The Flying Eagle? Or whatever you choose to call it? Yes, that would raise difficulty to level "beyond expertly insane"!

Straights to the Finish Line!!!!

December 30

Razor - W.B. Speed Rabbit
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Arko
Post - Cold Water, Alum, Nivea

Two days left in the month and year and I'm finishing out with the straight. The Rabbit is an excellent razor and I decided to break the Arko stick back out today. Haven't done that in awhile and it was fun watching that lather just explode to life under the BoS. Fine lather. And, after two passes with the Speed Rabbit I had a very near DFS and good enough for a long day of sales. The alum was relatively quiet and the Nivea was just to help with any left over irritation from the Soyuz 1. One more day with the Rabbit and then on to January. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the straight, but there will be more added. I appreciate the suggestions from the 30 day crew that are popping up. And you wonder where I get my inspiration from......you enablers you.

Hope you're heading to a happy new year and a safe New Year's Eve!

So it appears that No Buy 2016 will just be a chance to recover the costs for the final shopping spree. Nicely done!

The Flair Tip is a surprisingly good razor, but then considering how many of those they sold back then that should say something. I find myself grabbing it whenever I want a guaranteed great shave. I still think my Aristocrat is better, and even the 40's Super Speeds are a bit more aggressive and are awesome. Something about the flair tip, though, keeps it solidly in my rotation.

!NEW! January 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic&Discussion Thread

30 DEcember 2015



Same pic because I repeated the exact same shave to test the soap. No idea what it is, but it's working out ok. Busy day, tired but happy. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado!


Have a wonderful NYE!
​

Welcome! Just pick whatever you wanna go with, start here, move over to January thread. Happens all the time! Glad you've joined us!

I'll buy it, well done!

Thank you! I tried a new one for January, hope it works out!

Thank you Tom! You've made great strides and it has been a pleasure to have you be a part of the discussion.

Agreed.

NB16 update...

Arko, Alum and Osage on the way from Amazon, black strop on the way from @Drygulch Leather Works...

I am set.

December 31, 2015

Greetings all!
I regret that I've been AWOL for most of the month.
(I really did miss you guys! ...well, most of you...Igor, not so much.)

But I needed to do a bunch of traveling to visit family on the East Coast, USA, then back home (Seattle) for a few days and then up to Canadian in-laws in Vancouver for most of the remaining days of the month. I shaved during that time of course, but sporadically and with little time to post.

I'm back now and expect to be posting regularly again as I will focus on my Schick Type C1 razor in January.

I'm overwhelmed to even attempt to read through all the posts I've missed this month, but I am very impressed by most that I've skim-read, including - the arrival of some great new members of the 30 DC, @wmbjr 's great reports on adjustable razor setting theories (I had a hunch it could result in a YMMV thing), the latest (mis)adventures of @NCoxSTL , and amazed by the group move to straights.

I'm also honored and humbled to have been mentioned in the Last Will and Testimony of Neal Cox. Now normally I don't get all worked up about being named in someone's will. Most who include me will more than likely outlive me anyway, but this was one I thought just might payoff. I was a bit disappointed with the outcome however. Not because I couldn't collect, but I had purchased so much popcorn!

Oh well, I suppose I'll still be able to put it all to good use anyway, as so many of you have drank the kool-aide and are taking up straights. (I'm actually quite jealous.)

Let the show begin!
Glad to be back,
RT

Well we certainly understand your need to be gone for a bit. While I consider you family you do have a real one that needs your attention as well. Besides, I'm not Sicilian, so I'd always be the shady brother in law who ends up strangled as I kick out a windshield. Sorry I didn't die so you could have your share of the will. Inconsiderate of me, I know. As far as the popcorn....see the related discussions following the Soviet shave for return procedures for both popcorn and pleated pants.

Ha! I had followed that one...just about passed popcorn through my nose!

New Year's Eve

Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed (Z3)
Feather (2)
Rudy Vey Custom Shavemac two-band silvertip
Route 66 Lumberjack
Two passes plus touch-ups
Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Small Batch Shave Tonice

To celebrate my New Year's Eve shave, I finished with Small Batch Shave Tonic, a locally made bay rum aftershave. It looks like something you could drink, but I resisted. I have developed my skill and confidence this month with a two-pass shave. Most days, I include some touch-ups on my chin, mouth, and jaw areas. I now use more ATG strokes, particularly on my lower neck, and it seems to agree. Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed razors and Route 66 Lumberjack soap are truly a dynamic duo.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the focus and watching my brothers here progress with their skills. Everyone made it out alive, burns were kept to a minimum, and there were no rips or tears to anyone's pleated plants. There were a few reports of minor sinus irritation due to unintentional snorting of Coke Zero, popcorn, and the like. And Chris is 'da man. Happy New Year, everyone! Be safe tonight!

Welcome back, Vince! I hope you had a wonderful time with your family. We kept Neal from hurting himself too badly while you were away. It's your turn to watch him.

12/31/2015
Razor – Gillette Super Speed (J4)
Blade – Feather (3)
Brush – DK7 with Druida Manchurian
Lather – Route 66 Lumberjack
Post - Witch Hazel & Folsom & Co. Shambala



The Route 66 shave soap is a top notch soap and exceptionally easy to lather. If you are looking for a top performing soap, I would suggest adding one of the Route 66 soaps to your list. Another great 3 pass with touch ups shave this morning. I can consistently get very good shaves from the SS Flare Tip. The shaves are not the closest or the longest lasting but the shaves are some of my most comfortable. I finished up with a splash of F&C Shambala. I hope everyone has a great Thursday. Have a fantastic New Year's Eve be safe and have fun.

December 2015 Vintage Focus
Recap



Well another monthly focus is in the books. My goals for the month were.

30 Day December Focus

• Focus on my vintage razor with particular attention on my birth year Slim & Super Speed.
• Use various brushes
• Use various soaps with the hope of at least finishing B&M Seville
• Participate weekly in The Shave Den Sunday thread
• Continue to improve my technique

For the most part I think I succeeded in achieving the goals. With the exception of 2 shaves I used vintage razors for the entire month and in the final count used my birth year SS and Slim for over half the shaves. I did manage to finish the B&M Seville soaps but with Christmas gifts the soap inventory has increased. This month, I did confirm some of my earlier thoughts on certain razors. It's certainly a YMMV thing but I do not like the Slim. The shaves are good but honestly it would have to be the only razor I own for me to use it on a regular basis. Since it is one of the 2 birth year razors I own, I'll keep it around in hopes of passing it down to a grandson some day.

I have participated in each of the 30 day focus threads for 2015 which has helped me continue to perfect my technique. The shaves I now achieve easily with the SS Flare Tip were much more difficult in November and December of 2014. I now feel that I can get a good to great shave with any razor. Now it is just down to personal preference in terms of likes and dislikes. Just some general stats from 2015. I am a numbers geek and can not help myself.

• Of 365 available days to shave I shaved 362 days.
  
• SE razors accounted for 211 shaves 58%
• The Mongoose was my most used razor at 167 shaves or 46%
• I did a good job using all the brushes but my 3 favorite brushes were used 47 % of the time
• I finished 3 soaps entirely.

Overall I am very pleased with the progress, I made this year and look forward to further improving my technique in 2016