LGSOTD 18-Jun-24

• Brush: Simpson - 'Colonel' Best #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Blackland Razors - Tradere SB #CNC
• Blade: Feather - Hi-Stainless
• Lather: Williams - Mug Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon Astringent
• Fragrance: The Essence Vault - 283 (Creed Viking) EDP

I wanted to share my experience with this new (to me) Williams Shaving Mug Soap. I don't know whether anyone has ever tried this before, but it has utterly blown me away. As soon as the brush touched the puck it exploded with volumous slick lather It's the best shaving experience I (or anyone else) have ever had. To my utter shock though I've found that this has gone out of production, how could that possibly be!? This is the best thing ever and nothing else can ever compete.

To add to this, I tried using these new Feather blades. I've never experienced anything quite like it. So sharp and smooth, the razor barely had to touch my sensitive skin to remove my tough wirey hair. This is my new go-to blade, and I will never use anything else ever again.

To top the shave off, finished off with the Thayers Lemon. Now I don't know whether anyone else has cottoned on to this little gem, but it is amazing. My skin has never felt so soft and smooth.

All of this is thanks to everyone's amazing advice, I wouldn't be where I am without all of your amazing input...

Now, I hope that was somewhere in the right ballpark, but if I've completely missed the mark then ah well. That was an acceptable shave, the soap scent is just that...soap, I mean I suppose that's the only real need. The lather was just about passable, and I hate feathers, expensive (relatively) and rough for me, but I do actually like Thayers, so I have that going for me. Of course being a complete tit this morning, I was in a rush and didn't remove the blade for pics!

Photocontest

In honour of the theme, I'm aiming this one at 'Darkness', this being the end of the line for this Soap, and likely it's existence in my den.

Have a grand one all.

Cheers

Marc

Williams is still in business and sells Aqua Velva, for instance.

User still gets djudged on theme because of following miscarriage of djustice

June 18, 2024 – Lather Games!

• Brush: Cayuen Abalone w/ 28mm Timberwolf Synthetic.
• Razor: YPM – Winning Razor Mk2, polished, tattooed ("The Razor of Mankind!") #CNC #TITANIUM
• Blade: Gillette Winner Stainless (2).
• Lather: West of Olympia – Tobacco & Coffee
• Aftershave: A&E – Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash.
• Fragrance: The Club – Signature

Here's another soap which is long gone, and which I coincidentally picked up just as I got into the hobby. You do indeed get creamy coffee and tobacco leaf from this, very rich and almost tasty. Sadly the base is mediocre at best. Decent shave finish, however.

#Challenge:

My fellow wet shavers, let me tell you, we are making shaving great again! I'm talking about the closest, smoothest shaves you've ever had, the kind that makes you stand tall and say, "I am a wet shaver, hear me roar!"

I've been looking at the incredible posts on r/wicked_edge, and let me tell you, these people know their stuff. They're talking about the best razors, the best blades, the best soaps, and creams. And you know what? They're right!

We've got the DE razors, the straight razors, the safety razors, all of them delivering the closest shave you've ever had. And let me tell you, these blades, they're sharp, they're tough, they're the best of the best. And the soaps, and the creams, oh boy, they're like nothing you've ever smelled before. They'll make you feel like you're in a barbershop in the golden age of shaving.

And you know what else? We're taking care of our skin. We're not using those canned gels that leave your face feeling dry and irritated. No, we're using the good stuff, the stuff that makes your face feel like a million bucks.

And let me tell you, we're not just shaving our faces, we're shaving our heads, our legs, our arms, our chests, our backs, and everywhere else we want to be smooth and silky.

And you know what else? We're not just doing it for ourselves, we're doing it for our families, for our friends, for our country. We're setting an example, we're showing them that taking care of yourself, that taking the time to do something as simple as shaving, can make a big difference.

So, my fellow wet shavers, let's keep making shaving great again! Let's keep trying new razors, new blades, new soaps, and creams. Let's keep sharing our tips and tricks, our successes and failures. Let's keep supporting each other, and let's keep making this community the best it can be.

Thank you, and God bless you all!

#LatherGames

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvTRmH0-XQ ← Breakthroughs in Science: Hypersonic Travel

LG Day 18- For All My Dead Soapies

• Brush: Leavitt & Pierce 22mm Silvertip
• Razor: Karve Brass CB SB-C
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux(8)
• Lather: Storybook Soap Works - Coffee Spoons
• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Retreat
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

I got coffee in my nose before I got coffee in my belly with this shave. Thanks to u/Tetriside for the smoosh of Coffee Spoons. I'm not sure I was familiar with this soaper in the 'Before Times' when I spent more time cruising B&B. But I understand why some of you get all misty-eyed when SSW hits the SOTD feeds. That was a great shave and that scent would have been a winner for me back when it was out. Don't ask me to dump out my fresh cup of coffee for them; however, I will at least raise my cup and thank them for their service to this hobby.

Now I'll flip the script a bit for today's challenge...

Hey there. Been lurking for awhile and figured I'd finally pop my cherry with some questions and thoughts. So, some guy reached out to me and offered me a 'smoosh' of a soap. Is that code for something? Are smooshes legal? Seems kind of shady to be getting an offer like this via DM but any way I accepted his offer because I like living on the edge.

A couple of days later, the 'smoosh' arrived at my house. My wife opened the envelope before I got home from work and apparently thought I was getting drugs in the mail. Of course, it would have been nice if she hadn't thrown all my clothes out of the house before asking me the question of what was actually in the baggie. I pleaded with her to just open it up and touch it and sniff it. Would you guys tell your wife to do that? And hey, where do you you get those drug-sized baggies? She was on the verge of flushing it down the toilet when I snatched it out of her hand and ripped it open to prove to her it was actually soap. I guess the coffee scent calmed her down and she was able to feel that it was actually soap.

Any way...how do you guys use a smoosh? Are you supposed to open the wax paper and rub it all over your face? How do you avoid getting the wax paper stuck to your face? I mean like I had a lot of the wax paper on my face. Wouldn't it be better to use tin foil? I've only used Proraso and it's awesome but I just squeeze the tube on my face, rub it in with my hands and shave. This smoosh thing seems more challenging. So after rubbing the wax paper smoosh on my face I grabbed my cool Viking Beardmaster War Machine Razor that my wife bought me from Amazon because it had 5 star reviews and it looks cool as hell. Is it a cool as hell razor? Should I upgrade to something better like the Viking Pillager Open Comb? Or what do you guys think about Henson or Supply? I see their ads all over my feed. Is their SEO game good or are their razors good? And what would be a good choice for shaving my junk too?

So yea, the shave. It took me some time to select the right blade for the shave. I kept changing blades with each stroke. I was able to try the Feather, Astra, Gillette SB, Treet, Winner, Lord, and I can't remember what other blades. I've read around here that you should try one of each blade in a sampler before settling down. I don't know how you guys survive the inital transition to a DE. I now have to wake up at 4 a.m. because it takes me an hour and a half to shave with all of the between-stroke blade changes. How long does it take you to shave? How many days a week do you shave? Overall, even with all of the different blades, the shave ended up being good, but I don't know why you guys spend so much time tracking down smooshes of dead brands. Doesn't PAA make a coffee scented soap? They seem like a cool company and they keep showing up in my social media feeds so they have to be good, right?

I think I'm going to stick to my Proraso and hopefully I'll find one blade that I can use for a whole shave so I can go back to waking up at 7 a.m. Those are just my thoughts and your feedback is appreciated.

Wicked edge user says something vaguely offensive, gets confused by smushes, questions a sponsor, and uses all of the blades.

Wicked edge user says something vaguely offensive, gets confused by smushes, questions a sponsor, and uses all of the blades.

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Stirling Two Band Synthetic
• Razor: Van Der Hagen 85mm Safety Razor
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Central Texas Soaps - Mr. Pepper
• Post Shave: Van Der Hagen - Unscented Aftershave Balm

Makes me so sad

June 18, 2024

• Prep: House of Mammoth Embrace Doppio Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 26mm Elite HMW Fan
• Razor: Star Reito Staraet 55 Special Steel 6/8 Half Hollow Square Point (Yasuki Steel)
• Edge: Max Sprecher (10)
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks + Chatillon Lux - La Forêt de Liguest - Soap
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - La Forêt de Liguest - Toner
• Fragrance: Spearhead - 3 Scots - Eau de Toilette

Pass.

** 18.06.2024 **

• Brush: Chisel and Hound brushes Aqua, v22 Fanchurian
• Razor: Blackland razors - Blackbird Titanium OC
• Blade: Perma Sharp
• Lather: Dr. Jon's - Flowers in Dark
• Post Shave: Marmara - Barber N°1
• Post Shave: Mühle alum stone

In W_E I participated in one discussion "Lupo vs Rocca vs Jagger 3one6" I am in Reddit for Lather Games. I didn't have experience with Jagger in that time and if I have to compare now: I don't liked Jagger to aggressive to me. Rocca I have it and sold it. It's little less efficient then R41 but a more gentle. I prefer Game Changer .84 then Rocca they are similar but i liked Changer more. Lupo .72 is more close to Rocca and Lupo .95OC is the safety razor if I have to pick only one for all of my life. Has R41 efficiency and is more gentle and missing blade chatter that R41 has. My Holly Trinity like I said is Lupo .95OC Game Changer .84 and R41. On this Lather Games I find Hanson +++ for great performer. Amazing efficiency and so gentle. I'll buy it very soon. P.S. All this is only my opinion because every one is different. We Have a difference in hair thickness, different skin feel and etc.

LG SOTD 18Jun2024

• Brush: Stirling B&W - 24mm boar
• Razor: Henson - Ti22 Medium
• Blade: Dorco - STP-301 Prime Platinum (1)
• Blade: Zorrik - Super Stainless (1)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s - Hydra
• Bowl: CaYuen - Dark Nebula, large
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Aftershave Balm, Lavender

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to the eighteenth shave of the 2024 Lather Games. Today's theme is “RIP in Pieces” where we shave with a lather from a shuttered company.

I’ll be shaving with Dr. Jon’s Hydra, a citrus scent made with essential oils from six citrus sources approximating the name sake. Dr. Jon’s operated out of New York from 2014 to 2023 and specialized in vegan products.

I tried seven different samples (from Maggard’s) of Dr Jon’s soaps over a year and, even before they announced their closure, I had placed them in the “don’t buy again” bucket. They had some very nice scents that were usually at half strength or less compared to the competition. The base was functional - no creaminess, light on structure, average slickness, average residual slickness, mid post-shave. Though it’s not nice to say, the failure of Dr. Jon’s was not shocking and it was not a tragedy. You can’t coast indefinitely on being vegan when it’s just not much of a niche.

——

As to the daily challenge, can we drop this already? The two subs have their places, and the idea that there is quantitatively more nonsense on wicked edge versus here is very debatable - we just have better enforcement of posting structure to keep it less in your face whereas wicked edge is perfectly content letting someone post a giant pic of a single tuck on their front page to go along with their useless review.

Likewise, what is the challenge? It’s another vague description that leaves us to use our imagination. So, I’m going very literal…

This is my most stereotypical r/wicked_edge post: https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/oaii0z/im_just_swapping_razors/

I posted a very newbie style post about just how much soap I was accumulating. Wonder what that version of me would have said if knew where I was headed 😅

My favorite post was crowning the winner of my Tournament of Blades: https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/yibmja/and_the_winner_is_tournament_of_blades_finale/

——

For the shave I broke out a boar brush that I haven’t used in a forever. It will likely be a forever before I use it again. I don’t care that much for the way boar performs. Definitely a synthetic brush shaver.

Shave itself was nice. The soap was functional, the scent pleasant, and I’ll see it again next time this theme returns.

Enjoy your day!

——

Tournament of Blades Fight 421, Round 1: Dorco - STP-301 Prime Platinum (Vietnam) vs Zorrik - Super Stainless (India)

These two blades paired much like the last - no faults to speak of but the Zorrik was close to perfectly smooth and the Dorco had noticeable feedback.

Winner of Round 1 and Fight 421: Zorrik - Super Stainless

June 18, 2024 – 2024..06.18 SOTD: Lather Games Day 18 – RIP in Pieces

• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Ti
• Blade: Feather (DE) (1)
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks – The Drunken Goat
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – Animal Crackers
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Cow

---

Daily Theme: RIP in Pieces

Theme justification: Mickey Lee Soapworks is officially closed

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: All my software products today have working animals on the labels. Drunken Goat has goats (farm animals), Chicago Grooming Co. Animal Crackers aftershave has circus animals (bear, sea lion/seal, lion), and Zoologist Cow, well, has a cow (farm animal).

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Wicked Edge

I believe it was /u/OnionMiasma who, at the Maggard Meetup, said W_E is a community about wet shaving, and /r/wetshaving is a community for/of wetshavers (or something along those lines). Hell, my first ever wetshaving related post was on W_E. Both subs have their good and bad, but a lot of the bad seems to shine through on W_E (even if that is just due to difference in subs). I think some good conversations can be had over there, but I'll do my best to drum up an example of a ridiculously bad/annoying/odd post (mainly gleamed by looking at the most controversial post on W_E over the past year)(that also could pop up in the Daily Questions thread):

 

Why does DE Shaving Suck for Me? ? ...

For starter I picked up a Chiseled Face Groomatorium Titanium Legacy Razor - Herringbone razor cause i thought that they were good but Iguess they are not... Just sucks since I spent a small fortune on the razor and I cant even return it since i bought it used on facebook... I used feather blades since everyone here says that their the sharpest and I need that since I have super sensitive skin ... Am I DOing something wrong??... Seriously this razor is supposed to be great but when I shave with it no hair is cut and I dont know why because it should be ... it's like](https://i.imgur.com/qlKGVuU.jpg) the blade isnt cutting at all!!!

Why does shaving with this razor just freaking suck??... I am going to go back to my Dollar Shave Club razors since they worked for me and gave me a much better and superior shave to this Double Edge razor that does cut anything at all despite using feather blades...

FIN

---

Fragrance description

First time I've ever used a MLS product. Drunken Goat smells like cookies and beer. I'd probably buy a full tub if it was still around.

Animal Crackers smells exactly like it is described: animal crackers. It's wonderful. A simple buttery vanilla cookie.

Zoologist Cow: Sage is the first thing that hits me, followed by violet. Oddly sweet (think some form of sweetened milk) that I don't find too appealing, but it's not terrible.

---

Now onto the shave!

I am now really sad that I missed the MLS era of shaving soaps. This is absolutely fantastic stuff. Thank you very much for the sample, /u/Engineered_Shave! Loved the scent and the performance.

Decided to go with my Legacy razor today, just due to the name alone. Lovely razor produced a very nice shave. Probably helps that I used feather blades, which are the sharpest blades (as everyone knows). I did fix the odd issue I had in my W_E post, so don't worry :)

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 18/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 18/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 18/30
• Number of Frags: 18/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 18, 2024 – Place a rose on the grave

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Bangalore V20
• Razor: Wolfman WR1
• Blade: Feather (DE) (1)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Rose of Phrygia
• Post Shave: D.R. Harris – Pink Aftershave
• Fragrance: Noble Otter – Two Kings

It always sucks when a brand we love dies. I actually arrived on the scene right as Dr. Jon’s was closing shop. Everyone was upset, so I decided to grab some things from Maggard’s clearance and understand why people were sad to see it go. Rose of Phrygia is an incredible rose scent. He nailed the realism. This doesn’t smell like grandma’s purse with her rose perfume spilled, synthetic and too strong. It smells like walking through a rose garden.

For #fof I’m going to continue that theme, laying a rose on the grave of this brand so to speak. DR Harris Rose aftershave, and Noble Otter Two kings (which is Rose and Oud, but heavy on the rose to my nose.) It’s a bit of a rose bomb, yes. And I’ve probably passed over the “unisex” line here, but ultimately it smells good. And it is thematic for the day.

Since we’re talking about death (in a sense). Let’s use time for #photocontest today. After all we’re all subject to it’s unyielding march. Included in this picture is a pocket watch given to me as a groomsman present at my friend’s wedding. I love that you can see the mechanics of it as it runs. I need to carry it more.

For the challenge. You want a W_E post? I’ll give you a W_E post. My very first, W_E post, so it has to be my best. A post in the style of our current sub exile u/pridetwo over at r/wicked_edge. Go see it for yourself (Assuming u/impressive_donut114 doesn’t pull it down to stop my point spree!)

User makes an actual wicked edge post.

June 18, 2024: So long, farewell, auf wiederseh'n, goodbye

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: AtT S1
• Blade: Gillette Blue
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - The Kraken
• Post Shave: Thayer's - Lavender
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Waves

Mickey Lee rising from the ashes.

My old apartment used to vibrate from a commercial ac unit and it only messed up the lettering on this bottle of Waves. Isn't that wild?!

Dearest Rather Frames to you all.

Lather Games day 18 - tl;dr: I'm out, be nice, or not

• Brush: yaqi rainbow synthetic
• Brush: gillette standard 19mm boar
• Razor: st Leger
• Lather: no scrub X red house farm - no scrub shaving soap.

Long one incoming so it's split into three parts so each has its own TL:Dr

cease of trading announcement

So I've been around the sub for nigh on 6 years and in that time I've gone from lurker, to shit poster, to artisan soap, razor and brush maker. I've also taken on the honour of curating the lather games ~~shit list~~ no scrubs list. Not that anyone asked me to do that last one.

But there comes a time in every artisan's life when they decide that though they got into it the love they had is dead, the margins are tough and the competition is tougher.

1. Who wants a no scrub brush when you can go to dogwood or aurora?,
2. Who needs my custom razor when you can just get a wolfman or a Karve or even go on eBay and pick up a 1912?
3. Why get the no scrub soap when you can go to red house farm directly?

I mean who even needs the ~~shit list~~ no scrub list?

Ok so that last one has an answer and the year without a list was the reason I started back up last year, so I do believe a list is needed. But it's not going to be me next year

No scrub industries is officially no more. This year's list will complete, and soaps will be sent out but then that will be that. These fall under fulfilling commitments in terms of business closure and so the no scrub soap is truly a soap from a dead brand. RIP No scrub industries. You wont be missed.

I hope someone wants to curate next year's list though.

TL;DR 1: as Biggie once said: no scrubbing no problems.

wicked_edge appreciation

Let's face it mocking wicked edge is like shooting fish in a barrel. It's easy and simple because there's nothing worse than someone with a little knowledge. We’re superior yadda yadda yadda. But a lot of us went there and then found our way here because its not a bad intro place its just not a community in the same way wetshaving is.

I stopped subbing there a year or so ago so my only knowledge is from the vocal mod on discord, who seems to have sorted out a sub exclusive (or not I can't tell), the fact that something about that sub led to the ‘drama’ (yawn) earlier in the year and that two people who I know as valued members here are also mods (which I didn't know until recently). I went and looked yesterday and it's basically still the same place, except for u/mrtangerinesky who was trying to troll (badly). So yeah it's not as good as here but nowhere is, and it keeps feeding us new members so why don't we good naturedly humour them instead of mocking them

TL;DR 2, as Bill withers once said: just to two of us, wetshaving in the sky

Lather physics

But this is the lather games, and nothing gets judge points so much as SPITE shaves. And today my SPITE is reserved for BIG SOAP representative, WOKE humanitarian, and SCIENCE believer u/mammothben - who single handedly ruined the greatest single advancement in lather theory and opened the door to the heretical GUTL

SHAME ON YOU BEN, SHAME ON YOU.

The OG poster (whose post I can’t find), may have gone down a blind alley with his special bowl that built super physics defying dense lather because you know his application of the principle was nutty. But the idea behind it is sound: If you can remove excess air you can get a thicker, and hypothetically denser, slicker, better lather.

This is the point where a true lather games champion, or at least pretender to the throne would go all science and hypothesise and synthesise and eulogise. But I’m not a science believer, I’m all about the vibes. A bowl didn't work because it physically can't compress the lather in the way originally suggested, but there are tools and equipment that can do that, and fortunately the little syringe thing that comes with the kid’s calpol would do that. It looks like this. Big amount of lather goes in the top, plunger goes down and air goes squish

So I lathered up and then added some soap into the syringe and squeezed it onto my face. Did it take longer than Ben’s plate lathering? Yes. Was the lather objectively better than Ben’s plate lather? Yes. Was the lather subjectively better than Ben’s plate lather? Yes. Did it take less time than GUTL? Yes. Was the effort more rewarding than GUTL? Yes Was the lather objectively better than that created by GUTL? Yes. Was the future of wetshaving set back 3 years by small minded u/mammothben and his wetshaving enablers who brigaded a wicked_edge post? Yes.

SHAME ON YOU BEN, SHAME ON YOU.

Tl:dr 3:as velocepdic once said: I give this post a score of pridetwo out of cowzilla3

Edit: fuck knows what happened to original pics so here's a quick retake of the money shot.

NDG trolling

Jun. 18, 2024 - propaganda is dead
Brush: Omega Pro 48
Razor: C.F. Schwartz & Co. Clover Four 5/8 square point * Lather: Dr. Jon’s - Propaganda - Soap
Post Shave:* Dr. Jon’s - Propaganda - Aftershave

Poor Dr. Jon. Jailed as he wasn’t really a doctor. Propaganda. It’s everywhere.

The truth is harder and harder to come by these days. But what is the truth anyways? My truth is that I really enjoy this vegan base and the scents that Dr. Jon put out. It’s a shame they are no longer making products. Great label art as well.

I finally tamed this straight razor. It just needed a little more time on the finishing stone. Today was a comfortable shave, although I’m not sure why I keep nicking myself on the cheeks. Can someone please help with some advice as to how to control this razor a little better? I know it’s only my 18th shave ever, but that shouldn’t make a difference. My cat says that my technique is just fine so what gives?

LG23-17: RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Мужской Материк 26mm Zenith Boar
• Razor: Mongoose Razors Alumigoose
• Blade: Artist Club (17)
• Lather: West of Olympia - Lust - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon's - Propaganda - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Australian Private Reserve - Carnivale - EdT
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Tanzania. Mbeya. v: KENT. N39. p:24-36 Hr Fermentation. Sun-Dried On Raised Beds. r: 02/20/24
• Music: Crypt Sermon - The Stygian Rose

During an earlier Lather Games challenge, someone brought up the West of Olympia base, which continues to impress long after the brand closed up shop. The performance competes with some of my favorites and is relatively difficult to flood while lathering. I'm very glad I have this tub of Lust around; it's a gloriously fruity scent that stands out from anything in my collection.

I followed the theme with my brush and razor. The Мужской Материк Etsy store went down a few years ago and it's a shame Mongoose wasn't able to expand into a longterm wet shaving presence.

I followed up my shave with products from two more artisans that are no longer in the game (I'm still surprised about Dr. Jon's). The warm, full-bodied scents of my aftershave and fragrance don't really match the tart fruity-floral qualities of Lust, but we're sticking to the theme. Miss you!

2024-06-18 - RIP

• Lather: Dr. Jon's - Black Label
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Hallows
• Fragrance: Guy Laroche - Drakkar Noir
• Razor: West Coast Shaving - Midnight 78B
• Brush: Maggard Razors - Synthetic Tuxedo

RIP in Pieces:
I hadn't fully decided on what to use today, but Dr. Jon's took it. Not much more than a year ago, Dr. Jon's was apparently killed by Volvo. Volvo please fix.

Unifying Theme: Black Labels
What do we have here? Hmm... Black Label has vaguely yellow lettering, an aesthetic that would make it perfect for tomorrow... but it's also literally called "Black Label."

So, too, do Hallows and Drakkar Noir. Plus, the latter is literally called "Noir." The skull of Hallows is appropriate to the day's theme, too. Finally, a black brush and a black razor called "Midnight."

# photocontest Darkness
Because black.

# FOF
I affirm that winging it is a pretty good way of putting these things together.

I knew that Black Label is a tobacco scent, possibly of the floral variety, but definitely with some added fruitiness (strawberry, if memory serves) that may give it the impression of being the floral kind of tobacco.

I hadn't anticipated that the dark, mossy character of Hallows would be such an excellent complement to Black Label. I also didn't consider that the "fern" notes of Drakkar Noir, being a fougère, would transition so well from the oakmoss and vetiver of Hallows, while rounding back to the lightness of Black Label.

Wicked Edge:
This challenge needs to be retired. You can acheive whatever it is you're going for here with a private room, a closed door, and a sock.

In the spirit of celebrating r/wicked_edge instead of mocking them, I put up a PIF especially for our new Games players who came to this sub from r/wicked_edge.

I was one such player a few years ago, for an iteration of the Games that was overflowing with exclusion. After seeing that, I honestly don't know what compelled me to come back the following year, but I think it had something to do with the judges acknowledging that past negativity and making an earnest effort to correct it.

But I digress.

Player sums up this Judge's feelings about Wicked Edge Day.

June. 18, 2024 - SOTD 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Oumo O4 Venus SHD Badger Brush 26MM
• Razor: King C Gillette
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Central Texas Soaps - Mr Pepper
• Post Shave: Nivea Men - Sensitive Soothing Aftershave Balm

A shame that this soap will no longer be made. Wish I could have bought a tub of it. But luckily u/antwonpeachfuzz was kind enough to give me a sample of it

June 18, 2024 - Tuesday

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts "Fawn" Portal / 26mm Mühle STF
• Razor: Yates 921-H
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (4)
• Lather: Cold River Soap Works - Brazen Moment
• Post Shave: Fine Accoutrements - Latigo splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Eclipse EdT

Today I'm using literally my only option to hit the theme. I was going to throw this tub on the PIF table at the Maggard meet up, but I decided to keep it because it's pretty well used and the base is really really good. I'm glad I made that decision, Great shave today and these scents go together excellently!

• Brush: Stirling - 2 Band Synthetic.
• Razor: Gillette - Slim adjustable.
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue.
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s - Rose of Phrygia.
• Post: Geo F. Trumper - Coral Skin Food.
• Fragrance: Matiere Premiere - Radical Rose.

In a rush today, but wanted to note the smell and performance of this soap is wonderful. What a bummer it is no longer available and Dr. Jon’s is no longer. I am a year too late it seems. I read the insta from him about starting soap making as a hobby and being offered a position managing a dealership … creating the company to support his shaving hobby. Props to all the artisans putting out phenomenal products! I imagine it’s not a huge money making thing to do,and there is a lot of money, time, and labor involved but the love, dedication, and craftsmanship you devote to your goods- is really amazing and it shows. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.

Also, I really love Rose soaps and this one was fantastic. Thank you so much to u/pilgrim32 for this and other smooshes - you’ve got stellar taste!

I’m not doing FoF, but I got this sample of Radical Rose and it’s pretty great. The description states it is the “only rose fragrance in the world to use Rosa Centifolia oil from the perfumer’s own organic farm (in France)”.. and It is super unique and wavers on more masculine side of rose to me.

ROTY

Jun. 18, 2024
Brush: Elite Razor Turn n Shave faux horsehair (26 mm) #FAUXFUR * Razor: Karve CB SS SB (D Plate, First Pass; B Plate, Second Pass) #CNC * Blade: Astra Superior Platinum [2]
Lather: Central Texas Soaps Cowboy Spice (Pasteur Pharmacy Collaboration) - Cowboy Spice - Soap
Post Shave: Central Texas Soaps (Pasteur Pharmacy Collaboration) - Cowboy Spice - Aftershave
Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented (Sego) - Balm

Central Texas Soaps closed shop around two years ago.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 18th, 2024

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Rubberset 400
• Razor: Vostok 5/8" Roundpoint
• Blade: N/A
• Lather: Williams - Mug Soap
• Post Shave: Floid - The Genuine
• Fragrance: None

Hi guys I tried to make a post for this, but the mod wouldn't let me. Why can't we submit full posts instead of having to use these stupid daily threads. Anyways, Williams Mug Soap was cheap, but now that it's unobtanium, I will sell the puck after I'm done with it to the highest bidder (with minimum pubes, not none, but still a lil). I'm thinking something like 60 bucks idk lol. I used a straight razor but idk if its working right, it shaved up my strop, I thought you could use a strop a long time, not just one time. Idk is it sharper than a Feather? The brush and razor are also from companies out of bizness.

Is alot of blood alot? I used Asmo block but it stings. Here's a pic of me after. Can anyone help me out? Im young and poor and just started shaving. Can somebody PIF me a Dec Brush and a Wolf-Man rayzor?? Like please Im so poor. Im thinking of going on dark web and selling my kidneys for a good razor, or minecraft dollars, or Im gonna steal monies, idk, tbd lol. n e way, bye every1!

June 18, 2024

• Brush: TerraFirma Soapery - Deep Blue Spalted Shave Handle - 28mm Oumo Best 3 Color Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Blue Tip SuperSpeed
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Central Texas Soaps - Padre Island Soap
• Post Shave: Central Texas Soaps - Padre Island Splash
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co - South Padre EdT

Gone, but not forgotten. Today, we pour one out for the soapers gone by, and that includes Central Texas Soaps… However, does anyone really know what happened to CTS? Well, gather round, for I shall tell you the truth of what happened to Central Texas Soaps.

Richard "Big Tex" Johnson, made his money as an importer/exporter. He imported mandarins, and exported diapers. But his true passion was being a shaving soap artisan and crafting scents as a creative outlet… And to make a little money on the side. He strived to create a shaving experience so smooth, it'd make a rattlesnake envious and scents that would make an armadillo say “OOOOOOOOooooo”.

To celebrate a particularly lucrative quarter of imports/exports, Big Tex decided on a team-building retreat. They packed their truck with coolers full of Shiner Bock and enough mandarins to feed all the longhorns in Texas. You may be asking if longhorns eat mandarins, and to that I say, “Mind your business.” Destination: Padre Island, the sandy paradise where the only worry was sunburn.

Now, Big Tex wasn't exactly known for meticulous planning. He didn’t trust GPS, maps were more like suggestions, and, of course, asking for directions was out of the question. He traveled using his compass, the placement of the sun, and his famous gut-feel. So, naturally, they ended up lost on a deserted stretch of beach, miles from civilization. Their convoy of pick-ups got stuck in the sand and being so far away from civilization their phones were as useful as a cactus hat in a downpour, and the batteries died faster than a jackrabbit chased by a coyote.

They were stranded with trucks full of mandarins. They had enough mandarins to eat for weeks, but morale was plummeting and Big Tex needed something to make the crew feel better. Day turned into night. And nights turned into weeks. Big Tex, ever the people-pleaser, decided it would be best to use his time to craft a new scent to bring happiness to the group, instead of trying to get rescued. He took inspiration from his current experience. Rather than eat the mandarins, he used them all to create a citrus accord. He blended that with the sand from the beach, as well as some salt water to capture the essence of the ocean mist, he created what would become known as “Padre Island” – the scent I shaved with today.

News of their predicament finally reached civilization, thanks to a seagull who snagged Big Tex's cowboy hat and used it as a nest. A rescue crew arrived, but it was too late. The only thing that was left was a bottle of Padre Island Fragrance Oil and a note that said “Make it happen”. The rescue crew knew just what to do. They released Padre Island because that’s what Big Tex would have wanted.

Central Texas Soaps is no more. But we can always remember the Padre Island fiasco thanks to Big Tex and his dedication to creating fragrances, even though some “survival experts” suggest he maybe should have eaten the mandarins for survival, instead of creating a fragrance with them. But who knows if you can actually trust those experts. I, for one appreciate Big Tex’s dedication and the final scent he ever created.

For my fragrance of the day is South Padre EdT by Stirling and it is the perfect #FOF to use with Padre Island. They are both based on the scents of the beaches of South Padre Island in Texas. Stirling’s is a little bit more complex, adding in some lavender and slight floral notes, but both have me feeling (and smelling) like I’m laying on the beach, soaking in the rays, while reading a book and listening to the waves crash into the sandy beach.

Challenge: I gotta be honest, guys. I’m kinda over shitting on w_e. Each sub has their own energy, users, and each serves a purpose. I feel like a lot of people on r/wetshaving think they’re better than w_e. But that’s not the case. Things are just different over there.

Just because it’s a disorganized mess, and their users can (and do) post whatever random thought enters their mind, it doesn’t mean it’s bad - it’s just different. Both can exist and we don't need to make fun of them.

And just because one of their mods had a shitty experience with Razor Emporium and then suspiciously removed RE from their do not buy list right after RE sent him free shaving soap, it doesn’t mean there is anything amiss over there.

We do our thing and they do their thing. One approach is not inherently bad. It just depends on what every user prefers. I started at w_e, and found I prefer things at r/wetshaving. Do I think I’m better than everyone over there? Well…. No. Perhaps I’m just a bit more enlightened?

As I think about it, maybe we’re not so different after all….

Soap Theme Justification: Central Texas Soaps no longer exists.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Padre 3 times!

RIP SOTD:

• Razor: Charcoal Goods Brass Level 2
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (5)
• Brush: Lentfer Custom Woodworks Red and Black
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Lu'au
• Aftershave: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Lu'au
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Daydream

It's crazy to look back over my years and see the artisans we've lost along the way. Some of them, like Storybook Soapworks, West of Olympia, and Red Panda were small artisans that got their start here on Reddit and were a part of our community and the super supportive community of artisans here. Others were bigger players such as Dr. Jon's, but to me at least, none were bigger than Mickey Lee Soapworks. When I started, these guys were big time, and for good reason. Their soap base and scents were top notch. When they decided to close up shop it blew my mind, but also, I get it. Running a business is a lot of work especially when you've got other things going on. Both owners, Mickey Lee and Sammy Lee were active here back in the day and were awesome people. Lu'au remains the best exclusive the sub had ever done.

On another note, we need to talk about bentonite clay. I just can't get enough of wet shaving (I purchased leisureguy's book and read it cover to cover in one sitting!) I've also been reading through the entire day of B&B. 14 years and 4 months ago OldBobHemi proved conclusively through his observations that the ingredient Bentonite Clay dulls razors significantly. Mr. Hemi says he feels that he might maybe sometimes get 1 or so less shaves out of a blade when using soaps with Bentonite Clay. Several other forum members agreed that they also maybe might sometimes get less shaves. Now despite this hard hitting scientific evidence, I've noticed that several artisans continue to use this harmful ingredient in their soap. I didn't switch to wet shaving to lose money, and if my blades are going to wear out sooner and cost me an extra $1.55 per year, well then count me out. I'll be sticking with my supply of Williams (RIP) until these "artisans" wise up.

June 18, 2024 – Lather Games 2024 Day 18: RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm AP 2BED (re-knot)
• Razor: Gillette Tech Ball Handle Z-1
• Blade: Gillette Winner (9)
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks – Colonia di Agrumi
• Post Shave: Mickey Lee Soapworks – Colonia di Agrumi
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Campania – EdT

Use of Theme: RIP in Pieces

Today’s soap is Mickey Lee Soapworks, to whom I paid tribute in my day four epic story, The Devil of the Saponic Seas. The base continues to be very good, yet it would have been exciting to see how it would have progressed with the others. I have to admit it was my own temperance that kept me from having more of it when it was readily available to me, as it was one of the handful of artisan products available at my local proprietor of shave wares and now home of the Ohio Wet Shavers Meetup—River’s Edge Cutlery. I did, however, acquire a tub of Sandalwood preshave butter, which I hardly use these days. That tub of Pantie Dropper always looked me squarely in the eye every time I visited. Mickey Lee soap finally made it into my trial rotation just as they were announcing their closure. I was lucky to get my tub and bottle of C di A before the primary market dried up. Colonia di Agrumi is an inspiration reminiscent of Aqua di Parma Colonia, a classic Italian scent that is bright,citrusy, and spring-like. It very much compliments today’s fragrant finish, Stirling Campania, which should come as no surprise. Campania is an homage to Fico di Amalfi, another scent from Acqua di Parma.

Daily Challenge: Wicked Edge

Say what you want about the other shaving sub. Having been a mod there for just over two years now, I’ve done my share of post removing and throwing ban hammers at idiots. Happily I have not had to throw any at my r/Wetshaving homies. Though some of you do irk me at times, just not on w_e. And I don’t really blame you. It’s just human nature to be spiteful and hypocritical. I’m just as guilty some times.

In the spirit of levity and good natured ribbing, here is my Wicked Edge post:

I’ve been a member of Wicked Edge for about two years, learning all I can about wet shaving. Despite trying numerous methods, I still haven’t found a solution, so I’m documenting my experience to outline my issues and seek advice.

I started shaving with a Gillette Sixtyblade when I was young, I decided to try a straight razor (Henson AL13), inspired by videos showing effortless shaves. However, I quickly realized that genetics play a significant role. For me, shaving with the grain doesn’t remove hair effectively, so I have to go against the grain, which results in severe irritation, burns, and bumps, so I went back to the new Gillette Eightyblade Electric Lab Superazor.

I want to return to wet shaving. I’ve been told that my flat-growing, thick beard and very sensitive skin will always make it impossible to wet shave my whole life, but I don’t want to give up.

Here are some pictures of the mess my acne-ridden, razor-bumpy, ingrown-infested, folliculitis face has become after trying everything people have told me to do. Can you help me?

Now, I will be the first to agree that society in general has forgotten what it is to laugh at ourselves. That’s why we have the fun we have here. But here’s to hoping you can find a source of humility and decency to be kind to one another. That is, treat others as you want to be treated.

❤️🍩

June 18, 202

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Chisel and Hound Sakura with v21 Fanchurian
• Razor: Muhle Companion
• Blade: Astra Green (Indian)
• Lather: Crabtree & Evelyn - Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Zingari Man Sego Aftershave Balm Unscented

According to Wikipedia, Crabtree & Evelyn opened a store in 1971, became an international chain, closed most of their locations in 2009, ceased all operations in 2018, briefly existed as an online brand, and disappeared completely in 2022.

When I started wet shaving with a brush and "fancy" soaps 20ish years ago, shopping online mostly wasn't a thing. You bought what you saw in brick and mortar stores, which, for me, was Col Conk or Crabtree & Evelyn. I was familiar with this brand because my dad and grandad routinely gifted it to each other. I bought this particular bowl probably 15 or so years ago, and it's lasted, nearly untouched, because it was never my preferred scent. (I can't remember now what my preferred scent was.)

In terms of shaving experience, it's nothing worth writing home about. Slickness was okay, cushion was meh, post shave was meh. And the sandalwood scent is kind of bitter. Frankly, it's got nothing on modern artisan soaps.

Wicked Edge challenge: I've posted a bit in Wicked Edge, with my most up voted posts being some show and tells. But I gather that the challenge is really about war stories and carnage. So I'll tell a story that I could have posted to Wicked Edge, but didn't. Perhaps 6 months ago, during a typical day and an average shave, I nicked myself between my lower lip and my chin. It drew blood, but seemed really minor, and I didn’t do anything special about it. I went on about my business. While breakfasting, my daughter turned up, gave me a funny look, and asked me if I needed a band-aid. Initially, I had no idea what she was talking about, but then I remembered the shaving mishap, and I reassured her that it was no big deal, and I wouldn’t need a band-aid or anything. She said something to the effect of, “Ooookay, dad,” and backed away. Half an hour later, I made my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and I saw that the little nick had bled profusely, with thick streams of dried blood all down my chin. Rinsing the carnage off my face immediately reopened the wound, and I was forced to cork it with a big round band-aid.

ROTY

LG SOTD Jun 18 2024 - That is not dead which can eternal lie

#photocontest

Theme: A bucket (of blood)

• Brush: Alpha - Outlaw 28mm G5 knot #PREMIUMPLASTIC #SHD #TOLL
• Razor: Merkur - Futur #ADJUSTABLE #FLIPTOP
• Blade: Feather - New Hi-Stainless
• Lather: Maol Grooming & Talbot Shaving - Heliopteris - Artisan Shave Soap - sample
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon's - 8th Dimension - Aftershave tonic
• Fragrance: JMD Jean Michel Duriez - L'illusiomagiste - Sample

WARNING WARNING WARNING

As solicited by the Lather Games rulers, this post contain mentions and depictions of cuts that go beyond safe hair removal. The following includes, but is no way limited to, NSFW and potentially triggering texts and pics.

Reader discretion is advised

If you feel urges of “purging” or cutting your skin, please take note of the following resources, and consider talking to a qualified health professional.
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/skin-picking-disorder/https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/self-harm/getting-help/

TODAY'S THEME

My tribute to some shaving and fragrance companies that are no longer in business:

• The soap is signed Maol Grooming and Talbot Shaving, two artisans who often collaborated on great soap + AS offerings
• Dr. Jon's, whose 8th dimension AS was released as a limited edition for 2019 Black Friday
• Jean-Michel Duriez, a French perfumer who launched his own brand after decades of working for big international houses, made it to the 2018 Perfume Guide by Luca Turin & Tanya Sanchez, and was announced as shutting down in 2021

TODAY'S SPECIAL CHALLENGE

I have no beef with anyone on r/wicked_edge.
I am not familiar enough with the posting style that I seem to be asked to mimic.
But "mama raised no quitter": today I am here to fully comply to the judges requests.
I understand that the goal is get the best shave ever with the most badass gear I have. No compromises.

You wanted Feather? Sure: got a brand new one, sharp as a scalpel.
And I picked my Merkur Futur, the Face Mauler.
Shaving is all about aggressiveness + efficiency.
What's better than Japanese medical technology combined with German heavy metal engineering?

So, forward to the objective. DFS?
You didn't say "amateur day challenge".
Today I'm gonna shave until there's no more sound feedback from my razor.
The Futur & new Feather combo provides that special toast bread scraping sound that I had previously felt only with my MM24.

After the first pass WTG, I got just a couple of red spots, as inferred in this pic.
But I remember some WetTuber guy saying that it's ok to get cut.
Must persevere!

After nineteen other passes (especially on my left side, where hair seems to be a bit more rebellious), I got the cleanest shave since I've been born. I know that in the past I objected to be asked to share pics of my shaved body parts, but I now understand, gotta be proud of accomplishments such as today's.
As requested, here's the evidence.

THE SCENTS

No dickholing today, but an effort to provide kind of an olfactory memorial.

The ceremony begins with the Heliopteris, a solar and clean fougère inspired by Ancient Egypt suggestions, and with notes that seem to care about reflecting the North African theme(Egyptian geranium, Egyptian coriander, Atlas cedar).
Helios, the sun, may appear to die at the end of each day, but its death is not eternal: a new dawn, a new day, a new life are waiting.

We then leap to the AS, an audacious 1980s throwback to the 8th dimension: since its creation, it was a Scent from Beyond, seducing the nose with a warm wood accord, but shocking the skin with a mentholated cooling effect. Totally different style and experience with respect to Heliopteris, but the overwhelming woods have no trouble making you forget the sunny fern of the lather.

Finally, another woody sensation - this one by a French perfumer who was tired of the "quick explosiveness" of commercial fragrances, and wanted to create scents that were mostly about the drydown.
L'illusiomagiste is the kind of cedar-vetiver accord with a hint of citrus that I can easily fall in love. This is not the first time that I wear it, and today I am still loving it. However, more often than not, I become maddened by "undying" drydowns.

After a long time smelling the same notes, my brains starts to impatiently ask for something different, more mobile, more lively.

The idea of something ending is discomforting, but at the same time, we are even more scared by the prospect of being in the presence of an undying creature?

#FOF

Note to the curious: if you travel to Italy and are up to a visit off the beaten path, check out the old anatomical wax models in museums such as La Specola in Florence. Also check out the website of the University of Cagliari collection of waxworks by Clemente Susini, where you may recognize someone familiar.

#ROTY

User completes 19 passes going after the w_e ideal of BBS.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
• Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3 SB
• Blade: Bolzano Superinox (German) (9)
• Lather: Central Texas Soaps - Down By The River - Soap
• Post Shave: Old Spice - Hawkridge - Aftershave
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Santa Noir - EdP

Central Texas Soaps is no longer around. I double checked to see if maybe they kept making bar soap to sell locally (they used to sell stuff at farmer's markets and the like), but their website is gone, Insta profile gone, and Facebook gone.

The price tag on this tub says $12.75 for 5oz. of soap. I originally gave the brand a try because they accepted cryptocurrency, and at the time I was a crypto hundred-aire, so it was an easy splurge. I liked the soap so much, I bought a second tub.

This scent is marketed as a dirty river type of smell, but it's really fresh and bright, with a natural freshness to it that I really enjoy.

Challenge: Today I shaved with a Black Land double edge holder, and a Bolzano razor. I've used this blade 9 times so far. How many shaves do razors last for? I'm thinking of getting a new tub of soap. I see some brands with some really cool labels that I think I'll get. I don't know anything about the companies or people who make the soap, but the cartoons and scantily clad women on the lid are pretty dope.

June 18 2024: RIP In Pieces

• Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
• Razor: Mühle R41
• Blade: Feather (1)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Coeur de Vert
• Post Shave: Australian Private Reserve - Coeur de Vert
• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Fougere Platine

Today I used Australian Private Reserve's Coeur de Vert, a grassy fougere that shares a light basil note with my fragrance, Tom Ford's Fougere Platine. I used a brush that is no longer in production, the legendary MOAR BOAR sub exclusive. And in a tribute to our brethren over at wicked_edge, I used a new Feather blade, which they all know are the absolute sharpest and deadliest, with the Mühle R41, a razor so aggressive that one wrong stroke can flay the skin from your body. Unfortunately the combination of the two provided too much for me (despite my coarse facial hair!), because I did not survive the first pass and am now posting this SOTD from beyond the grave.

June 18, 2024 – LG24 Day 18 - RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Slimer handle w/ C&H 26mm v21 Fanchurian Badger knot
• Razor: Schick Injector Type M Variant D2,H1,G1
• Blade: Schick Stainless Steel Injector (5)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s Shaving Soap Co. - Runaway
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Stirling Noir AS Splash
• Fragrance: Symmetry Lab - Inspired by Lost Cherry EdP

Daily Theme, Relevant Post/Frag, and PIF Acknowledgement: Today's soap offering is Runaway by Dr. Jon's. Dr. Jon's ceased operations in the first half of 2023. Runaway has notes of cherry, carnation, clover, leather and musk. The frag (a Tom Ford Lost Cherry dupe) is an Amber Floral whose main accord, cherry, pairs nicely with Runaway's sweeter side. The post (a Drakkar Noir dupe) is an Aromatic Fougère whose greens and flowery top notes (including carnation), and musky base notes (including leather) help counterbalance the frag's sweetness and together the post and frag are a nice compliment to Runaway.

As I do not currently have any dead company soaps in my shaving stash, u/tsrblke was kind enough to PIF me smush of Runaway. Thanks Tsar!

Daily Challenge: It is time to suspend belief and imagine yourself being teleported to the Edge of Wickedness....

r/wicked_edge

Posted by u/AdWorried2804 5 minutes ago

Question - Can't Do Three Pass Shaves. What Am I Doing Wrong?

Ok, I'm on my 23rd safety razor. So far I've used Above the Tie H1/H2, Baili BD176, EldrormR Industries MM24, Gillette Slim Adjustable, Gillette Tech, Merkur 23C, Merkur Progress, RazoRock Game Changer .68-P/76-P/.84-P, RazoRock Hawk v3 Standard, Rex Supply Co. Ambassador XL Adjustable, Rex Supply Co. Konsul XL Adjustable, Schick Injector Type G/Type I/Type J/Type L/Type M, Schick Double Edge TTO, Schick Krona TTO, Weber PH, and Wolfman WR1. I don't know why but my skin doesn't like three passes.

So, I shave before a hot shower. Everyone recommends showering before shaving, but for reasons that make sense only to me I shave first. I use pre-shave soap, I have a lather bowl, I have a brush, I have shave soap, I have an alum block (although I never use it) & I have aftershave. I cannot for the life of me shave three passes with all of these things without skin irritation (and sometimes cuts!) Blades I've tried are Bolzano Superinox Inossidable, Elios Inoxidable, Gilette Astra Green and Blue, Gillette Minora Stainless, Gillette Perma-Sharp, Gillette Platinum, Gillette Silver Blue, Ladas Super Stainless, Personna Super Comfort Coated, Personna Lab Blue, Personna PTFE Stainless Steel GEM, Personna PTFE Stainless Steel Injector, Rapira Platinum Lux, Rapira Swedish Supersteel, Rapira Stainless, Schick Stainless Steel Injector, Schick Proline P-Series Artist Club, Treet Carbon Steel, Voskhod, Wizamet Super Iridium, and Feather. I know I've got the angle & pressure right (I practiced on my chest & legs and only drew a little blood) so what I'm here for is to see if anyone might have any insight into what I'm doing wrong? At this point anything might help. I so frustrated I can't get a three pass BBS with no irritation just like my favorite WetTubers that I'm considering going back to cartridge razors.

Edit: I shave every day, and twice a day when the need arises. My hair is thick everywhere (I think I am part neanderthal but I'm scared of my spit, so I've never done a DNA test to confirm it). I do 3 passes, with the grain, across the grain, & against the grain. I followed my WetTube shaving hero, Matt Pisarcik's advice and mapped my beard and noted that on the right side of my face my beard grows left, on the left side of my face my beard grows right, on my upper neck my beard grows down, on my lower neck my beard grows up, on the left side of my chin my beard swirls clockwise, on the right side of my chin my beard swirls counterclockwise and my lips are free of hair. Thanks in advance for any advice anyone has to offer.

LG 18 - RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Some Making Requiered - Maker Brush #7 - Oumo HMW Silvertip 24mm
• Razor: Filarmonica - Sub-cero 14
• Lather: Daisho - Autumn Storm
• Post Shave: Daisho - Autumn Storm
• Fragrance: Zara - Exclusive OUD

---

The soap I had planned for today was Moroccan Sands, one of the best Oud's out there, from Nanny Silly, but a brief search gave me the pleasant surprise that she has returned last year and she's selling her soaps on Ebay, facebook & ATG forum. I will stock some.

The replacement is from a Spanish soap maker, which is no longer in business. Great soap and scent. For the brush, I used another one of my top brushes, from a maker that gone out of business too.

.#challenge I have never cut myself badly while shaving nor have any notable accidents but a couple of years ago if I recall well, while I was honing a straight razor it slipped from my hands, hitting the table and falling to the ground with the luck (because it didn't break) that it landed on my ankle before, leaving a memory of my clumsiness.

.#FOF I combined the woodsy, booze scent of Autumn Storm with the straight oud from Zara's Exclusive

---

• June 18
• Brush: Chisel and Hound – 26mm AP Shave Co Synbad
• Razor: Aylsworth Razors - Drakkant
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum
• Lather: Talbot Shaving – Gates of the Arctic
• Post Shave: Talbot Shaving – Gates of the Arctic
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Admiral

Wow. Today’s shave was like going for a hike on a chilly spring morning. I imagined walking making my way through the trail, smelling the wood of the green pine trees, the wild grasses under my boots, and the fresh air blowing across my face. Through the trees, you hear the sound of rolling rapids of a river running through the woods. The matching splash was pleasant. The whole set was something of an outdoorsy scent, while remaining very clean.

For today’s fragrance, I used Admiral to take the next step from the clean scent of the riverside hike to a go to a sent inspired by a riverboat. Reminding me to the quote from the book Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, “... the river is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the rapids, in the sea, in the mountains, everywhere at once, and that there is only the present time for it, not the shadow of the past, not the shadow of the future.” The river’s omnipresence symbolizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. We are all connected to each other on this planet called Earth. Just like all water is connected. Just as the river is present in various forms and places simultaneously, life should be seen as a unified flow where all human experiences are interconnected. Everyone is all going in our own directions, yet with the zillions of interactions, every human is connected to every other human. Basically, a pretentious way of referring to 6 degrees of separation.

Talbot Shaving Soap and Splash paired with Chatillon Lux Admiral EdT isn't just a shave—it's a voyage that put the human race in perspective to me. Every whiff of the shave told a story of exploration and discovery and self-reflection. It smelled clean and outdoorsy but also brought the connection of the river and entire human race to me. Wonderful scent, wonderful shave, and even better thought provoking philosophical exercise.

Challenge: I have to admit, as a rookie and reddit newbie, I don’t know much of the history or ins-and-outs of the rivalry between r/wicked_edge and r/wetshaving, so while I’d like to come up with something clever, I just posted my SOTD over there too.

6/18/24 Lather Games shave

• Brush: Prometheus Handcrafts SHD

• Lather: Talbot Shaving - Grace

• Razor: Gillette Tech (Timeless TI crown handle) w/ Personna X-series

• Post Shave: Dr Jon’s - Sakura Musk AS

RIP to Talbot Shaving, they made really good soaps and I’m happy to have a couple tubs to still work through. Additional RIP to Dr Jon’s, whose aftershaves I always enjoyed. I thought they made some nice scent profiles and they had enough staying power to be enjoyable during the day but not overwhelming.

Today I shaved with Dr. John’s Flowers in the Dark and a Prometheus/SynBad brush. I used a Gillette old type with a Personna blade. I followed up with Champs de Lavande aftershave and a blast of Caron Pour un Homme.

Jun. 18, 2024
Brush: Stirling 2-Band Synthetic Brush
Razor: Rockwell 6C - Gunmetal
Blade: Gillette Platinum [3]
Lather: Storybook Soapworks - Carnivale - Soap
Post Shave:* Pinaud - Clubman Classic Vanilla - Aftershave

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 18, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co White 26mm Gelousy #SHD

• Razor: Puma 89 #2 11/16 Full Hollow

• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Ozymandias - Soap

• Post Shave: Imaginary Authors - Telegrama - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Telegrama - Eau de Parfum
• Talc: Pinaud Clubman Finest Powder
   

---

As far as I'm concerned a Wicked Edge looks like this.

Very nice shave today. APR was out of business when I entered the hobby and it is a shame what happened there. I got this smush/sample from u/VisceralWatch a while ago. A really nice, interesting, soap and scent, and today I used up the last bit I had of it.

The razor is my second Puma 89. This one was a deal I could not pass on. I put a coticule edge on it. Here is the video of that.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Talbot Shaving - Author's Ridge
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co - Autumn Glory
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co - Autumn Glory

I used Talbot, which kicked the bucket this year. Given that it's an Autumn-inspired scent, I followed it up with the much brighter-but-still-fall Autumn Glory.

Jun. 18, 2024 - Old Spice

• Prep: Shower, Baxter Shave Tonic
• Brush: Heritage Shaving C-Mon 28 mm
• Razor: Star DE (1940s)
• Blade: Personna Platinum (1)
• Lather: Shulton - Old Spice
• Post Shave: Old Spice (1950s)

I could have gone with OSP today, which I'm pretty sure is shut down once again after a brief re-opening in 2022. But I like to make the judges think a bit. Really scratch their heads, you know. Of course, their decisions are always the right ones but why make that decision black and white? What's the fun in being a judge if no one is making you creatively judge. In short, you're welcome, judges.

And so I chose my 1950s vintage Old Spice soap, which came in the mug in the photograph. Of course, Old Spice still exists and still, in fact, has a shaving cream. So how does this fit into today? Well, this mug and soap was made by Shulton, the original company that made Old Spice and a company that is no longer around today. See Old spice is a brand, not a company and is now owned by P&G. However, this product is not from P&G, it is from Shulton and Shulton no longer exists. This isn't a rebrand either since the soap is still Old Spice and Shulton is not P&G rebranded. As such, I think we're all in line here for this soap to be considered from a dead wet shaving company.

Let's all pour one out for Shulton.

EDIT: I'm realizing the soap I used and that is in the photo in the box is a 1970-80s puck. Still Shulton, though.

In leu of writing the once a month w_e request for good Old Spice dupes that go up over there on the regular I will instead replicate the community members from both here and there's responses to said posts.

ahem...

"u/cowzilla3 is your guy."
"Old Spice? u/cowzilla3"
"Yo, u/cowzilla3"
"There's that guy who does the Old Spice reviews. I can't remember his name but he could help."

and my personal favorite...

"u/cowzilla3"

(For real, thank you for tagging me because I don't pay attention that much over there and I do like spreading the knowledge)

Despite having several old spice dupes from brand that are dead, user tries to use Old Spice brand Old Spice, which is a brand that still exists, albeit with a different corporate overlord.

June 18, 2024 - RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Yaqi Surf 22mm
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - 921-H
• Blade: Feather - New Hi Stainless x2
• Lather: K Shave Worx - Bitter Peach
• Post Shave: Clubman - After Shave Lotion

Today's Theme: Thank you to u/Eructate for the K Shave Worx Bitter Peach smush. Thankfully it was generously sized because I want to give it another shot.

Today's Challenge: Why am I still getting irritation? I have super duper über thick wiry facial hair growth. It is extremely tough to cut through and every method of shaving thus far has proved ineffective. It is like cutting metal. My new routine consists getting together the best gear known to man.

I start out by stropping Feather blades on my jorts because I find that Feathers need just a little more refinement. When I say Feathers, I mean it. I read that using shims is a super good idea to get more aggressiveness to shave my ultra wiry hair, so why not use an Feather that has been professionally stropped? Hopefully using a razor with a 0.040" blade gap and positive blade exposure will be enough to hack down my inhuman growth.

I whip up my lather into a creamy, thick, dense, voluminous and yogurty consistency and apply it. I know my lather isn't the problem because this is normally how I see people build lathers on YouTube, they must be experts otherwise they wouldn't post videos.

I always do WTG, XTG, and ATG with the hottest water out of the tap to rinse the razor. I have to use a lot of pressure to really cut down the hair even with two blades and still had a lot of tugging. I finished off my shave with a small amount of Clubman and it burnt so so sooo badly, but it felt good because I’m a closeted masochist. Can anybody help me figure out why I get razor burn, irritation, and a super dry face afterwards? I am at my wit's end with this shitty, dumb, old man style of shaving.

ROTY

Day 18

• Brush: SmilezforMilez – 22mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gem 1912
• Blade: Gem PTFE
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Flowers in the Dark Soap
• Post Shave: Taconic Shave - Lavender Lime Splash
• Fragrance: Paco Rabanne - Phantom

For those unfamiliar (and as a reminder for those who are), Dr. Jon's was an artisan soap maker known for their intriguing scents. They closed shortly after I started wetshaving and I only have a couple samples of their products. Flowers in the Dark wasn't your typical lavender situation. Sure, there is lavender, but it is like a lavender field visited by a rogue bolt of lightning, which struck someone and landed them in a coffin made of cedar. I absolutely love it. It’s lavender, with a faint ozone tang, a whisper of the wood of a freshly milled wood (intriguing, right?)

Now, Dr. Jon's is no more, a victim of, well, I’m not entirely sure what. It may have been an explosion of a batch of aftershave or, in a form of poetic justice, and the founder was struck by lightning, while frolicking in a lavender field, and he’s buried in a cedar coffin. I doubt know. I couldn’t be bothered to research why they went out of business, so that’s the story I’m choosing to believe. At any rate, Dr. Jon’s absence leaves a void in the world of curiously scented shave soap. And I have mixed feelings using this sample I have, because I know it’s not going to be made anymore. Like, I know I should use it, but I really enjoy this scent and I don’t want to finish it. I clearly have issues letting go and need to talk to the therapist about it.

ANYWAYS

I lathered up from this tiny sample, a single tear tracing a path down my cheek, which eventually helped hydrate my lather. The shave itself was like a dream. The soap is great and I couldn’t help but think of the poor founder of Dr. Jon’s getting struck by lighting and dying in that lavender field. RIP in peace 🙏🏻

To close out the shave, kept the lavender theme going with the splash and fragrance. Taconic’s Lavender Lime splash, is fresh, floral, and refreshing – giving an entirely different lavender vibe than the soap I used. Phantom, by Paco Rabanne, is more like a brighter version of scent of the soap, bringing an earthy elements, yet with a clean, sharp bite of citrus and a creamy lavender heart that shouldn't work, but somehow ends up smelling unexpectedly cool and is very nice to wear. #FOF

For #photocontest: bucket

The challenge today is to be one with r/wicked_edge, but I’m not entirely sure what that means. Wicked Edge is a vast resource for wetshavers new and old! On a completely unrelated note, I want to show you all my new invention: The Triple Gem! I got tired of doing three pass shaves, so I taped extra Gem blades to the top and bottom of my 1912. Boom! I can do a 3 pass shave in the time it used to take to do a 1 pass shave! Am I brilliant or am I brilliant? I made sure to use the strongest tape I could find because I safety is my top priority. I’ll be taking pre-order starting next week!

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “RIP in Pieces”… My Top 5 Best Stores that Don’t Exist Anymore

5.) RadioShack – Need batteries? Wires? AC adapters? A computer? Speakers? If you needed it, Radio Shack had it.

4.) Sports Authority – 12 Year old me would spend literally hours in Sports Authority while my family would walk around the rest of the mall. It was there I bought a life-sized cut-out of Ken Griffey Jr that still lives in my parent’s basement.

3.) Brookstone – Oh my god. They had the most useful, useless overpriced junk that I absolutely needed. Somehow, they still have an online storefront, which is shocking, because the entire appeal was walking in, sitting in the massage chair, and maybe splurging on an impulse purchase of a portable weather-station.

2.) Toys R Us – If 12 year old me loved Sports Authority, Toys R Us was for ages 4-11. Man, it was something special when my parents brought me there. Just had to make sure I avoided the pink aisles like the plague. God forbid any of my 10 year old friends see me even look down that aisle. Don’t want anyone to start any rumors…

1.) Blockbuster – They could have had it all. Instead, they banked on the fact that people wanted to browse movie rentals in a physical location instead of relying on the fad of the internet. Whoops! Shootout to that one remaining Blockbuster in Oregon that’s refusing to admit defeat. It’s like the Japanese soldiers that stayed in the jungle after WWII because they thought the war was still going on.

User creates "triple GEM" by taping blades to the top and bottom of a Gem razor like a madman.

Jun. 18, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co AP 400 22MM GELOUSY SHD FAN Badger

• Razor: Gillette 1962 Slim H 2

• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Pantie Dropper

• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Dickens

• Fragrance: Azzaro - The Most Wanted Parfum

RIP in Pieces day.

First I would like to thank everyone who commented about my kid. He is doing much better today. He woke up around 10:00am. He’s been awake ever since and we’ve been able to get some food into his stomach and the color is starting to comeback into his face. When he woke up this morning he was completely white washed.

This day I was in a panic over. I had nothing I could use. But thanks to u/souleater7173 for sending me this smoosh of Mickey Lee Soapworks pantie dropper. What an amazing soap. The smell is fantastic and just a little bit of water and a damp brush the lather was abundant. I had so much left over I was wishing I did not use as much of the smoosh as I did. But now I am on the search for more.

When he sent it to me and told me what it was, I told him I already have an idea for my picture and what splash and frag to use.

If you get the panties to drop, and the dickens proper, you will definitely be the most wanted.

Now for today’s challenge

Hello all,

I’ve been reading and lurking around here for a few months now. A few posts here and there but nothing of a substance. Well that changes today! I thought I made a friend in u/souleater7173 ! Boy was I wrong. Can you believe he would send me a soap called gasp Pantie Dropper. I almost spilled my tea when I read his message. Let me tell you something, the missus was none to pleased either! I came here looking for like minded folks who loved the art of Wet Shaving, not soaps with names like that! Pure Smut! I’m disgusted and disappointed! If it wasn’t for the name of the soap I would ask him if I could buy a sample from him, personal check or money order of course. I don’t trust sending money through the internet. I only trust Amazon but that’s only to get Proraso and my vitamins. Ya know what for get this whole post! I’m done here. You all lost what could a been a great member of this community but because of one dirty minded member I’ll be taking my ball and going home!

Photo Contest Humor my wife bought me this t-shirt 16 years ago

#ROTY #FOF #Photocontest.

Jun. 18, 2024
Brush: Craving Shaving Red Mesh
Razor: Maggard Razor MR5 #RAINBOW
Blade: Personna Super [3]
Lather: APR/Storybook Soapworks - Fresca Intensia - Soap
Post Shave: APR/Storybook Soapworks - Fresca Intensia - Aftershave
Post Shave: GreenBox - Alum
Fragrance:* Australian Private Reserve - Fresca Intensia

This scent and Torchwood are my favorites from APR. The soap was made by Storybook Soapworks and they closed up in 2021 as well. The brush was made by a fellow who closed up his Etsy shop a while back.

2 passes.

Wicked Edge…

I toyed with the idea of posting the grossest photo on my phone. It’s a picture of my tongue, with 3-4 stitches in it from 2018 or so.

I managed to faint while taking a leak, then face planted on the thing. It drove my top teeth into my tongue, and broke off one of them in the process, leaving some of the tooth stuck in the tongue.

In case you’re wondering how the hell that happened, my blood pressure meds were cut back 75% after this….

June 18, 2024 - R.I.P.

• Brush: Semogue 610 #OLDWORLD #SMOLL
• Razor: RazoRock Lupo Silver #RAINBOW
• Blade: Wizamet (32)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve – Passione
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Daydream
• Fragrance: Australian Private Reserve / Southern Witchcrafts - Gravefruit

Challenge: Hey, I've been lurking for a while. I met this guy Douglas, or maybe it was Erik, on Facebook. He seemed like a cool dude. He made soap with cool labels, and didn't let the haters get to him. He Petal Pushed some Fancy shaving stuff on me, and now I'm hooked.

I'm still new to this. So, I was hoping you could give me some pointers. I use Feather blades because they're the sharpest. I added a few shims to get some positive blade exposure. There were 5 blades in the pack. I need one to shave with. I hope the other 4 are enough. I corked my blade to make sure it was as sharp as possible. But, first I corked my cork to make sure it was corky enough. So, I'm doing all the things I've read to do, and I keep getting these bumps on my face. What gives?

---

Passione is a passion fruit fougere. As I load the soap I smell notes of passion fruit, lavender, and oakmoss. As I'm lathering, I get brightness from the passion fruit, and fresh green notes alongside the lavender. It's light for a fougere. I never really picked up any base notes. I imagine there are more layers to this in eau de toilette form. It still smells great. It’s energetic. It would be great for a morning shave. The fragrance makes me feel like I can switch on my extroversion and greet new faces. The fact that I'll never get to smell Passione in its full glory makes me sad.

Daydream isn't a fougere. But, it does share notes of passion fruit and oakmoss. Sweet bergamot is joined by notes of sharp passion fruit and bright lemon to create a pleasant and calming effect. Green tea and a touch of oakmoss offer some contrast to the sweet citrus. It pairs well with Passione. Daydream is approachable, pleasant, and tranquil. I love shaving with it. I need to pick up the frag at some point.

I don’t have any fragrances with passion fruit. So, I grabbed the only Australian Private Reserve frag I have, Gravefruit, from their collaboration with Southern Witchcrafts. The grapefruit note in this is fragrant, zesty, bright citrus, and tart. A ting of yuzu adds some sweetness. There are hints of woody and green notes, and maybe a grassy note. But, this is a citrus bomb. I love it. It’s perfect for summer. But, I’m afraid to use it. I have FORO (fear of running out).

#photocontest - Sugar & Sweets

#FOF

2024-06-18 LG SOTD

• Brush: Semogue SOC Mistura (24x53mm Finest Badger / Boar Blend)
• Razor: Schick Injector E2 (1936-1938)
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Lu'au
• Post Shave: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Lu'au
• Fragrance: Nah

Not only a shuttered artisan, but it was a Wetshaving Exclusive set.

No frag today, doesn't feel like there's much point when I'm still sick with a cold.

RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Yaqi Ferrari
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable
• Blade: Bic
• Lather: Palmolive Shaving Stick

Palmolive Shaving Stick Has been discontinued for many years, so it is somewhat on theme.

photocontest

Time. Not available items are just a matter of time.

Today’s Challenge:

Wicked Edge

I found this shaving stick in some small shop during a trip and the razor is some vintage Gillette from Ebay. The shave was great, just a few nicks. Waiting for my Rockwell razor though.

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14 with Ikon Bulldog handle
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: West of Olympia - Polo Red Clone
• Post Shave: Polo Red

I went with another of the West Of Olympia selections for RIP day. Today I chose one of their one-off offerings. I think this was made for a shave meet up for a PNW group. He nailed the scent and I think this may be the first soap to use the base they went on to use for the deadly sins soaps. My memory isn’t great so feel free to correct me if that isn’t the case. It definitely is a different base than Tobacco and Coffee or Greyscale. It is a pretty phenomenal soap and u/OlympiaWest used to be pretty active around here.

#### RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 #Hollow
• Razor: Victoria 4 (6/8", half hollow, round tip, carbon steel)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve – Raconteur
• Post Shave: Siliski Soaps – Unscented
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Pharaoh's Dreamsicle

Theme: APR went out of business when its owner passed away a few years ago.

Relevant post & frag: All items in this shave are some degree of RIP in Pieces. Siliski soaps has stopped making wetshaving products, but are still in business. Stirling has retired Pharaoh's Dreamsicle, but are still producing a lot of other wetshaving products. Victoria has stopped making razors at some point and changed its name to Victorinox in 1909 (the maker of the Swiss army knife). Rubberset finally never really went out of business, but was bought by Williams in 1956 and stopped producing shave brushes.

Challenge: The straight felt a bit harsh, so I corked it. To my eternal surprise, it didn't help.

Jun. 18, 2024 - RIP the good stuff

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: That Darn Rob Green & Ivory w/Paragon Boar

• Razor: Blackland Era SB LVL5

• Blade: Personna P74 (2)

• Lather: Storybook Soapworks/Australian Private Reserve - Fresca Intensa

• Post Shave: Australian Private Reserve - Passione

• Fragrance: Dr Jon’s - Savannah Sunrise

I am so glad that we have brought this day back because these brands deserve to be remembered. All have had their place with things and some still outshine even modern prouducts!

Daily Challenge: I may come back to this, but right now not feeling like making fun of W_E. We all can’t be as great as Wetshaving!

Daily Theme Justification: Storetbook Soapworks shut down several years ago and while it was before my time, I got this incredible soap thankfully.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I tripled down on the RIP scents today, Storeybook soapworks/APR soap, APR splash, Dr Jons Fragrance. I also brought out my discontinued razor (ERA) and a That Darn Rob handle (now Chisel & Hound) which while they dont qualify for RIP day they both are UnObTaNiUm so I get all of the 0 points available for matching hardware to the theme. Relevant: all items are from brands that are RIP making them all on theme for the day

June 18, 2024 – LG 18: RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Maggard Purple Swirl Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Tech
• Blade: Voskhod (2)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve – Lavioletta
• Post Shave: London Razors – Mountain Laurel
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Just Right for a Tuesday

Today I headed over to Ross, where I know they always have cheap ~~proraso~~ APR for like 5 bucks. They didn’t have any AS so I hopped in the car to TJMaxx to get some ~~Nivea~~ overstock from London Razors AS. Luckily I also found some BM frags there too, great spot for niche pick ups instead of the department stores. The feathers I got are super sharp, so I corked it several times which somehow turned it into a voskhod. That made it so I then had to shim it to get it back to the right sharpness. Then I loaded up some GeoFatBoy and KenSurfs videos to make sure my technique was right.

For our #FOF today, APR lavioletta is a bright lavender and violet forward scent. It’s crisp, clean, a vibrant green forward scent. Quick notes of citrus quickly heed to floral lavender backed by a lightly mossy and woody base. LR ML is another bright and floral scent, especially in AS form. I find the cedar also distinctly comes through. Lastly, continue with floral forwards we get to BM Tuesday. It’s a safe and versatile scent, relying heavily on lavender and violets like todays soap. There’s a light spice from the vetiver and nutmeg, keeping the scent from being one dimensional.

For our #PHOTOCONTEST we went with soccer (aka football). Brand new Liverpool Football Club ball seemed ripe for the photo.

6/18/24

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks w/ Maggards 24mm Silvertip #COMPOSITE #SMOLL
• Razor: Wade & Butcher "The Celebrated Hollow Ground Razor For Barber's Use" 8/8, Half Hollow Barber's Notch
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Coeur De Vert
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Trismegistus Aftershave Splash

For today's shave, I went with the only real choice for an open blade shave, a vintage razor 🕑👨‍🦳💈😂🤌💪

As anyone who knows anything about straights will tell you, that's the only real choice. They just don't make em like they used to. You just can't find good quality steel these days 🙅‍♂️😢💈🚫 Everything back then was better. Everything. Both quality and equality really reached their peak back then. By back then, I just mean any old time, that's not now! 🥱😡😤

Today, in the spirit of the games, I'm going to share my proprietary honing method that comes from the blacksmiths of old 🕕🧔💪. People today may think they know how to put an edge, but they just don't compare. My proprietary honing method is inspired by Jarrod from The Superior Shave. The Convex Hone. But it is MY Proprietary Honing Method. Some folks may have opinions on Jarrod, like that he has a persecution complex. He's irrationally emotional and all too often tears up or gets wildly mad at any comment that may disagree with him. He uses alts on a regular basis to try and sway folks and then rapidly deletes any when someone disagrees. And THAT MAY BE TRUE! But boy, does he make a point 💯🍵🥲😂😭🤣

No one can hone like old blacksmiths do, except maybe me and Jarrod. That's because we use convex honing, just like blacksmiths of old. You see, only someone working a round stone wheel could ever get anything sharp. Now, you may say, "Pudding, Japanese are world famous for their edges and flat stones!" Well, that doesn't mean anything. Ignore that and anyone else who has used anything flat. They were WRONG 🙅‍♂️🚫💯💪🤣 Cause a true master of an edge used a wheel.

Well, we can't really get wheel stones much these days, not like how they did way back, when everything was always better and the world knew peace. So I gave mine a convex on my own 🤣🫡🤯🥱💯

I rubbed the edges of my stones on some concrete til they were well worn. Then, I rubbed the faces along the concrete in radial motions to get that ideal radius carved in. I started on my 1k (now convex) stone. I, of course, added a generous layer of electrical tape to the spine. I wouldn't want to wear this timeless piece any. I could have shaved off of this edge, as it is common knowledge that you should be able to easily pass a HHT at this point. I wanted to go the extra mile, though. So I moved to my 4k (obviously already convex 🤣🤩❤️‍🔥💪). At this point, I'd worn a hole in my electrical tape. So I added another layer. From there, I did 350 laps on my 4k. Anyone else would call this good, but I want great. So I pulled out my strops.

These are just some scrap pieces of leather I found in my grandads shed, next to an old box of drivers licenses and small bits of clothes. One has a tattoo, but I'm certain he was just practicing once, and there is certainly no foul play there. He's from back when, when everything was better and we were free to ingest lead. WHICH I'M POSITIVE IN NO WAY HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH HIS FREQUENT AND VIOLENT OUTBURSTS 😡😤😩💀🤬☠️

Anyways, I loaded one piece of leather with Chromoum Oxide and gave it 250 laps. My next piece, I loaded up with Iron Oxide and gave it 500 laps. I then loaded diamond paste on to last and gave it 1000 laps 😵‍💫🤯🧐👹. I never strop on clean leather cause blacksmiths of old never had clean leather. That's it! I did it! Sharp as could ever possibly be, and all I did was take a note from history, history that was always good. God, I wish I was a boomer 😢😭🫦🧑‍🦳🌽⭐️

The resulting shave was amazing. It only tugged in the areas that had hair, and I only gave myself several small cuts. When I applied my post shave it felt like my face was on fire. Just how I like it. It reminds of when my grandad held my face over the fireplace that one time I waved at a POC. What a trip down memory lane 🥰😍😘🤪😝🤣😭

The soap was fine, I guess. It's no TOBS and smells like a field. I don't get it, but whatever 😅😁🤨😬🙄

Well, there you have it! My proprietary honing method. If I find out you used it, I will fucking sue you. 😠😡🤬💀☠️💩🤡😅

Player shares their "proprietary honing method that comes from the blacksmiths of old," and made this Judge wonder if the Blacksmiths of Old used emoji.

SOTD format

LG2024- June 18th ☠️

• Brush: Elite Razor Custom Birch Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Voskhod (5)
• Lather: Dr Jons- 13
• Post: Wholly Kaw- Eroe

Shave: another LG SOTD, another sample. Too bad Dr Jon’s isn’t around anymore cuz the 13 treated me very well today. Pleasant scent and great performance. RIP.

Challenge: not quite sure what the challenge is about today? I view Reddit subs in a similar way as religion… all have their own rules and regulations and attract different followers, doesn’t make one superior over another. TBH I find this sub more….dogmatic than WE. Sometimes I prefer the structure and consistency of this sub while other times I like the laissez-faire nature of WE. It can get weird here (see Lather games) and there you have to wade through a lot BS to get to some gems

Live and let shave. Though I highly prefer the shitposting here:)

ROTY

2024-06-18 RIP in Pieces

• Prep: Coffee, Face wash soap/warm water
• Brush: Maggard Razors - Maggard Blue Swirl, Timberwolf Synthetic, 24mm
• Razor: Blackland - Blackbird, DE safety razor, Brass, 101 mm handle - "Brassbird"
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum, DE
• Lather: Dr. Jon's – Runaways
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Runaways

Theme of the Day: - R.I.P. in Pieces:

Dr. Jon's was a well regarded artisan. The soaps were a bit harder and less of a croap and came in metal tins.
Between the soap being less croap and the metal tin - the soap was noted for often spinning in the tin as you loaded your brush. Dr. Jon's had some great scents and amongst my favorites are his holiday soap "Krampus".
As with many artisans this was not his day job and Dr. Jon retired from soap making after accepting a position in a new job.

Today I am using Dr. Jon's Runaways soap and aftershave. This soap was inspired by the band of the 1970's (1975-1979) and certainly inspired by Joan Jett. This scent uses a set of notes that could seem difficult to combine - fruit, floral, hide and musk. Two notes I think could get more use in modern scenting out of this lot are clover and carnation.

Yes, the soap did spin. This is a Volume III soap (bases were described as volumes for a naming convention). Aside from the soap, I think Dr. Jon's had one of the best aftershaves on the market during it's run. In this particular one the cherry note shines.

Challenge of the Day:

Not today's shave, and perhaps a bit repetitive, but here is a link to one an earlier W_E shave (actually for this particular reason - well the imgur part of it anyway). 2022-06-11: I did this shave. I gotta ask those blades always sharp like that? I mean I know they need to cut but I want it doing the beard part only. Maybe I didn't get a good blade? Anyway I thought you might enjoy the great use of filters. My phone comes with them. I wanted to get my old hobby (artistic camera phone pics) and my new hobby (shaving things like my face) together."

Anyway...enough of that.

Scent notes for those interested - cherry, carnation, clover, leather and musk

Take care and have a good one.

SOTD 2024-06-18 RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Semogue 2020 Best Badger
• Razor: Unknown make German 4-piece Old Type travel razor
• Blade: Dorco - ST-300 (1st use)
• Lather: Central Texas Soaps - Padre Island
• Post Shave: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver splash
• Bowl: Captain's Choice Standard Copper Bowl

Random rusty/tarnished unknown make thin cap Old Type clone travel razor that I've never used before, soap base I've never used before, blade from a sample tuck that I've only used a handful of times so far; what could go wrong?

Actually it went surprisingly, really well!. This razor is super efficient like the Old Type Tuckaway; my cheeks probably only needed a single pass but I went for two anyway and they feel BBS.
My neck I must not have done the first pass well so I went for a third there under the chin and it's DFS I'd say.
Overall, probably my second most efficient 1-pass razor after the Old Type Tuckaway.
I must have a "type" when it comes to razors.
I wish I knew what make it was; the only identifiers are "Germany" and some kind of a Triforce etched into the baseplate.
So I suppose it shall henceforth be known as the Triforce of Old Type travel razor.

This soap instantly reminded my of the song "La Isla Bonita".
Yes I know it's "San Pedro"; but I don't care.
Pedro and Padre are close enough.
I don't speak Spanish anyway.
The scent made me feel like I was on a resort.
I don't know why; it just did.
It's a real shame that Central Texas Soaps are no more.
I'd pour out my drink in honour of them; but I don't believe in wasting alcohol.
Like seriously; it has to be really bad to waste alcohol. I don't even think I poured out that bottle of Voga white whine that was more hairspray than wine.
Maybe I did; it was terrible.
I guess there was also that travel bottle of Roku gin; but that was more about wanting to keep the cool bottle and free up more room for other better tasting booze because Canada limits you to 40oz...
Seriously; other countries let you bring back 4-5 times that amount so it's a total rip!
And I apologize for the tangent; I'm not drunk rambling because I've only had a single beer.
Don't think me a cheap drunk either.
I want a vacation.
Tropical the island breeze.
All of nature wild and free.
This is where I long to be.
La Isla Padre.
And when the samba played.
The sun would set so high.
Ring through my ears and sting my eyes. Your Texan lullaby.
I want to be where the sun warms the sky.
When it's time for siesta, you can watch them go by.
Beautiful faces, no cares in this world.
Maybe I need another drink.

Jun. 18, 2024
Brush: Chisel & Hound Quartermoon
Razor: Yates Winning Ti
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Lather: Dr Jon’s - Savannah Sunrise
Post Shave: Dr Jon’s - Savannah Sunrise * Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

ROTY

Jun. 18, 2024
Brush: AP Shave Co AP400 Gelousy SHD Fan 2 Band Badger
Razor: RazoRock Lupo 95 OC #CNC * Blade: Personna Red [2]
Lather: Ariana & Evans - Spartacus - Soap
Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave
Post Shave:* Tower 28 - SOS Rescue Spray

#ROTY

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 18, 2024 – LG Day 18 – RIP in Peace in Pieces

• Brush: Chisel & Hound v23 Fanchurian
• Razor: Gillette Gold Ball-End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
• Lather: Arsenal Grooming – Beach Goer
• Post Shave: Tiki Bar Soaps – Volcano
• Fragrance: Kerosene – Fields of Rubus

“When you’re playing the Lather Games and you’re playing all out, you end up with about half the days where your shave is just not at all enjoyable, and really pretty terrible.” — u/OnionMiasma

Ain’t that the truth.

Today was a good shave, though – it’s nice to have writing challenges interspersed to break up the physical challenges which are slowly destroying my scalp. Everything I used today is either RIP or RIP-adjacent. Arsenal Grooming Co is dead by all accounts. No Instagram posts since late 2023. Nothing seemingly sold by them in several years. Their website is 403 Forbidden (which I only got to after two distinct efforts on my computer’s part to keep me safe from malware). No official closing announcement – just mysteriously went out of business and sparked various folks to simply wonder what happened. Similarly, Tiki Bar Soap went out of business without announcement, but back in 2017, according to Boomer & Blade. Volcano is one of my favorite summer splashes, and I was happy to grab the old “tester” bottle from the Maggard Meet PIF table as backup stock. Kerosene isn’t going anywhere, but Fields of Rubus has been discontinued. Silver Blue blades are either discontinued or temporarily out of production, but who knows if this is a legitimate concern – it’s certainly not the first time B&B has been worried about this. Chisel & Hound has moved onto the v24 knot, so my v23 is officially discontinued, and I don’t think Gillette makes Ball-End Techs anymore, unless they’ve decided to discontinue cartridge razors because they got tired of making money.

In honor of the heat wave hitting Northern New England and elsewhere, my shave is aggressively beach/tropical-inspired. Beach Goer, on account of its age, is starting to lose its luster. The pear note is the most interesting part of it, bringing the tropical fruit notes beyond the typical sunscreen scent I would expect of a soap like this. I’m also picking up some floral notes, but anything else has either faded, is well-masked, or can be attributed to “nose is sus.” Volcano, on the other hand, is a powerhouse despite its age. Before the alcohol smell wears off, I get immediate flashbacks to poorly balanced “cocktails” my college roommate would make, typically consisting of orange juice, pineapple juice, and too much vodka. Once that settles down, it continues to be a citrus bomb which settles into a fruity, green, whimsical accord; it really is perfect for the beach and hence is a great match with this soap. Fields of Rubus: raspberry, patchouli, tobacco, woods. Better than it has any right to be. It adds a layer of complexity to today’s fragrances, and keeps it from being juice juice juice all day long. #FOF

---

Instructions on how to make an r/wicked_edge post:

1. Write an overly vague and somewhat clickbait-y title.
2. Write an SOTD post with somehow way too much detail and yet saying nothing meaningful at all.
3. Take a bathroom sink photo.
4. Make sure you leave a review that’s way too complimentary of a lackluster soap.
5. State everything as fact; no YMMV here.

Instructions on how to make an r/wetshaving post:

1. Pretty much same as above but do it in a comment.
2. Make sure your soap brand/artisan is one of the sub favorites.
3. PAA is on the do not buy list.

Instructions on how to make u/SaintBandicoot miserable:

1. Blood.
2. Don’t offer free soap.

Instructions on how to make u/hugbckt miserable:

1. Insist on spelling “paid” as “payed.”
2. Ask if you should buy a $400 brush but refuse to listen when everybody says no.

Just a solid good quality post

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Yaqi Panda 24mm Two Band Badger
• Razor: Aylsworth Apex
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s - Pan’s Pipe
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw - Eroe
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Eclipse EdT

FOF

Today’s Theme:

Dr. Jon’s went out of business a bit before the last Lather Games. A little of places put them on clearance, so I picked up some soap and fragrances then. I got Pan’s Pipe for Dirty Hippy day last year.

Today’s Fragrance:

I started with the idea of matching up the cannabis note in Pan’s with something, but I struggled to find anything else with a similar note. It was time to do some comparative sniffing of posts and fragrances. I thought about going really patchouli with it, but the most patchouli thing have is already planned. I also already used YRP too. Back to the puck it was. Over the last year the soap has lost some punch, so what does it smell like now? It is just a green and kind of grassy scent now. Grassy got me thinking spring, so one of my favorite father’s day themed scents came to mind, Wholly Kaw - Eroe. I get a nice grassiness from it. To finish it up, I went with Barrister and Mann’s Eclipse with a novel take on patchouli. It is a nice complex scent with patchouli, lavender, and has a bit of a smokiness to it which fits with the grilling I did this evening on my pellet grill. Very happy with my last minute scramble to pick a scent. I had ideas, but nothing really fit my mood.

Tribute to r/Wicked_Edge:

Post by u/Environmental-Gap380:

I hate how harsh new blades can be. When I read a post about corking a razor and watched a wet-tuber video about it, I had to try it. Well I’m not a fancy guy with lots of wine corks from my cellar. So no corks to be found. I figured I’d just use a bottle cap. After several strokes on each side I put it in the razor. Wow, what a difference, not nearly as much razor burn this time. I think I’m getting the hang of this.

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

• Brush: Rooney - Style 1, Size 1 - Faux Horn - 22mm "Super" Silvertip
• Razor: Gillette Flat Bottom Tech
• Blade: London Bridge (vtg)
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks - Fresca Intensa - Soap
• Post Shave: Australian Private Reserve - Fresca Intensa - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Australian Private Reserve - Fresca Intensa - Eau de Parfum

DAY 18 LATHER GAMES! RIP IN PIECES!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Zenith Handle 508AK SE
• Razor: Weck Hair Shaper #WECKONISTA
• Blade: Fromm
• Lather: Dr. Jon's - Flowers in the dark
• Post Shave: Ethos - Lavender Supreme Skin Food Splash
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Fox in the flowerbed

Today I took a stab at u/tsrbike in the discord that his post from yesterday was so boring that I couldn't find anything to start a spite shave with it(he called me a chicken).

Well, today you'll get a very boring SOTD, as he said "They can't be all bangers".

I want to start off with the WECK, this is a gift from u/Onionmiasma, he sent it over around the end of last year, following all the hype around THE WECKONING that was AA. So I first tried this sucker in December, and let me tell you, this thing shaves beyond good. It is hands down the best shavette I've ever tried. Today I had the best shave of the whole LG so far. So smooth and amazing depth of shave to go along with it. As I've heard it is very important as to what type of blade you use. I have Personnas, but I have not tried them yet, but the Fromm blade is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. People say that Kismets are the GOAT blade for the WECK. Haven't tried them yet, but I really can't fathom how much better it can get.

As for the soap theme, this soap is thanks for u/FrankieIVfingers, he was generous enough to send it as an addition to the wonderful tub of Mystic Water. Sadly I cannot say anything about Dr. Jon's, because by the time we discovered or gave Dr. Jon's the time of the day they went out of business. So it isn't something that brings back nostalgic memories.

For scent theme, today was MY Lavender day and I tried to mix things as best I could. Dr. Jon's has a very solid lavender scent, a no bullshit type of lavender, and that's why I decided to top it off with a fancy Ethos lavender, the two of which actually complemented each other quite well. I don't have a lavender EdP, but I thought that Fox in the flowerbed by IA was quite fitting, and to an extent it did, but for me the tulip note in that fragrance is a bit too strong.

I'm pretty happy how the photo turned out actually, cause of the name of the soap.

Daily Challenge

I went ahead yesterday and got a jump start on today's challenge. Here it is.

Why did I do this? Well becuase I've NEVER used W_E, I first stumbled upon this forum, then after some time learned about W_E, went there ONCE, saw how hectic it was and said, HEEEEELLL NAAAAAWWWW, and never returned. So I decided to create some content than rather sit here and say "Weeeell I got jack shit".

So I meme'd it up ahead of MEME day and it went better than expected, it turned out more of a r/ws thread than a r/w_e one.

There was one guy who was actually honest and provided great advice and patience, if only r/W_E was filled more with people like that.

Daily Lather Themes: 18/30 * Daily Challenges: 16/30 * Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 20/20 * Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2 * Software Vendor Points: 9/16 * Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1 * 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 18/30 * 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 18/30 * 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 18/30 * 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 18/30

18 June 2024 Complementary Non Dickkhole Dr. Jons Krampus

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Prometheus Liquid Rainbow 28mm
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird SS
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (12)
• Lather: Dr. Jons - Krampus (34)
• Post Shave: Arianna & Evans - Vetiver Magnifique A/S
• Post Shave: Thayer's Concoction
• Post Shave: Good Oleo
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented Balm
• Fragrance: Barrister & Mann - Spice

Cheers

June 18, 2024 – Past, Present, and Future

• Brush: Great Grampa’s old handle with a G5 synthetic knot #frankenbrush
• Razor: Gillette Tech Fat Handle
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome
• Lather: Obsessive Soap Perfectionist – Old Gold
• Post Shave: Old Spice – Old Spice Original

I’ve only been wetshaving the past two years so my collection has yet to include anything from artisans who’ve shuttered their doors. So I reached out to the great spice evangelist himself u/cowzilla3 to take him up on his generous offer over on the smoosh trading thread. He was more than happy to oblige but to my surprise it turns out only one of the many vendors he has reviewed has ceased operation, OSP. Obsessive Soap Perfectionist. I know no backstory on this artisans or have ever been a part of a board or Facebook group where his wares were popular or traded but it sounds like he sporadically put out high quality hard soaps. I’ll let brighter bulbs enlighten us about OSP Old Gold.A quick googling shows no recent activity and the link to his instagram in the Spice Off review now shows no user with that name. C’est la vie.

For me it was a fine shave. Scent was a bit weak. Super fluffy lather that irritated my skin a bit. Two passes after a long day. In the end, like a mother’s kiss to scraped knee, the Indian Old Spice made it all better.

For the challenge I paid homage to our brethren in my SOTD photo which highlights the quintessential photo of a blade sampler pack and the query of, “Which blade do I start with?”.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Omega Penelli White HI-BRUSH Synthetic
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Talbot Shaving – Holland Glen

Today I used the dead brand Talbot. I bought this sample on a whim probably a year ago. Its scent had me confused ant first but it comes together. Off the tub, I got a lot of citrus and some floral notes. The citrus made no sense, but it worked. A little added brightness. As I used the soap, it became more damp. Predominently moss. Not oakmoss, but moss from a saturated forest floor, straight from Vancouver island. It definitely has the spraying spring water feeling from the top notes and a mossy dry down. It’s almost what I would expect waking up early morning when backpacking. This leads me to the time I did wake up backpacking, my tent pitched in a small clearing on moss (extremely comfy by the way). My gf and now wife were hiking a ridge line on our first overnight. We got behind, and ended on top of a mountain with the sun setting, wind whipping. Not a good spot to be. We couldn’t see trail markers any longer so made the call to hike down on the first path we were able to do so. At about 11pm, we Picked a spot slightly below tree line, on a small clearing of moss. All night, a mouse was trying to get into the tent so my partner incessantly smacked the tent to scare it. Terrible sleep. Woke up at 5am, as the sun was coming up. The same damp mossy earthy smell. Clean. We learned the mouse was a small branch in the wind that kept rubbing the tent with the breeze. We hiked another mile or so to the mountain top we came from down from and then hiked the ridge by ourselves for hours. It was an incredible experience. Wildlife was waking with us and not scared by the crowds yet. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to not make it to the campsite.

Challenge: TLDR; talbot holland glen smells like Irish spring soap, except not as good. It’s honestly not as good as a shave soap either. I can save time and money just using bar soap. What have you discovered about shaving that is a surprise to you?

fof

Today the theme is wood for #photocontest

June 18, 2024 – RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Chisel and Hound – Desert Ranger 26mm
• Razor: Blackland - Blackbird Lite
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue (4)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Carnivale
• Post Shave: HAGS – The Awakening
• Fragrance: HAGS – The Awakening rollerball EDP

Before I begin today’s write up I wanted to show everyone my latest blade sampler. Which blade should I use first?

• The Lather: Today’s lather was on point, of course, since I was using the best base that was ever on the market. APR is really easy to lather and makes a luxurious lather that is creamy and slick. I’ve tried all the other bases out there and this is by far the best base there is.
• The Shave: Today’s shave was absolutely perfect. Using the perfect APR lather I used a Blackbird Lite loaded with a Personna Lab Blue. This is the by far the best razor/blade combo on the market and combined with the APR the shave was glorious. On a side note, can anyone give me some advise on what I’m doing wrong when I shave my legs? I seem to be having a really bad reaction on the back of my thighs. I tried shaving my legs for the first time on Sunday and I can't seem to get it any better. I'm really worried about not being to shave my legs for the judges again.
• Aftershave/Frag: I have a really good friend that is really into alt rock and is obsessed with The Awakening. One of the songs I’ve heard more times than I care to count is Carnival. So in honor of The Awakening – Carnival, I used The Awakening with my Carnivale sample. Interestingly enough The Awakening’s peach notes went really well with the fruit notes in Carnivale and I would definitely try it again.
• Theme: APR is unfortunately no more.
• Challenge: I tried to nail all the most common themes from Wicked Edge (Blade Sampler, My Setup Is the Best, and help with my shave). Seriously though, anyone got any good ideas to help with back of the thigh razor burn? Sitting has become painful.
• Acknowledgement: Thank you u/2saintsdude for the soap sample.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Aurora Grooming LG24 Synthetic ("Lux Emerald Green") #SUBBROOSH
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb
• Blade: Feather - New Hi Stainless (3)
• Lather: Williams – Mug Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Taylor of Old Bond Street – Mr. Taylor
• Fragrance: Frederic Malle – French Lover

This is my third day using a feather blade, and I got a fair number of nicks. So that’s my r/Wicked_Edge moment (continued below)

For today's SOTD I obtained a puck of Williams Mug soap. The lather wasn’t bad, though it was on the foamy side. The puck itself had a soft, mild vanilla-y scent; the lather didn’t really have a scent at all.

Without a splash or fragrance that fit the “no long in business" aspect of the theme, I decided to get conceptual. Williams smells (almost) like nothing, so I decided to follow it with two potentially overpowering scents—in this way Williams is being effaced, erased, re-interred, reburied.

I hadn’t used anything from Taylor of OBS. The Mr. Taylor aftershave sounderd promising—like a fougère / barbershop-type scent with a lot going on. Fragrance-wise, it didn’t disappoint—smelled sharp, potent and stung like all get out. Yow! Bracing. Instead of soothing the nicks, though, it seemed to make them bleed more. That’s not what an aftershave is supposed to do!

Frederic Malle French Lover is an unusual fragrance. I remembered it as having a powdery smell, but this time it revealed a green, atmospheric character reminiscent in some ways of HoM Shire. Leafy, but also earthy and damp. It's a polarizing scent, as can be seen from the reviews over at Fragrantica. Everything from "lovely green vegetal" to "clean fresh meditative vibe" to "night embraces in the back of a taxi, in the best possible way" to "cloves in a zoo cage." I'm beginning to think fragrance is subjective.

Today in Brush Strokes we feature a painting of a skull, attributed to the great monk-painter Itō Jakuchu. It's believed to have been painted in 1794.

#ROTY

RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Vitae Taper w/AP Shave Co. 26mm Pure Bliss Knot
• Razor: Yates Precision Polished Winning Razor
• Blade: Personna - Comfort Coated
• Lather: Archaic Alchemy - Agave
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Ramblin' Man Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - 福

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to Tetriside for the soap smoosh. Thanks to m... what... I feel... like a wicked edger... it's taking over...

Thank you to u/StBandicootchie for always being my favorite mod in the world, and for protecting me from you weirdo's at wetshaving until I absolutely had to go here.

Erm... what the sigma, this shave was terrible! I thought now that I bought this new straight razor to replace my gillette super razor would mean I would get good shaves, especially since I got the winning one! I even got shaving soap to lather up perfectly, just like barbasol. Not even to mention that I got the perfect angle.

Unlike you nerds in r/wetshaving us wicked edgers actually touch grass, and I demonstrated that in the SOTD photo.

I even went outside of my usual arko and barbasol to match your stupid lather games prompt that actually doesn't make since because RIP stands for rest in peace and that means that this prompt is rest in peace in pieces. I did this by using this soap from Archaic Alchemy which is only extinct because you guys are evil and you guys ganged up on them.

And today I tried using aftershave and stinky cologne for the first time, agave is sweet so I went with some super sweet summery bright scents, I went with Ramblin' Man which I found out is actually a soap smell made by Creed, i'm pretty sure creed is about a boxer and boxing is mean and dangerous, is there a website to warn me about having any scents that are made by evil companies that are trying to make me violent? For the cologne I went with 福 因为它是猛犸象公司出品的柑橘花香，而柑橘就像龙舌兰一样适合夏天。

TL;DR poop fart brain wicked edging year rookie winner a razor.

Side Contests

photocontest

ROTY

June 18, 2024 - RIP IN PIECES

• Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Schick - Krona 1960s TTO DE
• Blade: Personna - Platinum
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Carnivale
• Post Shave: 345 Soap Co. - Aces over 8s Splash
• Fragrance Demeter - Funeral Home Fragrance Oil Roll On.

SOAP - It’s sad that these guys are not around anymore. What a great soap. There are notes of brandy, wood, dried fruits, some spices… overall very nice. Lathers up really well.

RAZOR - Trusty Shick which I am using until the blade gets dull. It’s a personna so it will be a while.

TODAY I matched my set with all things DEAD. Carnival died a while back. Aces over eights splash is about “Wild Bill” Hickock who was shot in the back of the head during a legendary 5-card stud game. In his hand forever known as the “Deadman’s Hand” with two Aces, two 8s, and a mystery fifth card. He was known as a great lawman so 345 made a soap about it (I’m using the splash). And to close out the set I got a special fragrance to wrap the whole thing. Funeral Home is one is those scents that either makes you wonder why certain things smell familiar or it brings horrible flashbacks because it sure does smell like the name. After I rolled it on my neck I myself had a flashback of standing in front of an open gasket starring at my uncle’s dead body and I wonder back then what that leathery, slightly sweet and moldy smell was coming from. Sooo yeah…. probably the last time I put that on!!! Chills!!!

THE THEME - To be completely honest I have a fat watermelon of a chin! There are no sharp angles. Things just slide off my face so in all honesty I have NOT cut myself THAT hard as to have blood dripping down my neck! HERE is my proof!! In essence I have not taken a pic of any cuts I have had because they were small tiny knicks. I did cut my finger handling a blade when I first started wetshaving which I applied super glue to cover it up but end up getting infected and then a trip to urgent care for them to drain yeah it was MESSY!!

Player uses actual roll on funeral home fragrance to round out their RIP day shave.

https://imgur.com/a/yK8wzBo

• Prep: PAA - Chocolate Cube
• Bowl: Naked Armor - Silver Fox Scuttle
• Brush: Shavemaster - V200 Badger
• Razor: Above The Tie SS - Windsor R Plate
• Blade: Crown - Super Stainless
• Lather: Blue Devil Shave Co. - Tropical Colada
• Post Shave: Central Texas Soaps - Cowboy Spice

Another check on my Lather Games calendar. I used a soap from a defunct company, a brush from a defunct company, a razor from a defunct company (hopefully revived soon by Blackland!) and an aftershave from a defunct company. Pretty much on theme! It was a nice shave. The soap is pretty old and really had no scent left. It lathered OK. The ATT razor did not disappoint even with the unknown Crown blade.

Today's Challenge: Posted on Wicked Edge https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1dj9f48/a_costly_noob_mistake/

A Costly Noob Mistake

I just wanted to share my experience with the young uns so maybe they could avoid the same mistakes I made. I was about a month into my wet shaving journey when I got a little cocky. I had been using my trusty Merkur Progress (recommended by someone online as a good starter razor possibly on Sharpologist). I was doing fairly well with only minor blood shed. I decided I can handle more. I liked the idea of using a vintage razor, and found a Gillette slim adjustable online. The day I received it I cleaned and prepared for my shave. I decided to use a Shark blade which I had never used before, Mistake # 1. Then I proceeded to make a poor lather with a new soap I will not mention the name, Mistake # 2. I started to shave and immediately noticed how rough it was. I thought “Wow, this blade is horrible!" I pushed through it but by the end of the 1st pass it was something out of the the song Bad Badly Leroy Brown, my face "looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7IiaqFIDmI It was not until I was cleaning my razor when I noticed Mistake # 3, I didn't tighten the bottom of the razor all the way down. This was why the shave was so bad. So don't be cocky, respect the blade! Or you might end up like this  https://media.tenor.com/QjOH0aM9t-4AAAAM/sunday-happy.gif

ROTY

June 18, 2024 - RIP in Pieces

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Chisel and Hound Kingfisher - V12
• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Titanium Razor #CNC
• Blade: Feather (1)
• Lather: K Shave Worx - Saratoga
• Post Shave: K Shave Worx - Saratoga
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

For today, I used my absolute favorite K Shave Worx scent. This is one of those scents that I don't want to use because I don't want it to be gone, but I want to use it because it's just too good. I have been looking forward to pairing this set with Stag because, to my nose, Saratoga is just a sweetened version of Stag. The leather from both mixed better than I thought, and I will almost certainly be using Stag every time I use Saratoga.

As for the shave, I think I am doing something wrong. For some reason, I am getting these bumps after I shave. You can barely see them, but they are there. I used the alum like I have been told, but I am getting quite a bit of razor burn followed by the bumps. Any tips would be great! I also don't understand why I have this growth after just a couple of hours. I used Feather blades today because I want to be able to go three days with no growth, and I figured since the Feathers were so sharp, that would help. Could it have something to do with this razor? I keep hearing something about riding the cap, but then I feel like I am rubbing the bare cap across my face. It isn't until I lower the angle again that it seems like I am cutting any hair. Honestly, I will probably get one of those slant razors from PAA because I hear those are more aggressive and should help. If anyone has any experience with one of the PAA razors, I would appreciate your opinion. If I go that route, when I order the razor I could also pick up some soap from them and the cube since lack of pre-shave might also be my problem.

PHOTOCONTEST - Baseball

June 18, 2024 – Lather Games: Day 18

• Brush: Shavemac w/ AP Shave Co 26mm Pure Bliss™ SHD Premium Synthetic Knot
• Razor: Other Straight Razor
• Razor: Tatara Muramasa
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Rose of Phrygia
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Rose of Phrygia

Rose of Phrygia is my favorite rose scented soap. Heck, it’s one of my favorite scented soaps in general. It draws you in and never lets go. For this reason, I was devastated when they closed their doors and exited the shaving scene. This is my only tub of soap and bottle of aftershave, and they’re about half gone. I have been using them sparingly so that I may enjoy that extra bit longer.

That all said, I never got a great shave with the soap. I’m not sure if it’s because I have an older batch (got it from the bazaar a long while back), or I just haven’t figured out the soap just yet. The lather never seems to be slick enough. It’s not the worst I’ve used, but it does leave me wanting. The scent makes up for it though.

Today’s Challenge: The worst cut I ever received from shaving was on the top of my head. I had a small bump there, and didn’t really pay attention to it when I was shaving. Being lazy and careless, I shaved over it, which I instantly felt. As I reached up to feel the bump, my hand was full of blood and shaving cream. I rinsed it off, but it just never stopped bleeding. Finally, I used a styptic pencil to help control the bleeding. It helped, but my goodness did it burn. I finished my shave and then showered. This caused it to bleed again. I used the pencil once more also (hurt again too). With some pressure applied and the use of the pencil, it stopped bleeding once more. The next day, I noticed it had bled just a tad while I was sleeping; the spots of blood on my pillow were my indicators. For the next several days, I had to shave around the spot to ensure I didn’t reopen the cut. From then on, I payed a lot more attention as I was shaving.

Note: I used a straight on my face, spurred by Today's Challenge, and DE on my head. Shave lasted a little longer since I hadn't used a straight in a long time. It's fun (in a scary, you might butcher yourself kind of way), but seems way less efficient to me. Fortunately, the shave ended without any blood being shed.

LG24-18: RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts Space Portal 25mm Mühle STF Synthentic Knot #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Ever-Ready Jewel Streamline (1949-1953) #FLIPTOP
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [11]
• Lather: Dr. Jon's Shaving Soap Co. - Flowers in the Dark - Soap (Vegan)
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Lavender Noir - Splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Lavender - Eau de Toilette

FitD is a blend of lavender and cedarwood, with a hint of ozone. The lavender is upfront and soothing, perfect for winding down at night. This is not a typical floral since the cedarwood adds a woody undertone that grounds it. The ozone gives it a fresh, almost airy vibe, reminiscent of a calm night after rain. It's relaxing yet intriguing.

June 18, 2024 - what's a little crack between friends

• Brush: Zenith Copper Scrubby 28mm B36
• Razor: Karve Christopher Bradley (Brass, SB-C)
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Coeur de Vert
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Teacher's Pet
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Lavender, Interrupted

What's up guys, today we're trying something new. I've never ever used a pre-shave. Here on W_E, we like to embody the spirit of going big and going bold in everything we do, so for today's pre-shave I decided to melt down some of my soap and apply it to my face in wax form to really get my skin prepped to lather with this scrubby brush. Step one, take about 1/4 of your smush and put it in a plastic spoon (plastic is important, it tells you if you're getting the soap too hot). Step two, grab your handy lighter and melt down some the soap. Step three, allow to cool slightly, then massage into your skin. Step four, bowl lather as normal. Gotta say, I'm unimpressed with the results. Other than the 1^st degree burns, this form of preshave in no way enhanced my shave. The soap was still amazingly slick, and provided plenty of cushion for the blade after sloughing off the burnt skin with this super scrubby brush. I recommend everyone give this a shot at least once. Thank you for reading my shave of the day, and I hope everything learned a little something about warm pre-shaves.

In all seriousness, I didn't do this. This idea seems far fetched even for the Wicked Edge of old. That sub has come a long way from the days of blood and gore in every post, and now contains some seriously informative content in more cases than not (I just wish I could find any of it behind all the random one-off posts).

I want to give a huge shout-out to /u/oswald_heist for this smush of APR Coeur de Vert. I really, really liked this soap base even though the scent turned out to not be my thing. A second huge shout-out to /u/JoboozeRum for lending me this Karve CB. I decided to use the plate I already have on the aluminum to get started testing it out.

For theme and relevancy sake: APR is defunct. I paired it with SBS Teacher's Pet because that scent is no longer produced (please bring it back), and I felt like the darker apple scent provided a good bridge to the frag. I chose Lavender, Interrupted as the frag to really dirty up the fresh, green Mousse de Saxe lingering from the lather. These paired together much better than I could've hoped.

Photo Contest theme is The Elements: Fire. I had a dumb idea of putting the spoon I scooped the smush out of the paper with over a lighter to really evoke the crack imagery we tend to joke about with some of these unobtanium soaps. I think it worked. #photocontest.

June 18, 2024 - RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Mozingo Brushwork ZT4

• Razor: Charcoal Goods Gen 1 Level 2

• Blade: Wizamet

• Lather: Storybook Soapworks- Shaken

• Post Shave: Storybook Soapworks- Shaken

• Fragrance: Storybook Soapworks- Shaken

Tried to go for the full RIP experience with this shave. I always love this day because it forces me to dig out stuff that I fear using because “what if I run out and can’t find anymore.” Shaken might be one of my favorite scents in the space and I’m unsure whether it’s the scent I actually like or the uniqueness of it. I did have a slight hiccup starting this shave with a new Wizamet that just didn’t want to cooperate and was just horribly scrapey and required me to go back to a blade with probably 10+ uses. I think that’s one of the hardest things in this hobby is forcing yourself to stop your shave for a bad blade and not just toughing it out.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Declaration Grooming B7 Blood Pact

• Razor: Karve Christopher Bradley OC B Plate

• Blade: Feather New Hi-Stainless

• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Unforgiven - Soap

• Post Shave: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Unforgiven - Splash

• Fragrance: Etat Libre D'orange - Fat Electrician

Not pictured in my SOTD photo is my razor stand, lather bowl, preshave, and the dice I use to track how many shaves are on my blade. Hi guys, today was my first wet shave and it didn't go well. I think I'm going back to my Gillette razor. I don't know what the problem was, I used a Feather blade since everyone here said they were the sharpest. I know my lather was good cause it was a half inch of pillowy thickness all over my face, just like the youtubers do it. I should also mention I have sensitive skin but very coarse facial hair. I pressed the razor really hard into my skin to get all the hair so I can be BBS, but now my neck is super red and I got a ton of cuts that I needed to use my stypic pencil on. I was under the impression wetshaving would be easier but I think I'm very close to going back to my old cartridge razor that did better. I was hoping to save money with this hobby. On the bright side, today I found a flea market vintage Gillette razor and clearance Proraso I scored at Marshalls.

June 18, 2024  

• Brush: Dogwood – Badger  
• Razor: Merkur 34C  
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Flowers in the Dark  

Theme: Dr.Jons is missed. A quality vegan base with excellent gender neutral scents.

Challenge. I avoid that sub for good reason but here goes:

Ended the day in the most masculine of ways…with a 20 minute skincare routine using expensive and specialized products. Used a beautiful dogwood brush to lather this classic vegan base. Don’t worry, for a soap with Flowers in the title and a forward note of lavender there is plenty of woody and earthy undertones to keep from compromising the inherent manliness of wet shaving. All those sniffing my legs later can rest assured this is what lavender for men smells like and will never confuse it with girly lavender. No cuts, just smooth skin as can be expected after years of casually shaving with this mostly enclosed blade originally marketed for its simplicity and safety.

User cuts to the quick with her criticism of the toxic masculinity that exists in many shaving groups.