SoS: November 24, 2014 - November 30, 2014

Razor: Gillette Rhodium Fatboy (S6)
Blade: Tomac SSS (Gillette Spoiler) (D6)
Brush: Black Pearl 24mm TGN Finest
Shave Bowl: Georgetown G12
Pre Shave Soap: MRGLO Lime
Pre Shave Oil: Saponificio Varesino
Shave Soap: Saponificio Varesino Fern
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: Saponificio Varesino Fern
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First go around with the Saponificio Varesino product line and quite impressed. The Fern aroma is fantastic which is not surprising when you look at the fragrance list as they us 14 EO's. Takes top spot in aroma within my fern soaps and I own 8 different fern shave soaps. Don't ask me how to describe it as it is a complex aroma but when you lather up the scent expands and filled my bathroom.

Being a hard soap not as easy to lather up as MdC and I did not soak the puck as recommended in the video as I wanted to use this like all my other soaps with just a twice shake brushed and added dollops of H2O 3 times in the G12. Lather was creamy and I applied over their PSO oil. Once lathered up I let the soap soak in for 4-5 minutes and it did not dry out at all. I proceeded to shave and the blade glided through like a hot knife through butter. Applied a 2nd coat without any rinse off and again the blade glided with ease. Did a final rinse off and post shave nice and smooth. Next I shook the aftershave couple of times and opened the bottle and fern aroma again filled the room. To me, the AS is a cross between a liquid base and a balm. Think of castor oil but not as thick. It is different than my other balms. It has been 2 hour since I shaved and my face is still BBS. Would I buy again heck yeah and looks like my fern collection will be narrowed down to at least half.

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SOTD Sunday 11-30-2014

Cadet TP-26 w/Super Max Ti
Noxema
Stephans SS
GT Scuttle
Vintage Barbershop Boar
Dickinson's WH
GB Body Lotion
Old Spice Classic ASL

 

Great looking brush there, Bruce!

 

Thanks Kevin! It's a circa 1950 NOS I picked up a few years back.

 

SoTD, Sun, Nov. 30, or party like it's 1929!

Pre- eucalyptus and lavender pso
Soap- vintage English lavender
Brush-Ever-Ready
Razor- Gem open comb Micromatic
Blade- unknown/ CVS
Rinse- Osage
Aftershave- Kings Men
Lotion- Score
Cologne- Kings Men

So today was the first use of my Gem 'shaver's kit' as a full set. I had already used everything but the razor. I had heard a lot of "it's aggressive/it's too aggressive reviews", and I really wanted to be able to come to this posting with a review to the contrary. I think the Micromatic is a very cool little razor...patented in 1929! Underrated, and far ahead of its time. So, how was my shave? Well, it was really aggressive. Almost too aggressive. Here is the tale;
Last night after work I tried to find some more SE blades. My current CVS brand (American Safety Razor Co.) are almost gone, and I wanted to find something different. It was late, so there were only so many options. All I could find was generic blades at a Harris Teeter store. So that is what I planned to use in the morning. The blades looked nice. Unmarked, but they have a cool little retro border stamped on the spine. Unfortunately, the blades were useless. Very dull. I don't have thick beard hair, and the blade was unable to cut my chin whiskers, and was pulling the hair out of my neck. So I had to stop, re-lather and start over. Due to the many stories I have heard about the OCMM, the going was slow and careful...and then it hit my neck, and I could tell something was wrong. On examination of the razor, it became apparent that the little nubs which act as a blade stop on the corners, were not actually stopping the blade. It had pushed over them, drastically changing the blade exposure, and allowing the corners to touch skin. This happened towards the end of my shave, and I don't really know why. I tried to fix it, but the TTO action kept pushing it too far forward. Maybe the soap had lubricated the blade, allowing it to slip, while the dry blade sat correctly... I don't know. It ended up with my face being perfectly shaved, and my neck is a good bit burned. I will have to replace this razor with an example with intact stops on the comb and try again.

 

FANTASTIC!

 

F W Engels Perfection
H.I.S. XL brush
Barrister & Mann Vetyver Santal soap
Paco Rabanne pour homme EdT


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Arko won't let you down...Don't let Arko down!

I love Arko!

 

Nice scales on that blade!

 

SOTD 30 November!

No Variation NOVember is completed! Another DFS on 2 passes!

 

Sunday Afternoon shave.

∙Panasonic ES8109 wet/dry electric
∙TSD vetiver soap
∙Omega brush

Lathered up real good for this wet/dry shaver I just unpacked. An electric like this one lets you make as many repeat circling passes you want over any area and with no irritation. However, it will only cut as closely as it can no matter what you do...maybe because it needs new cutting foils but at $30 each, I'm not in the mood to find out.

Still, it's very good for an electric (at least in my limited experience) but the best is can give me is SAS+/low-grade DFS. BBS is out of the question except on the chin. Still, a decent weekend shave.

a/s: old Avon Windjammer.

 

I do enjoy the IK soap and no it is definitely not the flavor of the month. I was able to grab a couple pucks of it from IB last year when it was on sale for about $8 a puck. Normally it is expensive and the scent is a bit powdery for some, but it works great and leaves the skin feeling nice. I never tried the cream or AS products.

 

Shave of the Day

Sunday A.M.



Prep: Hot bath, Shea Black African soap, Almond Shea Butter conditioner, Shave Secret
Razor: 1959 Gillette Fatboy
Blade: N.O.S. Schick Plus Platinum Teflon
Brush: Rubberset 400-4 Silvertip
Lather: TABAC
Shave (setting): 3 passes, WTG (2), XTG (9), ATG + Cleanup (9)
Post: Thayer's Lavender Witch Hazel splash, Stetson A/S

Early this morning, I started out mild, and ended wild! Decided to live dangerously and go for full exposure at setting 9. I had a couple small nicks, nothing cold water didn't stop, but a perfectly smooth BBS shave. Tons of lather from the old TABAC-Y and great skin care from the Stetson. Oh yeah, these old Schick blades are great. A favorite for sure.

Good afternoon

 

SOTD
Maggard Limes & Bergamot soap
Whipped Dog Silvertip badger brush
Schick Krona razor
Maggard Limes & Bergamot AS

 

That lathered brush looks like the torch held by the statue of Liberty.

 

Boy, all you No Variation November guys have my respect. I like the idea of it, but I couldn't have done it. I have been privately celebrating No Limit November... change everything, every day! Often in the same shave! Woohoo!
In all seriousness, I guess my initial '30 day rule' / do I really want to go through this every day? process was recent enough that I couldn't imagine doing it all over again 4 months later. I am having so much fun every morning now, I know I made the right call. Maybe by next year I will be ready for the technique refining that the no variation provides.

 

Truefitt & Hill (Rooney) 1/2 Ebony/Silvertip
DR Harris Marlborough soap
Gillette Fat Handle Tech
Gillette 7 O'Clock Blue Super Platinum blade (2)

 

Thanks. I picked it up cheap ($15) this past summer at an antique store. It appeared to have never been used and the only imperfection is a very small chip in the brush handle. The chrome ring was a little grungy but it cleaned right up and the brush still has lots of life left.
At first I was afraid I'd drop it but the marble is surprisingly easy to grip even when wet so it's one of the few things I have on permanent display.

 

Keep having fun! If your face feels good, and you're digging your variations...carry on!

 

5/8 Wusthof
De Vergulde Hand
homemade boar
Nice shave this morning, smooth and close. Have a good one.