SoS: March 31, 2014 - April 6, 2014

Wilkinson Sword Bonded razor
VDH soap with a dab of old Ingrams menthol cream
BBS

WWII era Shulton Old Spice Toilet Water to finish up. What a rich, warm, luscious scent.

 

Saturn's Day (Speick Saturday):

Prep: Hot shower, Healthy Accents Daily Renewal Cleanser
Brush: Beeline Boar
Cream: Speick
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (3)
Passes: WTG, ATG (5, 6)
Post: Cold water splash, Bloc Osma Alum, Dickinson's WH, Speick AS
Cologne: Ispazon by Parfums de Marley

I got distracted during prep - blame laughing at a sneezing cat - and forgot to use the preshave balm. Boy, did the difference show, as I could really feel the blade tugging. With two weepers, I figured this would be a good day to start using the alum block I got; curiously, though I used it as directed, it neither stung nor stopped the flow of red. My skin does feel tighter, though. DFS, I suppose, on balance.

 

A new contender in my den
Usually I make few generalizations after only one shave, but RazoRock Muguet de France just blew me away. The scent is nothing special to me, a mild floral with maybe a moss type background? (I'm not good at scent descriptions). The performance is easily top five for me. It comes in a big, high walled plastic tub, obviously a chunk cut from a batch. I smashed the chunk down into the tub and went at it with my damp HIS brush, and man, did the lather explode. I think I might have used too much water at first, but shortly I was presented with loads of slick goodness.
I made three comfortable passes for BBS on my cheeks and DFS on my neck, using Synergy Coconut Bay Butter Balm before my ATG. My face feels really smooth and soft.

Prep: RR/HTGAM Lime pre-shave soap
Soap: RR Muguet de France
Brush: HIS
Razor: SC101
Blade: Gillette SE Yellow (3)
AS: Shea Moisture Elixir

 

Saturday
hot shower
M&F Chief
Proraso PSC (white)
Proraso SS (white tub)
Schick G1/Pella coated (6)
cold water rinse
Monster Block alum
cold water rinse
Thayer's Medicated Superhazel
Proraso ASB (white)
Molecule 01

Skipped Friday's shave in anticipation of a new razor,ATT R1 Kronos.Won't be here until Monday or Tuesday,much too long to go without shaving,LOL!!! Today's shave was wonderful,BBS all around!!!

 

Razor: 2011 Muhle R41 w Tradere Handle
Blade: Supermax Sunrise (D9)
Brush: Rubberset 49-4 W 28mm HMB
Bowl: Dirty Bird 1.5 Scuttle
Pre Shave Soap: MRGLO Lime
Pre Shave Oil: Homemade Lime & Spearmint
Shave Soap: Vito’s Extra Super
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: RR R-160

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4-5

Great shave this AM. Everything in my set up is complementary. The mild Astra is perfect for a slant. And the tequila lime cream was made for the lime sec aftershave. Now I'm smellin' like the weekend. Baseball, basketball, golf, wrasslemania, and yard work. Does it get any better? Only if you're clean shaven. Enjoy, gents!!

Merkur Slant
Taconic Tequila Lime
Astra SP
Omega Mighty Midget
Pinaud Lime Sec

 

5/8 Bismarck Razor Works
RazoRock
homemade boar
Nice shave with an old bone handled Bismarck this morning. Have a good one.

 

SOTD April 5

Prep: hot shower
Razor: George Wostenholm & Son Celebrated I-XL
Razor: Aristocrat TTO Open Comb
Blade: Merkur (day 1)
Brush: Vie-Long
Soap: Margaritas in the Arctic
Passes: 2+ (WTG, XTG)
Post: Proraso Blue

Great shave today! It's been awhile since I've used a straight, and never this particular one so I just did a simple WTG pass on the cheeks then switched to the Aristocrat. This was also the first time using the Aristocrat (and an open comb). Out of habit I went WTG and XTG on the whole face, ending up with a DFS.

On a side note, the right side of my moustache has started to curl on its own, making my face look even more lopsided

 

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Razor: Schick i1 injector
Blade: Personna
Brush: Semogue 830
Lather: Arko

3p is an excellent shave soap but Arko is better.

 

Saturday morning, April 5, 2014

Schick E2 Injector with Schick blade (2)
Semogue 1305 boar bristle brush,
Arko shaving soap with hot water lather,
finish with cold water rinse for a CCS!

 

SATURDAY
Later today I will be testing a variety of different soaps (comparisons), so for this morning's shave, I chose not soap nor cream, but shave butter creme.
This slick stuff provided a 'thick & slick' coating (reminds me what slathering on cool lemon curd would feel like) for the hyper-aggressive Mühle.
Two passes were enough for a close comfortable shave. Skin feel terrific (no dryness!) after using this stuff. I probably could have skipped the Proraso balm.
Only downside is the thick creme requires more effort to thoroughly clean the brush and more rinsing of the razor during the shave. DO NOT use this creme with a cartridge razor (clog-city).
Gary (GDCarrington) recommends a synthetic brush when using this product. Unfortunately, I forgot this suggestion until post-shave. Maybe next time….

Have a blessed Saturday, all!

 

SOTD Saturday 4-5-2014

(4) Newly Arrived E-Bay Scores (See below)
Proraso PSC
Erasmic SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Semogue 820 Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Gold Bond Moisturizing Lotion
Pinaud Clubman Special Researve ASL

As you can tell I have fallen off the straight razor RAD wagon with a resounding THUD! I couldn't help myself! At any rate, this mornings shave will be a test shave with the newly arrived additions to my collection. From left to right: 4/8 Geneva Speciala, Full Hollow, Spike Point - 5/8 Hand Forged Mayflower Works, Full Hollow, Spike Point - 5/8 Robeson, Shuredge, Full Hollow, Spike Point - 6/8 Gold Bug, Full Hollow, Spike Point.
These arrived in what appeared to be a honed and shave ready condition which is amazing from e-bay. Obviously the seller is a shave brother and has cleaned these up and honed them quite nicely. Sometimes you just have to strike when the iron is hot. (An old Blacksmith saying.)
These should keep me busy for a few days.

 

Wow, Bruce…nice score! Considering the vast amount of vaguely usable and downright scary-looking straights that swamp ebay, I'd say you did alright!
Finding the 'right' seller who has some SR knowledge can really pay dividends to the lucky buyer. Since all you have to do is shave with them (minimal, if any, clean-up or honing), I'm rightly envious...

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

Prep PreShave
Bengall 7/8"
Illinois #127
SOC 2 Band
Cella
Floid Blue

 

Nice pickup Bruce!.

 

SoS
4/5/14

Prep: Hot shower. Nivea menthol face wash.
Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Big Ben
Soap: Synergy HTGAM Lime
Brush: Semogue 750
Post: Alum. Dickinson WH
Aftershave: 4711-Nivea Cool Kick
You can't go wrong with HTGAM! It lathers so beautifully, slick with an awesome fragrance. Big Ben blade are sharp. DFS on my moms 86th birthday!
Go out and get it!

 

A HAPPY 86tth to your mom!

 

Thank you. Having dinner and birthday cake later!