May 2015 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic-Discussion Thread

Brush Focus: Day 2/30
Brush: Frank Shave Finest Badger (travel brush) 20/45 Faux Ebony Handle
Gillette - K-4 (1965) Slim Adjustable. (5).
Gillette Platinum Blade (3)
Soap: Arko
Bowl "Once a Marine, Always a Marine".
A/S: Lucky Tiger
Old Spice Coffee Mug.(soak brush)

First time I have used this double bowl. Filled the bottom with boiling water and added a sliver of Arko to the top half. Kept the soap nice and warm all through the shave. This is my design and I don't believe I have seen anything like it. The Frank Shave brush is a favorite of mine. Small in stature but delivery's a load of lather. Fits my hand perfectly, has a great feel to my face. Great shave tonight all around.

 

Charlie, you might want to wait on Scott's update on his experience with the Super in his Mongoose. Hopefully he will be healed up well enough to post an update soon.

 

Day 24 - May 24 evening shave

30 Day Rule with a Schick!




Please take some time today to reflect upon and honor those brave souls who have paid their sacrifice in full.

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13
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Today was a much more relaxed, unhurried shave than yesterday, and the results proved it out. I used the same Astra SP (5) blade, and '51 fat Tech razor, holding the razor just below the head, with two fingers. The resulting light hold and great lather with the Maca Root cream from the Body Shop, gave me a DFS - BBS shave, with no irritation. Now to see if this blade will last a week......

 

Memorial Day SOTD:

Homemade PS Oil
Vie-long Horsehair Brush
Stirling Cool SS
EJ Chatsworth Barley
Astra SS
Stirling Unscented PSB
Aqua Velva AS

Day 2 on the Astra, and even better than day 1. I enjoy this blade quite a bit. This is a definite purchase for me.

Thank you to all the veterans and prayers for those who gave all.

 

Memorial Day
Remember those who paid the ultimate price


05/25/2015
Razor – GEM 1912
Blade – GEM Stainless PTFE (8)
Brush – Olive Wood with TGN Finest Fan
Lather – B&M Seville
Post - Witch Hazel and Myrsol Antesol Sample

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May 25th, SOTD (Shave 14 of this focus)
One and a half days’ growth
Prep: Hot Shower
Razor: W.B. Speed Rabbit marked
Strop: Drygulch Chromexcel Horsehide and Linen (25 Linen/50 Leather)
Soap: Barrister & Mann's Lime, Lavender, & Cedarwood
Brush: Eveready 100T re-knotted with TGN Synthetic
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Aubrey Men’s Stock North Woods


Overall, great shave today. DFS with two passes, and some touch up. (Goal met for this focus.)

First, brush and soap. I am coming to really like the scent of this soap, as in my favorite of the three B&M soaps I have. I used my synthetic brush today as well. Its weird not to soak the brush, but it works well. I got the right mix of water in the soap today, and this brush is velvet soft on my skin. Combined with the scent of the soap, it was great.

Second shave with this razor, it was a great one. N/S, then S/N, with a third pass/ touch up on the chin and neck. I got one pretty deep cut smack in the middle of my chin from setting the blade down too hard doing the XTG there. Whoops. Blade is sharp.

Best part of this shave? 20 minutes including shower. I am getting there!

 

Well I wish I could be improving like everyone else but today was another disappointment. Three passes and still there's plenty of rough spots. The only nick I got came from the same spot I cut several shaves ago I just seem to keep opening it up. I will say today was rather rushed so I won't worry to much about it. Tomorrow after I take my time if I still have these same results I'm not sure what to think. The first shave with this razor was amazing and it's been downhill the two shaves following. Alum was shipped out so hopefully that will help with being able to stretch the skin as half the time I just gave up due to my fingers slipping.

 

I think you will be amazed at how different the alum on your fingertips will make it. Question, are you using short strokes with the straight, or long strokes like with a DE? That was a big change for me, doing very short strokes, like 1/2 to an inch each stroke. That allowed me to hold the skin pretty tightly.

 

Short strokes but I couldn't ever really change the position of my fingers to get a better grip so I'm not that it mattered. There was a time or two I got enough lather off my face I could move my fingers down and actually hold the skin tight but it wasn't very often. Alum should help as we as just slowing things down and not getting so cocky.

 

Peaks and valleys, at first. Not all that uncommon when tackling the learning curve as some days will be great, others—not so much. Josh, when you begin to 'hit your stride' with the razor, you'll know and the results will become more predictable. Hang in there!

Day#24 of the 30-Day Focus
..and Day#4 of 7 with the J. A. Henckels Zwillingswerk #472 'Friodur' Straight Razor.

Speaking of 'predictable results,' using this Henckel has produced a consistent level of smooth shaving results with every shave.

 

Brush Focus: Day 25/30
Brush: WDC-1 (Grandfather's) (Whipped Dog Knot) Black Badger 20/65, set in 15mm.
Gillette - K-4 (1965) Slim Adjustable. (5).
Gillette Platinum Blade (4)
Soap: Arko
Bowl "Once a Marine, Always a Marine".
A/S: Lucky Tiger
Old Spice Coffee Mug.(soak brush)

If this isn't my favorite brush it's so close I would have to rate them 1a, & 1b. This brush is amazing, how it feels in my hand and how it delivers the lather to my face. Swirl the brush, paint with the brush it doesn't matter this brush just perform, and performs. It's almost like it talks to my hand and leaves me out of the picture, or is that my wife, never mind, better leave that alone. The razor is still great, the Arko soap is excellent, and if I have any doubt when I'm trying to pick a A/S, it's Lucky Tiger.
@PatrickA51 won the "Once a Marine, Always a Marine Memorial Day PIF.

 

Double Hang in there! Practice until you get automatic.

 

I think it's excellent that one of your fellow Marines was the winner!

 

May 25 - Day 25

30 Day Rule with a Schick!



Day three on this blade, and another good shave. Using stretching technique, with some pressure and XTG, I have been able to get to BBS on two passes. The key to this is probably my light beard, and the stiff sharp blades. I can positively say after using injectors for a while, they shave my face way closer than the DE razors I had tried before. My local grocer started carrying Florida Water, and I used it today. It's scent is largely orange blossom with nuances of clove and cinnamon. Very strangely interesting, and far less floral than I had imagined. I really enjoy the scent, and all alcohol AS products love my face, so it will take its place in the rotation. Now, if I can just get everyone to forget that I signed on to using Williams next month...

Have a great Monday night!
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Recovery and play with soap week!
May 25, 2015
Prep - Hot shower and towel
Brush - VDH Boar
Soap - Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor - EJ DE89L
Blade - (1)
Post - Alum, Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Another day of working the FAT! Changed from the Pro 48 to the VDH Boar brush today and went after the MWF. I again soaked the top of the puck while I showered then loaded with a well shook out brush. The VDH Boar is a favorite. It truly proves that price doesn't equal quality. The short loft and stiff bristles really loaded up well and I face lathered a very very nice lather. Wow! The slickness and cushion blew me away.

I got out the DE89L and tried a new blade for me, the Gillette 7 o'clock Super Platinum....blue wrapper made in St. Petersburg, Russia. I haven't found a 7 o'clock blade yet that I thought was anything more than average, and that one was the Super Platinum Black made in India. None of the St. Pete blades have made the cut. I've seen many on here mention that the Blue is a favorite. It is NOS but a bunch showed up not long ago so I grabbed a few. Went to work and man oh man....not at all what I expected. What a GREAT blade and shave today. The blade didn't show any signs of drag and I had near BBS after two passes. Skipped any clean up and couldn't believe how close and perfect it was. The MWF provided such an awesome glide and the blade was perfect. Doesn't get much better than this! I can't even think of anything funny or sarcastic to say about this shave!

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Sweet!

 

MWF can certainly try one's patience—especially since there exist many easy-to-lather pucks—but, like pretty much anything shave-related, if one is persistent and stick with it, you will eventually be rewarded!**



**Unless of course, we're talking about wearing The Veg until you're senses are numbed and immune. That's just crazy talk!

 

The way to go is wear the Veg until everyone else's senses are numbed...then it's no problem.

 

ho rah