August 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

That looks like a great razor.

I don't really have the time or patience for stropping and honing otherwise I would be tempted.

I'll stick with the Kai Excelia (for now).
Will probably get a Kai or Feather folding at some point though.

 

If you didn't, I was going to...

 

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

Shave #1 with the Rapira Super Stainless in my '59 Fat Boy set to 6. Paid attention to the angle and rode the cap.
2 Full passes: Pass 1 WTG on my face and XTG on my neck. Pass 2: ATG. Left my face and neck DFS. Did a hot water rinse and touch up, followed by a cold water rinse and another touch up. Seemed BBS at this point. Splashed on the Aqua Velva and some of the areas I had already gone over a couple of times woke up. One remained after the A/S dried, so no baby this morning.

Near BBS from the Rapira Super Stainless. Comfortable shave, but I spent more time and effort than yesterday and achieved less closeness than with the Rapira Swedish Supersteel.

 

Phoenix Comparison Focus Day 26:

Homemade PS Oil
VDH Boar Brush
Stirling San Antonio SS
Phoenix Dbl OC
Stirling Unscented PSB
Barbasol Pacific Rush AS

I went to a soap I hadn't used in a while, Stirling's San Antonio. Between the soap and the brush, I had so much lather, it ended up everywhere this morning. It was thick and slick. Some of the Stirling soaps will produce lather that is tinted the same color as the soap, and this one does. So not only was the lather everywhere, it was a bit rust colored. Lots of fun, but my wife probably would not have appreciated the mess. Luckily, she is still asleep.

I also picked up the Phoenix again for the last part of my focus this month. In case anyone wasn't sure, I can sum up my thoughts on this razor by saying that I like it. So since I feel I know this razor well at this point, I made a slight change to my focus this morning. I had originally planned on using the same blades in each of the two razors I used in each week, just to eliminate a variable. This morning, I used a new to me blade, the Big Ben Super Stainless. I picked some up at British Isles and had to give them a try. Unfortunately, it wasn't the best shave, as I had a little irritation which I rarely get with this razor. I'll definitely use this blade a couple more times before I make a decision, but my initial impression was not great.

 

30 day Focus - Day 26
MDC Lavender Face Lathered
Voskhod Blade (Day 2 on blade, Day 2 on Voskhod)
Slim Adjustable set to 8
3 passes

Very nice shave today.

 

August 30 Day Rule

I was unable to put up yesterday's shave report due to Time Warner Cable deciding to cut off my internet along with my cable instead of just my cable. Wish there were alternatives for internet, but UVerse and the other options are not any better and actually have worse service where I am. I guess I will just have to be a cable hater that has to hold my nose and keep using them.

Now on to yesterday's shave. EXCELLENT! Only word to describe yesterday's shave! Used my VDH boar brush to whip up some really nice Stirling MITA lather. I am starting to run low on my MITA, but should have plenty to make it through the month. This soap really is amazing. It lathers great, smells great, and leaves my skin feeling great. (Guess I should have said the soap is great instead of amazing.) Anyway, I got a good spread on my face, put in my new GSB, and set to work. Started with my first pass on the face. Really paid attention to the chin and the area under my lip. I did WTG on the cheeks and mustache, but went XTG on the chin and below the lip. It made a huge difference from my normal first pass. Not grail shave level, but very very good! Going XTG on the chin really seemed to make a HUGE difference on whisker removal compared to WTG. On my neck, I did my usual XTG pass and again got a very good, smooth shave. Rinsed, felt around, not too bad.

Second pass I did XTG on the cheeks and some touch-up on the mustache area. All smooth. Moved on to the chin and below the lip area. ATG worked great for the chin. Took my time, stretched and contorted and made funny faces, but it was a great smooth shave! No irritation, no blood, no whiskers! Moved on and did ATG on the neck area. Really pulled the skin tight. Tilted my head and pulled from behind the razor or from across the razor so I could get the best shave in certain areas. Really paid attention to the patch on either side of my neck that seems to grow in every direction. Got it smoother than I ever have before I think.

Splashed with cold water, checked for touch-up areas. Hmmmmm something must be wrong, I am not feeling any areas needing touch-up. Am I losing feeling in my fingers? Faceturbated a while longer, put on the WH and waited, more faceturbation, no whiskers popping up! Smoooooooth as a baby's bottom! WOO HOO!!!!

I decided not to shave today to see how the beard grew back. Right now, roughly 26 hours after last shaving, I have the equivalent of a 5 O'clock shadow. Nothing like I usually have after one day. Plan to shave tonight since I have to be up really early tomorrow. Will use the same process and directions, especially for the chin. It was amazing how much better an XTG first pass worked compared to a WTG. I also think my other two main problem areas, the jaw line and the patches on my lower neck have both settled in to where I can get DFS pretty easily as long as I don't push it too hard. No chasing the baby, but it sure is nice when you catch him!

One day closer to Friday! Happy shaving!

 

SOTD
August 27, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Mongoose B3 Dr. Bomber Handle
Blade: Kia Captain Titan Mild
Brush: Stirling Synthetic
Lather: TOBS Eton College
Post: Alum. Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Folsom & Co. Capri
One of my biggest struggles in wet shaving is keeping it at a 3 pass shave. I need to be mindful daily of my joy of shaving, even if I'm in the "shaving groove".. Kia Captain Titan Mild blades are awesome! TOBS Eton College lovely cream, haven't used it in a long time.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

 

There's a quote I will have to remember! Thanks

 

Beautiful Razor. Congrats.

 

Well, after 27 days using Feather blades, I have come to the conclusion that day two and three will always be smoother than day one. I have palm stropped on day one with no improvement. The next new blade is going on a leather strop. Today's shave was day two and it was very nice.
SOTD
Schick Krona
Feather (2)
AOS Pure Badger brush
TOBS Mr. Taylor's cream
AOS AS balm
Pinaud Clubman AS

Very nice three pass BBS shave.

Have fun!

 

Why not both? I started with a Feather AC in March, and it kind of took off from there. The skills for the shave are transferable from the Shavette to the straight. Stropping isn't difficult, and is actually kind of fun. Most people start out sending razors to be honed, until they are sure they are into it enough to invest in hones. Some just keep sending them out.

Come to the darkside! We don't have cookies, but strops are cool!

 

August 27, 2015

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

Morning shave
Hot Shower
Soap: Arko (homemade travel stick)
Brush: Butterscotch Fauxmere 24mm synthetic
Razor: Gillette Slim AND Fatboy
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3 in both)
After Shave: Proraso Green

Slim and 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 attempt the same with the FB. I've gotten very nice shaves all month. Given the time left in the month, I began a quick comparison using a mini 8-shave Rule, alternating every two shaves between the Slim and FB.

After more than two weeks with the Slim and more than a week with the Fatboy, I still cannot discern significant differences with the two in their shaving attributes (not assessing their physical differences) - even with the alternating shave plan that I’ve been practicing for 4 shaves.

Time for one last extreme approach. Today I will used one razor on one side of my face for both passes and the other razor on the opposite side, splitting the face right down the middle.


Bizarre? Probably. But it’s my last gasp to use my novice abilities to assess these razors against each other. Not that its a competition, I’m just trying to see if I can tell a difference.

Today’s combined shave was a great shave, similar to most all the shaves over the month with these two razors. I do believe that today’s approach has helped me to get a better sense of their differences. So I’m going to repeat this once more (tomorrow) and then wrap up my month’s assessment.

Cheers!
RT

 

Who am I trying to kid?

I am just trying to deny the inevitable.
I will move to proper straights at some point.

For now, I want to master the non-folding SE first.
I haven't had much luck with the folding SE so thats next on the list to try. Need to decide whether to go for a Feather DX folding or the Kai Captain folding.
I expect that will a 30 day rule soon.

Then comes proper straights.

Until then, I'll thank you to keep your enabling to yourself!

 

Great write-up Bird!
I'm thinking of focusing on my Schick injectors next month (or my GEMs) and this review really helps.

btw - I seem to recall that you're in the Seattle environs?
I hope you heard about this shindig in September!
http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/2015-seattle-shave-con.45475/

 

Congrats! - Sounds like a great shave!

 

I experience the same desire...and would do half a dozen passes if I could. But my skin is not tough enough, so I'm on a quest for the best two-pass shave I can get.

 

That's very good to know, thanks for sharing.
I got a tuck of Feathers in my original sample pack and haven't had the guts to try them...yet.
Someday.

 

Please try them. I would like to see if you have the same results.

 

Did I just see you ask somebody on this site to quit enabling? Really? Seriously?
I'd still have just an EJ DE89 and $100.00s of dollars if but wasn't for you guys.

Still laughing

 

TSD...soon to become TSED
(The Shaving Enablers Den!)