September 2023 Gentlemanly Restraint Until Month End (GRUME)

[Jack Goossen]

"Have what you need and use what you have.
That is our definition of "Restraint". The idea is to use, learn about and enjoy what you have..."

View attachment 1724007
Hey Guys
In the GRUME-er-ly spirit of appreciating and enjoying what I have, I went through drawers and a closet to find items that "I had to have" in the past but then abandoned for the next new thing that "I just HAD to have".

Starting from the top.
The Fendrihan was my first synthetic brush. The QSHAVE scuttle was another "I can't live without it" purchase that soon ended up in a drawer. I have never used a Feather SS blade. This is my un-opened 5 pack. I am familiar with the Feather SS Platinum blade. Next up is the Palmolive cream used once or twice. Finally, the Henson AL13 Mild razor was found in a drawer.

I filled the bowl with hot tap water and it was surprisingly nice to have warm lather on my face. It took longer than I expected to make a nice lather but it was excellent. The BIG surprise was the Henson and Feather combination. I got a really close shave with two passes and a few touch-up areas. It is amazing how a "mild" razor with the right blade can be so effective.
Pros: warm lather and discovered appreciation of a Feather SS blade
Cons: none

Tomorrow I am going to use a razor built like a tank...stay tuned.
Still in GRUME & GRUYERE
Please take care of yourself and each other.

Great post

 

[Guido75]

Hope all went well with the doctor’s appointment Jack @Jack Goossen. You are in my thoughts as always.

Hugs,

Guido

 

[Guido75]

The most important part of this enjoyment and distraction from buying just the next best thing is due to you fine guys!

So I may take the chance to say "thank you" to all the participants...

Is it psychology that this thank you happens to be in green similar to a certain just next best thing LE from Portugal? Or just sheer coincidence…

Enjoy!

Guido

 

[Jayson74]

September GRUME (19)
Still in.
9-30-23 Saturday 7am

Razor: Gamechanger .68p
Blade: Perma-sharp(1)
Soap: Old Strathcona
Brush: Omega 800266
Pre: Shower
Post: MudderFocker

Up early yet again (for a Saturday), have first-aid/CPR training today. Work is paying and feeding me to be there so why not.

Gamechanger shave today. 2 passes and DFS!
See everyone in October!

Be well
Jay

 

[midwestshaver71]

30Sep23!!
This mornings shave was flawless, a true 9.5/10 BBS shave.
This morning was another first for me in a not so great way. The R41 went for a ride south, hitting the corner of the vanity
on the way down.
It did land on the rug but I noticed the handle was loose, so snugged it back up and finished. This stupid sore wrist I'm nursing is to blame as I can't twist it normally. I'll have to inspect it closer later today.

It's been a fun month gents!
I'll be bowing out for next month; the binge begins soon and I don't see it as fair to go in Oct. with new product I don't
really need on the way.
Let's see what Nov brings....

 

[Doti B]

Thank you kind sir. I would appreciate that very much

@Jack Goossen you are a gentleman. I will finally get to try Personna Med Preps and it’s all down to your generosity. Thank you so much and hope everything is well with you

 

[JAHE]

Is it psychology that this thank you happens to be in green similar to a certain just next best thing LE from Portugal? Or just sheer coincidence…

This time we may agree upon the term "self fulfilling prophesy".
60% of the stock already has been sold, so October might turn out to be my end date of GRUYERE.

Anyway, I sneaked in a final September shave. 3rd and final turn of "Have what you need and use what you have"

Thanks again, John, for pointing us to this idea.

See you all on the other side!

Cheers
Guido

 

[tjsgarden]

Still in GRUME & GRUYERE
and a reunion with The Shave of the Week Society (SWS)

Hey Guys
September has been a good month for GRUMEing and GRUYEREing. to our devoted sponsors Brandon, @FoolishMortal and Stan, @KQY61 for keeping us going. Also a BIG thanks and to all other posters old and new. IMHO, It doesn't matter if we go 2X/30 or 30/30. It is the big and the baby step lessons we learn together on the journey that counts.
I decided to spend the next week with the Shave of the Week Society to kinda settle down and enjoy being in a routine for a week. The shave today was calm, relaxed and achieved DFS+ results and satisfaction.
Please take care of yourself and each other.

 

[Markdad2]

Still In!!! First GRUME I've completed in a while!

Today's shave:

 

[den fly]

Another successful month and thanks to everyone as this thread makes it possible. October is "birthday month" for me and I may indulge in a purchase or two. Not to worry, I have not desire for going on a crazy spree of products. See you all in November. Please stay well and be good to yourself and others.

Razor: Gillette New Deluxe Red and Black
Blade: Astra SP (3)
Cream: Crown Shaving Co.
Brush : Zenith Horse Hair
AS: Nivea Cool Post Shave Balm

 

[La Malice]

A strange kind of morning, but still in on this last day of the month.

Started by oversleeping, I usually get up at 6 but slept until 8 , good for me 2 more of sleep is not bad but it almost made me late for my morning appointment so in for a quick shave it was

2 days of growth

September GRUME : 16
2023 GRUYERE : 154

Razor : Merkur 34 HD C
Blade : Voshkod (3)
Pre Shave : none
Soap (SOTM) : Haslinger’s schafmilch
Brush : Semogue 1305
Aftershave: Dickinson's witch hazel, Bootleg green freeze, Proraso White AS balm

no cut nick irritation. DFS happy shave

Oh maybe you were wondering about my morning appointment ... well you'll get a blurry shaving gear picture and clear view of the bandage ... I gave blood this morning

And you did you gave blood in the last 2 month ? if not and you can give blood, will you be a gentleman and take 90 minutes of your life in the next 2 month and go give blood ? The clock has started 56 days until the next window open up again for me

 

[La Malice]

Still In!!! First GRUME I've completed in a while!

Today's shave:

View attachment 1725430

congrats on the win, now you gotta complete october too

 

[La Malice]

Another successful month and thanks to everyone as this thread makes it possible. October is "birthday month" for me and I may indulge in a purchase or two. Not to worry, I have not desire for going on a crazy spree of products. See you all in November. Please stay well and be good to yourself and others.

Razor: Gillette New Deluxe Red and Black
Blade: Astra SP (3)
Cream: Crown Shaving Co.
Brush : Zenith Horse Hair
AS: Nivea Cool Post Shave Balm

you can still fit in the GRUME by just buying during the Sue Moore auction ;-)

 

[awk_m4]

I made it!!!
Saturday September 30, 2023
Bowl: Captain's Choice Copper Bowl
Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Omega
Lather: Southern Witchcrafts
Razor: Henson AL13 Aggressive
Blade: Polsilver
Post: Osma Alum Block
Post: Thayers Witch Hazel
Post: Tabac

 

[elmo_koffman]

No shave today, but I'm still in and successfully finished another month. So see you in October

 

[cajunrph]

Walks out of a dark cave, looks at the bright sun, and crys "I made it, I made it, Ih Ih Ih made it!!!!"

Welp, I made it. I was greatly tempted but I made it through my first GRUME on the first attempt. Mission accomplished. I will be sitting out of October. To stock up so I can withstand all the temptation.

Shave Date 9/30/23
GRUME September: 30/30
Razor: 1967 Gillette TTO Slim
Blade: Personna Platinum (5) Outa here, into the bin ya go.
Pre-Shave: PAA Cube 2.0
Soap: PAA Vloid
Brush: Simpson Traflagar #2 Synthetic brush
Post-shave: Alum Block, Thayers, PAA MysteriumSerum, PAA Vloid
Bowl: Douglas Smith Pottery Suribachi Shaving Bowl
Rating: 9.4/10 BBS Cheeks and DFS- on the neck. 0 weepers.

Notes here.

We made it fellas, we made it to the end. If it wasn't for this commitment I made I'd be out a ton of money. With all the different soaps, aftershaves, blades, and razors I've been tempted with over the past month, I would have needed to build another bathroom. Well, maybe that's a tad of an exaggeration, although not by much. As it is, I've had much time to contemplate my temptation and ask myself if I need all of the stuff I wanted. At one point I had plans to get a Karve Overlander and a RazoRock Game changer 0.84. I'm not so sure now. I've settled into using three of my 6 razors. I have a Rex Emporium, A Yates 'Merica, a Rockwell 6c, a 1948 Gillette TTO Super Speed, and a 1967 Gillette TTO Adjustable Slim. I found I reached mostly for the Rex and the Yates, then the TTO 1948 Super Speed. The Rockwell and Slim sat idle for most of the time. I aralso have a Leaf that has not been used in the month. I am also tight on space on my countertop. I have the 5 razors on a brush and razor stand I got off of Etsy. I don't have any room for more. Thus my dilemma is, will the Karve or the GC face the same fate as the Rockwell? The Yates and Rex razors are of much higher quality. It is apparent when I handle the Rockwell after using the Yates.

I was also jonesing on some Bay Rum scent, about to pull the trigger on APP Atomic Pumpkin. I have a sample of Boomtowm Bay rum aftershave and quite frankly all I smell is clove, a tone of clove. My sense of smell is not what it used to be before Covid. Of the soaps I have now from PAA, I enjoy the Vloid, a Floid homage, and Good Vibrations. I have the aftershave for Floid not Good Vibrations. I will get that one for sure. I also had a bunch of Razorock soaps and splashes in a cart. I was a sucker for Barbershop scents when I first started. Now I'm thinking how many do I really need. I certainly don't need one from each of the artisan soap makers. I do like PAA homage to Creed Aventis. I have Spartans which is based on Creed Aventis. Again how many dups do I need? This time spent in GRUME Timeout has allowed me to stop and think about what I really need. Sure we all love trying new soaps, get the new razor that is the next best thing, try this homage to the classic scents. Now I am thinking of just getting the Karve Overlander and the Autumn scents from PAA or Sterling. I don't need another homage to Aventus. I have two that smell almost identical. I will get some old-school aftershaves. Brut, Old Spice, English Leather, and some Bay Rum. I may also get some other Clubman offerings. Maybe Mudder Focker from RazoRock and Dead Sea. Ohh and Arko!. I gotta get some Arko!.

The shave was excellent, which prompted all this thinking if I needed those extra razors. The birth year Gillette did a fine job. I had it set on setting 5. I continued to refine my technique of riding the cap on ATG to get BBS. I also continued to accept the fact that my neck won't get BBS no matter what, without excessive irritation. Part of the allure of the Karve is its purported stellar ATG shaving on the neck. If a 56 year old razor shaves this good, do I need another one? There's a need and a want.

I appreciate this thread. It has made me rethink how I will proceed with my wet shaving hobby. I will check in to see how you fellas are doing. I will also refrain from buying after my doozie of a buy in the first part of the month. I will be with everyone in spirit after the buying spree.

Have a blessed weekend and may all your shaves be BBS, nick, and weeper free.

 

[Balin]

Still in!

Congratulations to all participants

 

[sandorfi]

Last shave of the month with La Toja shaving stick (SOTM).
So another grume passed without worries.

Used most of the time a Gillette tech spiral (underrated, but great as a daily razor), for the rest a Gillette New RFB and a nickel fatip picollo (the cheapest and best razor IMHO).

Mostly shaved every day.... but I didn't feel the urge to post a lot....

Congrats to the survivors.

 

[Markdad2]

congrats on the win, now you gotta complete october too

I'm in!

 

[hopper_64]

September is in the books.
Congrats to all who made it and hope to see all of you in October.
No shave for me today (Saturday).

Cheers