SoS: March 31, 2014 - April 6, 2014

Outstanding! Glad you are ready to take the plunge into straight shaving. You won't go wrong with the 5/8 "Our Drummer". The F.H. Loeffler Co. sold razors that were re-branded German manufactured razors and they are excellent quality and great performers. I have two Loefflers; the 6/8 "Our Drummer" and a 6/8 "Columbus" half hollow. Both are excellent. I rescaled both of mine along the way but, my "Drummer" came in black horn.
Your Wosty Pipe Razor is another outstanding performer and you will be very pleased with it. I have two of them as well and both are great performers.
Good to hear that you are getting the Pipe honed to shave ready and starting out on the right foot. It will be a different experience than the DE's and will take some time to get your skills but when you do, it will be a very rewarding experience. We (the straight users) are always ready to help so, if you have a question, just ask.

 

Good for you, Guy! And Bruce is a great source of helpful info on straights. I know I certainly have benefited from his experience and willingness to share!
Be careful, though, or soon your stockpile of only one or two razors will soon grow faster than you imagined it could. Many enablers here...

 

SoS
4/4/14. Friday! Friday!

Prep: Hot shower. Nivea menthol face wash. Proraso Green
Razor: Merkur Progress
Blade: Big Ben
Soap: Cella
Brush: Vie-Long Horsey
Post: Alum. Dickinson WH
Aftershave: Barbon-444
Cella makes shaving easy. Today's shave was nice and easy. I used the Proraso green on my 3rd pass. It helped, it did not interfere with my lather. A 3 pass DFS..
Go out and get it!

 

I used the pre-shave soap collaboration between RazoRock and HTGAM this morning, and I like it. It smells nice, and has a slight menthol element, which I would like to be stronger, but I love strong menthol. This one would probably be fine for all but the most sensitive faces. I simply rubbed the puck directly on my wet face and lathered it with my hands, then applied shaving soap over it.
My shave was excellent - smooth and comfortable. I don't know if it was a dramatic improvement, since my recent shaves have been subpar, this one seemed that much better. I'll keep using it because I like it, and evaluate it after a week or so.
Prep: RR/HTGAM lime soap
Soap: Synergy Coconut Bay
Brush: HIS
Razor: SC101
Blade: Gillette SE yellow
AS: Shea Moisture AS Elixir

 

SoS - Friday, April 4, 2014

Prep: Hot shower, Tea Tree & Lime PSO.
Brush: Vulfix Super Badger
Soap: Stirling Ben Franklin
Razor: Mekur 38C Barber Pole
Aftershave: Speick

My first run with the Ben Franklin. Man, those founding fathers had some stinky pantaloons! But it did yield some spectacularly thick and slick lather with a quick whip from the Vulfix. Outstanding shave. I even skipped my normal post shave application of Nivea Sensitive, and went right to the Speick. No irritation at all.

 

I have a Weishi also and I find that it's so mild that it hardly takes any stubble off of me. I have a very tough beard.

 

Thanks Bruce and Kevin. I'm looking forward to trying a straight but admittedly a little timid about putting a straight against my throat

I know I can count on the fellow members to provide me some guidance and advice in my new adventure. Haven't even started yet and already bidding on 3 razors on the bay. YIKES!!!

 

On Holiday in Spain and managed to acquire a couple of nice products. A very good evening shave

 

Friday morning -


Prep - Noxzema & hot towel
Lather - Mitchell's Wool Fat & suribachi
Brush - Omega 40033
Razor - Gillette Single Ring
Blade - Personna Red (1)

2 pass
Warm water rinse & cold water splash
Alum block & Witch-hazel AS


A very nice shave again this morning with a new Personna Red blade; and a short day and an early start to the weekend to boot! The sun's out, the temps are rising and spring is in the air in the Sierras.

 

I felt like I could grate it against my face and still not have any problems. As I said, I find it great for honing technique but that's about it.

 

Filarmonica Doble Temple 14
Muhle synthetic brush
Prep pre shave
Gaia shave cream
Kirh post shave solution

 

SOTD - 4/4/14

Face Wash - Triumph & Disaster
Brush - Thater 23mm 2 Band Silvertip Fan
Soap - Pre’ de Provence
Razor - W.M. Elliot “Elliot’s Special” 5/8
Strop - SRD Modular Paddle
Astringent - RazoRock Alum Block
Aftershave - Village Barber Aftershave Balm

​

 

SOTN:
Razor: 1988 (I1) Gillette Super Speed
Blade: Israeli Personna
Soap: Van Der Hagen Luxury
Brush: Van Der Hagen boar
Aftershave: Pinaud Clubman

 

Friday 4/4/2014

Feather & Mane, Menthol & Merkur!​

 

Welcome to the Dark Side!

 

Dove Men's Face Wash
TABAC Shave Soap
Frank Shaving Finest Badger
Gillette NEW
Astra Superior Platinum (4)
CWR
Thayers Cucumber WH
FD Old Spice AS

Today was my first shave with TABAC Shave Soap. The Frank Shaving Finest Badger effortlessly lathered the TABAC. Two passes and touch ups with my Gillette NEW and an Astra Superior Platinum blade left me with a near BBS shave. After a cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Cucumber WH and Family Dollar Old Spice after shave. It was a very nice shave. The scent of the TABAC is very different. So far, it seems to linger longer than my other soaps/creams. It is very pleasant.

 

Saturday

Coral Skin Food as preshave
MWF face lathered with SOC
TV Special with Personna Blue blade (1)
3 passes, cold water splash and finish with Lilac Vegetal

Great shave, the MWF lathered like a champ, the TV Special is my birth quarter D1, and now I smell like a real man.

 

Saturday:

Neutrogena Men Facial Wash
Large Horsehair Barbershop
Super Speed/Sharp day 6
Stirling Glacial
444 AS Balm
Osage Rub AS

Let's say that I was practicing for Menthol Monday with this shave and this'll be my set-up. I'm absolutely in love with this Glacial soap - the lather at first was hard to create, but now it's so easy to work up and it's rich and slick. I love the scent and the menthol effect is off the charts. It does the same thing as the Yeti Snot, so your eyes can start tearing and sometimes your nose can start running. The 444 balm and the Rubby Dubby Doo froze my face even more. This was a shave from Paradise!

 

Gillette LC New Bulldog
Gillette Silver Blue
Omega Baby Pro
Ingram SC
Alum
Superior 70

A nice pleasant shave with a fantastic result.

 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Prep: Warm shower, Cetaphil Lotion
Razor: EJ DE89 Head w/ Weber Classic Handle
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (1)
Soap: Stirling Orange Chill
Brush: Semogue 830
Post: Witch Hazel, Cetaphil Lotion
Aftershave: Old Spice

There's nothing like a great shave to start off the day! Mr. Stirling knew what he was doing when he made this soap.

Have a great day!