June 2016 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

And sometimes the only way out is through.

 

Jolly Good June!

June 14

Razor - Gold Dollar 800

Soap - Tabac
Brush - Wolf Whiskers Custom Silvertip
Post - Cold rinse, Alum, Nivea, The Veg

Second shave on the GD800 and it was a bit of a struggle. Nothing major, just need to pay attention and give myself a bit more time. I rushed the lather thinking it would be automatic. It wasn't. Too dry of a brush for Tabac so I added water on the face lather and still didn't get it right for the first pass. Hurried that pass a bit, work waiting and all, and while I didn't do major damage I did pick up a couple of nicks from setting down wrong. I added water to the brush and re-loaded a bit before the second pass. Lather came around as Tabac will. I was already a bit out of sorts from that first pass so I did the best I could. If it was CCS after two passes it was only because I say so. Grabbed the Tech/Voskhod to clean everything up. Got a decent shave for work.

I need to start earlier in the mornings with straights or else move to nights. Considering which is best. I am NOT a morning person so I may switch to night shaves. Just don't know if they will last through the day until 8pm.

Hope your Wednesday was a good one! I have a couple more things to add around here and some catching up to do.

​

 

Well said.

 

A Missive from the Motherland!!!!!

Well, I think I must have figured out how to get the boys in Moscow to respond to emails. I sent yet another to them last night around 11:55pm local time, which was 7:55am Moscow time. They open at 8am, so I figured maybe if my email was on top of the list they might actually do something with it. And, to my tremendous surprise this morning, there was a reply. I read it, realized it didn't tell me a lot of what I asked, but did include an attachment that was quite helpful. And I have to share it with you if only to let you see who sent it. This is priceless given all the shenanigans around the Cartel here. Here you go:

Dear Neal Cox,
I send our price on the blade. Prices do not include the cost of delivery and customs clearance.
A bit about our factory you can find on the site: www.mtlm.net
Sincerely,
Ivan.


You know, I haven't seen the crazy one for a couple of days. He'd better not be messing with me!!

Now, here's what I've found out so far. For those worrying that the shavepocalypse is getting closer and maybe Russian blades are fading away, I have learned that the following blades are all still in production.

1. Voskhod
2. Ladas
3. Rapira Platinum Lux
4. Rapira Stainless Steel (pink)
5. Rapira Stainless Steel (Chrome)
6. Rapira Swedish Supersteel

That would be all of them!! The only one not in production is the Sharp Star which we have already determined is NOS, but now have definitive evidence from Mostochlegmash. More research on that blade still to come. But all of the other Rapira line blades are still out there and being made. That's good news for all traditional shavers whether Russians are your favorite or not.

Now, the question must be asked, in all fairness, whether the Gillette boys in St. Pete's are still making them all as well. I suspect as much given the evidence of a few sites, but they seem even more tight lipped than Ivan and his bunch. Gillette, no doubt, hates to talk about DE blades though given their strategy to move everyone to their walled garden of carts.

Oh, and by the way, the website he so generously pointed me to is exactly where I found the email address. One of the least helpful websites I've seen, especially since I have to run the whole freaking thing through Google Translate. But, it paid off. I'll be replying to see if I can keep the dialogue going. He didn't mention anything about the history, where certain blades might be normally marketed etc. I'm not done with the Russkies yet!

 

Yeah, well, those movies were pretty nuts!

 

SOTD June 15, 2016
Injector/SE Focus month 2



Blade: GEM Stainless
Razor: GEM MMOC
Brush: Satin Tip 'The Purest' synthetic
Lather: Proraso White
Post: Witch hazel splash, Nivea sensitive balm
WTG, minor touch-up

Pretty nice shave again with the GEM MMOC. A couple of weepers today though. I went a little too fast and with a little too much pressure in those areas, so I'm not surprised. It seems the MMOC will certainly let you know when bad technique is in place! It will certainly bite. But a nice shave all in all in one pass with minor touch-up on the neck and jaw line.

Have a good evening!

 

I have made a note of his suggestion for next MAYhem. Not that I'd ever bring it out, of course.

 

So sorry to hear that Mark!

 

Hang in there Mark.

Sent from my Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

 

A hypothetical question -

Given that this thread is concerned with building technique AND continuing to develop and solidify technique (along with shenanigans of course), I thought I'd ask a question about methodology.

Let's assume that someone were to decide to do a comparison/study of every DE blade they could find. Or nearly every one. There are some that we know are just plain junk already, so no point in suffering. And some are manufactured in a place that perhaps that individual would not want to do business. Still, we would be talking over 100 blades.

In order to get a fair comparison and be able to extract data from the actual shaves, would a Rule be more appropriate or something a bit more free? Would it be better and more scientifically accurate to use only one soap/brush/razor with every blade, or would it be more valuable, in your opinion, to use perhaps three razors, one mild, one medium, one aggressive. One soap, three razors? One soap, pick a brush, three razors? Pick a soap, pick a brush, three razors? One razor? What think ye oh wise members of the 30 Day Rule and Focus Discussion Thread??

 

I think the 3 razor idea is a good one. I know that some blades do well in one razor but are total crap in another. Using one soap would get old, but if you used, say one companies soap, like Stirling or Route 66, you could at least change up the scent while keeping consistent lather.

 

The afore mentioned 100 blade trial would only be done by one person? Very YMMV.

To speed up the trial how's about 4 shavers each with 25 blades? Degraded data because each YMMV may skew the results...

Thirty shavers each with ten blades in their favorite razors, using their favorite soap/brush. That gives three data points for each blade in a random pass/fail scenario.

Reducing variables to only one is closest to Scientific Method. How soon do you want the results of this trial?

 

Quick update for 15 June 2016...

No shave today, but the focus on blade angle and pressure is paying off! Skin feels good and is irritation free with the Reynolds... Sun and wind got me again today. 95F, 20% humidity and gusty winds under a clear blue sky...other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a great evening.
☺

 

No rush. Could be a long term focus/process. I like your suggestions on some levels. Obviously the fewer variables the better. Just a thought based on your ideas, how about a focus group around a blade....let's say one "test shaver" shaves with a three razor rotation and solicits opinions/experiences from others who have also used the blade? Comparison shaves from the masses, as it were. That would bring in outside opinions to counter YMMV, though it also adds YMMV through opinions. Hmmmmm. Maybe a group of people who would agree to use the same blade on the same days?

 

Having grown up in far Southwest Kansas I have some vague memories of those 95 degree, 20% humidity days. Here in the murder capital of the world we have the 95F no problem, but humidity is much more likely to be around the 70% mark. Or higher. Somehow I miss those cool 100F days on the flatlands.

 

I grew up in AL, so I feel your pain on that humidity front! SW like Liberal or Garden City?

 

Like 33 miles West of Liberal. Hugoton, to be specific.

 

Also NCoxSTL though answering Rick

You're right. For the blade data to be scientifically meaningful... The testers should use identical setups with regard to brush, soap and razor head.

There are only two types of blades, good enough and not good enough. It's so hard to isolate the blade, because the testers shave differently, and have different beard characteristics.

All that being said, most opinions on blades are entirely subjective notions, and devoid of any scientific significance.

 

Exact same kinda weather as Henderson, Colorado, where I am.

 

Growing up out there I used to say that if the wind ever stopped blowing everyone would fall over. And the dust. Nothing like a good old fashioned dust storm to remind you you're in the middle of nowhere. At least where you are Denver is close enough to escape to. I know, I sound like a very citified boy considering I was raised out there. LOL