SOTD: Saturday March 31, 2018

Razor: Parker Variant (restored by Delta Echo)

Blade: Astra (1st use)

Brush: Turn-N-Shave, 24MM Boss Knot 

Soap: Wholly Kaw Monaco Royale 

Aftershave: Wholly Kaw Monaco Royale 

Soap slickness and smooth blades allowed for setting 5 on all three passes.

Frugal Friday SOTD: Friday March 30, 2018

Razor: Merkur 34c

Blade: Dorco Titan (2nd use)

Brush: Yaqi Boar Hair 

Soap: Arko

Aftershave Balm: Floïd

SOTD: Thursday March 29, 2018

Razor: Timeless Titanium .95

Blade: Dorco Titan (1st use)

Brush: Turn-N-Shave 24MM Boss Knot

Soap: Fine Accoutrements Platinum 

Aftershave: Fine Accoutrements Platinum

For the past couple shaves with this puck the scent has seemed to have dissipated (granted it has been two years since purchasing it). 

SOTD: Monday March 26, 2018

Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird 

Blade: Personna Blue (2nd use)

Brush: Mühle 60th Anniversary Silvertip 

Soap: Declartion Grooming/Chatillon Lux Gratiot League Square 

Aftershave: Declartion Grooming/Chatillon Lux Gratiot League Square 

This soap and splash combo just nails it in consistency, slickness and post feel. The shave was close, comfortable and nick free and I’m going to give a majority of the credit to this soap base. The scent has really grown on me despite initially thinking it was a tad bit musk heavy. Masculine and complicated is the best way to describe it. The knot on the brush is wonderful, but the chrome base makes it bottom heavy.

SOTD: Sunday March 25, 2018

Razor: West Coast Shaving Midnight Series Open Comb 

Blade: Personna Blue (1st use)

Brush: West Coast Shaving Beacon Black Synthetic 

Soap: Italian Barber Amici 

Aftershave: Italian Barber Amici 

Someone told me this scent reminded them of gingerbread cookies although I get more of a citrus (especially in the splash).

SOTD: Saturday March 24, 2018

Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird 

Blade: Personna Blue (1st use)

Brush: Rich Hansen Custom Handle, 24MM Synthetic Tuxedo Knot 

Soap: Barrister & Mann Seville 

Aftershave: Barrister & Mann Seville 

Nothing like this base for an excellent post feel.

SOTD: Friday March 23, 2018

Razor: West Coast Shaving Midnight Series Open Comb 

Blade: Astra (3rd use)

Brush: West Coast Shaving Beacon Black Synthetic 

Soap: Oleo Soapworks El Caballero 

Aftershave: Oleo Soapworks El Caballero 

This soap/balm combo really knocks it out of he park in scent strength and performance. It’s became one of my favorites. This razor I’ve enjoyed and the key seems to be a fresh blade with a decent amount of smoothness since it carries a bite.

SOTD: Thursday March 22, 2018

Razor: Mühle R89 Rose Gold 

Blade: Astra (2nd use)

Brush: Yaqi Synthetic 

Soap: Ginger’s Garden Covfefe 

Aftershave Balm: The Stray Whisker After Balm 

Surprisingly pleasant scent inspired by Coppertone Sun Tan Lotion. Very enjoyable.

SOTD: Wednesday March 21, 2018

Razor: Karve Chris Bradley Razor (C plate, 3.5” handle)

Blade: Astra (1st use)

Brush: Frank Shaving 26MM Silvertip 

Cream: Taylor of Old Bond Street Cedarwood 

Aftershave: Chatillon Lux Fourth & Pine 

I always look forward to using any one of these given items.

SOTD: Monday March 19, 2018

Razor: Ming Shi 2000

Blade: Ming Shi Blades 

Brush: West Coast Shaving Beacon Black 24MMSynthetic 

Cream: DeLuxe Shaving Co. Doo-Wop Barbershop Citrus

Aftershave Balm: DeLuxe Shaving Co. Doo-Wop Barbershop Citrus

Forgot how awesome this smelled. Menthol heaven.

Happy 65th Birthday to My Dad SOTD

Razor: 1953 Gillette Super Speed 

Blade: Gillette Nachet (4th use) 

Brush: Turn-N-Shave 24MM Boss Knot 

Soap: Stirling Soap Barbershop 

Aftershave Balm: Stirling Soap Barbershop

St. Patrick’s SOTD: Saturday March 17, 2018

Razor: Rex Supply Co. Ambassador 

Blade: Gillette Nachet (3rd use)

Brush: DeLuxe Shaving Co. 30MM Silvertip 

Soap: Fine Accoutrements Green Vetiver 

Aftershave: Fine Accoutrements Green Vetiver 

Working on the angles a bit with this razor definitely helps getting a smoother shave on the higher settings. Smooth sailing on all three passes on setting four.

SOTD: Friday March 16, 2018

Razor: Karve Shaving Co. CB Razor (C plate, 3.5” handle)

Blade: Astra (4th use)

Brush: That Darn Rob “Old Cahaba”

Soap: Oleo Soapworks El Caballero 

Aftershave: Oleo Soapworks El Caballero 

The patina is coming along nicely.

SOTD: Thursday March 15, 2018

Razor: West Coast Shaving Midnight Series 

Blade: Astra (3rd use)

Brush: Frank Shaving 26MM Silvertip 

Soap: Reef Point Soaps Espresso 

Aftershave: Reef Point Soaps Espresso and The Stray Whisker After Balm (not pictured)

Loving this razor now that I am conscious to the fact it has a little bite to it. Need the coffee theme for the extra hours I’m putting in at work today.

SOTD: Wednesday March 14, 2018

Razor: Timeless Titanium .95

Blade: Astra (2nd use)

Brush: Turn-N-Shave 24MM Boss Knot 

Soap: The Anointed from The Shaving Shop 

Aftershave: The Anointed from The Shaving Shop 

Light earthy scent and completely underrated soap.

SOTD: Tuesday March 13, 2018

Tabac Tuesday 

Razor: Mühle Rocca 

Blade: Astra (1st use)

Brush: Mühle 70th Anniversary Silvertip 

Soap: Tabac 

Aftershave: Tabac and The Stray Whisker After Balm (not pictured)

SOTD: Monday March 12, 2018

Gym Bag SOTD

Razor: Sir Hare Double Edge Safety Razor 

Blade: Gillette Nachet (2nd use)

Brush: West Coast Shaving Beacon Black Synthetic 

Soap: Proraso White 

Aftershave: Proraso White 

This razor (which was around $16.00 USD) has been neglected for about two years and I don’t know why because it beats out the Ming Shi 2000 in both aesthetics and build quality. So far it is also the leading candidate to take on my trip.

SOTD: Sunday March 11, 2018

Razor: Single Edge from Supply 

Blade: Injector (1st use)

Brush: Omega Boar Hair 

Soap: Proraso White 

Aftershave: Proraso White 

Initial impressions: I won this the other day on an Instagram drawing and talk about fast shipping and good customer service. The razor is on the mild end of the spectrum but a really smooth shaver. One aspect I was impressed by was how easy it is to find the proper angle with the razor sitting comfortably on your face holding the handle at roughly at 30 degrees. I’ve always struggled getting close shaves with injector razors in the past, when in reality I probably haven’t been patient enough to get past the learning curve and just went back to DE’s. I would imagine this would be an excellent razor for those with sensitive skin. The consensus I’ve been hearing is how good of a razor this is and I look forward to getting more shaves out it. 

SOTN: Saturday March 10, 2018

Razor: Parker Variant (restored by Delta Echo)

Blade: Gillette Nachet (1st use)

Brush: Turn-N-Shave 24MM Boss Knot 

Soap: Strike Gold Shave Clinton

Aftershave: Strike Gold Shave Clinton 

Just knocked out over thirty hours growth with smooth sailing on setting three with one of my favorite razors and soaps.

SOTD: Thursday March 8, 2018

Razor: 1959 Gillette $1.95 “Fatboy”

Blade: Gillette Rubie (1st use)

Brush: That Darn Rob “Old Cahaba”

Soap: Strike Gold Shave Kennedy 

Aftershave: Strike Gold Shave Kennedy 

Damn, another enjoyable soap. A cleaner and fresh scent like Ike is.

SOTD: Tuesday March 6, 2018

Razor: Karve Shaving Co. Christopher Bradley (C plate, 3.5” handle)

Blade: Perma-Sharp (3rd use)

Brush: Rich Hansen Custom Handle, 24MM Synthetic Tuxedo Knot 

Soap: Crown King Blue Samhain 

Aftershave: Crown King Blue Samhain 

I have a friend that swears by this splash and orders it in bulk each year it comes out. I have to admit the burnt sugar and bourbon scent is killer.

SOTD: Monday March 5, 2018

Razor: Timeless Titanium .95

Blade: Perma-Sharp (2nd use)

Brush: That Darn Rob “Old Cahaba”

Soap: Stirling Soap Barbershop 

Aftershave: Stirling Soap Barbershop 

Beard Oil: Mini Moustachery Barbershop & Patchouli 

The beard oil smells fantastic and has decent scent strength. This was my first Stirling purchase way back when and its a shame its becoming neglected, it is a great scent too.

SOTD: Sunday March 4, 2018

Razor: Rex Ambassador 

Blade: Perma-Sharp (1st use)

Brush: Rich Hansen Custom Handle, 24MM Synthetic Tuxedo Knot 

Cream: Antiga Barbearia de Bairro

Aftershave: Antiga Barbearia Principe Real 

Hands down my favorite tube cream.

SOTD: Friday March 2, 2018

Razor: Timeless Titanium .95

Blade: Rapira (3rd use)

Bowl: ShaveBowl 

Brush: That Darn Rob “Old Cahaba”

Soap: Lakewood Soap Teakwood 

Aftershave: Barbedeaux 

You all know what a fan of Timeless, Lakewood, That Darn Rob and Barbedeaux I am so I am going to focus on ShaveBowl here. I have to admit I am a fan of the aesthetics of traditional porcelain, so I’ve been resistant to buy any sort plastic bowl. With that in mind as it has been pointed out by others this is a high quality polymer with a flawless finish that is going to withstand day-to-day use better. I viewed this as a minimalistic modern take on the antique scuttles where there was a place to hold the soap and brush with the bottom portion serving as a place to store soap. 

The scuttle-like feature is what I was most intrigued to try by filling both the bottom and top portion with warm water for a few minutes, and it does retain some residual warmth in the lather. 

Another multi-purpose aspect I find myself using is the brush holder to let my brushes dry after use since I am in the habit of just letting them dry by letting the knot hang off the counter throughout the day. 

I’m glad to see artisans offering alternatives to traditional porcelain to not only give us more options but more durable ones. 

SOTD: Thursday March 1, 2018

Gym Bag Regulars

Razor: West Coast Shaving Midnight Series 

Blade: Personna Blue 

Brush: West Coast Shaving Beacon Black 

Soap: Stirling Soap Sharp Dressed Man 

Aftershave: Stirling Soap Sharp Dressed Man