SOTD by u/Priusaurus

June 18, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Soap Theme Justification: Central Texas Soaps no longer exists.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Padre 3 times!

[**June 18, 2024**](https://imgur.com/a/yrmi0I0)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**Challenge:** I gotta be honest, guys. I’m kinda over shitting on w\_e. Each sub has their own energy, users, and each serves a purpose. I feel like a lot of people on r/wetshaving [think they’re better than w\_e](https://imgur.com/a/8kSpSw6). But that’s not the case. [Things are just different over there](https://imgur.com/a/dBNKU8C).

Just because [it’s a disorganized mess](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1cii94g/a_few_observations/), and their users can ([and do](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/13icv1t/blasphemous_or_brilliant/)) post whatever [random thought](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1dbpzvg/unpopular_opinion_brushes_and_lather_are_overrated/) enters their mind, it doesn’t mean it’s bad - it’s [just different](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/16ojju5/is_this_captains_choice_heavyweight_bowl/). Both can exist and we don't need to make fun of them.

And just because one of their mods had [a shitty experience with Razor Emporium](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1bbpwja/psa_razor_honing_services/) and [then suspiciously removed RE from their do not buy list right after RE sent him free shaving soap](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1bcpobw/wicked_edge_wiki_avoid_update_razor_emporium/), it doesn’t mean there is anything amiss over there.

We do [our thing](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wetshaving/comments/1cgzhwp/2024_lather_games_kickoff_calendar/) and [they do their thing](https://reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1awt73p/bm_proper_lather/). One approach [is not inherently bad](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/1avde1m/le_pere_lucien_lathering_problem/). It just depends on what [every user prefers](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/137j8s7/most_overrated_wet_shaving_product/). I started at w\_e, and found I prefer things at r/wetshaving. Do I think I’m better than everyone over there? Well…. No. Perhaps[ I’m just a bit more enlightened](https://imgur.com/a/O08fVfq)?

As I think about it, [maybe we’re not so different after all….](https://www.reddit.com/r/wicked_edge/comments/17flwrd/has_anyone_here_ever_eaten_their_shave_cream/)

**Soap Theme Justification:** Central Texas Soaps no longer exists.

**Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance:** Padre 3 times!