SOS: July 2018

july 14th & 15th night shaves. GEM 1912 with a custom Rod George handle -->

 

Great looking bowl Guy.

 

WSO

 

Nearly three days of stubble cleanly whisked away thanks to this birth year Russian. Da Comrades, was glorious.

Hot water preparation
AOS Lavender PSO
Mike’s Natural Soaps Vetiver
Romera Wengue Chubby Manchurian Badger
1956 ZTV Extra 6/8
Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel



Happy shaving - Karl

 

Thanks Gents. Going to treat myself to 3 days of WSO; Bill the Barber, Zaro and Signature.

 

Pre-shave: Black Walnut Oil
Razor: Ever-Ready 1914
Blade: Vintage New Yorker "The Big Town Blade"
Brush: Rubberset 400 with PAA Switchback Aluminum Top Cap loaded with 24mm "Mother Lode" Synthetic from Strike Gold Shave
Soap: "Gunpowder & Spice" by The Holy Black
Aftershave: T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel followed by "Gunpowder & Spice" by The Holy Black

-- Sammy

 

July 16th SOTD
Cooper MonoBilt w Wizamet
B&M Seville
30DC LE
Thayers
Pinaud Clubman

 

Maybe you really do know you've cracked it with a straightrazor when you can tell it's not shaving as well as it did, and it's not you that's the problem.

I bought and lapped a Naniwa 12k last week (not that it took much lapping) and re sharpened my Wostenholm. Today it was the turn of my Herder.

I feel I did a moderately good job as previously, in the condition it was in, it would have been just past the point of no return on my pasted strop and needing to be sent away to be re honed.

Using it again today it felt much sharper and no roughness to the shave which is good. Is it as good a finish as someone else may put on it? Probably not. But it felt much better than before.



Maseto 30mm Silvertip
Valobra soap
Freidr. Herder No. 77 square point
A little alum, and
L'Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Balm

Avoiding aftershave lotions at the moment as I can't work out what works with my new EDT, Bulgari Aqua Amara. May reintroduce if I get my head around it.

 

Terrific picture, Roby!

 

Tuesday SOTD
July 17, 2018

RR Game Changer with TRIAD Helix Hex Ti
Feather HS
Bob Quinn Elite Razor Desert Ironwood Beehive
Barrister & Mann Patches Soap & Aftershave
Burberry For Men

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Thanks Jim, have a great evening buddy.

 

July 16th
Razor: Rex Ambassador (3)
Blade: Sharp Star (1)
Brush: SOC mixed
Pre shave: Stirling mentholated
Soap: Stirling Lemony Orange
Stirling Lemon Chill witch hazel
AS: Stirling Lemony Orange

Menthol Monday!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

Declaration Grooming | Sweet Lemon / Shore / Contemplation
APShaveCo. Elegant Emerald | SynBad 24mm
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE

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Since my right arm is in a huge, heavy immobilizing splint, shaving hasn't been particularly enjoyable. Just loading the brush is a chore. Typing with one hand is slow and annoying as well. Declaration Grooming's new Icarus trilogy was a good option, however. This base pretty much meets my expectations for the perfect soap. Despite some hand cramps due to awkward angles, the shaves themselves have been drama-free.

Please forgive the following truncated notes, and take into consideration that while I've used these three soaps exclusively for the past 2 weeks (I shave every other day), I don't spend nearly as much time in the shower with them as I normally would. Until I'm liberated from this splint, shaving is strictly a task I want to get done so I can quickly remove the plastic sheeting that protects the splint during the shave. Because with humidity comes itching, and this splint is a bulky dressing preventing my access (sort of like a cast). I ain't looking for sympathy here. Just explaining my deviation from the norm.

Sweet Lemon is the most novel of the three. It's sweet lemon as you would expect, but also coconut (which you may not expect). At times it smells exactly like a fresh-baked lemon sugar cookie and other times like a coconut cream pie. As delicious as it smells (and I've revisited the puck just for whiffs more often than I care to admit), it is not what I typically reach for in a wearable fragrance. The good news is, the paired splash doesn't linger long and a lemony or citrus fragrance would compliment this just fine as the sweetness falls away rather quickly. Catie's Bubbles' Confiant extrait fit that bill each time.

Shore is arid and slightly salty with hints of green. I can't say for certain whether there's an element of ozone or if my brain is filling it in because it belongs there. It's pleasant and unique. It accurately captures the essence of a coastal shore/beach.

Contemplation is my favorite of the three, and it seems to be the most complex. I initially detect a grassy citrus that I'm inclined to declare lemon grass or possibly verbena. It acquires a more herbal tone as the shave progresses. There is an underlying familiar slightly heavier note that teases a smokiness without really being smoke. I could not place it until it was revealed to me to be black tea. Now, it's easily identifiable and unmistakable.

I'm being completely utilitarian in my approach to shaving for the duration of my confinement, but Declaration's Icarus manages to keep me from completely eradicating all enjoyment from the process.

 

07/17/18 Shave of the Day
Face Wash with The Sudsy Soapery Lavender & Peppermint Soap with Soothing Oatmeal
Crown King Alt-Eleven Shampoo & Conditioner Bar- w/ Prickly Pear, Neem Honey & Yucca Root
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements ICE Pre-Shave Soap
The Sudsy Soapery 100% All Natural Supercreamed Rain Shave Soap with Russian Blue Clay
Wolf Whiskers Blue Train Custom Fluted Bishop TGN 24mm Silvertip Grade A Badger Brush
Creative Flame Pottery Stoneware Shaving Scuttle
Ever Ready 1912 Razor
Personna GEM SE Super Stainless Steel Blade - 7th Shave
RazoRock Alum Block
Thayers Cucumber Witch Hazel Toner
The Sudsy Soapery 100% All Natural Rain Creamy Aftershave Balm
The Sudsy Soapery 100% Natural Rain Deodorant​

 

TUESDAY MORNING'S SHAVE​

Razor - OneBlade Genesis
Blade - Feather FHS-10 HI-Stainless *Fresh Blade
Shave Brush - EcoTools "Kabuki" Retractable Synthetic
Shave Soap - Mama Bear's "Acqua di Gio" Type
Soap Bowl - Iris Hantverk Dark Gray Concrete
Aftershave - The Shave Den "Acqua di Gio" Type Witch Hazel in an Custom Pottery Dispenser by 3 Points Pottery
Preshave Oil - Lather & Wood's "Unscented"
Post-Shave Balm - Nicci Marie Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Aging Face Serum
Deodorant - Tommy Bahama "Set Saîl Martînique"
Fragrance - M. Micallef Osaito

Tuesday morning I am unleashing my newest shaving set. I call it "The Executive Shave Kit". This is what I imagine Elon Musk or Bill Gates have in their giant bathroom to shave with.

***EDIT - 10-out-of-10 shave. As good as the best shaves I've ever had and considering this is the first time I've used this razor, that's saying something. I wanted to find fault with this razor because of the $399 price tag, but, I could not find any stylistic or shave-oriented fault with it. It's preliminary, but it seems like this could be the best razor in my den in terms of pure shave ability. I performed a 3-pass + touch up shave. No nicks, no weepers, no irritation and I found that it required fewer strokes of the razor over each section to remove the hair. My beard hair is tough, but my skin is sensitive. So, I'm a challenging subject for any razor. If your razor can perform a full 3-pass AND a touchup session and leave no irritation, you have what amounts to a perfect razor. The post-shave is BBS+++. As good as any shave I've gotten. 'During' the shave it was very comfortable. Effortless. I 'dared' the razor to give me razor burn. I couldn't seem to pick a bad angle despite not having used the razor before and not knowing what would work or not work, I seemingly could do no wrong. No other razor was this effortless, ever.

I'll say this. What I expected a $399 razor to provide, it did. I have zero criticism of it other than the price, but could it be justified if it's the best? That is something each individual person must decide for themselves. How much is the 'best' shave worth to you? I'm a weird dude. I'll pay ridiculous prices for shaving gear for various reasons.

Next, the ECOTOOLS brush. I'm well read on synthetic brush technologies. I had to find a brush that would fit in the 'groove' of the Iris Hantverk shave bowl's lid. Weirdly, the Iris Hantverk shave brushes look 'wrong' aesthetically with the dark-grey concrete bowl. I couldn't find a good, inexpensive shave brush that matched the color theme and would fit the bowl's open 'groove'. I sat and thought about how I could solve this issue and thanks to my previous knowledge from reading, I found out that synthetic brush knots were made from the technology that came out of cosmetic makeup brushes. So, I started looking for a makeup brush that fit the groove and BAM, found one. And.....at least with Mama Bear glycerin-based shave soap, it works extremely well! Despite the small knot size it held 3-passes of lather. The synthetic hairs on this are softer and hold water BETTER than the synthetic brushes I currently use, however, the softness of this brush doesn't lend for as good an exfoliation as my other synthetics.

All-in-all, a ridiculously fantastic shave and the products really worked out. The Shave Den's Witch Hazel aftershave with menthol along with my magic antioxidant face serum tightened up the skin. My skin literally feels marble smooth. I love the new shaving set.

 

17 July 2018

* Blackbird Machined SB + Stork Aristocrat 1 Titanium
* Wizamet Iridium Super
* Shavemac D01 2-Band Jade
* Mystic Water Sandalwood Rose
* Unrefined Shea Butter
* Bergamot/Vetiver EO


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How is the scent of that LE Jeeves soap? The label sure looks classy.

 

SHAVE OF THE DAY



Prep: pre shave soap mix
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Classic
Blade: Gillette 7oclock
Brush: Razorock BC Plissoft
Soap: Wickhams 1912 Citrus Musk
Post: Pinaud Citrus Musk A/S



Very nice refreshing shave this morning. Thick lather from the Wickhams, and the scent of Citrus Musk is quite musky in a good way. Could still detect the A/S hours later good longevity. Hope everyone is doing well and getting great shaves!

 

It's not a cooling effect like with menthol, rather the scent is refreshing and a bit citrusy, and for me it sticks around a little longer than usual. If you're looking for the cooling chill go with Chiseled Face Cryogen.