SoS: February 2, 2015 - February 8, 2015

Wednesday's


Nivea Men's Face Wash
Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap
Jayaruh WC1 Silver Tip
Edwin Jagger DE89
Personna Stainless
CWR, Asma Alum Block
Thayers Lemon WH
Aqua Velva

Day 4 of Loving the EJ DE89 Week. The Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh WC1 Silver Tip Brush. Two passes with my Edwin Jagger DE89 and a Personna Stainless Blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Lemon WH and then Aqua Velva after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

 

Day 29 - Thirty Days with Merkur 34c (Jan 1-Feb 4 [No shave on Saturdays]) BSG 2-03-2015

Hot Shower and Prep -Neutrogena Men Invigorating Face Wash
Razor Merkur 34c
Blade Astra SP (5)
Brush - Plisson Synthetic
Lather - Proraso Green
Post - Warm water rinse, Maggard Razor Alum, wait 30 seconds then cool water rinse, RazoRock Problem Solver Lime AS Spalsh, Gold Bond Men's Essentials Lotion

Well just one day way from completing my 30 day it had to happen. Got a little too high on my lower lip and the blade caught. I have been using the DE since last November and this was the biggest bleeder yet - Was able to get through my second pass. - Turned out a pretty decent shave but had to put the alum block and styptic to the test. Went to work with a small scab on the edge of lower lip. Oh well it could have been worse. Tomorrow is a new shave day.

 

SOTD - Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Hot shower
Prep: Homemade PSO
Brush: Plisson/L'Occitane synthetic
Soap: Catie's Bubbles Spanish Holiday
Razor: Merkur 38C
Blade: Polsilver SI (1)
Aftershave: Floid SE Mentolado Vigoroso

 

Wednesday morning's shave plans:

Neutrogena Men Facial Wash
Large Horsehair Barbershop
Super Speed/SuperMax Blue day 3
Stirling Glacial Lavender SS
Gold Bond Moisturizer
Osage Rub AS
Santos de Cartier EdT

Finally, a significant break in this horrific cold weather so I can take a shave with a soap which I love so much. The Glacial Lavender comes from the coldest of all menthol families and does it ever have a delightful scent, with terrific lather. It also is so skin-friendly that even after a rough shave, there's no razor burn or irritation - and by the way, the menthol feeling gets stronger and stronger with each pass. The Gold Bond/Rubby Dubby Doo are a formidable menthol finale to this great shave which I'm looking forward to.

 

February 3 (day 3)

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
Feather Artist Club razor (If this thing is a Feather, what kind of bird did it come from?)
Feather Professional blade (day 2)
Two-band silvertip
Stirling Naked and Smooth soap plus a few bits of leftover soap & glycerin
One-pass plus touch-ups
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, & unrefined shea butter

I enjoyed an SAS shave today, and I'm feeling more confident using a shavette. I'm pleasantly surprised that my muscle memory from last year still allows me to switch hands while shaving my cheeks. However, it will take time and practice for me to achieve a close and comfortable two- or three-pass shave with this set up.

I hope you all are having a fine week!

 

Love the Gold Bond Ultimate Lotion. Great all around moisturizing lotion.

 

Shave III February MMXV

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+1 I use that stuff every day Mark!

 

Thanks on the photo! That was a fun picutre to make. The "El Gordo Negro" Handle seems made for the Stahly head.

Now to the Williams. I ground up two pucks of vintage Williams (the good stuff). I then placed it in the mug with one half of one package of the Menthol Crystals from the TSD store (plug for store @Queen of Blades). I poured an equal amount of boiling hot water to the amount of soap and let it sit with aluminum foil around the mug to allow the water to absorb into the soap. After a few days it was somewhat dry (almost completely) and I added just a little more water and let it stand with the foil on again for a couple of days. The soap absorbed the water and menthol and expanded to almost the top of the mug. The soap originally filled only about half of the mug. After that each lather was super easy and rich and would take me to a very cold place called Mentholville!

I hope that explains it Bruce.

P.S. this process will also really improve the performance of current Williams, but it will not be as good as the vintage.

 

Amazing process. You have taken the simple Williams to a new level Gary! Sounds like it's a real face freezer with a half package of Menthol Crystals but with it looks like you have increased the volume 100% and emulified the cake with the water/menthol. Well done!

 

Thanks! When it finishes the Williams becomes hard and dry again so the soap is a thirsty one. It is just easier to add water on the front end than working in as much water in the lather process. It is much, much easier to lather and Vintage Williams does not need a lot of help in that area. The soap last a lot longer as well. Now you know why you have seen a lot of that white Hazel Atlas mug!

 

Projected SOTD for Wednesday 2/4

Razor: 1965 Slim (9 XTG, 5 ATG0
Blade: Rapira Supersteel
Soap: Maggard Limes and Bergamot
Brush: Restored Stongset - Whipped Dog Black Badger
AS: Barbasol Pacific Rush

After a go-round with the Rapira Lux Platinum I'm extending my tests to several other blades. Next up is the Rapira Supersteel. We'll see how it performs with the Slim. Gonna be hard to be the Lux. All these blades are so confusing...

I'm also really looking forward to using my new brush again. This was my first attempt at a restore and it turned out great. It's really soft, but still a bit scratchy and I like the feel. It's a tall brush - just about the same height as an Omega 10049. Check out my thread in the 'brush' forum.

 

SoTD, Tuesday February 3, or, I passed out on the couch after the gym, and didn't post this until late.

Pre- balsam clove pso
Soap- la Pere Lucien
Brush- Ever Ready w/synthetic knot
Razor- Otto Roth
Blade- Voskhod
Rinse- Osage
Aftershave- command
Lotion- Kiehl's
Cologne-Quorum



Emboldened by my recent successes in the vintage blade arena, I tried a new one today. Vintage Personna in a Gillette Red Tip. It was not tuggy at all...because it wasn't actually cutting the hair. I didn't have time to mess around so I grabbed a razor I had set up previously, a Otto Roth New type and Voskhod blade. It made short work of two days growth. I might have to reassess my opinion of the Voskhod blades. Today was the best two neck passes I have had in recent memory. So that alone is worth investigation. La Pere Lucien continues to be just incredible. Today I experimented by making my lather drier than usual. It isn't something I would make a habit of, but it was still better than most of my other soaps! And finally, I got some original formulation Quorum. It is amazing. Well worth the wait.

 

GEM Jr
GEM Blue Star blade
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Ever Ready 100/TGN Finest 20mm
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

 

How are you liking it?

 

Sweet brush! And the rest of that shave looks like it came out of my den!

 

Jim, it is a great brush. The perfect mix of all the elements for me. I said in another thread that this knot, at this loft, might actually be my perfect combo. The more I use this brush, the more I think that's true. Outstanding. Now I need about 5 or 6 more of them, lol.

 

WEDNESDAY
Evening Shave for Tomorrow
First shave with a newly-honed Spike Special. Finished off the Apache strata = a very smooth shave!
This is my 3rd UC Spike razor and I've never had a bad shave from them. This one is a bit more 'fancy' with the scale bolsters and slightly larger blade, but still takes a keen edge and provides the same smooth feel as the other more spartan models.

Have a Happy Hump Day, all!

 

Thanks for the info Gary. I will have to try that with my modern Williams. It could use some pizaz; menthol or a fragrance of some kind. I actually like the Williams but, it's kind of boring as purchased of the shelf.

 

SOTD Tuesday 2/4/2015

'48 Aristocrat | SuperMax SP Tiger (6)
Symmetrical Sheet Metal Shave Bowl | VP Leonhardy 700040
SPAtopia Dead Sea Scrub | Proraso Sensitive
Antica Barbieria Colla | Monster Alum Block
Handmade Soap Co. Soothing Cream | Floid SE Mentolado Vigoroso



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