30 Day Rule/Focus; December 2024. All Are Welcome.

I dunno, Charlie... That first Polsilver column looks pretty thin to me...

 

Great way to end the year John. Happy New Year!

 

Thanks Joe. For some reason, I didn't get the text. Happy New Year, my friend.

Neal, you got me started on the Russian DE blades, and they turned out to be my favorites. I am glad I purchased them all when I did. Now every time I am tempted to buy something new, I look at my blade and shave den spreadsheets. That usually cures me, now that I have cornered the market on Tabac and MWF before the formulations changed. I hope all is well.

I've actually got one tuck of vintage Polsilvers that my friend @Primotenore gifted me some time ago. I'll bring 'em out for a special occasion sometime. Maybe when we get a 51st state or something like that. I do have a couple hundred of the newer ones, but I think they have been discontinued. Not sure. Again, glad I got 'em when I did. Hope you are doing well, John.

 

December 31 SOTA

Good afternoon.

Rockwell Model T v1 (4.5)
Gillette 7 o'clock Permasharp DE Blade (fresh)
Rockwell Synthetic Brush
Soap Commander Vision SS
Pinaud-Clubman Classic AS
Stirling Alum Block
Personal Care Witch Hazel
Beard Growth: 47 hrs



I decided to go with my Model T razor for my last shave of the year. I only did 2 passes instead of my usual 3 and had the razor at the lowest setting that I have ever used on this razor. Amazingly, I got an error-free very close BBS shave. If I did a third pass, the baby would have arrived, but I decided to forgo it because it was that close. Needless to say, the blade was very sharp to take down 2 days worth of stubble without any problems.
Joe C @JACarbone piffed me this soap sample and it really is a good performer. Here's my lather:



I did have some serious alum feedback. Lol!
Splashed on the watch hazel and the P/C aftershave to end this year on a high note. Happy New Year!

 

That is ok Charlie. It must have been a glitch. Again, Happy New Year to you and Kathy!

 

I missed out on the MWF. I'll probably survive. Perhaps I need spreadsheets as well, just to see the enormity of it all. It's been fun unpacking and sorting again. Just proved I'm still not immune to some acquisition disorders. Things are well. 2024 was a good year for us. Hoping for more of the same in 2025. Wishing you and Kathy a very Happy and Blessed New Year!

 

I am still hanging in there, thanks, Charlie. I have some limited edition Martin de Candre soap I will bring out when Canada's new southern 11th province gives up on that Republic nonsense and joins our Dominion.

If you cornered the market on MWF before the formulation changed, then you have now cornered the market on MWF, period -- as of this December, MWF has joined the passenger pigeon and the dodo on the "Extinct Species" list...

 

Great shave to end the year with, Joe!

 

Thanks, Joe! Best wishes to you too!

 

Great shaves to finish out 2024, gents!

 

December 31 2024

Back to the Basics

Razor - VDH TTO (Weishi)
Blade - (2) carbon
Soap - Arko
Brush VDH Boar
Finish - Old Spice

Let's finish the year with some back to the basics stuff. I was in Walmart yesterday, the smaller one near us, and they had a VDH razor and blades for sale in the razor section. Thought that was a total thing of the past. Well, I started with a VDH set, including the green bowl and VDH soap. I grabbed my trusty VDH, or Weishi since I have one of those too. Can't tell them apart as they are the same razor. No VDH blades and I'm not buying any, so let's go carbon for old school basics. Treet Silver I used for one shave already.

Soap - no VDH soap either and not going to buy any. Arko immediately jumped to mind. I have 10 sticks of Turkish lemony goodness, so I grated one up and pressed it down into a wooden bowl. I do have my VDH bowl and original brush, so those will be fine for producing lather.

Off to the races. Loaded the boar and produced that wonderful Arko lather. VDH soaps were easy and plentiful latherers as well. They just didn't smell like pine cleaner. I put the Silver in the cheap TTO and went to work. Blade sings even louder in these lightweight razors, and I did a full three pass, just because I was having fun. Had plenty of lather in the brush to make all three. Rinse, towel off, an alum rub which produced a bit of sting but not bad, then splashed on the Old Spice. Took me back in time.

Gents - and ladies who may be lurking - I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year! I hope your 2024 was successful and your 2025 to be even moreso!

​

 

Yes, John, I read about MWF on another thread. Thankfully, we have so many excellent shave soaps that it doesn't (logically) make any sense to hoard soap...as if anything we do here is logical. There is just something about those old classics that appeal to me when it comes to traditional shaving. I don't need fancy artwork or a sustainability commitment printed on the container as that doesn't help the lather. I prefer animal fat and plenty of it.

I'm quite happy with the few soaps (and 1 cream that I'll sometimes use when I need a quick shave) that I have and don't expect to run out anytime soon. In addition to 2 or 3 open containers, this is what I have (OK, hoarded) in storage.

 

Thank you Joe. Wishing you a healthy, prosperous New year too.

 

Thank you John. Wishing you a happy, healthy 2025.

 

I have the VdH and the MicroTouch razors and they give me excellent shaves. In fact, my $1.25 Dollar Tree razor with its proprietary blades do the same for me, too.

 

Thanks John.

 

Thanks Gary

Fine way to wrap up the year Gary all the best for 2025

Happy New Year Joe. We are already in 1 Jan as I write this
Agreed, I am enjoying the shaving more and more, and reading everyone's posts.

Superb end to the 2024 shaving year Joe

Thanks John, happy New Year

Great post again Neal. All the best for 2025

 

thank you Chris..Happy New Year.

 

I agree about the old classics: as long as we still have Arko, we are in no danger of running out of lather.

Hmm. I have a pump bottle of the Kiss My Face Lavender & Shea. Great cream; pity they stopped making it.

And I also have a tub of Mike's Natural Hungarian Lavender soap. Unfortunately it has lost all its scent while in my storage cupboard and is now one of my "unscented" offerings... Bummer because it smelled great when I bought it.

 

Thanks Chris.