DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I would like to say that I shaved barechested in thick jeans barefoot. I lean into the sink when I shave to see better in the mirror so I have nearly zero risk of dropping the razor on the floor. in the sink maybe but on the floor would be hard. I would have to bounce it out of the sink to my left side for it to hit the floor and since the bathroom is small it has a greater chance of skipping onto the toilet and into the tub.

 

20 DEcember 2015

Shave Den Sunday!

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Just a quick two pass before an outing with Mrs. Samurai. Soap was Barber Shoppe, AS was 2x Iced Florida Type Splash. Alum was quiet and face was smooth! Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.
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Have a Sterling Monday!!
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I was truly impressed by Route 66!

 

Sage wisdom! We don't wanna get nuts with an SR!

 

12/21/2015
Razor – Gillette Super Speed (J4)
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – Shavemac Silvertip D01
Lather – Soap Commander Passion
Post - Witch Hazel & Captain’s Choice Bay Rum



Back to my birth quarter SS for today's shave. The Shavemac Silvertip D01 is an acquired taste in brushes. It has more backbone than a well broken in boar and has more scritch than any brush I have tried. The DO1 whipped up the soap commander into a very good lather quickly. I went with a normal 3 pass shave, WTG, XTG, and ATG, with touch ups around my chin resulting in a near BBS shave with no irritation, nicks or weepers. Closeness A- and Irritation A+. Finished up with a splash of CC Bay Rum with menthol added. Hope everyone has a great Monday.

 

Clint, if you had to do it over again would you buy that Shavemac Silvertip D01? Knowing what you know now.
Its nice seeing flare tips getting so much love.
Nice picture..

 

SOTD
December 21, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed 1959 E1
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Lather: Knockout Shave Cotton
Brush: Oscar11 Root Beer/Black 28mm Silvertip
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: RazoRock Baby Blue
Goodness. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying the flare tip, when I think back to a year ago I couldn't get a decent shave from it. I'm glad I put this away and not just unloaded it. It's no wonder the flare tip was so popular. @KnockOut Shave Cotton really makes me feel good! Think clean fresh linens hanging on the clothesline. I bowl lathered this morning, man this Silvertip sure whipped up my lather like no tomorrow.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

Neal,
Happy 1 year anniversary here at TSD! Thank you for making The Shave Den a better place.
I also would like to thank you for your generous donations to the Newbie Give-Away.
Kerry

 

Kerry, I bought it used at an exceptional price. In my opinion that's the best way to get the D01 as the used prices are great and so many people don't like them. My best friend Wade was thinking of ordering a Shavemac and thought he wanted a D01 2 band. The D01 2 band has even more backbone than mine. After trying my brush one time, he changed his mind and is going with the Silvertip 2 band. He couldn't believe, I could use the brush.

Having said that, yes I would buy it again but I like what the brush offers.

I do love the Flare Tip. I changed from the Merkur 34c to the Flare Tip about 45 days into my DE journey and used the Flare Tip daily for over 2 months before getting the New LC.

 

12/21/15

Gillette New LC
Rapira Super Stainless (1)
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic
Pinaud Clubman Original

Menthol Monday and back with the Stirling MITA. Still using the New LC loaded with the Rapira Super Stainless.
A small amount of warm water on the top of the soap to soften while I soaked my brush. Afterwards, I poured the little that was left into my scuttle. I squeezed out the brush and loaded it for about 45 seconds. This gave me tons of pre-lather. Built the lather in the scuttle adding just a little water from time to time as needed. After a bit I was rewarded with a ton of slick and creamy lather.


2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG. Very good reduction. Pass 2: ATG. Did small amount of touch up using the lather on my face. Then a cool water rinse and some areas needing more attention revealed themselves. A moderate amount of touch up in my trouble spots and the baby came home. The Pinaud Clubman stung a little, but settled down quickly. The brush still had enough lather for another two or three passes.


A nice comfortable BBS from the Stirling MITA and the Rapira Super Stainless in the New LC. The Stirling MITA lathered well but I should have added a little more water. The soap went on nice, but it thickened as I worked it on my face. I compensated by rinsing my razor more frequently.

I'm on vacation through the end of the year. I hope everyone has a great Monday and can take some time off for the holidays too.

 

I'm glad to hear you would buy it again. I'm waiting on a Do1 Silvertip now.

 

It will be right in line with what you like in a brush.

 

Pain Stick (Straight) Focus December 21:

Homemade PS Oil
Frank Shaving Pur-Tech Brush
Stirling Cool SS
Ralf Aust 5/8
Osage Rub
Stirling Unscented PSB -- Mentholated
Clubman AS

I had my best shave with a straight today. I would call it a CCS, buy didn't use anything to clean it up. On top of that, my son and middle daughter shaved with me so, it was a good time.

I increased the angle a bit, and the razor went right through the whiskers. I still need to remember to stretch my skin a bit, but overall it was a nice step in the right direction.

 

I typically shave with a straight at "two spine widths" angle. This seems to me to be 15-20 degrees. Due to the with of the spine on the pain stick, I was closer to 30 degrees. Just be sure to do lots of skin stretching.

 

This.

 

Tentative is a good word. Don't know why but something about the straight makes me more nervous than the pain stick. Probably just familiarity. Or lack thereof.

 

Pain stick would make me nervous. Straights even questionable ones from Russia I am much more comfortable with. Shavettes are much harder for me.

 

Straights to the Finish Line!

December 21 - It's MONDAY!

Razor - W.B. Speed Rabbit
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold water, Witch Hazel, Nivea​

Welcome to Monday and the Solstice! And, of course, to day two of straights. After yesterday's difficulty with lather I considered several options and read all the comments I got as a result and made my decision. Staying with the Fat, going to the BoS, my best brush with the Fat (or at least I'm best with it) and adding massive amounts of water to my face just ahead of the lather. AND.....only one side at a time given the slowness of the shave at the moment. This all followed my head shave which, I'm happy to say, was totally routine and non-bloody today.

I was curious how the Rabbit would feel since I stropped it for the first time last night and this morning. Let's see if I totally screwed it up. First stroke on the right was very nice. Boy the sound this thing makes is awesome. Peel that velcro baby. My angle was pretty shallow still.....something about this thing keeps making me want to shallow up, but when I do the sound fades and I know to add more angle. Finished the first pass on the right side and it wasn't bad. Very smooth, no drag, not as effective as it could have been but that's my angle issue. Also, getting up around my goatee at the jawline is a challenge, but it was for the pain stick too. That will take some figuring out. Left side lathered, and a better result on that side. Closer, which is funny since my left hand is basically a useless hunk of meat. I got bolder with the angle, though, and finished the pass with a decent result. Lathered the right side and went again, same for the left and finished with a decent enough shave to call it done. It's maybe a CCS, well it's just that, certainly nothing more. And, I used a DE to finish up around the goatee.

However - no blood, no missing appendages or any other horror stories. I like it! And, I will now join the chorus of those who say straights are more forgiving than pain sticks. At one point on the right I got up on the tip where I did with the pain stick last month. The pain stick sliced me open, the Rabbit did not. Nice not to have to watch blood run down my neck.

Here's to a great start to your week! Mine starts tomorrow.
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For me, I think having the while blade exposed causes me some pause. I know that with the Pain Stick, the blade can cut just as deeply as a straight, but visually, the holder somewhat provides a stop. It is all mental, and not even fully logical, but I am definitely a little more tentative putting a straight against my skin than I am putting the Pain Stick.

Once I start my stroke, that all goes away. But starting a stroke requires a bit more thought and care.

 

Razor: Gillette President Y1 1953
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
Brush: Semogue 1305 Tri Color Wood Handle 22/55
Soap: Route 66 Frozen Margarita
A/S: Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Menthol Monday
Excellent afternoon shave on a windy rainy day. Still focusing on boar brushes. Getting the feel for the boar brushes and they are breaking in very well. This focus has helped very much. The Gillette President is a great razor and fit, and feels very go to my hand. Enjoy.