@palmolive fox
Yes, thanks Barry. All good advice, and it is fun trying out different stuff. You are ahead of me on the learning curve, it's really good to follow in the footsteps of others, hence I enjoy reading and sharing in this forum. Have a great week ahead.

This morning's shave should have been better than it was. One BIG cut, no Knicks, no Polka-dots. It could have been avoided(the cut). Yeah, I know....we ALL can avoid cuts. But I won't again do what I did this morning. Anyway, quite good everywhere else. It(the cut)happened at S. Porcupine Alley(just above the jawline). The cold rinse and some ointment helped calm it down, but I'll have to be careful to avoid the area next time. Bad cut. To spank myself for it, this gets a Fairly Outstanding.

SE Shave # 319 - MICROMATIC DECLARATION GROOMING MONDAY

Rating: 5 / 5

Razor: GEM Micromatic Bullet Tip
Blade: GEM Stainless
Brush: Jayaruh 381 Badger/Boar
Lather: Declaration Grooming/Chatillon Lux Pure Lavender
Aftershave: Chatillon Lux Pure Lavender Tonerk
Additional Care:
Omega Alum
Dickenson’s Original Witch Hazel
Stirling Unscented Glacial Balm

Excellent MMBT shave this morning. I felt like the soothing scent of the Pure Lavender this morning. It sure did the trick. A wonderful three pass shave has my face super smooth. The post shave alum was silent.

Tomorrow I will return to my March Mug Madness theme when I reach for the all time classic scent presented by the Stirling g Spice. Additionally, I plan on using the Proraso Cream to work on the Fitzgerald factor of the soap as well this week.

On a side note, here is a picture of Anthony, at Niagara Falls-US side. We have arrived home safely from an enjoyable trip.

Hope you all have a great day gentlemen.

Very nice shave Chris. Remember this whole process is an enjoyable work in progress. I concur with Barry, @palmolive fox, to beware of the RAD. It got me as I have about 60 razors between straights, DE’s, shavettes, GEM/GEM Type and injectors. Brushes I have about 30. Forget soaps, about 80 between tubs, creams, mugs and samples. I have limited my purchases the past two years to aftershaves and a few razors. Yet it is a fun hobby.

Awesome shave Joe. It's a great pic of Anthony with Niagara Falls as a backdrop.

Thank you Joe.

The R89 isn't boring. If it works for you it's awesome! We all have our preferences. Great results mean things are working. Keep it up.

March 13 SOTA

Good afternoon.

Gillette Heritage Razor
Gillette Platinum DE Blade (2)
JR #386 Silvertip Badger Brush
Stirling Executive Man SS
Fine Accoutrements Platinum AS
Stirling Alum Block
Beard Growth: 23 hrs.



I decided to go with the Gillette Heritage Razor to give my nick on my chin more time to heal. It's doing nicely, but I rather err on the side of caution.
As mentioned earlier, I will continue to use the Executive Man SS throughout the week in an attempt to finish this 1 oz sample. I figure it will be done in short order. At least, I hope so.

The #386 Silvertip Badger Brush is my favorite. It is quite soft and makes a nice lather. Today, it performed well. I got a nice slick lather, but it wasn't a voluminous one.
I always change what type of lather that I want because depending on my mood and Beard Growth.

Two passes without any touch-ups or errors for a nice, close comfortable shave. I like this Gillette Heritage Razor because it is efficient, but mild. I used to think all my razors needed to be aggressive and now that's not the case. I realize there's a purpose for every razor in my den and appreciate the qualities of each one.
I didn't get any alum feedback and I wasn't surprised because it is a mild razor. Double splashed the Fine Accoutrements Platinum aftershave to end this shaving session. Take care.

Monday, March 13 - Middle Shelf March

Prep: Hot shower with Neutrogena Body Clear body wash containing Salicylic Acid
Razor: Supply 2.0 matte black stainless with SE open comb plate / Supply Black Label (01)
Brush: Semogue Owner's Club cherrywood badger re-knotted with APShaveCo 24mm Tuxedo synthetic
Soap: TOBS Lavender shaving cream (croap)
Post: Alum, cold rinse, and TSD Lavender Shave Milk

My last shave was Tuesday, March 7, so six days ago. And it was a tuggy, rotten shave.

Today was completely different. This time I started with the hot shower that I had skipped last time. I used a wash with salicylic acid since my skin was a bit broken out and felt greasy, including on my face. After softening the whiskers with that, I then remembered to switch to a brand-new blade before starting.

A word about the brush: the Semogue SOC badgers are their top of the line offering, but still cost half or less what something like the big Simpson's badgers do. Unfortunately, although I loved the cherrywood handle on mine, I didn't much like the brush as a brush: it shed a lot of hairs and the knot felt wispy and overly floppy when I used it. A few years ago, Jason @jtspartan (who still drops in here I believe) kindly agreed to fix it for me. I shipped him the wretched badger brush and a Tuxedo synthetic knot. He drilled out the old knot, set the Tuxedo to the perfect depth, and returned it. Now it's one of my favourite brushes.

The SOC Tuxedo did its usual quick job of loading and lathering the always-reliable TOBS. Even when TOBS cream dries out, it still lathers up with a few swirls of the damp brush in the tub -- you just can't simply dip the brush tips in the cream and go anymore, that's all.

As I already mentioned, today's shave was worlds better than my last one. The razor felt like it was just wiping lather off my face rather than removing several days' worth of stubble. In fact, I double-checked halfway through the shave to be sure the blade hadn't accidentally fallen out when I changed it!

One pass (WTG on the face and ATG on the neck) was enough to remove all visible stubble cleanly. No second pass was needed, not even any touchups anywhere, and I consider myself to be at DFS. The one-pass result is certainly good enough for any except the very most important of occasions.

The alum was silent immediately after the shave. The TSD shave milk felt soothing and gave my face some mild moisturizing after the astringent salicylic acid in the shower wash.

All told, this WAS a stellar shave.

Hope this week goes well for everyone.

Sounds like a great shave!

And I love that brush! I read an explanation from Jayaruh somewhere on this site or his own about how he prepares the wood so that he gets those neat interlaced designs on the brush handles. I still have suspicions that some sort of magic is involved though...

That definitely sounds like an awesome shave John. The Semogue OC Super Badger Brush was my very first badger brush. Four years ago, I bought it from the now defunct SRD for a 40% discount. It amounted to $58 dollars plus shipping. I jumped at it because I knew that I couldn't get a quality badger at that price point. It took awhile, but I figured how to lather with it as well as my other two badger brushes.

Thanks John. Unfortunately, it doesn't show, but I have a medallion with a cross on the base of the brush. You could go on Jayaruh's site to check out my brush to see the medallion. The handle design and the medallion makes it special to me.

Awesome Executive Man shave Joe

Fabulous shave John. I would have to agree that Jason, @jtspartan, does some fabulous work. I enjoyed the brush he made for me. I will use it tomorrow.

Glad it is still working for you, John. I can see why that SOC was floppy…the ‘fan’ was created by angling the hairs out at an angle instead of the thickness of the knot ‘forcing’ the hair wider.

Happy to hear you still enjoy it, Joe. I can’t say I’ve made anything else just like it.

Glad to hear from you Jason. I hope all is well with the family. Tough year for your Canucks.

Thanks Joe. I am learning lots and enjoying this hobby more. At most, shaving only comes around once a day, got to make the most of it (Hmmmm, I could try shaving twice a day... more March Madness???) Regarding the RAD, I will allow myself a little more leeway, after all I am just staring out! Anyway, easy enough to move things on at a later stage, or just leave them behind for my sons to discover later on.

Razors = currently 12 at the moment, thinking of trying a few specific extra ones. Brushes: total count 6, one still unused. Enough already. Soaps and creams: haven't counted but enough already!

Thanks for the encouragement Herm. Yep, the R89 works for me, almost too safe. I guess at some stage I will lose concentration and pay the price. But that said, it does give me confidence to focus on my mapping. I do like the challenge of more aggressive and even just different razors, it forces me to pay attention to technique and so improve my skillset. I like @Trigger 's comment in #288 ab0ut having different razors for different purposes. Anyway, when all is said and done, one has to listen to those that go before you, not so, if only to justify one (or maybe two) more razors!

…Again. We’re great after we’re eliminated.

14th March 2023.



​

Shaving recipe for today.

Prep: Warm shower:/ Asda Tingly Mint & Tea Tree Shower Gel.

Pre:
Cold wet flannel to my face.
Pears Original Transparent Bar Soap.
Brush: Yaqi 26mm Rainbow Brown Synthetic. (Faux Horse)
Face Lather.
Lather: Ach Brito Mogno Shaving Soap.
Razor: Muhle R41. (2013) - Derby Usta. (D1)

Post:
Cold water face wash with brush squeezing's, Cold Water Face Rinse./Alum Rub./Cold Water Rinse/Homemade (~Autumn/Winter mix~) peppermint lavender, eucalyptus, + Tea Tree essential Oils Mixed Together With 200ml of Care+Witch Hazel. /P&G Old Spice Whitewater ASL. /Aloe Vera Gel.

Greetings,

Early morning Shave.

The Ach Brito Mogno soap gets top marks for it's performance, scent, protection, slickness & post shave feel. A wonderful shaving soap.

A close comfortable 2 pass + pick ups shave with no errors to report. Finishing the shave off with a few small dollops of Aloe Vera Gel.

My face is feeling super smooth & smelling divine.

Keep safe, and enjoy your day ladies & gentlemen.

14 Mar 2023
Growth: 1 day.
Mapping focus
Lather Bowl: White
Brush: Old Vulfix badger. Soaked 15 min in RO water, shaken dry.
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat ’46 – ‘47
Blade: Derby Premium (2)
Face Prep: HWS x 3
Pre shave: Proraso Green,
Soap: MWF. 60 second loading already overflowing. 2 x small trickle of water. Super lather
Post Shave: HWR, CWR, Alum silent, Thayers.
Aftershave: Brut to the face.

Passes:
1st pass: WTG
2nd pass: WTG and ATG
3rd pass: mainly cleaning up the neck and chin area.
Touch ups: as needed.

Results: No damage. Had to navigate one white comedo that came up overnight, perhaps the result of yesterday's Nivea? Will try and stick with Alum + Thayers from now on.

Success: Another Good shave. The Derby Premium (2) feels somewhat less sharp today but still very competent. The Aristocrat gives more audible blade feedback than the Muhle R89, similar to the Merkur progress. Not as smooth, I felt, but still a good performer. 2 days per blade for me is enough at this stage.

Overall good shave. Loading the MWF for 60 seconds got me enough lather for 2 days! Nice and slick and protective.

Gillette Aristocrat