SoS: January 6, 2014 - January 12, 2014

Gillette LC New
Gillette Silver Blue
Semogue 1800
Klar Kabinett
Nivea ASB

 

Wednesday

Prep: Hot Shower-Stirling Bath Soap
Soap: TOBS Sandalwood Cream
Razor: ’66 Gillette Slim “6”
Blade: Perma-Sharp Super (4)
Brush: Whipped Dog Silvertip 22mmx48mm
Aftershave: Barbon

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

I tried my TOBS Sandalwood cream sample for the first time today. The TOBS creams in the tubs are absolutely a “Best Bang for the Buck” soap. I loaded my brush and instantly had a great smooth, slick lather. The 4th shave with the Perma-Sharp in the Slim was, as expected, close, smooth, and nick free. I finished with a little blast of Barbon.

Bob

 

Wednesday:

L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash
#6 Horsehair
Super Speed/Permasharp day 3
Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic SS
444 AS Balm
Barbon AS
Aramis Stick Deodorant
Aramis EdT

Although our weather is brutally-cold I refuse to give up my famous Cracky Wacky Ticky Tacky Menthol Shaving Routine and I enjoyed a great shave with the MITA soap. Wow, does it ever smell nice and its lather is a pleasure to work up if you use a little extra water. Its menthol power is very potent and it gives a lot of skincare. The 444 balm and the Barbon aftershave do a terrific job of prolonging the freeze!

 

SOTD Jan 8 - straight week day 2

Prep: hot shower
Razor: G. Wostenholm & Son CANUCK
Razor: WW2 Gillette Khaki
Blade: Feather (day 1)
Brush: Wilkinson Sword
Soap: Proraso white tub
Passes: 3 (WTG x2, XTG)
Post: cold water, Proraso blue

Once again very impressed with the closeness of the straight. I did a few more stroke today, pretty much covering my cheeks. There was still tugging with the straight but not as much as yesterday's shave, and the blade didn't seem to stick either.

 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Prep: Warm shower, Cetaphil Lotion
Razor: Weber PH
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Cream: TOBS Eton College
Brush: Semogue 830
Post: Witch Hazel, Cetaphil Lotion
Aftershave: Old Spice

I got a very close DFS this morning, but I can't say that it was that comfortable. I tried Astra blades when I first started traditional shaving and it was the best blade I had...for a while. Then I found Personna Labs, Gillette 7 O'clock Yellows, and Voskhods. For me, they all beat the Astra; not because they give a closer shave, but because they give a more comfortable, smoother shave. I tried the Astra today for the first time in about 3 months. I'll give it another shot tomorrow, but if there isn't a huge difference, it will go back in the box and I'll give it another try in a few months.

Have a great day!

 

5/8 T.I.
Castle Forbes Lime
homemade brush-Shavemac 2 band flat top

Nice shave this morning. Have a good one.

 

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Dove Men's Face Wash​

Van Der Hagen Luxury Shave Soap​

Frank Shaving Finest Badger​

Schick M Adjustable​

Schick Stainless Steel​

CWR​

Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel​

FD Old Spice AS​

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The Frank Shaving finest badger did a great job face lathering the VDH Luxury Shave Soap. Two passes with the Schick M adjustable left me near BBS. After a cold water rinse I finished off with the Thayers Cucumber WH and then Family Dollar Old Spice AS. I'm clean, smooth, and refreshed.​

 

Wednesday:
hot shower
Maggard Lime PSO (sample)
Robeson straight 1 pass (almost)
Parker 80R 2 passes
Astra Superior Platinum (3)
VDH boar
TOBS Lemon Lime cream (sample) in the scuttle
Thayer's unscented with aloe
T&H West Indian Limes AS balm (sample)
T&H West Indian Limes cologne (sample)

3rd shave with a straight and 2nd shave with the Robeson. Didn't have a very steady hand today for some reason but didn't do any damage. The extreme temps and low humidity made the cream feel a little dry today so I applied the PSO liberally and did extra wet rinses in between lathers to maintain plenty of moisture.

The citrus scents are never my first choice but I've kinda been in the mood lately so today was extra limey and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Tuesday
Homemade preshave oil
Van De Hagen Soap and Brush (not sure what kind of brush as it was a gift)
Merkur 23c
New Lord Platinum Class
Styptic Pencil
Clubman Pinaud

1st use with Lord razor, nicked the crap out of my face, this along with the yellow shark are on my list of do not likes
Can't shave today, will try something different tomorrow. Still in trial and error stage.

 

WEDnesday
Straight Razor Week, Day Three

Pre: Hot shower, Shea Moisture Facial Scrub, homemade Cedar PS cream
Razor: Clauss 6/8
Strop: Whipped Dog 3" 'Rich Man's Strop'
Brush: Whipped Dog 30mm Silvertip
Lather: Martin De Candre soap
Shave: Two pass , plus DE touch-up
Post: Cold water rinse, alum block, 444 menthol balm

Easily-made slick MdC lather provided a good glide for this new Clauss. I'm finding I prefer the larger blades (6/8 vs 5/8) on the straights, not a huge difference, but noticeable nonetheless.
DFS today! Happy Humpday, all!

 

Merkur Progress
Personna Med. Prep.
Simpson P8 #28
Petal Pusher Fancies Cider House - Five
Ebano & Ebano A/S Balm

Tom Ford - Oud Wood

 

Wednesday
hot shower
Semogue SOC,2 band
Maggard Lime PSO
Mystic Water Bay Rum SS
iKon Slant/Rapira Swede (1)
warm water rinse
Monster Block Alum
cold water rinse
Humphrey's Organic WH
Gilbert Henry Bay Rum ASB

Great 2 pass face,1 pass dome for BBS all around,smell pretty darn good too !!!

 

Wednesday

CeraVe facial cleanser
Barrister & Mann unscented soap
Oscar11 brush with HIS knot
ShaveCraft 101 razor
Gillette yellow blade
Cold rinse
CeraVe lotion

Good lather from the B&M soap. Four passes, nice smooth result.

 

Dovo Fritz Bracht 55 Best Class
Muhle 35 K 257 synthetic brush
Barrister & Mann Solstice shave soap
Proraso Pre Shave

 

Wednesday morning, January 8, 2014

Gillette Adjustable 'Fatboy' F-2 (1960)
Astra Superior Platinum blade
Semogue 1305 Boar Bristle brush
CO Bigelow cream lathered with hot water -
Walgreens Witch Hazel
Skin Bracer

For a wonderful darn fine shave! Aces!

 

SOTD Wednesday 1-8-2014

11/16 W.H. Morley & Sons, Fill Hollow, Spike Point
Proraso PSC
Proraso SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Semogue 820 Boar
Dickinson's witch Hazel
Nivea Replenishing ASB
Florida Water Cologne

 

Wednesday



Hot shower with face washed in Matas face wash.
Merkur Slant 37C coupled with Viking's Sword (1).
Arko, grated soap stick.
Semogue 1520 boar brush.
3 passes, growth adjusted.
Alum
Nivea for Men Sensitive after shave balm.

My first test-drive with my spanking new Merkur Slant 37C. What a beast, but a tamable one! Somewhat angle and pressure sensitive. I could easily feel when I went off course, so it's correctable during the shave. I thought I had sliced my chin because I got a warning that with my Mühle R89 means red irritation and nicks, but here there was nothing, just the warning. Great! Weight, size and handling fits me perfect. Not even the alum signaled I went off course there. Amazing.

Prior to all this I dropped my alum block on the tiles just before I was going to lather up, so it shattered all over the floor, which I had to clean up before the shave. That resulted in the face getting dry, so the shower helped zero regarding prep. A wet wash-cloth made up for that, but not entirely. Prep wasn't good today. At least I got to smear on a new alum block in the end. Thank god for stockpiling

 

Wednesday:

Head:
Cetaphil Face Bar
Shave Secret
Headslick
Hydro 5
Witch Hazel
Bump Patrol

Face:
Cetaphil Face Bar
Williams Mug Soap
EJ Best Medium
Black Beauty
Voskhod
Witch Hazel
Brut Dominant

The Hydro works better than the Proglide, but I've ordered some Gillette Guard carts as I've heard they're great for head shaving. On another note the Super Adjustable is one fantastic DE razor and works better than any other I've tried. First Pass was slammed open on 9 and the second pass dialed it down to 3. What a great shave!

 

Solid DFS

I used less water this time in lathering the RazoRock, and it was creamier than yesterday, but I had to add a little water to make enough for my third pass. I'm liking the scent and performance of this croap, but it may be a step below Tabac, TSD, and HTGAM.

 

Odin's Day:

Prep: Hot shower, Crown Shaving Co. Supreme Glide Preshave Lotion
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: Ginger's Garden Coffee Jasmine Glycerin
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (4)
Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG (7, 8, 9)
Post: Cold water splash, Dickinson's WH, Aveeno Active Naturals ASB

This was a darned near perfect shave. Almost BBS results, only one tiny weeper on a known trouble spot on my throat, and no irritation. Face lathered after seven or so seconds on the puck to get enough lather in the brush for all three passes without going back for more product. As before, the cold weather and resultant continued exposure to central heating or below-freezing temperatures left my face dry enough to absorb the Aveeno balm without issue.