Post Shave: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Aftershave
Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner
Fragrance: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Eau de Parfum
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
This was a travel shave but it really doesn't matter. The edge on this Bismarck is astounding! I was really surprised by the closeness and comfort of this shave.
I do! I haven't used it this month because I haven't refreshed its edge. I want to try to get my Parker razor on the Ozuku Mizu Asagi tonight for tomorrow's shave, and for the 30th, I want to use the Fili 14 again because in October I'll be using a Nacet for as long as I can stand it to have some data to use when I analyze @sgrdddy's 530+ Nacet blade.
Threw in my last BiC in the Legacy today to see if I should grab more. I think I will. Nice and smooth shave today with any issue. I think the Wizamet are better, but it is nice to have options. Elysian Pineapple Ambrosia is quickly turning into one of my personal favorites, so I'm going to have to pick up other Elysian products as a result.
Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
Blade: Lord Super Chrome (1)
Lather: Barrister & Mann - Presto Shaving Soap
Post Shave: Nivea - Moisturizing Post Shave Balm
Not sure what happened but today was an uncomfortable shave. Dud blade? Not great lather? I did rush the lather a little, and it looked like it could maybe have been better but it didn't look awful. Oh well, still better than how it was pre-wetshaving.
Prep: Splash of Cool Water Razor:Fatip - Grande (Open Comb) Blade:Gillette - Platinum (8) Lather:Declaration Grooming Milksteak - Sunrise on Lasalle Brush:Whipped Dog - Angel Hair Green Handle 24mm (2 uses) Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Reserve Spice
So, the Slurry Lather works well with a Synthetic brush, and with the current base from Declaration Grooming: Milksteak.
It's not usually advisable to change two significant variables at once, when you're trying out something new, but honestly, I had a hunch they would be just fine. And I was not wrong.
The brush did hold enough water to do the method, and the milksteak, being so easy to lather in general, was great with the Slurry method.
I used a Weck single edge today, but mostly shaved with a Fatip Open Comb.
䷀ Razor and Blade Notes
(Fatip - Grande - Nickel Open Comb ::: Gillette - Platinum ‹8 uses›)
So I started off the shave with the Weck Sextoblade, but after working on my cheeks in the first pass, and having some issues, I grabbed a DE that was around, the faithful Fatip OC (Grande), which took care of my neck and the rest of the shave easily.
It was a week's growth after all. And my SR/Weck skills were just not up to the task of shaving off so much stubble, especially on my neck. It would have taken much too long for me to do it right.
But what I did do with the weck on my cheeks and a little on my neck, didn't generate any irritation, which was very nice.
The Fatip made sure I had a great shave and the Gill. Plat. was a fine match.
Razor and Blade Performance/Comfort Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)
䷀ Soap Notes
(Declaration Grooming Milksteak - Sunrise on Lasalle)
Them: "Originally located in Downtown Saint Louis, the floral market moved to LaSalle during a period of construction and growth and has been there for decades ever since. One of the oldest markets, it serves florists across the country. This scent is designed to reflect the early morning hours of freshly cut flowers, with their dew-laden sweetness and vibrant freshness. ~~ Notes: Pear, geranium, jasmine tea, and Virginia cedar."
Scent: On first use, I don't remember detecting any pear, but what I thought I was getting was a green, sinewy, grassy vibe. I liked it well enough... fresh, grassy, green and clean and natur-ey ... though it wasn't super interesting. There's definitely something else out there with a similar nature to it.
Scent Strength: 5/10, nicely present during shaving.
Lather... I was shaving off so much stubble that more work was done in pass one, than usual with a slurry lather. So at pass three, we were farther along, in that we were looking at a pretty mature lather. No big deal, but I did have to add some water.
Milksteak is a good soap base for the Slurry Lather method, it looks like. It is easy to lather for most folks, so I really didn't have many doubts about it.
Hydration: Perfect (for me)
8 sec load with a Very Wet brush
Bowl: No Bowl
䷀ Brush Notes
(Whipped Dog - Angel Hair Green Handle 24mm ‹2 uses›)
Worked great with the slurry lather method, it seems. Held enough water from the start. Not a ton, but enough. I did need to add more by the end, but that also may have been because the situation was a bit non-standard since the first pass was taking off so much stubble.
During the Shave Feel: Cheeks: Felt blade but comfortable Neck: Felt blade but comfortable After the Shave Closeness: Cheeks: Near BBS - About as close as I'll ever get Neck: Cut flush to where I just see the tips (above average for me)
Test #2, where I shaved the left side of my face with a Bolzano, and the right side with a My-Blades. They both felt very similar, but where it was an overall tie the first time, this time My-Blades gave me a better shave.
This concludes my testing, because as tsrblke points out there's no way to know if the blade I have will be the production blade.
The Parker straight somehow feels easier to handle than the Tiers-Issard. And Autumn Ash for the beginning of the cooler seasons - it feels very sweet, especially after Valley of Ashes. The lather was on the drier side, but I could still get a boom-shakalaka (but not one that would have been in a hurry). Not convinced of the combo AA and Skinbracer.
Razor: unidentifiable branded 13/16 1949 Berlin Airlift Souvenir razor
Was so happy this came up in my rotation, this may be my favorite straight of all, and the brand mark is totally unidentifiable to me.
Smooth and easy, gorgeous, square point DFS.
Also this house of mammoth embrace is really good, and I like the lightly fruity smell.
Running out of Fine Barber Blue and debating moving on to my Proraso Green next or getting more of the Fine, it's such a bracing aftershave, great sensation to finish a shave
Best of all, boost for lemmy just downloaded so I can use Lemmy decently now