AoP's Commonplace Shaving Journal

[Alum of Potash]

29-08-23:

Stirling Sheep (shave soap);
Vie-Long horse-boar (shaving brush);
Focus all-aluminum shavette w/Shark blade (razor);
Christian Lenart Eau micellaire (astringent/post-shave).

I'm cheating a little in the sense that this photo is actually from Saturday night, before heading out to a dinner party at some friends' place. But the players were exactly the same tonight.

Second shave in with the Egyptian Shark blade, and it seems more raw than the Big Ben blade I'd been using previously. A few surface weepers on the neck, which was not the case before. This Vie-Long barber's style brush works quite well for lathering in the palm. I really don't understand the current fascination with thick-waisted and short-lofted brushes. The trick here is to scrunch up on the knot with the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger during loading so as to create a dense, short-lofted effect. Then, to build the lather, one moves back to the handle to let the entire loft come into play. I also recently discovered that this brush has a boxwood handle, boxwood being one of my favorite woods and shrubs by far.

New bottle of the Christian Lenart toner. What can I say, it's great stuff if you're just looking to head to bed after shaving.

As I've been using shavettes mostly of late, I've signed on to the SABRE thread for dedicated shavette shaves during the month of September. Will try to post both there and here.

 

[Alum of Potash]

03-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-7

 

[thombrogan]

Please heal quickly

 

[Alum of Potash]

06-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23)

Wednesday 6th September Kent Infinity 1 - Palmolive - Kasho Kai Captaini-J7/Feather Pro Super - Master Lilac Vegetol A good shave this morning with 2 passes and a touchup.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Alum of Potash]

09-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-14

 

[Alum of Potash]

10-09-23:

It's been 2-1/2 months since we've relocated to France, and I'm just now starting to unpack some things that are shaving-related. The delay has to do with two factors: I'm busy preparing things for an exhibition at a local art center that starts at the end of September, and my brother-in-law, who has been living at our residence here year-round in the past, has needed time to find a new place to live and has only recently moved out. So this afternoon, I installed some small shelving for shaving-related stuff that I had made back in the States in the hallway just outside our bathroom here. Below are some shots.

This set-up will definitely change over the coming weeks and months; but right now, things are oriented towards the shavettes, as I'm participating in the SABREtember thread, and the wooden-handled shaving brushes with natural animal bristles that I prefer these days.

 

[Alum of Potash]

12-09-23:

Please visit my rather long-winded post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-16

 

[Alum of Potash]

16-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread. One of the best shaves I've had this year:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-20

 

[Alum of Potash]

19-09-23:

Please visit my paired posts on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-22

 

[thombrogan]

Please heal quickly

 

[Alum of Potash]

23-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23)

Prep: Bar soap & hot water Razor: Parker SRX Blade: Derby Extra Soap: Palmolive Post shave: Alum block AS: Blue Stratos I finally did it brothers, I had a complete shave with the SRX. I went one pass WTG, one pass ATG mainly because I couldn't figure out how to do an XTG on my neck without...

www.badgerandblade.com

Looking forward to when I can return to posting here directly...

 

[Alum of Potash]

26-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-24

 

[Alum of Potash]

30-09-23:

Please visit my post on the current SABRE September thread:

September is SABREtember! - Shavettes & Barber Razors (1st-30th Sept 23) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/september-is-sabretember-shavettes-barber-razors-1st-30th-sept-23.643166/page-26

 

[Alum of Potash]

04-10-23:

Stirling Sheep (shaving soap);
Semogue 2020 finest/best badger (shaving brush);
C.J.B. Blade Handle kamisori w/ KAI Pink Captain Titan Mild blade (razor);
Denim (aftershave--not shown).

I've not had much luck with this cheap, Korean-made kamisori in the past. But I suppose the past weeks and months of
using shavettes have helped me out in this regard because tonight's shave was very nice. First time using the KAI blade and it lived up to its name involving "mild." Lather for the first pass was a little too thick, but a four-day whisker growth was laid low all the same. Compared to the European shavettes taking DE half-blades, the solidity of the kamisori-blade combination seemed more analogous to a wedge-style straight razor. The Semogue 2020 is a nice brush for the price. I've been tempted by the non-HD 2015 silver badger brush, but the increased bloom that would result has me saying "no" every time. Went straight from the Sheep soap to the blue aftershave, a very nice finish!

 

[Alum of Potash]

08-10-23:

Proraso white label (shaving cream);
Semogue 1438 boar (shaving brush);
C.J.B. cheap Korean kamisor w/KAI Pink Captain Titan Mild blade (razor);
Christian Linnart L'Eau micellaire (astringent/post-shave).

Second shave in with this kamisori/blade combination. I wanted to see if the lather truly is half the shave, as Mr. Hone's saying goes, and while I would not go so far as to say half the shave, it is a significant factor. Lather seemed thick with significant cushion, but I did obtain a few weepers on the right side of my neck during the second pass that were tamed by the end of the shave. Nothing like this in using the Stirling Sheep soap last time. Still, I would attribute it to user error since if it was truly the lather, then the left side of my neck would have weepers as well, which was not the case. Never realized that the Proraso white label had menthol, but I could feel it this time for some reason. Maybe this has to do with not applying a mentholated pre-shave cream for a month or so. Haven't used the Semogue 1438 in a while. Recently, I read a post that likened it to a boar-style version of a Simpsons brush, and I suppose that this is true. I would love it if Simpson would come out with a wooden handled series of some of their classic brushes like the Berkeley 46 in pure or best badger. Was planning to use a alcohol-based aftershave, but given the weepers, I opted for the milder toner. Very healing.

 

[Alum of Potash]

12-10-23:

Stirling Sheep (shaving soap);
VP Leonhardy boar-badger (shaving brush);
C.J.B. cheap Korean kamisor w/KAI Pink Captain Titan Mild blade (razor);
Myrsol Metilsol (astringent/aftershave).

Early afternoon shave this time, 3-1/2 days in. Third shave with this razor and blade combination and the whisker growth was largely done away with during the first pass. All went well, except for a few weepers on the right side of my neck, like last time, in using my dominant hand there. A little bit more protection with the mutton tallow soap this time, but not much. Problem arises with a turn beneath the jawline and at the base of my neck where the whiskers reverse in direction. Again some "flex" would do me good here rather than blade rigidity. Finished off the bottle of Metilsol, and it will not be coming back. Truly, a strange aftershave. The potassium alum in solution leads to a flare-up blended as it is with the alcohol, actually doing the opposite of what it should be doing. Hidden cuts that were lying dormant suddenly come to the surface. With a witch-hazel based toner, this would never be the case. That said, the old Myrsol bottle design was Iberian eccentricity at its finest. Why they recently replaced such a classic design with the new-style glass bottles eludes me completely.

 

[Alum of Potash]

16-10-23:

Stirling Sheep (shaving soap);
Vie-Long horse-badger (shaving brush);
C.J.B. cheap Korean kamisor w/KAI Pink Captain Titan Mild blade (razor);
Christian Lenart Eau micellaire (astringent/post-shave toner).

Nothing new to report here, with familiar players all around. Fourth shave in with this KAI "Pink" blade, and it lay low a four-day whisker growth very easily on the first pass. I rinsed my face off afterwards to see if I could head out after a one-pass shave, and it was pretty presentable. Some touch-up work was needed in the moustache area but was about it apart from some ATG as needed at the base of my neck. Still have the same problem with weepers under my jawline on the right-hand side of my face, so I don't think that it was a faulty lather back when I tried things with the Proraso white label cream. Final finish with the Eau micellaire toner was so much better than the Metilsol last time. Recently, I read that a rosemary-based toner works well as a post-shave toner, so I may try that soon. Both Myrsol Agua Balsamica and Metilsol are fairly rosemary- and thyme-like in scent as well. I have no problem with the Agua Balsamica, but the Metilsol with the potassium alum in solution eludes me. Time for me to haul out some Osma soap which has potassium alum in it, by way of comparison. A tricky latherer, which means I might have to revert to face-lathering.

 

[Alum of Potash]

21-10-23:

Stirling Sheep (shave soap);
Niva boar (shave brush);
Focus R21 w/shark DE blade cut in half (razor);
Christian Lenart Eau florale de romarin (post-shave).

Had a rush shave with the Korean kamisori on 18 October as I had to be presentable for a public presentation. Suffice it to say that it yielded many weepers and a relatively uncomfortable shave. So for today's shave, where I again had some social obligations, I decided to play it safe by returning to my reliable plastic-insert shavette, the Focus R21. Absolutely no problem there. No weepers galore like last time; just a very nice, smooth shave. Seems like my face demands the flex that a plastic housing provides, not stiff metal rigidity.

Haven't used the Turkish boar brush in a few years, certainly not since I have been almost exclusively palm-lathering. The knot is flatter than most fan-shaped knots, which took a bit longer to lather things in my concave-shaped palm, but in the end, it did the job just fine. Turkish boar knots tend to be a bit softer than their Italian and Portuguese siblings IMO, with no break-in period really being needed. Don't know why this is.

I picked up the rosemary-scented floral water in wanting to try an alternative to Myrsol's Meltisol and Agua balsamica after-shave offerings. Have to say that it was a bit a disappointment upon the first try, although the rosemary scent was there and label says that the product is pore-closing. Good thing it only cost around four dollars to find out.

 

[Alum of Potash]

30-10-23:

Stirling Sheep (shaving soap);
VP Leonhardy boar-badger (shaving brush);
Focus R21 w/Shark DE blade cut in half (razor);
Osma bloc d'alun (astringent);
Floid Original (after shave).

Started out with the other half of the Shark blade this time, and it laid low 4-1/2 days of whisker growth no problem. Another nice, close shave without incident. Mild tingle in applying the alum block followed by what is alleged to be the original Floid aftershave formulation. Haven't used an after shave in a while. This one goes on more like a lotion. The feeling is thick on the face, followed by an alcohol release and then a slow menthol build towards the finish. Very different from other quick-flash alcohol-based aftershaves. Scent is along the lines of other amber aftershaves (e.g., Myrsol F./Extra).

 

[Alum of Potash]

03-11-23:

Proraso white label (shaving cream);
Vie-Long horse-badger (shaving brush);
Focus R21 shavette w/Shark DE blade snapped in half (razor);
Christian Lenart Eau micellaire (astringent/post-shave).

Familiar players all around leading to another very nice shave. Not much more needs to be said.