June 14 - WSP Rustic Soap Day!!!!

Merkur 34C
Gillette Silver Blue (Day 4)
Jason's 30 DC Brush
DIY PSO
WSP Rustic Blackbeard soap
Alum/Thayers/AOS PSO

Today I decided to go back to the pass around box samples and grabbed Wet Shaving Products Rustic Soap - Blackbeard. The scent is listed as:

I did smell tobacco(which is not my favorite scent) and some warmth probably form the vanilla and spices. Not sure I can clearly identify patchouli and no matter how many times I sniff the essential oils at the store, I still do not know what it smells like. I think it has an earthy tone but the oil is so strong, I just get too much I guess. Either way, the scent wasn't bad but being I do not enjoy tobacco scents, I would probably not buy this scent. As for the soap, we shall see... The scent from my sample was on the lighter side as well.

I made it a point to get this lather perfect, for me. On WSP website, they list the soap as being a copy of Martin de Candre. My last writeup of MdC was here(http://theshaveden.com/forums/threa...us-pix-discussion.55194/page-129#post-1232450). MdC had a light roasting chicken , sage scent. Very little was needed and it could take a lot of water. Wide water ratio range. Excellent cushion, slick and created shiny thick lather. this is a tough act to aim for. While working the WSP Rustic soap, I walked the water in slowly. I wanted it to have a dense lather. I was able to get it very good and it is hard to decide if it was as dense as MdC without having them side by side. I also did not need a lot of soap for the lather. I will say that the lather was not as shiny but I feel that was only a visual that was not represented in practice. In use, the soap was wonderfully slick. It made a ton of lather. So much so that I got 3.5 passes and there was enough for my wife to shave with at least 2 more passes available!

I failed to change out the GSB so I went for another shave with it. Oddly enough, when I used the MdC, I too was running an older blade in it. The blade glided effortlessly over my skin. Because of my PSO, I had a hard time determining if a post shave lather remained. I simply felt clean like I had just put baby powder on my cheeks. In that regard, I was smooth and did not feel anything when doing buffing strokes and the inevitable dry section touch up.

Post shave was good but not as moisturized as other soaps. My wife also felt that it was smooth and leaning to the drier side. Not a lot. I did not feel like my skin had just been moisturized like a PSB has been applied like some of the other soaps felt. It wasn't dry either. I think the best way to describe it is that the soap did not negatively impact my skin and a PSB was be helpful but not absolutely necessary. Since I apply one anyway, I did and was happy with the hydration.

I will say that the Alum did burn today. That blade felt much better with this soap that what the outcome suggests. I was careful about angle and pressure. For me, GSB just are not my favorites. This particular blade did do better than other attempts with a GSB.

In all, this was an awesome soap!! Whether it is a perfect match to MdC, I will leave it up to you. Whether you feel it is or not, it is still an awesome soap. It had very good cushion, excellent slickness and glide and comes in several scents. For that reason, I grabbed a sample. I wanted to know how the base was and I find it top shelf. Will be looking to see which scent will be coming home with me ! If the Formula T is as good and has a slight bit more moisturizing nature, I would find it excellent.

Glad you are enjoying it, BTW should be a 1965 -66 Krona.

What is your number #1 blade ?

Thanks Andrew! I was looking around the Interwebs and was having a hard time getting the straight skinny.

Good news that your daughter is home. Still praying for her and will pray for your wife and family as well.

Great picture, Clint! It definitely has the look of a vintage shaving ad.

Thank you. The brush is a big beast for sure. I got the handle from a member here on the den.

Thank you Andrew.

Thank you Jim. I have been using the cell phone for SOTD photos and I think they are working out fine.

I had a great shave this morning and am actually very encouraged. I have quite a few shaves on this razor and it is the factory edge. All I have done is strop it each time I shave. My stropping technique must be ok because I haven't ruined the edge
SOTD
Route 66 Sweeney Todd Soap
B-400 Brush by Tom
Portland Razor Company Siren
Lucky Tiger
Ogallala Bay Rum
Have fun!

Great photo, Clint! Your razor is really beautiful.

I have Fine Platinum soap and splash. The scents are a perfect match. The soap lathers really well and easily though I tend to under-hydrate it by accident. I think it can take a good amount of water. The scent is strong and lasts and the splash only matches and then enhances that. Great stuff!

That is a handsome looking setup Brian!

The razor is beautiful Brian.


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Thank you Perry. I am finding I prefer the Fine soaps in shave stick form. I have been using very little soap literally explodes with a damp brush. I've found it easier to get it properly hydrated without having enough lather for 5 shaves.

I am certainly buying more Fine soaps.


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Thanks guys. It's one of my favorites.

Going anywhere for vacation is pretty much out at this point. Between the funeral, 3 ER visits in the last month and an extended hospital stay, that fund is tapped out and I am on pretty much a forced no-buy for a while. But we will be taking some good staycation time

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I hope you all recover completely and soon. Best wishes.

June 14th
PAL Injectomatic w Personna
TGN Boar
Tabac Stick
Thayers Unscented
Stirling Barbershop Splash

Still on Injector focus. Back to the 'Meatgrinder' this morning. I don't actually face lather very often with this Boar, as I usually use it for hard pucks, but did so this morning with the Tabac stick. Got a very nice lather and went to work on a careful 3 pass shave. Alas, even though I am once again near BBS, I have a few weepers again in a few different spots. Only one survived the AS and needed the Styptic, though. So that's improvement. The splash stung quite a bit as well.
Somehow I can use a Merkur in an Old Type and get an irritation and blood free shave, but I keep nicking myself with this PAL everytime. Not with any other injector, either. More focusing needed (or a PIF...but I'm a stubborn type), not tomorrow though.
Have a great day all!

Thanks, my friend. We seem to be on a good trajectory at this point. And we've had friends step up and help in some awesome ways, which is always encouraging. And having a crew here lifting me up certainly helps as well. The bright side of a no-buy is that I have a razor for every day of the month to focus on, and blades and soaps for years. So I think it will turn I to a positive all around. Forced focus is the only kind I am good at.

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Jason, it is said that the Pal IM rivals the E1 in terms of the most aggressive injector out there. I like the Pal, but I find after a few shaves my face needs a break from it.

Still working on it but my post script has my list or preferred blades. I think the Feather Hi SS, PolSilver, Astra SP and Rapira Super Iridium Lux might be my best. My beard just seems to need a very sharp blade otherwise it fights back. Feather Hi SS are not listed b/c I only got one try at them so far but that one was good. Unfortunately, it doesn't last long for me which might be a reason for it not to go on the list.

Fougere is French for "fern". Apparently perfumes and soaps smell more awesome (or at least sell better) if the scent is described in French rather than English, even when the manufacturer is an English-speaking company. Nice to see that Catie's Bubbles bucks this trend and actually calls this soap "Florentine Fern" instead of "Florentine Fougere"...