Thank you Jared. Cool Avatar. Happy New Year.

Clint, have a great time at the game with your daughter!

That was a wonderful annual summary, Clint! Happy New Year, my friend!

Happy Birthday, in advance, and Happy New Year! I've enjoyed riding along with you this month.

Thanks Charlie, the pleasure was all mine. Looking forward to 2017 here in the Den.

December 31

Muhle R41 head (2013) & Weber Bulldog handle
Perma-Sharp Super (3)
Edwin Jagger XL Synthetic
Tabac
Alum, Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, Pinaud Clubman, and Aramis EDT

I enjoyed a two-pass shave this morning (WTG and XTG) for an easy Darn Fine Shave. I've learned this month to go easy with the R41 when it's my daily razor...not so much ATG or extra touch-ups...and it's allowing me to complete my shave with no irritation or weepers. One pass is typically good, and two are plenty. I finished with Pinaud Clubman, my Saturday aftershave, and Aramis EDT for an old school finish. I'm down to the last bits of my Tabac. Another shave or two, and the rest will get pressed into my bar of facial soap.

Today has been filled with a few chores, basketball, football, and soon a New Year's celebration with my Bride and her dear Aunt. Neal, thank you for leading us through December. It has been a blast following everyone's progress and seeing all the fantastic gear displayed in such creative and well- executed photos.

I'm wishing all my friends here a Happy New Year!

​

December 31 - brushing out the old year

Gillette Black Beauty ( 3 ) / PolSilver (2)
Shoddy Chinese boar brush followed by vintage Culmak boar brush
The Eternal TOBS Avocado croap
Alum and cold water

It's not even January yet and I got a start on my planned month of brush test rotations by eliminating 2 of my 14 contenders. Am I efficient or what?

First up was a Chinese brush with a shoddy knot of questionable bristles. For some reason, I gave the bristles a light tug before putting the brush to soak, and the entire knot popped cleanly out in my hand. After ascertaining that it was indeed a rotten quality knot, I garbaged it. However, on examination, the handle is nicely turned birch hardwood with a properly centered and inset metal socket. The socket is the perfect size to fit a spare Maggards 24mm plissoft knot I have, so I am reknotting the brush as a synthetic.

In the meantime, I still needed to shave, so I pulled out a small vintage Culmak boar brush and set it to soak. It is quite a stubby little brush, with a thin, candleflame-shaped knot of white bristles.

The Culmak did its best. The bristles loaded the soap well and whipped up a good lather. And unlike yesterday's Rubberset, the brush felt still-pliable and comfortable on the face. It was also barely able to hold enough lather for a single pass. The knot itself is 22 to 24 mm thick but just seems to have lost too much density over the years. It's willing enough still but is now just too weak and weedy to make it off the bench onto the playing field anymore. Time to retire it for good.

I have one Maggards knot left and am debating whether the Culmak is worth using it in. The Culmak has a plain, cylindrical cream-coloured plastic or nylon handle with a screw-on brown base. At a guess it probably dates from the late 1960s to early 1980s. Nothing much to look at and probably sold by the thousands for a pound or two in British drugstores. Really the only reason to use it would be because it's an available handle for the knot...

Oh, how was the shave itself, since this is a shaving thread? Just fine. The Gillette Black Beauty and PolSilver combination delivered a one pass and cleanup near BBS with quiet alum and no need for Thayers witch hazel or an aftershave balm.

New Year's Eve SOTD:

Stirling Synthetic Brush
Musco Real Classic SC
Gillette Black Beauty
Stirling Unscented PSB
Musco Real Classic AS

Last shave of the year, so I broke out one of my favorites: Musco Real Classic. It was a great shave after taking a day off, as this cream does a terrific job of lathering. The scent is fantastic, and it is definitely protective. The razor did it's job, as I just went for a simple two pass. It was one of those days where I didn't feel the need to get a perfect shave, I just wanted to enjoy myself. I ended with a CCS, which is certainly good enough. The AS is a great way to end a shave.

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and also say thank for another fun month and a terrific year of shaves!

This thread is unhijackable. Doesn't mean you can't try!

Thanks for the continued participation! Couldn't have this thread without you and everybody else!!

FBI closed the case on D B Cooper. No longer actively looking for him.

I blew right through that period and thought you were spending the evening with her dear Aunt Neal.

Decadence? Yes, Thank you!

SCS Bulgarian Lavender, Opal #12
Weck Bantam, Personna blade
Gillette Starburst (I1), Feather NH-S
Alum, Soap Commander Respect lotion


Of interest to Neal @NCoxSTL , using more product & gradually adding water while agitating in a textured bowl with a boar brush I produced a serviceable lather. No dissipation, creamy, slick enough for a light weight shavette's needs. Even better under a DE's cap riding clean up passes.
The ole Opal dropped a few bristles. I might replace the knot, but I have more deserving handles I prefer. I picked up the Lady Gillette couple days ago and don't recall trying the first one that came my way. With a later model Flare Tip head and the long well knurled handle it took a Feather well. No user error brought cool alum passes. I snipped the corner off the sample of Lime & Patchouli Moisturizing lotion from Louis @dustmite . Received a double dose of great scented product. If I can slow it's flow that ketchup packet delivery system could last a dozen more uses. The scent is everything that Mod at B&B banned me for. I should share this with a Hippie.
Be safe on the roads tonight folks.
Good Shaves Y'all!

Maybe bowl lathering is part of the solution. I nearly always face lather.

Could be. I'd consider it a Thirsty Soap for the water I added to make an acceptable lather. Coming out of the package it's soft, squishy even. More like Cella than Arko. I left a dribble of water in the container to make next use quick to load.
The makers website makes they are a Contributing Vendor at B&B. They aren't the only lavender soap around, just my first.

Well you know, I have a couple of Lavender scented pillows for sale here if you really decide to go all in. They're discontinued so I would make you a really good deal. Trust me!

How do they lather?

Good if you add enough water and use an industrial mixer to break down the fabric.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

Dear Aunt Neal!

-Supply SE
-Thater 4125 3 Band
-Stirling ~ Route 66 ~ Barrister and Mann ~ Dr Jons ~ Maggards ~ Mickey Lee Soapworks
-Stirling Gentleman

After such an awesome month of decadent shaving with all of you guys, I decided to go out with my softest badger, my favorite injector, and my special Frankensoap made up of all of my samples that didn't quite have another shave left, and a couple of pucks I have finished.

It worked. Holy cow for a lather. Of course it is all scraps, so I loaded a lot more than I guess I needed. The scent was pretty great actually.

Thank you all for a fun month, and I look forward to bleeding with you in Shavette January.