August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

1959 E3 Gillette Fat Boy
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Georgetown G12 Scuttle
Proraso Sandalwood cream
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Shave #2 with the Gillette 7 0'Clock Super Stainless (Green) in my '59 Fat Boy set to 4. A nice shave, close and comfortable with the only slight irritation on the neck during touch up.
2 Full passes: Pass 1 WTG on my face and XTG on my neck. Pass 2: ATG. There were a few more spots remaining after my 2nd pass than yesterday. I had to lather the left side of my neck and part of my right for my touch up. While I did some skin stretching and a J-hook in one spot, I resisted blade buffing. Yesterday I had quite a bit of irritation develop over the first couple of hours on my neck where the button hole of my shirt rubbed against it.
It had calmed down by this morning, but I didn't want a repeat. My skin didn't like the blade going over that spot this morning, but I tried to treat it gently and it seems OK at this point. Aqua Velva seemed quieter this morning, but I could feel a few areas of stubble while rubbing it in. But once the A/S had dried, all but two of those areas disappeared, and I was left with a near BBS shave.

A surprise near BBS from the green 7 0'Clock Super Stainless that made me work hard last time. The Fat Boy seems a much better fit for this than my Super Speed.

 

Phoenix Comparison Focus Day 11:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Tiki Cabernet Neroli SS
'58 Gillette TV Special
Stirling Unscented PSB
Brut Classic AS

Last day on the TV Special before switching back to the Phoenix. The past four days were 4 good shaves, topped off by today. The TV Special has proven to be a great performer, and I am not expecting the Phoenix to top it.

 

08/12/2015
Razor – Gillette Slim (J3) set on 9
Blade – Ladas (2)
Brush – Zenith Pro Aluminum Boar B2
Lather – Soap Commander Renewal
Post - Witch Hazel & Myrsol F/Extra



All in all, a very good work morning shave. 3 passes, WTG, XTG, and ATG, all set on 9 and I ended up with a near BBS. So far this Boar Brush is breaking in nicely. Finished off with a splash of Myrsol and it's off to fight the heat and the morning commute.

 

30 day Focus - Day 11
MDC Lavender Face Lathered
Rapira Platinum Lux Blade (Day 1 on blade, Day 5 on Rapira Platinum Lux)
Slim Adjustable set to 8
3 passes

Today's shave was miles ahead of yesterday's failed shave. Today I go the shave I usually get. 3 passes and smooth as silk.

 

8/12/15 SOTD (Shave 7 of this focus)
One days’ growth
Prep: Hot shower
Razor: Gillette Old Type with Hibco handle
Blade: Voskhod- New Blade
Soap: Barrister & Mann Lime, Lavender & Cedarwood with M-bomb
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman with M-Bomb

Used the DE today, to make sure I got a great shave. Used a Voskhod blade in it, which I have never used before. Did one pass ATG, and a little touch up on my trouble spots. BBS shave, with very little effort. Was an easy shave, but the Alum lit me up today. Apparently I was using the razor a little more aggressively than I should have.

 

Day #7 of 7 J-West
Seventh and final consecutive day using this Takehana FEON.
Near-perfect 3-pass shave this morning, with the MdC providing the glide.
Wonderfully-designed and well-built razor. Theses razors fetch a pretty penny ($200+) on the market in top condition, but can be acquired in the used restoration market for a more modest price, which will probably be the course I take. Thanks, Mike, for sharing the pleasure of this fine J-West!
Looks like I've added another razor to the 'gotta git one' list!

 

Today I switched razors while staying with the Feather blade focus.

SOTD
Leresche #51
Feather blade (1)
TOBS Mr. Taylor's cream
Nancy Boy Blossomwood AS Balm
Pinaud Lime Sec AS
WSP Beard Oil

Now I remember why the Leresche is in my rotation. It is becoming my favorite OC razor. I got a great shave with a new Feather with two passes and some touch up on the neck. Nice combination.

 

I came from the same place just a few months ago.

The 30 day Rule made all the difference and changed everything. My technique improved exponentially and with that my confidence grew as well as my certainty of never going back to carts or electric.

I satisfied my enthusiasm by indulging myself with some AD. It was a reward to myself for the effort I put into the Rule. The products now wait their turn in line as I take each one through a new 30 day Focus.

Enjoy!
RT

 

See Neal, you guys have taught me a thing or two while I've been on here!
Thanks all !
RT

 

August 12, 2015

Adjustable August Slim-apalooza
30-Day Focus - Gillette Slim Adjustable

Morning shave.
Hot Shower
Pre-Shave Oil: Gingers Garden
Soap: Arko
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
TSD Witch Hazel
Post Shave Balm: Gingers Garden
After Shave: Myrsol Blue

Slim settings at:
8 - WTG
9 - ATG
No touch-up or repeat strokes. This is as much about technique as it is about finding the best settings on this razor for me.

"Well bust my buttons, that's a horse of a different color!"
- Emerald City guard, Wizard of Oz

It sure was! The return to my 30-day Rule roots made all the difference from my shave yesterday. The Omega Pro 48 did its usual great lather job with the always-reliable Arko stick.

The first pass was clean and smooth, the second pass was excellent. No nicks, weepers or irritation. (Or in baseball parlance - no runs, hits or errors.) Skipped touch-ups, but if I hadn't, I'm sure this would have been baby-worthy.

I will keep this set-up at least through the rest of the week and then ratchet-down to try out a new blade brand during the second half of the month.

Very excited! Technique, technique, technique!

Cheers!
RT

 

Congrats RT. You've really made a great deal of progress over the your time participating in the Rule/Focus threads. The journey only gets better from here. By taking the time to establish a reliable and repeatable base line, you can experiment with confidence. If something doesn't work out, you then return to the baseline and go from there. Great Job.

 

Thanks Clint, the feedback and reassurance from you and the Denizens makes all the difference!

Cheers!
RT

 

Remember the 30 Day Rule is Cool and the 30 Day Focus is no Hocus Pocus!

 

Who rang that bell!

 

Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable (1965)(6)
Blade: Gillette Platinum (3)
Brush: WDC-4, Silvertip Badger, Butterscotch. (VIG) 24/67
Cream: Proraso Shave Cream
Bowl: Old Spice Late Glass Mug 05 - late 1950 to 1960
A/S: Aqua Velva Ice Blue
Day 12

Moved the Slim to #6 tonight and had a good shave. In a hurry tonight, but couldn't forget my TSD responsibility. L8r...

 

I can't believe you tossed out that softball!!!?

and another thread Theme Song...

Ladies and gents - Hocus Pocus by Focus.
(hey, blame it on GDC, not me!)

 

Don't you just love this guy though?!!

I mean if they had TSD back then, don't you think he'd have been a member?!! Maybe even a Founder!

I mean can't you just hear him - "Who rang that bell?!!"

And he even dressed like @NCoxSTL

 

Ahh, the extended version. Well played!

Focus was like two bands in one ... for obvious reasons!

In 1971, the group released Focus II (aka Moving Waves), which brought the band international acclaim and a hit on both sides of the Atlantic with the radio edit of "Hocus Pocus". This rock classic consists of Akkerman's guitar chord sequence used as a recurring theme, with quirky and energetic interludes that include alto flute riffs, accordion, guitar, and drum solos - along with van Leer's whistling, nonsensical vocals, falsetto singing, and yodeling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_(band)

 

I'm sure you heard the story about the filming of the movie. The prop man scoured second hand shops looking for an old fashioned well worn topcoat for the above actors Professor Marvel character. When he found the perfect one and had him try it on he found a cleaners ticket in the pocket from the original owner and amazingly it belonged to L. Frank Baum, the author of the Oz books.

 

I'm just a piker compared to your musical knowledge!

I am not worthy!