Friday, 25 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 25-02-2011

Friday Night:

Tonight saw the usual ample use of cold water rinses between passes, as well as the return of the face-dunking in a sink-full of cold, clear, fresh water - much more of that in the near and foreseeable future!
  • Merkur 40C Barrel-Handled
    • aka The Big Blue Butt-Plug
  • Gillette (Malaysia) Super Nacet Platinum
  • Vie Long 13723
    • or as I usually call it: Old Scout
  • Wildfields East Cape Manuka Oil hard shave soap
    • second go; still working on water to product ratios
  • Humphreys Cucumber Melon Witch Hazel
  • Edouard Pinaud Clubman Classic Vanilla ASL
    • a long name, but a great splash

Thursday, 24 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 24-02-2011

Thursday Night:
  • Le Tuft UH's Black & Blues custom shave set
  • Big Ben Blue super stainless blade
  • Wildfield's East Cape Manuka Oil hard shave soap
  • Humphreys Lilac WitchHazel
  • Inter Parfums Quiksilver (sic) ASB
  • Myrsol Formula K ASL

Wednesday, 23 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 23-02-2011

Wednesday Night:
  • Le Tuft Urban Hermit's Black & Blues custom shave set
  • Lord Cool super stainless blade
  • Nanny's Deluxe Neroli soft shave soap
  • Humphreys Lilac Witch Hazel
  • Phyto Expert Ginseng & Eucalyptus ASB
  • Myrsol Formula K ASL

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 22-02-2011

Tuesday Night:
  • Le Tuft Urban Hermit's Black & Blues shave set
  • Gillette (Malaysia) Super Nacet Platinum blade
  • Dr. Henk's Dutch Moss soft shave soap
  • Humphreys Lilac Witch Hazel
  • Myrsol Formula K ASL

Sunday, 20 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 20-02-2011

Sunday Night:
  • Gillette Adjustable
    • fatboy newly re-plated by Dave at safety-razors.co.uk
      • now it's a phatboy! yo-yo-yo-yo!
    • Date Code: F4 = 1960; 4th quarter
  • Sputnik Teflon
  • Nanny's Sandalwood
    • One of the new "Luxury Line" of soft shaving soaps
      • & it's truly luxurious indeed
      • Sharon's Neroli is on order
  • Vie Long "Old Scout"
    •  sketched fake-badger look horsehair in a squared translucent acrylic handle
      • in 'mahogany browns'
  • Care+ Distilled Witch Hazel
    • Lloyd's sell it (all pharmacies, to the best of my knowledge, carry bottled distilled Witch Hazel in  one brand or another - Boots has their own brand)
      • if you don't see it on the shelves, ask for it
  • SuperDrug Fresh Forest
    • ASL - I got mine at the branch in Chapel Walk
      • also a 'Cool Water'-type available
        • I haven't found it myself, but I've read/been told  they have a third ASL as well

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 17-02-2011

Thursday Night:
  • Le Tuft Urban Hermit's Black & Blues
    • Custom shave set in cobalt blue acrylic and black walnut
  • Voskhod Teflon
    •  Russian blade but not ZAO St Petersberg
      • same factory as the Rapira lines
  • Nanny's The Spicy One
    •  I've been using this sample of the new Nanny's soap for most of the last week or so
      • excellent quality, great lather, beautiful after-slip, more than sufficient cushion
      • and a real nice smell to it too
  • Magical Ice Crystal Alum  stick
    • ugly mock healthy nudes and camp purple holder deodorant
      • I also use it after shaving as well as  as a deodorant
      • hey! alum is alum. As long as it's potassium alum, it's great, but all the same stuff
    • superior value at 99P Shop, long-lasting, hard-wearing alum stick
  • Inter Parfums' Quiksilver (sic)
    • Aftershave Balsam (appears in today's Sheffield WetShaver Shopping post too)
      • for a product that makes a statement about it's personal private, organic sandalwood source, which is harvested by aboriginal peoples, and makes claims for their fair trade cred ... why are there so many freakin' chemicals in this stuff, and why does it seem to my nostrils, to smell alot like Nivea for Men aftershave balms
      • does do the soothing job well though, I must admit
  • Skin Bracer Original
    • by Mennen
      • by Williams

Sheffield Wet-Shaver Shopping 17-02-2011 - Quiksilver Aftershave Balsam

This afternoon, between work and a medical appointment, I stopped of at the Savers (Castle Market), wondering if they had any 'old formula' Erasmic cream in the metal tubes. They didn't; only the new plastic-tubed "Erasmic Supreme" creams were in stock.

They did, however, have a bottle of this French aftershave balsam I had never noticed before. I'd never heard of the Quiksilver (sic) brand before, but maybe it's because I have led such a sheltered life, and I'm so unworldly-wise ...

... yeah, well anyway, the blurb on the back of the box was all 'Australian sandalwood ... organic ... private source ... harvested by aborigines ... Fair-Trade-credibility-this-and-that'; for £2.19 I figured 'what the heck' I'd splurge out for it.

Maybe they took every ingredient and broke them down into their chemical components, maybe not, but there is a shit-load of chemicals on the list of ingredients! - and the stuff, as far as my limited olfactory palette can tell, seems a lot like the Nivea for Men range of aftershave balms.It also worked at least as well as they do, and for about 1/3rd of the price.



Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 16-02-2011

Wednesday Night:
  • Merkur 40c Barrel Grip Handle
    • "the Big Blue Butt Plug" Handle
  • Merkur Super Platinum
  • Vie Long 13723
    • Mahogany Acrylic 'Squared' handle
      • showing some small crack-age due to my nerve/muscle spasms
  • Palmshave Lime
    • still a rather unfortunate choice of name in my opinion
  • Humphreys Cucumber Melon
    • Witch Hazel
  • Alcolado Glacial
    • the Air Conditioner in a Bottle

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 15-02-2011

Tuesday Night:
  • Le Tuft UH's Black& Blues
    •  custom-made shave set
  • Big Ben Blue
    •  super stainless blade
    • by Lord Razor Group, Egypt
  • Formula 31 Blueberry
    • from Professor Blighty
    • sadly  the more I use iit, the more I smell coconut
      • & at least as sadly, the more I get the dry itchy-crawlies too
  • Nivea for Men Cool Kick
    • it's the blue colour coded one
    • ASB
  • Floid Blue
    • wonderful ASL
    • Italian Formula

Saturday, 12 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 12-02-2011

Saturday Night:
  • Gillette (England), 1958 Television Special Rocket
    • quite possibly rhodium plated
      • I'm no metallurgist, but, it sure is a shiny-shiny "oh, shiny razor!"
    •  recently acquired from fellow TSR Forums  fellow missingskin
      • thanks again Steve!
  • Supermax Sunrise
    • Super stainless
  • Williams Menthol
    • Shave cream
      • small hole in tube 
      • OCD might have over-worked the folding/rolling of the end a teensy bit
  • Thayers' Lemon
    • Witch Hazel
  • Skin Bracer Cooling Blue
    • By Mennen, which is by Williams

Thursday, 10 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 10-02-2011

Thursday Night:
  • Le Tuft Urban Hermit's Black & Blues
    •  custom shave set
      • Edwin Jagger DE8x razor head
  • Sputnik Teflon
  • Formula 31 Vanilla Old Spice Lime
    •  well, I started off with Prof Blighty's soft shave soap, followed the instructions and
      •  ... still no joy. Lather was thicker but still wispy, and no endurance, no cushion
      • worst part, I got the itchy-dry-crawlies, skin sensation ... so, rinsed brush and face etc.
    • 2nd pass was with the India/Shulton formulation of Lime Old Spice cream
      • that worked out better for me
  • Thayers' Lavender
    •  Witch Hazel
  • Floid Blue
    • ASL from Italy
      • still a big fave!
      • ciao, bellissima!!

Wednesday, 9 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 09-02-2011

Wednesday Evening:
  • Gillette Adjustable 
    • Set on 7; 2.5 passes
    • Slim; 'Birthday razor':  Date code: H3 - 3rd quarter of 1962
  • Lord Cool
    • very smooth super stainless, to go with the Slim @ moderately high setting
  • Vie Long 13723
    •  mahogany browns, squared acrylic handle
  • Nanny's 'New' Spice
    •  Prototype sample; second spin - grand stuff
  • Thayers' Rose Petal
    • Witch Hazel
    •  absolutely lovely
  • Formula 31 Rose
    • by Professor Blighty

Tuesday, 8 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 08-02-2011

Tuesday Night:
  • Le Tuft UH's Black & Blues
    • custom shave set
      • Merkur razor-head
  • Asco Blue & Red
    • Super stainless
  • Nanny's New Spice
    • Pre-release sample to 'guinea pig' on
    • as ever, rich moist protective lather; simple but luscious scent diminished only by my cold/allergies(?), which, at times, turns my nose into a congested snot factory
  • Thayers' Peach
    • Witch Hazel
  • Svoboda Freedom
    • Aftershave cream from Mother Russia
      • well, not my mum, but, whatever ...

Monday, 7 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 07-02-2011

Monday Night:
  • Minora 3-Piece
    • Red Bakelite handle & back-plate
    • Metal cap
  • Gillette (Russian) Minora Platinum
    • for the South African market mainly
  • New Forest 2201 (Unlabelled)
    • aka the Urban Stealth Newfie
  • La Maison du Barbier Formule Professionelle
    • made in the UK for the French
      • w ... t ... f?
  • Humphreys Lilac
  • Benjamin's Mentholated Bay Rum

Sheffield Wet-Shaver Shopping 07-02-2011 - Benjamins Bay Rums

Martin's Good to Go in the Wicker has available, three variations of Benjamins Bay Rum splash; Regular, Mentholated, and Pimento; for less than £2.00 per bottle. Authentic West Indian bay rums, available in Sheffield's own Wicker.
 
This is also where, early-to-mid summer 2010, I bought a couple of bottles of what has become an absolute fave of mine: Alcolado Glacial aftershave splash - the air conditioner in a bottle!

Sunday, 6 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 06-02-2011

Sunday Evening:
  • Le Tuft Urban Hermit's Black & Blues
    •  custom-made shave set
  • Gillette Malaysia Super Nacet Platinums
    •  acquired from eBay the end of last week
  • Gatsby with Natural Plant Extract
    • sorta citrussy with some calendula, aloe vera & witch hazel
      •  imported from Japan (I think)
        • then acquired from an online vendor in India
  • Humphreys Cucumber Melon
  • Alcolado Glacial
    • The air conditioner in a bottle!

Saturday, 5 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 05-02-2011

Saturday Night:
  • Gillette Canada Tech
    • "Ribbed-" or "Fat-" handled
    •  Pat Canada 1932; Date Code X-4
      • 1952; last quarter
  • Lord Shark Super stainless
  • Tres Clavelles Barber Pro No. 2
    •  Three Carnations, with "Extra" Horse in brown hair
  • Nanny's The Herby One
  • Thayers' Lavender
    •  Witch Hazel
  • Savane Vert Sauvage
    • Savana Wild Green ASL
    • by Williams
I have cleaned and sterilised the borrowed Eclipse Red Ring, and most likely Tuesday will see it off in the post to the next lucky borrower. It shall be sorely missed.

Friday, 4 February 2011

Shave of the Day: 04-02-2011

Friday Night:
  • Eclipse Red Ring
    • am really loving shaving with this vintage bit of Sheffield shaving history
    • which means I should be cleaning it up, packing it up, and sending it along on its way to the next fellow
  • Lord Silver Star super stainless
  • Vie Long 13723
    • Not "burnt caramel"-coloured handle, apparently
    • its a squared handle, in mahogany browns 
      • now I knows
  • Nanny's Patchouli
    • soft shaving soap
  • Thayers' Peach
    • Witch Hazel
    • this stuff is just peachy!
  • Pinaud Clubman Classic Vanilla
    • ASL - classic scent
    • fantastic performer

Thursday, 3 February 2011

Sheffield Wet-Shaver Shopping 03-02-2011 Double-feature

Feature One:

... as far as I am aware, all Edwin Jagger 'traditional' shaving products can be bought from only two men's hairstylists (at 3 salons though, if I remember correctly) in Sheffield, possibly in the whole of the UK. I have dealt with the fine gent running Savills a few times. I think he also owns/runs/has an interest in a second salon on Ecclesall Road, but I don't remember if it's Wolf & Co., as I haven't actually made it into either of the salons on Eccy Road that my research into Edwin Jagger's wares came up with.

Savills
19 Chapel Walk
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S1 2DP

Tel: 0114 270 14 14
Email: info@savillsbarbers.com
Web: www.savillsbarbers.com

Wolf & Co., 
423 Ecclesall Rd
Sheffield
South Yorkshire 
S11 8PG  

Tel: 0114 268 4270

Feature Two:

In very close proximity to each other on Sheffield's London Road, are the Pasha convenience store and Ozmen's supermarket.

On one of the more central shelves in Pasha, against the back wall, near dairy and chilled sodas, are toiletries. For the wet-shaver, this includes some very reasonably priced gems from the near east. Arko shave soap stick, and their Sensitive Skin shave cream tube, a couple of Kartopu Kolonya cologne/aftershave splashes (Lemon, or Tobacco scents), synthetic rose water, a Yuma 3 piece razor if you are brave or have a spare £2-or-so to spend, and if you are very lucky a horsehair shaving brush, that is more boar-like than some boar brushes on the market.

In Ozmen's, to the left of the store, they have more toiletries in general, but less for the wet-shaver. They usually have a few of the Lemon splashes, and a couple of different brands of synthetic rose water, but they also, often get at least one variety of Arko "aftershave cologne". So far, I personally have only gotten the Adventure one; hope springs eternal, though.

I hope, if anyone ever reads this No-Obligation-Blog of mine, and they are in Sheffield, that they might benefit from my wanderings about, asking strangers daft questions about wet-shaving products available in this, my adoptive home-town.

Until next time - 

Take care, have fun,  & happy shaving! Cheers,
UH

Shave of the Day: 03-02-2011

Thursday Night:
  • Eclipse Red Ring
    • Still borrowed from a fellow TSR forum fellow
    • vintage Sheffield-made 2-piece safety razor
    • lovely Art Deco-ness
  • Rapira Super stainless blade
  • Vie Long Burnt Caramel
    •  sketched horsehair knot 
    • darker than butterscotch acrylic handle
  • Edwin Jagger Aloe Vera 
    • shave cream
      • low-key scent 
      • high-tone lather
    •  See today's Sheffield Wet-Shaver Shopping post
      •  it's a double-feature extravaganza
        • well, not that extravaganza-ish
  • Açkay Gül Suyu
    •  Synthetic Rose Water
      •  Turkish
    • See today's Sheffield Wet-Shaver Shopping post
      •  it's a double-feature extravaganza
        • well, not that extravaganza-ish
          • is there an echo in here?
            • is there an echo in here?
  • Formula 31 Rose ASL
    • Artisan-made ASL by Professor Blighty