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March 20, 2024
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Brush: Wolfman WRB2 Bronze w/AP Shave Co MiG 26mm Premium Hybrid
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Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Soap
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Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
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Aftershave: Noble Otter - Cerberus - Aftershave
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Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Eau de Parfum
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
Well I was shocked by yesterday’s beatdown of Declaration Grooming. I was certain that it would be close and that DG would win. This makes for my first loss in my contrarian, support the underdog strategy. Naturally, I’m devastated.
I enjoyed the last one so much, I decided to celebrate another Wedgeday.
For the first time using my Wedge & Butcher Fine India Steel, I get to say: razor buddies today 🍻
I hope the devastation will fade soon😅
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Mar 20, 2024 - Deep Ellum
- Brush: Highlander Brushes Jade 26mm Cashmere Synthentic Knot
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [20]
- Lather: Crowne & Crane - Deep Ellum - Soap
- Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Druantia - Aftershave (Alcohol Free)
- Fragrance: Noble Otter - Monarch - Eau de Parfum
Crowne & Crane has a very easy-to-lather base, and Deep Ellum is a fantastic scent. This along with Peppered Plum are must tries. The Deep Ellum opening reminds me a little of Nordost, but it continues into a woodsier place. Followed up with the earthy Druantia, where the orange and ginger tied the scents together. Finally, Monarch capped off the shave and I got compliments from the Mrs.
Rating: 4.5/5
Deep Ellum is a neat little part of Dallas (an otherwise bleh city). I looked up thinking maybe Crowne & Crane was out of TX, but nope. Woodstock, GA.
Agreed, Deep Ellum is a very cool part of Dallas. Lots of history there.
Southern Wedgecrafts Wedgeday
- Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Papa Eld with Declaration Grooming B3 knot
- Razor: Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor -13/16 near wedge with barber’s notch
- Lather: Southern Witchcrafts Pomona
- Aftershave: Summer Break Soaps Teacher’s Pet
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Island Man
Kind of a good news, bad news situation. We have our first upset, but DG took a surprisingly brütal beating yesterday:
64 🦦 vs 26 🦬
Who would have thought just a few years ago that Declaration Grooming could lose this match-up by more than a 2-1 margin? DG was king. Talk about fall from grace 😳.
The race was never close, to the hour-by-hour horse race table is less interesting that the one for the BaM-SW nailbiter two days ago:
No DG Other Total Time (GMT) 0 0 0 0 06:00 1 1 0 2 07:00 3 1 0 4 08:00 4 2 1 7 09:00 6 3 1 10 10:00 8 4 1 13 11:00 14 5 2 21 12:00 18 6 4 28 13:00 27 10 5 42 14:00 32 12 5 49 15:00 37 14 5 56 16:00 40 15 6 61 17:00 42 16 7 65 18:00 42 17 8 67 19:00 46 18 8 72 20:00 47 18 8 73 21:00 49 18 8 75 22:00 50 19 8 77 23:00 52 20 8 80 00:00 57 22 8 87 01:00 58 22 9 89 02:00 61 23 9 93 03:00 62 25 9 96 04:00 62 26 9 97 04:45 I had mentioned that I suspected NO might win, just based on how visible the two brands have been in the sub recently, but I thought it’d be close. this almost Tabacalypse-level of clarity definitely took me by surprise.
Today’s Wedgeday shave is brought to by Southern Wedgecrafts and Wedge & Butcher. The heavy Sheffield cleaver is alwaysa joy to use and Pomona and Teacher’s Pet are a very uncontroversial pairing that immediately got me compliments from the missus. I’ll spritz on the Island Man before leaving for the office.
Wedgeday++;
My first contrarian loss. If each round went according to seed, and I pick the higher number in each round, I get to use 15 out of 16 soaps on competition days. If I pick the lower number in each round, and there are no upsets, 8 out of 16 soaps get used. Clearly, I have my own ideas of winning :)
Surprising but welcome results. Noble Otter is just so great.
Agreed. And apologies, but I don’t know how to say this without being a dick, but DG is … not so great.
When I started this lifestyle back in 2020 Scott was all the rage. I think Milksteak was relatively new at that point? His scents and brushes never really clicked with me, which has saved me lots of money!
You and I started right around the same time, and I have had a similar experience. I do like some of his scents (Fake Yellow Light!), some of his dupes (MOTI!), and several of his collabs (Weinstrasse, YRP!), but I feel like every other time I heard from Scott in his own words, he was either complaining about his customers on podcasts on the chat, or making non-apology-apologies for long wait times and defective products like unlatherable Opulence and broken B12 knoots.
March 20, 2024
- Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts w/Maggard SHD 30mm Fan
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (8)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Aftershave
- Post Shave: CeraVe - Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - EdT
(#MMarch24)
Still undecided for tomorrow. On one hand, I can use Stirling and just copy and paste my SOTD text from today. On the other hand, my tub of Wood Shop is in the bathroom because I made someone a smush of it today. If I’m sending smooshes of something, that means I like it… but I also like Varen a lot.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024: Schafmilch Mittwoch – Going in for the kill
- Preshave: Proraso Green Preshave
- Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club Boar 🐗 ‘Taj’
- Razor: Parker Straight Razor
- Lather: Haslinger Schafmilch 🐑
- Postshave: Naissance 702 Witch Hazel
- Postshave: Pitralon Classic After Shave
- Postshave: Nivea After Shave Balm
I decided to get rid of the Schafmilch soap, and use it until its over. There is still one more shave in it; maybe I will focus afterwards on Marduk – even though I should probably wait for summer. I rather enjoy the Pitralon Classic – definitely better than Skin Bracer.
Have a good evening!
