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May 2021 Gentlemanly Restraint Until Month End (GRUME)

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
I bought this brush 3 months ago while in the GRUME. It bounced me out, of course. My rationalization for the purchase was that I always wanted a Brad Sears brush, the handle is my fave style, the colors are unique, and most of all, I justified it because Mr Sears told me that this was the last 26mm fan knot he had, and that there would be no more 26mm knots moving forward. This would mean that if I didn't buy this brush I'd have to buy a 28mm knot if I wanted a Brad Sears, and I really prefer smaller brushes. Even the 26mm feels too big. So I clicked on the buy button.

So as I said, that was 3 months ago. I have yet to use the brush, because I'm still in restraint. I have so many brushes I don't know what to do with them. I wanted this brush... I still want this brush... but as long as I'm in restraint I won't use it. At least that's how I feel right now. It could change, but I'm OK with my decision. What I'm saying is that I take these restraints very seriously. It matters a great deal that I develop a durable sense of control over my desire to buy and pile up shaving gear, and if leaving a beautiful new brush unused helps me in my long term goal then it can sit in the box for a year. It'll get used eventually, and when it does I'll enjoy it all the more.

Gus26_Ebony_Lt Lavender_Estate (1).jpg
 
So as I said, that was 3 months ago. I have yet to use the brush, because I'm still in restraint. I have so many brushes I don't know what to do them. I wanted this brush... I still want this brush... but as long as I'm in restraint I won't use it. At least that's how I feel right now.

Wow. Now that's restraint. I freely admit that such a feat would be beyond me. My hat would be off to you, if I had a hat. Come to think of it, I do, but I don't think I'm supposed to start wearing it before Memorial Day.

Nice looking brush.
 

Owen Bawn

Garden party cupcake scented
Wow. Now that's restraint. I freely admit that such a feat would be beyond me. My hat would be off to you, if I had a hat. Come to think of it, I do, but I don't think I'm supposed to start wearing it before Memorial Day.

Nice looking brush.
I quite literally have several thousand dollars worth of shaving brushes. Yes, I'm in 'restraint' in that I'm not purchasing anything new and I'm choosing not to use a brush that knocked me out of a GRUME, but believe me, there's nothing ascetic about my restraint. I'm using the best shaving brushes in the world, and I have plenty of them.

This past Feb-early April I decided only to use pure badger bushes for Lent. They aren't exactly a cilice or a flagellum or a hair shirt but a pure brush does inflict a wee modicum of discomfort on the user. But my 5 pure badgers are all either Rooneys or Simpsons; in other words, even when I practice asceticism I do so in luxury.

Don't cry for me, Argentina...
 

JWCowboy

Probably not Al Bundy
This past Feb-early April I decided only to use pure badger bushes for Lent. They aren't exactly a cilice or a flagellum or a hair shirt but a pure brush does inflict a wee modicum of discomfort on the user. But my 5 pure badgers are all either Rooneys or Simpsons; in other words, even when I practice asceticism I do so in luxury.


:lol: This right here is my nomination for post of the day, nay the week!
 
May I still join this one?
1) FoolishMortal
2) Doti B
3) MtView
4) wmadoty
5) Herrenberg
6) La Malice
7) cryhavoc - GRUYERE
8) henrickd - GRUYERE
9) Heavy_Metal_Hound
10) Roedeer
11) Chef455
12) Jmp63 - GRUYERE
13) Owen Bawn
14) Contact_vs_Feedback - GRUYERE
15) Schnitzel52
16) ‘Bout Time
17) AZBronco
18) Cahoots
19) SeinfeldNoir
20) tjsgarden
21) pdieten - GRUYERE
22) Timeclo
23) Kyle89
24) Sinnbad11
25) Cino
26) redrako
27) Sandorfi
28) SharpieB
29) Sotiris_A
30) Tomo
31) FL shaver
32) linty1

I don't know if its because it's 3am and I'm having an epiphany, but this will be good for me.
Yes indeed - you're in well before the cut-off on the 15th. Welcome!
 
Still in, 29% complete.

Preshave: Hot washcloth
Soap: MWF
Brush: Men-U boar
Razor: GC.68 SB, Astra SP #3
Post-shave: Nivea 2-Phase Lotion.

That felt luxuriously smooth after the Astra SS. BBS face.

Tried a more ambitious angle on my neck, getting a slightly better DFS, which I'm happy with. BBS there would probably be a Pyrrhic victory.

I'm out!

This was supposed to be the month in which I finally take the GRUME seriously. I was under no illusions about it being easy, I had quit window shopping on shaving supply websites. I had even been enjoying the equipment that is in my current rotation. But there was the local flea market that was supposed to be safe. No-one ever sells shaving equipment at this flea market. Then my girlfriend found it, an Ever Ready single edge, Pat'd 1912, and for only £5. At that price I just had to have it.
View attachment 1264203View attachment 1264204View attachment 1264205

Good luck and I'll see Y'all in next months GRUME

That SE looks like it's in almost new condition, Heavy_Metal_Hound. Sometimes there's nothing for it but to take a time-limited opportunity that's handed to you on a plate.

Anybody interested in a Arko-Day this Thursday???
If Arko is unavailable, use a soap, stick or cream laying around that has been unused or severely neglected???

I'll join in, tjsgarden. Until recently I was rotating Arko/Palmolive/Speick/MWF, but MWF gives me at least as good a result as the others, and better post-shave comfort, so it has edged the others out.

The safety-bar GC.68 with aluminium handle also seems to be number one hit at the moment. Shaves like Rockwell R4 or 5, but is a lot more agile.
 
Still in. Haven’t shaved in a few days. I will tomorrow though.

Side note, if anyone is interested in trading let me know. I have a For Trade post up in the BST current remaining items are a Stirling Baker Street set, and Catie’s bubbles 2oz sample. PM me if you’re interested.

Sorry if this shouldn’t be posted here, I just figured if someone wanted to trade it would keep them from failing if they were tempted by something or looking for some variety! 👍👍
 
Still in.

I used the RR Hawk v3 with the Titan mild blade again today and it was kind of meh. I achieved BBS, but only for about 2-3 hours and I had to do a lot of touch ups. If I weren't in the GRUME I would be ordering a more aggressive blade to see if it made a difference. I'm going back to the Wolfman tomorrow.

Crown Shaving Co. pre-shave
RR Hawk v3 with a Titan mild blade
Muhle STF 23 mm
Seaforth! Spice soap and splash
Hey, we can trade during GRUME and/or I can send you a few blades. 👍

I have the Feather Pro and will have the Schick blades this week. PM me your address and I will send you a couple of each.
 
I'm out!

This was supposed to be the month in which I finally take the GRUME seriously. I was under no illusions about it being easy, I had quit window shopping on shaving supply websites. I had even been enjoying the equipment that is in my current rotation. But there was the local flea market that was supposed to be safe. No-one ever sells shaving equipment at this flea market. Then my girlfriend found it, an Ever Ready single edge, Pat'd 1912, and for only £5. At that price I just had to have it.
View attachment 1264203View attachment 1264204View attachment 1264205

Good luck and I'll see Y'all in next months GRUME

Finds like that are hard to pass up. That's why I don't go into antique stores anymore! Well, that...and most of them closed due to COVID. :(

Please feel free to play along from home, and we'll hope to see you next month. And listen to Owen Bawn!

And when a brother falls, it's time for...

Roll Call!

1) @FoolishMortal
2) @Doti B
3) @MtView
4) @wmadoty
5) @Herrenberg
6) @La Malice
7) @cryhavoc - GRUYERE
8) @henrickd - GRUYERE
9) Heavy_Metal_Hound - out (5/9: Ever Ready SE razor)
10) @Roedeer
11) @Chef455
12) @Jmp63 - GRUYERE
13) @Owen Bawn
14) @Contact_vs_Feedback - GRUYERE
15) @Schnitzel52
16) @‘Bout Time
17) @AZBronco
18) @Cahoots
19) @SeinfeldNoir
20) @tjsgarden
21) @pdieten - GRUYERE
22) @Timeclo
23) @Kyle89
24) @Sinnbad11
25) @Cino
26) @redrako
27) Sandorfi - out (5/3: Soaps and aftershaves)
28) @SharpieB
29) @Sotiris_A
30) @Tomo
31) @FL shaver
32) @linty1
 
Still in.

I won’t be able to take part in this week’s Arko Thursday because I’m flying out of town and decided just to take the week off from shaving. I’ll do next Thursday even if it’s not still a thing. I’m one of those lucky people that don’t mind the smell.

Same kit, same results.

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results then you can count me as sane.

I hope you all had a stellar weekend and took care of any mothers you have in your lives.
 
Still in.

I brought up my Game Changer 84 Open Comb to see if it was still relevant to my requirements, and I'm pleased to see that it is a very good razor for me.

I got a very good 2 Pass DFS Shave.

Lupo 95, Karve CB razors are being sanitized and packed to be sent back to their owners.

I'm in talks with several wet shavers and it is a likely scenario that I'll be selling off a few Stirling soaps (unused) and Omega 10098 brush.
Since I sold my Pereira Shaving bowl as I couldn't "Connect" with it, and I turned to face lathering, the Omega 10098 was being neglected.

This again is another benefit of being in GRUMEs.

I can think clearly about the preference and avoid the hoarding, this will in turn give me space and opportunity to add some other gears to try later on during the restock window (GRUYERE window).

I'm in the Arko Sharko day on Thursday, this week, and for the Arko Sharko August.
Thanks to fellow members, I have a tuck of Shark blade (along with many other blades) and Arko stick as well.

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