Shave of the Day Thread - 2016

[razorguy]

Sunday 17 July 2016

RWL34? Mastro Livi RWL34 Razor!​

RWL34 is a stainless steel which will never stop to amaze me. Certainly one of the finest stainless steels used by Mastro Livi for his world famous straight razors, I am sure Mastro Livi's technique and craftsmanship in working this steel play a fundamental role in the final result. And the result is always a super close and super smooth shave, with a super cutting edge lasting for a very long time. Compared to Grifetto's stainless steel, RWL34 has a more aggressive touch which can deliver a very close shave. Not that Grifetto is not capable of giving a very close shave - indeed, Grifetto is a superb razor - I can however tell the difference. As for the rest, Martin de Candre shave soap is always impeccable and magnificent, proving to be one of the very best shave soaps around, while Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum has a fragrance recalling more pain d'épices than "pure" bay rum, however being a fine aftershave.​

• Pre-Shave: RazorGuy Pre-Shave Oil
• Soap: Martin de Candre
• Brush: Omega Professional 10098, 27mm knot
• Bowl: Chinese Bowl
• Strop: Mastro Livi Medium Loom Strop "Coramella Italiana" and Hand Palm
• Razor: Mastro Livi RWL34, 8/8 Full Hollow, Snake Point
• Post-Shave: Alum Block
• Post-Shave: Argan Oil
• After Shave: Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum

 

[bald as]

A bit of a retro shave tonight Pre wash was a bar soap as I would have done as a teenager, face lather with a boar I didn't use a DE as I once did but got a great 2 pass DFS and finished by washing my skin with the the Imperial Leather and using alternate hot and cold wash washers.

No irritation and a really good shave. I wouldn't do it now, but heading to high school many a morning it was a quick face lather with either Palmolive or Imperial leather bar soap and a "reasonable" 1 pass and clean ups.

Steve

 

[TomG]

'TomG - the State contends that on this date, you did, with reckless disregard of likely consequence, fail to adequately hydrate your shaving soap. How do you plea?'

"Guilty, your Honour!"

Pre: Musgo Real Lime Oil Soap, Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger
Soap: SV70
Razor: Feather AS-D2
Blade: Feather (1)
Post: Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
A/S: Not a chance
Cologne: L'Artisan Fou d'Absinthe

First spin with the SV70, and didn't I just royally screw it up. Lather seemed OK, but glide was not flash, and had quite a few weepers by cleanup. Then the 'Aha' moment - as I added more water during final cleanup, the lather exploded everywhere. Felt like a knob, and my neck kept reminding me that this was no idle suspicion.
Lesson learnt the hard way.
Decided to console myself with my favourite new fragrance.

 

[Mark1966]

'TomG - the State contends that on this date, you did, with reckless disregard of likely consequence, fail to adequately hydrate your shaving soap. How do you plea?'

"Guilty, your Honour!"

Pre: Musgo Real Lime Oil Soap, Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger
Soap: SV70
Razor: Feather AS-D2
Blade: Feather (1)
Post: Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
A/S: Not a chance
Cologne: L'Artisan Fou d'Absinthe

First spin with the SV70, and didn't I just royally screw it up. Lather seemed OK, but glide was not flash, and had quite a few weepers by cleanup. Then the 'Aha' moment - as I added more water during final cleanup, the lather exploded everywhere. Felt like a knob, and my neck kept reminding me that this was no idle suspicion.
Lesson learnt the hard way.
Decided to console myself with my favourite new fragrance.

... and this is how we learn!



Hey - Happy shaving

 

[Nightguard]

Loving the look of that Wundabar @Nightguard. Really making me think a lot about a slant... Have you tried the fine slant at all? Any other slants you have tried and liked?

Haven't tried the Fine slant but I've used two other slants. The Merkur 37c and a vintage Fasan double slant. Both are great shavers.

 

[silver]

I can't remember the last time the iKon Slant gave me so much as a weeper or hint of irritation. I love this razor.

I too absolutely adore the iKon Slant lately. It's been such a gem and nothing shaves like it. I can wield it as a daily at the moment.
I guess over the months, my technique has improved. Certainly hanging out here, reading SOTD comments from everyone here helped me learn a thing or two. Hence, I really like long SOTD's like @saku39, @todras, @Draco Noir and various few other members here. Keep them coming!

 

[filobiblic]

Soap : P&B Spitfire
This is a soap in the top tier, and possibly the best soap coming out of the UK atm (yet to try the new Wickhams).

There are several UK soap artisans that I'm aware of:
Nanny's Silly Soaps
Wickhams (rising again!)
Phoenix & Beau
The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist (OSP)

Many of us know how good the latest newcomer P&B is, but actually our mate in the UK @unobtainium81 reckons that OSP is the best of the bunch. I've used all listed above but OSP so I can't comment. The OSP sounds superb -BUT - he's recently had to increase the international shipping costs to include tracking (due to missing packages). This is a killer as it means postage more than doubles the price.
A 140g tub costs £12 ($20) and then shopping is £14.50 making it almost A$50 delivered!!!! That's far too rich for me (MdC is way better value for money in comparison).

 

[unobtainium81]

Yeah his postage is quite high even in the UK because it's signed for. Also you can only get it direct over here but Maggards in the USA sell it now so not sure if shipping is easier that way? You could get some Mikes as well [emoji16]. Maybe if you bombard gifts and care he might strike a deal with them, or the stray whisker.

 

[unobtainium81]

Also I had a tester of the wickham 1912 which seems good. I didn't rate the old super smooth, but this is an improvement over that. I had a P&B and sold it as I really didn't think much of it at all. Nannys signature was quite good but the scent wasn't all that so it got sold with the p&b.
OSP has a couple of new scents coming out. One is like old spice as well as a shaving cream he is working on, plus matching aftershaves.

 

[SpeedyPC]

Pre-Shave - Shower & Musgo Real Classic Scent Pre-Shave Oil Soap
Brush: - Simpsons Chubby 2 Best Badger
Lather: - Mike's Natural Shaving Soap - Hungarian Lavender
Razor: - Muhle R41 with a iKon Bamboo Handle
Blade: - Gillette Silver Blue (3)
Post Shave: - Alum Block / T.N. Dickinson Witch Hazel Astringent / The Stray Whisker Aftershave Balm
Whisky: - Bunnahabhain 12yrs Old

Come on Freddy is that all you've got to scare me, I believe I'm getting better with the R41 and I should keep on using this razor for a while until Freddy has got the guts to scare me

Follow by a wonderful and enjoyable whisky call Bunnahabhain 12yrs Old after my shave was a real bloody ripper, oh well Freddy I guess it too bad because all those fingers knifes doesn't look sharp to me any more so who going to hone them for you

 

[Psmith]

'TomG - the State contends that on this date, you did, with reckless disregard of likely consequence, fail to adequately hydrate your shaving soap. How do you plea?'

"Guilty, your Honour!"

Pre: Musgo Real Lime Oil Soap, Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger
Soap: SV70
Razor: Feather AS-D2
Blade: Feather (1)
Post: Myrsol Antesol and Emulsion
A/S: Not a chance
Cologne: L'Artisan Fou d'Absinthe

First spin with the SV70, and didn't I just royally screw it up. Lather seemed OK, but glide was not flash, and had quite a few weepers by cleanup. Then the 'Aha' moment - as I added more water during final cleanup, the lather exploded everywhere. Felt like a knob, and my neck kept reminding me that this was no idle suspicion.
Lesson learnt the hard way.
Decided to console myself with my favourite new fragrance.

I think you just described my first two weeks of wet shaving. Kept wondering why I bought such an aggressive shaver as the EJ89. Now I regularly shave with an R41. Get the lather right and you're 90% there. Great post.

 

[todras]

Pre: La Toja
Brush: Dovo Solingen Best
Razor: Merkur Progress, 3.0
Blade: Feather
Soap: Stirling 'Bay Rum'
Post: Stirling 'Bay Rum' Post shave balm

Quite pleasing for a monday morning, a nice scent from the Stirling version of Bay Rum and the usual quality of soap from these guys. Usual 2 pass shave with very little touching up. An overall nice start to the working week.

 

[Reegs]

Pre: Shower/ Face wash
Soap: The Sudsy Soapery ' Lavender & Peppermint'
Brush: Simpson's Duke 2 'Pure'
Razor: Friodur Inox 6/8
Post: Alum, Thayers, Scottish Fine Soap Company AB, Speick AS

The 'Suds' performed amazingly well again today, thick and creamy lather, definitely more then enough for 3 passes. The Duke performs great with this soap as well, turns into a thick paint brush full of lather after the first few strokes. The razor was sharp and vocal for a DFS in the end.
Then to finish of this DFS was the Alum, Thayers Cucumber, ' The Scotts' AB and Speick AS.

Nice way to start the week, enjoy your shaves gents.

 

[dewynter]

Pre-Shave: Shower
Razor: Edwin Jagger Kelvin
Blade: Personna Platinum
Soap/Cream: Crabtree and Evelyn - West Indian Lime Shaving Cream
Brush: Mühle Silvertip Fibre V2.0 Shaving Brush
ASB: The Stray Whisker After Balm
Cologne: Chrome by Azzaro
Post-Routine: hot rinse, alum, cold rinse, balm, dry skin, cologne

It's Monday and I overslept a bit this morning so no photo. But will make a photo later this week as the shave was excellent. Got BBS.

 

[Mark1966]

Razor: Gillette Fatboy (5)
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (4)
Brush: Vintage butterscotch Simpson
Soap/Cream: Henri et Victoria - Cognac and Cuban Cigars Shaving Soap
Aftershave: Barberry Coast Shaving Co - Havana Balm

Hmmm, thoughts to come in the review thread later

 

[Osman]

20160718_081741 by tvrepairzone, on Flickr
Preshave: Musgo Real Glyce Soap and Proraso sandalwood preshave cream
Razor: Weber(Thanks @Draco Noir )
Blade: Personna Med Prep
Brush: Shavemac 177
Soap: PannaCrema San Francesco
Post Shave: Ogallala Bay Rum, Limes,and Peppercorn(Thank @Draco Noir )
Three pass shave. The Weber performs at a level of comfort and efficiency that is stunning. The Ogallala after shave is a touch oily when it goes on but is absorbed quickly and leaves the face feeling soft and smooth. Scent is subtle and enjoyable.

 

[Draco Noir]

Last night a 2 pass DFS+ with Ivan and the rest of the ensemble.

Soap: latest tallow concoction.
Brush: Balding Silvertip
Razor: Russian 11/16" from 1957 Cold War USSR

Finished with hot face washers followed by cold face washers.

A bit of a retro shave tonight Pre wash was a bar soap as I would have done as a teenager, face lather with a boar I didn't use a DE as I once did but got a great 2 pass DFS and finished by washing my skin with the the Imperial Leather and using alternate hot and cold wash washers.

No irritation and a really good shave. I wouldn't do it now, but heading to high school many a morning it was a quick face lather with either Palmolive or Imperial leather bar soap and a "reasonable" 1 pass and clean ups.

Steve

Great little write ups Baldy - I always look forward to your comments. It would be awesome if you would give us some pictures of your setups etc - it sounds like you have some pretty serious photographic skills, so why not put them to use and make your SOTDs even more memorable

 

[Draco Noir]

I can't remember the last time the iKon Slant gave me so much as a weeper or hint of irritation. I love this razor.

I too absolutely adore the iKon Slant lately. It's been such a gem and nothing shaves like it. I can wield it as a daily at the moment.
I guess over the months, my technique has improved.

+1 on this issue @Psmith and @silver - I think Ikon's DLC slant + Feather or Polsilver SI = one of the best DE shaves you can treat yourself to I think you're right about technique too @silver - it's a combo you need to grow into, but really worth aspiring to

 

[Sxot]

Pre: Prorasso Red
Brush: Semogue 1800
Soap: Shaver Heaven - Absolution
Strop: Kanoyama #30'000
Blade: Tanifuji 6/8 Full Hollow, square.
Post: Thayers, Stray Whisker After Balm, PAA - Al Fin.

I love it when I find surprises in my kit. Today it was Shaver Heaven - Absolution. I haven't used it since the release of the winter scents, but noticed it begging today, sitting up straight with a "pick me" face. Sounding like a broken record when it comes to SH, but excellent lather and a wonderful scent I had forgotten all about. Funny thing with it is the scent is listed simply as florals, citrus... and something else equally vague. So no idea what it really is, but smells great to me with good strength.

 

[alfredus]

There are several UK soap artisans that I'm aware of:
Nanny's Silly Soaps
Wickhams (rising again!)
Phoenix & Beau
The Obsessive Soap Perfectionist (OSP)

Many of us know how good the latest newcomer P&B is, but actually our mate in the UK @unobtainium81 reckons that OSP is the best of the bunch. I've used all listed above but OSP so I can't comment. The OSP sounds superb -BUT - he's recently had to increase the international shipping costs to include tracking (due to missing packages). This is a killer as it means postage more than doubles the price.
A 140g tub costs £12 ($20) and then shopping is £14.50 making it almost A$50 delivered!!!! That's far too rich for me (MdC is way better value for money in comparison).

My personal lather guru (Merkur Man) said to me the same thing: OSP can take (almost ) as much water as Mike's and MW...that is very high praise from him...