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April 2021 Gentlemanly Restraint Until Month End (GRUME)

Still in, purchase and wait list free for April so far.

Razor: Fatip Lo Storto Originale Slant “FOCS”
Blade: Kai Stainless Steel (3)
Brush: Grizzly Bay “Empress - EVO Deluxe” with 26mm High Mountain White (Bulb)
Bowl: Captain’s Choice Copper Lather Bowl (Heavyweight)
Soap and Aftershave: Dr Jon’s Savannah Sunrise

Result: Everything worked perfectly together, resulting in a superlative 3 pass shave that was one of the best, if not the best, BBS shaves I’ve ever had. No cuts, weepers, irritation, etc. Savannah Sunrise is without a doubt my favourite warm weather scent, love it.

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Honestly, I’m conflicted.

No, there wasn’t a purchase made, but there’s intent to buy. Why else would you sign up? Comparing the act of signing up for a vendor’s waitlist to the rules that prohibit PIF entry or arrangement of services, this feels very similar. Getting on the waitlist means reserving your right to buy something.

Put that way, I’m strongly inclined to say “out” for this month and for the month if/when the purchase is actually made, but I will entertain opposing arguments (if there are any).
I’m out then. 👍

I just bought a Canada Shaving Soap to actually really be out by actually really buying something.
 
Still in, another shave trying out a German Personna Platinum and again it felt identical to an Israeli Red.

Pre-shave (in order of use)
- Jack Black Deep Dive Glycolic Facial Cleanser
- Truefitt and Hill Pre-shave Oil
- The Goodfellas' Smile Savage Shaving Soap

Post-shave (in order of use)
- Omega Alum Block
- Simple Kind to Skin Alcohol Free Soothing Facial Toner
- Hylamide Low-Molecular Hyaluronic acid
- The Ordinary Buffet Serum
- Dolce & Gabbana The One aftershave balm
- Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturiser

Tools
- 50's Gillette Aluminium Ball End Tech
- German Personna Platinum (3)
- Semogue SOC Taj Boar
 
Still in.

Today I shaved with a rusty razor.

OK, not exactly, but it was rusty a week ago. Having run out of things to hone, and eager to build experience, I posted this thread asking if anyone wanted their razors honed for free. Farmer Tan took me up on it, and you can see pictures and history on the thread link above.

Today I reached the final point, the moment of truth: putting this former bucket o' rust on my face, notwithstanding the little divots in the toe, from pitting.
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The shave went quite well. Not DFS territory, but a good solid shave. The only discomfort was when I used the toe on neck hollows, and it was very minor, hardly worth mentioning. But when I applied the alum, the area glowed a bit, so something was not perfect. Still happy with it overall though.

That oval logo, BTW, says "Lee's Radium Gold." There is gold in the grooves, apparent only under magnification, and enough gold elsewhere that I have to believe that this razor was gold-plated, or something close to that.

It had not occurred to me until writing this that my accepting and honing this razor might put my GRUME status in jeopardy, but on reflection, I don't think so. Yes, it turned out to be a way for me to get my hands on some new-to-me shave stuff, so there is a potential debate to be had. But to me it does not feel related to any sort of acquisitional avarice. Plus it is a kind of service to the community. Open to other opinions.
 
Thank you both for your perspectives. Since you have jumped in, how do you contrast this with a PIF entry? I think I know the answers, but I would like to hear them articulated, if you would be so kind.
If you enter a PIF, you must want to win. If you do win, there's no way of baling out (at least, not without offending the person running the PIF), so you've given up control as soon as you enter it.
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
Thank you both for your perspectives. Since you have jumped in, how do you contrast this with a PIF entry? I think I know the answers, but I would like to hear them articulated, if you would be so kind.

As a side note, my thought on the “purchase” aspect is that a list sign-up is one step closer to a purchase. You can’t purchase if you’re not on the list. True abstinence would be not signing up in the first place. If a married man signs up for Tinder, does his wife care that he wasn’t obligated to go on a date or is she likely upset that he considered it and took action to make it a real possibility?
I don't agree with the marriage analogy at all, unless marriage had a fixed term of one month in which case arranging a marriage for six months time shouldn't be a problem for your current spouse.
I still look at shaving gear often, but as long as I am not buying it I am still being faithful to the GRUME. There is no rule that says I can't look at other shaving gear or the GRUME will divorce me.
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
Still in, or maybe I'm out because I've been thinking it would be nice to get a Rockwell 6C and a couple of Razorock soaps, but where is a moral theologian when you need one eh.
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Tonight's shave used the Fatip piccolo/Personna platinum(8) combo. The Piccolo is one of my favourite razors and always gives a BBS shave and after a period of only using it occasionally I find myself reaching for it more often. The TOBS Coconut cream lathered with the Yaqi purple haze is really quite an enjoyable cream and I enjoy the scent.
After cutting my thumb today the shave was less than comfortable but still achieved a BBS
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
This thread has me thinking that buying a stick of Arko and signing on to Tindr in the hope of a little bit of strange unbeknownst to the wife are essentially the same thing. Apparently people have been taking this adultery business a bit too seriously. You learn something new every day around here!
 
Still in, final shave trying out the German version of the Personna Platinum and again it felt identical to the shaves I get with an Israeli Red. YMMV but for me, I'll be happy with the German Personna Platinums when my Israeli Reds run out (however many years from now that is :lol:)

Pre-shave (in order of use)
- Clinique for Men Charcoal Face Wash
- Jack Black Face Buff Energizing Scrub
- Truefitt and Hill Pre-shave Oil
- Body Shop Maca Root & Aloe Softening Shaving Cream

Post-shave (in order of use)
- Omega Alum Block
- Simple Kind to Skin Alcohol Free Soothing Facial Toner
- Hylamide Low-Molecular Hyaluronic acid
- The Ordinary Buffet Serum
- Body Shop Maca Root & Aloe Cooling Post-Shave Water Gel
- Jack Black Double Duty Face Moisturiser

Tools
- 50's Gillette Aluminium Ball End Tech
- German Personna Platinum (4)
- Semogue SOC Taj Boar
 
Thank you both for your perspectives. Since you have jumped in, how do you contrast this with a PIF entry? I think I know the answers, but I would like to hear them articulated, if you would be so kind.

As a side note, my thought on the “purchase” aspect is that a list sign-up is one step closer to a purchase. You can’t purchase if you’re not on the list. True abstinence would be not signing up in the first place. If a married man signs up for Tinder, does his wife care that he wasn’t obligated to go on a date or is she likely upset that he considered it and took action to make it a real possibility?


Just spotted all the comments on this! On the marriage analogy, I would argue that if the married man had agreed with his partner that he would be faithful for the month of April (which is what a GRUME is, Gentlemanly Restraint Until Month End, not Gentlemanly Restraint Until Death do us Part) then he can sign up to whatever he wants as long as he doesn't actually commit to anything that obligates him to break that promise. For all we know they could have an open relationship, it could be a marriage just so one of them can get a visa, etc. but they want to reign things in a bit.

I have items on wish lists, items in baskets etc but while I am in GRUME I try to leave them there. Some I will eventually buy, others I will decide I don't actually need or want anymore and so in the long run I will be buying less items.

If going on the waiting list for an item knocks you out of GRUME, are you retrospectively added back in if you then decide to be taken off the waiting list or decide not to make the purchase in the end?
 
Still in. Fantastic leisurely shave on the road this morning.
Razor: RR GC .68
Blade: PolSilver (1)
Brush: Sagrada Familia
Bowl: Timeless
Soap: Arko
A/S: Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue
Have a great day y’all!View attachment 1253591
I think I want a Game Changer .68. That razor might put me out of the current GRUME and the Yearly. I have check their website and they do not have any. I am not sure I would pull the trigger and so far I am resisting, but that razor with that handle would likely put me out.
 
Still in.

I haven't shaved in past 2 days.
There is Navratri Festival going on in India.

Although this time like last year there is one socializing, this in turn has given me more time to take care things which always gets left for later.

I cleaned up the Xbox One after 6 years, brought out the television after more than a year, dusted and tested various parts of the Home Theater.

Thankfully, everything works fine and everything is set-up properly.

I cut and trimmed my head hair.
I'm getting better at it, this time I managed to get a decent trim.
Still a very minimalist look, good enough for video call with immediate family.
 
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