SoS: November 21, 2016 - November 27, 2016

Nice setup Doug. Tell me about the new Route 66 scent. Sounds interesting.

 

Nov 25, 2016: Another new blade as part of the ongoing test. Super Max stainless. Made in India, I believe. Used the Merkur 34c, SOC boar brush, Captain's Choice bowl and Captain's Choice Bay Rum soap (love this soap). As for the blade: so so. Not that sharp but gave a decent (not outstanding) 3 pass shave with touch up. No irritation to speak of but the blade just didn't blow my skirt up. Will rate this one among the large number of "ok" blades. 7 blades down - 12 to go. Although I think I will order a single pack of Voskhod blades and add them to the test. Lots of good reviews and it was not included in the sample pack I bought. The Astra SP is still the top blade so far.

View attachment 119456

 

A blend of tart cranberries, juicy red grapefruit, and sweet orange, with tangy tangerine and lemon-lime. It is a very good soap and I thought fitting with the cranberries for Thanksgiving. It is extremely easy to whip into and very long lasting, slick lather that has a protective cushioning and glide with a soothing post shave conditioning. Another thing I like about the Route 66 soaps is that the description of the scent is what it is. There are no surprises, except for the great aroma when you open up the soap.

 

Thank you amigo.

 

SOTD - 25 November 2016



Have a great weekend!
☺

 

Thank you Doug. I'm a big fan of grapefruit scent and Route 66 is my favorite soap. I'll have to give it a try

 

Stirling Soap Co. - Gatlinburg
Ever-Ready 100T | TGN Finest
Star 1912 | Gem PTFE (1)

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Gatlinburg came out of nowhere for me. This is instantly my favorite Stirling fragrance. Despite cedarwood being listed as one of the top notes, it doesn't dominate this elegant fragrance. It's rich and woody with competing sharp and sweet citrus against musk and earth. This can easily be a year-round soap despite its being marketed as a Fall seasonal.

As expected from Stirling's base, the load and lather is easy, resulting in a creamy dense protective layer with excellent glide. The post-shave is nice as I'd expect from the shea butter and lanolin.

I'm quite pleased the splash matches the soap pretty closely. It is a bit more cedar-forward than the soap, but still not in an obtrusive way. This pleasant fragrance is something I would enjoy as an EdT year round.

 

Saturday's


Dove Men Face Wash
TSD Killer Queen
Jayaruh #133
Gillette Black Beauty
Wilkinson Sword Super Sword-Edge
CWR, Asma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson's WH
Aqua Velva Musk AS

The TSD Killer Queen Shaving Cream face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #133 silvertip badger brush. Two passes and touch ups with the Gillette Black Beauty with a Wilkinson Sword Super Sword-Edge blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse and alum block, I finished off with T.N. Dickinson's WH and then Aqua Velva Musk After Shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

 

buddy, have a wonderful weekend

 

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Simpson Chubby 2 Faux Jade Synthetic "Los Tres Amigos Dos"
Barrister and Mann Seville
The OneBlade
GEM PTFE SS #1
iColoniali Aftershave Balm
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A three pass shave paying particular attention to trouble spots under the jaw line, around the chin, and Adam’s apple. New B&M formula Seville, is easy lathering, with great slick lubrication, and the same intoxicating scent. “Los Tres Amigos Dos” Jade Chubby 2 Synthetic is a lather machine capable of generating mass quantities in seconds. A close and comfortable two-day shave, finished off with some soothing iColoniali balm. I am orca smooth and ready for this evening’s dinner. I hope everyone has/had a great day.


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THURSDAY SHAVE



Prep: Trader Joe's tea tree face wash
Razor: Gillette ball end tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Fine Angel Hair Synthetc
Soap: TSD Polynesian Red (2x iced)
Post: Dr. Jon's Hydra aftershave


Got a thick nice lather from the TSD soap, although I may have added a bit too many menthol crystals to this sample so it was ice cold. Not to the point of pain, but a high menthol comfort level. Didn't look like it was lathering good at first, but kept adding water and it exploded with thick lather that has that nice fruit scent. Got a present shave, finished off with Dr. Jon's aftershave, which burns my face a bit so I usually use it as cologne.

FRIDAY SHAVE OF THE DAY



Prep: MLSW Sandalwood pre shave butter
Razor: Gillette Black Beauty (started on 8 and ended on 3)
Blade: Gillette Black (1st shave)
Brush: RazoRock plissoft
Soap: Sir Hare Third Eye
Post: Aqua Velva Original Sport



Was lucky enough to find this Aqua Velva set at the local Wallgreens, which saved me a 45 minute drive. The set has a 7oz bottle of Blue AV, Original Sport and a puck of Williams. This green AV smells great, reminds me a bit of drier sheets or a clean aquatic masculine cologne. For $10 for the set it was a no brainer. The lather from Sir Hare is a bit of a mystery, one day it gives a thick lather, the other day it is a watery mess. Had to put a very large chuck in the bowl to get a acceptable lather. Was hoping this 3rd time would be the tie breaker and help figure out if this soaps works for my skin or not. Unfornuately I will have to experiment further. Did get a thin but creamy lather but had to use a rediculous amount of product for it to do so. Overall it was a smooth shave and was excited to try the new green AV so it was still a positive experience. Hope everyone else got positive results as well.

 

Thank you! This one is definitely a keeper! I love how it shaves.

 

Friday Morning......



Schick L Type with a Twin
Pro 49
Stirling Piacenza
Stirling Green

Have a good weekend!

 

Merkur 1904 open comb razor
generic DE blade
Maggards 24mm marble handle synthetic brush
Tabac soap
Pinaud Clubman aftershave

 

Pre-Shave: Cypriotian Olive/Argan Oil soap, cold water
Razor: ATT S-1 Kronos
Blade: Voskhod (1)
Brush: Doug Korn Epsilon 2-band
Lather: Mystic Water Jeff's Lavender
Post-shave: Alum, Australian Private Reserve Choix Alfredus​

 

NOVember!!

November 25

Grand Blade Trial - NOVember shave

Razor - CJB Greager
Blade - (3)
Soap - Proraso Red
Brush - Semogue 620
Post - Alum

Well another Black Friday is in the books. 12 1/2 hours of fun and frolic on the sales floor and a BUNCH of stuff sold. I'll take it.....but I'm glad it's done. Tomorrow should repeat today with a bit less frenzy and it's another early start. So.....home, eat, shave and probably pass out at my desk.

Final night for the Greager andDorco blade and, in spite of my being a bit bleary from the long day everything went well. I finished two passes and figured enough. Just didn't care to do another. I had a DFS secured and decided not to push it. When you get tired and try to do too much blood is sure to follow.

The Proraso Red Sandalwood performed extremely well. I'm liking that soap and can't figure out why it took nearly two years to try it when I used the Green almost from day one. My loss.

Tomorrow - The Grand Blade Trials return with the Bolzano Superinox blade. The next three days should be pretty nice. Alum tonight was a little hot, not bad, and I'm glad to have spent a few days with the pain stick. Hope you had a great day and enjoy your weekend!

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Saturday's Planned SOTD



Razor: Gem Push Button
Blade: Gem PTFE SS (D6)
Brush: Vie-long Beehive 24mm Horse hair
Bowl: Turkish Porcelain Bowl 4 ¾”
Pre Shave Scrub: MRGLO
Pre Shave Oil: Jasmine Creamsicle
Shave Soap: Tiki Seven Seas
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: Folsom Shambala


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Razor: Gillette Red Tip
Blade: Sputnik (4)
Brush: Isana Premium Synthetic
Soap: Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol
AS Balm: Proraso Eucalyptus & Menthol

 

Got it shortly after my return to Shaving , being a mixed hair brush it is quite harsh and you may like it , if you want to feel the lather worked in to your face. These days I am favouring Synthetics a lot more.

 

Sat 26th Nov
RazoRock Plissoft 24mm
P & B Spitfire
Gillette Fat Boy
Lab Blue [3 ]
Alum Rub/Rinse off
La Toja A/S lotion

My 3rd Shave with different DE Adjustable , this time a Fat Boy. Again used a moderate setting ,and so the shave was very smooth and generally close, perhaps got things wrong around the neck where the finish was patchy. A much more enjoyable shave than last time I used the Fat Boy, probably due to a good pre shave wash and a very good lather.