Finding Serenity in RawHogginy on the road to the GEMtury Pt. 28

• Prep: Klar Activated Charcoal facial soap
• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 with unbleached 26 mm Zenith knot set at 56 mm loft (28)
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic (open comb, first generation)
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (97)
• 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

Final AA Sunday shave. This month is flying by at an shockingly high rate and I'm not ready to be in the waning days of summer just yet.

I managed to catch an early morning shave again, and I'm realising that I'm adapting my technique to the deteriorating blade. All three passes are now just a series of short buffing strokes. Not ideal, but gets me shaved. The brush remains perfection.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - Headless Mammoth Hoggin' Day 28

• Brush: Proraso Professional Boar | Break-in photos
• Razor: Feather Artist Club SR (Kamisori)
• Blade: Schick Proline (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive - Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Alive - Eau de Parfum

AA Tags: #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Still no major problems with this setup but I don't think I'm curious enough to see how far I can take this blade beyond AA. Why bother when I have enough blades for probably 10-15 years? I stopped tracking my blade uses because with good lather I find I can easily get more than a week out of a blade and I mostly switch blades out of boredom but maybe I should try tossing blades sooner to see if I notice smoother/closer shaves and so I can go through my blades a bit more quickly.

I typically splay my brushes maybe halfway when I face lather, but I've been experimenting with using just the tips to take advantage of all the split tips on the boar bristles and it seems to work pretty well. This brush splays with very light pressure and I've found it makes excellent lather no matter how it's used. Beyond the first three days of lather eating there hasn't been a single day of bad lather with this brush.

A few years ago I read a book by Marie Kondo, a famous Japanese woman that developed a methodology/mindset for tidying up your life by getting rid of stuff that doesn't bring you joy which resonated a lot with me. Over the years I've cut down on a lot of clothing and random junk in the house, but I've also started applying the method to my wet shaving hobby to some extent. I try to keep only the gear that brings me happiness when I use them and I've used this approach to decide what brushes to sell and what razors to keep. I've started thinking about whether this boar brings me joy to use and I don't have a clear answer yet. It's a fantastic tool for building amazing lather, but the face feel is not luxurious compared to other brushes in the den. There are some brushes which I love because of the aesthetics of the handles, but this is not one of those either. I do have some attachment to it after spending so much time with it this month but I'll re-evaluate whether I should keep it once I bond with my other boars a bit more.

Aug. 28, 2022 - Stag Day 28

• Brush: Zenith B26 Retro
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (28)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

• Coldplay: Everyday Life

Final stretch. Bring it on.

#SubstantialStag #RawHoggin

Stag Spray 28

Aug 28, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 28

• 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 (28)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave

I flipped the blade over, and it didn't feel as rough for the shave today. A two-pass DFS.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Rating: 4.5/5

Austere August Day 28

Brush: Rubberset 400-3 w/ Unbleached Zenith 24mm knot set to a 56mm loft 28th use

Razor: Gem MMOC, gen 2

Blade: PTFE (28)

Lather: NO Monoi de Tahiti

Post: NO Monoi de Tahiti Splash

Sunburn and a dull blade in a MMOC is a bad combo. Apparently I didn't use enough sunscreen when I took the kids to the pool yesterday.

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere Augst 28- Three More Days!

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Semogue 610 Boar
• Razor: OCMM Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter - Soap

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

• Post Shave: Zingari Man Cooling Recovery Splash

#GEMSofWisdom Day 28 and I am still shocked to be getting smooth shaves from this blade. All told, I think 26 of the 28 shaves thus far have been good to damn good. 3 more to go.

#RawHoggin I have to jump a flight Wednesday afternoon and I have decided to make this little monster my travel brush because this little bastard is awesome.

#Sidetracked I went to see Interpol last night at an outdoor venue here in town (https://imgur.com/a/YiVT0zm). It was fantastic and I've always been impressed with how their music translates in the live setting. I've been a fan of them since their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights, which just hit me in all the feels 20 years ago. For me, there catalog doesn't have a bad album. The albums are either good or f'n great in my mind and this year's release, The Other Side of Make-Believe, falls in the great category. So many song options from this band to choose from for this morning, but I think I'll go with "Pace is the Trick" from Our Love to Admire (absolutely fucking great Interpol album)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2fM0cVYRJA . So u/Teufelskraft and the gang, enjoy the tuneage today.

Onto Sunday, more coffee and yard work. Have a great day all!

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day28

• Prep: Shower/Wash with Warm Water
• Brush: Zenith Gray Chubby (B37)
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2-SB Razor Head (0. 95mm Blade Gap), WRH7 Handle (90mm Solid)
• Blade: Nacet (28)

• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Waterlyptus - Soap

• Post Shave: Proraso - Menthol and Eucalyptus - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Osma Alum Block

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

Almost there!! Getting quite board of same soap and scent, a bit sick of SSL (never thought that would happen!). Anyway, solid shave today, brush doing well, blade appears to be doing ok.

Skunk vid: https://imgur.com/8xQ93Tk Just tuxy sniffing around outside yesterday. There was deer nearby that startled him at end, resulted in a mini stomp.

RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Ultra Nightmare RawHoggin Stagpocalypse

• Prep: Midnight Stag liquid soap and bar soap
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• 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

So today was an experience that I don’t recommend anyone to try. I listened to peer pressure and did the unthinkable: took a shot and then dumped the rest on my head. What’s not pictured is me taking a shot of whiskey to kill the taste in my mouth and then gagging and retching over the toilet. Spoilers: nothing killed the fasted and it feels like it’s coated the back of my palate. One positive part of this failed experience is that both my both and my breath smell really good. Another is that I’m beginning to feel more energized this morning. More powerful. More focused. Either the elixir contains some secret power or I’m already a wee bit drunk. Either way, interesting start to a Sunday!

SubstantialStag

GEMsOfWisdom

~~#RawHoggin~~

Aug. 28, 2022 - Raw Hoggin Day 28

• Prep: Warm water to the face
• Brush: Omega 10098
• Razor: Maggard Razors - V3 Head
• Blade: Astra SP (2)

• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Island Man - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Natural - Balm

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Island Man - Aftershave

Only 3 more #RawHoggin AA shaves to go. I’m already considering what I’m gonna use come September 1st. Probably something fall related because I am sick of summer.

It’s Sunday y’all, hope you have a good day!

August 28th, 2022

Prep: Warm water

Razor: Gem MMOC

Blade: Gem Blue Star (28)

Brush: Omega Model 13564 23mm boar

Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Black Void

Post: Noble Otter Bare

Comfort: 5/10

Smoothness: 4.5/10

5 second load.

2 pass shave XTG/ATG.

End results are getting comparable to an electric shaver.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - RawHoggin & Taming the MMOC

• Brush: Zenith B37
• Razor: Gem MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (28)

• Lather: Strike Gold Shave - Kennedy

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

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

The other side of this blade still felt better than the side I’ve been shaving on the rest of the month. Is there an explanation to this? Idk but I do know that there definitely is something to it. The difference is night and day.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

Color me surprised; I didn't quite break through to the bottom.. But the mammoth's head is now more clearly visible through the soap, and poor Nigel Thadeus Dade has nearly completely perished.

I saw someone mention the other day (not here) that they had trouble producing a lather except when face-lathering. Preposterous! Then I remembered that challenge from last year's Lather Games (not this past one, but last year): Lather-on-a-Plate Day. There was a video demonstrating exactly that, and it took... a while (and yet not nearly as long as the amount of time some of you claim to spend face-lathering).

I'm coming to suspect that those of who who claim to favor face-lathering do so simply because you haven't used the right tool for the job. If you use some smooth bowl, it won't be much better than a simple flat plate. Perhaps such people are simply ignorant of the wonders of textured bowls. My suribachi is quite literally made of magic.

In light of the objectively superior lather that comes from a suribachi, there's only one reason left that anyone might possibly be inclined to suggest that a rubbing your face for so long is preferable: a dedication to onanism.

#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

2022-08-28 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC

Prep: Warm Shower
Brush: Semogue Torga - C5
Razor: GEM MMOC version 2
Blade: GEM Stainless (28)
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/Kh6nEIc

28th shave in the books, no issues. DFS in 2 passes.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

August 28th, 2022 - 28 Down 3 to Go

• Prep: Warm water

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Before the Shave and After the Shave

Went swimming yesterday. Hadn’t gone all summer. Stayed in the water for over an hour trying to keep my daughter and two of our neighbor’s kids in line. Man, swimming just uses all your muscles. Didn’t help that the kids decided I was some kind of climbing wall.

Today, the blade is about the same as yesterday, just a tuggy, scratchy mess. I think I’ll make it through the 31st, but I should really have ditched this blade a week ago. At least I didn’t sacrifice any blood, but the splash is getting a bit stingy now.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1460 Boar Brush 21mm
• Razor: Razorock GameChanger .84
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (28)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Balm

Tags:

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

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

• 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

• Music: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

A great 3 pass shave on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

28 days in and this was probably the best shave so far. No tugging or dragging or discomfort, just a nice BBS.

Excited to use other things, and throw away this shit brush handle. But everything else performed very well.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Prep: Exercise and shower
• Brush: Semogue 1438
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM blue star (28)

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

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

Ok shave today only a couple spots where the blade appeared to just rip the hairs out. Brush is nice and soft seems to not hold quite as much soap as a couple weeks earlier. #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

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

August 28, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (28)
• 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. Average 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)
• SOTD Album

After listening to the Audio Book Club podcast for this month, I became aware that there are djudges actually reading these posts. Apologies to those who read mine. I do drone on.

I've only touched briefly on the MMOC this month. In reality, this razor fits my style perfectly. Lots of blade feel, and lots of feedback on edge angle. Those are the only two things that have my attention while shaving. I signed up for the MMOC challenge, knowing the razor would not be challenging for me. Instead, I made my MMOC challenge about the SOTD photo. My goal for this month has been to use the MMOC as a kind of character in the photos where possible. I also decided to use the same (or similar) background in every photo and play only with shapes, lighting, and depth of field. This actually started on July 31 (and, amazingly, u/J33pGuy13 picked up on it).

Each day, I try to come up with a new composition. The next three days, I've planned my photos for transition into September, so I'm sharing my album of SOTD photos today.

Today's shave felt tuggier than before, but not bad, and this is to be expected. The overall shave was comfortable, and the results are certainly workplace acceptable.

The edge photo shows a condition that is similar to the last few photos. I've been in touch with YouTuber drmatt357 who has a channel on honing straight razors. He has a microscope similar to mine. Today, I'm going to try some of his suggestions to try and improve focus.

August 28, 2022 - Austere August Ultra-Nightmare Mode

Brush pics for RawHoggin challenge

• Brush: Zenith B10
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2 Ex-Watson
• Blade: Personna PTFE (28)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Washington's Blend - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Executive Man - Balm

Well the soap lasted the whole month. The middle is becoming translucent, so I know there’s not too much left. I’ll probably shove it for a while instead of trying to finish it off.

As usual, I’ll get a brush pic posted when I can.

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

28 August 2022 - Austere August

• Prep: splash of warm water
• Brush: Zenith B33
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (28)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Balm

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022 - 28.08.22 - Austere August #RawHoggin

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: Omega 10048
• Razor: Henson Ti22 ++
• Blade: Gillette SuperSharp (4)

• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Daemon

• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Daemon

Only 3 shaves to go! A relaxing morning shave today before going on a nice hike. Set myself up nicely for the day.

RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 \~ Austere August \~ Dog Approved

• Prep: Cold water
• Brush: Ever-Ready 200 - Zenith 27mm unbleached boar knot
• Razor: GEM MICROMATIC OPEN COMB 2nd gen
• Blade: PERSONNA GEM SS PTFE(28)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Incorporeal - Aftershave (Alcohol-Free)

Countdown ... 3

Today walking the dogs we stumbled upon a wild boar feeding cat's food near a dumpster. I was thinking about his pretty bristles.

#unscented

#RawHoggin

This knot has unrivalled lathering properties, a good backbone that gives enough split that I need to face-lathering with some more uses will be at smooth as any badger brush.

PigEvolution 1 2

#GEMsOfWisdom

I have to insist on some spots buffing with the MMOC to achieve a closer shave, despite this a good shave close enough and without irritation.

August 28, 2022

Brush: Omega 10049

Razor: Rockwell 6S Plate 5

Blade: Astra SP

Lather: Hub City Soap Ideal Man

Post Shave: Hub City Soap Ideal Man Splash

Post Shave: Stirling Unscented Balm

I thought that the smell of the brush subsided after a week or so. However, stuck my nose into the brush today and there is still some funk to it. I guess the scent of the soap overtakes the lesser smell of the brush at this point. I can’t detect the smell of the brush without getting my nose into it.

#RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - Oveja Eléctrica 28

• Prep: Proraso Green Preshave
• Brush: Zenith 28mm Boar
• Razor: Kai Kasho Western Style Shavette
• Blade: Kai Captain Pink Mild (47)

• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Electric Sheep - Soap

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Electric Sheep - Aftershave

Another shave I hope to forget soon. The blade is tuggy, and I struggle to get an acceptable-ish shave without too much irritation. I am yearning for a BBS on the first of September. Three more to go!

The brush is good, though.

Good night everyone!

#RawHoggin

#stillalive

#truepath

PS: We should move Austere August to February. 28 days of austerity are enough.

Aug. 28, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B36 "Copper Scrubby!" 28x50mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM SS (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Porter's Lotion, WSP - Neroli - Cooling Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Motif Olfactif - Mon Oasis
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia
• Music: Madonna - Confessions on a Dance Floor
• August 2022 SOTD Photo Album

#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin

We're approaching the end of Austere August. I've got my Sample September samples-to-kill piled up and ready for lathering. I'm also ready to take some SOTD photos of literally any other gear.

Today's shave was good. I'm still feeling a little beat up from yesterday's triple-pass shave and all these back to back Scrubby lathers, but this knot is becoming a comfortable lather monster. I might keep pushing this blade for a while; it started to tug around shave #20, but I haven't noticed that issue consistently, so better lathers could be helping. It certainly hasn't gotten any worse, despite a few more shaves worth of wear.

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	211.5	1.5	60 swirls
8/14	211.5	210.5	1	60 swirls
8/15	210.5	209.0	1.5	60 swirls
8/16	209.0	207.2	1.8	60 swirls
8/17	207.2	205.9	1.3	\~62 swirls
8/18	205.9	204.4	1.5	60 swirls
8/19	204.4	203.3	1.1	60 swirls
8/20	203.3	202.8	0.5	70 swirls
8/21	202.8	202.0	0.8	60 swirls
8/22	202.0	200.5	1.5	60 swirls
8/23	200.5	199.2	1.3	60 swirls
8/24	199.2	197.9	1.3	65 swirls
8/25	197.9	196.3	1.6	80 swirls
8/26	196.3	194.4	1.9	80 swirls
8/27	194.4	192.9	1.5	80 swirls
8/28	192.9	◊	◊	80 swirls
8/29	◊	◊	◊	◊
8/30	◊	◊	◊	◊
8/31	◊	◊	◊	◊

⁂

#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

I had a strong bader meinhof moment this morning, leading me to today's #sidetracked selections.

I attended a wedding last night and by around 9:30pm or so the DJ had really started moving into '90s club territory. ABBA's 1979 post-disco single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" started playing, which reminded me of Madonna's "Hung Up," which samples that ABBA song's distinct ba-da-doop-ba-da-doo synth. I leaned over to my wife to confirm I was remembering "Hung Up" correctly as a Madonna song, or maybe misremembering a Kylie Minogue joint as one of Madonna's. That was about where we ended the brief conversation, because it was very loud, my wife wasn't familiar with the Madonna song, and there were better things to be doing at the moment than hashing out music trivia.

Then this morning, I flipped open Overcast to play a podcast while I'm shaving, and what do I see? Near the top of the list was the most recent episode of Song Exploder, exploring how Madonna and Stuart Price recorded "Hung Up."

So anyway, these two songs—connected by a distinct sample and an equally strong connection to club culture—just keep popping up. That synth will be stuck in my head for days.

• ABBA - "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
• Madonna - "Hung Up"
• Song Exploder - Episode 239: Madonna / "Hung Up"

August 28th

• Brush: Zenith Boar - 505NK 27mm
• Razor: GEM - MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (28)
• Lather - Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Edp

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag 

Edp video

Last push now

Aug. 28, 2022 - Day 28: I can’t wait!

• Prep: Warm water wash
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM MMOC GEN 2
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (28)

• 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

I can’t wait to use one of the new razors I have aquired during AA.

Brush, nothing new. It has not lost any hairs in a long time.

Razor, still the same.

Blade, screw you blade.

Software, all rocks! I am happy with the fragrance of Fú Dào! It also provides excellent performance.

Brush break-in album brush break in album part 2 #rawhoggin #mammothmafia #GEMSofWisdom brush break in album part 2

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Day 28

• 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 (28)

• 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
•Shave 14
•Shave 15
•Shave 16
•Shave 17
•Shave 18
•Shave 19
•Shave 20
•Shave 21
•Shave 22
•Shave 23
•Shave 24
•Shave 25
•Shave 26
•Shave 27
•Shave 28

Thoughts for the day:
Power went out. Conserving battery but must post... went from 15% to 13%. Worth it.

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

AA D28: almost there Stag

• Prep: cold water
• 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: #RawHoggin SubstantialStag

It's midnight, what a great time to shave! - said no one ever but me. Anyways, ok shave for the last few days. Lather was somehow a tad dry, despite loading like usual.

Tadé boar still going strong next to my kamisori shavette and the bristles are soft and evenly split now. Just a good feeling brush.

Sidetracked
Ok, by now most people have the feeling that I listen to just 3 different genres. To prove them that I can also broaden my musical scope, here's Fever the Ghost - Source with the perhaps best animated music video ever. I like the work of Felix Colgrave and his bizarre creatures, but this song is also quite intriguing. A very fitting song for a Sunday: some upbeat party melodies, but also a slight feeling of melancholy. Enjoy this tune and the accompanying video, sidetracked crew!

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (28)
• Lather: House if Mammoth - Hygge in Tusk
• Post Shave: Hygge Splash & Balm
• Fragrance: Hygge EDP #MammothMafia

Day 1 Prep Video

RawHoggin Unboxing Pics

MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022 - Glow in the dark Austere August Raw Hoggin’ Challenge

• Brush: Omega 20102
• Razor: Karve Brass SB B
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (11)

• Lather: Red House Farm - Lumos - Shave Soap

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Deep Blue Sea - Balm

• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Stirling Blu - Eau de Toilette

Rare afternoon shave #RawHoggin

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA - Day 28

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (28)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After Shave: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

Mid afternoon shave. The brush and soap are creating a great lather now. The razor and blade did the job today too. Aftershave and balm to finish things.

Tags: #GemsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

• Prep: warm shower
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: Novelty Cutlery Co straight razor
• Lather House of Mammoth - Z
• Post Shave: Equate witch hazel
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - unscented aftershave balm

Headless Horsemen

#RawHoggin #unscented

Austere August 2022 day 28 https://imgur.com/a/VgN9h95

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC (Gen 2)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Admiral - Eau de Toilette

Great evening shave. I'm still really glad to be using this setup, each part has been a pleasure to use and learn.

The MMOC is still cruising along on autopilot, no issues at all. I shaved off a little skin bump on my chin, otherwise, solid shave. The GEM is a little dull, obviously, but still gets the job done.

Sonder - always excellent. I am not remotely sick of this scent 28 days later (I'd use a gif of the movie here, but I've never seen it so I don't know how to make any make sense). I'm coming to enjoy the burn and then cool down of the combo between a well-loved and well-used blade and the alcohol/synthetic cool combo in Sonder. The burn before the cool amplifies the experience.

The Zenith Wet pic 1 and wet pic 2 is a machine at this point. I think the thing I'm most looking forward to post-AA is drying this brush out on a towel after a shave - it's so satisfying and I want to know what this thing is like when it's actually dry, not just pseudo dry.

Sonder thought of the day: My SOTD pic includes some bows that were scattered on my counter again from my daughters. As I shaved, I thought of my youngest who just turned three and one of my favorite things to do with her. She'll climb up on my on the couch and be all silly and giggly for no reason other than she's a 3 year old, and I'll pull her in close and look her in the face and say "I like you!" and she'll light up and smile real big and say "Yaaay! I like you!" and it's impossible not to feel more joyful after that. It's amazing how much a simple statement can impact a child and I can only imagine how good it feels for her to be reminded of the simple truth that daddy likes her. If you've got kids, or a spouse, or people you love, don't forget the profound impact that a kind word or gentle reminder can have on them!

Have a good night, all.

#mammothmafia #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 28, 2022 - Procrastagnation - Austere August Day 28

• Brush: RazoRock 506CK / 26mm boar
• Razor: GEM OCMM (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• 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

Today was such a fucked up day. I'm surprised I was even able to get my shave in.

#RawHoggin

No change in the brush. Good lather, but I could have loaded more soap this go round. I was in a hurry to just get it done and relax though.

#GEMsofWisdom

I could really feel the dullness of the blade during this shave. It just didn't want to cut today. It's done, but we'll ride it out for three more shaves at least.

Brush Day 28

Stag sprays

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' MMOC Ultra Nightmare Mode

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - B37 - Gray Chubby #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen2 #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave

Day 28 - Nice 2 pass shave. Nothing to report - everything pretty much feels the same as yesterday.

The Brush: The brush continues to feel awesome. #RawHoggin

Brush Picture Pre-shave: Side Top

Brush Picture Post-shave: Side Top

The Razor A smooth, 2 pass shave with no cuts, nicks or irritation. #GEMsOfWisdom

Days since last blood: 11

The Soap and Aftershave Already trying to figure out which soap I will be using first once this whole thing is over.

Day 28 Puck Picture

Aug 28, 2021 – Austere August. Day 28.

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith - B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Sheep
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented - Aftershave Balm
• Music: Europe - The Final Countdown

MMOC is chugging along and the end is in sight for my blade, which is definitely on its last leg.

The Zenith brush is very good and giving me plenty of lather to work with.

For #sidetracked, we’re in the final days of Austere August so The Final Countdown is appropriate.

Tags: #unscented #rawhoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

August 28th, 2022: Final Sunday

• Prep: warm shower with Stag bar

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

• Razor: MMOC

• Blade: GEM PTFE (28)

• 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

Only 3 days left, and of course they're three I work in the office. Pray for my poor coworkers this week

Stag sprays of the day!

#SubstantialStag

#RawHoggin

#UNCHALLENGE

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: AP400B XL Handle (AP ShaveCo) - 28mm Maggard Boar Knot
• Razor: GEM MMOC - Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (97)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

Quick 3 pass shave this morning with no cleanup. I wasn't too worried about getting super close this morning, but tomorrow for work will be a different story.

Hope Sunday treated everyone well!

Stag Spray 28 #GEMSofWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Aug. 28, 2022 - Austere August Day 28

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

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

Day 28 in the books. Only a couple shaves left before freedom. Everything is still fine with the blade and this brush has broken in lovely. Decent shave today, nothing to complain about.

Mandatory Tagging:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA #RawHoggin day 28

• Brush: Semogue 2000
• Razor: GC84
• Blade: Voskhod (13)

• Lather: Stirling grapefruit

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Orange Chill - Toner

• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Bell Ringer - Aftershave

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

August 28, 2022

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Burma Shave Boar 🐗
• Razor: Kai Kasho Kamisori
• Blade: Feather ProGuard 28th use
• Lather: Stirling Sheep
• Postshave: Stirling Barbershop splash and Nivea Balm
• Fragrance: Halloween Man

Three pass shave felt great today. Getting a real good hang of the kamisori AC shavette. The brush felt great today and held a bunch of lather. 3 shaves left of this nightmare mode and I am excited to use my favorites things on the 1st of September.

Tags: #AAAA, #RawHoggin, #Headless horsemen, and u/ Marquis90

Aug. 28, 2022 - AA 28

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305 Pure Bristle 22mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (34)

• 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.

I’m ready for the month to be over. I don’t mind using the same scents, but I’d much rather be using a different razor at this point. I appreciate how I’ve grown some skills with this one, but it’s time for to return to a DE. I’m also quite surprised how many shaves I have on this blade and it seems fine still for the most part. #GEMsOfWidom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Aug. 28, 2022

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

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

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

Desperately desiring some variety.

Boar Break In Album

Stag Spray

#RawHoggin

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#UNCHALLENGE

August 28, 2022 - AA Day 28

• Brush: Zenith B34 (break-in photo album)

• Razor: Dubl Duck 5/8 Satinedge

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

Routine shave this evening and I feel like that's exactly what it should feel like at this point of the month. Same story as yesterday that the shave was just smooth as butter with no nicks, cuts or irritation. I went for a two pass shave going ATG then XTG and then buffed ATG with residual after wetting my face a bit and it worked out perfect. Let's get these last few days knocked out!

I've got a very strong attraction to rock songs with strong female vocalists. Songs like this are pretty much put on repeat for quite a while until I can find something else to grab my attention. They are just so calming to listen to while sitting around in the evenings after everyone else has gone to bed, I've shaved and I can sit down and game for a bit. So with that being said I share with you Eternal Frequency - Step Up.

Challenge Hashtags: #unscented #RawHoggin #sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

Day 28 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

photo

Almost there, a few more days. Can't wait😁

• #RawHoggin
• #SubstantialStag

Stag Headlessly Hoggin' August Day 28

• Prep: Hot shower with Midnight Stag Soap.

• Brush: Zenith B33

• Razor: Cloud Shavette

• Blade: Cloud whatever that blade it is (33)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Sego balm

• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag

Only 3 more shaves! With the newborn, shaving everyday is not always something I'm looking forward to. Anyway, the blade is still going strong. Let's see how much can I get.

For my third installment of u/teufelskraft's #sidetracked challenge, I'd like to put on the table this cover of Ray Charles' I Don't Need No Doctor. There are countless covers of this song. While I do like Ray Charles' (which is actually a cover itself, but more famous than the original release), the John Scoffield, and later John Mayer version is more appealing to me. While I always considered JM more of a pop artist. He's got very interesting eras, such as John Mayer Trio, or the Where the light is album. While I wouldn't call him a virtuoso, I enjoy the groove, funk, and feeling he gives to his music. The other versions I do like are the ones derived from Humble Pie's version, including WASP's and even Styx (Please listen to Big Bang Theory by Styx, that album's magnificent).

Hail Stag!

-#Stagposting

-#SubstantialStag

-#RawHoggin⁸

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA - Day 29

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (29)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After Shave: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

Did a late evening shave today. Brush is creating amazing lather and lost couple of bristles today. The razor and blade is still cutting through if done quickly. Burns with aftershave was higher than usual and the balm is keeping things in check.

Tags: #RawHoggin #GemsOfWisdom