Dec. 22, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Karve Overlander
• Blade: Tatara
• Lather: Moon - Bixby - Soap
• Post Shave: Moon - Bixby - Aftershave

Great shave. This scent is a very enjoyable tea type scent. The soap performs exceptionally. I plan to try more moon soap products in the future I’m thrilled with this one. I have their union scent on my mind for my next order, I’ve read good things on here.

Friday, December 22, 2023

• Prep: hot shower
• Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball-end Tech K4 (1965)
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Leviathan - Aftershave Balm

Unfortunately my Leviathan balm seems to be almost gone, while I still have a significant amount of the soap. I use a single pump of balm for each use, and it does admittedly feel like a lot of balm but my skin dries out easily and that always felt like a good thing. Plus, would they design it so that a single pump is more than one intended use?

December 22, 2023

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts with Declaration Grooming B10

• Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Amber Bomba - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

• Aftershave: Wholly Kaw - Amber Bomba - Toner

• Talc: Yardley Gold
   
  2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

A very comfortable shave. Not quite BBS, more of a DFS++. Amber Bomba is excellent, though.

Fougère Frightday

• Brush: Мужской Материк Orange Stabilised Burl with 28mm Oumo boar knot at 57mm loft
• Razor: Filarmonica 14 Doble Temple (8/8", extra full hollow, carbon steel)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann Fougère Gothique
• Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Fougère Classique
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! Heather

I recently talked with @infernalinternal about his incoming Red Imp, and now I’m thinking of Fougère Gothique as Red Imp Soap. This is the last open blade shave for a few days before I switch to a toddler-safe travel setup and I enjoyed the big 14 and the chonky boar.

December 22, 2023

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps w/Maggard 28mm Silvertip Badger
• Razor: MMOC Gen 1
• Razor: MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Roam - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Petrichor - Aftershave
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Balm
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth/Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Liniment

Today I did a side by side comparison of Gen 1 & 2. My initial use of the Gen 2 was yesterday, and it was tuggy. I blamed the blade, and it seems I was right, because today was much better.

The status quo is that the bumps on Gen 2 make it so the blade is held at a different angle. @djundjila@sub.wetshaving.social disagrees with this observation, stating that the spine on modern GEM blades rests on the backstops either way.

I took a close look at both razors today, and while I did see the Gen 2 have slightly more space between the baseplate and the blade, the difference is so minute that I can’t imagine it affects anything.

So, did they feel the same? No they didn’t. I can’t explain why, but I did prefer the Gen 2, but only ever so slightly. It met the status quo of being “smoother”. Both sides of my face are equally close, equally comfortable, but during the shave I couldn’t help but give the win to Gen 2.

Typical disclaimer that this is just my opinion, and it’s based on an unscientific data set of “1 shave”.

Maybe next I’ll do a showdown between the MMOC Gen 2 and the Clog-Pruf?