February 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

February 4 SOTD:

Stirling Synthetic Brush.
Penhaligon's Bayolea SS
Barbasol Floating Head
Stirling Unscented PSB
Penhaligon's Bayolea Soothing Gel

 

Thank you, Clint

 

Thank You, Doug.

 

Thank you Jim.

 

Very elegant setup. The razor is stunning.

 

I notice your Astra....I'm putting another of my Astras in the Slim today....

 

Sucking up to the Czar today.
Soviet era straight.

 

Nuclear, shmooclear, if it's an option, I choose nay. (And by the way, I do not pronounce it "noo-ke-ler).

 

My hall neighbor looks like Putin.

 

Beautiful razor Jim.

 

Another great setup Brian.

 

Thank you Doug.

 

Razor: GEM MMOC
Blade: GEM
Soap: WSP Blackbeard
Post Care: Thayers Witch Hazel
Osage Rub
Aftershave: WSP Blackbeard with menthol

Hello all, it's been a while but I'm back. For this month I'm going to do a weird focus. It has been my belief for months that one of the things that makes Osage Rub great, there are many, is that it extends the scent time on my aftershaves. I've had this idea in my head for months, this month I'm going to try and prove it. I'm going to alternate between several different scents and test my theory. The worst part about this is that I'm going to go half the month with no Osage. At least it's a short month. Have a great day folks!

 

Thank you, Clint!

 

Ooops....should I say I used Soviet Leather soap&A.S. today????

 

Thank you, Doug!

 

Nice picture with a great filter!

 

Thank you Jim

 

It bugs me when people say you can't get a good lather with glycerine based soap. Focus on the same techniques on every type of soap. Here is what I do.

1. Soak a boar or badger brush for a few minutes before. Shake almost all the water out. I do this for synthetic brushes too.
2. If the soap is hard, throw a teaspoon of water on it while your brush soaks.
3. Use the @Keithmax bush loading technique. Grab the brush like a cudgel, and work the soap like it owes you money and is two weeks late wth the payment.
4. I do this over my lather bowl, so the lather falls in. I will clean the lather off the brush once or twice on the side of the bowl.
5. Take the brush and work the lather in the bowl. Pumping and swirling, splay the bristles. If it's dry, dribble a few drops of water into the lather, and keep working it.
6. I make my lather a little dry, so I can wet my face before working the lather into its final state with the brush.

I do this with all soaps, and it works for all of them. Glycerine soaps can be awesome, but they aren't as thirsty as tallow based, so it's possible to add too much water. I like to do test lathers with new soaps, and keep adding water in step 5 until the later collapses. This gives me a good idea where the line is, so I can get close to it without crossing it. Note, this process uses 2 to 3 times the amount of soap actually needed. Soap is cheap, and I currently have a three to five year supply.

 

I agree. The gap is only one part of what makes the razor effective. I think we fixate on it because it's the only one we have a number or easy way of measuring.