Shave of the Day Thread - 2016

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Soap. CRSW is outstanding. The barbershop reminds me of Mikes.
Blade. Henckles 38 1/2 hollow. Smooth as!
Brush. Semogue BC Texugo. Probably the best badger face latherer I've tried yet. Not too big or small, dense or floppy, they nailed it.
After. Antisol. Just a few shaves left :'-( it's been a good run.
 
Razor: Gillette Excel Cartridge System Holder
Blade: OEM Gillette Excel Cartridge (2)
Brush: Muhle Travel Synthetic
Soap/Cream: D R Harris Arlington
Aftershave: Left at home :(

Home tonight - decent shave tomorrow!
 
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Pre: La Toja Pre Shave Soap
Brush: Simpson Persian Jar 2
Razor: ATT Colossus
Blade: Polsilver SI
Soap: Phoenix & Beau - Sanskrit
Balm: Geo F Trumper - West Indian Limes
Splash: Beaver Woodright - Thomas Tew

I took the opportunity to use a sample of 'Sanskrit' @Benjamin so kindly sent me and was glad I did. I also received a sample of 'Spitfire' which I am now looking forward very much to using. I hadn't used P&B before, but from the consistency of the samples I had a fair idea what I could expect. It's definitely a nice artisan soap, good performance and a really nice, unusual scent. I took the Pj2 out for a run today too, it's a lovely brush and the handle is fantastic. A very elegant piece with the usual Simpson performance despite a smaller knot.

I decided to run with a Polsilver instead of my usual Feather and I would have to say both blades are comparable, with my initial impression being that feathers are slightly sharper - I will see how many shaves I get out of the Polsilver as I usually only get 4 shaves to a feather blade. Polsilvers shave well, definitely no complaints in that regard and I suspect that their slightly less sharp edge may provide a margin of error in relation to the occasional nicks or cuts I get with the Feathers if I am in a rush.

A different way to start Saturday, but a very enjoyable shave :)
 
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Pre - Hot towel
Brush - Semogue 620
Soap - Mystic Waters , Coconut Sandalwood
Razor - Merkur 34c
Blade - Polsilver SI (2)
Post Shave - Alum

Round 2 with the Mystic Waters Soap from the generous @todras this morning. I know from other’s experience with this soap that it is great stuff, but I certainly haven’t mastered it yet.

My first try yesterday didn’t go that well. There was just not much to the lather, I think that I underloaded the brush. I added some more soap before 2nd pass, which helped a bit.

Today I watched a few videos about this soap, loaded the hell out it with a pretty dry brush, really took my time adding water and building the lather, but still not too good. The lather went from to thick and dry to thin and watery.

Any tips kind sirs? :confused:
 
Benjamin said:
My first try yesterday didn’t go that well. There was just not much to the lather, I think that I underloaded the brush. I added some more soap before 2nd pass, which helped a bit.
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I use around a brazil nuts worth of lather with mystic waters soap which is twice what I would normally use (Around an almonds worth of all other soaps). About 1/4 of that sample tub I sent you, 2.5 grams or thereabouts as a quantity for a generous 3 pass shave.

When I am using a sample of soap/cream(or any other soap in a container smaller than a regular tub size) I scoop it out of the sample tub and press it flatly and evenly across the bottom surface of my scuttle/bowl to create an even layer of soap and mostly to maximise surface area for coating the bristles of my brush. I then put 6 or 7 drops of luke-warm water into the bottom of the bowl and begin coating the bristles of a damp, but not dripping wet brush by swirling it around and over the layer of soap to make a sticky paste. I then slowly add more water in 5 or 6 drops at a time every 30 or 40 seconds over 3 minutes while making the lather. Around 1/4 to1/2 a tablespoon of water goes in at the very most, possibly even less.

I see a lot of bubbles with mystic waters lathers in the early stages, but I keep lathering at really fast and slow speeds without adding more water and after an extra minute they dissolve into the lather.

The other interesting characteristic I have personally observed with Mystic Waters Soaps is that it takes an extra minute or 2 of lathering to really get there. Whereas some soaps build to a great lather in 2 mins from load (B+M, Shaver Heaven, Stirling etc). Mystic takes that extra minute or so to develop but when it hits the 'shiny yoghurt' window it's just like wow! this is a well made soap.

I hope this is of some assistance, please let me know how you get on and don''t hesitate to drop me a PM if you would like a little more soap :)
 
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Cheers for the details @todras !
I did use your technique of spreading the sample on the bottom of my bowl over a large surface area. However, I loaded the brush using less water and then went to face lather with a very dry paste and slowly fed in a little water at a time.
I can imagine your technique being more successful. I'll try give it a try.
Thanks mate!
 
todras said:
I use around a brazil nuts worth of lather with mystic waters soap which is twice what I would normally use (Around an almonds worth of all other soaps). About 1/4 of that sample tub I sent you, 2.5 grams or thereabouts as a quantity for a generous 3 pass shave.
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Great advice.
But I think most of the members who have Mystic Waters use about 7.5 to 10 grams PER shave. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
 
Benjamin said:
Cheers for the details @todras !
I did use your technique of spreading the sample on the bottom of my bowl over a large surface area. However, I loaded the brush using less water and then went to face lather with a very dry paste and slowly fed in a little water at a time.
I can imagine your technique being more successful. I'll try give it a try.
Thanks mate!
Click to expand...
Stay on the puck and add the water there...do it until the lather on the puck is to your licking (shave ready) - then go to your face and hydrate the lather that is in the brush...
 
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Pre-Shave: Cyprusian Olive/Argan Oil soap, cold water
Razor 1st-2nd pass: Weck Sextoblade
Razor 3rd pass: BBS-1
Blade 1st-2nd pass: Personna Hairshaper (3)
Blade 3rd pass: Ladas (3)
Brush: Doug Korn Epsilon 2-band
Soap: Mystic Water The Brown Windsor
Post-shave: Alum, Barrister & Man Kyovu Original, South Australian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil​

Nearly perfect shave with the shavette today - only 2 tiny weepers and I was thinking already going for an ATG - the lather was perfect (picture here) and the end result sensational - hope you all have great shaves as well (y)
 
alfredus said:
Stay on the puck and add the water there...do it until the lather on the puck is to your licking (shave ready) - then go to your face and hydrate the lather that is in the brush...
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You are correct , but he is using a sample container not a full size puck. One of the small 10g containers that I use to send my samples out in so there is not the surface area to load thus the bottom of the bowl/scuttle technique :)
 
todras said:
You are correct , but he is using a sample container not a full size puck. One of the small 10g containers that I use to send my samples out in so there is not the surface area to load thus the bottom of the bowl/scuttle technique :)
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That's what I meant of course: create a large surface area with the sample in a dish of your choosing and then load/add water until the lather on top is already shave ready...
todras said:
:censored:

That is just 'off the hook' as the kids these days like to say.
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Thank you sir (y)
 
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