March 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

March Madness
Barbasol and Barber Blade Edition
Day Ten




Box reads "professional." I will pass on the amateur version. Derby is better as DE. I go back and forth on this blade, some days it seems a little rough. Angle really seems more tedious than with other blades. Anyway the usual Barbasol two pass DFS experience was had by all involved, capped off with the Mighty Osage. As always, don't get nuts with Osage, but it was a nice chill on a warm March day under the prairie sun. Other than that...all is quiet in Colorado.

Have a great weekend!
☺

 

March 10 (Friday ) - SE focus - Gem 1912
Gem 1912 SE / Gem PTFE (3 )
Kent woodhandled boar brush
The Eternal Tub of TOBS Avocado Cream ( croap )
Alum and Thayers Witch Hazel Original

I noticed a considerable difference in the way the Gem and EverReady 1912s handled, so I decided it would make more sense to use each for several days in turn rather than switching off after every shave. I was puzzled by the difference in the razors because they seem similar in design. In fact, on comparison, the heads are identical right down to the decorative cutouts. The only difference is one is brass while the other is nickelled - and the maker's names differ.

Then I noticed the angle the heads sit on the handles -- on both the head is fixed to a lathercatcher back at a 45 degree angle, and the base of the back then attaches to the handle. However, on the EverReady the unit is set so the head sits directly over the handle and forms a T with the handle with the lathercatcher angling in from the back of the head to the top of the handle (at about 45 degrees). The blade thus sits almost flat on top of the handle, and when you put the head flat on your face to shave, the handle sticks almost straight out from your face. On the Gem, by contrast, the lathercatcher back is a straight in-line extension of the handle, with the result that the head sits on one side of the handle and angling down at 45 degrees. Thus, when you shave, after putting the head flat on your face, the handle is sticking down at almost a 45 degree angle -- or roughly at the same angle as the handle of a DE or injector when you use one.

I am not familiar enough with 1912s to know if the Gem is designed this way or if a previous owner carefully straightened the lathercatcher at its base to achieve this result. (I looked where the handle screws into the back and it doesn't look like things have been bent out of line.). All I know is I find the Gem's downward angled handle much easier to use than the EverReady's almost straight perpendicular handle.

I used the Kent boar brush again today after letting it dry soapy a couple days ago. I had been having trouble getting enough lather out of it before. Today as is often recommended, I loaded it like I hated both it and the soap. I scrunched the brush into the soap and rotated it a couple times as well as swirling it. Then I added extra water and went to work. The result was enough lather for about three shaves, which made soaping up my face a couple times very easy to do. There really is absolutely no sense to being stingy with the soap - especially when you have as much of it lying around as I do anyway.

The shave was a good clean close shave with no nicks, cuts, weepers or lasting irritation. Mr. Alum was pleasantly taciturn and I used the Thayers non-alcoholic version mainly because my face feels a bit dry from the weather. The shave felt more natural then yesterday, but again I think that's because I am using an SE with the handle angle set very close to that of a DE.

I will have to dig out my box of Gem razors from my collection and see what the normal head angle is on them...

I received a package in the mail today with the first of my new soaps - my hard-milled Europeans: Pre de Provence, Klar's Seifen and two types of Gold Dachs. All in those traditional European metal screwtop tins and they all have pleasant clean and crisp floral or herbal scents - very traditional European too. I manfully resisted trying them tonight and stuck to the Plan of using up The Eternal Tub, but I suspect they will end up in the rotation later this week...

 

And reaching for their tasers while calling for backup. I know details spoil the fun...

 

March Madness & Spring Cleaning!!

March 10

Razor - 1918 Gillette Old Style
Blade - (1)
Soap - Soap Commander Courage
Brush - BoS Omega 10066
Post - Alum, Nivea

Change of plans tonight for a couple of reasons. First of all, I'm tired. As in, I moved half of my showroom today to get some new beds on the floor and some of the floor models where I can sell them off. After wrestling with beds all day long I didn't think I had the focus to work a pain stick. Second, I received a package today from Charlie with some Russians he had decided not to try along with, as he put it, "a couple of tucks of Polsilvers". Well it's more than a couple and also includes two tucks of Perma Sharps...one of my favorite Gillette Russians. Thanks!!! Couldn't pass up the chance to use one of the blades he sent so I chose the Polsilver and, in keeping with the aggressive theme, I grabbed the 1918 Gillette Old Style.

Soap Commander and the BoS was an effortless lather. Slick as the ice we may have around here tomorrow and I was ready to go. Two full passes and a partial pass to finish the neck. I kept the '18 on the cap and had an excellent shave. The feel was awesome, the result is BBS and the alum was warm but not a problem. Definitely quieter than normal with this razor, but the blade had a lot to do with that as well. Really a fine shave overall and a nice relaxing way to unwind after a rather long and exhausting day.

Your weekend has arrived! Hope you have a great couple of days! Snow moving in tomorrow, at least enough to stick probably. Can't wait.

 

I love the travel case. I'd say you need a lot more styptic than that. Just in case, you know. I'm not sure about that washer on top. Could be adding some stiffness that will give you an unfair advantage. Just saying.

I'll be putting mine together on Monday to be ready. You aren't leaving me out of this thing!

 

You should hand out rainbows now!

 

He should go ahead and get a list of urgent care facilities in his destination area that are a part of his health network. Out of network sutures could get pricey.

Never mind...what's the worst that could happen?

 

Game. That's real.

 

I wonder how they'd write that up at the urgent care? Patient suffering multiple slices and flayed skin on face due to shaving with a bolt. Not sure United Health Care would cover that one.

 

Or depending on how you come across on the interview, and/or if you show the razor, it might be coded as self harm-- hold for observation.

 

I haven't been posting much about my shaves lately, but perhaps you'll remember that my focus this month was to show a little love to the brushes I have neglected lately. I used to be an almost exclusive bowl latherer, but have gone 180° over to mostly face lathering, so I thought I'd run through the boars, badgers, and horse to see how they stack up to the synthetics I've been reaching for lately. Earlier this week I tried the Omega 49 with Soap Commander Courage and the Fatboy set on 7 and a GSB on it's second shave. I really want to like this brush, if for no other reason than it gets so much praise on the Den, but the sad truth is I just can't get consistent results with it. Every now and then the stars align and I'll get a good lather from it, but mostly I load about 10 passes worth of soap with it and barely get one back. I started my face lather and got a fair amount on my face, but as I started working it, the brush started sucking it back up. Not sure why. I've tried it with a soaked brush, a just wet brush, a barely damp brush and a dry brush with damp soap. I've done everything I can think of and frankly it's just not worth it anymore. There are too many great options in my den to be fooling around with what is, for me anyway, a sub par brush. I grabbed the Wolf and finished my shave, which was a solid DFS+. Tonight's shave was with the Vie Long horsehair and WSP Barbershop. Much better lather. Easy 3 passes and touch up. The horse is a little more scritchy than I like, but all in all a solid performance. I used the Ikon slant with a fresh Sharp Star, and caught the baby. I thought I had overdone it as my neck seemed a little irritated, but the alum was barely warm, and it feels fine now. My next shave will be with the Shavemac 177 Silvertip, which has never let me down.


TLDR: Omega boar is a disappointment, Vie Long horse is okay, Shavemac Badger upcoming.

 

Suddenly I find I'll be nervous all week while you're travelling....waiting for Feds to kick my door in while you fly off laughing.

 

Yeah but at least you get the fun robes and slippers on that ward.

 

I liked it, so I could unlike it, and like it a second time.

 

I check my bag. It'll fly right through

 

Without the washer the screw head would pull through. It is a necessary part of this setup
I look forward to seeing your rig.

 

I'll actually be in Neal's neck of the woods on the 15th. I'm sure he can give me a referral.

 

They will look at the other scars and send me for psychological testing. That's why I'm packing CA and taking are of it myself

 

The locals out there at "urgent care" will simply pass you their bottle of Hennessy and slap you on the back. It ain't gonna be like a gunshot wound; nobody in the Lou gets excited about a little straight razor love.