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SOTD "FREE WEEK" October 4th - October 10th, 2021

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Razor: GEM MMCP
Blade: GEM PTFE
Brush: Fuller, TGN 24mm silvertip
Soap: Yardley

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Headshave

Preshave: pears glycerin soap in shower, 3P for first pass, Proraso Green for 2nd pass

Razor: RazoRock Stealth Slant V4
Blade: Personna Med Blue(2)
Brush: Whipped Dog 30mm silvertip
Soap: Canada Shaving Soap + L'Occitaine Cade Shaving Cream (super lather)
Aftershave: Osma Alum Block + Alt Innsbruk
 
That’s a tough one! I’ve been using it for over half a century, and don’t have a good answer for you! Not being a fraghead, I’m pretty much at a loss Here! Good doesn’t cut it!
It must be one of your favourites then! I did a little research last night and I found my local store stocks it. So after work I will pop in and take a sniff, if I like it I'll get a bottle. What is the longevity like?
 
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SOTD MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 11, 2021

Even though this is OC October, every now and then we need to break from the routine. For this morning’s mug shave I grabbed one of my favorite vintage straight razors, the Frederick Reynolds 5/8 Rattler grind. It also happens to be my most challenging razor to hone as it just happens to be the iconic example of a wavy bladed razor. Rattlers were ground vertically instead of horizontally to achieve their amazingly uniform blade thinness from bevel to pronounced spine.

The fellow gave me a great deal on this razor which he pronounced “unhoneable“, if that’s a word. After some experimentation, I learned to maintain consistent contact between edge and spine by torquing the blade to primarily use the edge of my hone. That's what worked with this razor which has gone on to reward me with excellent mug shaves. And boy does this little beauty belt out the buttering toast song throughout the shave. Three clean passes with some final flatblading and I was dolphin smooth.

Castle Forbes Lime Shave cream is really nice stuff, and readily lends itself to the two kinds of lather I like for my shaves. Thinner slicker lather for the mug shave, and a thicker more protective lather for the noggin. So instead of an OC I grabbed my Rex Ambassador, a razor that was initially defective, but was made right by Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium. I really enjoy the blade feel when shaving my dome with this wonderful razor wide open. Two ATG passes completed my morning shave ritual, leaving your happy narrator velveteen smooth from shoulders to dome.

RAZOR: Frederick Reynolds Rattler Grind 5/8 (Mug), Rex Ambassador (Dome)
BLADE: Feather DE
PREP: Cold water rinse followed by a scrub with Argan Oil
BRUSH: Viking Silvertip Badger
CREAM: Castle Forbes Lime
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with brush squeezings followed by a rinse with Humphreys Lilac WH. Finished with Royall Lyme AS/Cologne.
 
It must be one of your favourites then! I did a little research last night and I found my local store stocks it. So after work I will pop in and take a sniff, if I like it I'll get a bottle. What is the longevity like?
It’s really not very long-lasting! It’s real old school wet shaving gear. My father used it regularly, and I‘m 74! The stuff goes back! The American version doesn’t really smell all that much like the original. I purchase the Spanish Version which to my old sniffer smells more original at smallflower.
 
It’s really not very long-lasting! It’s real old school wet shaving gear. My father used it regularly, and I‘m 74! The stuff goes back! The American version doesn’t really smell all that much like the original. I purchase the Spanish Version which to my old sniffer smells more original at smallflower.
I had a feeling it would be quite short lived haha, but what can you expect for the price point. I'm pleased you can use it still & it must bring back wonderful memories of your father too, which is really lovely :) So I had a sniff of the Aqua Velva in my local store this evening, bearing in mind I'm in Switzerland. With this in mind I assume they would sell the Spanish made one here? When I gave it a sniff I couldn't hardly smell anything, surely thats not right? This was in a rectangular bottle though, I notice the one you and many other show is the more pretty rounded bottle. Maybe there is a difference?
 
I had a feeling it would be quite short lived haha, but what can you expect for the price point. I'm pleased you can use it still & it must bring back wonderful memories of your father too, which is really lovely :) So I had a sniff of the Aqua Velva in my local store this evening, bearing in mind I'm in Switzerland. With this in mind I assume they would sell the Spanish made one here? When I gave it a sniff I couldn't hardly smell anything, surely thats not right? This was in a rectangular bottle though, I notice the one you and many other show is the more pretty rounded bottle. Maybe there is a difference?
It has a strong scent. The original and the Spanish Version come in rounded glass bottles. The modern stuff smells very weakly like it and comes in plastic bottles.
 
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