Shave of the Day 2015

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SOTD Wednesday, December 2

Cold water shave
Preshave: bloom water
Soap: Shaver Heaven, Spiced Mahogony
Brush: Edwin Jagger badger
Face lather
Razor: Gold Dollar 6/8

Currently enjoying each individual pass of the blade after losing my respect for these razors the last couple of weeks. Anything we do daily becomes habitual and we lose focus on the task at hand. I had some nicks during that time and just focussing on shaving and not letting my mind wander to what's going to happen at work today, what's for dinner, what's ... ... ...

Today blokes, just focus on each stroke with the blade like it's your first time shaving ... ... ... You'll love the experience and your shave will be much improved.
 
Dale.Whiley said:
...

Today blokes, just focus on each stroke with the blade like it's your first time shaving ... ... ... You'll love the experience and your shave will be much improved.
Click to expand...

Good advice for EVERY day there mate!
 
GQ1982 said:
This was my first shave with Mystic Water soap after doing a few practice lathers using the method below. I was able to get good lather in my palm but trying to recreate that on my face was a fair bit harder and I struggled to get a stable lather but it was incredibly slick. The shave went alright but I'm still dialing in this soap and I'm thinking it may be more trouble than it's worth.
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No, no, no - it is worth everything and more - REALLY!!! Once you get it, you won't look back...

Start with a really dry brush, pick up some paste from the soap, transfer that paste to your face - start adding water SLOWLY. At first nothing happens, then you suddenly get some decent lather - DON'T STOP THERE - add more and more and more, just slowly. Suddenly your den will be drowning in perfect lather :D
 
Razor: Weber PH
Brush: Romero Synthetic
Soap: St James of London Mandarin & Patchouli sample supplied by @shavetheman

Another shave with another sample of St James of London supplied by Con (again big thanks). I can't fault this soap performance wise, three passes and plenty left in the brush.

I think I liked this scent slightly better than the previous sample.
 
Been a while, but here we go.

Fatboy @ 5
Fresh Gillette Super Stainless, Modern-ish orange pack
Plissitane
The sample of Reef Point Dragon's Blood from @SydBJW which seems to be self-replicating

This has been my basic shave of late, with the occaisional exploration of the new Shaver Heaven soaps. But seriously, the Reef Point just keeps going & going. Good scent although a little sweet, great performance, unreal economy. Nothing to dislike, and the shave was pretty good too.
 
Dale.Whiley said:
Today blokes, just focus on each stroke with the blade like it's your first time shaving ... ... ... You'll love the experience and your shave will be much improved.
Click to expand...

Mark1966 said:
Good advice for EVERY day there mate!
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+1 to that - regardless of your shaver of choice, making every stroke a good one is the way to go. It's another example of enjoying the journey and not worrying about the destination.
 
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Face Wash : Shower
Pre-Shave : Proraso White pre-shave
Brush : Muhle Black Synthetic 2nd Gen
Soap : Cold River "Select"
Razor : Jerry Stark 6/8
After Shave : Argan Oil
After Shave Splash : Speick

Great Lather + Great Razor + Adequate Skill = Great Shave ;)(y):)
 
alfredus said:
No, no, no - it is worth everything and more - REALLY!!! Once you get it, you won't look back...

Start with a really dry brush, pick up some paste from the soap, transfer that paste to your face - start adding water SLOWLY. At first nothing happens, then you suddenly get some decent lather - DON'T STOP THERE - add more and more and more, just slowly. Suddenly your den will be drowning in perfect lather :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips, I was hoping you might see my post and help me out ;)
I think I may not be loading enough soap but it's definitely way more than I've ever had to use with other brands and it seems absurd. I read a comment on another forum saying that the soap is so slick that it the brush just doesn't pick it up off the puck very easily which is why you have to spend longer incorporating little drops of water when loading.

I'll keep doing that but try slowly adding more water in when I transfer to my face. How long does it typically take you to get the lather spot on? I feel like my arm is about to drop off by the time it looks close to ready.
 
GQ1982 said:
Thanks for the tips, I was hoping you might see my post and help me out ;)
I think I may not be loading enough soap but it's definitely way more than I've ever had to use with other brands and it seems absurd. I read a comment on another forum saying that the soap is so slick that it the brush just doesn't pick it up off the puck very easily which is why you have to spend longer incorporating little drops of water when loading.

I'll keep doing that but try slowly adding more water in when I transfer to my face. How long does it typically take you to get the lather spot on? I feel like my arm is about to drop off by the time it looks close to ready.
Click to expand...


I can't believe all this "bloom water" bullshit. Just dip your brush in water (no need whatsoever to soak it before hand, once hair is wet it doesn't get any wetter) shake it out and rub it on top of the puck (any puck) until it starts dragging which indicates that all the water in your brush has been used to pick up soap and instead of gliding easily it'll be harder to push it through. This gives you enough soap and enough subsequent lather for three passes regardless if you face or bowl lather. It's after you've loaded your brush that you start adding more water through dipping the brush. Even my Wee Scot which is a third of the size of most brushes will hold just enough for two additional passes (I face lather so there's one on your face anyhow). If you use the method shown in that video you will pick up a mountain of soap and indeed be lathering until the cows come home to produce enough to shave an army. Don't soak the puck beforehand as again you'll pick up too much.

I've used this method (if that's what you want to call it) on every hard soap I've ever used including bars of standard hand soap when I've forgotten to pack any shaving soap.
 
Draco Noir said:
Soap : Cold River "Select"
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Nice shave as usual from you. (y)
What's the scent on the CRSW? (It's on the sticker on the back of the tin.)
 
filobiblic said:
Nice shave as usual from you. (y)
What's the scent on the CRSW? (It's on the sticker on the back of the tin.)
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Hi @filobiblic - thanks for the kind words mate. My Bad about the scent - it's Fougere Moderne. Must make it a habit to look at the back of the tin :rolleyes:

Nice shave yourself - what's the Dandyism soap like?
 
Draco Noir said:
Hi @filobiblic - thanks for the kind words mate. My Bad about the scent - it's Fougere Moderne. Must make it a habit to look at the back of the tin :rolleyes:

Nice shave yourself - what's the Dandyism soap like?
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It's a light and fragrant scent. Floral background with slight sweetness. Perhaps best described as oozing 60's charm... [emoji4]
I didn't take to the Wickhams initially (hence why I haven't used it in months). But after a good load today, it performed not bad at all. It's quite a simple soap with a tallow base and apricot oil in addition.
 
Pjotr said:
I can't believe all this "bloom water" bullshit. Just dip your brush in water (no need whatsoever to soak it before hand, once hair is wet it doesn't get any wetter) shake it out and rub it on top of the puck (any puck) until it starts dragging which indicates that all the water in your brush has been used to pick up soap and instead of gliding easily it'll be harder to push it through. This gives you enough soap and enough subsequent lather for three passes regardless if you face or bowl lather. It's after you've loaded your brush that you start adding more water through dipping the brush. Even my Wee Scot which is a third of the size of most brushes will hold just enough for two additional passes (I face lather so there's one on your face anyhow). If you use the method shown in that video you will pick up a mountain of soap and indeed be lathering until the cows come home to produce enough to shave an army. Don't soak the puck beforehand as again you'll pick up too much.

I've used this method (if that's what you want to call it) on every hard soap I've ever used including bars of standard hand soap when I've forgotten to pack any shaving soap.
Click to expand...

Normally I'd agree when it comes to using the other 30 or so shaving soaps that I own but Mystic Water soap is different and I think you would change your tune petty quickly if you tried the standard method with this soap. Either that or ditch the puck altogether. This soap is more finicky than any I have tried and I think it just requires a different approach. I'm determined to make it work which is why I bothered to look up videos on how to lather it. I think it could be worth it given how slick it feels even before it's properly lathered.
 
GQ1982 said:
Thanks for the tips, I was hoping you might see my post and help me out ;)
I think I may not be loading enough soap but it's definitely way more than I've ever had to use with other brands and it seems absurd. I read a comment on another forum saying that the soap is so slick that it the brush just doesn't pick it up off the puck very easily which is why you have to spend longer incorporating little drops of water when loading.

I'll keep doing that but try slowly adding more water in when I transfer to my face. How long does it typically take you to get the lather spot on? I feel like my arm is about to drop off by the time it looks close to ready.
Click to expand...

GQ1982 said:
Normally I'd agree when it comes to using the other 30 or so shaving soaps that I own but Mystic Water soap is different and I think you would change your tune petty quickly if you tried the standard method with this soap. Either that or ditch the puck altogether. This soap is more finicky than any I have tried and I think it just requires a different approach. I'm determined to make it work which is why I bothered to look up videos on how to lather it. I think it could be worth it given how slick it feels even before it's properly lathered.
Click to expand...

OK, first of all you are absolutely right in disregarding @Pjotr shout from the balcony - this soap is quiet unique - actually I would say it is just on the extreme of the scale, similarly Otoko is on the other extreme...

I have it now down and get it every time perfect - and I incorporated an idea from a very nice guy, who has used this almost exclusively for the past 4 years! He swears by the shave sticks, so what I do: wet the brush as usual (I have tried now all 4 hair types - see SOTD below with boar) and they all work the same - so wet brush per usual - then wring out fully - I mean fully.

Start to load until you get a paste/cream like consistency and transfer to your face. This part takes a bit longer than with other soaps - you might have to add water a bit here and there but not too much. I never bloom my soaps - might help but is definitely not necessary.

So apply to your face and now you look like an Surf live saver :D :D :D

Now start to VERY SLOWLY incorporate water. At first nothing much happens, just keep slowly adding. After a while you have what a lot of people would regard as good/great lather - KEEP ADDING SLOWLY. The trick is to fully incorporate the water, before adding more. After the ~3rd or 4th explosion when it flys around every where and looks like the creamiest Gelato, that is just melting and slowly running down your cone - so it looks really wet and you can almost use it as a mirror - that's what you want!

Now people will ask, why go through all that trouble??? And it is a valid question - and here my personal opinion: adding more water to a lather makes it slicker - correct? But with many soaps you start to lose cushion/protection. The lather starts to collapse and while you have great slickness, there is no protection. For me this means I cannot get a super close shave. Don't ask me why, but if I don't have cushion, I won't get a BBS. My theory: I press the whiskers into my skin and can't shave them off completely. On the contrary, I just get more and more irritation.

Now I think no soap can take as much water as Mystic Waters - or at least very few can - Mike's and Stirling being the other ones I know off - but Mystic Waters can take just that little bit more I think - and it somehow does not loose the cushion ;)
 
alfredus said:
OK, first of all you are absolutely right in disregarding @Pjotr shout from the balcony - this soap is quiet unique - actually I would say it is just on the extreme of the scale, similarly Otoko is on the other extreme...

I have it now down and get it every time perfect - and I incorporated an idea from a very nice guy, who has used this almost exclusively for the past 4 years! He swears by the shave sticks, so what I do: wet the brush as usual (I have tried now all 4 hair types - see SOTD below with boar) and they all work the same - so wet brush per usual - then wring out fully - I mean fully.

Start to load until you get a paste/cream like consistency and transfer to your face. This part takes a bit longer than with other soaps - you might have to add water a bit here and there but not too much. I never bloom my soaps - might help but is definitely not necessary.

So apply to your face and now you look like an Surf live saver :D :D :D

Now start to VERY SLOWLY incorporate water. At first nothing much happens, just keep slowly adding. After a while you have what a lot of people would regard as good/great lather - KEEP ADDING SLOWLY. The trick is to fully incorporate the water, before adding more. After the ~3rd or 4th explosion when it flys around every where and looks like the creamiest Gelato, that is just melting and slowly running down your cone - so it looks really wet and you can almost use it as a mirror - that's what you want!

Now people will ask, why go through all that trouble??? And it is a valid question - and here my personal opinion: adding more water to a lather makes it slicker - correct? But with many soaps you start to lose cushion/protection. The lather starts to collapse and while you have great slickness, there is no protection. For me this means I cannot get a super close shave. Don't ask me why, but if I don't have cushion, I won't get a BBS. My theory: I press the whiskers into my skin and can't shave them off completely. On the contrary, I just get more and more irritation.

Now I think no soap can take as much water as Mystic Waters - or at least very few can - Mike's and Stirling being the other ones I know off - but Mystic Waters can take just that little bit more I think - and it somehow does not loose the cushion ;)
Click to expand...

This is great and is what I was looking for! Mystic waters really seems to fall apart when too much water is added which is what makes it a bit of a problem for me because while I'm used to thirsty soaps like B&M and Mike's, they will handle a good soaking then come good when worked in whereas MW needs a bit more care otherwise you might as well start over.

Your description of the perfect MW lather is helpful so I know what I'm trying to achieve. I'll see how I go today.
 
20151202_SOTDSSepia_zpsnmk4vsoe.jpg


Pre-Shave: Occams pre-shave soap, cold water
Razor: Wolfman WR1-SB with WRH2
Blade: Voskhod (1)
Brush: Omega Pro 49
Lather: Mystic Waters The Brown Windsor
Post-shave: Alum, Stirling Vetiver alcohol free Witch Hazel, South Australian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil​

So yesterday night, I am having this amazing piece of Japanese inspired pork roast. Think perfectly melting in your mouth with crispy skin, but with TONS of unami from bonito flakes, seaweed etc. - absolutely fantastic. And there I was sitting, thinking that pork is one of the most underrated meats out there - like the humble boar brush. I mean of course nothing beats the luxurious Fillet Steak/Silvertip badger and for the king of taste/brush you want an aged T-Bone/2-band...

But the humble pork has so much taste - of course it means so much more work, but at the end you get this great meal/lather for a fraction of the cost and you just have to put in the extra work :D :D :D

And so I decided there and then, that today's shave would be with the last piggy that remains in my stable. That poor thing is so underrated, and of course it doesn't stand a chance against my Chubby and my Paladins...but by just putting in some extra effort, I got this fantastic lather and a beautiful shave!
 
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