Clyde72's Shaving Journal

[clyde72]

Catching up!

3-16-2018
Straight Razor Shave #138
Pre Shave: CBL Preshave
Razor: Grandad's Union Razor Cutlery Co.
Brush: Wolf Whiskers Bishop "Party on Bourbon Street" with Elite Razor 28mm Manchurian White Knot
Soap: Maggards Razors London Barber Shop
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Maggards Razors London Barber Shop After Shave Lotion
Cologne: Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche pour Homme EdT

Nothing too much to say about the software used in this shave. The scent of this soap and after shave is one of my favorite barbershop scents and the soap and after shave perform great for me.

Whipped up a great lather and time for the 1st shave after the rescale on the straight. I did do a touch up on the edge with the Trans Ark. The edge performed great. 3½ passes with no nicks or weepers. Alum provide very little sting. A nice BBS+ shave.

Finished with the ASL and a few spritzes of the Rive Gauche, a good pairing.

Setup 3-16-2018

I found these at the local Target. Further investigation shows that there are 4 other scent online. And all are available as a solid cologne also. $23.00 for a 4oz. bottle.

The scents are:
Bourbon and Oak - A smooth lively scent evocative of a spirited bourbon.
Blue Cedar and Cypress - A refreshing woodsy scent reminiscent of a aromatic forest.
Silver Water and Birch - A sparkling aquatic dive into a mountain lake surrounded by cool moss and clean woods.
Spice and Black Vanilla - An explosion of vibrant spices contrast with dark woods and tobacco to express a sense of adventure.
Bergamot and Musk - An adventurous journey of unexpected citrus notes and an iconic smooth amber masculine finish.
Leather and Oud - A rich blend of saffron, incense, and smoky notes to capture the impression of old world leather.

3-17-2018
Straight Razor Shave #139
Pre Shave: Urth Face Scrub and Wash
Razor: Klas Tornblom Eskilstuna.
Brush: Stirling Soap Co Synthetic 2-Band 24mm
Soap: Williams Mug Shaving Soap
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Suavecito Premium Blends Whiskey Bar After Shave Lotion
Cologne: Cremo Bourbon and Oak EdT

Decided to use the Williams today. Whipped up a great lather with the Stirling Synthetic.

If you haven't mastered lathering Williams, you really should work at it. This is the oldest commercially produced shaving soap in the world and it's cheap! The lather is slick, has great cushion, and residual slickness.

I started with the Klas Tornblom Eskilstuna and the 1st pass went well with just one weeper and nick just below the lip, which was totally my fault, bad approach angle. However on the XTG pass I picked up several more weeper on the chin. I didn't want to tempt Mr. Murphy anymore so I grabbed the Edwin Jagger and did the ATG and cleam up. A nice BBS shave with no alum sting except on the chin.

Finished with a good splash of the Suavectio and followed with the Cremo Bourbon and Oak. A very nice paring.
The scent description on the box of the Cremo says: A smooth lively scent evocative of a spirited bourbon. I'll go with that and add it is heavy on the woodsy scent. Nice and dark and I like it. Silage is okay and longevity it a good 6 hours.

Setup 3-17-2018

Hope everyone has had a great Saint Patrick's Day. I'm enjoying some Jameson's Black Irish Whiskey to celebrate along with a Canamio cigar at my cigar lounge tonight.

 

[clyde72]

3-19-2018
Preshave: LAB Series Pro LS All-In-One Cleansing Gel
Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable I2 set on 6
Blade: PolSilver Super Iridium
Brush: Parker Silvertip
Cream: Proraso Red
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Proraso Red After Shave Lotion

Just wanted a no muss no fuss shave this morning. Kinda hard to bet this hardware and software for providing that. Whipped up a great lather in no time, 3 passes and just a tad of clean up. No nicks or weepers. Basically no alum sting to speak of. BBS achieved.
A good splash of the ASL and I'm good to go!

Setup 3-19-2018

Well supposedly Jim Cantore is in town, along with a passel of storm chasers, I hope and pray they made the trip just to take in the local scenery and the Space and Rocket Center. We are under a tornado watch at the moment till 11pm. 4 Tornado Warnings with one confirmed tornado about 90 miles west of us. Baseball size hail reported. National Weather Service has issued a PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) for all of North Alabama. I'm going to be watching the weather closely, could be a long night.

 

[clyde72]

Catching up again


Okay I've fallen behind, which is something that I don't like doing, but anyway here is the catch up.

3-21-2018
Straight Razor Shave #140
Pre Shave: Bull Dog Original Face Wash
Razor: Klas Tornblom Eskilstuna.
Brush: Maggard Razors 24mm Synthetic Shaving Brush, Marble Handle
Cream: Captain's Choice 45th Parallel
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Captain's Choice 45th Parallel After Shave Balm

Love the scent of this soap and ASB. Almond and Cherry are the predominant scents. Captain's Choice is a great product with excellent customer service!
Whipped up an excellent lather with the Maggards brush. 3½ passes with the Swedish Steel and I'm BBS. Little to no alum sting and only 1 slight weeper.

Finished with the ASB which is a great balm. My face is feels great!

Setup 3-21-2018

3-23-2018
Preshave: LAB Series Pro LS All-In-One Cleansing Gel
Razor: Gillette Super Speed Black Handle Flare Tip S4
Blade: PolSilver Super Iridium
Brush: Crown King The Tali Long Rider Suave Shaving Brush - 26mm Synthetic
Soap: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements/Italian Barber The Beach
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Florida Water Cologne
Cologne: Florida Water Cologne

I was just wanting a quick and easy shave this afternoon, so I went with the Super Speed. The Crown King brush whipped up a great lather with the Beach Soap. 3 passes and some touch up and I'm BBS++, no wait I'll call this a Grail Worthy shave!! No alum sting at all.
Finished with the Florida water both as an aftershave and cologne.
I'm smooth and smelling good!

Setup 3-23-2018

As typical I'm headed to the cigar lounge. General Cigar Event there tonight and I scored with the following:

Bought 20 cigars and would up with 5 free cigars, an ash tray, a punch, a lighter, and a gift set with a lighter and 6 more cigars free!

3-21-2018
Straight Razor Shave #141
Pre Shave: Urth Face Scrub and Wash
Razor: Allegany Instrument Corp. WP 5/8 cira 1920 to 1940
Brush: Saponificio Varesino SV 2.0 Shaving Brush in Ebony wood
Soap: PannaCreama Nuàvia - Rossa
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block and Thayers
After Shave: Paladin Shaving After Shave Balm
Cologne: Acqua Di Parma Colonia Intensa EdT

This shave is brought to you by in no small part by cmh737 aka Chris H. I bought the brush from him and he PIF'd my the Soap.
1st of all the soap is awesome! It probably would have been along time before I got to use this soap if he hadn't sent this to partial to me. The scent of this soap is great!!!! I love it. According to PannaCreama's website the scent pyramid is:
Woody
Tobacco, Indonesian Patchouli, Virginia Cederwood
Woody Oriental
Agarwood, Caldeonian Sandalwood
Amber
Amber, Musk

I used the SV method (bloom soap with a layer of water on top, leave while showering, dump bloom water into scuttle, us a squeezed out brush to load, add drops of water as need) to lather the soap.
The strength of scent in the bowl is a good 2.5 of 5, bloomed it opens up to a 3.5 of 5, and lathered it a is a full on 5 of 5 filling the den with the aroma! The scent last throughout the shave. Performance is excellent! Easy to lather, great slickness, cushion/glide, and residual slickness. Yes this soap is expensive, but the scent alone is worth the price. When I use this up, I'll have to find a way to purchase this! Thanks Chris!!!

I had a lapse of concentration while doing the chin on the WTG pass and gave myself a nick and and then immediately followed that with another, I mean like on the next stroke, on my chin. Bad Approach angle!! Yeah I knew better! Mr. Murphy was in the house it seems. Went ahead and did the XTG, just wasn't feeling it, no more seepage, but I grabbed the Flare tip and did the ATG pass and clean up. Would have been a BBS++ If not for the seepage.

Only alum sting was on the nicks. Finished with the Paladin ASB with a couple of spritzes of the Acqua Di Parma. And followed that with a few more spritzes on the pluse points. Yeah I'm BBS+ and smelling great! FYI, the AdP and the Nuàvia - Rossa pair together great, IMHO!!

Setup 3-24-2018

I've fallen behind in journal reading. I plan on catching up tonight and if necessary tomorrow.

 

[WildWest74]

Caught up, Craig! Your grandad's razor turned out very nice. I also want to thank (curse) you for sharing the CREMO colognes. I really need some more scents in the house (to get yelled at by SWMBO some more).

 

[clyde72]

Caught up, Craig! Your grandad's razor turned out very nice. I also want to thank (curse) you for sharing the CREMO colognes. I really need some more scents in the house (to get yelled at by SWMBO some more).

Thanks Jim!
Glad to help you out!

 

[clyde72]

3-26-2018
Straight Razor Shave #142
Pre Shave: LAB Series Pro LS All-In-One Cleansing Gel
Razor: Allegany Instrument Corp. WP 5/8 cira 1920 to 1940
Brush: RazoRock Plissoft Bruce
Soap: Barrister & Mann Reserve Spice Shaving Soap
Post Shave: Cold Water Rinse Alum Block, and Thayers
After Shave: Old Spice After Shave Lotion
Cologne: Old Spice Cologne

This scent is B&M's take on Old spice. It's a nice likeness, but with it's own character. Whipped up a great lather with the Bruce.

I haven't documented here what has become my pre shave routine yet. So here it is, I've been doing this for a while and it works for me.
I use the SV method to lather most of my soaps, 1st I put a thin layer of water on the soap and let it sit, to bloom, while I shower.
I soak my brush in the scuttle while I shower also.
I wash my face. Normally I shave after I shower, so this is usually done in the shower.
I take my brush out of the scuttle and give it a good squeeze, not a wring it dry squeeze, but firm.
I empty the water out of the scuttle and refill the outer compartment with hot water.
I dump the bloom water into the soap compartment of the scuttle.
I then load my brush on the soap, usually some where between 15 and 30 seconds will be more than enough.
I move to the scuttle and start making a lather, adding more water as needed drops at a time.
Once I have my lather like I want it, I set it aside.
I wet a towel with as hot of water as I can stand on my face.
I apply this wet towel to my face for at least 1 minute.
I then wet my face and lather it.
Re-wet the towel and apply it over the lather on my face for another minute or so.
I then re-wet my face and re-apply lather.
I let this lather set on my face for about 30 seconds or so.
I'm now ready to shave.

This morning the shave was going really well until, I was doing the ATG pass on my left cheek and I got a bite! I have no clue as to how this happened. Nothing the alum couldn't take care of, but I haven't had a nick or weeper on a cheek in a long time! Anyhow 3½ passes later and sans the seepage I'm BBS. Just a little alum sting on the bite, and some on the neck, it was being stubborn today for some reason.

Finished with the Old Spice After Shave and Cologne. I had to stop and wonder, just how many times my Dad, Grandads, and Great Grandads did the exact same thing? Remember journal visitor, if it wasn't for Old Spice, most of us wouldn't be here!

Setup 3-26-2018

 

[McVeyMac]

Sorry I missed your century shave celebration Craig (by quite a lot it seems). I'm so glad that you stuck with it as it looks like you are really enjoying the shaves.

 

[clyde72]

Sorry I missed your century shave celebration Craig (by quite a lot it seems). I'm so glad that you stuck with it as it looks like you are really enjoying the shaves.

Hey Walt! Nice to see you back! I hope all is well!
Yes the shaves are still progressing even after 140.

 

[WildWest74]

Nice to see your preshave ritual!

 

[clyde72]

Nice to see your preshave ritual!

Thanks Jim!

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

Catching up on your catching up, Craig! Nice to read a detailed explanation of your pre-shave routine....and your grandad's razor looks amazing. Cheers!

 

[clyde72]

Catching up on your catching up, Craig! Nice to read a detailed explanation of your pre-shave routine....and your grandad's razor looks amazing. Cheers!

Thanks Brad!

FYI Everyone I've got another big catch up coming. Just haven't had the time to get around to it.