u/gcgallant's SOTDs for challenge 'SOTD photo scavenger hunt'

u/gcgallant submitted 17 SOTDS.
  1. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-01 10:47:02-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  2. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-02 10:02:22-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  3. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-03 10:23:15-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    July 3, 2023

    2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    Particularly well composed, and different than all the other shots with almonds today.

  4. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-04 09:58:07-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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]

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    nice use of water

  5. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-05 09:42:24-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  6. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-06 10:22:04-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    good composition

  7. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-09 08:54:51-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  8. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-10 08:55:12-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  9. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-13 10:18:49-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    Its tripping me out, man...

  10. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-14 09:52:53-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    "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.

  11. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-16 11:00:56-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    nice composition

  12. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-17 09:48:40-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  13. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-19 14:24:45-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

    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

  14. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-20 10:40:06-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    July 20, 2023

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    lovely colour and reflections

  15. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-22 10:12:46-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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.

  16. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-23 10:01:37-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    July 23, 2023

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    Congratulations 🎉 you've been selected for the best photo contest 😊

    Reason: simplicity itself!

  17. u/gcgallant posted on 2023-07-25 12:19:59-07:00 (Pacific Standard Time). Reddit Comment (See markdown)

    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

    Candidate for best shot: An Anonymous Djudge remarked:

    great shot