January 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

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New Year's Day was always a favorite holiday but the past few years it's taken on even more significance. Three years ago, on January 1, 2015, this experiment in getting guys to do a Rule began. A much smaller group of us huddled up, got our gear shined up, did test lathers for the week ahead of time and generally got set to get serious about shaving. Three years later many of us are still here and a whole lot of new faces have shown up and joined our merry band of shavers. What a three years it's been.

2017 proved to be a pivotal year in some ways for this group. We grew in numbers and we definitely grew in total messages. As of right now, as I type this, we have posted over 35,000 times this year. And there's still a full day to go.

More importantly than numbers, though, is the sense of community that has really developed. I've seen people share their grief, their comfort, their joys, their frustrations and much of their lives with each other. We have a regular Friday picture of one of our member's sons that we all can't wait to see. And the humor we throw around? You'd think we were brothers at times the way we go at it. Of course, any group that can have its own major uprising and rebellion over imaginary cookies (no, they're real, I'm just saying) is a group that I want to be a part of for a long time.

To all of the Charter members still here, THANK YOU for your dedication to this group. To those who have wandered in and haven't left – THANK YOU for adding yourselves to this group. To the brand new members who still aren't sure what the heck is going on (you mean they really shave with popsicle sticks...and that's the safest stunt?!?!?!) THANK YOU for your fresh perspective and for allowing us all to share.

From Cartel HQ West on the banks of the mighty Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, a huge THANK YOU to you all and here's to our fourth year being even better than the third!


Well, that’s my introduction for the month. So, let’s get down to the usual business. Wondering what the heck a 30 Day Rule or Focus is? Well, let’s let the one, the only, the legendary and mystical @Bama Samurai remind us. Please rise and remove your hats and hold your favorite razor aloft in tribute. We’ll pause for a moment of revered silence.

The 30 Day Rule (designed to build solid technique or learn new technique)

1 brush, 1 soap, 1 brand of blades, 1 razor, 30 Days. The rule is really that simple. It seems boring, but this is probably the most straightforward way to learn for a brand new shaver. This is the exercise that really allowed me to clearly see the interplay between the four elements. It is highly recommended for newly converted shavers and more experienced shavers who have a problem that defies resolution. This exercise eliminates variables and will likely solve any problem you may have, with a strict scientific approach.Any thing that strays from these simple guidelines is not a rule, but rather a focus (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

The 30 Day Focus (more flexible, for exploring and comparing)

This is a less rigorous exercise, designed for exploration and comparison of gear and technique. This is the most common exercise on the thread. Generally the elements are rotated one by one to allow clear observation. Examples of focus areas include brush types, blades, soaps, razor variants, or technique foci as a standalone.

These are the suggested guidelines, and serve as a starting point for the discussion each month. The theme for January is SHAVETTES!! And, by request, we're also declaring JEEVES JANUARY! If you want to shave along to either or both themes we welcome that. If you choose to do your own thing, we welcome that too. It's your shave – ENJOY IT as you work on technique and knowledge to make all your shaves fantastic.



We believe that if you've ever sought a great shave, you have something to offer. And if you're searching for great shaves, we will definitely try to help. If you are new to TSD, I believe you've landed in a great place. Everyone here participating would love to answer your questions and help you get the most from your shaving. We are very glad you're here! So, if you're new, stop in for a cookie and meet the crew. If this is old hat, welcome back, and let's rock another month out!

Rules are the same people.


1. New Members always welcome. Start anytime.

2. Old Members always welcome. (Don’t like being considered “old”? Too bad, I know your birthdate.)
3. Respect everyone
4. Follow the rules of the forum
5. All razor types and styles welcome
6. Criticize Russian blades, especially Voskhod, at your own peril. The Cartel is listening. And we have spies everywhere. They’re usually passed out drunk, but we get lucky occasionally.

7. Wondering what all the fuss over cookies is about? They're cookies. That's why we like them

Let's have some great shaves people! Welcome to the THIRD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!!!!!!! Group hug people!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year !

For the eighteen holders of 30 DC LE brushes that I collected photos from, there's a group collage at the very end of last months/years thread.

 

Happy New Years gang!


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Thanks for that. It was great to see them all together in one place. Another very special part of the group from last year - those LE brushes are incredible!

HAPPY NEW YEAR officially everyone! Hope you all had a great night. It's 1:17am here and we are home and winding down to try and get some sleep. I work at noon so need to find a little shut eye. Can't wait to see what everyone starts the year out with!

 

Happy New Years!! Enjoyed seeing my brush in there! Thanks for posting the picture!

 

Thanks for doing that, Rick. Much appreciated.
Interestingly, some of the photos make them look quite different. They didn’t look that different from one another being made.

Edit- there were LE handles made for 23 DCers. Of the other 5, I know that a few have been shown in pics, but I think there are 1 or 2 that haven’t been posted in photos.

 

Oh yes, for the official 30DC record book. December finished with 4506 posts. What a fantastic month! 226 pages. Apparently decadence is a very popular theme around here!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am starting the year off right by diving right into work doing the midnight shifts on the duty counsel line for a couple provinces. On New Year's night that could be ugly and busy. Or it might be dead quiet. Have to see.

@RyX and @jtspartan, I enjoyed seeing the collage of all the different 30DC LE brushes. You're right, Jason, the different photo perspectives make some look long and thin and others short and squat when we all know you kept the dimensions within millimeters of each other. It's neat seeing all the different knot options people went with though.
(Btw, I think we were all a tiny bit disappointed when you rejected our offer to let you build matching LE shaving stands for the 30DC. It would have given you huge scope for creativity and a worthwhile use of all your free time for about the next two or three years. However, that was all in 2017 and therefore back in the past. New year and new projects and all that... Maybe matching cookie plates, now that we know the Cookies are Real?....)

For January, I am in for both themes -- with both feet for Jeeves January (I have my four soaps and three splashes lined up for the kickoff) and a little gingerly for Shavettes. I have done one shavette shave last MAYhem so I have a long way to go with them. I did get a Parker SRX to supplement my Magic for this month. We'll see how it goes.

 

Glad to spend a little time wrangling pixels. The angles of the photos, and me taking liberties resizing so I could mush them all together may have warped some of the dimensions. With that collection posted anyone else can get their pics up and I can add em for the complete set.

 

Great collage, @RyX! And once again, some beautiful work, @jtspartan!

I am going to join in again with some shavette shaves this month. I've got my new Samurai and I'll pull out the CJB as well. I am looking forward to another fun month.

 

@Douglas Carey, I just saw your post in last week's SOTD thread, which is now locked. Congrats to your grandson!

 

Thanks very much Jim.

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@RyX Thanks for making such a great collage and @jtspartan thanks again for making such a fantastic brush handle. I will be focusing on boar brushes this month and will be starting out with the 30DC LE with Omega 20107 knot.

 

Jeeves January-I'll make some serious use of my Bay Rum Soap this month. At 7 oz., it probably won't make much of a dent .

 

Well, 2018 is here.......no turning back now on my NB18 pledge! Pressure's on, baby!!!!

 

That's an amazing month. Congratulations to everyone.

 

Yeah, me too. Congrats!

 

Jeeves January sounds good to me. I'm in!

 

Razor: Gillette Aristocrat 1947 (Birth Year)
Blade: Personna Platinum (4)
Brush: El Druida Barberpole w/Manchurian
Soap: Jeeves Of Husdon Street Turkish Bath
A/S: Lucky Tiger
Bowl: Tom's LE 3 D printer Bowl