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SOTD THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 20, 2022
The razor selected this morning was the Diamond Hayashi 1000 “Nichiri Tokusen “ 6/8. “Nichiri Tokusen” translates as ‘Niri Special Selection”. It certainly was for me. The razor was NOS, and used to belong to my long time dear friend, Bob Nolan, who passed away almost two years ago from Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Bob was a long time straight shaver, and this razor was his pride, yet one he rarely used. The hardest part of getting older isn’t the aches and pains that accrue, but losing friends like Bob. He was a true iconoclast who lived to argue against cherished beliefs and assumptions. He was godfather to my two oldest boys.
He began straight shaving shortly after we were discharged in 1969. That was just Bob! I thought he was nuts at the time. In fact, he’s the reason his godson, Ben, my oldest son took it up almost thirty years ago. And indirectly the reason I tried it for the first time seven years ago.
Bob was in a 45 year relationship with his lifelong partner, Zhen, an amazing Vietnamese woman whose family he helped to emigrate here after the war. She passed the razor on to me after Bob’s death at his request. It was a display queen, rarely used, and in like new condition when I received it.
No longer! It’s still in relatively excellent condition, but is now a regular part of my shave rotation. As I approach my 75th year I realize the true pain of aging isn’t just physical. It’s the loss of good lifelong friends like Bob! As they used to say in that old Budweiser commercial, Bob, “this one’s for you!”
My friend, Glen, put me on to what has become my favorite finisher, the 9 Ball Slate. It’s responsible for the amazing buttery smooth edge on this razor. There are those special straight shaves that feel like one is just scooping off the lather! That was the case. this morning.
Two and a half passes with the Diamond Hayashi 6/8, the Bob Special Selection, left my mug velveteen smooth. The MWF is such an incredibly slick soap. After the thinner lather I like for my mug shaves, I whipped up that nice thick yogurty lather that pairs so well with my Rex Ambassador wide open. Two ATG dome passes and I’m clean and smooth from neck to noggin. RIP, old friend!
RAZOR: Diamond Hayashi 1000 6/8 (Mug), Rex Ambassador ( Dome)
BLADE: Feather DE (Dome)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a heavy scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys WH. Finished with Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme AS Balm.
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