AA SOTD 01-Aug 

• Brush: Semogue - Owners Club Taj
• Razor:  ~~Blackland - Sabre~~ Edit Shield Predator
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road AS
• Fragrance: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road EDP

So a first for everything, LG and now AA, well ish anyway, I did partake in 'Fat February' which I used Mitchells for the entire month but the hardware was switched up daily. I didn't see anything so I'm not sure whether you're supposed to announce your intent but I'll try to go the extreme and use the same blade throughout as well, a bit of a cop out with GEM, but for my first year I thought I'd ease myself in.  At least for these first two weeks it should be easy as I only have two sets in tow (this and GN Ernest), though I'll have to make sure the blade is protected for the return leg.

Also going to take part in the Raw Hoggin challenge, having picked up a brand new SOC Taj, here's the unboxing. I saw these in the early days of starting this 'hobby' and really fancied one, but just never got around to picking one up so this was a perfect excuse. I might change it up but I'll do a pre/post shave pic each day to see how the knot develops. 

Pre-Shave 

Post-Shave 

I'm getting more strange looks from the Mrs, but nevermind. Tagging /u/EldrormR as required. 

Have a good one all.

Cheers

Marc

#RawHoggin

Edited razor, I had intended to use the blackland sabre but switched out last minute to the Shield Predator, clearly I was still knackered doing my write up

Aug. 1, 2023
Brush: Omega 10029
Razor: Gem MMOC
Blade: Personna GEM
Lather: MWF - - Soap
Post Shave:* Moon Soaps - Havana - Balm

Unboxing

So first shave with the new brush, very decent lather for a brush so stiff, lots of hairs falling out day 1 and noticed a lot of black hairs in the brush. Excited to keep going this month. Shoutout to u/EldrormR with the #RawHoggin

Excited to go MMOC all month and looking forward to making a dent in the Moon soaps AS

RawHoggin

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

August 1, 2023 – Month of Austerity Day 1

• Brush: RazoRock 506U Olive Wood w/ 26mm Natural Boar Bristle
• Razor: RazoRock Game Changer .76-P
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue Super (1)
• Preshave: Stirling Soap Co. – Unscented
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles – Le Nude
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented Balm
• AA Tags: #RawHoggin #unscented

Wow, just like that Austere August is upon us. The challenges I will pursue are the Raw Hoggin' Challenge, the 5th Annual Unscented Challenge, and AA Extreme Mode. I've never used a blade beyond a week so a side-challenge to myself is to see how many shaves I can get on the blade before I cry uncle. If I make it to 10 days I will shoot for Ultra Nightmare Mode.

Raw Hoggin' Challenge: It's been two decades since I've used a boar brush, and the ones I've did use were so cheap (Van Der Hagen and equivalent) that I never learned to appreciate them. I expect that to change this month. Here's the unboxing picture collage of my virgin boar. RazoRock doesn't state it on their web site, but it sure looks like the RazoRock 506U is a rebranded Zenith 506U SE. Time will tell if the RazoRock breaks in as easily as the real deal Zenith.

Unscented Challenge: Here's the ingredient labels for my unscented preshave soap, shaving soap and post shave balm.

The Shave: I soaked the new boar for 15 minutes, tub-loaded for about a 30-count and then started face lathering. The lather started pasty but after adding a $H!+ ton of water the lather started to slicken. I should have added a bit more water but got impatient and jumped into the shave. I've had smoother shaves, but I can't argue with the two pass DFS result. Tomorrow I will add more water at the start of lather-building to get the lather closer to what I normally achieve with CB.

The Brush: I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of offensive odor from the boar. It did smell "natural" but nowhere near as stanky that some have experienced. The bristles had lots of backbone and splayed nicely so overall I'd say Day 1 was a success. Here's just before and immediately after the shave brush pictures.

Thank you u/EldrormR for organizing the AA2023 Raw Hoggin' challenge, and u/rocketk455 for sponsoring your 5th Annual Unscented Challenge.

Raw Hoggin' My Way Through August- Day 1

• Brush: Zenith B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Flying Wing
• Blade: Gem PTFE (1)
• Lather: Crown & Crane - Green Tea Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Spearmint Splash
• Post Shave: Crown & Crane - Green Tea Balm

I'm pretty sure I changed my set up 4 or 5 times before ultimately deciding on this before jumping into the shower. I had Glacial Spearmint soap ready to roll this morning until I woke up to a 55 degree morning. I could have tried to hang with the cool kids in the Mammoth Mafia this month, but I have no desire to Nightmare Mode this month because life is too short for shitty shaves. I could have tried to test my sanity by going unscented for a whole month, but I'm not a masochist. I figured I would just roll with a new soap and a new boar and figure out how everything works together.

u/EldrormR is such a demanding guy with his challenge making us post unboxing pics so here they are. I ordered this Zenith right after Raw Hoggin' was announced, but I didn't get it until yesterday morning thanks to my local post office losing it for two weeks. It's bleached and it has no piggy stink, which does not make me sad, but I'm definitely going to be curious as to how quickly this breaks in v. MOAR BOAR. Here is how it looks after its inaugural shave which included two tub loads and face lathering.

My face feels good even though I couldn't get the lather where I wanted it. I smell good and I don't think I'm going to get sick of the smells this month. Sounds like a good start to August. Have a great day all

#rawhoggin

AA SOTD 01-Aug 

Dual paste, not sure which thread I was supposed to put this under.

• Brush: Semogue - Owners Club Taj
• Razor:  Blackland - Sabre
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road AS
• Fragrance: Ariana & Evans - Tobacco Road EDP

So a first for everything, LG and now AA, well ish anyway, I did partake in 'Fat February' which I used Mitchells for the entire month but the hardware was switched up daily. I didn't see anything so I'm not sure whether you're supposed to announce your intent but I'll try to go the extreme and use the same blade throughout as well, a bit of a cop out with GEM, but for my first year I thought I'd ease myself in.  At least for these first two weeks it should be easy as I only have two sets in tow (this and GN Ernest), though I'll have to make sure the blade is protected for the return leg.

Also going to take part in the Raw Hoggin challenge, having picked up a brand new SOC Taj, here's the unboxing. I saw these in the early days of starting this 'hobby' and really fancied one, but just never got around to picking one up so this was a perfect excuse. I might change it up but I'll do a pre/post shave pic each day to see how the knot develops. 

Pre-Shave 

Post-Shave 

I'm getting more strange looks from the Mrs, but nevermind. Tagging /u/EldrormR as required. 

Have a good one all. 

Cheers

Marc

#RawHoggin

2023-08-01 - Austere August - Day One

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Razor: Weck Sextoblade
• Blade: Kismet
• Brush: Omega Pro48 - brand new out of the box
• Lather: Barrister And Mann - War
• Aftershave: Lucky Tiger Splash
• Balm: Nivea Cooling Balm

Challenges: ( u/EldrormR, u/Djundiija, u/Semaj3000 )

• MRTNG's Ultra Nightmare Mode
• #Monthofweckoning
• #RawHoggin
• #WAR

Today marked the commencement of my shaving journey for Austere August, and I must say, it began with both excitement and uncertainty. The #WAR soap I received from a mysterious benefactor on July 31, seemed to have quite the reputation for its strong scent, making me question the intentions of this giver - are they truly benevolent or more of a sadist?

With some trepidation, I embarked on this morning's shave, determined to use both hands for every pass throughout the entire month. Armed with the Weck Sextoblade, I believed that dedicating thirty days to perfecting my open blade shaving technique could only lead to positive results.

Regarding the razor and blade, I have limited experience with the Sextoblade, having used it only a few times in the past, mainly relying on my right hand. Today, I challenged myself to utilize both hands depending on the areas of my face I was shaving and the direction. As for the Kismet blades, they have been my go-to choice for the Weck, and I contemplate trying Fromm or Personna blades once Austere August concludes.

The scent of the #WAR soap proved to be intense as I began loading the brush. The faint Cilantro aroma was amplified tenfold, catching the attention of my wife. While she described it as unpleasant, I jokingly compared the soap's strong fragrance to the infamous taste of Cilantro, claiming that it might as well be soap. Despite the strong scent, I was curious to experience B&M's Omnibus base, and I wondered if a different scent might have made me enjoy this soap even more.

For the Raw Hoggin challenge, I purchased a brand new Omega Pro 48 brush. Although I found the handle to feel cheap and unsatisfying, I couldn't deny the brush's performance. It indeed splays out beautifully, as others had attested. Interestingly, the brush carried a peculiar odor after its initial soak, but once combined with the #WAR soap, the scent dissipated. Face lathering with the new boar brush proved to be a fine experience, not as scratchy as expected. I am curious to see how it develops over time, contemplating the possibility of moving the knot into a more appealing handle if the #WAR soap doesn't damage its potential.

As the first day of Austere August concludes, I am filled with a mix of emotions. While the journey has just begun, I am determined to overcome the challenges and embrace the growth that awaits me. Until tomorrow, my journal, I shall record my progress as I strive for shaving perfection amidst the trials of war.

2023-08-01 - Austere August - Day One

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Razor: Weck Sextoblade
• Blade: Kismet
• Brush: Omega Pro48 - brand new out of the box
• Lather: Barrister And Mann - War
• Aftershave: Lucky Tiger Splash
• Balm: Nivea Cooling Balm

Challenges: ( u/EldrormR*,* u/Djundiija*,* u/Semaj3000 )

• MRTNG's Ultra Nightmare Mode
• #Monthofweckoning
• #RawHoggin
• #WAR

​

Today marked the commencement of my shaving journey for Austere August, and I must say, it began with both excitement and uncertainty. The #WAR soap I received from a mysterious benefactor on July 31, seemed to have quite the reputation for its strong scent, making me question the intentions of this giver - are they truly benevolent or more of a sadist?

​

With some trepidation, I embarked on this morning's shave, determined to use both hands for every pass throughout the entire month. Armed with the Weck Sextoblade, I believed that dedicating thirty days to perfecting my open blade shaving technique could only lead to positive results.Regarding the razor and blade, I have limited experience with the Sextoblade, having used it only a few times in the past, mainly relying on my right hand. Today, I challenged myself to utilize both hands depending on the areas of my face I was shaving and the direction. As for the Kismet blades, they have been my go-to choice for the Weck, and I contemplate trying Fromm or Personna blades once Austere August concludes.

​

The scent of the #WAR soap proved to be intense as I began loading the brush. The faint Cilantro aroma was amplified tenfold, catching the attention of my wife. While she described it as unpleasant, I jokingly compared the soap's strong fragrance to the infamous taste of Cilantro, claiming that it might as well be soap. Despite the strong scent, I was curious to experience B&M's Omnibus base, and I wondered if a different scent might have made me enjoy this soap even more.

​

For the Raw Hoggin challenge, I purchased a brand new Omega Pro 48 brush. Although I found the handle to feel cheap and unsatisfying, I couldn't deny the brush's performance. It indeed splays out beautifully, as others had attested. Interestingly, the brush carried a peculiar odor after its initial soak, but once combined with the #WAR soap, the scent dissipated. Face lathering with the new boar brush proved to be a fine experience, not as scratchy as expected. I am curious to see how it develops over time, contemplating the possibility of moving the knot into a more appealing handle if the #WAR soap doesn't damage its potential.

​

As the first day of Austere August concludes, I am filled with a mix of emotions. While the journey has just begun, I am determined to overcome the challenges and embrace the growth that awaits me. Until tomorrow, my journal, I shall record my progress as I strive for shaving perfection amidst the trials of war.

​

Dear u/PrideTwo -- "Thank you! I hate you!"

Jul. 31, 2023 - Mammoth August

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps Grant w/Maggard 26mm Boar

• Razor: Weck Sextoblade

• Blade: Kismet Hair Shaper

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Dammusi

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder

Tagging u/EldrormR u/Djundjila & u/Semaj3000 for my first day of the #MonthOfWeckoning WTG XTG passes could’ve gone better. I got a tiny cut on the top of my lip trying to get under my nose. I would just grow a stache but my wife would kick me out of our bed…sorry not that dedicated to the cause!

u/LaTuskFamilia I am working to advance my place in the #MammothMafia23 I let my family choose my scent this year and I’m super excited to get to use Dammusi all month long! I don’t have a full bottle of the Frag so Sonder it is! I kinda feel like a dumbass this morning because I didn’t realize the Sonder balm had a cooling agent in it until I put it on! I knew about the splash but it doesn’t say anything about that on the product page, just the ingredients. Not upset about that just taken by surprise a bit.

Third and final tag for the month, #RawHoggin because I can’t just take it easy this month and have to take on three challenges at once! This is a new Maggard Boar knot that I set in a SBS handle last night. I had temporarily set a G5C in this handle and replaced it for this month! Thanks u/EldrormR for hosting this side challenge again! I skipped out on this last year and regretted it. We’ll see how I feel about that at the end of the month!

Raw Hoggin album

Aug 1, 2023 - Mammoth August

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps Grant w/Maggard 26mm Boar

• Razor: Weck Sextoblade

• Blade: Kismet Hair Shaper

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Dammusi

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder

Tagging u/EldrormR u/Djundjila & u/Semaj3000 for my first day of the #MonthOfWeckoning WTG XTG passes could’ve gone better. I got a tiny cut on the top of my lip trying to get under my nose. I would just grow a stache but my wife would kick me out of our bed…sorry not that dedicated to the cause!

u/LaTuskFamilia I am working to advance my place in the #MammothMafia23 I let my family choose my scent this year and I’m super excited to get to use Dammusi all month long! I don’t have a full bottle of the Frag so Sonder it is! I kinda feel like a dumbass this morning because I didn’t realize the Sonder balm had a cooling agent in it until I put it on! I knew about the splash but it doesn’t say anything about that on the product page, just the ingredients. Not upset about that just taken by surprise a bit.

Third and final tag for the month, #RawHoggin because I can’t just take it easy this month and have to take on three challenges at once! This is a new Maggard Boar knot that I set in a SBS handle last night. I had temporarily set a G5C in this handle and replaced it for this month! Thanks u/EldrormR for hosting this side challenge again! I skipped out on this last year and regretted it. We’ll see how I feel about that at the end of the month!

Raw Hoggin album

August 1, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Gold Flakes with Oumo 30mm Boar
• Razor: Diane Hair Shaper – Patent 33095 78145
• Blade: Fromm
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep
• Post Shave: Declaration Ghosting – Unscented Aftershave Liniment

My name is Priusaurus. And I have a problem. It is REAAAAAALLY hard for me to back down from a challenge. When I saw Eld was hosting #RawHoggin again, I was immediately in. The boar brush I hated on August 1 last year has become one of my favorite brushes in my arsenal, so I was kinda already thinking about breaking in another boar again this August. His challenge pushed me over the edge.

Then I saw the #Monthofweckoning and I was skeptical. But I have this hair shaper that was included in a straight razor lot I bought on ebay forever ago, and I could use some improvement with my open blade technique, so I went to Sally Beauty and bought a pack of Fromm blades yesterday. Fuck it. I’m in.

And this last challenge is one I swore I’d never do again. But as I organizing my shave stuff yesterday, bringing order to my chaotic, post Lather Games den... I saw her. The siren… She calls to me. This Stirling #unscented Sheep soap. She’s sat in my den, untouched since last August. She’s lonely. She just wants a little attention. And after all that Rocket has done for me lately, making my dream of Doritos Soap and Mountain Dew Splash a reality, I couldn’t leave my guy hanging. So, I’m in for this terrible challenge too. I want to say something like, “I’m not sure if I’ll make it all month” but let’s be honest, I’m not a quitter, and I’m gonna do this all month. #prayforpriusaurus

I don’t love my Z-man unscented balm is almost empty, so I’m gonna use DG’s unscented liniment all month. But I adjusted the label to properly reflect my solidarity with DJ, and I bought this long before I knew about any of that nonsense.

I weighed my soap this morning. It weighs in at 165 grams. Let’s see what breaking in a 30mm Boar will do to this over the course of 31 days!

Tagging: u/EldrormR, u/Djundjila, and u/Semaj3000 for their periodic wellness checks.

8/1/23

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks w/ 24mm Maggards Premium Boar
• Razor: MMOC
• Blade: GEM (4)
• Lather: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original
• Post Shave: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original Aftershave Lotion

For this AA, I chose to put the straight razors down and focus on something else I've found I enjoy, GEMs.

This gen 1 MMOC comes to me courtesy of u/EldrormR. My first time with it was Day 1 of LG. I really liked it then, and also liked it the 2nd time I tried it on Day 24. I appreciate the aggressive feel from it and have found it incredibly easy to maneuver. Todays shave was no different. The only thing I think that will take getting used to is keeping my goatee lines tight and straight. We'll see how that develops over the month.

I chose go with a cult classic this month, Tabac. I've only tried the splash once on WCW. My first experience with the soap today and it is not all that bad. It was easy to lather and I have no complaints on performance. It 100% smells of old people. Mrs. Pudding is not fond of it, though, I assured her (as had been assured to me) that this will grow on her. Something else I will be monitoring over the month.

For my brush, I chose to join the Raw Hoggin challenge. I sat it out last AA, but jumped on the fruits of it, The MOAR BOAR. MB completely opened my eyes to the possibilities of boar. The handle is one of my own making, made of Red Amboyna. Probably the most beautiful piece I've had the pleasure of turning. This was originally Elds via a trade. As he ventures to larger brushes he offered me an opportunity to get this one back. Hard to say no. I had a 24mm Maggards Premium Boar sent to him and he set the knot for me. I'm looking forward to how it will break in over the month. It wasn't terrible this morning. Definitely some scritch and stiffness, and I need to reload for my 2nd pass.

Knot progress:

Day 1

#RawHoggin u/EldrormR

8/1/23

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks w/ 24mm Maggards Premium Boar
• Razor: MMOC
• Blade: GEM (4)
• Lather: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original
• Post Shave: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original Aftershave Lotion

For this AA, I chose to put the straight razors down and focus on something else I've found I enjoy, GEMs.

This gen 1 MMOC comes to me courtesy of u/EldrormR. My first time with it was Day 1 of LG. I really liked it then, and also liked it the 2nd time I tried it on Day 24. I appreciate the aggressive feel from it and have found it incredibly easy to maneuver. Todays shave was no different. The only thing I think that will take getting used to is keeping my goatee lines tight and straight. We'll see how that develops over the month.

I chose go with a cult classic this month, Tabac. I've only tried the splash once on WCW. My first experience with the soap today and it is not all that bad. It was easy to lather and I have no complaints on performance. It 100% smells of old people. Mrs. Pudding is not fond of it, though, I assured her (as had been assured to me) that this will grow on her. Something else I will be monitoring over the month.

For my brush, I chose to join the Raw Hoggin challenge. I sat it out last AA, but jumped on the fruits of it, The MOAR BOAR. MB completely opened my eyes to the possibilities of boar. The handle is one of my own making, made of Red Amboyna. Probably the most beautiful piece I've had the pleasure of turning. This was originally Elds via a trade. As he ventures to larger brushes he offered me an opportunity to get this one back. Hard to say no. I had a 24mm Maggards Premium Boar sent to him and he set the knot for me. I'm looking forward to how it will break in over the month. It wasn't terrible this morning. Definitely some scritch and stiffness, and I need to reload for my 2nd pass.

Knot progress:

Day 1

#RawHoggin u/EldrormR

August 1, 2023

• Brush: Zenith B15
• Razor: RazoRock Game Changer 0.84 OC
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (1)
• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger - Lucky Tiger
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Original Liniment

Tagging /u/EldrormR.
#RawHoggin
Full unboxing in album.

I intended to do the Weck challenge as well. There's a Kismet blade in the mail that didn't get here in time. I waited until the last minute to commit to AA. So, that's on me. I wasn't even sure the brush would get here on time.

2 years ago I completed the MMOC challenge with a synthetic brush. Last year, I tried doing MMOC again with a scrubby brush and my face was not having it. There was a blade in the hair shaper when I got it. But, I decided to make things easier on myself. I think the boar challenge, or a razor challenge is feasible, but not both. I picked Saponificio Varesino because it's easier to lather with a new boar. But, it's not slick enough to inspire confidence for 31 consecutive open blade shaves.

I really like my Lupo SS 0.72, but found the 0.95 to be too aggressive. I bought this Game Changer hoping it would split the difference. I haven't been able to decide if I want to keep it. A month of shaves will allow me to come to a conclusion.

This Zenith has a lot of backbone. It took some effort to get it to splay, but it improved during the shave. It lost a few hairs, but nothing crazy. The handle looks and feels great. The quality of the hair seems to be really good. Even with the backbone, it's only a little scritchy. It's a beautiful brush. I could've saved a bit of money and bought a Maggard knot instead. But, I liked the idea of trying another Zenith and this one seems like it will be a great brush.

August 1, 2023

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: AKA Brushworx- 26mm Boar
• Razor: Weck Hair Shaper
• Blade: Kismet (1)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

Monthofweckoning

RawHoggin

Tagging u/eldrormr , u/djundjila , u/semaj3000 for #Monthofweckoning/#RawHoggin

Took the shave slow with the weck this morning and stumbled through a two pass face and three pass neck shave. Got closer than I was expecting and only got a little bit of feedback from the aftershave. Hopefully it wasn't just second time use luck and I can keep these results up!

Aug. 1, 2023
Prep: Splash of cold water
Brush: Zenith Unbleached 506U XSE 27mm
Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (yellow) (1)
Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter
Post Shave: Noble Otter - Firefighter
Fragrance:* Chanel - Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette

I have been looking for an excuse for about six months to buy this brush, so I'm glad that u/EldrormR is hosting the #RawHoggin side challenge again. Last year I got my first ever boar brush because of this challenge, and that was when I discovered that I liked boar a heck of a lot more than the synthetics I was using.

I was really surprised that this brush didn't stink at all. It smelled very neutral while dry and still in the box, after soaking for ~5 minutes in cool water, and during lathering. There was no funky smell in the bathroom after use, either. It shed ~10 hairs during its first use today, but it didn't eat lather as badly as I remember boar doing in the past. It was also remarkably soft for a brand new brush. Big surprises all around. Looking forward to seeing how this brush turns out over the course of the month.

Aug. 1, 2023
Brush: Zenith B-35
Razor: Karve CB C Plate
Blade: Astra SP Green
Lather: Noble Otter - Rawr - Soap
Post Shave: Noble Otter - Rawr - Aftershave
Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented - Balm

#RawHoggin u/EldrormR

Bought this behemoth of a brush. Missed out on MOARBOAR but wanted to give it a shot. Not a ton of experience with boar brushes and man this brush is a soap eating thirsty b……brush. I started with a little less than 2/3 of a tub of the Rawr and I don’t even know if it will be enough to last the month😂. A rather pasty lather for my first use despite adding more water than I have ever been used to. The brush basically ate the soap at the end. As for the razor I usually use the B plate but as the idea of AA is to get used to equipment I figured I’ll use my less used, more aggressive, plate since I only do one pass a day when daily shaving. Unboxing below. Cheers everyone!

https://imgur.com/a/X3Hgbff

August 1, 2023 - Austere August Raw Hoggin Mammoth Mafia Weckoning

• Brush: Semogue SOC Cherry
• Razor: Weck Hair Shaper Glitter Scales
• Blade: Kismet Rostfrei (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder Splash
• Daily Tags: #Monthofweckoning #RawHoggin #MammothMafia23

One shave down and 30 to go. Two passes wtg and xtg took longer than I would for three with a de. Good news, I survived with just a little blood loss. A small nick at the base of my throat is all I did for damage. I will say the cheeks are 10x easier to shave than the neck. My left hand was the shakier one, but the nick was with my right hand. Hopefully I will settle down soon. Noise is about the same as an MMOC, but the shave was closer on my face than a two pass GEM shave would get me. I might watch some more videos and practice more with the dulled razor u/gcgallant sent me to try and get blood free experience. I did several practices with it in the last week, but I still felt so awkward. Having a blade than can bite increases the nerves. Also thanks to gc for the Kismet blade.

The brush I picked for this month was going to be my AA Raw Hoggin brush last year, but then I saw the copper handled Zeniths and got a bad case of the I wants. I left it sealed in box until today. Pics of my set, brush unboxing, and brush after 1 shave. I didn’t do a long soak of the brush, just put the brush in a small cup half filled with water while I set up. 2-3 minutes later, I started loading the brush. As soon as I could see the brush had picked up soap, to the face I went. I didn’t waste the water from the brief presoak; it was used to hydrate the lather. It took several dips to bring enough water to the paste on my face and get a pretty thick lather. Still was thicker than I’d have liked. More water for the second pass, but still was a little thick, but better. If I’d have gone for a third pass, maybe I’d have dialed it in.

My lather/post shave choice of Sonder will be a bit different than my Alive August last year. Both are great scents, and if I repeated Alive, I wouldn’t be disappointed. I decided Sonder about a week ago, and I think I am going to enjoy it. Sonder to me smells like a lemon creme sandwich cookie. If this year is like last, that impression will evolve over the month. I will go look at the scent notes again in a day or two, but for now just trying to see what I can get without any prompting. As it becomes increasingly familiar, I think more nuances will come out for me.

One time tags for the challenges: u/LaTuskFamilia u/EldrormR u/djundjila u/Semaj3000

AUGUST 1, 2023 AA here we go!!

• Brush: r/wetshaving Zentih MOAR BOAR 31mm
• Razor: King C. Gillette Chrome
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Smash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Smash Splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Smash Balm

TAGS: #RawHoggin , #MammothMafia23

Okay here we go!!! I am so excited for this month. I am a creature of habit and I feel AA was created for boring people like me!! First and foremost Thank you u/35048467 so much for the generous zenith PIF. Tagging u/EldrormR for hog month!! PICS.

Now I got motivated by u/curbside_champ to use Smash and that I would not be disappointed and it is fantastic! Tagging u/LaTuskFamilia for my participation.

LETS DO THIS!!!

August 1, 2023 – Austere August Day 1

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps “Dundy” Maggard Boar 26mm
• Razor: Marianna #310 Hair Shaper
• Blade: Personna Hair Shaper (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth – Dammusi
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Dammusi

Day one with the hair shaper – better and worse than expected. I got a closer/cleaner shave than I thought I would and I didn’t cut myself that much. I did not really enjoy the shave, nor am I good at it. Like, at all. But, I remind myself throughout the shave – everyone struggles when they start learning something. They only way to get better is to do something over and over. And, there are only 30 more shaves to go, so, I got this. Plus, u/OnionMiasma hooked me up with this pretty little Marianna and I can’t take his gift for granted – gotta keep on keeping on. Slid a nice little Personna Hair Shaper in there and hopefully it gets better and better, not worse and worse.

I went with a with the grain first pass followed by a hybrid across and against the grain second pass with some minor buffing to get acceptably smooth. The boar pic 1 pic 2 pic 3 was scratchy and unbroken in but overall pleasant. It’s lofted very high (I don’t have a calipers to say exactly how high) and I like it. Good splay, good scritch, whipped up a stellar lather. I suspect this thing will break in beautifully and be a knot I keep around.

What did I learn from this shave? That I need to go slow, but not too slow; too slow means snags. That the blade angle can be a bit wider than I thought. That I need to pay very close attention as I situate the razor so I don’t slice myself – no whipping it around like I do with my DE to get it in position. And, that it’s going to be more difficult than I initially thought. Hopefully I’ll come to enjoy the process – I vaguely remember my first several weeks of shaves with a DE being very difficult as well, so, all in due time. I’ll keep updating with each shave at least one thing I learned – hopefully writing it down helps it stick.

As for Dammusi, well, I’m a believer! I got a smoosh from u/jwoods23 (I think) and I didn’t love it, but, if I’m going to upgrade my Mammoth Mafia status I needed something and I did Sonder last year and no other scent grabbed my attention so I went in with the expectation that the splash would be the scent that everyone was raving about and man am I glad I did. It’s wonderfully complex and u/mammothben crushed this release. I’m glad I didn’t pick it up on release so I can now use it for a month straight – as it sits here drying down it just gets better and better. I look forward to unpacking it.

Anyway – good luck, all. May your learning curve be quick and your shaves become bloodless.

Tags:

RawHoggin

u/EldrormR

MammothMafia23

u/LaTuskFamilia

Monthofweckoning

u/EldrormR
u/Djundjila
u/Semaj3000

August 1, 2023 – Austere August Day 1

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps “Dundy” Maggard Boar 26mm
• Razor: Marianna #310 Hair Shaper
• Blade: Personna Hair Shaper (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth – Dammusi
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Dammusi

Day one with the hair shaper – better and worse than expected. I got a closer/cleaner shave than I thought I would and I didn’t cut myself that much. I did not really enjoy the shave, nor am I good at it. Like, at all. But, I remind myself throughout the shave – everyone struggles when they start learning something. They only way to get better is to do something over and over. And, there are only 30 more shaves to go, so, I got this. Plus, u/OnionMiasma hooked me up with this pretty little Marianna and I can’t take his gift for granted – gotta keep on keeping on. Slid a nice little Personna Hair Shaper in there and hopefully it gets better and better, not worse and worse.

I went with a with the grain first pass followed by a hybrid across and against the grain second pass with some minor buffing to get acceptably smooth. The boar pic 1 pic 2 pic 3 was scratchy and unbroken in but overall pleasant. It’s lofted very high (I don’t have a calipers to say exactly how high) and I like it. Good splay, good scritch, whipped up a stellar lather. I suspect this thing will break in beautifully and be a knot I keep around.

What did I learn from this shave? That I need to go slow, but not too slow; too slow means snags. That the blade angle can be a bit wider than I thought. That I need to pay very close attention as I situate the razor so I don’t slice myself – no whipping it around like I do with my DE to get it in position. And, that it’s going to be more difficult than I initially thought. Hopefully I’ll come to enjoy the process – I vaguely remember my first several weeks of shaves with a DE being very difficult as well, so, all in due time. I’ll keep updating with each shave at least one thing I learned – hopefully writing it down helps it stick.

As for Dammusi, well, I’m a believer! I got a smoosh from u/jwoods23 (I think) and I didn’t love it, but, if I’m going to upgrade my Mammoth Mafia status I needed something and I did Sonder last year and no other scent grabbed my attention so I went in with the expectation that the splash would be the scent that everyone was raving about and man am I glad I did. It’s wonderfully complex and u/mammothben crushed this release. I’m glad I didn’t pick it up on release so I can now use it for a month straight – as it sits here drying down it just gets better and better. I look forward to unpacking it.

Anyway – good luck, all. May your learning curve be quick and your shaves become bloodless.

Tags:

RawHoggin

u/EldrormR

MammothMafia23

u/LaTuskFamilia

Monthofweckoning

u/EldrormR
u/Djundjila
u/Semaj3000

August 1, AA 2023

• Brush: Semogue 2000
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Sonder splash

Use Progression: Unboxing, New, 1

First time trying a brush other than badger, and I’m struggling. The boar brush didn’t seem to pick up much of the soap from the tub and was significantly harder to use. Hopefully over the course of the month it will break in a little and provide a better experience. Otherwise, it was nice to be using Sonder for another AA.

Pings: u/LaTuskFamilia & u/EldrormR

Tags: #MammothMafia23 #RawHoggin

August 1, 2023 - The day we go to War

• Brush: Omega Pro 48
• Razor: Weck Med Prep
• Blade: Personna Hair Shaper (1)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - War
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - War
• Post Shave: Zingari Man Sego Balm
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres EdP

Brush break-in album: New and unused, Daily Progress

Day one of making bad decisions, but we're gonna make it through this! My shave this evening was actually fairly pleasant without being overwhelmed with the scent of this set. The one thing that was noticeable though was the boar stank. I'm actually shocked that when lathered all I could smell was the brush and not the soap. Lather was pretty pathetic with this new brush and just overall pasty. I probably could've tossed more water at it, but I'm doing my best to not slap War soap splatters everywhere while lathering.

Tags: #RawHoggin #monthofweckoning

First time pings: /u/EldrormR /u/Semaj3000 /u/Djundjila