September 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

September 3rd Shave at the Lake
Gillette 40s SS w Nacet (1)
TGN Synthetic / Mahogany handle
Palmolive Shave Stick
Thayers
Stirling Menthol Balm

Shaves at the RV today with my usual set up. Remembered to bring out more blades and Thayers. Routine 3 pass shave with this set up.
That's the extent of the good news. I've made a few comments on this thread about how our province has been burning this summer. Unfortunately, it is our region's turn as our town has 3 forest fires quite close to it right now. Highways are still open, but there have been evacuation orders posted for about 700 Properties in rural areas on the outskirts of town. We are heading back home a day early to pack in case we have to evacuate. We don't anticipate having to leave, but you never know. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 30s Celsius with no rain this week.
Obviously nothing on the scale of Houston (our town is 20,000 people), but hitting very close to home (literally).

 

Wow! Prayers headed your way, Jason.

 

Glad to hear you like the soap, even if the scent isn't for you. The Sheep is just beautifully slick, as are all four of his soaps now sold in mutton form.

[/Fanboy OFF]

 

Motel parking lot bush?

That takes dedication to the cause.

 

Awesome pic!!!

 

I'd be worried as well. Hopefully they'll be able to contain them in short order. Best wishes Jason!

 

SOTD September 3, 2017
A Stirling SEptember

Blade: GEM stainless
Razor: GEM Pushbutton
Brush: Semogue 1520 boar
Lather: Stirling Grapefruit with menthol
Post: Witch hazel, Stirling Grapefruit with menthol aftershave
WTG, touch-up

Pushbutton today for a nice shave. I really like this razor. It works a little better for me than the Featherweight. I like the vintage look and heavier feel. Smooth shaver and I usually get great results from it. One area that is always a challenge with this type of razor is the point of my chin. I have to work on that area a little more than with an injector. But that's definitely a first world problem! I'm lucky to have all this equipment and and the time and place to use it. We are all very lucky!

Enjoy your day!

 

This. But I also feel that it is fair to note that I feel like the edges of the blades suck. Not that they are any worse than edges I am putting on my own straights, but at least on a straight I am wielding something I can control and adjust, as opposed to this teeny tiny midget thing that is (to me) the razor equivalent of a cucumber finger sandwich wearing a life jacket.

Yeah, I can get a really good shave out of one. I personally find it to be my least favorite platform. But if it is yours, or you are in the process of finding out if it is, I am super happy for you. If it isn't use it for fun once in a while. Or don't. Which goes back to the "It's your shave, enjoy it your way" mantra. Please note that I am the Libertarian shaver.

 

I feel the same way but chalk it up to "Paint Scraper" razor blades, and toothpick holders. You aren't alone.

 

Another couple of things I'll add to my SE focus.

Brushes - Using all of my brushes in rotation (I only have nine ) and seeing if any are better or worse for lathering up all these terrific Stirling soaps. The Semogue boar worked really well today. I don't use it very often and it made me wonder about the others.

GEM blades - Determine how many shaves work for me on these blades. I'm predicting five or six, but we'll see.

 

I feel the same way. I thought the ones made in injector length might interest you though since you cut down the AC blades

 

Praying that the forest fires are brought under control quickly. Please take care.

 

I have a tub of I Coloniali, and think it is great. Would I go $30 again for another? Probably not. Would I go $60? No way. Even if it does come in a great little terra cotta pot that chips if you look at it sideways. Just my two cents.

 

Stirling Vanilla Sandalwood was my first real shaving soap. I used up a full container plus a sample. I ordered several other scents and didn't have very good luck. However, based on your reviews I am really interested in giving Stirling another go and I am particularly interested in Port au Prince. I know I am putting you on the spot but can you describe the scent. Or maybe some other similar scented soaps. I like the smoky earthy scent of vetiver so I am curious about Port au Prince

 

If so, it's either a very fancy motel, or one whose parking lot is tended to primarily by woodland elves. Just saying...

 

Prayers for you, friend. It is dark enough in northern MN from the smoke that it looks like it is about to rain, and we have air quality alerts out. Hope you stay safe.

 

Can't remember for sure, but I believe precedent has been set.

 

They do. The cutting them down is easy enough, but to do it right takes a decent snips, and where to put a bunch of loose blades if you do in advance? Better blades in general is a turn in.

Thanks!

 

Another good point. With DE razors, if you don’t like the shave feel of your Feather, Derby, Personna or Whatever blade, you have about 100 other models you can try. With Gem razors, you have Gem PTFE, Gem carbon and about two other choices and then you are SOL. Fortunately I seem to get along okay with Gem PTFEs .

 

I honestly do not know of a slicker soap. IF you give it enough water. Stirling is the thirstiest soap I know of, and takes a little more work to get it there than some. Give it half the water it can handle and it is very passable. Keep adding in a face lather, and it will run off you like WD-40 before it will break and disappear.


Okay. I suck at scents. Port au Prince is a citrusy lemongrass and earth. Nothing more. The citrus lightens the vetiver, and the vetiver makes the citrus hang in there. It is the perfect combination of deep but fresh at the same time. And it is Shari approved.


I think Rod has, and if you watch his latest interview with Mantic he affirms, a lot of very basic scents. One note scents or basic fragrance oil combos. But over the years now, (I have been buying steady from him for about four), he has developed some VERY complex scents of his own, in addition to the the popular clones.

Like B&M, some of these are very polarizing, and you either love them or bin them. Because of his crazy good samples, a guy can always try them with almost no risk. But, I expect you would like the P au P, if you like vetiver, because it is predominant.

Ozark Mountain is another favorite in your category, but it has a pretty smoky element to it. It is smoke, earth, Pine and maybe oak moss/forest floor (ozoney?) A very deep scent that I almost never use in warm weather. While it rinses clean, it will stick to your shirt if you dribble, etc. and is pretty strong. The soap is fantastic, the aftershave was too much for me.

Gentleman is tobacco flower and a touch of musk with vanilla??? Don't think Cognac n Cubans type tobacco, but an almost floral tobacco flower, with a very mild lingering vanilla. Another one that is very much Shari approved. ( Although @PLAla did send me his sample, apparently with his wife in tears and his face shoved into a plastic bag, fwiw. ) okay, maybe not that bad.....

Autumn Glory is another earthy, woodsy fall scent with a touch of light soapy cologne something.


I don't know how long since you have tried them, but there is a big difference in the soaps today than from as recently as even 2015. It wasn't so much a formula change, (as is often mistakenly described on the forums) but a decision to use different, better quality and more consistent ingredients. The bentonite is gone however, which wasn't present in all of the soaps anyway. And the mentholated soaps have experienced an evolution of sorts to make the lather more consistent.

*I should mention to anyone else reading, that as much as I tout Rod and Mandy's stuff, and have established an online friendship of sorts with Rod over the years, I have never received any product from him that I didn't pay for, other than the samples he sends out with every order, or ever received a discount on a product that wasn't offered to everone.