February '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion Thread

Awesome! It's all about the angle, and it makes a great travel razor for the reasons you listed.

 

I believe she'll verify. We get our water from the S Platte, and after all that water flows over miles of granite and soil on its way down, it hasn't traveled far enough to lose its accumulated minerals. I believe you're on aquifer water?

 

I think a mixture of that and high mountain reservoir water from the Poudre River system. Mostly the latter I believe but I'm sure I'll hear all about it if she's not too exhausted. Horsetooth goes mostly to Greeley I think.

 

Focus #1 - Feb 1
New Forest 1901​

Thought I'd start off my month of NF brushes with the smallest one I have - the 19mm, 2-band "1901".
One of the first 'travel' brushes Peter ever made.

Surprisingly good backbone (today was the first time I used it) but with very soft tips.
As a travel brush this is an outstanding option but as an in-home, everyday brush I do feel that the knot is just a tad too small for me. Having said that I'm sure that I will from time to time.

"Rating": A solid 6/10 - where the positive is the handle shape and knot and the 'negative' is that it's just a bit too small.

SOTD


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+ 1..You have summed it up nicely...Just drop the handle until it cuts ..Nothing more Nothing Less..

Billy..

 

I was unaware. Water in my area is incredibly soft, most of the water in my area (San Luis Valley) is strictly snow melt.

 

Cool. I'd like to know.

 

But now that I think about it there is quite a bit of water from natural springs. Which tend to be heavy with minerals correct? I'm not much of a geology guy

 

I'll see if my wife, the expert knows about down south.

 

Thanks! My water doesn't seem too hard. Never have issues with lather.

 

Thanks, that's helpful! I only have the tiny sample of M bomb. I probably need the bigger container or some menthol crystals. I've used an iced after shave the past two days and enjoyed it both times.

 

I iced my homemade lemongrass witch hazel. I used about 20 drops in my 3 oz bottle it isn't very chilly unless the fan is on and the rinse beforehand was cold.

 

That does appear to be a great visual depiction of what I've found so far. Nice!

 

I may be late to answer as I'm catching up but....yes the Fat will develop a crack. Or two. Or ten. Just the way the puck ages as its used. Doesn't have any effect on its performance or longevity. And there we go with yet another Voskhod success story! The cartel just opened another bottle of vodka and case of caviar to celebrate another member.

 

SOTD February 2, 2016
Focus day 2

Prep: Warm shower
Blade: Rapira platinum lux (2)
Razor: Maggard MR1
Brush: Omega 10049 boar
Lather: Soap Commander Vision
Post: Witch hazel splash, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, touch-up

This is perhaps my best weekday shave in the past month. The Soap Commander Vision lathered with the enormous Omega boar made plenty of slick, cushioning lather. The Rapira blade in the MR1 glided right through the lather with ease.

Focusing on technique and light pressure continues to yield good results. I would grade this shave as certainly CCS and approaching DFS. My angle continues to improve and become more consistent and my morning shaves are getting better and better.

I soaked the Omega brush in hot water as I showered. That's not normally what I do with brushes but since this one is so large I've adopted that process for it. Seems to work quite well.

This is a sample of the Vision scent and I'm going to try and use it up over the next couple of days. I have more Soap Commander samples to try and I'm eager to get to them! It seems to be incredible stuff.

Hope you all have a great Tuesday!

 

General Announcement: After conferring with the @Queen of Blades , this thread is going to it's new home in the "Shave School" section of the forum. This thread has been in General, and she feels, and I agree, that Shave School is a better fit for what we do here. So, same great fun, new location!

 

Glad to hear this is normal.. was getting a little worried. I am really glad I chose this set up for my focus.. The Fat, Voskhods, and The Veg are a perfect marriage IMO

 

Sometime soon I will go back to writing about straight razors...

 

Day 32 - 90 Day Intro to SR

1 February 2016



Ralf Aust 5/8
"Big Guns" (48 + Arko)
Alum
TSD ISZ AS Splash
Pinaud Lilac Vegetal
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Sometimes it just pays to break out the artillery. I needed a shave, and my truck needed a wash, so the 48 was the only logical choice. Mountains of lather and two passes later...I can say this now...BBS! Everything finally happened correctly all on the same day, after 31 shaves. Will try to replicate and note the particulars tomorrow. The areas I still need to improve are neck angles and efficiency of motion. The strop is going well. As threatened, the Veg finished off a somewhat fiery Alum application, but I am satisfied and feeling good about it five hours later. Tons of snow...other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a terrific Tuesday!
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My belated wrap up of January 1-30

(how's this for a cop-out!)

Things I learned:

SR is something I can mange on a daily basis.
It's simple, but not easy.
Lather means a bit more with a straight than a DE or SE.
@Norcalnewb showed me the correct pattern for my learning phase.

Accomplishments:

Added a tagline for @HolyRollah
Made more good friends
Had fun
Read more about honing than I ever thought I would the first month of SR

Still needs work:

My whole SR regimen!