DEC 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

I visited the Derby City Chop Shop and purchased a bottle of Small Batch Shave Tonic. It's a locally made bay rum aftershave that I read about here on TSD. I look forward to trying it in the next day or two.

I hope you all are having a great Saturday. Neal, good luck on your first conventional straight razor shave tomorrow!

 

Can you buy it online? Snow storm started a little while ago.

 

Yes, Doug, I think you can when it is available. I didn't check the website today. I just called the shop, found that they had just made a batch, so I stopped by.

No snow here yet. Nice and sunny today. Sounds like a good day for you to build a fire and enjoy a game on TV.

 

Shave this morning using:
JR #8
Mystic Water Lime
Gem Featherweight
Gem Carbon blade(1)
Alum stick
WH mix
Nivia sensitive

I decided I had neglected my SE razors a bit. I had one Gem Carbon blade left and since I knew I hated them I the MMBT I decided to try it in the featherweight. I have only used this razor once before so it will get a few days with this blade but based on today I wont be getting any more gem carbon blades.

The JR#8 was soft but not as stiff as I have gotten used to. It also picked up and held water(and lather) more then the boar and synthetics I normally use. I ended up having a thinner lather then normal and struggled to get enough for 3 passes.

I gave the Gem 2 passes, XTG/ATG, and gave up. It was tuggy and harsh feeling like carbon blades did in the MMBT. I had decent reduction and a BBS except for the neck but it didn't feel good. I pulled out the true and true GSB Super Speed combo and cleaned it up to a full BBS in an extra 3rd pass. I applied Alum to stop the leaks, a cold water rinse. My lemongrass menthol WH and Nivia to ease the hurt. Although I'm very smooth I don't feel like its a good shave. 2 hours later my neck still feels raw. The redness has gone down. One more day and I'm done with the carbon Gem blades. After that Ill give the blue carbon Pal blades a shot.

 

Enjoy the movie. Excellent shave brush and photo.

 

Razor: Gillette Milord 1946
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (6)
Brush: Omega Professional 10049 Boar Red Handle
Soap: Route 66 Frozen Margarita
A/S Fine L'Orange Noir
Perfect day for a Frozen Margarita. I do find that for me the Route 66 soaps whip up better with a badge knot. DFS this afternoon. Three passes with an excellent finish with Fine L'Orange.
Once the snow starts up here you never know when it will stop.

 

Great picture and perfect pairing with Frozen Margarita.

Is the Omega broken in yet? My Pro 49 got much better after about I used it about 30 times.

 

Thanks @clint64. This brush needs some more work before it is broken in. I've only had it for a few shaves. Part of my focus is using boar brushes. They are the brushes I have the most difficulty with.

 

The brush gets much better once it is broken in. I liked mine well enough to use the knot in one of my Rubberset 400 restorations.

 

Great picture!

 

Thanks very much.

 

Sounds like your enjoying your brush. Nothing like a Lather Monster!

 

Mark, this Oscar11 is really special, it's the softest natural hair brush I have, the largest, and boy does it sure hold a lot of soap. After I finished shaving I took what was left and used my bowl just for kicks. I had enough later for another 3 pass shave. Amazing.

 

And big brushes use up soaps faster for NB 2016.

 

That's what I'm hoping for!!! Use my first soap up.

 

I am just about done with my 5th soap since starting in September 2014. But then again I load the soaps like they owe me money.

 

That's great! I can see the bottoms on a couple but I haven't finished one yet. I have a feeling my new soap Monsavon Bol à Raser may be the first.

 

I'm going to use my Gillette Flare Tip until Christmas, this razor is the one the caused me to buy aggressive razors because I didn't know what I was doing. Now that my technique is solid the Flare Tip is a great shaver. TTT all the time. Every time.

 

Flare tips are excellent razors. What blade do you use with your Flare tip?

 

Ive been using Personna Lab Blue, tomorrow I'm going to try a Gillette Silver Blue.