Thread: January 28 - February 03

Bass boar bristle
Proraso creme
Michigan farmer 5/8 spike
alum
C.J. Bigalow bay rum balm

Messed up and made the lather with much less water than usual, it came out even thicker than the canned stuff. Looked cool so I tried it anyway, and what do you know I got BBS with one less pass than usual and no burn at all. Unbelievable, I've been using this stuff for a couple of tubes now and thought I'd gotten it as good as it could get. Man what a way to mess up!!!

Sat:

Rooney small style 1
Williams Mug Soap
Hand American strop
5/8 Koeller spike, with ebony scales
Harris face milk

Hot Damn!!!! After over a week, I finally won the battle over the Koeller. It's very hard and very brittle (possibly nitrogen embrittlement from the chrome plating?), but I'm glad I kept at it.

I couldn't keep it from microchipping on the Norton, Shaptons, and even the barber hones were causing problems. I finally got it chip-free on the translucent arkansas and tam o'shanter (thanks for the tip Joe!), then when I moved up to the shaptons I used them dry which really cut down on their stiction, and kept them from rechipping the edge. Finished up the razor on the trichromium dioxide-on-poplar paddle, and got a great shave this morning.

Edit: The wife has named this razor "Little Bitch" :-)

Feather Japanese SuperPro Blade
Simpson's T4
Mitchell's Wool Fat
Proraso ASB
Tabac EDC

Neutrogena conditioner
Shavemac 501
C&E Sienna shave soap
6/8 Dovo Inox Fritz Bracht
Alum
Pinaud Bay Rum A/S

3rd time out with the Sienna soap, excellent results this time. I shook most of the water out of the brush so that I could work it on the puck longer w/o lather running over the sides of that shallow wooden bowl it comes in, then added water as required working up later and shaving. No problems with it drying out, no weepers, nice shave and nice scent.

The stainless Dovo spent a little time on the chromium oxide.

Hot Shower

C&E BBB
Proraso Pre / Post
Trumpers Rose / Taylors Rose 50/50 mix - thought I'd try a mixed blend
Wacker 6/8 .25 hollow
Alum
Thayers Rose WH
Nivea ASB
Tabac Cologne

Great Shave

Thought I'd just post a non-shave of the day.

Spent all day outside today chores, etc. It was at most 15F with 20 to 30 MPH winds. I came back in and enjoyed some coco, but more importantly saw my red face in the mirror. I also felt it burn in my shower so despite a nice crop of stubble. With my razors calling me, I had the willpower to say "not today" and walk away from the sink unshaven. Pain free

Some days you just have to know when you have put your face through too much.

40th birthday shave with;

C&E Sienna Cream
Kingwood scaled Wm. Greaves & Son wedge (thanks Jason )
Thayer's Witch Hazel (no boobs yet ) Skin Astringent with Aloe

Can't wait to tell you about that blade. No time now. Beautiful woman needs my attention.

X

I haven't shaved yet. I'm about to.

I was driving myself crazy because I just read an email that indicates there are some problems that, probably, I have to deal with at work. It's a tough spot to be in.

On top of it, my beard itches! It's been bugging me all day. I haven't shaved in a week.

So rather than think about that email, I thought about shaving and was brought here because I thought to myself that so long as there's someone else in the world shaving with a straight razor...

So I'm about to shave.

Filarmonica Doble Temple
Touch up on a C-MON barber hone
Tony Miller strop
Hot shower
Williams Mug Soap
Pinaud--I'm almost out! Yeah. Don't like it too much.

I know what it will take to focus and concentrate and I'm very much looking forward to this!

- lickthefrog

Hot rinse
Proraso green
Creme de barbe (a new tube of pre-shave cream from Classic Shaving)

Trumpers Sandalwood cream
Edwin Jagger BBadger brush

TM red latigo strop
5/8 Lewis roundpoint

Thayers Lemon Witchhazel with Aloe Vera (Great stuff!)
Proraso a/s balm
Tabac aftershave

2 quick passes and job done with no nicks or irritation. I even managed to get half of my jawline done which felt precarious to say the least.