Tuesday, March 19, 2024

• Prep: hot tea, hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi 24mm Naples Tuxedo Knot (synthetic)
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
• Lather: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Post Shave Balm
• Weather Outside: Partly Cloudy, Cold & Windy

Sunday, March 17, 2024 - Green Shave

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (3)
• Lather: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Post Shave Balm
• Color Theme: Green

In honor of the most holy of holidays, St. Patrick's Day, I have shaved with as much "green" as I could today: green handled brush, blade in green colored packaging, soap & balm in Green Irish Tweed dupe, soap & balm in green containers, and green hand towel for cleanup.

Friday, March 15, 2024

• Prep: hot tea, hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi 24mm Naples Tuxedo Knot (synthetic)
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (2)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Watchman - After Shave Balm
• Post Shave Beverage: hot coffee

Good shave today. Happy Friday to you all.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

• Prep: hot tea, hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
• Lather: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling – Post Shave Balm – Sharp Dressed Man
• Post Shave Beverage: hot coffee

As the Sharp Dressed Man ring of death gets smaller and smaller, I feel compelled to only shave with this until it's gone. Of course Stirling soaps take forever to get used up, so that's easier said than done.

Monday, March 11, 2024

• Prep: hot tea, hot shower
• Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic Fibre Shaving Brush, 27mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (3)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge balm - Balm

I thought I was probably done using Hygge this year, what with the weather getting warmer. But it's rather cold and windy today, so it seemed appropriate.

Hey, I also used shaved with a Stirling ring of death today!

Friday, March 8, 2024

• Prep: hot tea, hot shower
• Brush: Omega 0146138 HI-BRUSH, 25mm Synthetic Shaving Brush
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium
• Lather: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Post Shave Balm

The Stirling ring of death on continues. Once it starts it always seems to last much longer than I expect it to.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic Fibre Shaving Brush, 27mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Watchman - After Shave Balm

Damn fine shave today, which makes me think of Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks describing his favorite beverage. Coincidentally his favorite beverage is the main scent note I pick up from Leviathan. Damn fine indeed.

Friday, March 1, 2024

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi 24mm Naples Tuxedo Knot
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (2)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave Balm

Since I don't use the Stag all that often it always feels like a treat whenever I do. Good way to celebrate the weekend.

I think I’ve had a similar experience with personna platinums too. But those blades already have me confused, because if I’m not mistaken I think there’s more than one blade labeled as “personna platinum”.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Watchman - After Shave Balm

A darkly scented yet pleasant shave, for a dark and rainy yet pleasant morning.

Do you find Astra Greens to be inconsistent in quality? A year or so ago I bought a 100 pack because they worked so well for me, only to find out that many of the blades in the pack were apparently duds. Or at least they were duds for me. I posted about this, and other folks chimed in that this was not an experience unique to myself.

Agreed. I had it in one of their earlier soap bases too.

Friday, February 23, 2024

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (2)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Aftershave Balm

Welp, my Leviathan balm is now officially gone but a decent amount of the soap is still left. I don't believe this has ever happened to me before, in fact if anything it's usually the opposite. I didn't think I was ever using too much balm each time, it was never more than a single pump. Is it possible that a single pump dispenses more than they intend for a single use? (Obviously that's possible, I just wouldn't have expected it.)

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Omega 0146138 HI-BRUSH, 25mm Synthetic Shaving Brush
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - balm

This is my favorite razor + blade combo. I haven't used it in a while because I've been trying out lots of other combos, so it's nice to come back to what I know I like.

Thursday, February 15, 2025

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic Fibre Shaving Brush, 27mm
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - balm

Another cold yet sunny day, these always feel appropriate for using Hygge.

Awesome, I've added it to my list of soaps I plan to buy soon. And I love that 20% of proceeds go to two rescue organizations.

That's a good thought, but no not really. It's not a big deal, I was just a little disappointed to discover that it doesn't open as smoothly as it once did. Maybe it'll get better over time.

How do you like Friends to the End? Being a dog lover your pic caught my eye. I must have missed the release of this one.

We're getting snow where I am too, but not nearly as much as you.