August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Welcome back!

 

August 22 Shave 13

First pass went great, second pass was also awesome the third pass felt good but I had several weepers. Did a fourth pass with the Futur and defiantly BBS but went to rubbed the alum on my face there was more burn than the last several shaves. Acceptable level but more, so was it technique or do I need to touch up the razor. It is only the 3rd shave since I used the pasted strop

Proraso Pre Shave
QCS Iced Key Lime
Rooney butterscotch Heritage hair
Hart Steel 7/8and Merkur Futur
Herold Russian leather strop
Alum block to keep my fingers dry
Alcolado Glacial (stored in the fridge) AS
Muhle ASB
Creed Aventus

A question for the straight razor gurus: How often to go the pasted strop and/or 12k stone? With DE blades I use them only 2 times because the 3rd shave has some serious degradation. The only DE blade than go 3 times is Super Iridium... unless I use it both times in my 2011 R41 then I can only use it twice. So I wonder if like DE blades I need to use the pasted strop more often than most.

 

I myself had a weeper or five today and can't pinpoint why...

I was using my Schick E2 with a brand new Longs Drugs/Personna blade...I didn't get to shave this morning so this was a night shave, about 36 hours after yesterdays shave, so my whiskers were showing their teeth...ha,ha....I did the first pass, WTG everywhere, but ATG on my neck...Actually the results from this first pass was pretty unbelievably BBS... Man, I wasn't trying for it either, it just happened. I was amazed....But I didn't want to stop with one pass, so I relathered and went for a second light pass...just to be sure...Bad move! First XTG stroke left about 5 weepers....Opps!

So a cold water rinse stopped those, and I left well enough alone. I splashed with Witch Hazel, then Aqua Velva Ice Blue. I was expecting it to burn but no....Actually the weepers were so surface that the AS didn't even burn. I was going for a second pass because I wanted to, and because I didn't really believe I got a great BBs in one pass. But now a little time has passed, and yep....A fine BBS in one pass...ha,ha...

I'm thinking the weepers were because I was using a fresh blade and I was going for another pass when it was really redundant...So, live and learn....Man this Schick E2 is sure delievering the goods...

As easy as
One two three

 

Chris, I like the way you think!

 

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

Shave #2 with the Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum in my '59 Fat Boy set to 6. A very nice, really smooth, comfortable near BBS shave. Got careless and picked up 1 weeper at the corner of my mustache.
2 Full passes: Pass 1 WTG on my face and XTG on my neck. I had an almost DFS after the first pass. Pass 2: ATG. At this point I had a near BBS shave. After touch up, I thought I had the baby. But after the Aqua Velva dried I realized I had missed one of my usual spots.

A really nice near BBS shave from the Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum and the Fat Boy. Very pleased.

 

Thank you both!

 

It's like a paint brush! I don't think it's the same knot, it's seems thinner, I like it! I really love the handle.

 

30 day Focus - Day 21
MDC Lavender Face Lathered w/ TOBS Rose
Rapira Stainless Blade (Day 1 on blade, Day 3 on Rapira Swedish Stainless)
Slim Adjustable set to 8
3 passes

There was a post on this board yesterday that mentioned TOBS Rose. This is one of my favorites. I dabbed a little on my cheeks this morning before face lathering the Lavender MDC. This is a great combination for both scent and shave quality. 3 passes and ready to face the day.

 

SOTD
August 22, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Mongoose B3 Dr. Bomber Handle
Blade: Feather Professional
Brush: Omega 10098
Lather: Stirling Executive Man
Post: Alum. Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Stirling Executive Man
Today I went with a different blade, the Pro Guard is a nice safe blade, I needed something a little bit more aggressive. The Feather Professional fit the bill! Nice smooth 3pass shave. I'm really happy with my purchase of this razor, it definitely lives up to the hype. Stirling Executive Man is wonderful. Stirling soaps are super slick and provide a nice post shave. The Omega 10098 is working out well, I'm bowl lathering right now because this brush is just so stiff.

Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

 

Shave 9
21/08
Pre: Village Barber
Soap: Tabac
Brush: Semogue OC Boar
Razor: Kai Excelia non folding
Blade: Kai Mild (3)
AS: Old Spice Musk

After 2 not so good shaves, I think I have got my mojo back. Either that or the Kai Mild has lost it's edge slightly.

2.5 passes BBS results. No nicks this time.

The Tabac produced a great lather but there is something about the scent I don't like which is a shame because it is a great soap.

 

I'm also having a hard time deciding if I like Tabac. Nice performer but one time the scent doesn't seem to bad. The next time I don't like it. Go figure.

 

Phoenix Comparison Focus Day 21:

Cornhuskers Lotion
Simpsons Commodore X3 Best Badger
AOS Ocean Kelp SC
Phoenix Dbl OC
Stirling Unscented PSB
Fine Platinum AS

Last shave with the Phoenix this week, and it was a good one. Smooth as ever, and I finished with a DFS. The Fine Platinum topped it off nicely. My son shared in the shave with me this morning, and now he and I are heading to the Dodgers at Astros and smelling great. Have a great Saturday!

 

08/22/2015
Razor – Gillette New LC with Triad Helix SS
Blade – Feather (1)
Brush – Rubberset 400 with Omega Boar
Lather – Tiki Cabernet Neroli
Post - Witch Hazel & Fine L’Orange



Feeling much better this morning. After a no shave day yesterday, I decided to load up the New LC with a fresh Feather and enjoy a relaxing weekend shave. A 3 pass shave with no nicks, weepers or irritation, provided a near BBS. About as far as I cared to push it today. I really like the scent of this Cabernet Neroli soap, red wine and citrus. Finished off with a splash of Fine L'Orange and I am ready for a relaxing day. Hope everyone has a great Saturday.

 

Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE
View attachment 75022 [/quote]

Great tagline!

 

Best post of the month on TSD!
Nothing better than a good shave and a ballgame, except to share both with your son!
Enjoy!

 

August 22, 2015

Adjustable August
30-Day Focus - Gillette Adjustable Slim / Fatboy

Mid-morning shave.
Hot Shower
Soap: Arko (homemade travel stick)
Brush: Butterscotch Fauxmere 24mm synthetic
Razor: Gillette Fatboy (1961)
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
After Shave: Proraso Green

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

This month has gone by so quickly as I've tried to learn the Slim and then attempt the same with the FB. I've gotten very nice shaves all month, but feel that I've rushed the process, getting to 9 on the Slim and then trying for the same on the FB. I'm sure I could get there, but...

...as usual, @Bama Samurai got me thinking about my statement of liking the FB better. I answered that I liked the added weight and that the shave seemed smoother. And that was it. I think I should do better than that.

At some point, in some month down the road, I'd look to do more extensive assessments of each and a comparison of them.

But given the time left in the month, I'm going to try to attempt a quick comparison using a mini 8-day Rule.

Starting today I will use the FB for two days in a row with the setting at 7, then switching to the Slim for two shaves , and back and forth until the end of the month. That will give 4 shaves at setting #7 with each razor. I'll keep the same soap and brush, and use a new GSB blade for the two shaves and then a new blade for the next razor.

At the end, I'll attempt to answer BamaS's question again.

Shave 1A Fatboy
- first pass, solid. I continue to notice a good deal of audible feedback, as with both adjustables in my brief experience with them. I rotate higher onto the cap, noise lessens.
- second pass, AOK. Focusing on blade angle (which for me is minding the cap placement and relative angle of the razor handle to cheek - it seems just below perpendicular)
Close shave. FB feels very comfortable in my hand.

Cheers!
RT

 

Looks like your decision isnt as hard as you think.

If you dont like it all the time, then you don't like it full stop.

I made that mistake with AOS Sandalwood. Sometimes I liked it. Sometimes I didn't. It ended up at the bottom of the pile because I was using soaps I liked all of the time.

I only have a couple more shaves left with the Tabac sample. I'm glad I tried it but I won't be buying it.

 

I am by no means a guru on straights, but I have been enjoying them a lot lately. I have started using the same razor for longer periods to get a good assessment on it, and have found that if I strop 10 laps on linen and 10 laps on leather after I dry the razor, the edge seems to stay better longer. Part of this probably has to do with how I use or strop the razor, but I seem to need a bit of a touch up after about 10 shaves give or take. I know a lot of people can go longer, but since I have finishing stones, I don't mind doing this. @HolyRollah could give a much better answer.

 

8/22/15 SOTD (Shave 12 of this Focus)
Two days’ growth
Prep: Face Wash
Razor: Ontario Cutlery Co. 5/8 (Muted) Spike Point
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel/ Linen
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Brush: Omega 1066 Boar
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue

Did another light round of touch up on my finishing stone prior to this shave. Got the smoothness to be similar to day two on a feather DE blade. Didn’t need much pressure to slice the whiskers down today. Did a two pass with no touch up and ended up with a DFS Plus shave, and had quiet Alum and aftershave today. I think I am going to call this razor good, and stop with the contestant touch ups on the stone. At this point I have hit two of my milestone goals for my focus this month. I am pretty happy with that. May try and work in the third one as well, of taking one of my shave ready razors and seeing if I can improve the edge with my hone.

 

Because there is a variance in the amount of wear our beards have on the blade's edge (as well as our technique), I don't believe there is a 'one answer applies to all.'
I tend to be a proponent of 'less is more' when it comes to the amount of stropping laps, touching up edges with pastes, etc. and so recommend pasted strops and taking a blade 'back to the hones' ONLY if one is feeling the blade tug consistently. With an existing keen edge, daily stropping should keep it that way for some time. Those with heavy, barbed-wire face beards, however, will tend to reveal the edge fading faster than some light-bearded shavers (like me!).