No Variation November - A TSD Challenge

November1, 2015
World Series - Game 5

No shave today.
(Saving a multi-day growth for my first NoVember shave on Monday.)




Series now at 3 games to 1 for KC.
We all know the famous Yogi-ism - “It ain’t over ’til it’s over!"

The last team to come back from a 3-1 deficit?
The 1985 Kansas City Royals.
(anyone from St. Louis ready for payback? @NCoxSTL )


In the meantime before the big game, I’ll be at church lighting a candle for the Mets.

“I’ve tried ‘em all, I really have, and the only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball.”

- Annie Savoy (played by Susan Sarandon) in Bull Durham ​

(no disrespect intended.)

Play Ball!
RT

 

So i just finished day 1 of the challenge. As i have never used a SE razor or my new brush before i was a bit nervous.
I started with a nice hot shower and washing my face with Dove soap. Once out of the shower i applied some AOS shave oil. I was a bit worried about the new blade tugging. I have read that new GEM SS blades tend to be a bit rough the first few shaves
On to making the lather. Took an almond sizes dollop of the AOS sandalwood SC put it in the bowl. I then took my new synthetic and ran it under the water for just a few seconds. Lightly shook out the excess water and proceeded to whip up the best lather i have made to date.
I lathered up and started my first pass. WTG I laid the head flat to my face and slightly lifted the back side. Started to shave. I first noticed the nice balance of the razor the head weight felt very good with no pressure applied. I then got the nice audio feed back. The strokes were very smooth on the first pass WTG.
I rinsed my face and applied the lather for the second pass. Nice rich and thick lather. XTG for the second pass. Tried slightly more angle for this pass. WOW the razor started to sing. No tugging at all. Rinsed my face and gave it the once over. Very smooth just my normal tiny bit of stubble under my jaw and under my upper lip.
Pass 3 ATG. more of the lather and away I went. ATG everywhere except under the lip. Did a light buff there and under my jaw. That seems to work the best for those areas. I rinsed off with cold water and felt around. This is one of my best all-round. Shaves to date. A true DFS maybe even BBS on the majority of my face.
Now the real test. The AS I decided to go with Pinaud VIBR. When i over do my shave the VIBR will let me know in a hurry. Splashed some on my hands and gave it a go. Yep just as I thought a great shave. Zero irritation and no nicks or weepers. I will chalk this shave up to being super careful and slow.
With my very limited time on different razors. I am coming to the conclusion I may be a SE and injector kind of guy.
I will try to make my posts shorter next time.

Tom

 

I just went through this thread and these are the members that said they would be participating in No Variation NoVember. That is 20. I hope I didn't miss anyone. Best wishes and wonder shaves to all. I really enjoyed my first shave of NoVember. I hope you did, too.
JR Reyes
Marverel
DDuckyMark
NCoxSTL
Joef
Troy M
Jayaruh
dscaver
Hodge
wmbjr
mrchick
PLANofMAN
twhite
Rufus T.
Bosoxfan
cmorris357
Bowler Mike
obturador
Norseman
Jasman
Edit:
Did I forget Bama Samurai ? OH ME, OH MY! Please forgive me.
wristwatchb sorry I missed you.

 

What the heck. Bama made me do this and he is not playing.
Or does he go without saying

 

Did I forget Bama Samurai ? OH ME, OH MY!

 

Thanks Jim, our list of entrants looks like a great group of gents!

 

I am in with a Utopia, GSB, Plisson and Red Proraso all month...I just haven't shaved today yet!

 

No apologies needed for your post! Shaving well, like you did today, is the goal! Truth be told, some of my best, most comfortable shaves have come from injectors.

 

I like the details! Keep it up....I'm a newbie and need to absorb all those details to help me out.
Glad you got yourself a great shave!

 

I couldn't choose 1 soap for 30 days straight, so I changed over to the November focus thread.

Best of luck gents...

 

a fair choice! Glad you're staying with a focus! I hope you master your blade!

 

November Focus

Feather Artist Club SS
Feather Professional or Super Professional
Semogue 830
MdC scented

The Feather AC is a fantastic razor, and it has the ability to deliver a scary close shave. It can be unforgiving, so that makes it a good teacher. In fact, it has helped me refine my current technique using DE razors. My goal this month is to further develop my two-pass shave technique by practicing the basics - prep and post, lather, skin stretching, etc. I will give up closeness in order to work on technique. I don't consider a BBS shave with irritation or stinging cuts to be a good shave. Hopefully, my shaves should improve as the month unfolds. I plan to switch to afternoon/evening shaves to allow me to have more time.

I will use the same razor, brand of blade, brush, and soap. Depending on my progress, I may try a Feather Super Professional in the Feather AC. Otherwise, the blade will be the Feather Professional. I have a relatively new Semogue 830 boar brush that will get broken in. Soft tips and good backbone make it ideal for face-lathering, but I have trouble loading it with enough soap or cream for more than two passes. I hope to sort that out this month. I've used MdC scented soap very little, so I will get to know it this month as well.

I plan to use a variety of aftershaves, including Trumper's Coral Skin Food, Alt Innsbruck, Captain's Choice Bay Rum, Fine L’Orange Noir, and Fine Platinum. Anything goes here. Most days, I plan to include a photo and a song that describes my SOTD.

I welcome comments and input, and I look forward to following everyone's progress this month!

 

You raise a good point...BBS does not equal good shave...

 

Just a wild though...I've done it with carts, but is skipping the wtg and going to xtg then atg a bad thing with DE shaving?

 

Counselor, I have no idea what that means, but it reminds me of Neal!

 

Jim, I'm in!

 

Quite a distinguished group there, even without @Bama Samurai but when you add him in I think we have the classy of the classy. I've been known to be delusional too.

 

Ah he's just using big fancy citified words that mean Crazy Ivan made him do it.