Fragrance: House of Mammoth/Noble Otter/Declaration Grooming Cerberus
Heavily leaning into the sweet stone fruit 🍑 today. The razor was in the first batch or straight razors I bought when the Lather Games Organising Committee introduced the hardware scavenger hunt in 2022, forcing me to learn this new skill. It's a run-of-the-mill 5/8 hollow ground and was well honed when I got it. It was the first straight razor I ever got a good shave from. I haven't used it in 18 or so months, and now, using it some 400 straight razor shaves later, it still felt good.
I forgot the #Talc today. Oops.
Got really nice compliments on both Cerberus and Peach & Cognac from the Mrs. Good times
Post Shave: House of Mammoth/Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Liniment
We haven't gotten as much snow as they predicted so far, but it's still coming down lightly. I shoveled the walk and snowblowed the driveway.
About 4 months ago I got new (better) tires for my lawn tractor which has the snowblower on the front of it. I also added 80 pounds (36 kg) of additional weight to the back, bringing the total to 160 lbs (72kg) (plus the driver, whose weight shall remain a mystery). The new combo is GREAT. Even with chains, the old tires would spin all the time going up the hill. These tires did a great job.
Yesterday I installed 3 overhead bulb sockets in the shed. They are 120 volt and powered by an inverter. I have a 100w solar panel which charges a 12v 105Ah lead acid battery which runs the inverter. It's great!
Since I'm talking about lawn mowers and sheds and snow, I'll share a couple of pictures since I'm so proud of it all. The new tires and weights can be seen in the first picture, along with the new lights.
They are John Deere branded, and fit on most of their lawn tractors as far as I know. For being a niche custom fit product they aren't too expensive. They cost about 30% more than a similar weight dumbbell 💪
Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE 89L
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Shaving Soap
Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave Balm
I'm for now sticking with my old school set up of the Jagger with a Silver Blue. (Technically an old school setup would be one of my vintages, but this is "my" old school setup as it's how I started wetshaving.
As a Christmas gift, my mother-in-law gave me Barbury's shaving soap. They promise:
Shaving soap is essential to a traditional shave. Simply wet Barburys Shaving Soap and use the brush to build a luxurious lather. Use the brush to apply the lather to your face and then start shaving. Thanks to the soap's unique alum and shea butter formula, irritated skin post-shave will be a thing of the past.
Well, I had some trouble getting the lather working (I ended up with a foamy proto-lathery foam), although I tried for a rather long time. Maybe I'll give it another try with a synthetic, and maybe also with a DE - it probably simply does not provide lather that is protective enough for a straight shave. Anyways, my face is irritated and burning, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Maybe. And to be fair, their instructions are honest:
Simply wet Barburys Shaving Soap and use the brush to build a luxurious lather.
Nowhere do they specify that you should use the brush on their shaving soap, so I totally could wet this soap, and use Stirling. 🤔 I may get away telling my mother in law that I used the shaving soap following their instructions, and got great lather.