Shave of the Day 2015

[filobiblic]

Brush: Ploccitane
Soap: Mike's Natural Bay Rum
Razor: Gold Dollar
Razor: Eclipse Red Ring
Blade: Polsilver [3]
After-shave: Captain's Choice Cat O' Nine Tails

 

[filobiblic]

I hear a lot of people have trouble lathering Mike's.

Mike's lathers fine. You need to have a damp brush and load well, but it rewards with decent lather. @SydBJW is probably still breaking in the 620 - they tend to be a bit up & down for a little while.

The same with Stirling or The Fat - no problems of you start with less water and add as you go. If you have more water, then go hard with the loading. Some soaps take a lot of water but others have a narrower range. It just takes time to experiment and work it out. Brushes play a role as well (synthetics are easier), especially if they aren't yet solidly reliable (such as a new boar brush).

 

[alfredus]

I hear a lot of people have trouble lathering Mike's.

Mike's lathers fine. You need to have a damp brush and load well, but it rewards with decent lather. @SydBJW is probably still breaking in the 620 - they tend to be a bit up & down for a little while.

The same with Stirling or The Fat - no problems of you start with less water and add as you go. If you have more water, then go hard with the loading. Some soaps take a lot of water but others have a narrower range. It just takes time to experiment and work it out. Brushes play a role as well (synthetics are easier), especially if they aren't yet solidly reliable (such as a new boar brush).

I am actually one of those who had big troubles lathering Mike's at first...

And I have to say: I start now with a wet brush (not dripping, but wet) and get fantastic results. I always got mixed results when starting with a damp brush and then added water later, now I start with a wet brush, and still have to add more water (because I load a lot) - but I am rewarded with spectacular lather

 

[filobiblic]

I am actually one of those who had big troubles lathering Mike's at first...

And I have to say: I start now with a wet brush (not dripping, but wet) and get fantastic results. I always got mixed results when starting with a damp brush and then added water later, now I start with a wet brush, and still have to add more water (because I load a lot) - but I am rewarded with spectacular lather

Interesting. For me, Mike's doesn't take very much water compared to Barrister & Mann's soaps. They absolutely soak up the water (and so are exceptional!). I'll try going nuts with the H2O. I tend to favour controlling my water by starting with less because it's easier to add water than re-load. (And it's less messy! [emoji14])

 

[alfredus]

Pre-Shave: Occams pre-shave soap, cold water
Razor: Muhle R41
Blade: Voskhod (2)
Brush: Omega 49
Soap: Haslinger Schafmilch
Post-shave: Alum, South Australian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Stirling Vetiver alcohol free Witch Hazel

My fourth and probably last shave with the beast. Today I wanted to concentrate on something else than the actual shave - so I got out the piggy and Haslinger Schafmilch - LOVE that soap!!! What a shame, they don't do it with different (more natural scents) - I think it would give a lot of the artisans a big run for their money...

So I made a ton of beautiful slick lather on my face and then on to the shave. It was very uneventful, until I lost concentration for a split second - and BAM - a nice nick on the jaw line...nothing serious and was gone with a bit of Alum, but still...you really have to concentrate all the way with this razor.

I also noticed, that my blade was at its end by the last pass. I usually shave twice, each with 4 passes, with a Voskhod (so 8 passes in total) and it is still perfect at the end. In this case the blade was dead after just six passes, so this razor is really demanding on blades.

All in all a nice shave and I got the R41 out of my system. It is nothing I fear - or even respect - any more. It is just an aggressive razor, that might save you a pass per shave, but makes the whole experience rather unpleasant. Looking forward to a beautiful shave with the Wolf

 

[khun_diddy]

Good on ya for trying it and getting it out the system mate.

 

[stillshunter]

I hear a lot of people have trouble lathering Mike's.

Granted, but I don't think this is entirely down to the soap.

Done about 5 test lathers with the 620.
Tried to soften the soap with some water. Let the brush soak. Loaded as usual. Face lathered, add water a few times, lather was not thick. Maybe I didn't load enough. I still find a lot of other soaps easier to lather.

You'll not see anything good come out of a Semogue until at least 20, but more like 30, lathers. I know it sounds tedious but, trust me, you'll be richly rewarded once the breaking is done.

 

[alfredus]

Good on ya for trying it and getting it out the system mate.

And thank you for making it possible!

 

[khun_diddy]

Razor: Stealth Slant
Blade: Kai
Brush: Omega S10108 S-Brush Pro
Soap: Arko
Aftershave: Metilsol

Kai are not the ideal blade for the RRSS. Don't get me wrong, this afternoon's shave is in my all-time top 10 best shaves. It's just that the other blades I've tried in the RRSS were significantly better.

Another day, another Myrsol. The ingredients this time are alcohol, water, potassium alum, thymol, menthol, parfum, caramel.

If the Antesol made me very happy, then this stuff makes me dangerously orgasmic. The scent is brown Listerine. If your goal is to smell cool & hip then you should be looking elsewhere. Metilsol is medicine for the skin. I love it.

 

[Young Buck]

Hey Gents,

Savil Row 3722 arrived and I must say she's a beauty! Intend to write up a review later in the week for those interested.

 

[Nightguard]

Brush: Simpson Classic 1
Razor: Merkur 37c
Blade: Polsilver (2)
Soap: D.R. Harris Lavender
A/S: Myrsol AB + Simpson A/S balm

 

[filobiblic]

Hey Gents,

Savil Row 3722 arrived and I must say she's a beauty! Intend to write up a review later in the week for those interested.

Nothing but class... You're oozing style my friend... Oozing style.

 

[eggbert]

Couple of days off from Stirling's glacial obsidian before tonight, and boy did it show.
I think your skin must get acclimated to menthol over time as whenever I take a break it really seems to hit harder than when I use it daily.
That cold water rinse tonight felt like I was splashing water on my face from a high mountain stream. Lovely after a hard days work in the garden.
Oh, FB, Polsilver, FS finest, and floid vigoroso ultra.

 

[borked]

Couple of days off from Stirling's glacial obsidian before tonight, and boy did it show.
I think your skin must get acclimated to menthol over time as whenever I take a break it really seems to hit harder than when I use it daily.
That cold water rinse tonight felt like I was splashing water on my face from a high mountain stream. Lovely after a hard days work in the garden.
Oh, FB, Polsilver, FS finest, and floid vigoroso ultra.

Got to love that assertive menthol hit

 

[razorguy]

What do you think of de Vergulde Hand? I use it when I'm in Holland but haven't bought any because I've got way too much soap as it is. I like the scent a lot. Just a simple fresh sort of soapy smell. Excellent lather too. It's well packaged with a plastic cup stick holder, unlike many other available sticks such as Valobra, Arko and Speick for instance.

I like De Vergulde Hand. It is cheap yeat a good performing soap. I also like its fragrance. I have both the bowl and stick. I like both and makes a very good and stable lather.

 

[razorguy]

Sunday 26 April 2015

Mastro Livi CarboInox Snake, 8/8 Full Hollow, Snake Point​

Just beautiful! This Snake Razor - of which I just published a video about its making - is simply amazing. Impeccably honed by Mastro Livi, it delivers the best shave. Not just an incredible joy to see and to hold in your hands, but also an excellent performer in shaving. For the occasion, I wanted to use my beloved Floïd Blue aftershave, now unfortunately discontinued and this is not a good news.​

• Pre-Shave: Roberts Rose Distilled Water
• Soap: Tabac
• Brush: Omega Bristle 49 Red
• Bowl: Gerby Bowl
• Strop: Mastro Livi Loom Strop and Hand Palm
• Razor: Mastro Livi CarboInox Snake, 8/8 Full Hollow, Snake Point
• Post-Shave: Umbrian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• After Shave: Floïd Blue

 

[borked]

Oh come on!
What with your collection @razorguy it's hard to believe you're not Mastro Livi...
Seriously wonderful collection.

As for me, time deficiencies have left me looking quite like a bum.
In the last week I've managed to use Simpsons Lime and Alpa Windsor creams (with both performed amicably) slim shady with a week old Personna USA made blade and whatever brush my hand landed upon first.
Formula K or Alpa Fougere to finish off.
Tonight's shave was the best I've had for a few weeks.

 

[razorguy]

Oh come on!
What with your collection @razorguy it's hard to believe you're not Mastro Livi...
Seriously wonderful collection.

Thank you! My collection is the result of about fifteen years spent in collecting straight razors and, lately, Mastro Livi razors as well. And, of course, I am not Mastro Livi. I simply am a friend of him and living in the very same city, just few kilometers away from his laboratory. That's why I go often there and, you guess that, I am tempted all the time and resisting to temptations is always hard!

 

[stillshunter]

Brush: Thater #49125
Soap: MdC 'original'
Razor: AS-D2
Blade: Feather (1)
Post-shave: Antesol

Still getting my head around face lathering. I did OK. The gear made up for that shortcoming and brought it up to the level of a 'fine shave'.

 

[MrT]

Soap: Soap Commander - Courage
Brush: Omega 10066 boar
Razor: Gillette fat handle Tech + Weber Classic handle
Blade: PolSilver SI
Post-shave: Witch hazel + Nivea ASB

I am seriously loving this razor and blade combo. I went with a Feather blade last week, and it was good, but not great like the PolSilver is. My skin is so happy at the moment.

The Omega has broken in wonderfully. So soft now.

I'm definitely keen to try a Feather As-D2. Anyone keen to lend me one for a few weeks?