SoS: August 26, 2013 - September 1, 2013

I really want to try one of these black fiber brushes. I'm intrigued.

6/8 Hart
Tabac SS
20mm DO1- 3 band
Osage Rub
This mornings shave was a little on the aggressive side. I shouldn't have taken it to the pasted strop. Well, I'll just do fabric and leather tomorrow and see if it calms down a bit. No pic today as it was raining this morning, maybe I'll get one posted later. Have a good one.

 

Tour De Mike's​

Barber Shop​

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Conclusion Day 1:

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Another winner here from Mike's Natural Soaps. The scent is somewhat of a mystery to me though. I would describe it as a classic and complex moderate strength masculine scent. I won't tell you it reminds me of days gone by stepping into the corner barber shop, because I don't believe I have ever set foot in a classic barber shop. For me the scent was not as "in your face" as the Pine & Cedarwood or even the Hungarian Lavender, but this could easily be due to the fact that it is a more complex FO rather than EO mix. The scent did seem to last a little longer on the skin than some of the others though and it pairs most excellently with Floid Blue AS. Due to its complexity, I decided to look up the description on the website, which calls it "a complex, potent, manly scent consisting of bergamot, basil, oakmoss, and patchouli." I would be lying if I told you I can pick up on any of those scents except maybe a hint of bergamot. I'm not sure I would call it very potent either except for its ability to linger on the skin longer than some of his other scents. Suffice to say, to me the scent is a classic and complex moderate strength masculine scent that I very much enjoyed! Have a great day all!

 

Thursday morning, August 29, 2013

Schick E2 Injector with Schick blade (3)
Semogue 1305 boar bristle brush,
Arko shaving soap with hot water lather,
finish with cold water rinse for a DFS!

 

Thursday - an ivory-themed shave

Unscented glycerin soap
TSD unscented soap with added glycerin
Oscar11 handle with HIS synthetic knot
Gillette Tech head on EJ handle
Astra SP blade, hand stropped
CeraVe lotion

The Oscar11 brush did an excellent job face lathering the TSD soap. Yesterday I had a good shave from the ball-end Tech, but I was wishing for a more substantial handle. So today I put the Tech head on the ivory-colored handle from an EJ DE87. I liked the way it handled. Excellent three pass shave, very comfortable. I'm wondering if this is similar to the experience of the Feather AS D2??? Maybe I need to get one of those.

 

Thursday morning:

Merkur slant
Feather
Omega boar
Tabac
Blue Aqua Velva

Tried a shower shave this morning. Interesting and fun, but the results were poor. I'll try again in a few days.

 

THURzDay
Actually this is MY Friday! PTL!

a. PRE: hot shower; hot 2-minute towel, Homemade PSO
b. RAZOR: Merkur 38c 'Barber Pole'
c. BLADE: Merkur Super (Day 5)
d. BRUSH: Omega 48
e. SOAP: Tabac Soap & Pacific cream, liquid Glycerin (scuttle-warmed)
f. SHAVE: 3 passes & touch-up
g. POST: Cold water rinse & towel dry; Alum Block, 4711 AS & Nivea and Shea Butter balm

Decadently-rich, fragrant Tabac & Pacific lather, toasty-warm from the scuttle...add to this an ultra-smooth Merkur shave & I'm ready to face the day!
Have a blessed Thursday everyone!

 

I really like your new Avatar Kevin. It looks like you are enjoying your shaves which ......is a good thing!

 

You could frost a cake with that lather!

 

SOTD Thursday 8-29-2013

Gillette NEW OC
Personna Medical Prep Blade
Classic Shaving Jasmine SS
GT G4 Scuttle
Omega Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Nivea Replenishing ASB
Brut Original Cologne

Love that Jasmine scent!

 

Thursday morning, August 29, 2013

Schick E2 Injector & Exchange Select blade (12)
Omega 20102 boar bristle brush,
MWF soap, bowl lather & shave—
Captain's Choice Lime rinse, just right!

A dozen comfortable, smooth close shaves with the rebranded Personna!

Aces!

 

Thursday:

Prep: Hot shower, AoS Unscented PSO
Brush: VDH Boar
Soap: VDH Unscented
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (5)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG
Post: Cold water splash, Dickinson's WH, Nivea Energy ASB

Switched up the soap to determine if my ongoing lather issues are in any way related to the Ginger's Garden soap I've been using, since my lather-making technique has theoretically improved since I started. Different soap, with identical results (multiple applications of lather required, even after "superloading" my brush). The Bic is still holding up well, with a BBS shave and only the slightest hint of irritation on the 3rd pass, which the Nivea ASB promptly erased.

 

Three passes for today's exceptional DFS

 

Thanks, Bruce! The old 'grimacing shaver' avatar really didn't accurately reflect the joy I get everyday from my morning wet-shaves. At least this winking fellow looks happy!

 

Nice SOTD photo! It looks like an album cover

 

SOTD 08-29-13

* Shower:
• Soap: Irish Spring Original bar soap
• Shampoo: Head & Shoulders with Old Spice scent

* Shave:
• Prep: Hot shower, Nivea Face Wash, Every Man Jack Signature Mint Face Scrub, Hot towel, Corn Huskers Lotion
• Brush: Tweezerman
• Lather: Art Of Shaving Lavender Cream
• Razor: Gillette Old Type
• Blade: Derby Extra (1)
• Passes: WTG/XTG/ATG/RXTG
• Post: Warm water rinse, Cold water rinse, T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel pad, Nivea Post Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin, Pinaud Clubman Aftershave Lotion

Today I finally got my Old Type razor. First shave ever with an open comb razor. WOW! I was definitely missing out. It's considerably smaller than my Merkur 23C, so it navigates around my neck and jawline a little easier. Amazing performance from such an old razor. Glad I have this in my collection now. Used the AOS Lavender cream again. Love this stuff. The Tweezerman is still shedding a little but still improving. Amazing shave today. Definitely BBS.
Shave Rating:
5/5

 

Russian "Ideal" razor at number 9 setting
Bolzano blade (1)
Semogue 2000
Palmira tallow soap
Old Spice original


The Semogue once again excels at what it does best, bowl lathering in a ice cream bowl I successfully liberated from the kitchen (at least I think it is successful, the SWMBO will be the judge of that ). The soviet does a good job, smooth and irritation free but I still think it could use a few more numbers after 9 on the dial.

 

Get a str8!

 

That is my plan in time , but my current financial situation only allows me to play around with my shavette when I am in need of an aggressive shave

 

I read a less than glowing review of one of my favorite creams today, so I decided to pull it out and use it. The review was of eShave White Tea. It wasn't a bad review, it just wasn't as complimentary as I would have hoped. eShave White Tea has an amazing scent, lathers easily, and is extremely slick. I like to use it in superlathers with PdP or Proraso White, but it stands on its own quite well. It is one of my all time favorite creams and I highly recommend it.

As I am using a slightly neglected member of my software family, I decided to also use a neglected razor. I have been experimenting with SE razors lately, before that I was trying out various DE blades, and before that I was playing with my beloved disposable blade straight razors...which means that my traditional straight razors have been sitting and waiting quietly for me to pick them up again. Today's razor is a P.H. Hahn 5/8 full hollow square point. Mr. Hahn was, for a very short period of 7 or 8 years, an importer of German made razors during the late 1800s, so this razor has some history to it.

After a quick touch up on my pasted strop followed by my usual stropping I did a three pass wtg/atg/xtg shave and finished up with a cold water rinse and some T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel. Let me start by saying that I was not as careful as I should have been. I managed a DFS with some moderate irritation on my right side and three nicks. The square point caught me twice and I managed to nick a mole without realizing it. I chalk this one up to too much speed and not enough attention. I figure that straight razor shaving is a lot like riding a bike. I don't compare the two with the idea that once you learn you never forget. I compare the two acts with the truth that if you do it correctly it seems effortless, but if you screw up you're left with marks.

In the end It was still a good shave. The eShave White Tea performed exceptionally well with little effort and left my face feeling soft. The razor may have been blood thirsty, but it was still effective. A few more shaves with my straights and I should be right back to where I left off.

Pre: Hot shower, warm water rinse, Shave Secret
Razor: P.H. Hahn 5/8 full hollow
Brush: Made-Rite pure badger
Soap: eShave White Tea shave cream
Post: Cold water rinse and T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel

 

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Noxzema Classic Clean​

Van Der Hagen Deluxe Soap​

Parker Pure Badger Brush​

Gillette Fat-handled Tech​

ASCO Super Stainless (3)​

CWR​

Dickinson's Witch hazel​

Pinaud Clubman AS​

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Nice smooth shave. The cut on my neck was no issue with tonight's shave. For this series of shaves, the only changes is with the soap/cream, the brush, and the after shave. With eight soaps, three brushes, and two after shaves every day is different. This was the third day with the ASCO blade, and it is going strong.​