Thread: Sunday October 25 ~ Saturday October 31

Straight : Jaguar 6/8, Le Robuste

With shaggy parasol mushrooms

Filarmonica Especial 14-Scales By Max Sprecher
Sē'bŭm Purple
Declaration Grooming Nebula B3

25 -OCTOBER-2020
Joserra Kilix / Voigt&Cop/ Koch & Schäfer Solingen/Joserra Kilix As

SOTD SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 25, 2020

Although the morning was a bit gloomy and cold, the shave certainly was not. My usual shave prep consists of a bracing, cold water rinse followed by an Argan Oil scrub. This is then followed by brush application of the MWF bloom water to the shave surfaces. The MWF paste follows, and is face and head lathered into the lanolin-rich, protective carpet that leaves behind post shave the incredible skin feel this legendary shave soap is renowned for.The shave proved to be awesome. I attribute it to a combination of both tools and technique.

At TSD the ‘technique trumps tools’ mantra is the theme new 30DC crew members are taught, and there is a great deal of truth inherent in the saying. Good technique is the mainstay of decent, acceptable shaves with basic tools. However, every craftsman will readily admit that the best tools yield better results, or else why is there so much interest in the best DE blade, the best safety razor design, the optimal knot characteristics, the best cream/soap, or the best best edge on our open edge tools. The beauty of this hobby of ours, is its subjective nature! We qualify every review/assessment with YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

In that spirit I found this morning’s shave to be exemplary. The Puma 5/8’s jasper stone finished edge was a true delight to shave with. My son has a huge honing stone collection, everything from synthetic water stones, natural water stones, oil stones, slates, jnats, and dry ceramic stones. There are probably many that would provide a better edge, but I like the mug shaves from my jasper stone edges on all my straight razors.. My dome shave with my Supply 2.0 safety razor was every bit as good. Daily shaves with my straight razors and safety razors have definitely improved my technique, but focusing on acquiring the best shave tools has also paid off. I feel cool, clean and smoothly velveteen.

RAZOR: Puma Solingen 5/8 (Mug), SS Supply 2.0 (Dome)
BLADE: Schick Twinjector
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by Argan Oil
BRUSH: Rooney Ebony Pure Badger
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH and Chiseled Face Natural AS Splash. Finished with A&E Post-Shave Serum.

SOTD October 25
Razor: Garantie
Strop: Heirloom Razor Strop Company Old No. 2 Notovan
Brush: Omega's Proraso Boar
Soap: A&E Kaizen
AS: A&E Kaizen

SOTD MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 26, 2020

A number of other straight shavers on the oldest online straight shaving forum, SRP, believe MWF conditions the skin to resist weeps during the shaving process, attributing it to the healthy amount of lanolin in the product. I don't know whether it’s just hearsay, but I do know that when I’ve been using the product regularly, weeps, if they occur, tend to disappear. Does MWF somehow enhance clotting? I don’t know, but I do know that when used regularly, and followed with alum bar application that there is always little, if any, heat post shave.

For today’s mug shave I selected my NOS Witte Copperhead 6/8. When I received the razor, there was a cryptic note in the enclosing coffin box, “Honed by Henerey 1939”. There was a bevel established, as to whether it was attributable to long dead Henerey’s work, who knows? It did shave hair, but examination under my USB microscope revealed it could use some finishing. My jasper stone with a series of successively diluted slurries on the rough side worked it’s magic. Final finish was on the UF side under water until the blade was sticking. The smooth, buttery edge on this razor has held up and been maintained with pasted linen followed by leather stropping.

For my dome shave I selected my Blackland Tradere safety razor. My Omega Pro48 boar brush is just a terrific lather building tool. It’s well broken in and has that perfect combination of softness and backbone that makes this wet shaving hobby of ours so pleasurable! Three slow, MWF-lather-rich, mug passes (WTG, ATG, XTG) coupled with two dome passes (ATG, ATG) put the baby to bed. I always immediately follow my MWF shaves with a cold water wash with the brush squeezings which I leave on my shave surfaces while cleaning up. Today’s shave finished with Humphreys Lilac WH and Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite AS splash. I feel refreshed, cool, clean and very smoothly velveteen!

RAZOR: Witte Copperhead Solingen 6/8 (Mug), Blackland Tradere (Dome)
BLADE: Sharp Star
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by Argan Oil scrub
BRUSH: Omega Pro48 Boar
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Fine Accoutrements Snake Bite AS Splash.

Monday's Shave
'Blue Mosaic'
Tripoli Boar Strop
CBL Tonsorial 'Roasted Oatmeal Stout'

SOTD October 26
1926 Gillette
Vintage Boar Brush
A&E Amber Rose soap and splash

SOTD TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 27, 2020

I was up early today. I selected my Dubl Duck Goldedge for today’s mug shave along with my SS DLC coated RazoRock Lupo for the dome, two razors that never disappoint. And they certainly didn’t this morning. The one lb. Rearden Razor 316L SS Tuxedo Synthetic brush gives heft in one’s hand new meaning. With the three lb ankle weight strapped to my left forearm, I got a decent workout during the lathering process. The brush generated that yogurty lather that leaves my face and dome feeling great post shave. Three passes (WTG, ATG, XTG) for the mug and two (ATG, ATG) for the dome left me feeling cool, velveteen smooth and refreshed!

RAZOR: Dubl Duck Goldedge 11/16 (Mug), SS DLC Coated RazoRock Lupo (Dome)
BLADE: Sharp Star (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by Argan Oil
BRUSH: Rearden Razor 316L SS Tuxedo Synth
SOAP: Mitchell’s Wool Fat
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Cremo Cooling Post Shave Balm.

~Wade and Butcher Hollow Ground #2~
~Lipshaw/Neil Miller Bridle~
~Gasman Boar/Badger~
~Savonniere du Moulin~
~Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet~