WetShaving

Sep 27, 2023 - Sample September: Warmest Regards

• Prep: Klar - Activated Charcoal - Face Soap
• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Matador 26mm Sweet Spot Badger Knot
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue [3]
• Lather: Moon Soaps - Warmest Regards - Soap
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Massacre of the Innocents - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Lattafa Perfumes - Bade'e Al Oud (Oud for Glory) - Eau de Parfum

Warmest Regards and MotI pair really well together, despite being thematically oppositional.

Rating: 4.5/5

September 27, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Black 26mm G5A

• Razor: Dovo Bismarck 6/8" Full Hollow Round Point (Straight Shave 339)

• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Soap (62)

• Post Shave: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner

• Fragrance: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Eau de Parfum
   

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

This was a travel shave but it really doesn't matter. The edge on this Bismarck is astounding! I was really surprised by the closeness and comfort of this shave.

Wedge & Butcher

• Brush: Dogclaration LG 2022 Mystery Brush (B16)
• Razor: Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor -13/16 near wedge with barber’s notch
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts – Tres Matres
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Massacre of the Innocents
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Haverford

I woke up with a stuffy nose and this was my first run with Tres Matres so I don't think it did it justice. To be revisited.

The trusty W&B gave me that typical silent scrape-your-whiskers-away-in-stealth-mode™ experience. So different from a full hollow.

Sep. 27, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Karve Overlander
• Blade: UK Tech Statum
• Lather: House Of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap
• Post Shave: House Of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Good shave. Good equipment and excellent scent.

2023.09.27 SOTD:

• Prep: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser & Stirling Mentholated Pre-Shave Soap

• Brush: AKA Brushworks Amethyst Watchman with 26mm AP Shave Co G5C

• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy AL

• Blade: BiC Chrome Platinum (1)

• Lather: Elysian Pineapple Ambrosia w/ Permafrost

• Post Shave: Alum, Stirling Mentholated Unscented Witch Hazel and Aloe, Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime Aftershave Splash, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry

Threw in my last BiC in the Legacy today to see if I should grab more. I think I will. Nice and smooth shave today with any issue. I think the Wizamet are better, but it is nice to have options. Elysian Pineapple Ambrosia is quickly turning into one of my personal favorites, so I'm going to have to pick up other Elysian products as a result.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

• Prep: warm shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Lord Super Chrome (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Presto Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Nivea - Moisturizing Post Shave Balm

Not sure what happened but today was an uncomfortable shave. Dud blade? Not great lather? I did rush the lather a little, and it looked like it could maybe have been better but it didn't look awful. Oh well, still better than how it was pre-wetshaving.

September 27, 2023

• Brush: Maggard 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Red Tip Super Speed
• Blade: Bolzano (Germany) (2)
• Blade: My-Blades (Mystery country) (2)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Soap
• Post Shave: Razorock - Puros - Aftershave

Test #2, where I shaved the left side of my face with a Bolzano, and the right side with a My-Blades. They both felt very similar, but where it was an overall tie the first time, this time My-Blades gave me a better shave.

This concludes my testing, because as tsrblke points out there's no way to know if the blade I have will be the production blade.

Varen was amazing.

Prep: Splash of Cool Water
Razor: Fatip - Grande (Open Comb)
Blade: Gillette - Platinum (8)
Lather: Declaration Grooming Milksteak - Sunrise on Lasalle
Brush: Whipped Dog - Angel Hair Green Handle 24mm (2 uses)
Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Reserve Spice

Gear Pic :: Video

䷀ General Notes

So, the Slurry Lather works well with a Synthetic brush, and with the current base from Declaration Grooming: Milksteak.

It's not usually advisable to change two significant variables at once, when you're trying out something new, but honestly, I had a hunch they would be just fine. And I was not wrong.

The brush did hold enough water to do the method, and the milksteak, being so easy to lather in general, was great with the Slurry method.

I used a Weck single edge today, but mostly shaved with a Fatip Open Comb.

䷀ Razor and Blade Notes

(Fatip - Grande - Nickel Open Comb ::: Gillette - Platinum ‹8 uses›)

So I started off the shave with the Weck Sextoblade, but after working on my cheeks in the first pass, and having some issues, I grabbed a DE that was around, the faithful Fatip OC (Grande), which took care of my neck and the rest of the shave easily.

It was a week's growth after all. And my SR/Weck skills were just not up to the task of shaving off so much stubble, especially on my neck. It would have taken much too long for me to do it right.

But what I did do with the weck on my cheeks and a little on my neck, didn't generate any irritation, which was very nice.

The Fatip made sure I had a great shave and the Gill. Plat. was a fine match.

Razor and Blade Performance/Comfort Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)

䷀ Soap Notes

(Declaration Grooming Milksteak - Sunrise on Lasalle)

Them: "Originally located in Downtown Saint Louis, the floral market moved to LaSalle during a period of construction and growth and has been there for decades ever since. One of the oldest markets, it serves florists across the country. This scent is designed to reflect the early morning hours of freshly cut flowers, with their dew-laden sweetness and vibrant freshness. ~~ Notes: Pear, geranium, jasmine tea, and Virginia cedar."

Scent: On first use, I don't remember detecting any pear, but what I thought I was getting was a green, sinewy, grassy vibe. I liked it well enough... fresh, grassy, green and clean and natur-ey ... though it wasn't super interesting. There's definitely something else out there with a similar nature to it.

Scent Strength: 5/10, nicely present during shaving.

Lather... I was shaving off so much stubble that more work was done in pass one, than usual with a slurry lather. So at pass three, we were farther along, in that we were looking at a pretty mature lather. No big deal, but I did have to add some water.

Milksteak is a good soap base for the Slurry Lather method, it looks like. It is easy to lather for most folks, so I really didn't have many doubts about it.

Hydration: Perfect (for me)

• 8 sec load with a Very Wet brush

Bowl: No Bowl

䷀ Brush Notes

(Whipped Dog - Angel Hair Green Handle 24mm ‹2 uses›)

Worked great with the slurry lather method, it seems. Held enough water from the start. Not a ton, but enough. I did need to add more by the end, but that also may have been because the situation was a bit non-standard since the first pass was taking off so much stubble.

During the Shave Feel:
  Cheeks: Felt blade but comfortable
  Neck: Felt blade but comfortable
After the Shave Closeness:
  Cheeks: Near BBS - About as close as I'll ever get
  Neck: Cut flush to where I just see the tips (above average for me)

Ending of Blades Ledger - entry form and the data spreadsheet

September 27, 2023: Equine Greatest Hits Straightember

• Preshave: Proraso Green Preshave
• Brush: Semogue C3 Galahad Horse 🐎
• Razor: Parker Straight Razor
• Lather: Southern Witchcraft Valley of Ashes
• Post Shave: Mennen Skin Bracer
• Post Shave: Nivea After Shave Balm

The Parker straight somehow feels easier to handle than the Tiers-Issard. And Autumn Ash for the beginning of the cooler seasons - it feels very sweet, especially after Valley of Ashes. The lather was on the drier side, but I could still get a boom-shakalaka (but not one that would have been in a hurry). Not convinced of the combo AA and Skinbracer.

Have a good night!

Razor: unidentifiable branded 13/16 1949 Berlin Airlift Souvenir razor

Was so happy this came up in my rotation, this may be my favorite straight of all, and the brand mark is totally unidentifiable to me.

Smooth and easy, gorgeous, square point DFS.

Also this house of mammoth embrace is really good, and I like the lightly fruity smell.

Running out of Fine Barber Blue and debating moving on to my Proraso Green next or getting more of the Fine, it's such a bracing aftershave, great sensation to finish a shave

Best of all, boost for lemmy just downloaded so I can use Lemmy decently now