Shave of the Day - 10/15

Cold Water Wash
C.O. Bigelow
Jayaruh #47 Synthetic (birth year)
47 Gillette Aristocrat (birth year razor)
Gillette Super Blue
CWR
Osage Rub

Birthday Shave: My prep was just a cold water rinse. The C.O. Bigelow Shaving Cream face lathered well with the Jayaruh #47 Synthetic brush. I did two passes with the 47 Gillette Aristocrat Safety Razor with a Gillette Super Blue blade and ended up with a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, I finished off with Osage Rub. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

October 11 Haul

I got these pieces from a fellow shaver in California: 3D printed handle with badger knot, Hoffritz travel razor, and Gillette NEW Long Comb (made in England) with short handle. This is a birthday haul. My California friend and I share a birthday, and he sent this to me for my birthday. I sent him Jayaruh #320.

Here they are as they arrived.

The 3D printed brush.

I set to work cleaning up the two razors.

Marked Hoffritz, NY, M.I.Germany

It disassembles into four pieces.

The two-piece handle is self-storing.

The Gillette NEW is in pretty good shape although there is some plate loss on one corner.

Made in England

The all brass handle shined up pretty good.

Shave of the Day - 10/15 Birthday Shave

Dove Men Face Wash

TABAC

Jayaruh #109 silvertip badger

Gillette Aristocrat (birth year razor)

7 am Plus Hi Platinum 

CWR, Asma Alum Block

T.N. Dickinson's WH

Aqua Velva Musk

The TABAC Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #109 silvertip badger brush. Two passes and touch ups with the Gillette Aristocrat razor (birth year razor) with a 7 am Plus Hi Platinum blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse and alum block, I finished off with T.N. Dickinson's WH and then Aqua Velva Musk After Shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

New Birthday Razors

I purchased these two razors with birthday money: the Scotch & Stowe with Fatty Stainless handle and the Edwin Jagger 86 with Ebony handle DE razor.

The EJ 86 has the same head as the EJ 89, a razor I already have in my collection.  The S&S has a head very similar to the EJ 89. Its handle is shorter and stouter than the EJ 86. Both razors are moderately hefty, and I am looking forward to giving them both a try. It will be November or December before I get to them though.

Scotch & Stowe: 3.4 x 1.6 inches ; 3.4 ounces

Edwin Jagger 86:  3.8 x 1.8 inches ; 2.1 ounces

Shave of the Day - 10/15

Dove Men Face Wash

Tabac 

Jayaruh #23 Silver Tip (First Shave)

Gillette NEW LC/Gillette Aristocrat* 1947 BYR

Personna SS

Thayers Lemon WH

Pinaud Vegetal

The Tabac Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #23 Silver Tip brush. First pass with the Gillette LC NEW followed by second pass with my Gillette Aristocrat (1947 Birth Year Razor) with a Persona Super blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Lemon WH and then Pinaud Lilac Vegetal after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

Happy Birthday to Me

For my birthday, I used some birthday money and ordered three items I have been wanting for a while. I am about to run out of my Taylor of old Bond Street Lavender Shaving Cream, so I am replacing it with TOBS Grapefruit SC. I am anticipating the wonderful citrusy scent.

Next is the Merkur 15C open comb razor. It is a mild open comb razor that weigh in at about 2.5 ounces. The three inch handle should be interchangeable with some of my other 3 piece razors, or not. It is a German made razor of high quality.

Then, I am getting a Vie-Long horse hair brush. I have been wanting to try a good horse hair brush for a long time. I did get a Turkish #6 horse hair, but that is a very low cost brush. It is a good one, but not very dense. This brush is set in an acrylic handle.

arrived 10/21

arrived 10/21

arrived 10/21

arrived 10/21

arrived 10/21

Shave of the Day - 10/15

Cold Water Shave

Noxema Classic Clean

Cella Crema da Barba

Semogue 1305 Boar Brush

Gillette NEWTopia LC

Astra Superior Platinum

CWR, Asma Alum Block

Thayers Rose Petal WH

Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Celebrating 68 trips around the sun with today's birthday shave. The Cella Crema da Barba face-lathered very easily with my Semogue 1305 Boar Brush. Two passes with my Gillette NEWTopia LC and Astra Superior Platinum blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Rose Petal WH and then Aqua Velva Ice Blue after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

Shave of the Day - 3/24 / Won Indian Wilkies PIF

Dove Men's Face Wash

Col. Conk Lime Shave Soap

Frank Shaving Finest Badger

1914 Ever-Ready

Personna/GEM PTFE Stainless

CWR

Thayers Cucumber WH

FD Old Spice AS

Happy Birthday to the 1914 Ever-Ready razor. I broke out the ER 1914 today. I have only shaved once before with it back in November.  Today, the Frank Shaving finest badger brush face lathered Col. Conk's Lime Shave Soap effortlessly. I got the angle right today as I carefully made two passes with my 1914 Ever-Ready with Personna/GEM blade. It was a near BBS shave. A cold water rinse followed with Thayers Cucumber WH and Family Dollar Old Spice AS left me clean, smooth, and refreshed...

---

Won Indian Wilkies PIF

I won 5 Indian Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades on Friday, March 24, in a PIF on The Shave Den.

Birthday Shave of the Day - 10/15

Dove Men's Face Wash

TOBS Lavender Shave Cream

Semogue 1305 Boar Brush

Gillette New w/bar handle

Shark Super Chrome (15)

CWR

Dickinson's Witch hazel

Aqua Velva Ice Blue AS

Day fifteen of the federal shutdown, and day fifteen for this Shark Super Chrome blade. The Semogue 1305 did an excellent job of face lathering with the TOBS Lavender. What a nice shave for my 66th birthday. Two passes and some touch ups left me near BBS. Topped it off with some Dickinson's WH and Aqua Velva Ice Blue, and I am feeling young again. I cleaned up and palm-stropped the blade for another day. Here's hoping the blade doesn't have to go into default.

Birthday Brush

Today, I received my birthday gift from David's family. It is a Parker black badger shaving brush and stand. Thanks, Dave, Becca, Sarah, and Emily.

The picture above is to compare it to my Tweezerman.  They are comparable in weight and knot size, but the Parker has a higher loft by about 11-12 mm. My Tweezerman has served me well for 16 months now. I am looking forward to breaking in this new Parker brush, so the Tweezerman will get some rest. It will still be my travelling brush though.

This is the first lather with Van Der Hagen soap. Wow!

I did my first lather using Van Der Hagen soap. It did very well in my bowl. I lost 8-10 hairs. That is normal for the first lathering. I expect that will drop off dramatically on the next lathering. I am looking forward to using this brush. Thanks again, Kids, this was a thoughtful gift.

Look at that bloom.

December 10: update
This has been a good brush. I am using it every third shave and it is holding up well. However, the painted logo is disappearing slowly. Other than that, it has been a good brush. Thanks again, Dave.

January 17: update
I am using this Parker brush every other day now, alternating between it and my chrome handle brush. It is a very good brush. The printed Parker logo has completely disappeared, but other than that it is holding up very well.

Birthday Shaving

On October 15, I turned 65. Really, at this age gifts are a problem. I don't expect anything, and I don't have any real wants or desires. I am pretty content. However, my lovely wife, Marcia, suggested that I get some shaving supplies. So, at the present, I am waiting for an order from Amazon.

Here is what I ordered. I got a new brush, a puck of Col. Conk, and a wooden shaving bowl with lid. I told you I didn't have any great wants.

Pure Badger Chrome

Lime Col. Conk Shave Soap

Wooden Shave Bowl with Lid

I am eagerly awaiting my free shipping order. The brush and soap are expected Saturday, and the bowl on the following Wednesday.