SMF

SOTD-2010-03-24

Razor "Gillette Fatboy"
Blade "Lucky Tiger"
Brush "Mühle No. 81"
Cream "Williams"
Aftershave "Italian Floid"

After the usual 1-2 minute hot towel prep:

old Fields brush
Executive/Feather
Muhle Sea Buckthorne SS
Lumene AS balm
St Johns 'Bay Rum' cologne

Worst shave in quite a while. Couple scrapes on my neck and a few small weepers on my chin. Not sure why that happened....only thing I changed from yesterday was the soap. I sorta doubt that was the problem though, since I've used it many times with good success. I'd guess it to be user error, rather than my shaving arsenal of the day.

Oh well, the good news is I get to try again tomorrow.

Martin

Wednesday:

Schick Krona/Gillette Platinum
Simpson Chubby 2 Super
C&E Sweet Almond Oil shave cream
Dickinson's witch hazel w/lavender EO and glycerin added
Trumper Coral Skin Food
Caswell-Massey Greenbriar (vintage)

Basil

Wednesday:

Plisson 14 HMW
AOS Sandalwood soap
EJ Chatsworth with Gillette Platinum blade
D.R. Harris Pink AS; Gentlemen's Refinery AS Balm
Creed Tabarome

Some people restore vintage razors; others restore vintage split bamboo fly rods. Restored cane rods are a less costly alternative to customs or original condition vintage split cane rods. There are many parallels between using split bamboo fly rods and using straight razors, and I choose to use a restored vintage split bamboo fly rod for many of the same reasons I choose a straight razor over more modern gear.

This rod fills the middle of my fly fishing arsenal. The beautiful classic style reel is “The Indian Catskill” by Bill Ballan. The reel is mounted on a two piece single tip split bamboo rod 6’ 10” long for five weight line. The original maker is unknown, but it was a high-end 7’ rod that needed the ferrules reset and this reduced the length by 2 inches. Hardware includes a nickel silver uplocking reel seat with a burl maple insert. The cane is finished with three coats of spar varnish and wrapped in orange and black jasper.

Tonight’s razor is a 6/8ths Frederick’s Celebrated restored and rescaled in desert ironwood by Bill Ellis.

Wednesday:

Gillette Model #58 & LB Wilkinson blade
Omega boar ( wooden handle )
Trumpers Sandalwood hard shave soap
D R Harris's Pink A/S
Floris's Original Gentlemen's Cologne

Same old story with me and boar brushes I'm afraid; clumping together, lather too thin/wet, too little of it...especially on the third pass, and that weird 'loose' sort of feeling that tells one that this is not a high quality implement. Some might claim that any problems are because it isn't broken-in yet, but I always experianced boar brushes this way, even ones that I'd used for months/years. As much as I'd like to keep that Plisson that came with it, there is no way I could use this brush for a month unless I was willing to put up with my skin being at least mildly irritated for that length of time. If I used a straight, or only did one pass, maybe....but with my skin, my kit, and the way I shave, it's a no-go. Ah, well....
Gordon

John...nice pic and fly rod restoration.

Gordon...good call on the boar. There's a reason I switched from boar to badger some 30 years ago...

Wednesday

Butterscotch Rooney
‘29 Tuck Away
Derby
MWF
Aqua Velva
RSC DSSB

Wednesday

Razor: 7/8 Robert Williams Damascus
Brush: Simpson Chubby 1 best
Soap: La Toja
A/S: 3 Crowns Almond a/s milk
Edt: Trumper's Fougena

Gordon, I have to admit that I don't care for the Omega boar brushes. I much prefer the Vulfix and Semogue boar brushes.

Lynn, Jeez!..."thirty years ago..."? I only made the switch maybe 15 years ago, or so, perhaps not even quite that long. Used the suckers for about eight years and before that canned foam.
Regards,
Gordon

WEDNESDAY:

Prep: Hot shower
Razor: Merkur Futur
Blade: Super Iridium Extra Stainless
Brush: Rooney Large Stubby “Finest”
Soap/Cream: MWF
Moss Scuttle

Razor: Merkur 38C
Blade: Gillete 7 O’Clock SharpEdge (Shave #5)
Brush: Shavemac #177
Cream/Soap: Erasmic Lather Shave Cream
A/S: Nivea for Men Sensitive Extra Soothing A/S Balm

Might as well post one, just to prove I'm still aware of my surroundings...


Rooney Finest brush, can't remember its name but it's the big one.
Tabac shaving soap
Merkur Progress with a made-in-England Wilkinson blade
Coral Skin Food
Fumerie Turque (the original formula)
Trumper's Hair Pomade

Triple ristretto (Nespresso "Cosí" blend)

Flatt & Scruggs's version of Foggy Mountain Breakdown, on loop.

And a swagger in my step.

Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet Shaving Cream
Vulfix #2235 Super
Merkur Futur
Gillette "Swede"
Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet Aftershave Balm

Good Thursday morning all...

'51 Gillette Black Tip w/ Israeli Personna
re-knotted brush w/ Golden Nib Finest badger
C.O. Bigelow sc
Dickinson's WH
Floid Vigoroso a/s
MK Men a/s gel
GFT Spanish Leather Edt

Three passes and a terrific shave with the always dependable Bigelow (Poraso) shave cream. The Israeli Personna is holding up well and works well in the birth year razor. The Floid is a classic and seems to be a perfect lead-in for the Trumper's Spanish Leather.

After the usual 1-2 minute hot towel prep:

old Macys brush
Executive/Iridium
Speick SS stick(milled into bowl)
Lumene AS balm
St Johns 'Bay Rum' cologne

BBS results,

Martin

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Futur
Super Iridium
Simpson Colonel X2L
TSD Crackling Firewood SS
Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
Ogallala Bay Rum

Thursday

Brush: Rooney Stubby 2
Cream: T&H Sandalwood
Razor: Merkur HD
Blade: Feather
A/S: Proraso Liquid A/S
Cologne: Tabac

Mike

Omega 11137 brush
GFT Sandalwood sc
Merkur '04 DE razor
Dorco ST301 day 5
D.R. Harris Pink a/s
Floris Santal sample

Regards,

Thursday

Simpson 91
Gillette New
Derby
MWF
GFT Limes SF
RSC DSSB