May 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

For face lathering, I prefer my boar brushes with most soaps. MdC yields good lather quite readily with both type of brushes (badger/boar). Some soaps are a bit more stubborn (MWF, Stirling)and require the stiffness of a boar.
In my boar rotation are the two Omegas (#10048/10049; virtually identical), Oscar11 boar, Rubberset (TGN boar), Semogue 830 boar. I dont have any problem developing lather with MdC with either boar or badger brushes. I do prefer badgers for bowl/scuttle lathering. The two synthetics I use (Omega and TGN 3-band) both do well with MdC.

 

In anticipation of getting laid off tomorrow morning I'm not sure if I should just shave tonight or wait. Monday I should have my new razor from Glen so I'm really excited to have 2 to rotate! Also a new custom strop from Adam is in the works....shaving is getting better by the day

 

It will likely be a 48 or a Plisson if I ever get around to trying MdC. I agree that harder pucks do well with boar!

 

Gratuitous pics of your new straight are mandatory!

 

Here is a preview

It's funny when I was looking for a razor my wife really wanted that anvil since her dad is farrier. Glen pointed me in the direction of a similar if not the same anvil to order and I ordered the razor.

 

Verrrrrry nice! Really unique scales!

 

Leave it to Glen to make an awesome blade and scale pairing. More than impressed.

 

Friday night shave with the Israeli Personna (Red) number six shave! Tonight I used the Body Shop Maca Root shave cream, mug lathered with the boar brush, and Maca Root aftershave balm. The result was another DFS to BBS result. Here it is six hours later, and the face still feels very smooth! Did I mention that I really like these blades?

 

Hi All,

I'm fairly new to TSD and also to SR shaving. Been using a Merkur Futur for 2 years, a shavette for a month and just started with a SR

My goal for this month is to be able to use the SR for my main shave. I'm also trying to reduce my shave time which can be 30-60min depending on the time I have.

I have completed 6 shaves with the SR and started 6 days ago. I've purposely resisted using my DE as I become lazy and there's nothing like learning by jumping in at the deep end!

Coming from using a shavette for a month the SR was surprisingly easy. I managed a complete shave first time, very few nicks. Not particularly close, but a good go to work shave. The downside is that the SR always feels blunt in comparison with the shavette, but I'm getting used to it!

Stropping is going well and I have a small microscope so I can see the edge of the blade (great tip from whippeddog).

My SR is a whippeddog unseen Boker Picadilly.

Today's shave was BBS on my cheeks, ok smooth on my neck and a bit rough on my chin and jawline. The SOP(Stone of Pain factor-Alum block) was about a 5. 10 being red-raw.

I use Poraso pre-shave, Taylors of bond Sandalwood shave soap and Trumpters skin food for AS.

I'm really enjoying SR shaving and find it therapeutic and de-stressing.

I really appreciate your tips, they've been so helpful to a newbie.

I'm working out the for WTG, XTG & ATG. My neck is a particular problem as the grain goes all over the shop. I've worked out some angles I need, but no way of doing it without committing suicide.

Another problem area is the jawline where ATG is from ear to chin. This isn't working well yet.

Does anyone go ATG on the chin, ie from neck to mouth? Seems extremely precarious.

One of the best tips for me came from whippeddog which was reduce the beard as much as you can. I also found using the guillotine stroke and trying to slice great, although I'm not able yet to slice at all angles!

Also found HolyRollah's tips on blade angle especially helpful. A much shallower angle XTG and ATG have much reduced the razor burn.

 

Welcome to TSD and welcome to the 30 day focus. Sounds like you are off to a great start. I look forward to following your progress.

 

MAYhem & Mercy
May 16, 2015
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - VDH Boar
Soap - Proraso
Razor - RazoRock TTO
Blade - (2)
Post - Alum, The Veg

Day two of mercy and it's the Zaza again. Changed to the RR TTO to see if a more aggressive razor would improve things. And........the winner is........the RR TTO! Much smoother feel though the results weren't all that different. It still required three passes but there was less cleanup to do. Finished CCS but right on the line for a DFS. Less irritation than yesterday and overall not a bad shave considering the blade is far from the sharpest in the pack. I do think, though, that this blade has shown the ability to perform a bit better than the minimum needed and without drawing blood. You just need it in the right gear. The RR and Proraso were a good match for it. Off to car land. Happy Saturday!

 

I may be cracking the secret to this brush and soap combination. I've always somewhat struggled with making lather in a bowl and had almost decided that I simply could not use badger brushes with some soaps and creams. So I've gone back to simple face lathering. It worked well for me this morning. I had a 10 second load and then made the lather on my face again. Slick, shiny and protective, just what I need. My initial thoughts that my badgers were too floppy for face lathering have been disproved and I will continue on with this brush focus. Today was shave #12 with the badger brushes only and I'm pleased with the progress.

Lather: TSD Wheat Lemon & Cedarwood
Brush: Omega 6214 silvertip
Razor: Weber PH
Blade: Rapira Lux (2)
Post: Ogallala Bay Rum

 

Blade Focus Day 16:

Homemade PS Oil
WD High Mountain Badger 30 mm
Palmolive Classic SC
EJ Chatsworth Barley
Nacet Platinum
Stirling Unscented PSB
Clubman Bay Rum

After four good shaves with the Bluebird, which I now find appears to be discontinued ,
I moved to the Nacet Platinum. A good shave, but not quite as smooth as the Bluebird or the Gillette Nacet. We'll see how days 2 and 3 go.

 

05/16/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Jürgen Hempel Ti
Blade –Feather Super Pro (4)
Brush –Every-Ready with TGN Finest
Lather – Strop Shoppe Baker Street
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol F Extra



This morning's shave was my 100th shave with the Mongoose since getting it on 1/1/15. My other razors are certainly feeling neglected. Another fantastic 2 pass shave. Since I had the time this morning, I chased the baby with a little extra touch ups and caught it. The Baker Street provided a super slick lather which made the shave drama free. Finished up with Myrsol F Extra and I'm ready for some graduation parties on today's agenda. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

 

May 16 (Anniversary Shave)

Stirling Sheep facial soap
Weber PH
Feather blade (day 3)
Rudy Vey Shavemac two-band silvertip
Le Père Lucien shave soap
Two passes plus touch-ups
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Alt-Innsbruck

My Bride and I celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary today!

My shaves with the LPL soap are getting better. I have to load the brush longer with the LPL than with the MdC and work the lather more. I'm still learning, but overall it is good. I'm also going for three shaves with my Feather blades now. So far, so good. My technique has gotten better with time, so I think this is mainly the reason that I can do it now.

Enjoy the weekend!

 

Happy Anniversary

 

Happy anniversary sir! Defiantly something to celebrate. 20+ years, Sad that this seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

 

Day#15 of the 30-Day Focus
..and FIRST DAY with the Böhler Stahl Straight Razor.

I used one of my favorite razors this morning, the German-made Böhler Stahl (early 1930s). The blade is full-hollow ground, slightly larger than the previous two razors I had been using, but the biggest difference is the round point. A loud razor in use, the carbon steel takes a very keen but smooth edge. Nothing harsh about the way it feels on the face. Using a round-point razor allows me to shave confidently at a more rapid pace as the risk of getting poked (lanced?) from a sharp point is gone.

Three passes = near BBS smooth result! This should be a fun week with this rare razor….

 

Sounds good
Great photo.

 

That's a beauty! Enjoy it!