Share your Shave of the Day for Monday!
Mon 17 Nov 2025
- Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Manchurian
- Razor: Puma 88 (5/8", round tip, carbon steel, hollow ground)
- Lather: House of Mammoth – Hygge
- Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles – Blugère
- Fragrance: Catie’s Bubbles – Blugère
Added some green and blue to the Danish comfort. Good choice for another rainy November day with dropping temperatures.
SOTD - 2025-11-17
- Prep: Stirling Soap Co. - Haverford Pre-shave Oil
- Bowl: Captain’s Choice - Obsidian Copper
- Brush: Semogue - Owners’ Club Cherry Wood Boar 24mm Boar
- Razor: RazoRock - Superslant - L3
- Blade: Feather - New Hi-Stainless
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Scarn (sample)
- Post Shave: Captain’s Choice - Lime Aftershave (sample)
- Post Shave: Zingari Man - Sego Unscented Aftershave Balm
- Post Shave: Proraso - Polvere Post Rasatura
- Tool: wsdb
- Tags: $discord
I’m starting a new sample of Scarn. This is Stirling’s homage of Dior Sauvage.
Have a good one!
November 17th, 2025
- Brush: Wolf Whiskers - "Gianmaria" w/Maggard 26mm Synthetic
- Razor: Joseph Rogers & Sons Near Wedge (12)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Friends to the End - Soap
- Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - Lamplight Penance - Toner
This razor (well, all of my straight razors) is in need of a touch-up. Even after lots of stropping it didn't cut through thicker whiskers very well. In the end I got a decently close shave, but it took some extra effort, and extra effort sometimes results in irritation.
I do love this razor, though. Listening to RayMoonie's latest podcast where he interviews Brad Maggard sort of reaffirmed my thoughts on this razor. It feels "softer" than other steel. Brad mentions that Sheffield steel is soft, so it's good to hear that my opinion matches that of others. https://youtu.be/c6JSiDwP_AY?si=N0NKMbOZQ9tZxxwg
Lamplight Penance was really nice today. It goes well with the deep richness of Friends to the End.
November 17th, 2025: Mike's Monday
- Brush: Summer Break Soaps "Elyria" - TurnNShave v9 Tip 28mm Badger
- Razor: Gillette Rocket HD
- Blade: Personna Lab Blue (3)
- Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling - Oro Valley - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
- Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Valley of Ashes - EdP
Oro Valley and Valley of Ashes work surprisingly well together.
A great shave for this Mike's Monday. Good luck with the week, all!
November 17, 2025
- Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving 31mm x 57mm Moar Boar
- Razor: ERN 6/8 French Point Full Hollow
- Razor: Geneva Cutlery Co. Heavy 6/8 Hollow Ground Square Point
- Lather: Noble Otter - Monoi de Tahiti - Soap
- Toner: Thayers - Coconut - Toner
- Aftershave: Noble Otter - Monoi de Tahiti - Aftershave
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
A Monoi Monday. This was a test of two different edges. The ERN razor has an edge created on an Olympus stone (from Greece), whereas the Genco razor has a Vermont Mottled Grey edge. Both edges were fresh and were finished on soapy water with a misty slurry. I could not feel a significant difference between the two edges. Both were very keen and had a soft, comfortable feel. Great shave today.
an Olympus stone (from Greece)
If you’re looking for support from the gods, you might want to try Sicilian Etna stones, where the relevant god, Hephaestus, was exiled to and where he did all his metal work😄
Hephaestus
Well, that took me down a short rabbit hole. My first branch was on Hephaestus and the second one was on the mining done on Mount Etna. Though I’m certain there are veins of rock there with appropriate make up for sharpening, nobody seems to be pursuing this burgeoning market 😂
Wrt rabbit holes … As you may know, I’ve been testing edges with different types of stones for a little while now. With 14s, where overall geometry is consistent, my conclusions support my hypothesis. Given good shaving technique, and given a smooth, uniform, edge outline, shave quality is more about the razor’s bevel geometry than anything else. If an abrasive stone can refine an apex to the point it passes my sharpening test, the razor will shave well it its inherent geometry is good. It doesn’t really matter what stone you use. A thinner bevel volume cuts better than a thicker one - pretty much a truism. And, when you lock down bevel geometry, differences in edge feel from different stones are noticeable but subtle. The challenge with natural stones is in determining how to use them to meet edge-shaping standards.
given a smooth, uniform, edge outline, shave quality is more about the razor’s bevel geometry than anything else
That’s what I assumed until I got Pudding’s synth and jnat edges on otherwise identical razors, and the difference is bigger than I would have expected.
I don’t understand it, so my planned next step is to use the third identical razor I have and try to push my honing technique and try to get my synth edges close to the better one of Pudding’s. I’ve been procrastinating on the project though😅
Of the two edges that Pudding sent you, the synthetic edge should have a bright mirror polish whereas the Jnat edge should be hazy. That hazy finish is a result of different particle abrasive sizes and the manner in which the binder carries those abrasives in suspension. Internet wisdom to the contrary, man-made controlled abrasives allow apex refinement beyond what natural stones can do. You don’t see modern optical systems polished with Jnats. If the synthetic edge he sent was duller than his Jnat edge, he could have refined it more. If it was harsher feeling, then it may have been refined too far (a mistake I often make).
deleted by creator
November 17th, 2025: Absinthe SLS
- Brush: Chisel & Hound “Spice Lily” - TurnNShave Tuxedo 26mm Synthetic
- Razor: Gillette Rocket HD
- Blade: Personna Lab Blue (4)
- Lather: Martin de Candre - Absinthe - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling - Black Ice - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
MdC makes a damn fine soap. Two passes, no irritation, super close shave.
Absinthe++;
It’s so good! I do wish there were just a hint more anise, though.
Agreed. I described it as more of a spearmint bubblegum scent than absinthe, but it’s delightful anyway!
November 18, 2025
- Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
- Razor: Geneva Cutlery Co. 6/8" Hollow Ground Round Point
- Lather: Noble Otter - Monarch - Soap
- Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
- Aftershave: Noble Otter - Monarch - Aftershave
3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
I tend to overlook Monarch. I shouldn’t though since I know it mixes lavender with cognac, coffee, sandalwood, and other notes and reminds me of a place that feels familiar.
$Discord
