Aug. 13, 2022 - Stag Day 13

• Brush: Zenith B26 Retro
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

• Phoenix: [Countdown] (https://youtu.be/PwqSBQgFO3g)

Decided to be a bit extra and do some precision loading this morning, and it went quite poorly. I've never been able to get a good amount of soap from a bowl load using a boar brush, don't know why I thought today would be any different. Nevertheless, Stag blessed me with an excellent shave despite a severely subpar lather.

Stag bless.

#SubstantialStag #RawHoggin

Stag Spray 13

Aug. 13, 2022

• Prep: Cold Water
• Brush: Semogue Barbear Classico Cerda 22mm
• Razor: Alumigoose
• Blade: Kai Captain Titan Pro Touch MG (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

This is the last time i'll talk about this soap base but man this is such a shit soap base that is ruining my Stag experience this year, i went for a 30 sec load today and lather was so bad for the first pass that i didn't attempt to do a second one, the only time that the lather was ok for 2 passes was when i loaded 6.2g and right now i'm only shaving my neck, i can't imagine how much soap you need to load to have a decent 2-3 pass shave if you face lather.

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For example with the regular CF base i only pick 1g/1.5g of soap with a 1 min load time and that's good for a 3 pass whole face shave, we're talking here that this base is $3 bucks more expensive and you need 6 times more soap to make it work, the way this soap base is working for me if i want to have good lather's this tub will be good for 18 shaves and just for my neck, i bet that the soap per shave if i do my whole face will be around 10g so i could only get 10 shaves per tub. OG base is good for 75 shaves, let that sink in, that's just crazy and unjustifiable.

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With all honesty this soap base should be on the do not buy list on the wiki or at least made fun of like some folks do with A&E, Grooming Dept. Etc.

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2.6g of soap was used today

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3 sprays

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Have a great day! #SubstantialStag

August 13, 2022 – Austere August 13

• Brush: Cayuen Workshop with 30mm Timberwolf Synthetic
• Bowl: Cayuen Workshop – Dark Nebula
• Razor: Winning Razor by Wet Shave Club
• Blade: Gillette Winner Platinum (4)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Midnight Stag
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Midnight Stag
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face – Midnight Stag
• Video: https://i.imgur.com/ZXoFL9R.mp4

A stupendous, sublime and splendidly smooth Stag shave on this sultry, sweltering Saturday. Salutations, sirs!

#AustereAugust #SubstantialStag

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNVQfWC_evg ← Quantum Fields: The Real Building Blocks of the Universe – with David Tong

Aug. 13, 2022 - Surf stag

• Prep: Icecold shower
• Brush: Böker Synthetic

• Razor: Böker Elite Carbon 2.0

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash

Today we went paddling on a stand up paddle board. It's not the uber hobby like jet ski driving, but it's a nice thing to do. Like a bicycle ride, just over water. Guess we dodged sunburn. I fell from the board once and the water reactivated the wonderful Stag scent.

We just went to a liquor store which changed the owner recently. Honestly, the new guy is more my liking than the talkative guy before. We bought Rum, Japanese Gin and Reposado Tequila. On our way back I kissed my girl, but she stopped me :"You just don't smell good." "I am saving the planet with stag" "you are not saving the relationship" She said cheeky.

#stagandstraight #substantialstag

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 - 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 - 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

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.

Day 13 of Austere August! Staggin on!!

• Prep: Water on Face
• Brush: Zenith 2004/B SE

• Razor: Filarmonica Double temple 14

• Lather: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag

• Post Shave: Osma block
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag Splash
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag Balm
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face Midnight Stag EdP

​

lazy photo

After almost 1000km in the span of 40 hours I got back home today. Tomorrow I will share some photos from the places I went, there were 2 caves and a place which is similar to the Greece attraction called Meteora, rock formations above the city, very nice place, I've been there before but went with some friends that have never been before.

It seems I am following a pattern where I do an ultra BBS, and afterwards I do 2 DFS+ shaves where I am careful not to destroy my skin, I'll also write something about the brush tomorrow, I also have not had a chance to read up on the posts, I will do that tomorrow, can't wait to find some awesome things to read and see how things are going for everyone!

SIDENOTE: Just found out that I have been labeling my razor very wrong.... Instead of a Filarmonica 14 Double temple, I was writing Sub Cero, because I copied a lather games post for the template and fucked up on the process... Sorry... And why didn't anyone call me out, you guys are too nice man, thanks for the understanding :))

• #RawHoggin
• #SubstantialStag

August 13th, 2022: Day 13

• Prep: warm shower with Stag bar

• Brush: Vintage Rubberset 400-3 with 24mm unbleached Zenith knot

• Razor: MMOC

• Blade: GEM PTFE (13)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post-Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

• Post-Shave: Chiseled Face - Natural - Balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - EdP

Quick and dirty!

Stag sprays of the day!

#SubstantialStag

#RawHoggin

#UNCHALLENGE

AA D13: Celebratory Stag

• Prep: cold water splash
• Brush: Tadé NOS vintage boar 22 mm
• Razor: KAI Captain Standard CAP-J7 kamisori shavette
• Blade: KAI Captain Titan Mild Protouch MG
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - shaving soap
• Post-Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• additional care: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - ASB
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Valley of Ashes - EDP

AA tags: #SubstantialStag #RawHoggin

Another late shave - had a little celebration with my parents at their place. Still wanted to do my Celebration Stag SOTN today! Behold the awesome mini-shrine for Midnight Stag: I actually did this mostly myself, but with the help of my mother and her art and crafts supplies. I can't compete with the mirror polished poster shrine of CosmoBarber, but this is good enough for my small apartment!

What is there to celebrate? As I'll start my retraining in September, I signed the apprenticeship contract yesterday. I actually expected a small cut in pay compared to my current OT salary - but nope, I'll get the same amount as now, € for €! I'm so grateful for this awesome opportunity to finally become a nursing specialist at no additional expense. Now I'm really motivated to give it my all and do as best as I can!

Two pass shave, mostly WTG and some XTG. The Tadé has now 13 uses under its belt and starts to behave great. I got my best Midnight Stag lather today so far, the scratchiness is now almost gone and splaying got easier. A few tiny blood spots as I was a bit tipsy during the shave, but nothing can stop me this August! Stag aftershave closed them up good.

Sidetracked
Today's song is So Electric by Lifelike. Another nice synthwave song, actually one of the first songs from that genre I heard back when I discovered it... That's why it's also always associated with positive memories for me. The other thing is that it's quite fitting for my current feeling: I feel energized, want to give my best. Also, the sample "That's the way we spell success!" from a Pat Benatar song couldn't be better for me ATM. I've had to overcome a few obstacles and still need to get a lot of things done and jump over some hurdles in my way, but now I am in the driver seat. The road is mapped out. I just need to stick to my plan and it will be a road to success. Sorry if this got a bit too personal and kitschy, but I love reading some of your more intimate sidetracked-stories and was motivated to share one of my own.

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

Stag Headlessly Hoggin' August Day 13

• Prep: Hot shower with Midnight Stag Soap.

• Brush: Zenith B33

• Razor: Cloud Shavette

• Blade: Cloud whatever that blade it is (18)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

Day thirteen. One week til the firstborn arrives! Shave was good, though I think this side of tje blade might be coming to the end of its life, though it has become a lot smoother. Perhaps it is the power of the Stag healing my skin. Also the Stag has made a great job breaking in the Zenith brush.

Hail Stag!

• Stagposting

• SubstantialStag

• RawHoggin

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 - AA - Sexy Stag Flair Quest

• Prep: Face wash
• Brush: Semogue 1305
• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Ti
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

The Stag meets every occasion and every deadline.

Edp 2 sprays

#SubstantialStag