DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

The Twelve Blades of December!

Hard to believe we've almost put this year to bed. Wow. Where did the time go? But, here we are and as a gift to everyone here I'm offering up my shaves with twelve blades that have never touched my face, randomly paired with twelve of my DE razors. Two shaves with each setup to finish on Xmas Eve. So, sit back, get the fire burning and enjoy what I hope is an enjoyable month of further proof Technique Trumps Tools. I hope for that....my expectations aren't as optimistic.

December 16

Razor - 1959 Gillette Super Speed
Blade - (2)
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Post - Cold water, Alum, Nivea

Happy Monday!! Oh wait, Wednesday to you! One more try on the German Souplex today along with the '59 Super Speed. Several people sang the praises of the Super Speed yesterday and I am in that chorus. Probably one of Gillette's best ideas and certainly a best seller for them. While it has a reputation for being too mild for some it seems to be able to give great shaves with great results. Of course, for those who think the flair tip is too mild there's always a red tip, and the blue tip for those who want a truly mild razor.

BoSFat for the lather and it was marvelous. Yesterday I found the Souplex to be a bit rough and less than a great blade on results. Today, first pass was surprisingly smooth. I actually played with angles a bit trying to find the rough blade from yesterday. Couldn't find it. Apparently this blade improves with age as some do. Went XTG on the second pass and found a very high DFS, even without the Gillette Slides on my neck. I didn't expect that result, but there it is. If I would G-slide and touch up just a tiny bit a BBS would be there. But, I'm not that picky today. I know it was within easy reach and a DFS is just fine. Very impressed with the improvement. I'm thinking a hand strop on this blade before its first shave might improve it to better match the second.

Tomorrow, one of my favorite razors, the New LC is up. Unfortunately, the blade is the Chinese Baili Green. The Baili Blue is an amazingly bad blade so my expectations are set accordingly. We'll see if the green works better or if I can overcome it if it doesn't. The next two days could be payback for today. Have a great day!

 

SOTD
December 16, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
Blade: Ladas
Lather: WSP Tobacco
Brush: Semogue 830
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: WSP Tobacco
Great shave. After using the 28mm Silvertip yesterday and now using a 21-22 mm boar, what a big difference! I will say I really do like the Semogue 830 a lot. Very soft, but it doesn't hold an ample amount of lather. Trust me I have no problem going back to the puck. The Aristocrat is the best razor Gillette ever did.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

I hope you level out soon. Sounds like no fun. Praying for you.

 

Best of luck, Ducky

 

The only one I have experience with is the Maca cream. It's a nice cream that I think you will like.

 

We did get some snow! It was a strong storm, dropped 10 inches in about 6 hours, and was heavy wet snow.

 

NOS POS?

 

Strange thing about the weather in Colorado-it might shoot up to 70 tomorrow, with those 10 inches.

 

In the spring that is actually quite common! I've seen snow and tornadoes in the same day!

 

It's a great state, and as I think I said here once, I am not above a move out there in the future. We shall see.

 

I think I will like it I got impatient and just rubbed a small amount on my head as a sort of moisturiser it smells great and has actually worked quite well as a moisturiser

 

Thought I noticed the snow in a news report in CO.

 

No NOS. Just POS.

 

Wednesday, December16, 2015
King Cobra Classic
Feather Pro #3
Ever Ready 100T Pur Tech
Dusy Kabinett
Alum, Witch Hazel +Menthol, Whipped Shea Butter
Fine L’Orage Noir
4711 Ice

Today's shave was all roses! The King Cobra with a Feather Pro gave me another scary, very close shave. Caught the baby today, and a few weepers. The Dusy is the best take yet, at least for me, on the scent of Roses. It lathers easily and explodes into a pile of thick, slick lather. The skincare is nice too. The Shea Butter felt extra soothing today. The ending today was all citrus. First a splash of Fine L'Orange Noir. then a little 4711 Ice. Have a good Wednesday.

 

SOTD 12/16/15 (Shave 8 of this focus)
Razor: Henkels Friodur Inox
Strop: Drygulch Leatherworks Forty Five Series Bridle/ Poly
Soap: Sterling Barbershop
Brush: Omega 1066
Post Shave: Cold Water rinse, Alum, Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Mandom

Took another attempt at the Sterling soap today. This is my third time trying to use it. Since it’s a thirsty soap, I tried to lather it in the same way I do my Barrister & Mann. I got a longer lasting lather, but not as thick and not as much cushion as I like. Razor was very keen, and I did 3 passes. One small cut were I set the tip down too hard, but the whiskers came off easily. Went to put the alum on, and got a pretty healthy burn from it. Weird, because the lather was slick and the whiskers just wiped off. Mandom burned too, but since I am man enough for Mandom, I can take it. Irritation persisted for about two hours after the shave was done. I love the smell of the barbershop, and I know this soap is very highly regarded. I really want to be able to use it. I might just use it for the rest of the month to see if I can dial it in. Shave was a DFS-, B+ on closeness, C- on irritation.

 

Hope you're enjoying the KC, Mark!

 

Don't give up on it. I get amazing lather effortlessly out of margaritas in the arctic.

 

Today I did a soak of a couple of tablespoons of hot water while I was in the shower, shook out my boar brush after it soaked, poured the water off the soap into my bowl, and loaded the mostly dry brush for about a minute. Going to try with a more damp brush for loading on Friday. I want to look good when I go see The Force Awakens.

 

I am, very much. You knew I'd love it, didn't you? It's more aggressive than the Mongoose/AlumiGoose. I don't like the handle. I've ordered a couple of new handles for it.

 

I also had issues with my first brush shave if I'm honest I'm not sure I enjoyed it. I've been improving a lot lately and now I've added a brush to my routine I've had my worst ever shave the problem is I shave the back of my head by feel so it helps to keep one hand full of soap at all times. I shave, feel and re soap at the same time I appreciate I have to learn and let my brush break in but I'm thinking if it ain't broke don't fix it I was happy without a brush and only got one hoping to improve my shave not complicate it. I also have to look good Friday for works Christmas night out so I will skip the brush for that shave I hope you enjoy the force awakens it's got lots of hype