DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Well while it might be a bit awkward with that kind of weight and handle catching the right angle wouldn't be too hard. Just watch the amount of pressure you add!

 

Dec 6 Shave 4

The last shave with the CJB for this trip tomorrow back my Ikon DE. It's day 3 for the blade and it's has mellowed which is good but after three passes I was not satisfied with closeness so I did 1/2 of the fourth pass. Good news no blood and only the slightest of irritation. Closeness good but no cigar.

Irritation A- Closeness B+

Arko stick
Vie Long white horsehair fan
CJB with Feather Pro
Alcolado Galcial AS
Castle Forbes ASB
Sunscreen and bug repellent.

 

I'm finding I prefer the heavier razors 7/8 or 6/8 with 1/4 grind and want to try a near wedge. I have just one fully hollow I like and its my Dovo Bismark.

 

6.7/10 from the West German judge really dragged your score down. Nobody is ever taking down the cartel.

 

Beautiful garden picture!

 

Just another day in paradise. Enjoying a cigar by the pool

 

I still haven't shaved with a full hollow. Maybe some day I will but I'm happy with the heavy guys so far.

 

Supposedly, the caffeine reduces redness, but I have never really noticed anything different. It is a decent cream, but now that I have some more experience with others, it isn't near the top of my list.

 

Thanks Charlie, I appreciate that. Sometimes I begin to wonder if some of my posts are overlong. I guess it's in my nature to be oriented toward details. I'm still learning about soaps and without the help of many folks on this thread, I'd still be struggling. As it is, I'm not certain I have MWF dialed in yet. I'll see how I do a few weeks down the road when I pull it out again.

I'm looking forward to reading your posts on the 6/8 quarter hollow that's on its way to you. At first I thought there would be no way would I touch a straight razor, but seeing many of you jump into the water makes me want to try. I can just see the look of horror on my bride's face now.

 

Pain Stick Focus December 6:

Homemade PS Oil
Simpsons Commodore X3 Best Badger
TSD Lavender and Rose Wheat SC
CJB Pain Stick
Stirling Unscented PSB
The Veg

Got up a but early before church this morning to get my shave in, and it was probably the best shave I have had with the Pain Stick. No weepers, less irritation, and fairly close. I would rate it somewhere between a CCS and DFS. My chin is still proving to be a challenge, but I am getting better.

I have also been mixing in a little glycerin with the PSO, and I really like the way it feels. I am sure it is all in my head, but the face feel is better to me after I shave when I do that.

 

12/6/15

Gillette New LC
Rapira Super Stainless (3)
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Pinaud Clubman Original

Sixth day with Mitchell's Wool Fat and the Rapira Super Stainless in the New LC. Small amount of hot water on the puck while the brush soaked. Poured the bloom water into my left hand and spread it on my face and neck. I swirled the brush in the soap for about 20 seconds. This produced a ton of pre-lather to the point where it was almost flowing down the sides of the container. I captured all of it on my brush and then began to face lather. After a few minutes my face had a nice even thick coating of beautiful lather and my brush looked pretty nice too.


2 full passes: Pass 1 XTG. Very good reduction. After rinsing and applying lather, my brush still had plenty of nice lather.


Pass 2: ATG. I did small amount of touch up where I could feel stubble and this left my face DFS. A cold water rinse and very minor touch up and the baby came home. The Pinaud Clubman stung, especially on my neck just to the right of my Adams Apple. This is a problem spot for me because if I stretch the skin, the stubble lays down. So the only thing to do is go over it and let the skin move as it will. I can get BBS there, but I need to go over it at least two or three times. I guess I must have went over it without enough lather once because the MWF was very protective. But there was no redness. I still had plenty of lather after my touch up for at least another pass.


Another fine BBS from the Rapira Super Stainless in the New LC. The Mitchell's Wool Fat provided nice protective slick lather throughout the shave. I'll go with face lathering MWF again tomorrow and if all goes well, I'll see if what I've learned translates to another soap.

I hope everyone has a great Lord's Day!

 

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Cobra Classic
Feather Pro #3
Doug Korn D-7XLT Shavemac Finest
TSD 2X Iced Barber Shoppe
Alum, Witch Hazel +Menthol, Whipped Shea Butter
TSD 2x Iced Barber Shoppe Aftershave

Today’s shave was a very close, 2 passes plus clean up. The Closeness A and Irritation A+. A TSD Sunday with 2X Iced Barber Shoppe soap and aftershave from the Shave Den Store. The Shavemac finest knot whipped up a mountain of creamy slick wonderfully scented icy lather. This Shavemac has a full-face feel, excellent splay, slight scrub, and only a little backbone. The Ice Blue brush is my second largest brush. It fits my hand like a glove. No feedback from the alum. Shave #3 on this blade was excellent. The Cobra Classic has performed flawlessly in all directions WTG, XGT, and AGT. The handle can be slippery when soapy. Finished with a good splash of the 2X Iced Barber Shoppe. Have a good Sunday!

 

I keep seeing the Cobra....

I think he likes it.....

 

I loves it!

 

Yeah Buddy! Now you see why they rarely come available...lol

 

12/06/2015
Razor – GEM 1912
Blade – GEM Stainless PTFE (2)
Brush – Romera Olivewood Synthetic
Lather – TSD Signature Scent
Post - Witch Hazel and Captain’s Choice Bay Rum



Keeping the vintage focus going, I went with the GEM 1912 again today. I used the Romera Olivewood and TSD Signature soap to whip up a great lather. Going with a normal 3 pass shave with a few touch ups got me close to the baby. I did much better above and below the lips today. I am going to continue to use the GEM each weekend for the rest of the month and see how much I can improve on the shave. Finished up with a splash of CC Bay Rum. I hope everyone has wonderful Sunday.

 

Congrats Bill on mastering MWF. I am sure what you've learned will translate to other soaps.

 

Welp, I have to find my magic box of blades. I realized that my Tech and Astra SP blades are not a good combination at all. So I need to shift my focus to something else. I've used the same soap every day since early October (The Soap Exchange tallow) and stuck with the same brush (Vie Long 13061M) for most of the same period. I used my Weber PH and Astra blades every day that I shaved. I tried a winter beard but realized that there is more frost in the whiskers than on them and didn't want to look that old every day, so it came off. So I am back to square one. Perhaps I'll try out my New LC for the remainder of the month. Or, I could get to unpacking some boxes and see if I can find my magic box of blades.

 

SOTD
December 6, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
Blade: Big Ben
Lather: Bronson Distinguished Goat
Brush: Semogue 610
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: Folsom and Co. Shady Past
Really nice shave. This may be my second time using the Bronson soap, really good stuff. The Aristocrat and Big Ben worked OK. Thanks everyone for your well wishes!! I'm feeling much better.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

It's exactly what I would recommend for a first straight.