SoS: September 2, 2013 - September 8, 2013

BRUSH: Omega 599
RAZOR: Slim adjustable, always on 5
BLADE: Feather (1)
CREME: Tabac
AFTER: Captain's Choice Bay Rum Cat O' Nine Tails

Gentlemen, although I haven't been posting as much as I should I must thank you for your posts and inspiration. As I'm sure is the case with the vast majority of you, I'm tripping over blades, crèmes, and splashes. Its not that I don't want to use a certain one, I have a difficult time because I wish I could use them all. At once. I usually check the weather for inspiration, then I look at what you all have been using to see if anything couples up with my mood. So thank you.

Anyway, great two pass. Down then up. Tabac is notoriously cushioning and protective. I have a rogue patch of hair under the right side of my jaw line that no matter the blade, angle, whatever... that just seems to not want to cooperate. I've tried everything and the only think that works is if I pull it tight to the side and dig it out against the grain. I rarely get weepers, and if I do... it'll be there. I got a little greedy, heavy handed, and overzealous with a fresh Feather. Weepers. But no big deal, because after a cold water splash and some Captain's Choice, they closed right up. I really love the "burn" the Cat provides, and nothing brings out the burn like a feather. My favorites are Feather, Astra SP, and Silver Blue. I stick to my slim and EJ89, have three brushes, but everything else changes almost daily.

I hope you all have a great weekend. Again, thank you for posting!

 

SOTD 09-06-13

* Shower:
• Soap: Irish Spring Original bar soap
• Shampoo: Head & Shoulders with Old Spice scent

* Shave:
• Prep: Hot shower, Nivea Face Wash, Every Man Jack Signature Mint Face Scrub, Hot towel, Corn Huskers Lotion
• Brush: Tweezerman
• Lather: Van Der Hagen Select soap
• Razor: Dollar Shave Club Executive
• Cartridge use: 4
• Post: Warm water rinse, Cold water rinse, T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel pad, Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm, Pinaud Clubman Musk Aftershave sample

Another nice shave today. I arm-stropped the Executive cartridge today, I can definitely tell an improvement of the blade life. 4 passes today with the VDH Select that I pressed into my glass ice cream dish thing. I'm still undecided if ill melt the puck as I think melting my last VDH puck decreased the life of the puck. Used up the last bit of Pinaud Musk. I like this aftershave, the smell is great but I don't think it lasts as long as AV Musk, which is its downfall, in my opinion. I might buy a bottle at some point to give it another shot. Not a bad shave today at all, I missed a spot though and I'm sure it will bother me all day.
Shave Rating:
4/5

 

Friday

Hot shower
Semogue 1305
MWF
R-41
Astra SP (1)
Cold water rag
Lucky Tiger

2-pass DFS+++!

 

Friday 09/06

Hot Shower
Fliods pre-shave oil
Semogue 1460
Super Adjustable
Israeli Persona
The Veg
Kappa

The shaves from the Super Adjustable have been fantastic this week dialed in at #7. Today's DFS was no different
Everyone have a great weekend.

 

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Noxzema Classic Clean​

Van Der Hagen Deluxe Soap​

Frank Shaving Finest Badger​

GEM Push-Button​

GEM Super Stainless (2)​

CWR​

Dickinson's Witch hazel​

Pinaud Clubman AS​

​

 

I have been taking a product tour of the high end British shaving soap/cream companies lately, today I get to add D.R. Harris to the list. I just got a puck of Arlington in the mail thanks to a deal that I managed to work out with a member of another forum. The puck came in a blank Proraso green tub, which I thought was an interesting reuse of a container. My first instinct was to remove it and place it in a wooden bowl, but the puck fit so nicely in the empty Proraso tub that I just left it. I really like the way Proraso's tubs can use their tops as a base, so I'll probably leave it where it is permanently and make a nice label for it.

I've smelled Arlington before, but this is my first time using it. I decided to face lather, which means that one of my synthetics gets to come out to play--today it's the Every Man Jack. I skipped yesterday's shave so that I could get a nice smooth disposable blade straight razor shave today, I love my DBSRs, but they're not really "every day" sorts of razors. More or less at random I chose the Sanguine SLiCKE for today and loaded a Wilkinson-Sword blade into it. I'm also using some Shave Secret as a preshave oil and some T.N. Dickinson post shave to ensure a nice smooth result.

Two and a half passes, wtg/atg and another wtg pass on my neck to clean up, delivered me a BBS shave with zero nicks and zero irritation. The Arlington lathers beautifully and provides a nice slick surface. The scent mixed extremely well with the Shave Secret and even continues to linger pleasantly in the background. This was a picture perfect DBSR shave; as close and effective as a traditional straight without all of the time consuming stropping, oiling, and clean up. I like my traditional straights, but I love my DBSRs.

Pre: Hot shower, warm water splash, and Shave Secret
Razor: Sanguine SLiCKE
Blade: Wilkinson-Sword
Brush: EMJ synthetic
Soap: D.R. Harris Arlington
Post: Cold water rinse and T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel

 

6.9.2013

• Prep: shower, L'Oréal Men Expert face wash
• Razor: Gillette Fatboy
• Blade: Polsilver SI (4)
• Brush: The BiG Shave 2013 #90/100 by Semogue Portugal
• Soap: Mike's Natural Soaps Hungarian Lavender sample
• Post: alum, T.N. Dickinson's Witch hazel
• Aftershave: Floïd Blue

 

Weber Bulldog
Super Iridium blade
Semogue Brush
Mama Bear's Rosemary Mint Soap
TSD Iced Grapefruit Witch Hazel
TSD Iced Peppermint AS Milk
music-spin mix 5 (did a spin in my basement and have some great mixes-included Stones, Mac Miller, Dropkick Murphy's, The Who, Neil Young....)
coffee-home roasted Dean's Beans Smooth Espresso Mix-yummmmm
-my Semogue has broken in nicely and seems to be surpassing my Omega as my favorite Boar)

 

Prep: warm shower, Palmolive Menthol as a pre shave.
Brush: Vulfix Burlington.
Razor: Weber Bulldog.
Blade: Polsiver SI.
Cream: Palmolive Menthol.
Post: cold water rinse, Thayer's Lavender WH, Krampert's Frostbite.

Guys, today's shave was pretty DFS. I froze my face off with some of my favorite products. I'm still trying to figure out this Weber though. I tried it with a Polsiver to see if it would work out better for me. The last few shaves have been rough. This will be my set up for the whole weekend.

 

A git un gezint yoor, boychick - Shana Tova!

 

Maca root cream
Ever Ready brush
Tenk's Hardware razor
Pinaud aftershave

 

Friday the 6th

Solo Fresh shaving cream
HJM fine badger
Super Silver razor loaded with a Gillette Platinum blue (1)
OS Whitewater



This is the first time I shaved with the blue plat's without my face looking like a lawn mover incident afterwards. But this is the first time I ever put it in the Super Silver (Rimei re brand). And they work together perfectly. The result was a very nice, clean BBS in 3 passes.
Although I don't often use whitewater, I love it's performance, it is more astringent than my beloved OS original, and leaves you with a nice cool sensation and pleasant scent afterwards.

 

Muhle R41 (13)
Polsilver (d2)
Palmolive Stick/ TSD Iced Florida Water -Face Lather
Vulfix 404
Witch Hazel Splash
Lucky Tiger Aspen
2+ passes (WTG, XTG, + ATG on neck)

 

Saturday - it's the weekend! Time for the SEs.

Prep: Hone and strop str8, hot shower w/ Dirigo Blue Cedarwood bar soap, Dirigo Blue Cedarwood PSO
Coffee: Dirigo Blue Colombian, BLACK
CD: Buddy Guy ~ Rhythm and Blues, disc 2
Hone: Duro Electric
Strop: VB 2" Black latigo/linen
Soap: TSD Cedarwood
Brush: Vulfix Grosvenor badger/boar mix
Str8: J. R. Torrey, 3 passes
SE: Schick Injector E model, touch up
Post: Cold water rinse, RazoRock alum rub down, ice water splash, Brut ASB, Brut cologne
'Stache Wax: Dirigo Blue

A super smooth, comfortable shave resulting in BBS.
Lovin' the cedarwood scent.

 

Saturday

Prep: Hot Shower
Soap: Coates Lavender Cream
Razor: Magard MR1
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Yellow SE
Brush: Omega 10066 Boar
Aftershave: Krampert’s Bay Rum
WTG-XTG-ATG (adjusted angle for my beard a bit)

I used the Coate’s Lavender cream today. My tube was a bit dried out when I got it. I added some water and microwaved it to rehydrate it in a tub. Worked great! Excellent lather, cushion, and glide! These travel size tubes of Coate's Creams were/are a great deal at 6 for $18. I am also back with the Gillette 7 O’Clock Yellow SE blade. It was the first blade I tried. It is just as good and smooth as I remember. I didn’t nick myself this time around either. I must be getting a little better. I am also back with Krampert’s Bay Rum for my finish today. Love it! Kick back time!!

More coffee………..

Bob

 

Saturday
hot shower
Duke 3 in best
Proraso PSC (White)
Proraso White Tub SS
Cobra Classic "The Snake"/Feather ProGuard (15)
cold water rinse
Shavex Alum
cold water rinse
Thayer's Medicated Superhazel
Pinaud Eau De Quinnine mixed with a very small amount of Skin Gel

BBS Face & Dome !! Have a great weekend all!!!

 

6/8 Hart
Tabac SS
20mm DO1 Shavemac knot
Pinaud V.I. Bay Rum

Nice shave this morning. Have a good one.

 

Saturday - Adjustable week

Cella bowl lathered with Simpson Special Best Badger
Fatboy set on 7 with Feather (7)
3 passes and finish with Lab Series Razor Burn Ultra Relief lotion.

Seven days with the Cella, Fatboy and a Feather, a week of good shaves but I think the shaves are smoother with an Astra SP or Personna Blue. I really like the Cella soap though. There was no particular reason to use the Lab Series lotion, other than I got it last Christmas and haven't used it yet. It's a soothing, non-scented lotion but I think it leaves the skin feeling a bit greasy. It may be better for those in colder, drier climates than Houston, TX.

 

Saturday morning:
Merkur slant
Feather
Semogue 830
Vergulde Hand
Pinaud Clubman

Wicked good.

 

SOTD Saturday 9-7-2013

Gillette NEW LC
Polsilver SI blade
Palmolive Classic SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Semogue 820 Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Nivea Replenishing ASB
Brut Original Cologne

What can I say....great shave!