SoS: August 19, 2013 - August 25, 2013

More hot weather will be coming back here so it'll be necessary to bring out the heavy artillery for:

Menthol Monday!

L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash
#6 Horsehair
Super Speed/new Rapira
Godrej Menthol Mist SC
Anherb AS Conditioner
Osage Rub AS
Grey Flannel EDT

If you think Proraso Green cream or soap is cold you're right it is indeed, however it's warm if you try to compare it to Godrej Menthol Mist. This cream's menthol power starts working as soon as the brush makes contact with your face. The Anherb and the Rubby Dubby Doo are both in a class of their own.

 

Menthol Monday during Menthol Week

Proraso preshave
Proraso Green soap bowl lathered with Simpson Special Best Badger
Lady Eversharp injector with Tedpella blade (1)
3 passes plus polishing
Cold water rinse and finish with Proraso aftershave

The Lady Eversharp is a very mild shaver, I had to check a couple of times to make sure I had a blade in it. A very nice shave, not quite as close as I would like, but a real pleasurable shave.

 

Monday

Hot shower
Chubbz I
Derby SS
Sledgehammer Slant
Perma Sharp (1)
Cold water rag
Captains Choice Lime A/S

2-passes = DFS+++!

 

Erik-Menthol Monday for me too!


Menthol Monday

Prep: BC PSO: Peppermint, Tea Tree, Lavender-Hot Shower
Soap: Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic
Razor: Maggard MR1
Blade: SuperMax Titanium
Brush: Omega 10066 Boar
Aftershave: Krampert’s Frostbite

WTG-XTG-ATG (adjusted angle for my beard a bit)

This was the 1st shave with the SuperMax Titaniums. They did great, nice and smooth so far. I was anxious to try the Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic. It has a great feeling menthol kick and it lathered and cushioned very well, even in my rock hard water. I finished with Krampert’s Frostbite. It leaves my face cool, in great shape, and well conditioned. The combination of the Peppermint PSO, Margaritas in the Arctic, and Frostbite has my face feeling extremely, cool, refreshed, and conditioned.

Bob

 

W&B
Mundus SS
25mm Omega knot
Stephan Bay Rum
Great shave, smooth and close. Have a good one. BTW, I'm really enjoying the Mundus soap. Prolific lather, good protection and decent post shave skin care.

 

Monday

Prep: Hot shower, Dirigo Blue Cedarwood PSO, hand strop blade
Coffee: Maxwell House Breakfast Blend, BLACK
CD: B. B. King ~ The Ultimate Collection
Cream: C. O. Bigelow
Brush: Ever Ready 250PB with original knot
DE: Sheraton
Blade: Astra SP, day 1, 3 passes
Post: Cold water rinse, ice water splash, Osage Rub, Brut Attitude, hand strop blade
'Stache Wax: Firehouse Wacky Tacky

Not quite BBS, but close.

On a side note: anybody know where the lie/myth/fabrication/utter non-sense of open comb razors being more aggressive than a razor with a straight bar came from?

 

Monday morning, August 19, 2013

Schick E2 Injector with Personna blade (8)
Semogue 1305 boar bristle brush,
Arko shaving soap with hot water lather,
finish with cold water rinse for a DFS!

 

The mind is a curious thing.

 

Razor: Mergress XL
Blade: Voskhod
Brush: 30mm Super Silvertip
Pre: Musgo Real Lime Basil Oil Soap
Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: Tabac

 

SOTD Monday 8-19-2013

Edwin Jagger DE87811 w/Crystal
Irisch Moos SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Omega 31064 Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Nivea Replanishing ASB
No 4711 EDC

Super smooth, super nice shave! Great start for the week.

 

Monday

Wash with unscented glycerin soap
Lather TSD unscented soap
Oscar11 HIS brush
Gillette fast handled Tech
Gillette yellow blade
CeraVe lotion

Good creamy layer from the TSD soap and the excellent Oscar11 synthetic brush. Three passes, nice comfortable results. Sorry, no menthol for me: makes my face turn red! But I did end with a refreshing cool rinse.

 

I assume the majority of the 'myth-making' takes place on internet shaving chat forums where an opinion is given, read and dispersed forthwith in repeated postings as "fact."
Part of this lie/myth/fabrication may also stem from the more aggressive 'toothy' appearance of the OC razors, which lack the 'safety bar.'
By design, more blade is exposed, hence the idea that the OCRs must be inherently more aggressive.
Personally, I have found that all my Gillettes, OC or not, tended to be mild shavers.
Now the slant bars—THEY tend to be more aggressive.....

 

Monday morning, August 19, 2013

Schick E2 Injector & Exchange Select blade (2)
Omega 20102 boar bristle brush,
Arko soap, bowl lather & shave—
Captain's Choice Lime rinse, just right!

Aces!

 

Agree with all but maybe one point - more blade being exposed. Is it really? (honestly asking) If the blade was actually resting on the teeth I might agree, but all razors have a blade gap, and we know that those with a larger blade gap are the ones that are more aggressive. I would argue that the entire length of the edge of the blade contacts the skin, regardless of being an open comb or straight bar razor. Again, it is the gap that determines the amount of aggression.

 

Monday:

Prep: Hot shower, AoS Unscented PSO
Brush: Beeline Boar
Soap: Ginger's Garden Coffee Jasmine Glycerin
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bolzano (2)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG
Post: Cold water splash, Alum, cold water splash, Dickinson's WH, Nivea for Men Energy ASB
Cologne: Xeryus by Givenchy

Another BBS, irritation-free shave. I love this blade.

 

Steve, I totally agree regarding blade gap & the role it plays in overall aggressiveness. It seems people's perceptions, though, often trump reality. When I look at my 'loaded' OC razor next to a standard closed comb, there appears to be greater blade exposure— I 'see' more of the blade exposed between the teeth, and perhaps this gives the impression to many of a more aggressive razor.

 

Too bad that folks seem to gravitate to the myths of the forums rather than the facts. The reason I even brought it up was because I noticed a newbie had asked about staying away for the "more aggressive open combs." Why aren't they reading posts like this?!?! I've seen this whole "OC more aggressive" myth discussed/busted/debunked more than once here at TSD.

Sorry - rant complete.

 

MENTHOL MONDAY

a. Pre: Hot shower,Hot 2-minute towel, Proraso Menthol Preshave Cream
b. Razor: Merkur 38c HD Barber Pole
c. Blade: Feather Stainless (Day 3), hand-strop pre & post shave
d. Brush: Semogue 830
e. Soap: Proraso Menthol & Eucalyptus Cream & liquid Glycerin— scuttle-warmed
f. Shave: 3 passes and touch-up
g. Post: Cold water rinse & dry; Osage Rub Menthol splash & Pre De Provence balm

Hot day & a cool, menthol shave! Feather, Day 3, still smooth as silk! DFS+!

 

Shave of the Day, Monday August 19, 2013
• Prep: Brush soaked in cold water, tepid shower
• Razor: Merkur 37C HD Slant
• Blade: Feather New Hi-Stainless
• Brush: Shavemac Limited Edition Shaving Brush 90 with High Density Finest Two-Band Badger Fan Knot designed by Geoff Anderson
• Soap: Martin de Candre
• AS: Pinaud Clubman Special Reserve
• Post: Cold Water Rinse, double splash of aftershave

Everything performed exactly the way I would expect. Great shave this morning. Two passes, light buffing on jawline and neck and I am as smooth as a pair of gams.

Have a great Monday everyone and enjoy your day.