u/gcgallant's SOTDs for challenge 'Lather Games 2023'

July 1, 2023 - Bonjour, Lather Games

• Brush: Oumo Warhammer Iceberg 27mm Meri-2
• Razor: Weck Hair Shaper (Straight Shave 265) #YTHO
• Blade: Kismet (1)
• Lather: Mystic Water Soap - Yellow Rose - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner
• Post Shave: Eufros - Rosa Oud - Aftershave Balm

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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I am looking forward to seeing all the Lather Games comments this month. Last years' were very entertaining.

I have never used a Mystic Water Soap Co. soap before. I've had this tub for almost a year. It came along with a group of soaps that I bought on the Bazaar. Mystic Water is in Maryland about 25 miles from me just outside Washington D.C. I could visit there in 30 minutes without traffic, and 2 hours during rush hour. The scent on this soap is very nice if you like rose. It is very close to Klar/Dusy Kabinette which, according to boomer shaving forums was a very well liked rose scented soap. The soap consistency is on the thin and fluffy side, but it is very slick and has surprising residual slickness. While it doesn't produce your typical rich and creamy artisan lather, I had no issues working with it. And I like rose scents, so I'm really surprised this one stayed on my shelf until today.

Even though I have 265 straight shaves, this is my first use of a shavette. I have maintained that there was no need to use a replaceable blade straight razor because I have 15 years of sharpening experience and maintain all my edges (many edged devices and a growing collection of razors). However, u/djundjila invited me to participate in Days of Weckoning. Though I originally declined, he's persuasive and even sent me this Weck Hair Shaper to try. [Thank you! btw]

I expected the Weck to be a blade-chattering experience that required constant lather rinsing due to the small blade. The opposite was true. The blade did not chatter or make much noise, and was both very sharp and smooth. The razor felt comfortable immediately so I went at my shave with Weckless abandon [I assume points are deducted for awful punnage]. So, I loved it. During Days of Weckoning I'll be using a Sextoblade that is currently at u/whosgotthepudding's spa getting bling treatments.

Theme: Bonjour, Lather Games! #photocontest

July 2, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Lemondrop 28mm SynBad
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2 #BRASSING
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (7)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Peach Karma - Cream
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

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I definitely would have used Peach Karma and my trusty MMOC more than once this summer. What a joy to use them together today.

I purchased Peach Karma when I saw it released in the summer of 2021. As a huge fan of Wholly Kaw tallow soap products, I wanted to see what Sri would do with a vegan cream. I like fruity, citrusy scents in the summer, and this one is a nod to the Tom Ford Bitter Peach fragrance, so it wasn't much of a gamble for me. And, of course, after trying it, I loved everything about it. This is one of two travel creams that I take with me. On travel, I put some of it on the brush, then face lather. Today, though, I took the time to bowl lather it; carefully alternating adding water and agitation. The result was a beautiful, light and silky lather that felt wonderful on the skin. And I love the fragrance. I really should try Bitter Peach at some point.

The MMOC is an old friend. Unlike many folks, this razor was a love at first use experience for me. I have another one in chrome that I should PIF, but this gold one is staying put with me. I used it in last year's Austere August during which I developed the 2-pass shaving pattern that I used today. The gold plating on this razor is starting to wear off in areas. In the photo, I've oriented the razor so you can see two such areas on the top cap.

Enjoy your Sunday! I'm off to stream F1.

Theme: Don't have a Cow, Man! #photocontest

July 3, 2023

• Brush: Elite Razor Honduran Rosewood Burl 24mm HMW Fan

• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand MK 31 11/16 Söderfors Extra Specialstål Full Hollow (Straight Shave 266) #ALLNATURAL

• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Almond Crème - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Almond Crème - Aftershave

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

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Not a lot to say today. This was a very nice theme. It reminded me to use Almond Crème which I've had for a long time, and like a lot, but forget to use.

Today we show appreciation by inflicting death by a thousand tags to u/RedMosquitoMM. Like this year, my participation in LG last year was more about reading all the SOTDs than optimizing points. RedMosquitoMM's daily entries last year were amazing in their consistency and high quality. Kudos! (And I expect the same this year :) )

The MK 31 Söderfors is a very special razor. Admittedly, I chose it because of its cream-colored scales to add "crème" to the photo. I have another, more typical, MK 31 which is excellent, but this one is truly special. It has ivory scales that are thinner and more delicate than the typical celluloid scales and the blade feels lighter as well. I think this one has a deeper hollow grind because it sings a bit more, yet it has that Swedish steel feel. I'm hoarding this one. It is so good that I'm on the lookout for another one that I can keep as a backup.

Theme: Almonday #photocontest

Really great SOTD picture

July 4, 2023

• Brush: Thäter Faux Ivory 29mm 2-band Silvertip
• Razor: Tatara Muramasa (setting: 3) #DIAL
• Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless (1)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - After the Rain - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Unilever - Brut - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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The Declaration Grooming description of this scent is "Like a walk through a forest after a spring shower". So, I've got that going for me -- which is nice.

After the Rain was among the first soaps I purchased when I became interested in the hobby side of wetshaving. There's a tiny bit of sentiment attached to each use. A very nice shave today.

I'd say that Brut goes well with today's soap scent but, if you're of a certain age, Brut goes well with everything :)

I'm skipping today's challenge. It's too much like real work for me, and I'm (sort of) retired.

Theme: Water #photocontest [Yes, I finally realized there are photo themes]

July 5, 2023

• Brush: Parker Travel Brush 18mm Silvertip #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Parker A1R Travel Razor #JETSETTER
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (2)
• Lather: Cremo - Palo Santo - Cream
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

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My overall shave result was as good as any other 2-pass shave that I get; BBS in most areas. For me, this is the perfect level of closeness as a daily shaver.

Two years ago, when I moved back to DE shaving, I would have been completely happy with Cremo which I did, in fact, pick up at my local drugstore. Today, though, I'm just spoiled for choice of shaving soaps that are just exceptional. There's really no comparison between today's popular artisan offerings and a store-bought shaving cream.

However, Cremo did the job. This shaving cream is designed to be lathered by hand. I used the tiny travel brush that is pictured. Cremo builds into a very thin, slick lather. I'm sure I over-hydrated it, but I did manage to get two passes and neck fixups out of that brush.

No issues with the razor, or with the blade, but I'm fortunate that I rarely have them regardless of what I use.

For today's challenge, I'll have to go with what I know. For many years I happily wore Shulton Old Spice. I still have a couple of vintage bottles of this. While I can get away with it [because: geezer], I think my signature scent would be this one, but lighter, crisper and less strong. So, Shawn Maher's Seaforth! Spiced and Seaforth! Black Watch come to mind as a scents that have that perfect balance of notes and that "just right" level of scent strength. And while I love both of these, his modernization of Shulton Old Spice would be absolutely perfect for me.

Theme: Mobile Phones -- #photocontest

July 6, 2023

• Brush: Wald Nimbus Chryselephantine 29mm A1 Fan

• Razor: Koraat 7/8" Near Wedge Spanish Point (Straight Shave 267) #STR8SNOB

• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Black Watch - Eau de Toilette  

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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Last year I was able to plan my entire LG calendar a couple of days ahead of time. This year I don't seem able to do better than look a couple of days ahead. However, on my first scan of the calendar I knew that today I would use (exactly as u/whosgotthepudding predicted) the Black Watch trifecta.

What an absolute joy Black Watch is. For me the scent has the perfect balance between sophistication and the seafaring ruggedness portrayed in the old Old Spice ads. The Highland base is exceptional, and while today's level of closeness is only a little better than yesterday's (Cremo, Nacet blade, Parker Travel razor), the overall shave quality is cuts above [ points deduction for bad pun ].

It did not occur to me last night (when I planned today's photo) that stacking this setup could go under the "Urban/Architecture" photo contest theme. Instead, I decided to try the r/wicked_edge theme. But, to show that I have some trifecta stacking chops, here is an image of this trifecta horizontally stacked in an improbable way, and this is an image of the Midnight Stag trifecta stacked in a physics-defying way.

Theme: r/wicked_edge -- #photocontest

Edit: Added hashtag for razor

July 7, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Strawberry Cream 26mm G5A #FAUXFUR #SHD #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Red Imp 5/8" Near Wedge (Straight Shave 268)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Spiced - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Spiced - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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Seaforth! Spiced is my second favorite Spearhead scent, Black Watch is my favorite. I have SSL and Heather as well. To be able to use Black Watch (yesterday) followed by Spiced makes for some pretty nice shaving here in the Lather Games.

As to hobbies. I have had many during my life but I tend to take up things, go deeply into them, move on to something else, and then return. Last year I talked about my remote-control flying hobby; first-person-view (FPV) quadcopters, and thermal gliders.

This year I'll touch on photography. I started photography in the late '60s. I mostly took random photos, sports photos, travel, and family photos. I sucked. In those days exposure metering was a thing, but most of us just picked a film (mine was Kodak Tri-X), learned (by trial and error) the exposures for typical lighting conditions, and used appropriate settings without metering. The idea was not to get wrapped up in the technical details of the camera. The term used was "f/8 and be there". Capture the moment, then work out problems in the dark room.

I became more serious about photography in the late '70s and '80s graduating from 35mm roll film to 120 film and then to 4x5 sheet film. I even audited art classes where I learned that I suck at this. My dark room grew accordingly, from a simple black and white affair to one that could handle color and large enlargements. All this stopped when our children were born and I had mouths to feed.

In January of this year I bought a digital mirrorless camera and decided to learn digital photography. Wow! The changes from film are huge and it has been fun learning the same subject in a completely different way. One constant, though. I still suck.

July 8, 2023

• Brush: Munnin Woodworks w/AP Shave Co 24mm Titanium Synthetic
• Razor: Karve Overlander Brass
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (3)
• Lather: 345 Soaps - White Buffalo - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

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I'm commenting in this thread but am taking a day off from LG and the photo contest. I'll be back at it again tomorrow.

Today's soap is from a sample that was kindly provided by u/whosgotthepudding. White Buffalo is no joke. It has one of those scents that evolves during the shave. I don't know why that is, but I thoroughly enjoy it. The soap base is no joke either. It can take serious hydration, has a light, silky feel, and certainly has enough residual slickness for my needs as a straight razor shaver.

I bought the Overlander after hearing and reading u/VisceralWatch's positive comments about it over a period of months. He's absolutely not wrong. The razor is very comfortable, and is very forgiving of pressure and angle variance. Naturally, the brass version is better than the aluminum one ;-).

July 9, 2023

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts with Declaration Grooming B10
• Razor: Gillette NEW SC #REGUS
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (4)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Amazelnut - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Leviathan - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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The logistics of the day prevented me from shaving in the kitchen so I'm taking a pass on that experience.

Amazelnut followed by Leviathan. I ask you, does it get much better? Certainly not for me. Normally, I wouldn't go to these darker scents during the summer, but I thoroughly enjoyed them. I had London Razors Coffee and Contemplation penciled in for the day until I saw the photo contest themes 5 days ago. After that, the photo challenge became obvious.

I learned about the NEW short comb from watching a u/sgrdddy video. These are terrific razors. They shave as well, or better, than any modern DE (IMHO). They are absolutely worth buying if you're looking for a great shave.

Theme: Wild Animals -- #photocontest

July 10, 2023

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Lost Nativ 26mm Fanchurian V13
• Razor: Gillette Slim Aristocrat H4 (setting: 4)
• Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless (2)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sharp Dressed Man - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Sharp Dressed Man - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Creed Green Irish Tweed  

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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In addition to being a dupe of Creed Green Irish Tweed, Sharp Dressed Man is a ZZ Top song that was released in the '80s when MTV was a novelty. A more fitting guitar for the photo would have been a 1959 Les Paul which which is the same model as Billy Gibbons' famous "Pearly Gates". My son's Statocaster was at hand so I used it.

I shave in the morning and plan my shave the night before so I have time to think about a photo. After checking today's challenge, I took a phone-photo of Sharp Dressed Man and texted to my daughter who was visiting. I asked her to do a quick sketch of the label while I figured out the SOTD photo composition; thinking that I would do a separate photo of her sketch when it was done. She handed me her sketch shortly before I finished so I just included it in today's SOTD photo.

Theme: Music -- #photocontest

July 11, 2023

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Lost Nativ 26mm Fanchurian V13

• Razor: Dovo Bismarck 6/8" Full Hollow Round Point] (Straight Shave 269)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Jack - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Jack - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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Well, I think that my photo is color coordinated so I think I meet this challenge.

Noble Otter Jack is a very citrus-forward scent but it is on the milder side of scent strength. For me, it has a beautiful blend of scent notes overall. I really like this one as a summer scent.

The Dovo Bismarck continues to be one of my favorite shavers. It took a lot of effort to find the right honing method for this razor. The shave-ready edge from the factory was not to my liking and, initially, my own edges were only so-so. Once I found the right honing formula, though, this razor has been a top performer. u/djundjila has the same exact razor and experience with it. I hope that he is gets a chance to see what this razor can really do.

In the recent Sidebar challenge u/RedMosquitoMM commented that it's nice to see photos that aren't pitch-black studio shots (which my photos usually are). Well ... I was once again drawn to the dark side for this one.

July 12, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi Cavern Lake 24mm Tuxedo
• Razor: Gillette Tech English Flat Bottom
• Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless (3)
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Waterlyptus - Soap
• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

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I listened to the Lather Games Podcast for the first week (RSS Feed, btw), and was surprised to learn that the order of the post-shave items matters. (Hopefully, I've misunderstood something.) After shaving, I normally apply Thayers toner and then clean up. After that, I apply aftershave and occasionally a fragrance. While I don't particularly care about LG points, data collection accuracy does have value so I've changed the order in my post-shave report to place the toner as the last post-shave item.

This was my first try of a Catie's Bubbles soap. I've wanted to try one since I learned about some of the established vendors in wetshaving two years ago. When I was buying a few summer soaps, I could not pass on Waterlyptus. The name, alone, is interesting. The scent is also interesting. I really like it. The soap, which lists "Coconut Oil" as the third ingredient, was very nice and took a surprising amount of water while bowl lathering (which is the "reverse" for me).

I always enjoy the Flat Bottom Tech which was a gift from u/VisceralWatch. I am surprised at this one, though. It was obviously designed for people with very tiny hands^*.

^* Yes, I know that the handle is really a very clever two-piece affair. See the bowl lathering photo.

July 13, 2023

• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Deep Pearl 26mm Sweet Spot Badger
• Razor: Koraat 6/8" Full Hollow (Straight Shave 270) #RAINBOW
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli - Soap
• Post Shave: WestMan Shaving - Alma - Aftershave Balm
• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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This is as close as I can get to a Patchouli-forward scent. Doesn't really matter, though. Y/R/P is just phenomenal. What a great shave today. Using my most photogenic razor, a terrific soap, and a brush with just the right ratio of softness to backbone. There's just no need to say more.

Song: Dave Brubeck - Take Five

I don't listen to music while shaving so my song selection only relates to shaving tangentially. Just before my journey into wetshaving, I would "take five" minutes to shave. Shaving was a mindless exercise that I did not enjoy. The exact opposite is true now. I take about 20 minutes for a straight shave, including cleanup, and I enjoy the experience daily.

I have another association with this song, though. In the mid '60s Dave Brubeck and his quartet came to my upper school in Washington D.C. Dave Brubeck gave a presentation on odd time signatures and then they played a short set.

I was one of two stagehands who worked every event put on stage at the school so there were two of us who did lighting and sound for this event. As a result, I met Dave Brubeck. Now, this was more of a 'Hi, how're ya doin'" meeting, but I remember the event very well.

I barely had my hands around 3-chord rock/pop songs in those days so, to me, most jazz sounded like the "free jazz" of Ornette Coleman. But Take Five had swing and on that day I got it. It totally changed my appreciation for jazz.

Theme: Light sources -- #photocontest

July 14, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Summer 28mm G5C
• Razor: Blutt Rasur BR-1 (setting: 0.86 plate)
• Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless (4)
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Socialite - Soap
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Socialite - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

Shave excellent. Lather face. Passes 3.

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"This is not the Way". Maybe not, but for a daily shaver it possibly could be. I chose to do a full-face, reverse-order shave; ATG, XTG, WTG. It felt weird, especially the final WTG pass. My result is full-on DS-BBS but I had BBS in most areas after the first pass. A fun stunt, but I think I'll revert to my normal behavior tomorrow. The shave was surprisingly comfortable. I opened a tiny weeper on my neck on the third pass, but it closed with my cold water rinse.

Photo theme: Vegetable. Yeah, I know that the Socialite has scent notes of gin, lime, and ice. The obvious theme for this is "Drinks", and next in line would be "Fruit". But that's what you'd expect me to do.

You'll notice that there's cucumber in the gin and tonic. Hendrick's gin is a premium gin that includes infusions of cucumber and rose. They recommend that a gin and tonic be made with slices of cucumber. It's different. I love it. So, this relates to today's shave through one level of indirection. I'm calling that good. Now, technically, a cucumber is a fruit. I think that it is more commonly considered to be a vegetable, so I'm going with that.

#photocontest

Edit: The cooling agent in The Socialite soap and splash is listed as Koolada-23. I'm assuming that is a rebranding of WS-23.

Beautiful studio shot. Someone to watch if you appreciate pretty sotd pics

July 15, 2023

• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Blue Space 26mm Cashmere
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird Ti #CNC
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (1)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Le Grand Chypre - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Le Grand Chypre - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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I checked my shaving database and, apparently, I have 12 BaM soaps. Not surprisingly, it is my most-used brand; followed closely by Stirling. Of the BaM products I own, all (or almost all) are in Omnibus. I consider this to be a top-tier soap base. Of the scents, I think of LGC and Seville as very distinctive everyday scents. Then there's a good group of coffee and tea scents followed by more specialty fragrances; Marilyn, Spice, Bay Rum, etc. All terrific stuff. Anyway, LGC was a no-brainer choice for today as is Seville for tomorrow.

Wait! u/VisceralWatch is a WetTuber? Okay, I may have actually watched his eponymous channel playing jazz, and I may have seen 1 or 20 of his shaving videos.

But VW is a whippersnapper; far too young to rant convincingly. Though he's very knowledgeable about shaving gear that was created before his time, and is a reliable commentator on Chicago weather, he lacks the patois necessary to make American English sound authentic and difficult to understand, even to Americans. For that, you need Shaving With Fuzzy who, I know, sets a standard to which VW aspires.

I wasn't feeling inspired to make a photo so for today I went back in black.

July 16, 2023

• Brush: Brad Sears Scotsman XL 28mm Super Badger
• Razor: Filarmonica 14 Doble Temple Gen 1 (Straight Shave 271)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Seville - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Seville - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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Seville + Brad Sears + Fili 14. How could that not equal an excellent shave?

I'm going memeless today.

The photo theme for the day is Technology. Pictured surrounding today's setup are some of my whetstones (Japanese waterstones and a coticule) and a leather strop. These items highlight two technologies that relate to the traditional barbershop shave experience; abrasion and burnishing. Humankind has been shaping items by rubbing them against rocks for a very long time. The obvious association for the barbershop is straight razor honing; shaping the edge by abrading it. I'd guess busy barbers did this about once a day. The strop does not remove significant amounts metal the way a whetstone does. Instead, its purpose is edge realignment by moving it back into shape. My impression is that a barber uses a strop before, and during, each customer's straight shave.

#photocontest

July 17, 2023

• Brush: Brad Sears Arley 26mm Super Badger
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2/WRH2
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (2)
• Lather: House of Mammoth/Barrister and Mann - Smash - Soap
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave
• Post Shave: West Coast Shaving - Alum

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

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Smash is a wonderful collaboration. When I've used it before, I've thought of doing an evening shave with an actual Bourbon Smash cocktail along side. But I'm a morning shaver, and as one of those people who can only do one thing at a time, I just focus on shaving. The photo, which I made last night, has an actual Bourbon Smash in it. More specifically, it is a Bourbon Peach Smash since the first note in the soap is peach. I don't drink a lot of mixed cocktails and bourbon is more of a winter sipping drink for me (along with scotch), but I must say that the Bourbon Peach Smash was an amazingly refreshing summer drink. I have peaches, bourbon, mint, honey (for simple syrup), ice, and a muddle on hand. I see myself making more of these.

It is very hard to fault a shave done with a razor that was custom made to your own specifications. The precision and quality of workmanship for my Wolfman razor is exceptional and, not surprisingly, gives me excellent shaves. I have a WR4 on order and am looking forward to its arrival sometime this fall.

Alum. I bought my block of alum from West Coast Shaving when I transitioned from justshaving to wetshaving in 2021. After 50+ years of shaving I figured out how to shave without irritation or much blood long ago so my first uses of alum were kind of ho-hum. I did not get much "report" back on the quality of my shave, and I could not see much benefit to my skin. I transitioned to using Thayers Toner which, for me, is nicer than rubbing a block of salt on my face. So, Osma? Probably not going to happen.

My photo contest theme for today is "Drinks". #photocontest

July 18, 2023

• Brush: Wald Stratos Goldvein 29mm A1 Fan
• Razor: Filarmonica 12 Doble Temple 5/8" Full Hollow (Straight Shave 272)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Autumn Ash - Soap
• Post Shave: Fabergé - Brut - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner

3 passes. Bowl lather. Good shave.

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I always enjoy the Southern Witchcrafts soap base and I like the unusual scents. I don't use these products enough. The edge on this razor needs a refresh. I have a close, comfortable shave, but it should have only needed two passes.

July 19, 2023

• Prep: Truefitt & Hill - Ultimate Comfort - Pre-shave Oil
• Brush: Truefitt & Hill Wellington 24mm Silvertip
• Razor: Rolls Razor #SELFSHARPENING
• Lather: Truefitt & Hill - Grafton - Cream
• Post Shave: Unilever - Brut - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Fragrance: Floris Elite - Eau de Toilette  

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

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A very English shave today. The Truefitt & Hill products were part of a gift set that I received. Everything I've tried from them is top notch. With 218 years of being in business they've had time to get it right. Rolls Razor Ltd was headquartered in London, as is Floris and Truefitt & Hill. So, English.

The T&H pre-shave is has a very light citrus scent. The pre-shave is a mix of a variety of oils including avocado, coconut, bergamot, mandarin orange, and grapefruit. I'm assuming it is the last three oils that give it its scent. The oil is, well, oily, but it does seem to protect the skin and allow the razor to glide. I normally make my own pre-shave from lather paste (aka protolather). I prefer my method, but it's nice to change it up occasionally.

The Grafton cream is a spicy fougère. Scent strength is on the strong side and takes me back to the smells of '50s and '60s. It pairs very well with Brut, but really, what doesn't?

Finally, I went with a sample of Floris Elite. You can read all of the notes of this scent. I just get the blend of notes when I use it. Seems very nice and masculine to me; especially after it dries down.

And then there's the Rolls. Not this one, this one. I have shaved with a Rolls before. u/Tetriside sent me his blade to sharpen and I asked for the handle to be sent as well so I could test shave with it. But thanks to u/djundjila I was able to get the full Rolls system experience!

He sent me a spare blade to sharpen as well. Because I identified today (English day) to use the razor, I've had time to study the packaging and to sharpen the spare blade. To me, the system is a set of compromises except for the box aesthetics which look like "quality"; especially for the early to mid 20th century time period.

I had issues sharpening the spare blade. I think oxidation has weakened the steel at the edge. Nonetheless, I tried finishing it on the Rolls hone, and stropping it on the Rolls strop. I don't have microscope images, but it was a disaster. The edge was chipped when I was done.

The shave was done with the "good" blade. I sharpened this one too, but that was more to do with worry about similarities with the spare one than the good blade's shave-ready condition.

The actual shave went just fine. The Rolls is basically a straight razor with a blade size and handle like an Ockmock (yes DJ I read your posts). I don't care for the balance of this affair, but was able to get a very close, comfortable shave from it.

Photo contest theme: Royals. Not the stretch of imagination you might think. I try to relate all themes to shaving. In this context, Truefitt & Hill are barbers and Royal Warrant holders to H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. And, Floris claims Royal Warrants from King George IV and Queen Elizabeth II.

#photocontest

July 20, 2023

• Brush: Wald Stratos Haunter 29mm A1

• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand MK 31 11/16 Söderfors Extra Specialstål Full Hollow (Straight Shave 273)

• Lather: Pasteur|Master Soap Creations - Bloom - Soap

• Post Shave: Pasteur|Master Soap Creations - Bloom - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner
• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Black Orchid - Eau de Parfum  

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

I normally push hydration in my lather, and I've done this habitually. If I make a lathering mistake, it is always adding too much water. I was originally going to just pass on today's challenge; thinking I'd prefer a great shave to a pasty, sub-par mess. Instead, and at the last moment, I decided to experience a shave with a very pasty lather.

I loaded heavily from the tub with brush that was soaked and had its water squeezed out; barely damp. I had more than enough paste for three passes but due to time constraints this morning I could only do two. I was surprised that I had an excellent shave. There was too much cushion, and I had issues getting lather off of the razor, but where there was lather there was slickness; at least with this soap.

Bloom is a dupe of Tom Ford Black Orchid. I have a lot of the Stirling "Man" series, but decided to go with something a little different for today.

The photo theme is "Flowers". I know. No real flowers in the photo, but the art on the front of the soap and the splash contains colorized roses, and the soap is a dupe of a fragrance with orchid in the name, and I think the photo sort of says black orchid.

#photocontest

July 21, 2023

• Brush: Wald Nimbus Chryselephantine 29mm A1 Fan
• Razor: Thiers Issard Le Grelot 6/8 Full Hollow (Straight Shave 274)
• Lather: Zingari Man - Mousse Illuminée - Soap
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Mousse Illuminee - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

Mousse Illuminée
A fougère extraordinaire
Zingari and Rogue

July 22, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co Lemondrop 28mm SynBad

• Razor: Frederick Reynolds "The Celebrated" 4/8 Hollow Ground (Straight Shave 275)

• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Boonana - Soap

• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

---

Today's photo is dedicated to u/J33pGuy13.

I always enjoy the Southern Witchcrafts lather and the scent of Boonana seems a bit out of character, but I like that I don't feel as if I'm slathering actual banana over my face.

When I picked this soap I thought I would have to justify using banana as a berry, however, the kind folks on Lather Games Podcast (week 2) did this for me. Thanks all!

Even though a banana is technically a berry, I'm identifying my photo with the "Fruit" theme.

#photocontest

Great shave. Enjoy your weekend.

July 23, 2023

• Brush: Thäter Faux Ivory 29mm 2-band Silvertip
• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand MK 31 11/16 Söderfors Extra Specialstål Full Hollow (Straight Shave 276)
• Lather: Shulton - Old Spice - Soap
• Post Shave: Shulton - Old Spice - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

Today's shave was immersive. I was just carried away with the process and the experience of shaving with this setup. I just cannot believe how good this Söderfors MK 31 is. It is levels above my normal MK 31 which, in itself, is a great razor. This one is a grail razor. [ I say this every time I use this razor. It is that astonishing. ]

Then there is a soap that is probably more than 40 years old. I have the box it came in and there's no date code. I believe date codes were mandated in the late '70s. Yes, this soap is not on par with the Wholly Kaws and the Zingaris in terms of skin nutrients, but when lathered heavily and pushed with hydration it performs extraordinarily well. More than slick enough for straight razor shaving.

The aftershave is 40 years old. The box has a date code of 1983. Still kicking. I was a regular Old Spice user in those days. Smells right to me now.

Then there's today's theme. I am spoiled for choice for scents that get very positive reactions. I could have gone with Black Watch, or Signature Rosé, or any of the Saponificio Varesino products I have. Then there's all of the Stirling dupes. I get great response from Bleu Man (aka Deep Blue Sea). But really (and I think u/Cowzilla3 would agree), there's only one correct selection to meet today's theme. Old Spice.

What do people like about it? I honestly think that a part of it was marketing from the old days. It is distinctive, though. Today, whenever I use it. I get comments (admittedly from those challenged for youth) about how nice and nostalgic the scent is. [ Real Old Spice has a strong scent. It's hard to miss even for those whose senses might be on the wain. ]

Photo contest theme: History. Look at this setup! I truly hope I don't have to justify the association with vintage Old Spice and shaving history (in the US).

#photocontest

July 24, 2023

• Brush: Munnin Woodworks w/AP Shave Co 24mm Titanium Synthetic
• Razor: Koraat 6/8" Full Hollow (Straight Shave 277)
• Lather: Noble Otter - Joker - Soap
• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

---

The first scent note of Joker is citronella. Though I was interested in buying another Noble Otter soap, I passed on this one because I did not want to smell like mosquito repellant. This was a mistake on two fronts. First, I actually pick up very little citronella from this scent which IMHO is beautifully blended, and second, having a bit of citronella on my skin could do me no harm in the humid, mosquito-infested environment in back of my house. The Noble Otter soap base is great. My only criticism of the scent is that it is mild. I have Jack which is also mild, but that scent strength seems fitting somehow. With Joker, I would enjoy the scent being more forward I think.

This sample of Noble Otter Joker was given to me by u/whosgotthepudding. Unrelated to the Lather Games, we've been exchanging straight razors and soap samples for a short while. And we've chatted a bit. We share similar tastes in soap bases and scents and have a shared enthusiasm for straight razors.

In terms of today's challenge, I only have nice things to say about whosgotthepudding. I've tried a razor that he has refurbished and I purchased the Munnin Woodworks brush from him. I also have an item that he made on request that I will unveil on August 1. I always enjoy our conversations online and I'm very impressed by his sincerity and talent.

July 25, 2023

• Brush: Oumo Warhammer Iceberg 27mm Meri-2

• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat US (1948-1951)

• Lather: Murphy and McNeil - The Great Bear - Soap

• Post Shave: Murphy and McNeil - The Great Bear - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

---

The Great Bear is intended to be a winter soap that marks the winter solstice. It is a collaboration between Murphy & McNeil and Black Mountain Shaving. Here's [ a little ] of what Black Mountain Shaving says about the scent:

For thousands of years, Winter has been a time for celebration and fellowship. [blah, blah] One such celebration occurs on the Winter Solstice known as The Long Night of Storytelling. People gather under the stars sharing ancient tales and wisdom, including the legend of The Great Bear (Nyah-gwaheh). [blah, blah]

I like this scent a lot but did not get much time with it today. I had to rush to get my shave done because my schedule was packed. I took less than 10 minutes from placing brush to soap until my final swipe with my cleanup towel. Each pass was started by creating what u/sgrdddy calls a slurry lather -- a very wet, very slick face lather created with a minimum of loading from the tub. My actual shave result is excellent but the overall shaving experience was marred by my need to rush. Closeness was BBS on the easy spots and near-BBS on the difficult ones. I mean, why do I even bother with straight razors?

As to the challenge. I have used both hands to shave for 10+ years. It started during my first serious bout with straight shaving. I have no issues using my non-dominant (left) hand because it feels totally natural. In fact, with a safety razor (DE and SE), my left hand does more shaving than my right because my right hand is more convenient to use for skin stretching those difficult areas on my face.

A real challenge for me would be to do a straight razor shave with one hand. I don't have any facial growth. It would be a challenge to use one hand for a straight shave and not lose a lip or an ear. Using either my right or left would be equally awkward, but for this challenge, the obvious choice would be my left hand. As you can tell from my setup, I wimped out and used a DE today.

The theme for my photo contest entry today is Space. The Great Bear is also called Ursa Major. That's right. The star constellation. Stars are in ... space. So, I do have space-adjacent items; a 3D-printed model of a spacecraft, and an engineering model (not space-qualified) of a spacecraft attitude determination and control system (also called a guidance, navigation and control system). I could not figure out how to make these work as a part of a SOTD photo composition, and I like to try to make photos that are shave-related and on theme for both Lather Games and the photo contest.

#photocontest

July 26, 2023

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: Thiers Issard Évidé Sonnant 6/8" Extra Hollow (Straight Shave 278)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Wood Shop - Soap
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Wood Shop - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

Today's shave was a meditation. I was just lost in the feel of the edge and the lather and went on autopilot. A wonderful way to start the day.

I really like this scent and I think the SBS soap is absolutely great, but I admit that I picked it today because I love the label and wanted to see if I could make a photo where the label really popped. An obvious choice would have been a black background, but that would be too easy.

Edit: Oh, I forgot den pics. I started in a linen closet, but my collection has started to take over a bookshelf. Here you go.

July 27, 2023

• Brush: Wald Stratos Haunter 29mm A1
• Razor: Parker 510 13/16" Square Point Full Hollow (Straight Shave 279)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Beloved - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Beloved - Splash
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

I have been looking forward to this shave and I picked from my best gear for it. Beloved captures the intended feeling perfectly (IMHO). Yes, lavender isn't for everyone but the blend in this scent manages to evoke the feeling of being with, or thinking of, loved ones. Really hard to do I think, and kudos to u/mammothben for taking this one on. I'm going to add Lavendursday to my regular rotation. [Theme Thursday++, but I don't always participate.]

After being outside in the early morning and early evening for four days, waiting for a squirrel to sit and eat a nut for my July 9 photo, I feel as if I've given the mosquito horde behind my house enough sustenance for a while. I like the idea of an outdoor shave but the mid-80's (mid-26's) temperature and equivalent level of humidity was too much for me this morning.

July 28, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi Cavern Lake 24mm Tuxedo
• Razor: Gold Dollar Classic (Straight Shave 280)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

These are all of the most cost-effective products in my collection. I care not a wit about frugality when it comes to shaving, and moved into wetshaving to develop better technique and to enjoy the shaving experience (daily) as much as possible.

The Gold Dollar straight razor is the model I used years ago when I made my first serious attempt at straight razor shaving. This is not the razor. I dropped that one and broke it. This is the replacement. It is poorly balanced and provides no joy with its complete lack of quality. How did I get an excellent shave? Well, I did hours of spine work to take the bevel angle from 21° down to 16°, and there were geometry issues requiring correction as well. In this particular razor, the steel is tempered well enough that it holds an edge. That is not always true with these razors. My point is that I'm getting an excellent shave with a razor that is anything but off-the-shelf.

The Margarita (an actual Margarita) in the photo was made last night for both the photo and to lift my spirits to be more optimistic for using the Gold Dollar today.

July 29, 2023

• Brush: Simpsons Chubby 2 Jade 27mm HMW
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (9)
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Traditionalist - Soap
• Post Shave: Zinari Man - The Traditionalist - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

Last year on Sandalwood day I used Barrister and Mann's Sandalwood and commented on how it was the favorite of the ones that I had tried. Being the keen observer that he is, /u/J33pGuy13 noticed that I did not mention The Traditionalist in my write-up. Because the "enabler" gene runs strong in him, and sensing FOMO weakness in me, he suggested that I try it. Naturally, I bought a tub because, like many, I enjoy sandalwood scents. And, as he predicted, I love this one too. I have definitely been looking forward to today's shave.

As to the challenge. I don't keep track of points for myself and definitely don't bother keeping track of points for others. And, unlike last year, I have not read all of the comments each day. This is my loss because what I have read this year has just blown me away. The commitment that some of you take to these games is astounding. I'm not going to categorize by contest (I'll let the djudges do their thing), but I have been impressed by so many of the contestants this year. In no particular order, and from memory, I'm going to tag the following folks just to express my appreciation for their "game":

• /u/Priusaurus - the interview idea was brilliant
• /u/Onionmiasma
• /u/mrtangerinesky
• /u/ginopono
• /u/chronnoisseur42O
• /u/RedMosquitoMM
• /u/hairykopite

I'm sure I've left someone out. My fault. It's kind of a low effort comment.

Two notables, though ...

To /u/alg82, today I shaved with Zingari Man The Traditionalist. I used my Simpsons Chubby 2 brush, and an EldrormR Industries MM24. I followed up with Zingari Man The Traditionalist aftershave, and some Thayers Cucumber Toner.

I have enjoyed these non-conforming comments a lot. I chuckle every time.

And if there were an award for most surface area covered in the games that absolutely needs to go to /u/Newtothethis. Gutsiest move I ever saw shaving legs and armpits for the Lather Games. Total respect from me, plus(!) you know how to say Jaaaaaag!

And finally, to /u/Enndeegee ... Scrub

July 30, 2023

• Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar #CHONK #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Smart Helix Apollo (setting: 0.5 Plate)
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword Black (1)
• Lather: WestMan Shaving - Alma - Soap
• Post Shave: Eufros - Rosa Oud - Aftershave Balm

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

I've used this quote before on the sub, and I think that it captures perfectly the spirit of the Lather Games: "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro", Hunter S. Thompson.

• Brush - Italy
• Razor - Ukraine
• Blade - Germany
• Lather - Portugal
• Post Shave - Spain
• Me - USA

Thank you to the djudges and organizers of this event. You provide the incentive for the madness that occurs. I look at the Lather Games as just 30 Theme Thursdays, but the comments and activities of the other LG contestants is my real reason for playing. So, again, thank you!

Being a part of the community has certainly broadened my experience of shaving. Alma was recommended to me by u/sahenders, u/VisceralWatch made it possible for me to get the Eufros Balm, and I would not have used a Rolls Razor in the Hardware Scavenger Hunt were it not for u/djundjila.

Reading djundjila's post today, reminded me that online communities do morph over time. i was involved with communicating via bulletin board systems, then used Usenet in the early days of the Internet, and participate in more modern online communities today. So I have seen this happen many times. I'm certain many in the community will be driven away by Reddit's charging for use of the API. Reddit is a for-profit company so, to me, the oddity is that, given the number of subredddits, they don't charge for use of the API. If I wanted data to use for machine learning, "free" seems like a pretty good deal. It makes sense to me that Reddit corporate would want to put a value on data access.

Anyway, the ability to have community bots that add personality to the community experience, and to have availability of low cost, or free, apps to use for access to the community suggests a more open source approach to me.

Also, I'm grateful for all of the very positive remarks I've received on my photography this month. In case you're interested, this is an album of my Lather Games photos including some (like an un-retouched squirrel photo) that I did not use.

À bientôt.