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SOTD SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 31, 2021
Today marks the first meeting of the 30DC Pennsyltucky Chapter. As I write, my friend, Bill, is wending his southeast to the western suburbs of Philly. I've been speaking to Bill online for three or four years off and on, but this breakfast will be our first face-to-face. It should be interesting! Given our joint Pennsyltucky venue and backgrounds, I’ve picked a neutral, scrapple-enriched restaurant. As the Habersett ad says, “scrapple contains everything good about the pig, but the oink!”
The Genco 35 was my third straight razor acquisition, notice I didn’t say purchase. It was a straight up barter deal. I traded a 1908 Gillette Single Ring along with a Milord, both of which were not being used and were missing from my friend’s den collection. They were in decent shape, but really benefitted from the cleaning and replating he gave them. A well-known honemeister friend had been telling me about the great fine grained central NY/PA steel in these blades. He wasn’t exaggerating.
My son, Ben, reset the bevel - I wasn’t honing yet in those days - on his jnat progression and built a very sweet edge. I’ve since touched it up on a new slate that Glen Mercurio recommended, and was surprised at the beautiful result. Howard Schlecter’s constroption put the icing on the cake. The mug shave was everything it could be. My usual three passes resulted in one of those effortless shaves that felt like I was just sweeping the whiskers away.
The noggin shave featured my favorite artisan DE, the Colonial Silversmith! Loaded with one of my vanishing hoard of Polsilvers, it cleared away my dome stubble with aplomb. Colonial Razor is one of those artisan makers that tends to fly under the radar, but the Evans twins, Kyle and Kirk, have a real passion for their work. I’ve only met Kirk online, he’s a very committed straight shaver with an impressive collection of stones and razors. It’s Kyle the razor designer, who I know. His design esthetic is highly refined as the Colonial Silversmith indicates. Two ATG passes, and I’m again as smooth as my great-grandaughter’s butt!
RAZOR: GENCO 35 5/8 (Mug), Colonial Silversmith (Dome)
BLADE: Polsilver
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: MrEE Knurled Aluminum Handle #007 w/ Hybrid Knot
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Bergamot & Thyme AS Balm.
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