JUNE 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

Cold water shave focus day 7:

Homemade PS Oil
WD High Mountain Badger 30 mm
Stirling British Leather
Gillette Slim
Stirling Unscented PSB
Stirling British Leather AS

I used a cheap blade purchased from Dollar General this morning, and wished I hadn't. I figured I would see how it worked, but didn't like it at all. The soap was good and the cool water helped sooth the burn.

 

Sunday:

Prep: Hot shower, Neutrogena Invigorating Face Wash, TSD Jasmine Sambac preshave balm
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: Stirling Glacial Obsidian
Razor: RazoRock Bamboozled RAKE OC
Blade: Bic (4)
Passes: WTG, XTG, XTG (10, 11, 12)
Post: Cold water splash, Dickinson's WH, Pinaud Clubman AS splash
Cologne: Jasmin et Cigarette by Etat Libre d' Orange

Results from this AM's lather production would indicate I'm getting the hang of Stirling, by using twice as much product.

 

6/07/15 A Month of Proraso!!!

A great shave with the SE. Last day using Proraso Green this month. It's been a good one. Like the feel of the menthol and the scent reminds me of playing behind my Grandmother's house as a kid. Good good stuff!!!

Proraso Green Soap
Omega 11047 Mixed Midget
GEM G-Bar
GEM PTFE
Brut Afterahave

 

06/07/2015
Razor – Gillette Red & Black New Deluxe
Blade – Feather (3)
Brush – Olivewood with TGN Finest Fan
Lather – Mystic Water Lavender
Post - Witch Hazel & Myrsol F/Extra



Fantastic 3 pass BBS Shave this morning. This is only my second time using this razor and decided to use it with the factory handle. I want to make sure that I like the razor well enough to have it replated. If this shave is any indication the New Deluxe seems to be more efficient yet just as smooth as my New LC. I'm looking forward to using this razor for the rest of the week. The Mystic Water Lavender proved to be very slick with a scent similar to MdC.

 

Shave #9 of the blade focus. I'm using the blades until each one is done and until each box is done. Today I loaded the 3rd Big Ben Super Stainless in my Gillette New LC. This has been a consistent blade - all good - in each of the 3 razors I've tried it in. The New LC is a pretty mild razor but still pretty efficient. So far it seems that the Big Ben blade is good for 4 shaves before the performance deteriorates. Since I have plenty of blades I am changing them after 4 shaves.
Prep: warm wash
Lather: TSD Lemon & Cedarwood wheat cream
Razor: Gillette New LC
Blade: Big Ben (1)
Post: Ogallala Lime & Peppercorns

 

Day 1 of 5; 30-Day JUNE Rule
Starting over with a NEW razor today after five consecutive days with the Case 'Red Imp.' Today's razor is dramatically different from the Red Imp in appearance, size, feel, age and origin.
The next razor is a late-19th century blade made in Sheffield, England by Joseph Rodgers & Sons, 'Cutlers to Their Majesties' mounted to a custom set of zebrawood scales.

As you can see in the first photo below, the Red Imp has the more familiar modern full-hollow blade shape with a straight-line edge, right-angle nose and double-shoulder transition from the tang. The Rodgers, on the other hand, has a dramatically denser, heavier blade (quarter-hollow) with a thick shoulder and heavy, angular spine. The smiling scimitar-like edge terminates into a thick shoulder. The thick tang has a large, curved thumb notch, which in use comes in very handy in maneuvering the blade. The blade is widest (6/8") in the center, and narrowest (4/8") at the heel. The tip is just over 5/8" width.

To say this blade feels different on the face from the Imp is an understatement. While shaving with the Rodgers, one needs to be aware of the smiling edge as well as the pointed tip, which juts out menacingly on each pass. The thicker spine (second photo) is helpful in maintaining a proper cutting angle as I find that a 'swooping' stroke is more efficient with this blade than the traditional straight line descending or ascending stroke.
This Rodgers is one of the more challenging razors to use. I find myself repeating areas I'm shaving as I get accustomed to how I draw the blade (swoop) across the face. The end result IS a very smooth shave, but I'm getting some irritation on those areas where I've repeated the strokes perhaps too many times.

This will be an interesting five days as I get re-acclimated to this unique straight razor.

TOP: Case Red Imp (mid-20th century); BOTTOM: Joseph Rodgers & Sons (late 19th century)


Thick, angular spine...

 

Love that razor. You have some of the most beautiful razors around.

 

Late post Day 5 for 6 June

30 Day Rule with a Cadet OC


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The key is fundamentals. That what I am learning this month. Apologies for my absence yesterday, we had a little water issue due to all the storms in Colorado, but all is good now. Saturday's shave went the best so far, from lather to Alum. It seems that day 2 is indeed the best day for a Derby. The Williams lather is still a bit vexing in its inconsistency, it works...but it's a lot of work. Back later with today and a new photo!

Have a great Sunday!

​

 

World Tournament of Blades - Russia vs. the World!!
June 7, 2015
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - Omega Pro 48
Soap - Arko
Razor - EJ DE 89L
Blade - (1)
Post - Alum, Nivea Balm

For the first time, I think, since I joined the Den I didn't make a post in a day. Yesterday started very early, ended very late and I just couldn't face grading a blade. Got up and grabbed whatever had a blade in it, did two passes, off to work and came home and crashed. Too much tension and too much work took its toll.

Today, though, we return to the Tournament! We're one day behind which will have me finishing on August 1 but I'm ok with that! We'll call yesterday a delayed round due to "weather". At our last meeting the Sputnik scored a 7. Today, the mysterious Sharp Star goes into the ring. This is a blade I discovered on tryablade.com and really liked. It was a surprise seeing I had never heard of it and still can't find any on the Bay or Amazon. Fortunately as the Russian Blade Czar I found a way to get them. I like them well enough I have 100 in stock. The blade is a Platinum, usually a caution sign for me, but this seems to be the exception to the rule.

I gave the blade a bit of extra challenge today as I had a day and a half growth. I considered delaying the tourney another day but decided against it. Besides, nobody offered me a bribe to fix things. So, lathered up the Arko and went to work. First pass was smooooooooooth. Amazing so given the amount of beard. No nicks, dragging, weepers...just a smooth great pass. Second pass and I was home at a DFS. Truly awesome job. Decided to touch up the neck as that was the only problem area. A couple of Gillette Slide passes later and the baby showed up to say hello. Can't beat that result. Clearly this blade is sharp...like its name says. 1 for that. Smoothness? Oh yeah. Amazingly so even on extra beard. 1 for that. Irritation? What irritation. Ok, very minor on one area where I turned the Gillette Slide upside down but it's a 1. Very comfy alum. And the result? BBS baby...that's a 1

Total score? 4 - Perfect Score!!!!!!! Beats the Voskhod by 1 in the first round but that's ok....they won't meet each other until at least round three, and they each have competition before that.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

 

6/7/15
Honed and refreshed the Dovo Great shave today. I am still having a hard time getting my neck smooth under the jawline my beard grows in to many direction. My beard was a 5-day growth and the dovo is shaving smooth no problems other than not finding the right angel.

 

Razor: Gillette Redtip, (A-3) 1955
Blade: Gillette, Platinum (4)
Brush: Fendrihen Silvertip Faux Ebony Handle, 22/49
Soap: Jack's Soap
Mug Shave, Knock Shave
Mug: Soak my brush in the Old Spice coffee mug for about a minute.
A/S: Captain's Choice, Sandalwood

Jack's soap is a much harder soap than the others I've used since I started this Focus. I applied 2 teaspoons of warm water on the soap and let it sit for a few minutes before using my brush which had been soaking. I rung out the brush and made my lather. Lather was great. I may be disproving my own theory, that harder soaps need a stiffer brush. This was not the case with this Silvertip Badger brush. It has worked well with both hard and softer soaps. I'll try a different soap tomorrow. Anyway another great shave. 3 passes and a cleanup.

 

Excellent mug and picture.

 

I don't drink Rye, but it does sound like a pleasant way to spend an evening.

 

I sent JoAnna a PM. Thanks. I apologize for the error. I have seen other thing you do at TSD and they should be recognized.

 

June 7th, SOTD (Shave 5 of this focus)
One days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: Dubl Duck Satin Wedge with Obnoxious Orange scales
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel Horsehide/ Linen (20 on linen, 50 on leather)
Soap: Maggard Orange Menthol
Brush: Eveready 100T re-knotted with 22mm TGN Synthetic
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Maggard Orange Menthol


Did a one pass shave today and called it good. Managed to cut myself four times with the spike, and stab myself once more. Was trying to rush my shave, as my bride and I are celebrating our 7th anniversary. Note to self: If in a hurry, don’t grab this razor. I only grabbed it because I thought the picture would be good and it would match the Orange Menthol soap. Did an XTG pass, and ended up with a SAS.


Going out of town tomorrow. Packed two straights, a DE, soap, cream, and a couple of aftershaves. I think I have my entire shaving kit this time.

 

I discovered Rye (Canadian Whisky) about 30 years ago when my soon to be father-in-law from Canada introduced me to it. Most all brands of Canadian whisky use a small amount of rye in the process.

(Apologies for hijacking this thread, more in the Good Life thread.)

 

June Open Comb Focus
Day 6

Prep: Coconut oil, Hot shower
Razor: Gillette New SC
Blade: Voskhod
Brush: Omega 10083 Boar Brush
Lather: Nivea Sensitive Shaving Cream
Post: Cold rinse, Alum, Witch hazel, Proraso Green

Flawless shave today. I'm getting better at the neck area which I've always had a tougher time when using the Merkur 34C. I can barely feel any stubble left.

 

So the idea of a two-pass shave is something I've been seeing a lot of on this thread. As a newbie, I know the importance of learning the 3-pass system (With, Across and Against) tailored to the grain of ones whiskers. I will keep practicing that to gain proficiency. But,

Shaving my light beard everyday, (and having it be a much closer shave than I experienced with carts) I'm tempted to try two-pass shaves at some point.

My question is for those who do two-pass - which direction do you typically apply? I assume you apply the two that most benefit your face - i.e., closeness, least irritation, etc. ? (I'd be tempted to do XTG and ATG.)
Thanks,
RT

 

June 7 - Shave 4
Prep: Hot shower, Nivia Face wash
Brush: Omega 48
Preshave: Stirling Mentha Preshave oil
Soap: TSD Lanolin Bay Rum
Razor: Heljestrand No 24, French point, 5/8"
Growth: 1.5 days
Post: Cold water splash, alum, TSD Milk sub-zero AS, Nivia post shave balm.
Passes: WTG, XTG, WTG
DE: Gillette SS with Wilkinson (6)

Super excited to use my Swede this morning, but not feeling all that well, I didn't want cut myself so I was ok not getting the best shave ever. First thing I noticed about this blade was how quiet it was compared to my other blades. While the razor performed very well, I was not able to get comfortable with shaky hands and sharp blade against my face so I didn't push it at all.

I very much love the TSD soap, great scent easily produces thick slick lather. I'm going to try shaving tomorrow on a daily basis - I think. Depends on how much growth I can muster up.

Cheers,
Eric

 

I do a WTG followed by a ATG pass. I have to do a little clean up on the neck usually as well. Seems to work for me.