6/18/17 SOTD
Razor: Simmons Hardware
Strop: Lewistone $2.00
Brush: USA Hardright Good Morning w/ boar
Soap: Stirling Arkadia
Aftershave: The Holy Black Gun Powder Spice
Who is the handsome dude with the burley mustache? H. M. Strough. He was a cotton farmer in Glendale, AZ until just before the Great Depression when he traded his farm for a home construction business in Phoenix. He and his family built homes in what is now one of the coolest historical districts in Phoenix. He passed away on 1938. He was my Great, Great Grandfather.
Almost two years ago, I found his razor, barber's hone, strop, and brush in a steamer trunk at my Grandmother's house, which was purchased right after Grandpa Strough passed away, with seven generations of the family having lived in the house.
Once I got them home, I cleaned up the Frank Swatty hone, and restored the Strop by careful cleaning and conditioning the leather with olive oil over several months. I sent the razor to Osiris Blades, where Alfonzo cleaned up the steel and added faux tortoise shell acrylic scales. Greg Snyder honed it up. Today is the first use.
I then sent the brush to
@jimjo1031 for a restore. I wanted to keep the age, but seal the wood so it wouldn't get any worse. Jim cleaned it and sealed it, then set a new boar knot in it. I have been using the brush all month to get the knot broken in.
So for my Father's Day shave, I am using some heirloom hardware. This shave has been a long time coming. I did three passes, and landed a DFS. The brush is scrtichy, but has great backbone. The razor is well balanced. The brass with the tortoise shell looks awesome. The fresh edge was great, although I did use a few strokes on the Swatty and strop to pull any oxidation off it.
It was a wonderful shave, and I am very happy with the results. Happy Father's Day everyone!
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