February '16 - 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion Thread

I look forward to your comparisons I now have an open comb for April focus

 

Thanks! I'm really interested in how it will turn out. Today was not quite a good day for comparisons due to very light beard growth and some annoying irritation on my neck. But that will all clear up and it'll be back to normal soon. I'll keep you updated through my daily posts!

 

Paris is wine country.

 

Looks beautiful hope you and the family are having a great time.

 

16 February 2016 - 90 Day Intro to SR
Planned Day 47

Morning Coffee in the Mist Edition



Later tonight:



Have a Superb Tuesday!

 

I liked yesterday's shave so much I did it again. The Route 66 soap is a superb performer and the brush smells less funky on day two. Two pass BBS
SOTD
Route 66 Barbershop Hop
Vie-Long horse hair brush
Mongoose
Feather Pro (1)
Alum
Ogallala Bay Rum AS
Have fun!

 

That brush is a stunner

 

Thank you. It lathers nicely as well. It had a funky smell on first use. It is getting better with use.

 

You may want to take that bowl back. Bad Karma and all. Just saying.

 

Thanks Tom! One more day in the countryside, then back to the real world.

 

Razor: Merkur Futur
Blade: Feather (1)
Brush: omega 81230
Soap: MWF
Post: Alum + fine snake bite.
Another fantastic shave. I appreciate the MWF more and more with each use its fantastic. The Futur loaded with a new Feather does not need to be set beyond 3.5 I fear it will never see 6. Unless of course I get the, what's the worst that could happen calling. I was taught a lesson in getting to big for one's boots. I got so comfortable with the razor I completely switched off and nicked an old scar that protrudes slightly. Nothing major just a gentle warning from the shave gods I suspect. Have a great day everyone.

 

I know where you are coming from and I do frown upon thievery. But at £100 for two steak dinners and a kids meal I sort of felt I was levelling the playing field. Also it was being refurbed so I assumed they would be getting new stuff...... Who am I kidding? I know it's wrong

 

Razor: Gillette Red Tip
Blade: Personna Blue (2)
Brush: Fendrihan Silver Tip 22/49
Soap: Route 66 Sea & Citrus
A/S: Myrsol Agua Balsamica

 

SOTD
February 16, 2016
Prep: Hot Shower. Noxzema
Razor: Blackland Blackbird
Blade: Voskhod
Lather: Route 66 The Black Pearl
CK Scuttle
Brush: Semogue 610
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH.
Aftershave: Route 66 The Black Pearl
I really love Route 66 The Black Pearl, and here's why. Slick, cushion-y, easy to lather, fantastic scent, great post shave skincare. Winning!! TBP balm is on point too! Fantastic shave with the BB! Smooth 3 pass shave, it helps that you use a high quality soap. Remember that fellas. I'm enjoying the CK scuttle, perfect size for my liking. A warm lather feels great in the early morning.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE!

 

Great pic Doug. Your red tip is in Great condition.

 

February Focus - German blades

February 16

Razor - Merkur 23c
Blade - (1)
Brush - Vie Long 12601 The Pony
Soap - Tabac
Post - Cold rinse, Alum, The Veg

Onward to the sixth blade out of seven in our tour of Germany. By the way, has anyone seen any of the Cartel boys lately? The last I saw of them they were in a beer garden somewhere in Germany after finding these blades. If they've been mixing German beer and Russian vodka, well, they'll wake up eventually. Maybe. Or not.

The blade of the hour is the Croma Diamant, made by Feintechnik GmbH who also produce the Bolzano. So, hopes are high that this will be a great blade. It's also the blade that is being manufactured in the famous episode of How It's Made. Well, famous to us anyway. If you've never seen it it's worth a look. I like going back to it occasionally just to watch it all again.

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I'm not sure why they show Merkur blades in the beginning then switch to Croma. Probably a sponsorship thing. Anyway, off we go to give this blade a try. It is a stainless blade with Chrome and Teflon for the coating. In the video you see them adding the chrome layer in the vacuum, then spraying the teflon on afterwards.

The Pony and Tabac for a great lather. First pass WTG and I have a word for this blade. Rough. Again, we're not talking Chinese rough, but not smooth. It didn't do a horrible job on the pass but boy I felt it working. No nicks etc. but after the first pass I find myself wincing in advance, just in case it turns totally south on me. Too many shaves with bad blades and the feeling is a warning. Second pass, XTG, is equally uncomfortable. Now, it's not so bad I can't continue, but if this was not a trial I wouldn't be using it for two more days. I have better options. Like Derby. The Croma is not the sharpest blade in the batch and even the Teflon, which I love, can't smooth it out. Needed a third pass, ATG and G-slide. My neck is now nice and red and I'm anticipating some burn from the alum. Finished the third pass with a midling DFS. Hit my face and neck with the alum and got a burn. Not as bad as I thought I would but it's there.

So, No BBS. Deduct 1/2. The roughness, or perhaps more accurately, lack of smoothness, deducts another 1/2. Alum was a bit warm. Not as bad as I thought, but the redness remains. That's another 1/2 deduction. Final score on this one today is a 3.5 I'm hoping for better tomorrow!

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Great video. Your posts are very informative. I can't wait to try wilkinson sword. At the moment I am sticking to feather to regain some consistency to my focus. Next month is trial month though!

 

I was not a fan of the croma blades. I really like Wilkinson and it is the blade of choice for my fiancé. They are also locally avalible at my local small pharmacy. They keep them right next to the Schick injector blades.

 

I was rushed with a last minute meeting with a store manager of my local grocery. I was hoping for a job but again it fell through.

Proraso White
WD synthetic 20mm
Gillette Super Speed
Astra SP (2)
Axe Shield

Quick 2 pass and I managed a BBS except on my neck where I got a very nice DFS. No burn from the tap water. It has enough chlorine in it that it burns as much as Alum most days. I used one of my more mild aftershaves since I dislike using strong smells for job interviews. XTG followed by an ATG buffing pass. My neck shave was G-slide in opposite directions N/S and S/N. Back to my normal chunks of shaving steel tomorrow.

 

Focus: NF Brush #8 - Feb 16
New Forest Tambootie wood handle w/ two-band badger knot​

Another one of the five wood handles that Peter made.
This morning it was one of the Tambootie handles (the second out of two)
I really like this two-band knot - dense, soft and a lathering machine.
The wood handle was also very pleasant to use this morning.

I'd rate it an 8.5/10 which is, I think, a tie for highest rating (with the other Tambootie handle actually).

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