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

Bunk blade for sure. Glad to see you on the Alum train! I am a big advocate. It verifies the techniques in a tangible way.

 

Will do!

 

Planned Day 56 - 90 Day Intro to SR
SOTD - 25 February 2016



Ralf Aust 5/8
L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
Route 66 - Lumberjack
Alum
TSD ISZ AS

Have a terrific Thursday!
​

 

Maggard brush review

Figured I would do a post solely on the Maggard synthetic brush. I have become a complete synthetic convert and am very happy with the three brush sizes I have now. The Maggard brush, however, is AMAZING! It is everything Kerry says it is and more. I love the feel of it. It grabs soap and produces a great lather while feeling incredible on the face. It is not quite the soap and lather hog that the Kong is, so I don't feel like there is as much wasted product with the Maggard. It has good backbone with some splay. The tips are very soft, but I never felt like the brush is floppy. I used the AOS badger and while it was incredibly soft, it flopped all over the place like a wet noodle. This brush is every bit as soft on the face, but has the backbone necessary to get a good message feeling out of face lathering. The brush is a great size, though I do like the weight of the larger Kong. Below are the three synthetics I have. Obviously the Kong, then the Maggards, and the final is a 22mm AMACK4SHAVING sunrise knot off Etsy. It is still to be mounted to the Ever Ready 100T brush handle, I just have not gotten around to doing it (though I have done some test lathers and face lathering with it temporarily affixed and really liked the knot based on the limited use). The 22mm will be my main travel brush. I love the quick drying aspect of the synthetics. A few shakes and the brush is dry and good to be put up. The Kong and Maggard will get to split time in daily rotation. Thanks @RaZorBurn123 for highlighting this brush.



I have to admit, I originally bought the Maggard brush with the purple marble to give to my fiancee because purple is her color and I am trying to get her to use her razors and all more. HOWEVER, after deciding I better try it out before giving it to her, there will be a slight delay in her receiving a brush to use. A second brush will be on order shortly.

 

Figured it was about time to jump on the alum train. It really was good to have the feedback of where things were good (though the feedback because of the bad blade was not very welcomed!). I think it will be a helpful addition, especially when first trying out razors or blades to get that added verification the proper technique was used.

 

This is a plan...my wife won't convert....

 

Thank you Clint. The knot worked perfectly. There is some weight to the handle, which I prefer.

 

I am going to keep trying on my fiancee (will be wife come April 30!!!). I bought her the lady's Schick injector and the blue starburst lady Gillette razors. She has used each once since Christmas. When she moves in for good, I plan to keep pushing the idea of giving up carts for good until one of us gives. I think the purple brush may just be the "pretty thing" she needs to get more excited about it. We shall see. My daughter has actually commented a few times about giving it a try, so may snag one of my fiancee's razors and let her give it a try, or just let her try the J type since it is clearly what the lady Schick is based off. Maybe if I can get at least one of them to convert it will be ok.

 

Good stuff! I concur on the Schick, it seems like the perfect starter for large area shaves like legs. Very cool.

 

Not quite sure what's going on the past couple shaves. I switched up from Voskhods to Polsilvers mid month. Polsilvers do seem more consistent but... Last couple shaves have been smooth but bloody! First example was shave #3 in my New LC with Haslinger soap. Last night was shave #1 with New Standard LC and Mitchell's Wool Fat. Both shaves resulted in 5-6 significant weepers though I felt little or nothing. Don't know what to blame it on.

 

Bunk blade or it could be the edge was ruined during loading. I have messed up the edge when loading injectors and pay particular attention to make sure the blade does not run across the stops as it is loaded.

 

Did not think about messing up the edge. A couple of questions come to mind. When putting the blade in, how do you make sure the blade does not run across the stops? Just making sure the dispenser is put in properly and not at any kind of angle or is there more to it? There did not seem to be much leeway in terms of installing the blade. Also, is there a way to know before you use it that you have messed up the edge? Is it visibly nicked or scratched up or anything such that a visible inspection would let you know not to use it and install another? Thanks for the information and food for though.

 

You can tell if the blade is going to go in wrong as soon as you start to slide it in. I think it happens when I moved to fast. There can be enough play in the whole set up to allow you to torque it and get the blade started at a funny angle. If this happens and the blade runs across the blade stop it just dulls the edge. I have only had it happen to me once and now I just slow down and pay attention.

 

Outstanding!! The one thing that sets the Maggard brush apart from the others is its "custom look" that brush looks like it would cost much more than the $15 it was.
Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!!

 

I completely agree about the look and finish of the Maggard. Really a beautiful brush for under $15. I think it is truly the best deal out there given the aesthetic aspects as well as the functional.

Thank you as well for the congrats. Definitely looking forward to getting passed the next few months as all the minutiae has to be decided and planned etc.

 

Polsilver gives me weepers too. Extremely sharp, but not as smooth as some other blades, imho.

 

So is it the sharpness that makes them virtually unnoticeable mid shave? I remember hearing that in one YouTube video in reference to Feathers but I dismissed him as a bozo.

 

They are so sharp they cut you before you can feel it. Exactly right!

 

Yep, some blades are too sharp for some skin. My fiancee cant use GSB and similar blades. She loves Wilkinson. I cant use feather except in a shavette because of the weepers.

 

Feb 26 Focus Shave 19

Today's razor is a Rasurpur Western grind kamisori on it's second shave after a J Nat refresh. This razor always seems to take a great edge.

It felt smooth and reasonable sharp. I only did 3 passes, due to a scheduled evening liaison I will shave again tonight. Alum gave on the slightest feedback and DFS because I did not execute an ATG pass. TGIF

Irritation A Closeness B+ Smoothness A Keenness A

Tabac
Thäter silver tip
Rasurpur Western grind Kamisori
Harold Russian leather strop
Speick AS
L'Occitane ASB
Dior Cuir Cannage