. At least the MEM would be usable a few days before having to drop to the can.

While I know I said two days on each blade I'm not going to pursue this one another day. It showed what it can, and mostly can't, do. I'm going to go ahead and start with the W.B. Speed Rabbit straight tomorrow to add an extra day of work leading up to the Soviet straight. So, it's been a fun month so far with the DE's and, honestly, not nearly as horrid as some months I've spent trying blades. But, onward and forward to finishing the year with an ultimate TTT test. Hope you are having a great weekend! Here's the Long Feng with a REAL blade. Chinese aluminum and Russian steel.....a much better combination if you're going to try it!

​

 

Can you buy it online? Snow storm started a little while ago.

 

Shave this morning using:
JR #8
Mystic Water Lime
Gem Featherweight
Gem Carbon blade(1)
Alum stick
WH mix
Nivia sensitive

I decided I had neglected my SE razors a bit. I had one Gem Carbon blade left and since I knew I hated them I the MMBT I decided to try it in the featherweight. I have only used this razor once before so it will get a few days with this blade but based on today I wont be getting any more gem carbon blades.

The JR#8 was soft but not as stiff as I have gotten used to. It also picked up and held water(and lather) more then the boar and synthetics I normally use. I ended up having a thinner lather then normal and struggled to get enough for 3 passes.

I gave the Gem 2 passes, XTG/ATG, and gave up. It was tuggy and harsh feeling like carbon blades did in the MMBT. I had decent reduction and a BBS except for the neck but it didn't feel good. I pulled out the true and true GSB Super Speed combo and cleaned it up to a full BBS in an extra 3rd pass. I applied Alum to stop the leaks, a cold water rinse. My lemongrass menthol WH and Nivia to ease the hurt. Although I'm very smooth I don't feel like its a good shave. 2 hours later my neck still feels raw. The redness has gone down. One more day and I'm done with the carbon Gem blades. After that Ill give the blue carbon Pal blades a shot.

 

Enjoy the movie. Excellent shave brush and photo.

 

Razor: Gillette Milord 1946
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (6)
Brush: Omega Professional 10049 Boar Red Handle
Soap: Route 66 Frozen Margarita
A/S Fine L'Orange Noir
Perfect day for a Frozen Margarita. I do find that for me the Route 66 soaps whip up better with a badge knot. DFS this afternoon. Three passes with an excellent finish with Fine L'Orange.
Once the snow starts up here you never know when it will stop.

 

Great picture and perfect pairing with Frozen Margarita.

Is the Omega broken in yet? My Pro 49 got much better after about I used it about 30 times.

 

Thanks @clint64. This brush needs some more work before it is broken in. I've only had it for a few shaves. Part of my focus is using boar brushes. They are the brushes I have the most difficulty with.

 

The brush gets much better once it is broken in. I liked mine well enough to use the knot in one of my Rubberset 400 restorations.

 

Great picture!

 

Thanks very much.

 

Sounds like your enjoying your brush. Nothing like a Lather Monster!

 

Mark, this Oscar11 is really special, it's the softest natural hair brush I have, the largest, and boy does it sure hold a lot of soap. After I finished shaving I took what was left and used my bowl just for kicks. I had enough later for another 3 pass shave. Amazing.

 

And big brushes use up soaps faster for NB 2016.

 

That's what I'm hoping for!!! Use my first soap up.

 

I am just about done with my 5th soap since starting in September 2014. But then again I load the soaps like they owe me money.

 

That's great! I can see the bottoms on a couple but I haven't finished one yet. I have a feeling my new soap Monsavon Bol à Raser may be the first.