SoS: August 13th, 2012 - August 19th, 2012

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Prep: Tepid shower; ClearyNatural glycerin soap - Aloe
Lather: RazoRock La Famiglia Cumba Cheech - face lather
Brush: Semogue "The Shave Nook" '12 LE 28/100
Razor: Merkur 39C Sledgehammer Torquer
Blade: Blind Blade #6 (3); 3 passes
Post: Cold water rinse; Finest Bay Rum of Krampert

First shave using the new LE brush from Semogue made for The Shave Nook forum. It consists of 50% Finest badger and 50% boar (90% tops). With about half a dozen test lathers and 1 shave it's lost only 3 hairs and the knot is starting to loosen up nicely. Already it is a lather machine. The picture just doesn't capture the character and class of this brush. I love the way the semi-squared handle fits into my hand and the weight of it is perfect. It seems to just melt into my hand and just become an extension of my fingers.

 

5/8 Hackett Diamond
Calani Oriental Plum
homemade brush
Stephan's Lilac

Great shave this morning, close and smooth. Have a good one. Expecting great things from the mailman today.

upload picture

 

Thursday, August 16, 2012, Shaving Ritual

Razor: 68 Slim Gillette Adjustable (N4) (set on 9)
Blade: Blind Blade Test Blade 10 (1st use)
Brush: Lions Head Silvertip
Bowl: Gravy Boat Scuttle
Cream: TOBS Sandalwood
A/S: Alum & Cold Water Rinse
A/S: Aqua Velva Musk

Today is day one of blade tenth and final blade in the Blind Blade Test.

 

Shave of the Day (SOTD) Thursday August 16, 2012

Prep: Brush soaking in ice water, face scrub with TSD Sandalwood soap, Tepid Water Shower
Razor: FaTip Grande on iKon Bulldog Handle
Blade: Big Ben Stainless Steel
Brush: Semogue 1438 Boar
Cream: The Shave Den Sandalwood Wheat Cream
AS: English Leather
Post: Cold Water Rinse, Alum Rub, Cold Water Rinse, Double Splash Of Aftershave.

It feels good to be done with the blind blade test with and get back to a normal rotation of my favorite razors, while trying some new blades along with the incredible Semogue 1438 boar brush.

The Big Ben is a blade that I have never used, but is one that our very own Gary (GD Carrington) uses for many of his razor test.

My good shaving buddy Mel sent me a few to try out, so I thought for my first shave after the test that this would be a good one to load.

After allowing the Semogue 1438 to soak while I brushed my teeth and showered, it was ready for me to build a lather. After a month of Tabac the Shave Den Wheat Cream was a very nice change of pace. Within a minute I had a copious amount of lather, enough for five passes if required.

For those who have not used a "good" boar, I highly recommend the Semogue 1438. Price wise it is very affordable, break in period is very short, and size is good for both bowl and face lathering. The softness of the tips combined with a good back bone really makes an enjoyable lathering experience.

The Big Ben blade is both very smooth and sharp, and paired to the FaTip provided an excellent 2 pass and light touch up close to BBS shave.

I would rate todays shave at a 4.5, very enjoyable and worth repeating.

 

Thursday, August 16, 2012. Good Morning!

Morning Coffee: Dunkin Donuts
Prep: Wash face with O Melhor Soap
Razor: Schick I1
Blade: Schick
Soap: MWF
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012 46/100
Scuttle/Mug: Schwarzweisskeramik
Post: Cold water rinse followed by some Floid Blue

 

Very cool !!!

 

Thursday morning, August 16, 2012

Schick E2 Injector Razor w/ Schick blade (2)
Semogue 1250 boar bristle brush,
TABAC shaving soap w/ hot water lather,
finish with cold water rinse for a DFS!

 

Thursday:

soak brush/Semogue SOC/DB Brush Scuttle
warm shower
Proraso PrePost cream
RazoRock Zi' Peppino shave soap (face lathered)
Pils 101NE/Iridium Super (2)
cold water rinse
Monster Block Alum
cold water rinse
Thayer's Original WH mixed with M-Bomb
RazoRock Baby Blue splash mixed with a small amount of 444

Very comfortable 2 pass face,1 pass head,I needed a lil touch-up work on the dome.The Pils is a great razor but not my favorite for headshaves,it seems hard to get the right angle for my noggin,it does a great job when I do find the sweet spot.

The RazoRock Baby Blue is a nice splash,however if you're looking for a replacemant for Floid Blue,this is not it.It has a more pronounced powder scent than the Floids,I detect a slight vanilla scent maybe a lil citrus as well,no menthol.It seems pretty soothing but I did cheat with the 444.I already knew when I ordered this that it wasn't a Floid Blue knock-off,still I wish it had some menthol in it.Not a deal breaker for me that's what M-Bomb and 444 are for.

 

Atta boy Mo'.....Me too !!

 

SOTD Thursday 8-16-2012

Muhle R107 w/Crystal
Proraso PSC
Proraso SC
Hess Barber's Favorite #2
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Brut Original ASB
Brut Original Cologne

Just a basic and simple shave with some old favorites! Very nice indeed. Have a great day!

 

Thursday - another day closer.

Prep: Hot shower, AoS pre-shave oil
CD: The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan, disc 1
Coffee: (an ESSENTIAL part of all my shaves ) Home roasted, fresh ground Kenyan AA, BLACK
Soap: TSD SOTQ C3 Indonesian Teakwood + 3 drops M Bomb
Brush: Vulfix 404, The Grosvenor badger/boar mix
Razor: Merkur 11C
Blade: Dorco ST-301, day 4, 3 passes
Post: Cold water rinse, ice water splash, Osage Rub, Pinaud Clubman, hand strop blade
'Stache Wax: Mix of the remaining Firehouse Wacky Tacky & Steve's Own

 

That 'I' series razor of yours looks so pretty...like a vintage Aston Martin...exceeding the speed limit sitting still...lol
Made me want a shave...Bad!...But I had a fabulous shave with my 'I' series 8 hours earlier...Only problem, I've still got a great DFS happening ......Good thing you didn't include a Chocolate glazed donut in your picture....I might have had to run to the closest Dunkin Doughnuts.....

 

Thursday's Shave
Arko Shave Stick/Omega 10029
1955 Schick Hydro-magic/Long's Drugs-Personna D4
Acqua di Parma Colonia/Guerlain Habit Rouge EdT

Plain and Simple Shave Heaven....

 

Perhaps a massage can be performed by HWMO? (notice the missing B? )
Hope you'll feel better soon!

 

By Jove, he's got it!

 

Thusday!

• Prep: hot washing cloth
• Music: Vangelis, The Friends of Mister Cairo
• Brush: Omega travel boar
• Soap: Tabac stick
• Razor: Valet Autostrop
• Blade: Feather SE
• Shave: 3-pass + touch-up
• Post: hot water rinse, cold water rinse

Excellent shave!

 

Thursday 16th August

Hot Shower and Facial Scrub
Vitos Pre/Post Shave cream
Feather Artist Club RG/Super Professional (3)
Semogue TSN 2012 LE Boar/Badger
Ogallala Bay Rum and Lemongrass soap
Witchazel
Rosehip Oil
Krampert's Finest Bay Rum
Morgan's Classic Pomade

This brush just keeps getting better. Excellent Shave with 2 passes and a touchup.

 

Vintage Rudy Vey restore w/silvertip badger
La Toja Stick
Gillette New
Iridium Blade
Osage Rub
Lab Series AS Balm
tunes-John Coltrane

 

Thursday
Brush: Muehle Silvertip Fibre
Soap/Creme: La Toja
Razor: Schick Hydromagic
Blade: Personna
Pre: Hot Shower
Post: Proraso AS Splash
Hair Groom: Jeris
Result: DFS.

 

I have to admit, it is still hard for me to achieve the quality of DE shave with a straight, but I'm learning. The problem is that I have a coarse stubble that needs very serious ATG work, which I cannot perform properly yet without the risk of a burn or a nick. The most hard point is the tip of my chin and the corners of the jaw. Anyway, I love to use straights when I have time.

4/8 Rebell razor from herzi
Vie-Long horsehair brush (a lot of hairs shed out, so I have to reload it before the 3rd pass, I'll retire it soon)
Wilkinson Sword soap in a blue bowl
Cold water splash
Alum
Tet-a-tet AS balm
For reasons I cannot figure out, I love to use alum after straight shaves. It feels... right. Wilki soap is definitely not my favorite, it is a part of Product Annihilation Project I still performing.