SoS: March 2, 2015 - March 8, 2015

Merkur Progress
Derby Orange
M&F Stubby 2
Strop Shoppe - Carnaby
Fine - Platinum

Tom Ford - Tuscan Leather with Creed - Aventus

 

Excellent!

 

Friday 6 March 2015



Mastro Livi Inox, 6/8 Full Hollow, Round Point​

This is the other Mastro Livi straight razor I brought with me in this business trip. This is the second trip in which I am bringing with me two razors in order to make my trip even enjoyable. After all, a Mastro Livi box is big enough to accommodate two relatively small sized razor and I could put both the K720 and this 6/8 Inox. In particular, this is one of the straight razors I ordered to Mastro Livi especially for my trips and I must say I am very happy with it. Smooth yet effective, it has the superb performance of stainless steel combined to the velvety touch of a carbon steel.​

• Pre-Shave: Roberts Distilled Rose Water
• Soap: Vitos Red
• Brush: Mühle Travel 31 M 530, Silvertip Fibre - 21 mm
• Bowl: Chinese Bowl
• Strop: Mastro Livi Loom Strop and Hand Palm
• Razor: Mastro Livi Inox, 6/8 Full Hollow, Round Point
• Post-Shave: Umbrian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• After Shave: Edelstein Evolution Ice Line

 

The last day of my week with the Swedish Swing "1935 CC" razor.
Some more final thoughts here

Razor: Swedish Swing, "1935 CC"
Blade: Rapira
Brush: SOC Boar
Soap: Cella
A/S: Lucky Tiger (and I really, really like it)

​

 

Did you try the Swing exclusively with the Rapira, or with more than one brand of blade? (I know, I know, I should just go look).

 

Friday 6th March



Warm shower
Hot towel
Mystic Water Lily of the Valley scuttle lathered
Finest Badger brush made by myself
Gillette Single Ring
Polsilver Super Iridium (2)
Cold rinse
Thayers Superhazel
Old Spice Sensitive aftershave

A lovely shave, I struggle to get a decent stable lather from the Mystic Water. I keep going back to it and having another try.

 

SOTD Friday 3-6-2015

Edwin Jagger DE87811 w/Crystal
Noxzema
La Toja Classic SC
GP Scuttle
Lijun Finest Badger
Dickinson's WH
GB Body Lotion
Jovan Musk ASL/Cologne

 

Just with the Rapira this week.

 

FRIDAY
Very early morning shave today, and after numerous cups of coffee, just finally got around to posting.
Heavy on the menthol (TSD pre-shave balm, TSD M-bomb added to the feeble menthol of the Valobra). Invigorating!
Have a great Friday, everyone!

 

Wow, stunning gear and photo.

 

Thanks. Did you notice the appropriately-prominent TSD product placement?... (say THAT fast 3x!)

 

I did - you can get a job at Coke or Pepsi any day

 

SoTD for Friday March 6, or, there's your problem!

Pre- BBC oil
Soap- Pre de Provence
Brush- SOC boar
Razor- Ever Ready patent pending 1914 type
Blade- vintage 'Super platinum'
Rinse- Osage
Aftershave- Fine Vetiver
Balm- Kiehl's
Cologne- penguin



This particular razor is one of the gems of my collection. It is practically mint, totally complete, and it still has it's outer sleeve, which is beautiful. I have unfortunately never gotten a good shave out of it, and in fact, received my worst ever shaving injury from this guy. But now, with some new won 1914 confidence and experience, I decided to try this razor again. Once in hand, it became clear that this razor feels different than the 1914 I have been using. It is lighter for one, but it is more than that. So I decided to directly compare, and that is when the light bulbs started going off. This razor feels different, because it is different. On the back, where one would normally find the patent date stamped, it just says 'patent pending'. That's all it has stamped, other than the Ever Ready name. Other than that, the blade stops are much smaller, and it has an all around slighter build quality. Oh, one more thing... It is way more aggressive than the standard 1914. I got a great, 3 pass BBS shave today, but in the course of doing so, ended up with a few small weepers and a patch of razor burn on my neck. Both of which are very, very rare occurrences for me. I am glad I used this guy again today, and I am glad that some of it's secrets are unraveling. Someday, I will get a perfect, bloodless shave out of it. This I vow. But for now, I am going to stick a gold star on my forehead, and go back to my usual 1914... and safety.
On a side note, today's blade was an item that came along with a batch of vintage Schick DE blades I picked up. I cannot determine a brand on these blades at all. And they come in a pack that is the essence of generic. But boy oh boy, these blades are great. I am really turning into a fan of vintage coated stainless blades. I don't know how or why, but they quite literally don't make them like they used to.

 

Used my brand new birth year/quarter black beauty for the first time and really happy with it although the length of it felt a bit strange. Can't get enough of this soap commander vision - such a vibrant clean peppermint character.

 

"I'd like to teach the world to shave...in perfect harmony..."

 

Thank you for your kind words, Dave!

 

Mark, actually, I have no idea! Botany is not my specialty!

 

SOTD: Friday, March 6
Soap: Stirling Glastonbury
Brush: Semogue BC Mistura
Razor: Mühle R41 w/Weber Bulldog
Blade #1: Personna Med Prep (6) Hand-stropped. Halfway through the first pass the tugging was too much. Replaced.
Blade #2: Personna Med Prep (1)
Post-Shave: Thayer's Unscented Witch Hazel w/Aloe Vera
Aftershave Balm: Simpsons Unscented w/3-4 drops Nature's Kiss Patchouli

Have a great day!​

 

Frey's Day:

Prep: Hot shower, Neutrogena Invigorating Face Wash, TSD Jasmine Sambac preshave balm
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: Ginger's Garden Grass Stain Menthol Snow
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (1)
Passes: WTG, XTG, XTG (1, 2, 3)
Post: Cold water splash, Bloc Osma alum, Dickinson's WH, Pinaud Clubman AS splash
Cologne: Shagya by Parfums de Marly (sample)

After yesterday's shave, 3 passes were almost excessive. More superb lather, with a smooth new Bic blade, made the shave ridiculously easy and comfortable. DFS+ results, with nary a nick or weeper.

 

3/6/15

Prep: hot shower
Lather: Frankensoap
Brush: Omega 10066
Razor: Gillette New LC
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge (3)
Post: proraso green aftershave lotion

A most ordinary shave. Not great, not bad, just ordinary. Forgot PSO or Cornhuskers and just wasn't as smooth. Oh well, I do it all again tomorrow.