Another good start with pass 1 using the straight that Adam @Drygulch PIF’d me for MAYhem. (This is my starter straight. If I master it by May, I may pass it along to another recipient wishing to join the dark side... but let’s not get ahead of ourselves). Anyhoo, after proudly announcing to my wife that for the second straight day, my first pass was done with a straight, she burst my bubble by saying “I can tell. You’ve got scratches on your face again”. Apparently, these “scratches” are created when the razor has a bit of a hard landing on the runway prior to starting the shave. According to Adam, the key technique employed in order to to avoid these “scratches” is... and I quote... “not being a dumbass”. I seem to be doing much better on the shaving part then the not being a dumbass part. Go figure. Anyway, I am getting comfortable enough with the first pass to make it a part of my daily routine until I feel expert enough to move on to an ATG pass.
OCtober @Jayaruh B-Day Party! Route 66 Retro Spice sample Jayaruh JR#130 Cypress brush Old Spice Hull ceramic mug Gillette NEW Long Comb Personna Lab Blue blade Alum, Shulton Old Spice AS Shulton Old Spice AS talc Honoring one of our resident Artisans - I used one of my favorite brushes with some vintage hard & software. Jim was very patient with me when together we designed his JR#130 handle. I like the profile of an old fashion barbers brush so Omega #10098 was my desire. Jim spun up his lathe and released my handle from the confines of a chunk of nondescript bald Cypress. After several e-mails we agreed to have a Maggard synthetic knot installed. It's a winner! Being a wooden handle I felt safe loading Route 66 soap with no fear of damaging the ceramic mug. I skipped bowl lathering and went straight to my face with the loaded brush. The soap was a bit tacky until I swiped under a dribbling cool tap. Without my usual bowl as a crutch lather ensued. By my 2nd & 3rd pass the quality increased. The old Gillette did it's duty with no errors on my part. Alum swiped as cool as I hoped. Vintage OS AS splashed on with the same scent as the soap by Kathleen @Salty Belle. I'm at a loss where to use the OS talc, so a sprinkle across the back of my neck happened. Good Shaves Y'all!
15 OCtober Jim's Birthday Shave Pre-Shave: Hot Shower Brush: JR #180, 22mm Badger Soap: Lilac, Mystic Water (MW) Razor: Valet VC2, Autostrop Blade: Feather FAS-10 Carbon Steel(CS), Feather Seikan (4) Strop: Amish made Post-Shave: Cold Water rinse, OSMA Alum block and Lilac Vegetal, Clubman Photo: This mornings shave was a tribute to the Jim. The maker of fine shaving brushes. I bought some Veg to try. As it's supposed to be a lilac scent I paired it up with the MW Lilac. The JR #180 whipped up a very good lather with the MW. I stropped the blade ten times before the shave and then did a three passes with it. When I was about to lather up for the third pass I knocked the brush into a sink full of water. The lather was a little thin on that pass but was still able to get a nice lather out of it. Finished off the shave with the Alum block and then the Veg. It was another fantastic shave with the blade. It was a little rough on my neck as the alum was talking when applied there but I think it was me and not the blade. Stropped the blade fifteen more times before hanging it back up for tomorrow.
Great lineup and photo Ken. I really like Mystic Water in the shave stick form. I make my own out of the refill pucks.
Razor: Gillette 1930's OC Ball End Blade: Personna Tungsten 74 (6) Brush: Elite Razor Gold Laced Black Onyx w/Tuxedo Soap: B&M Latha Oceana A/S: Myrsol Aqua Balsamic
Thank you Clint. I have some more MW. I am waiting to use up some of the soaps I already have in rotation before I bring some more out of cold storage.
OCtober 15, 2017 B&B Essential Boar MDC Original “Le Bol En Bois” Wolfman WR1-OC with Darwin Deluxe Titanium Polsilver Super Iridium Barrister and Mann Reserve Cool Brooks Bros. Blue
OCtober!!! October 15 Razor - Fatip Piccolo Blade - (2) Pre-shave - Stirling Mentholated Pre-Shave Soap Soap - Truefitt & Hill 1805 Brush - Stirling Synthetic Post - Alum Day two on this setup and it's also a two day shave since I skipped last night. I'm curious to see how the pre-shave soap helps or hinders the process with a two day growth. The big Stirling synthetic brush loaded incredibly easy, I washed my face with the Stirling pre-shave soap and lathered over the top. The Fatip made easy and quick work of my beard with no feel of any tugging or dragging in the extra growth. Seriously smooth and comfortable first pass. Second pass, XTG and some touch up put the baby in the house and made me even more of a fan of the pre-shave soap. I'm curious to see where @PLAla ends up with this product as far as his plans to continue using it. As for me.....the chance of adding it to my normal routine is growing. Alum was quiet as well and with the Fatip and a sharp blade like the Perma-Sharp, that's a very good thing. Your Monday is upon us! My Saturday is upon me!! Two days off to enjoy life a bit and do a little more organizing around here. We're about halfway through OCtober and I'm loving it! Just an early nudge that next up is NOVember.......No Variation November. Yeah, a rule basically but with all the freedom we normally allow around here. I have my plan together already and it should be quite a, uh, fun......yeah I'll use that word.......fun month ahead. Of course, two more weeks of the OC routine and a couple of shenanigans to go before then!
Monday Shave It is not really an open comb razor, but a hybrid. It has been a while since I broke out the Mühle R41 2011 edition, so today is the day. I loaded a new GSB blade and went to town. 4 passes zero blood and zero irritation. If the smooth face lasted just a little longer I would have called it epic, instead, it is just an outstanding shave. I guess it was an early morning picture so my phone was half sleeping and could not focus. Irritation A+ Closeness A Smoothness A Sharpness A Razor: Mühle 2011 R41 GSB Brush: T White B400 Pre: Proraso Soap: L’Occitane Cade AS: Lucky Tiger Scent: Chanel Egoïst
OCtober 2017 XV October Another nice OC shave, no blade change, let's call it seven. Love this soap. It's like Arko on Steroids. Only better. When @PickledNorthern talks soap, listen! That's my advice to new guys, he turned me on to this formula. It's one I will buy when his gift sample puck is exhausted. Maybe five more shaves! Other than that, the Packers are in a world of hurt and all is quiet in Colorado. Have a magnificent Monday!
Good picture of some great gear. I like that razor case. And you seem to have made some serious inroads into that MDC Wooden Bowl...
OCtober 16 SOTD: Razorock Plissoft Brush Stirling Cool Phoenix DOC Stirling Unscented PSB B&M Arctique It was a nice shave this morning to get my weekend going. Stirling Cool is a pleasing scent with a moderate amount of menthol. This razor is easy going, so it is an autopilot type of razor, great for early Monday morning shaves. I am,looking forward to being in town for a while. I hope everyone has a great day!
