Thread: Sun July 03rd - Sat July 09th

Prep: Hot shower
Brush: Edwin Jagger best badger
Soap: Trumper's Officers & Gentlemens Shaving Soap
Strop: Tony Miller Heirloom tri-strop (3x25)
Razor: Mastro Livi: 6/8 - Ebony scales
ASB: Caswell-Massey Newport

Smooth shave.

Muehle R41 (vintage) and Wilkinson
Semogue 2000
O-Melhor shave cream
Brummel after shave
Chanel Allure Edition Blanche after shave balm
[Guerlain Vetiver Eau de Toilette]



The discontinued (now 'old') Muehle open comb is more aggressive than your average open comb razor, tends to approach my Tuckaway, blade gap is a fair bit and I like that. Handle could be less slippery but on the other hand the turn knob at the bottom is well designed and offers great grip for screw-in and out.

Once you get the angle right with these razors, they give an outstanding shave - forget what they say about aggressiveness; if your technique is good and solid, you have nothing to be afraid of.

The Semogue 2000 is a lovely brush, never fails to disappoint me, wish the handle was just larger (like my new 'Le Tuft' for example).

First use of the O-Melhor cream, excellent in all respects.

Re the Brummel after shave and the Chanel balm: the Brummel is what I would describe the 'ideal' barbershop after shave lotion scent, at least from what I remember that to be since childhood. The Chanel balm is very nice, calms the face and the scent is quite subtle.

Overall a nice and clean shave, even though I made an extra (and as usual unnecessary) XTG/ATG mix pass on the neck, which led to very minor irritation.

Picture taken with my Nokia E72, tried to get a bit more sleep this am...

PREP: Warm shower with conditioner in beard

BRUSH: Shavemac, Silvertip Badger

SOAP/CREAM: La Toja Manantiales

RAZOR: 8/8" Friodur

STROP: Kanayama

AS: Sabon

COLOGNE: Annick Goutal L'Eau d'Hadrien Absolu

RESULT: Another fabulous shave!

Prep: Hot Water Wash, Baby Oil Gel
Razor: The Swede
Brush: Omega Boar
Soap: VDH Deluxe
AS: Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Finish: Clubman, Firehouse Wacky Tacky

Simple as a brick but a great shave.

Pre-prep prep: Coffee
Prep: Hot shower, tingly facial scrub
Soap: Uber AOS Sandalwood, C.O. Bigelow and glycerin
Brush: No-name silvertip
Razor: 5/8 Diamondine spike, touched up on the Swaty
Strop: 30 linen 150 latigo Tony Miller latigo/linen 3" extra-wide
Balm: Shave Butter

Result: Not bad at all. Great shave with a great blade. Today marks the first time I utilized both hands during the shave, making sure I used the opposite-side hand for ATG pass. Not BBS, but very comfortable, which is important. If anything, it gives me a reason to shave tomorrow.

This was the second razor I ever honed from start, to finish. Nothing spectacular about this blade, just your typical extra-hollow spike. The one thing I do love is that it was acquired at a local antique store, complete with box. The scales were eaten away, so I had Glen re-scale it a year back. Pivot still nice and tight on the plain-black plastic scales. Simple, yet elegant.

Have a great day, gentlemen!

Originally Posted by DerekC

Pre-prep prep: Coffee

Good step!


Congrats on the honing! Keep up the practice. I'm just a few steps more down the road. I have a couple blades that I feel particularly good about. Most others....well...I'll keep at it!

Super speed Flair tip/Perma Sharp blade/Arko soap/Turkish HH#6/Polar Ice AS/Arko ASB

The Love fest continues. The gentle flair tip was just what I desperately needed after yesterdays rough shave. The HH#6 and Arko may be third world products, but they deliver a world class shave. Every aspect of the today's shave including my too thin, but very wet and slick lather was savored and enjoyed. It's a great day to be alive.

Great shaves today, Gentlemen.

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

Simple as a brick but a great shave.

Nothing wrong with simple!

Originally Posted by newb

Super speed Flair tip/Perma Sharp blade/Arko soap/Turkish HH#6/Polar Ice AS/Arko ASB

The Love fest continues. The gentle flair tip was just what I desperately needed after yesterdays rough shave. The HH#6 and Arko may be third world products, but they deliver a world class shave. Every aspect of the today's shave including my too thin, but very wet and slick lather was savored and enjoyed. It's a great day to be alive.

Great shaves today, Gentlemen.

I have been HEAVILY considering purchasing a DE to put in my shaving rotation, but I feel just like I did when I started with straights 2 years ago. Seems like the deep end of the pool, and I can't tell if I should buy new or used, or what blades to buy, and some razors apparently have an adjustment on them...the dark unknown. Scary, indeed. Only one way to find out, though. Dive in, right?

Originally Posted by DerekC

I have been HEAVILY considering purchasing a DE to put in my shaving rotation, but I feel just like I did when I started with straights 2 years ago. Seems like the deep end of the pool, and I can't tell if I should buy new or used, or what blades to buy, and some razors apparently have an adjustment on them...the dark unknown. Scary, indeed. Only one way to find out, though. Dive in, right?

Derek I started with a DE and I'd say that you've already been swimming in the deep end of the pool! DE razors are headed towards the shallow end I have a Gillette Fat Boy and t provides a fantastic shave. I just set it in the middle and go from there. I don't really use it anymore in fact. I love the straights too much.