SOS: March 2019

Thanks! The stands took some payments to artisans to make special for this set, but worth it as it looks fantastic.

 

Really nice set up and photo. Looking forward to your thoughts on the soap.

 

Thank you. I am looking forward to giving it a try in the morning.

 

Tonight the other side or recent mail call, the Blackland Sabre P
Blackland Sabre L2 P / Personna GEM PTFE / Grizzly Bay Black Hole Sun / MLSW Souq

My first experience with a GEM and couple nicks and a little burn, blaming lack of familiarity with a head that is long and how to manage it in contoured areas, i.e. my normal stroke directions likely need to be altered to keep it on the cap.

 

Terrific picture of some great gear!
My first Gem shave was similar to yours. @clint64 recommended palm stropping the blade before it's first use as they can have a rough side. Made all the difference for me. Good luck!

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SATURDAY'S SHAVE​

Shampoo - Paul Mitchell (Tea Tree) Lavender Mint
Bath Soap - C.O. Bigelow - Lavender & Peppermint
Bath Epsom Salt - Better Bath Better Body "Peppermint & Lavender" - Back Healing

Razor - Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements - Double Open Comb Ascension (316L Stainless Steel Adjustable) (1/8th turn)
Blade - *Fresh Blade
Shave Brush - Vigshaving Nylon Synthetic
Shave Soap - Martin de Candre - L'Original
Aftershave - FINE - Lavender Pour Homme
Deodorant - Ooh La Active Organics "Lavender"
Fragrance - The Art of Shaving - Green Lavender Cologne Intense

Going with a fresh Green Peppermint Lavender vibe tomorrow. 71 degrees with a cool wind. Seems like a great play.

***EDIT - 2 pass + strategic clean up where I pushed for the BBS. I got slight irritation on my neck but went to the baby powder and skipped the moisturizing-balm for the win. The redness subsided and the shave was saved and turned out to be perfect. This is one of those times where I gambled and won getting the extreme BBS at all grain angles. Usually when I try this I end up losing with some razor burn/irritation. There was no pre-shave oil and the Martin de Candre shaving soap proved its mettle and showed its quality. A shave like this is the kind of evidence that convinces me the money I paid for the MdC soap was worth it. However, I know this was just a very lucky shave and could have gone the other way. But, this shave doesn't hurt the legend of the MdC soap. lol

Baby powder instead of a post-shave balm/moisturizer on the site of potential razor irritation is an old-school method to minimize the appearance of redness and prevent rash/inflammation. Dryness rather than moisturizing the site seems to lower my body's over-reaction to the skin trauma. The old-school shaving tricks are sometimes better than the new-fangled tricks. When a shave is done well to minimize trauma, the modern moisturizing post-shave method is the way to go, but when faced with too much skin damage in a shave, baby powder/drying the site seems to be a superior course of skin treatment. For me, this is my experience. Today, on my forehead and cheeks I went with moisturizer/balm, but below the jaw-line on the neck I applied baby powder. Seems that barbers know a thing or two about a shave, even how to rescue it.

 

Charcoal goods razor, Clubman pinaud - Gent's Gin aftershave, Persona blade, Declaration grooming soap, Zenith 506A

 

I like the old art, too. He discontinued it to avoid using copyrighted art. FYI, the version in my pic (and what I used) is just Crown King formula. It's not CK-6. CK-6 versions of Et Tu and Twee both released today for the first time. I will probably pick it up because CK-6 is special as you know.

 

March Madness!!

March 15

Razor - Parker SRX Shavette
Blade - (2)
Soap - Soap Commander Courage
Brush - Semogue 620
Post - Alum

Okie dokie. Here comes shave two on the Zorrik SS in a shavette. Two changes tonight - the razor and the brush. Everything else stays the same. I do like the feel of the Parker razor. Quite solid and it's nice and shiny too. I give up the covered corners of the Luxor Pro but as long as I remember which I have in my hand I should be in good shape. The Semogue boar made lather just as easily as the Omega boar. I feel like the Soap Commander is trying to seduce me away from some favorites.

I'm working under the theory that one shavette shaves pretty much like another, with only minor differences such as covered corners etc. Sure, each has its own weight/balance as well but it's not as big a difference as two DE heads can provide between two manufacturers. Therefore, fair test. So, the first pass I tried to keep the angle shallow to see how the blade responded. The Zorrik increased drag considerably between shaves 1 and 2 on a DE. Since it was a mild razor, I tried to keep a mild angle both last night and tonight. I did find myself opening up the angle a bit more tonight than last night, but not by much. And it was more for effectiveness than comfort. The Zorrik is a mid-sharp blade to me and that little extra angle helps.

Three passes and the alum is quiet as it was last night. A couple of hot points around my goatee. Normal for me with an open blade shave. My conclusion? I think the theory that shavettes make blades perform up to par is alive and well. Tomorrow night we'll feed it to the Magic for its last run.

Happy weekend!!

​

 

Thanks for the tip, hopefully the second shave on the blade will go amoother. Will try steopping next first shave blade for sure, this was a coated ss blade, cannot imagine what an uncoated carbon blade would do.

 

Impressive splay from that synth knot, i only have one and while a tad soft in spine, it lathers as well as many of my two bands.

 

1946 Milord, the finish is worn but it shaves true. I could shave with this MdC Rose, Milord razor, Israeli Red, alum block, Thayers Original and Old Spice either original of the classic for the rest of my life. It's that good.

 

16 March 2019

* Charcoal Goods Level 3 SB + Stork Ex Brass
* Wizamet Iridium Super
* Chubby 2 Synthetic Faux Sapphire
* Mystic Water Sensitive Skin
* Unrefined Shea Butter
* Bergamot/Vetiver EO


​

 

Love it boss. I think I can get about 3 more days! Strong scent!

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Tim. It is a patchouli bomb. Lasts all day. Nice amber-patch base. It has some resin in the heart, not to sweet. I like sweet frags, and this is not. But the performance is great. Worth a check, but won't have universal appeal.

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Top shelf Friday brother!

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Brush envy. And btw, love that winter reserve afs

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Top shelf

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From Today.....

Trumpers Lime Skin Food - Used as a pre-shave today, just a dab. I'll always have this. Does wonders for the skin without a greasy feel. Nice on winter cracked hands.

Mug Soap - Well I've been guilty of saying foolish things about mug soaps like 'mugs are for coffee'. So I repented and went out and got me some mug soap to prove I have an open mind. Used my Stirling badger to whip up my some of the most light puffy lather ever. No animal fats, surprised me. Max Headroom formally declares approval of 'Mug Soap'.

Dovo 'en vogue' - I liked my first time out with this so much yesterday I figured the sequel was in order. Flipped it over so you can get a good look at the laser engraving. Probably not good if you struggle with vertigo. This is a solid heavy razor. Delivered probably the best open edge shave to date. Did I say, this is a nice heavy razor? I think this was as good of a straight shave result I've ever had.

Lucky Tiger Face Tonic - I forgot who it was, but someone here at TSD recommended this. Gentle orange scent that just plain feels nice on the face. Often used when I need to keep moving along.

Pinaud Clubman - After the comments at work yesterday about smelling like a French Brothel, it was the barbershop standard Pinaud Clubman up for the call. Probably could've went Stirling Baker Street too, but sure avoided any of that ribbing I got before.



This is Max Headroom reporting, and reminding you to exercise the liberty of the Uninhibited Shave and ignore those folks telling you 'mugs are for coffee'. Get you some Mug Soap today, I got mine.

 

Date: 16 March 2019

Pre-shave:- Cold Water straight from the tap
Brush:- Omega 49 Boar 27/60mm knot
Soap/Cream:- Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor/Blade:- Rockwell R4 / Vintage NOS Gillette Super Stainless (spoiler) #8
Post-shave:- T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel Astringent mixed with Tea Tree, Lavender & Peppermint / Lucky Tiger Aftershave & Face Tonic
Fragrance:- L'Eau Bleue D'issey Pour Homme

15 more days to go for the whole month of Mitchell's March Wool Fat shave