Aug 13, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 13

• Prep: Warm Water Wash
• Prep: Klar - Activated Charcoal - Face Soap
• Brush: Zenith Cobalt Blue 28mm Boar Knot (505BC SE)
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic (2nd Gen.)
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (13)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave

Only 18 more days to go. This blade has me a little worried, but we'll see if it smooths out at all. According to my records, 13 uses is the most I've taken any blade before. The last one being a Perma-Sharp.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

#sidetracked
As far as music videos go, UNKLE (with Thom Yorke) - Rabbit in Your Headlights is an interesting use of the medium to tell a sort of short story through film that would be difficult to do otherwise.

Rating: 3/5

August 13, 2022: Trece Stag-les

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: GEM OCMM (gen 2)
• Blade: GEM Stainless (14)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Excited to dive today and see some fish! A smarter person would have taken their Stag picture with the gear, but hey, maybe I'll remember for tomorrow.

Have an excellent day, people! Stag rules, Mammoths drool.

Day 13, 2 spritzes

. #GEMsOfWisdom

August 13, 2022

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM SS PTFE (47)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger
• Post Shave: Olay Complete
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - unscented skin salve

Man…I am really loving this soap especially. I am obviously digging on the brush, but this soap…it’s just so damn good.

#GEMsOfWisdom

August 13, 2022 - Austere August Ultra-Nightmare Mode

Brush pics for RawHoggin challenge

• Brush: Zenith B10
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2 Ex-Watson
• Blade: Personna PTFE (13)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Washington's Blend - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Executive Man - Balm

Another great shave. I added a bit more water and the brush didn’t suck up the lather, so that’s nice. I’ve definitely gotten the hang of it, and the brush is definitely broken in (even if it’s not fully broken in).

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August 13- Hoggin The Gems of Raw Wisdom

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Semogue 610 Boar
• Razor: OCMM Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter - Soap

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Zingari Man Cooling Recovery Splash

#GEMsofWisdom The toast was buttered WTG/XTG/blade buffing. No complaints whatsoever.

#RawHoggin Here's today's preshave view of the Mighty Mite- https://imgur.com/a/dXKLVLO . Today was the first day that I think I got the lather where I typically like it. Face lathering is a challenge for me in this area.

#Sidetracked Living in Northern New England, summer is a short season and we have to make the most of it. One of the things I like most about summer is the ability to put down all the windows and open the sunroof and crank tunes while driving. I definitely have a list of summer driving albums, perfect for long drives wherever. One of my favorites is Minus the Bear's Menos El Oso album from 2005. Minus The Bear featured guitarist Dave Knudson from Botch (yesterday's Sidetracked entry for me) and Jake Snider from fellow Seattle band Sharks Keep Swimming on vocals. They ditched the rough edges of their prior bands and made some great smoothed-out alternative rock. This album is pretty damn perfect for summer listening (or really any time of year if you have more summer than we do). So u/Teufelskraft and the gang here's my entry for the day and I hope it fits nicely into your plans- https://minusthebear.bandcamp.com/album/menos-el-oso

Have a great day all!

Austere August Day 13

Brush: Rubberset 400-3 w/ Unbleached Zenith 24mm knot set to a 56mm loft 13th use

Razor: Gem MMOC, gen 2

Blade: PTFE (13)

Lather: NO Monoi de Tahiti

Post: NO Monoi de Tahiti Splash

This morning was the first morning I could feel the blade start to grab the slightest amount. I made sure my lather was good and hydrated, but that semsation was still there. Is this the start of my blades decline?

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

August 13 2022

• Brush: Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (16)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth/Declaration Grooming - Cerberus Fougere

Off to a friend’s son’s birthday party so austere post today.

#MammothMafia

#GEMSofWisdom

SOTD Aug 13, 2022

• Brush: APShaveCo 24mm Tuxedo

• Razor: GEM MMOC - 1st Gen

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (13)

• Lather: Ariana and Evans - Peach & Cognac

• Post Shave: MacDuff’s Soap Co. - Viticulture - Splash

Amazing morning shave today! Not much to say other than still enjoying this shave setup a lot. Heading out to the farmers market this morning smelling great.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Finding Serenity in RawHogginy on the road to the GEMtury Pt. 13

• Prep: Klar Activated Charcoal facial soap
• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 with unbleached 26 mm Zenith knot set at 56 mm loft (13)
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic (open comb, first generation)
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (82)
• Soaking Mug: Seaforth! - Scotch Heather - shaving mug
• Bath Soap: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - bath soap
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Eau de Toilette

Excellent afternoon shave today. This is exactly what I had in mind when choosing Sea Ice Lime: I spent the morning at the beach with my wife and Djunior, brought him home for his afternoon nap and had a slow, cooling, and fragrant shave and shower. This is truly the scent of summer. The blade is still holding up, which is more and more amazing to me. #GEMsOfWisdom

No new hair loss after yesterday's unsettling chunk of hair. The #RawHoggin brush does not seem to be falling apart, phew

Aug. 13, 2022

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: AP Shave Co 24MM SYNBAD
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE (13)

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Bare Siero - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Unscented - Toner

2 pass shave with a 30 second load. An atypical dry lather for the first pass but no nicks. I just realized the GEMsOfWisdom is based on points. Some 2 cents is that I grip the razor closer to the head, and I haven't had issues. Also I got a puppy recently https://imgur.com/a/bW9pXNL

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

Aug. 13, 2022 - Birthday Shave - Austere August Day 13

• Brush: RazoRock 506CK / 26mm boar
• Razor: GEM OCMM (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Zingari - Rescue Potion - Serum
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Well, it kinda sucks not being able to shave with whatever I want on my birthday, but these are the type of sacrifices we make in the name of completing challenges we set out to accomplish. I slightly overhydrated the lather too soon, but I was able to compensate with a little extra loading. The lather seemed to come together nicely on my face, but for some reason it didn't seem as slick as usual.

#RawHoggin

Brush was real nice today. I really think the boar stink is officially gone now and it's pretty damn soft too.

#GEMsofWisdom

Ok so I'm not sure if it was the lather or if this blade is on a rapid decline because there was definitely some tugging. Still got a close shave with no cuts or irritation though. Just a bit of a rough road to get there. I hope it was just a lather issue because I did deviate from my normal routine by starting out with more water in the brush.

Brush album

Stag sprays

Aug. 13, 2022 - Pool Day

• Brush: Zenith B36 "Copper Scrubby!" 28x50mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM (13)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Porter's Lotion, WSP - Neroli - Balm
• Fragrance: Motif Olfactif - Nectar Boisé
• Passes: WTG, ATG
• Coffee: Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia - v: Ethiopia Heirloom - p: Natural
• Music: Atom™ - Dystropicalía AAA Mix by Normal Ones
• August 2022 SOTD Photo Album

#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin

Date	Soap Before (g)	Soap After (g)	Usage (g)	Loading
8/1	235.5	232.5	3
8/2	232.5	228.0	4.5
8/3	228.0	227.0	1
8/4	227.0	223.3	3.7
8/5	223.3	220.3	3	40 seconds
8/6	220.3	218.8	1.5	30 seconds
8/7	218.8	217.9	0.9	40 swirls
8/8	217.9	216.5	1.4	40 swirls
8/9	216.5	215.9	0.6	40 swirls
8/10	215.9	215.6	0.3	50 swirls
8/11	215.6	213.9	1.7	60 swirls
8/12	214.7	213.0	1.7	60 swirls
8/13	213.0	◊	◊	60 swirls

Now that I have two days in a row of morning measurements available, I'm able to fill in my table a bit (and proceed with the same recording schedule from here on out). Let's pretend that it isn't peculiar and damning that my soap tub apparently gained weight overnight Thursday evening; last I checked, soap doesn't spontaneously generate, but what do I know? These are unprecedented times.

Anyway, it looks like I used about 1.7 grams of soap to produce yesterday's lather, which is coincidentally the same amount that I used the day before. Let's hope tomorrow's number on the scale confirms a similar amount of soap loaded after 60 swirls of the brush. I'm not ready to triumphantly yell "Checkmate!" at u/gfdoto until I record a few more days of data without any obvious errors, but my 8/11 and 8/12 recordings bode well for the "swirls are a more consistent-ish measurement than seconds" argument.

u/EldrormR regularly and enthusiastically talks up this Zenith Scrubby, and I'm finally feeling this thing come into its own. It's a rough break-in period, but the boar knot is starting to feel very firm while simultaneously very pleasant at the tips, and it's still got a ways to go yet. I think this will be one of my favorite brushes by the end of the month.

Also, I skipped my XTG pass today and went directly from WTG to ATG, and I might do so going forward. With the MMOC, the ATG pass feels less scrape-y; something about the geometry of the razor head makes it easier for me to maneuver ATG, especially around my neck. I ended up with a very close shave today.

⁂

#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

I'm not sure today's music selection really conforms to the parameters of this #sidetracked exercise, but I'm going to mention it here anyway, because I'm going to hang out by a pool next and “Dystropicalía” seems to match that vibe.

First of all, I can't recommend “Dystropicalía” based on experience, because this is the first chance I've had to listen to it. Prolific electronic producer Uwe Schmidt posted this to his Atom™ blog at the end of July. In case you don't click through, I'll quote him here:

This is number one in a potential series of AAA mixtapes. Normal Ones will kick this off with “Dystropicalía” – a colourful ride through the depths of an imaginary latin mind space. This 78 minute mix taps deep into the Archive and re-contextualizes some of Atom™’s most classic latin and lounge-infused musical compositions into a feature-length tropical sound expedition. And as the Naturalist put it best… “why don’t you simply sit back, relax and have a coffee”.

Normal Ones curates a Vimeo page called “Holographique TV” featuring video synthesis compositions that include their experimental AV project “L’Astra Cosmo” and their audiovisual collaboration with Atom™ known as “nuuun”.

https://vimeo.com/holographique

Second of all, does a mixtape count as a song? It certainly doesn't by any traditional definition, but it probably does for purposes of #sidetracked. It's one single audio track that just happens to be 78 minutes long.

Anyway, enjoy!

This has made for fun background music while I'm writing. And if you like it too, give Schmidt's "electrolatino" style Señor Coconut recordings a try. They always bring a smile to my face.

Atom™ - "Dystropicalía"

Aug. 13, 2022 - Day 13: shave in the airport

• Prep: None
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Aftershave

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Eau de Parfum

Shaving at the airport was interesting. I actually had a decent 2 pass shave. It was actually better than yesterday, more comfortable. I am still playing with technique. This was the nastiest place I have ever shaved.

evidence

Brush break-in album #rawhoggin #mammothmafia #GEMSofWisdom

2022-08-13 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC
Prep: Warm Shower
Brush: Semogue Torga - C5
Razor: GEM MMOC version 2
Blade: GEM Stainless (13)
Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap
Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave
Fragrance: Issey Miyake -L'eau d'Issey pour Homme

https://imgur.com/a/uNuQ7J2

A beautiful sunny day, the soap was perfect. Everything still working great.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 13, 2022 - Sunny Saturday

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar brush 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

Gorgeous day here. Great for a long bike ride. Now back home for an afternoon shave then off to see the girlfriend for dinner. Pretty perfect day, I must say.

Afternoon shaves++ Blade still feels great and brush feels better each use. The MMOC is a fine implement and gives me a real close shave each and every time. Has not bitten me in a while either. Have a happy Saturday.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#MammothMafia

August 13, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (13)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum  

2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

• Challenges: #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag
• Brush Top (before use) - Brush History
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use) - Edge Histiory
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

Let's talk about the brush. I like the brush, and I'm interested to see how it develops. I have some stunningly good badger brushes and my hope is that the boar brush also becomes stunningly good, but in its own way; so it has a distinctive personality. We'll see.

Today's edge photo doesn't really show any development. I can feel sharpness going away. There's a tendency to want to press harder to make it cut better, but I've been down that road and know that the edge cuts how it will cut and more pressure only results in irritation. So I'm concentrating on going over areas more than I normally would, with a lighter touch. I also expect the quality of the shave to fall off as the month goes on. Maybe the "look" of the edge won't change. We'll see.

Otherwise, we'll close out week two of AA tomorrow. It has been enjoyable so far.

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August

• Prep: Cold water
• Brush: Ever-Ready 200 - Zenith 27mm unbleached boar knot
• Razor: GEM MICROMATIC OPEN COMB 2nd gen
• Blade: PERSONNA GEM SS PTFE(13)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Incorporeal - Aftershave (Alcohol Free)

I don't have time today so I'm gonna made it sort.

RawHoggin

Today, the SOTD shot tells you all about it.

PigEvolution 1 2

GEMsOfWisdom

Fast and awesome shave!

#sidetracked

To make things short today the shortest song for Unwound in their album Fake Train, Lucky Acid

#unscented #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 13, 2022 - AA Day 13

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

SubstantialStag

GEMSofWisdom

The GEM is a champ and the blade should be entering the sweet zone just about now.

Did some lather science today. Used the same variables from last year. Water retention was consistent at 6mL. 60-second load yielded mass of lather imperceptible by my scale, so I increased the time to 120 seconds and still an imperceptible amount of soap was loaded, but the scale did fluctuate up one gram and back down. My lather yield was consistent from last year. I had plenty for the first pass and barely enough for the second.

Verdict: With the Semogue 1305, scooping a known amount of at least one gram and pressing into a bowl allows for ample initial soap load and retained soap in the bowl provides additional soap for multiple passes.

Sprayin’

Aug. 13, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

I seem to recall seeing that the idea behind Austere August was not only to contrast with June's shenanigans and daily-different-soaps, but also to take advantage of consistency, do away with all of the variables, and focus on the shave itself. I recall that Austere August was a time for evaluating technique in controlled conditions and without distractions of silliness.

I dare say that #unscented is very much in line with this kind of idea, clearing out the distraction of the very scent of our soaps. Boring? Overkill? Uncalled-for masochism? Maybe, but it's honest.

I have mixed feelings about the one-blade-for-the-whole-month part of whatever acronym Nightmare mode. On the one hand, even blade-by-blade variation can appear between blades of the same brand and flavor, and the act of changing one's blade may welcome that, thereby introducing a possibly-distracting variable. On the other hand, using a single blade for so long is not usually how one goes about things. Usually. As I see mentions begin to pop up of blades dulling, it makes me realize that TMNT Nightmare mode was an early introduction of wacky August shenanigans.

Then there's the band of zealots who are dedicated to the use of a single infamous soap, be it of an actually-pleasant-smelling batch or of what may well be some manner of horrid grime directly scooped from a mountain-man's ass-crack. Eh, they're doing their ting. It's wacky, but not really that different than #MammothMafia.

The whole hand-lathering thing that's apparently a thing? No one does that. That seems to fly in the face of Austere August.

But the question of lathering brings me to #RawHoggin. At its core, it's very much in the spirit of Austere August, and even promises an inherent reward from dedicated shaving practices in the form of a well-broken-in natural brush. But lurking beneath the surface is the hideous truth, a restriction that promises nothing but a month of agony and meager lathers: the lather must be built directly on whatever skin is to be shaved. For most of us here, that means.... face-lathering.

It is for this reason that RawHoggin is an affront to the spirit of Austere August! For not one can truly dedicate the needed attention and care to a shave when they cannot properly lather!

And yet, here I am...

#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

Aug. 13, 2022

• Prep: Exercise and Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1438
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM blue star (13)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Soap

• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Aftershave

Good shave today the blade is starting to show me a bit of push back. I tried some stropping type strokes on my arm and seemed to polish it up a lil bit. Brush seems the same which is pretty good. #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

https://i.imgur.com/AYYyqM6.jpg

August 13th, 2022 - Searching for the GEM of Raw Mammoth Hoggin Wisdom

• Prep: Warm water

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

• Razor: GEM (is truly outrageous) MMOC Gen 2

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (dodici)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Before Shave 13 and After

Shave thirteen and you think I would have learned to accept the shave and not go for touch ups. Nope, felt like my right cheek wasn’t as close as the left side, so wiped some of the residual lather out of my goatee onto the cheek, and a few quick little stroke across the grain. That was enough to give me a bit of burn from the splash. I don’t think the blade necessarily caused the regular passes to not shave well. The left side is as close as I get with a 2 pass shave. Nope, got a little sloppy with the razor and opened the door to irritation. Guess lucky I didn’t get any nicks or weepers, so still blood free since week 1.

The hog is really getting easier to splay. I built up a pretty decent lather after loading the scoop of soap I smeared in the bowl. I did need a bit of water splashed onto my face to get it better hydrated. For pass two, I wet my face again, then smeared the leftover lather allover my face before building more with the brush. Worked out well lather wise for both passes.

The House of Mammoth Alive set is still going great for me. I think today I got some of the fruit notes from it, and a strong whiff of the laundry musk. I remember as a kid when we’d visit my Great Aunt at her cabin outside Crested Butte, Colorado. She didn’t have a drier at the cabin, so laundry was dried on a line outside the cabin. It always had an amazing smell of clean, sunshine, and the woods. Not an exact match, but it gets my mind going in that direction. Before my shave this afternoon, mowed, trimmed, and edged my yard. It’s not a large lot, but pretty warm outside for the 30-40 minutes it took to get it done and cleaned up. The menthol in the splash was quite welcome today, and it has my face and neck very cool. Might not be great in January here, but perfect for August.

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August Ultra Nightmare RawHoggin Stagpocalypse

• Prep: Midnight Stag liquid soap and bar soap
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Almost hit the halfway point and, as much as I love Stag, I’m starting to miss the variety. THIS is the hardest part of the challenge each year. I love the scent, I always enjoy the MMOC, I don’t mind using the same blade or anything, it’s simply the monotony of using the same scents day in and day out. Still better than those weirdos doing the unscented challenge. Blech. 9 sprays today.

SubstantialStag

GEMsOfWisdom

RawHoggin

Aug. 13, 2022 - AA - Day 13

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (13)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After Shave: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

The brush and soap is starting to perform a little better but i have started to load a little soap again in the second pass. The blade has started to tug but still was able to complete 2 pass. Not sure how this blade is going to last the next 2 weeks but will go on. Nice burns when applying aftershave and everything soothed down with the balm.

Tags: #GemsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (10)
• Lather: House if Mammoth - Hygge in Tusk
• Post Shave: Hygge Splash & Balm
• Fragrance: Hygge EDP #MammothMafia

Brush: all gravy from here
Blade: all scary from here

Day 1 Prep Video

RawHoggin Unboxing Pics

MammothMafia

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August Day 13

• Prep: House of Mammoth Almond Leather Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Mire 26mm Zenith Unbleached Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

🐗Raw Hoggin' Progress🤮:
•Unused
•Shave 1 through 7
•Shave 8
•Shave 9
•Shave 10
•Shave 11
•Shave 12
•Shave 13

Thoughts for the day:
Had to do a little buffing but still doing well.

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

August 13th

• Brush: Zenith Boar - 505NK 27mm
• Razor: GEM - MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (13)
• Lather - Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Edp

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Edp video

Nice lazy Saturday today. Great shave as I have come to expect although noticing the blade is losing its edge a little now. The Boar still has a little funk if I stick my nose deep enough into its fur.

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' MMOC Ultra Nightmare Mode

• Prep: Cold water splash to the face
• Brush: Zenith Boar - B37 - Gray Chubby #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen2 #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (13)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave

Day 13 was a fast one. We dropped my brother and his family off at the airport this morning and had to do a quick turn around once we got back to my dad’s place. I had only about 20 minutes so I had to skip all the niceties. Somehow I was able to pull off a 2 passer in less than 15 minutes that ended up being smooth, comfy and cut and irritation free. Today was also the first time shaving without a shower first. I was expecting it to be uncomfortable but it was perfect.

The Brush: Today’s lather up was a happy surprise. The brush has become even softer and it’s finally starting to splay much more easily. I really keep thinking that the brush can’t get any better and it continues to improve. The necessity to shave quickly had me pushing the limits of scrubbing and agitation. Another observation today was that even with the muscle I’m putting behind the brush, I am no longer losing any hairs - it’s a very well made brush. I decided today that I’m going to jump on the /r/wetshaving exclusive because the Zenith is amazing. #RawHoggin

Brush Picture Pre-shave: Side Top

Brush Picture Post-shave: Side Top

The Razor What can I say? This razor is tamed. I’m not sure if it’s because the blade has dulled, my technique has improved or a little of both, but even with a quick shave, I was able to bang through it with little thought. I am really loving this razor. #GEMsOfWisdom

Days since last blood: 8

The Soap and Aftershave I’ve been loaded less soap but I still seem to be going through a lot. Today I also took notice how little of the aftershave is gone even after using it generously. I feel like there might be enough to compliment a second puck at this rate.

Day 13 Puck Picture

20220813 Austere August Day 13 unlucky for some

Brush: Omega 011842

Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb

Blade: GEM PTFE

Lather: Stirling - Sheep

Post: Stirling - Coniferous toner

Post: DR Harris - Windsor aftershave milk

#GEMSOFWISDOM

Another day another . . . Pound?

Anyway this blade is dog shit and removes no stubble, accepted my fate now to having a shadow beard until after the 31st

August 13th, 2022

Prep: Warm water

Razor: Gem MMOC

Blade: Gem Blue Star (13)

Brush: Omega Model 13564 23mm boar

Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Black Void

Post: Noble Otter Bare

Comfort: 8/10

Smoothness: 7/10

10 second load.

2 pass shave XTG/ATG.

My son joined today (bladeless shave for him) and loaded a bit extra. Decent but definitely didn't give it my all to go bbs.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

RawHoggin

Aug. 13, 2022 - AA Day 13

• Brush: ShaveForge 28mm Boar, 3d Printed Handle #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM Stainless (13)

• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Soap

• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Eau de Toilette

Another day, another great shave.

Aug. 13, 2022 - AA Day 13

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC (Gen 2)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Shave was beautiful today. I used a Rockwell 6s as my only daily driver for over a year and, honest to goodness, I don't think I ever had as smooth and irritation free of a shave as I did today, with a razor that just 10 days ago brought me to my [metaphorical] knees.

Decided to open the door to one of the best features of the house today the laundry chute for the SOTD pic. You're welcome. I know y'all droolin' over my 80 year old house. Speaking of - replaced my water heater today - and in the words of my dad, the best part about water heaters dying is you spend $600 and you have nothing more to show for it. You had hot water yesterday, and now you have it again today. Good times.

Anyway - The Zenith continues to impress, although I do wonder if it's going to end up being too floppy for my preference - I like my boars to be a little bit more on the scrubby side, but this one just keeps breaking in. Hopefully it slows down, or, I don't know, maybe it doesn't and it's still amazing.

While the MMOC performed effortlessly today and I have for sure reached autopilot mode with it, I did accidentally grab my blackbird as I prepared for the SOTD pic. Thankfully I caught the error and fixed it before shaving - but dang that stainless felt good in hand compared to the lightweight nature of the MMOC. My daughter, too, seems to be pulling me back towards the rest of my collection, haha. She dropped in while I was taking my prep pictures and getting the shave ready pre-shower and climbed up to check out the brushes I wasn't using. The curiosity of kids is the best. 13 shaves in and the blade is still excellent. I've settled into a great 2.5 pass routine where I go with the grain and then mostly against the grain (though some spots just across) with a bit of buffing and it's a very excellent shave. Probably not quite BBS all over the place, but, pretty dang close.

Sonder again felt very aquatic today, probably the grass in it. I'm so glad I chose this one for the month - I'm not remotely sick of it. In all honesty, while I do have some other great scents that I'm looking forward to and some other razors and brushes that I'm excited to use again - I'm really not feeling the pull like some have expressed. This setup is excellent and I'm very happy with it.

Sonder thought of the day: Showing up is so important. I mentioned earlier that I changed my water heater today, but in reality, my dad changed my water heater. I'm 34 and probably could have figured it out solo - but my parents were coming in town for my daughters birthday party today (turns 3 monday) and he offered to help so I took him up on it. It wasn't a super fun job by any means, but learning from my dad is great bonding time, and now that my kids get to be involved and continue to get to know their grandparents, I appreciate so much about the time and energy they put into being present in their lives. They live about 2.5 hours away, but they don't miss anything that they're invited to - no birthdays or major life events. If it's happening, they show up. Doesn't matter if my dad had worked 70 or 80 hours in road construction the week before, they show up. And it means a lot. As I think about their lives, they're people, too. Parents are people, we know this, but there are moments where it hits and as I was thinking about the Sonder moment of the day for me, today was one of those moments. My son absolutely adores his "brampa" and my dad takes that responsibility really seriously - he loves the boy so well and he has fun with him and he just, he shows up. My daughters love their grandparents, too - particularly "gramma." Early on when we had kids it was a struggle for my wife and I to adjust and my parents to adjust to how we'd navigate our relationship - them wanting to be around all the time with grandkids and us wanting to maintain a healthy family of our own and we had some hard boundaries conversations, but I appreciate how we've come through it. As I look back now I see that they were just trying to figure out how to be grandparents at the same time we were thrust into the parents role and it was the first time for all of us. My dad turns 60 this year and I'm too aware of the limited time we have left with him while he should still be vibrant and active and able to do things. He worked hard manual labor for many years and I'm sure that took it's toll on his body, but I'm hopeful for another solid 6-8 years of hunting and fishing and working on things together. Gosh, that's rough to type. Anyway - my kids love him (and them) and knowing what his life looks like, knowing the rough things he had happen to him as a kid and the bad crowd he fell into as a young adult, I'm just really grateful for the ways my dad raised me and how he keeps showing up for me and for my kids, even now.

Have a great night, all.

#mammothmafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 13, 2022 - Austere August Day 13

• Prep: Hot Shower, Stirling Soaps Activated Charcoal Facial
• Brush: Zenith 508A SE 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

Day 13. Had my company picnic, was a good time. Great shave, new brush is so a great knot. Loving the way it is breaking in. On to the next day.

Mandatory Tagging:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 13, 2022 - RawHoggin & Taming the MMOC

• Brush: Zenith B37
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: Gem PTFE (13)

• Lather: Strike Gold Shave - Kennedy

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Stirling Blu - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

I’m getting a little concerned about the amount of soap this brush is hoggin. We’re not even halfway through the month and I’ve definitely used more than half this soap. The hog is slowing down, but still eating a healthy amount. Maybe it’ll slow down enough to make it through the month. Judges, is it required to use the same soap all month to complete the challenge? If not I am going to continue to plow through this soap and move on to the next soap on the kill list.

The MMOC continues to be smooth shavin. I read someone’s GemofWisdom that they have been gripping the razor right under the head. I tried it out and it worked pretty good. I might use this strat more as the month progresses, because why not?

Aug 13, 2022 - Getting Sidetracked while searching for the Wisdom of a Mammoth

• Prep: Hot shower and CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Maggard Green Handle 2 Band Badger 24mm

• Razor: GEM - MMOC

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (13)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder EdP

Every day tags: #MammothMafia #GEMsofWisdom

Aug 13, 2021 – Austere August. Day 13.

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith - B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Sheep
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented - Aftershave Balm
• Music: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Lucky day 13 and not much to report on today. The shave was good and smooth and the lather was nice. MMOC continues to give me a great shave, day in and day out.

The brush is still taking a lot of soap to build the lather, but I’m used to it AND the lather we’re producing together is good, so I really can’t complain.

For today’s #sidetracked music selection, I’m going with one of the best 2000s pop-rock anthems in existence. If you play this song at a party or bar around people around my age, you are nearly guaranteed to have people singing along. It’s impossible for us to ignore the greatness of this song. This song has nearly half a BILLION views on YouTube. The Killers have had other hits, but nothing comes close to Mr. Brightside. It’s especially impressive considering this is from their first album. Talk about coming onto the scene like a rocket-ship. I can’t say I’ve followed much of The Killers catalog, but Mr. Brightside is a banger and 500,000,000 people agree!

Tags: #unscented #rawhoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 13, 2022 - Aa Day 13

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: AP400B XL Handle (AP ShaveCo) - 28mm Maggard Boar Knot
• Razor: GEM MMOC - Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (82)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

I'm actually surprised at how little this setup has changed these last couple of shaves. Still a 3 pass BBS shave with no nicks or irritation, but pretty boring tbh.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Saturday!

Stag Spray 13 #GEMSofWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Aug. 13, 2022 - AA 13

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305 Pure Bristle 22mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (19)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Balm

• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Seville - Eau de Toilette

break in album with SOTD in title.

Pretty decent shave today. Brush starting to get pretty decent splay too. #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Aug. 13, 2022 - Lucky Thirteen

• Prep: Quick splash of water
• Brush: Copper Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Soap

• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Another late entry, I shaved earlier but only remembered to post as I was about to lie down. On the up swing with my head cold, but still feel crappy.

Aug. 13, 2022

• Brush: Maggard 28mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

Knot is feeling kinda loose. Hoping it makes it through tomorrow's shave, then I'll pull it and reset it.

Boar Break In Album

Stag Spray

#RawHoggin

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#UNCHALLENGE

Aug 13, 2022 Trickhole Stag + MMOC + RawHog - Old House Cleaning Edition

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Dogwood Unbleached Boar
• Razor: MMOC MM24
• Blade: GEM (14)
• Lather: Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag
• Post Shave:Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag Balm
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag

Stagging it up 2x

#GEMsOfWisdom

Cheers