Shave of the Day Thread - 2016

[Mark1966]

Razor: Weber Polished Head on Bulldog Handle
Blade: Vintage NOS French Gillette Super Stainless (5)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch distressed Culmak reknotted with TGN Finest
Soap/Cream: Stirling Soap Company - Glacial Obsidian
Aftershave: Mennen Skin Bracer

Been a heatwave here in CBR so went back to the menthols to re-try they. Grabbed the Glacial Obsidian and ignored my wife's gagging response as she walked into the bathroom while I was lathering - she really doesn't like the scent!

Loaded up well, huge rich, thick lather to apply to my face, SMACK! Wow, I'm feeling a little like George Foreman (search rumble in the jungle if you are too young to understand), this thing really has a menthol hit which I've not gotten used to.

Two and a half passes, cold water rinse - face tingling and eyes watering. The Skin Bracer is a let down in comparison. Thanks again for the sample @eggbert, these must go down well in Darwin. I'd almost recommend you avoid this one @Dale.Whiley if the Arctic Mango Extreme made your face numb!

 

[SpeedyPC]

Brush: Simpsons Berkeley 46 Best Badger 2-band
Razor: Merkur Progress Long Handle (Blade Gap #2)
Blade: GSB (4)
Soap/Cream: Tabac Soap
After Shave: Natio Maximum Razor Relief Healing Lotion
Fragrance: Tabac Spray EDT

 

[Osman]

20160225_084402 by Osman Mehmed, on Flickr
Preshave: Top Seven Emulsion
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 with Windrose handle
Blade: Dorco Prime Platinum(3)
Brush: Simpsons Duke 3 in Best(thanks @Lifes a Peach )
Soap: B&M Latha
Post Shave: Thayers lemon Witchhazel and Proraso Green AS
Three pass shave with clean up required. Will post thoughts on the Dorco blade soon. The Latha performed as expected and I have a lot of love for the brush. No nicks or cuts or irritation and the result is a DFS.

 

[Mark1966]

Brush: Simpsons Berkeley 46 Best Badger 2-band
Razor: Merkur Progress Long Handle (Blade Gap #2)
Blade: GSB (4)
Soap/Cream: Tabac Soap
After Shave: Natio Maximum Razor Relief Healing Lotion
Fragrance: Tabac Spray EDT

Nice SOTD, Berkeley a fine brush, Tabac nice choice!

 

[SpeedyPC]

@Mark1966 Thanks I'm loving my Berkeley 46 Best Badger 2-band while I still have my Duke 3 Best side by side

And speaking for the Tabac the EDT was very hard to get and I've managed to located a website from Melbourne https://www.fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au/shop-by-brand/tabac?s=Tabac once you've registered you're name to the site you'll get a 5% off as a member and when you've build up you're points the product will get a lot cheaper and free postage

 

[eggbert]

The Skin Bracer is a let down in comparison.

I thought it was a bit of a let down too. I've only used it the once, but barely felt a tingle of menthol. It's only saving grace is that as its alcohol based it will accept more menthol crystals when I get around to buying some.

 

[Sxot]

Pre: Occams Lime
Brush: Semgoue 1800
Soap: Mystic Waters - Sandalwood Rose & Tabac
Razor: Merkur 34c
Blade: Dorco Prime Platinum
Post: Thayers Witch Hazel AS with Aloe
Splash: Brut 33
​

Thanks again @Lifes a Peach for the Mystic Waters Sample. Smell is amazing from the packet although seemed to lose it somewhat when lathered (but see below)? I have read about the interwebs this can be difficult to lather for some and looks as thought I am one of those some. I couldn't decide if I had too much or not enough water so went from adding water to loading more soap. End product faded fast leaving me to re-lather my left side after shaving the right side. It was virtually completely gone! Since I am testing the blade here I went to Tabac for the second and third pass which is a no-brainer, slick as and sweeeeeet smelling. It's lunch time and I can still smell it on my hands and and face. I'm off the B&B where I saw a thread on lathering Mystic Waters.

Continue to focus on technique but today's lathering has shown me one thing - lather is important. Durr.

 

[Draco Noir]

Face Wash : Shower
Pre-Shave : Draco's Pre/Post Shaving Oil
Brush : Thater 2-Band
Soap : Speick Rasiercreme
Razor : Puma 89 Special (6/8" Hollow Ground)
After Shave : Speick AS + Speick EDT

Ein Deutsch Rasur (A German shave). Yes, I've succumbed to the "Travel Bug" for my SOTDs this week, and I'm having a great time. Today we're off to Germany, which has been rightly renowned for the quality of its straight Razors for well over a century. I faced a few choices for soap and post-shave products from Germany but settled on Speick in the interest of keeping the same basic fragrance throughout the shave.

After yesterday's effort with shaving cream producing too much lather, I was a bit more conservative with quantity today. The Thater brush did a beautiful job of coaxing a really good lather from the Speick Creme, and it was time for action. The wonderful Puma 89 performed exactly as expected : quiet, fuss-free and very close. Two passes produced a near BBS result all over. I finished off the shave with Speick AS, which delivered a really pleasant skin feel, and a bit later a squirt or 3 of Speick EDT for some real fragrance staying power.

I must admit to really liking Speick's products. They all share a distinct herbal fragrance which is very clean and pleasant to me. They all represent excellent value for money too. Those who haven't tried them yet : put them on the "One of These Days" list.

Another excellent and enjoyable shave, still managing to follow the single country of origin theme

 

[Lifes a Peach]

Hey @Sxot - I was in the same boat. My first experience with Mystic Water was a huge disappointment, quite similar to yours. And then one day it just worked. It's mysterious.

Can I suggestion 2 options for you to try.

1. Rub the sample on your face, just like a shave stick. This method never failed me in the past.
2. Follow this guys method ->

Don't give up on this one mate. It's a beautiful performer.

 

[Lifes a Peach]

Another unexpectedly great shave, based on a whim and a theme - really rewarding fun

* This shave dedicated to our very own Captain Kirk (@Lifes a Peach) who also goes boldly wherever he darn well pleases

Wow, thank you Mr @Draco Noir ! A Draco shave dedicated to me leaves me without speech
Stay tuned as Captain Kirk makes a return on Monday

 

[silver]

Pre-Shave: Geo F Trumper Skin Food
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2
Soap: DR Harris Lavender Soap
Razor: iKon B1 Slant
Blade: Feather
Post shave toner: Khiel's Calendula Toner
Post shave balm: Aesop Morrocan Neroli Post Shave Lotion

Skin around the chin is still a little sore from the watery lather from the night before. This time around, the soap is better than yesterday, really thick and cushiony with a lot of slick to it. Love the chubby, face lathering with the chubby really makes it shine. Slants are just so efficient but the second shave with the Feather doesn't seem as sharp as the first, I really like sharp blades. I read that slants really do make your blades last not as long, seems like it is true.

 

[Korbz]

Brush: RR Monster Synth 26mm
Soap: Mitchell's Wool Fat
Razor: 34c
Blade: Permasharp (4)
Post: Thayers, Speick, some cortisone cream for a couple of spots that need help

I say this every time I use MWF, I need to use it more. It's just such an awesome all round performer.

 

[eggbert]

Hey @Sxot - I was in the same boat. My first experience with Mystic Water was a huge disappointment, quite similar to yours. And then one day it just worked. It's mysterious.

I'm with @Sxot on this one. I gave up trying to get a decent lather out of it.
The water up here is almost as soft as Melbourne's, so it shouldn't be difficult to get a lather out of anything. Mine were sold on to someone who appreciates them more. I won't be going back.

 

[Sxot]

Hey @Sxot - I was in the same boat. My first experience with Mystic Water was a huge disappointment, quite similar to yours. And then one day it just worked. It's mysterious.

Can I suggestion 2 options for you to try.

1. Rub the sample on your face, just like a shave stick. This method never failed me in the past.
2. Follow this guys method ->

Don't give up on this one mate. It's a beautiful performer.

Thanks for the advice.
I had decided earlier today after a little research that life is too short to try and make a soap lather when I have three or four now that lather easy and perform very well. I though I'd chuck it in the back of the cupboard to try again in the future. Something did occur to however. This this video and another they both move the soap from the supplied tub to a much wider one. I have the sample pressed into a curved Tupperware container (no flat bottom) and the result is the surface area is only about that of a 50c piece. I might try and find something with a flat base to spread it over, more surface area and see if that helps (or use it as a stick as you suggest). I will also try the Duke 2 in it since some say it needs a dense knot.

Actually as we were talking about lather videos in the other thread, this guy gives a great close-up of the lather. Shows how dense it is but especially how glossy it is

 

[alfredus]

Great shave and great picture @alfredus - thank you

You are way too kind my friend!

 

[alfredus]

Thanks for the advice.
I had decided earlier today after a little research that life is too short to try and make a soap lather when I have three or four now that lather easy and perform very well. I though I'd chuck it in the back of the cupboard to try again in the future. Something did occur to however. This this video and another they both move the soap from the supplied tub to a much wider one. I have the sample pressed into a curved Tupperware container (no flat bottom) and the result is the surface area is only about that of a 50c piece. I might try and find something with a flat base to spread it over, more surface area and see if that helps (or use it as a stick as you suggest). I will also try the Duke 2 in it since some say it needs a dense knot.

Actually as we were talking about lather videos in the other thread, this guy gives a great close-up of the lather. Shows how dense it is but especially how glossy it is

As someone who absolutely loves Mystic Waters I can only say this: once you have it right (the way it looks in the video) - you will look very differently at a lot of other soaps. Your definition of "perform very well" will change...

In the meantime: a small surface area for loading is always a bad idea - it will make your life a pain. It is much easier to press the sample (really thin) in a wide vessel. I learned this some time ago with sample from Mike's - I couldn't get the samples to work, but had no problem with the full puck in a tin...took me some time to figure it out.

The second issue: water. I don't know about you, but here in Adelaide we have very hard water and I prefer to use distilled water - makes lathering so much more fun!

 

[MrT]

The splash. This bottle cost $20, so man was I shocked to see it was a tiny 118ml!! This isn't a scent. It smells of it's ingredients and has no perfume so it's probably better called a post shave tonic/balm and topped with a scent if you desire. Anyway, it works! Soothing very quickly as it says leaving skin soft to the touch. I like it but yes, there could be cheaper and equal alternatives out there.​

Just get yourself a bottle of Dickinson's Witch Hazel from the chemist. Very good stuff IMO. A decent sized bottle is less than $10. It doesn't smell fantastic, but the smell dissipates very quickly so you are free to use whatever scent you want afterwards.​

 

[Volare]

Just get yourself a bottle of Dickinson's Witch Hazel from the chemist. Very good stuff IMO. A decent sized bottle is less than $10. It doesn't smell fantastic, but the smell dissipates very quickly so you are free to use whatever scent you want afterwards.​

+1. Comes in a generous 240ml bottle for only $6 from CW - Link is here . You don't use this product for the scent anyway and I agree, it dissipates quickly and won't clash with anything else you put on. It does help tone/condition the skin and it works well.

 

[SpeedyPC]

@Korbz I've got this soap the Mitchell's Wool Fat on my shopping list, could you please tell me more on you're review of this product the Mitchell's Wool Fat.

Cheers

 

[Nightguard]

Brush: Simpsons M7
Razor: EJ 89
Blade: Rapira
Cream: SJoL Mandarin and Patchouli
A/S: SJoL Black Pepper and Lime Gel
Cologne: Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet