June 22, 2024
- Brush: Stirling Soap Co. Finest Badger 24mm Fan Knot
- Razor: “Screwy” (GEM Damaskeene)
- Blade: Personna GEM
- Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Autumn Ash
- Post Shave: Captain’s Choice - Cat o’ Nine Tails
- Fragrance: Oriza L. Legrand - Chypre Mousse
Meet Screwy the Damaskeene Razor. Screwy is over 100 years old. Screwy has been a good razor but is showing his age. Specifically, the latch-thingy in the middle of his head, meant to hold the blade in place, has weakened. This seems to have affected Screwy’s mental state—lately he's displayed certain disturbing tendencies (see below).
Today’s I went with Southern Witchcrafts Autumn Ash. SW was one of the first shave soaps I tried, and certainly the most offbeat in terms of scent. In addition to Autumn Ash, I got samples of Carpathia, Valley of Ashes, Necromantic, Fougere Nemeta, and Lycanthropy (the latter two, I believe, have since been discontinued).
I chose Captain’s Choice Cat o’ Nine Tails because the name sounded sinister and Halloween-y. It turns out to be a reference to seafaring—the notorious lash—with the fragrance being warm, spicy, and boozy.
Oriza L. Legrand Chypre Mousse is among the strangest fragrances I’ve tried. It’s been around since 1914 (even longer than Screwy) and has a kind of baroque complexity and sumptuousness that one doesn’t encounter much these days. I wouldn’t normally have chosen it for today’s theme, but the artisan describes it as an autumn scent. It has earthy, fecund qualities—the smell of undergrowth—that echo some of the dirt and mildew notes in Autumn Ash.
As a razor Screwy has performed well since arriving two days ago. Jamming a screw into his head has helped to keep the latch in place. Last night, however, he went on a rampage. He murdered an orange, devoured its insides, and then proceeded to make a mask out of the orange’s skin and wear it. This seems needlessly sadistic and evil. No sure where things go from here.
For an autumnal painting I’ve selected “A Corner of the Park at Bellevue, Autumn, Sunset” a 1902 painting by Henri Rousseau.
#ROTY