SOTD 12/16 Holidaze Blues

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Custom Boar by Steve Brown Swirl Handle
Soap: Maggard Razors Shaving Soap– London Barbershop
Razor: ’32 -40 Gillette New Long Comb Bar Handle
Blade: Derby Extra(2)
Splash:   Humphreys Alcohol Free Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel Facial Toner
Post: Pinaud Clubman Classic

What a last 5 days or so.  Talk about riding a roller coaster.  The good news is my old truck is back on the road finally.  Turns out it was the mass air sensor(?).  So we disassembled & cleaned it.  Truck is running better than it has in months.  Next up, need to replace tie rods and other front end thingys.  Can you tell I’m not a “car guy”?  LOL  Thank God for “shade tree” mechanics!

So-so shave this morning.  I haven’t used this Long Comb razor in forever, and it was pretty clear I have lost the feel of it.  Need to put it back into regular rotation.  Had a hard time maintaining the correct angle for some reason.  I ended up BBS, but paid for it with a few dings here and there.  Nothing major but much more than I usually ever get.  I have been favoring less aggressive razors all summer.  It’s time I bring my Long and Short combs (New & Old style) back out!

Second shave on the Derby blade.  I like using this blade in more aggressive razors as it’s a bit more forgiving than sharper blades like the Personna Red.  Although this morning it didn’t seem to spare me much, but that’s user error not the blades fault lol

 

SOTD 12/7 Celtic Blade

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Custom Boar by Steve Brown Swirl Handle
Soap: Catie’s Bubbles – Celtic Knot
Razor: ’30-’40s Clix Bakelite
Blade: Treet Platinum
Splash:   Wal-Mart Witch hazel 86%
Post: Brut After Shave Balm & Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue

Cold and foggy this morning.  Still there was a lot of foot traffic downtown.  As cold as it is right now, it’s NOTHING like the madness I was dealing with this time last year so I’m not complaining!  Seriously.  Plus Chico gets to show off his outfits.  He loves the attention lol

Had a good shave this morning.  Pulled out that sample of Caties Bubbles Celtic Knot that I’d nearly forgotten I had.  I really like how this soap performs.  Since it’s a sample, I just press a quarter sized amount into the bottom of the mug and whip into it with just a little water.  Get’s me a smooth, creamy lather with great slickness and decent cushion.  The blade just slides through it with ease.  I like the scent also, but it seems to disappear fast, which isn’t a deal breaker for me.  Just means I don’t have to worry about it clashing with my after shave du jour!

Paired the Clix razor with a Treet Platinum blade.  haven’t used one in a while so it was a pleasant surprise that it was as smooth and sharp as it was.  Mowed through 3 days of prickly growth with no issues.  No irritation, even in my problem areas.  I don’t know why this blade fell off of my radar.  Time will tell.

“May your coffee be strong, and your Monday be short!”

 

12/2 Oops Upside ya Head

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Custom Boar by Steve Brown Swirl Handle
Soap: Maggard Razors Shaving Soap (Tallow) – London Barbershop
Razor: ’88 Gillette Super Adjustable – Black Beauty
Blade: Lord Platinum (2)
Splash:   Wal-Mart Witch hazel 86%
Post: Nivea Sensitive After Shave Balm & Pinaud Clubman Classic

Pretty frosty this morn. Down in the mid 20s.  Still no snow though so I can deal with the cold!  I would not be disappointed if we had a green Christmas!  I really don’t think Chico would be either LOL

Odd shave today.  Started out with a proven favorite from Maggards, London Barbershop.  I’ve talked many times previously about how much I love this soap.  But for some reason today the performance was sub-par.  I know it has to be user error as it’s performed flawlessly for me many, many times.  But I can’t figure out what went south.  I prepared it the same way I always do.  maybe there’s been an unnoticed change in my water.  I just could not get a decent lather.  I got a lather, but it wasn’t the thick, cushion-y lather that I typically get with this soap.  It got the job done, but I was a little disappointed.

Secondly, I previously paired a Lord Platinum blade with my Black Beauty, which is typically a decent match.  Today not so much.  I’m blaming it on the blade.  I have noticed that the Lords can occasionally be inconsistent.  I think that’s the case with this blade.  It just wasn’t smooth at all.  I got BBS, but with mild irritation in many spots. Gonna pull the blade.  Cie la vie!

It’s Hump Day!  My mid-week drink today will be a bottle of Not Your Fathers Rootbeer from SmallTown Brewery!  That beer is good!

SOTD 11/23 The Holidaze Begins…

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: GBS Pure Badger Brush
Soap: RazoRock Brain Freeze
Razor: ’88 Gillette Super Adjustable – Black Beauty
Blade: Astra SP
Splash:   Humphreys Alcohol Free Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel Facial Toner
Post: Fine Classic After Shave – Platinum

Yep.  Winter has arrived, just in time for Thanksgiving.  it was about 21 degrees Fahrenheit this morning, and we have a good 3 inches on the ground.  Was still a pretty nice walk this morning.  Chico was irritated because he hates walking on salt.  But he wont let me pick him up, and he refuses to wear paw covers, and we live downtown.  There is salt everywhere.  He just has to deal with it. I just keep an eye on his paws for any problems.

Really smooth shave this morning!  Pulled out the RazoRock.  This soap was one of my first artisan soaps.  back when I first grabbed it, RazoRock was all over the shave groups and forums.  Now I never see the brand mentioned anymore.  What’s up with that?  Did he “fall off”?  If I missed something, please fill me in!  Aside from that, I still love this soap.  It was also my first real menthol soap.  It doesn’t feel nearly as icy as it did back then, but I attest that to me becoming more tolerant of it.  Still has a nice chill though.  Makes a nice smooth lather, and has decent glide.  Skin feels moisturized afterwards.  Good soap.

Matched up an Astra SP blade with my Black Beauty.  This is always a great combo.  Performed as expected.  Was able to achieve BBS with minimal effort.  Some tiny spot of irritation on the back of my head but I blame that on user error.

So what are your T-Bird Day plans?

 

SOTD 11/13 HULK SHAVE!!!

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Custom Boar by Steve Brown Swirl Handle
Soap: Dr. Jon’s Handcrafted Shaving Soap – Big Green Monster
Razor: Maggard Razors MR3
Blade: Derby Extra(3)
Splash:   Humphreys Alcohol Free Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel Facial Toner
Post: Brut After Shave Lotion & Fine After Shave – Platinum

It is COLD and windy this morning!  Not as windy as yesterday when we had 60mph wind gusts, but it is still very windy today.  And wet since it rained all night.  Plus they are predicting that moisture could turn into snow flurries.  Nice, right?  NO.

After that frigid walk I was looking forward to a nice warm shave.  Opted for the Big Green Monster by Dr. Jon’s.  I like the scent of this soap.  Another one of those thats a complex scent for me – peppermint, basil, and lime.  It’s a great combination.  Whips up into a nice creamy lather.  Not the most dense but has decent cushion and slickness.  Good skin feel after the shave.  And for those that care about such things – it’s a vegan soap.

Third shave on the Derby blade.  Still decently sharp.  Definitely not as smooth.  But no errors or blooding this morning.  Had to chase the baby a bit in my problem areas but otherwise a smooth and comfortable shave.

TGIF!  Have a great weekend!  I’m going to Chicago.  What are your favorite stops there?

SOTD 11/9 Derby Deuce

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Shea Synthetic Brush
Soap: Derby Shaving Cream – Mint
Razor: Maggard Razors MR3
Blade: Derby Extra
Splash:   Humphreys Alcohol Free Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel Facial Toner
Post: Gillette After Shave Lotion & Pinaud Clubman Vanilla AS

Beautiful brisk weather this morning.  29 degrees Fahrenheit and there’s still dummies walking around in short sleeves.  Even saw one jogger still in shorts!  Really? Smh.  Regardless Chico and I enjoyed our walk, both bundled up appropriately lol

Pulled out another of my “cheap” favorites..Derby Shaving cream.  This soap is so cheap (under $3 most places), and it performs so well!  Just a quarter sized dollop will whip into creamy, slick lather with just a small amount of water.  Great cushion and skin feel.  For less than three bucks!  How can you beat that?  I have two “flavors”, Mint & Lemon.  I have to admit the Lemon is my favorite as it reminds me of the candy Lemonheads.  The Mint is, well I don’t actually smell any mint, nor do I feel an “cooling” so the name Mint could be kind of misleading.  But still it’s a definite must buy!

Made it a double Derby day with a Derby Extra blade in the MR3.  Nicely sharp right off the bat.  Not as smooth as say the Astra SP but not overly harsh either.  Mowed through 3 days growth will little effort.  So couple of small patches of mild irritation is the only down side to this mornings shave.  BBS from dome to neck!

“Be who you truly are, and say what you truly feel…” – Anon

11/6 Stick ‘Em Ha Ha Ha Stick ‘Em

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Omega 48 Pro Boar (Brushzilla)
Soap: Genuine Ogallala Bay Rum Shave Stick – Bay Rum & Lemon Grass
Razor: ’44(?) Gillette Post WW2 Tech Razor w/ Bakelite Handle
Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword (3)
Splash:   Thayers Natural Remedies Lemon Witch Hazel w/ Aloe Vera Astringent
Post: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Lotion & Lucky Tiger Bay Rum AS

Here comes the rain again.. woke up this morning channeling Annie Lennox.  We got drenched over night, and today are going to get hit by a huge cold front.  Fun right? The high temp for today occurred at MIDNIGHT, so it’s all colder from there.  Not looking forward to it.

So I was rumbling around in the bathroom last night and guess what I found stuck behind the shelves, hidden from view?  My Ogallala shaving stick!  I had totally forgotten about this gem!  Outta sight outta mind right?  Well I’m so glad I re-discovered this soap.  First the fragrance.  I love the scent of this soap.  A perfect blend of lemongrass and bay rum!  Just lemony enough without being overbearingly citrus-y.  And I love their take on the classic bay rum scent.  A tad sweet with a nice blend of spices.  Plus it’s a stick!  I love sticks for the convenience and because they are just plain fun to use.  I just rub it on the dome like a stick of butter.  Dosen’t take much, just a thin layer.  Then I pull out my big ole Omega 48 brush and massage up a smooth, slick lather!  The Omega generates and holds enough soap for 3 complete passes on the dome without reapplying the soap!  No bowl needed.  I really need to explore other stick soaps.  I know my favorite Arko has a stick version…

3rd shave on the Wilkinson.  Definitely has lost a lot of smoothness.  Stuttered a bit here and there on only 2 days growth.  Two days growth on my face/dome is probably like 12 hours growth on some of you guys LOL  Ended up BBS but paid for it with a couple of small weepers and some slight irritation over the ears.  Nothing major.  Just have to remember not to take the Sword blades past 2 shaves.

Have a great weekend!

SOTD 11/2 Dragon Fall

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: Custom Boar by Steve Brown Swirl Handle
Soap: Kell’s Original Handcrafted Shaving Soap – Dragons Blood (Hemp/Aloe Blend)
Razor: ’44(?) Gillette Post WW2 Tech Razor w/ Bakelite Handle
Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword
Splash:   Thayers Natural Remedies Lemon Witch Hazel w/ Aloe Vera Astringent
Post: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Lotion & Master Well Bay Rum AS

Hello November!  Hate to see you so soon, but at least you showed up in a good mood right?  I started a bit early but I’m growing my facial hair for Movember (or No Shave November), whichever LOL  So now just shaving dome and neck.  Great morning walk today. I love getting up an hour later.  Feels like I got away with sleeping in 🙂

Great shave today.  I was lazy this past weekend so I had to deal with 3 days growth this morning.  Pulled out the Dragons Blood soap by Kells.  LOVE the scent of this soap.  Lathers easily and makes a nice smooth lather.  Not super dense, but has great cushion and slickness.  After shave skin feel is smooth and hydrated.  Definitely a recommendation if you haven’t tried a Kell’s soap.

I popped a sharp Wilkinson Sword blae into the WW2 Tech this morning.  Turns out to be a really good pairing.  The Sword is sharp and smooth, and the Tech is just aggressive enough to make mowing down 3 days growth nice & easy.  Very minor touch up in the usual spots.  No errors.  Ended up baby butt smooth dome and throat.  And that’s how she likes it 😉

“It’s Monday.  You can do this..” – Coffee

SOTD 10/21 Fat Boys Deux

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Grapefruit
Brush: WSP Silvertip Badger
Soap: Catie’s Bubbles – Celtic Knot
Razor: ’61 Gillette Adjustable “Fat Boy” aka Mr. Big Stuff
Blade: Treet Platinum(2)
Splash:   Humphreys Alcohol Free Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel Facial Toner
Post: Brut Post Shave Balm & Pinaud Clubman Classic

Quiet morning today.  I like how it’s still dark-ish when I walk now.  It’s a calmer ambiance I think.  Chico loves walking in the dark.  We need to do a midnight walk again soon.

Was out on the town a bit last night, and imbibed a tad more than I should have on a weeknight so woke up a little foggy and sluggish.  Wanted a strong, masculine scent to wake me up.  Celtic Knot filled the bill.  I don’t know if they consider it “masculine” but to me it smells “man-ish”.  If you aren’t familiar with this soap, it’s a firmer soap.  I tend to press some in the bottom of my “whipping bowl” and that works out rather well.  Makes a nice, creamy lather.  Not too dense but not overly fluffy either.  Good cushion.

Second shave on the Treet blade.  I can feel already that it’s not quite as smooth as the initial shave.  Not bad, but not as smooth.  I may not do a 3rd shave with this blade.  No blood today, but I did hit that vertical nick from Monday.  Ow.  Other than that ended up BBS with minimal effort.

Happy Hump Day!!

SOTD 10/19 Chocolate Cherries

Pre: Maggard Razors PSO – Cherry Vanilla Sandalwood
Brush: Omega 48 Pro Boar (Brushzilla
Soap: Mickey Lee Soapworks – Bee Witched
Razor: ’61 Gillette Adjustable “Fat Boy” aka Mr. Big Stuff
Blade: Treet Platinum
Splash:   Wal-Mart Witch Hazel 86%
Post: Pinaud Clubman – Vanilla

Man, it was COLD this weekend!  That doesn’t bode well for how intense this Winter is going to be.  I’m really not looking forward to it, but I live in Michigan, so what can I do right? LOL  Not as cold this morning.  Had a nice walk with Chico over by the train depot along the tracks.  Peaceful.

I didn’t post any shaves last week, so I’m getting back into the swing of things today.  This mornings shave was pretty darn good.  Pulled out Mickey Lee’s Bee Witched.  LOVE everything about this soap.  The scent, the lather, the skin feel, the cushion & glide.  Definitely need to pick up another scent from them.

Paired the Fat Boy with a Treet Platinum.  Haven’t used that blade since 2014 if I recall correctly.  Sharp blade.  Not as smooth as the Astra, but not harsh either.  had the Fat Boy set on ‘4’ initially, then dialed down to ‘3’ for the last two passes.  Had a couple days growth to deal with but the Treet handled it well.  I did get a small vertical nick on my neck just behind my right ear but it was user error.  I was streaming old school jams and “Freddy Jackson – Rock Me Tonight” came on and suddenly it was karaoke at the Apollo LOL  But I digress 😉

“Monday is one of my favorite days of the week. My 7th favorite. ” – Unknown