SEPT 30 Day Rule/Focus Pic & Discussion Thread

This is probably the polite way of saying I am long winded. My Fiancee tells me that all the time! She loves to point out that I talk way too much and am totally full of BS, but that it just helps me keep talking. I have no idea what she is talking about.

I am progressing thanks to you and the others in this thread. Definitely trying to ease into it. I eventually want to try a great variety of razors and do hope to always keep learning and experimenting. I think it is great that everyone in the thread always strives to learn more or get a better shave or try something new. Keeps it all very interesting!

 

Minimalist, very classy, organized. Great setup. That's what I am looking for. I currently stow all the gear on glass shelves in my home office, and just shuttle things in and out daily. I keep all my AS in a hand tote very similar to one like this: http://tinyurl.com/o6wfa6c

 

When I said a lot of stuff, I meant it as more indicative of the way you've absorbed all this so easily. If I didn't know you were newer, I might have no clue if you were writing on another thread like this.

 

Well, you'll fit in well in this thread! Birds of a feather and all...

 

All my soaps are in the vanity drawer, the ASs live in the medicine cabinet which is actually a cabinet and not just a 3 inch deep flush mount. Of course I don't have to share space so I can spread out a bit.

 

Thank you for the great compliment!

Thank you for the great compliment as well!

 

Here's the aftershave stock. A bit messy, but...

Here's the soap drawer. Creams are in a tote in the other room, as I'm not using them much anymore.

For blade storage I use these containers from Harbor Freight.

 

Love both the razor and blade holders! Great examples of successful re-purposing!

 

1954 (Z1) Gold Tech
Vulfix Super Badger (660)
Proraso Sandalwood cream
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Shave #1 with the Gillette 7 O’clock Super Platinum (Black) in my Gold Tech. Near BBS shave.
Face lathered, then did 2 full passes: Pass 1 WTG on my face and XTG on my neck (angled 45% top to bottom today). Pass 2: ATG. A solid DFS at this point as well as a bleeder. Sliced through part of a mole at the bottom of my neck. Don't know what I was doing there because it had no whiskers! My styptic pencil stemmed the flow of red. Did a cold water rinse followed by a few rounds of targeted touch ups in my problem areas. Seems like a repeat from yesterday in that no matter how many times I cover some of the spots, they still seem to have stubble. But then, maybe I was feeling the beginning of irritation. I stopped just in case. The Aqua Velva yelled for a bit, then gave me its menthol freeze.

A near BBS from the Tech and the Gillette 7 O’clock Black. I tried to pay more attention to the angle of attack, and my passes seemed closer, but the baby was still elusive.

Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday.

 

Now that's more like it

 

SOTD
September 22, 2015
Prep: Hot Shower. Axe Energizing Face Wash Boost
Razor: Mongoose B3 Dr. Bomber Handle
Blade: Feather Professional
Lather: WSP Tobacco
Brush: Omega 10098
Post: Thayers Cucumber WH. Gold Bond Ultimate
Aftershave: WSP Tobacco
Great shave. WSP Tobacco is fantastic! The Omega 10098 is working great for my hands, I'd love a synthetic brush with this handle type. The Goose is flawless. Of course.
Never let the things you WANT
Make you forget the things you HAVE

I'm looking forward to October! I have a couple of razors, 1953 Super Speed and a Gillette Aristocrat that I have very limited use with that I would like to master. And of course stay with my 3 pass and out theme.

 

SEptember Focus Day 21:

Homemade PS Oil
Stirling Synthetic Brush
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Injector Type G
Stirling Unscented PSB
Tabac AS

Another good shave with the Injector this morning. Nice and smooth with DFS result. I think it may have lulled me into a little false sense of security, as I chased the baby on my neck a bit. So, I do have a little irritation, but I can't blame the razor as I told myself to stop, I just didn't listen.

 

Umm....

 

I will be happy to help in any way I can! Its awesome watching everyone explore different ways to shave, and sharing thier experiences!

 

September 22nd SOTD (Shave 10 of this focus)
Two days’ growth
Preshave: Hot Shower
Razor: Henckels Friodur Inox
Strop: Drygulch Leatherworks Oiled Latigo (20 laps linen/ 20 laps leather pre, 10 /10 post)
Brush: Handturned Maple Badger
Soap: Barrister & Mann Lime, Lavender, & Cedarwood
Postshave: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Block, Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman

Got a great first pass, almost DFS. Honestly, if my chin had been a little smoother, I probably would have stopped there. Did my S/N pass next, and got a solid DFS. This razor is very smooth, and easy to use. No cuts today. As much as I like the Red Imp, the spike point can be a bit much for everyday use, at least at my current skill level. Stuck with two passes to keep working on my focus.

Finished this strop last week. After selling my previous Oiled Latigo strop, I missed the heavy draw of it. Draw is the amount of resistance on the leather when you strop the blade. I don’t think it makes a difference on how the razor performs, but is more of a personal preference thing. More draw makes me slow down and focus on keeping the razor flat on the strop. Since I loaned my horsehide strop to another member, it was a good excuse to have another one of these.

Very little burn on the Alum, but the Clubman bit pretty hard. Ended up with a BBS on my chin, face, and jaw, but DFS on my neck again. If anyone has any good suggestions for videos on how to do the ear to Adam’s apple pass, I would love to see them. That seems to be my weak spot.

 

I haven't posted in few days but every shave sence my last post has been flawless and even a few BBS like today.and idk about yall but today is going to be a good day for me hope it is for everyone else.

 

When are you thinking of doing the SR focus? I have a couple of razors I have used, but sporadically and only on the weekends. I would really like to dedicate a month to them. Going through it with someone else could be very beneficial.

 

Just checked my spreadsheet. Today was my 75th straight razor shave, and there were 21 shaves with the Feather AC before that. I am closing in on that 100 straight razor shaves that is supposed to be where you are a lot more comfortable. Based on my vacation this month, I know I prefer shaving with a straight, and I have lost some of the muscle memory associated with DE shaving.

 

09/22/2015
Razor – Mongoose B2 with Triad SS Helix
Blade – Feather Super Pro (7)
Brush – Every-Ready with TGN Finest
Lather – MdC Fougere
Post - Witch Hazel and Fine Platinum



A solid, near BBS shave with 2 passes plus touch ups. The little Every-Ready whipped up enough lather for 4 passes. Finished off with a splash of Fine Platinum and I think I am ready for the day. Hope everyone has a great day today.