u/gcgallant's SOTDs for challenge 'GEMsOfWisdom 2022'

August 1, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (1)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum  
• Challenges: #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

2 passes. Face lather. Good shave. 

• Tags: u/EldrormR u/Semaj3000
• Brush Unboxing Pics and brush top before first use
• Fragrance video
• Blade Edge before use

First day of Austere August. Surprisingly good shave for me. The brush was more gentle than I expected both in feel and in scent. I loaded from the tub for each pass, painted water into the pasty lather, and splayed the brush to build volume. Not great volume, but I got a thin, protective, hydrated lather. This is my first time using a boar brush. It went much better than I expected.

I've used the MMOC before, so no issues there.

Now that I'm going full Stag, I expect a complete return of my youthful vigor (or, maybe, get me a job as a car mechanic).

The hardest part of this shave is getting all of the media together to satisfy my different challenge requirements. :-) I hope I got it all.

An edit to talk a bit about edges. The GEM blade edge (itself) is similar to machined edges on other blades, but appears to have a primary and secondary bevel. which I find interesting and did not expect. Here is a post that contains microscopic images of some other edges. In that post, there is a photo of a straight razor edge. In that photo, I rolled the razor up so that incident light would show variation in the edge, itself. The condition is pretty typical for a freshly stopped edge. The manufactured edges all have coatings on them to mollify edge variation.

Oh, and apologies to u/djundjila. I'm not sure I'll be able to do much "Finding Serenity in Austerity Side Side Challenge". Writing something interesting isn't my strong suit.

August 2, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (2)
• 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)
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use)
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

Great shave. Today I kept more water in the brush as I went to the puck and that did the trick. I was able to build a rich, slick, lather for the first pass. I did not have to go to the puck for the second pass because the brush had enough lather in it from the first load. The second pass lather was thinner, but still slick and protective. I focus on the Stag scent (which I like), and forget to notice how good the soap base is. It took me by surprise today.

I like MMOC razors because there's good edge feel. In fact, I'm OK with a razor that gives me enough edge feel that I can to focus on it, instead of razor angle, or safety bar, or cap. I actually prefer a DE razor, though, because with a DE razor, there's less rinsing. (Certainly only a small benefit.)

Today's blade edge photo, really shows no visible wear or movement at the edge. This is a view of what was the bottom of the blade for yesterday's shave. I found a place where there's some non-uniformity on the bevel. I think this is just dried soap, but I'm not sure. If you have an idea, feel free to comment. I'll look for it again today to see if it remains. The other side of the edge looked good. No change that I could see as a result of one shave.

August 3, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (3)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Thayers - Cucumber - 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)
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use)
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

I like the scent of Stag. Apparently, there are people who don't! As unbelievable as this is, I wonder if the same people who don't like Stag, don't like Tabac. Not enjoying the scent of Tabac is, of course, heresy, but maybe there's a gene, or something, missing in those who are unable to appreciate these fine aromas.

Only the third use of the blade, and the edge photo does not show any appreciable wear. I've figured out a way to get more magnification out of my microscope. This modification makes it incredibly hard to get sharp focus, but I'm going to work with it.

The brush continues to do its thing. Yeah, it smells a little, but honestly, I was expecting so much worse. I had the same performance as yesterday; great lather for the first pass and, a thinner, quite usable lather for the second pass. I assume this will change as the brush breaks in, but I also don't mind going back to the puck if needed.

August 4, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (4)
• 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)
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use)
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

The edge photo is much better today. I figured out a way to use the microscope to allow for much better magnification. I'm tagging u/sgrdddy because he and I talked about this scope, and I want to point to the better results that I'm now able to get. This photo shows structural detail of the grind marks on what I would call the primary bevel (the bevel used to actually form the edge). I looked at both sides of the blade with the microscope using the this new configuration, and this photo is typical of what I found. As you might expect, after only four, 2-pass shaves, there's no noticeable wear, and I can report that, while shaving, the blade feels the same to me as on its first use.

I continue to enjoy Midnight Stag. The scent on my skin does not have a strong motor oil accord, or gasoline accord, I get more of the leather, oakmoss and other components. Either that, or I'm just so accustomed to motor oil and gasoline that I don't notice.

I'd say there's no change in the brush. It's working for me. I can build a very rich first pass, and a thin straight-razor-friendly lather from the brush on the second pass. The feel isn't unpleasant when splayed or with painting strokes, but let's just say that it can't compete with my Wald badger brush, and I'll be astounded if it ever does.

You know, I have two MMOC's; both Gen 2. I bought the second one because I liked the first one so much I thought it must be an anomaly. Nope. MMOC's just suit my shaving technique well. I'm getting very comfortable, close shaves from both razors. I'm only using the gold one for AA since it looks cooler in the SOTD photos.

August 5, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (5)
• 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)
• Fragrance Video
• Blade Edge (before use)
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

I spent a lot of time comparing today's edge photo to yesterday's. There's a tiny bit of edge degradation that I think I see. Note that today's photo is the edge condition before today's shave, so it is wear from 4 days of shaving. At the center of the image, you can see a tiny indentation that I think is a microscopic chip at the edge. There seems to be a little more of this condition across the edge than on yesterday's image. But, what matters is whether I could feel any difference in today's shave. Nope. Not at all. Perhaps the edge feels slightly less sharp than on the first shave but I have no way of directly comparing. Today's shave was close and very comfortable. As a bonus image, here is what the corner of the blade looks like. This photo is at the point where the blade meets the razor's positioning "stop". In the "Orientation" photo, it is the corner at the right.

In other news, I started to notice a softening of the brush. It feels better when splayed and gave up a lot more soap for the second pass.

My comments about the MMOC and Stag are unchanging. I'm totally enjoying both.

August 6, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (6)
• 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 History
• Blade Orientation (black dots - odd days, red dots - even days)

The brush felt about the same today as it did yesterday. I don't have issues building a lather. I'm doing two passes and building both passes from the brush load. If I could not, I would just get more soap from the tub, so building a lather isn't really an issue. The brush isn't heavenly soft like my badger brushes, but I'm starting to understand that you get an attachment to the break-in process of a boar. We'll see how I feel in 25 days.

I know that I'll continue to enjoy Midnight Stag. Using a single soap for a month is no great sacrifice. I have years of using the same canned goo, and I have many months of experience lathering with bar soap when I was too lazy to go out and buy canned goo. I agree with /u/sgrdddy. The EdP does its own thing. For me, it's a much more detailed scent than the soap or splash, and I enjoy them all.

Finally, let's talk a little about the blade. I found an area of the edge that has two noticeable microchips in it. They're at about 1/4 of the edge length from the left. This is what I expect to happen as the edge is used. If you look, you can see that these microchips occur where grind marks appear to be deep. According to this MIT paper, an edge dulls by chipping away, tiny bits at a time. Because I'm flipping the blade each day, my shaving is essentially fatiguing edge material in both directions. I don't know whether this will increase the rate of chipping or not. I can't discern any edge degradation yet while shaving; though I'm typically sensitive to it. I expect that I'll start to feel it around day 10.

August 7, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (7)
• 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)

Great shaving experience today. I decided to YouTube lather today and really take my time. This made for a brush full of lather that could easily have provided 3 good passes of lather. And the lather today was pretty glorious; mostly because I was able to take the time to fully enjoy it. The character of the brush hasn't changed too much, though. It's only 7 days after all and I have no complaints, but the feel of the brush is yet to be transcendental.

Visiting Midnight Stag every day is like having morning coffee. I look forward to both.

Blade wear appears to be the same as yesterday and my shave today was, again, smooth and comfortable. I don't know, but I would expect to see the wear fall off in stages. For a few shaves, the stresses of shaving fatigue the edge, then at some point, there's edge failure, and this results in its new condition for the next few shaves.

You might be wondering about how I'm caring for the blade since I'm examining it everyday under a microscope. My approach is to handle the blade with extreme care. I want wear on it to only come from the shaving and from the razor. After every shave, I extract the blade gently from the razor, making sure to move it out from under the MMOC's stops before lifting it out. I don't want to catch it on the stops and bend the edge.

Then, I make sure it is rinsed thoroughly (I have yet to see lather on it), and I pat it dry on a microfiber towel which wicks away the moisture. After that, I place it in the cardboard holder that it came in. I've modified this with a piece of electrical tape to so I don't have to slide the blade into and out of the holder.

How about the brush you (didn't) ask? The brush gets a 5-10 minute soak in warm water while I shower, then is used to face lather. After the shave, I rinse the brush and gently press out water until I see no lather at the end or near the handle. Then I shake the brush dry and gently dab the ends against a microfiber towel. After that, I put the brush aside to dry. I don't want any towel stropping to affect the brush during this break in process. I want to see how far the break in process goes just through use.

Enjoy your Sunday!

August 8, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (8)
• 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)

So, another great shave. I almost rated this an excellent shave but there are areas that aren't as close as they could be. Nonetheless, again, comfortable, close, no issues.

If you're occasionally looking at the edge photos I'm making, compare today's edge photo to this one of my $20 Gold Dollar straight razor. Which would you prefer to use?

OK, the Gold Dollar edge is not the shave ready, factory edge. I've wailed on this. It's an edge that went through a series of water stones, and then a series of loaded strops. Definitely not a Jnat edge. The Jnats that I have are really too soft for razor sharpening. You could achieve the same pristine result with a series of inexpensive lapping films as u/djundjila does (I believe). Razors are quite easy to sharpen because the spine acts as your guide. What's not so easy, and what takes a bit of experience, is fixing geometry problems. This Gold Dollar was completely out of wack when I got it. The reason you see such a large bevel in the photo has to do with me thinning the spine (on both sides) to take the razor's sharpening angle down from the 18+° range to the 15+° degree range. That's a serious amount of metal removed, but the shaving performance improvement was dramatic (for me).

The actual GEM blade edge does not show significant change from yesterday. Again, I've examined the both sides and have taken a photo that is representative of what I see.

I'm not noticing much change in the brush at this point. I'm sure change will be subtle and that there will be a day when I take note of how good this brush has become.

August 9, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (9)
• 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)

While I was inspecting the edge after yesterday's shave I noticed some variation in the width of the primary bevel. Today's photo shows an example of this. It's pretty subtle.

Something is happening at the edge, but it did not affect today's shave which was like my previous shaves this month - comfortable, close, no irritation.

Now, some of my good fortune on these shaves comes from the brush which has been good to me; allowing me to pretty easily build rich well-hydrated lathers. The brush is softer than it was on day one, but day one was completely workable luckily.

I'm also doing 2-pass shaves with neither pass against the grain. I've altered my pattern to perform an across-and-with the grain pass and an across-and-against the grain pass. This is working really well.

I'm a bit rushed today, so you're spared more of my drivel.

August 10, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (10)
• 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)

Aha!!

Nope, just the literary equivalent of clickbait. I've had another nice shave with no issues. Really, nothing noteworthy to report; which is fine by me.

Today's edge image is pretty much on par with the previous ones. I see no interesting features to report. My technique with the microscope now is better than it was on August 1, so when there is a comfort change in this blade, I'll go back and make a microscope image of another, fresh blade for comparison.

The brush felt a bit softer today, and I created two beautiful-feeling lathers with it.

August 11, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (11)
• 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)

After years of shaving mindlessly, I knew it would be pretty easy just to go on autopilot for 31 days. However, I've enjoyed this experience far more than I expected; at least for the first third of the month. For me, Midnight Stag has not become old, and the soap base is very easy for me to control. (My Stag trifecta is brand new.)

The brush has been the biggest surprise. It was comfortable enough on day one that I could splay it and build a lather and it could paint lather without feeling like a paint brush made of needles. Today, it is just good. It has its own personality, and I like that a lot.

I've mentioned before that the MMOC has never been a problem for me. I like mine (I have two) much better than my Flying Wing.

Today's blade edge photo shows more of the variation I've noticed at the edge. It is definitely becoming less of a straight line, and more toothy. This is what I expect since I'm flipping the blade each day; giving each side the same wear characteristics, presumably. I was aware of a very slight amount of tugging today. But very slight and only on parts of the pattern that have an ATG component.

August 12, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (12)
• 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)

This was the first day that I felt the edge going off. For most, this might be the edge getting smoother, because it does feel smooth. I like the feeling of a keen edge. This suits my style well since I prefer slow longer shaving strokes and don't scrub a lot. Normally, I'd be thinking about chucking the blade after this shave or the next. This is more about feel than shaving results. The blade image for today looks similar to that of the past few days. Since you only see the bevel, you have to guess what is actually happening at the edge, itself. The beginning of non-uniformity at the edge, that I've commented on, feels like a rounding of the edge I think.

Midnight Stag continues to be great. I was noticing, again, how the scent varies from the soap to the splash to the EdP. This gives you a new experience with each product, yet they all complement each other well.

Have a great weekend!

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.

August 14, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (14)
• 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)

Another very nice shave. I'm starting to get an idea of what this brush could be. It is fine right now, and I would include it in my normal rotation; especially for face lathers. (I tend to use synthetics for bowl lathering.)

My feel for this edge is going away, but that is completely workable. I keep my touch light and spend a little more time on each area. Today's shave was as close as any other I've had this month.

/u/Environmental-Gap380 pointed out how annoying it is to see closeup microscope photos that don't have sharp focus. I agree. I'm trying to provide the closest view of the edge that this cheap equipment can produce. As we get into the latter half of the month, I'll try to find a way to improve on this.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

August 15, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (15)
• 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)

Sit-rep: Lather and scent - great, brush - really good, razor - excellent, blade - starting to fade.

Other than a month of Stagnation, two other positives that I hope to obtain from this experience are a 2-pass pattern that will leave a better-than DFS shave, and better technique for smoother edges.

The edge on the blade has definitely changed. It is not cutting the way that I would like. For the remaining two weeks, I hope to develop technique that provides for a comfortable shave under these circumstances. My tendency is to go over areas until stubble is removed, but I think that as keenness is reduced, so is cutting efficiency. I'd like to adapt to this gracefully by getting the most I can out of the edge, without any irritation in the shave.

Here is an edge image that was taken at less magnification -- meaning that the primary bevel is smaller. The microscope is still scaling at this level, but the overall image appears a little sharper. For me, too much detail is given away in this image, but I'm also the one inspecting the entire edge with video from the microscope, and then curating an image for these posts. If you like the "sharper" format, just let me know.

August 16, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (16)
• 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)

I'm told that a boar brush can come into its own by 16 shaves. My brush feels very good at this point and is quite predictable at making a lather. I'm making thin, slick, and very hydrated lathers so that I can keep the comfort in the blade as long as possible.

The edge photo today shows a little bit more variation at the edge. I think that this represents rounding of the edge by tiny bits material being broken off due to material fatigue. When a piece is broken from the edge, the edge becomes less keen because the remaining material is at a wider part of the bevel. Since I'm flipping the blade for each shave, I should be wearing the edge evenly.

In terms of the shave, I could feel less edge today. In fact, I have little sense of the edge anymore. Sticking to my technique resulted in a quite serviceable shave.

August 17, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (17)
• 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)

Something has changed with my cheap microscope. My normal setup for viewing the blade edge did not show the edge with the same clarity or focus as before. Either something in the sensor mounting, or something about the optics, seems to have changed. It took me a long time to examine the edge, and today's picture, poor as it is, required a complete lighting and configuration change. I'll take it apart today to see if I can figure out what's what.

Having used the same brand and scent of shaving goo for years, it really isn't a challenge to use one manufacturer's trifecta for 31 days. And I'm really not getting tired of Midnight Stag. If I do, it will be easy just to ignore it, but currently, I look forward to my shave with it every morning.

After today, I've decided that the star of this month is the brush. The brush is just wonderful. It has its own combination of softness and backbone, and it makes it very easy for me to control the lather. Definitely a keeper, and I look forward to the r/Wetshaving green monster when it arrives. Thanks to u/EldrormR for running the RawHoggin' challenge. I doubt I would have had this experience without it.

August 18, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (18)
• 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)

Simple fix on the microscope. Now I'm back to the high magnification, low resolution quality that's normal for me. Today's microscope shot does not show any feature that's unusual, and that's what I see from a full examination of the edge also. I think that edge wear will be slow from this point on. Since I'm being careful to distribute the wear evenly on each side of the edge, I fully expect the blade to reach a point of diminishing returns later this month where its keenness stabilizes. I'm guessing that its shaving characteristics at 30-ish shaves will be very similar to its shaving charactistics at 50+ shaves ( u/Old_Hiker ), or 80+ shaves ( u/djundjila ).

Otherwise, "same ol same ol". The brush continues to be good to me. My wife is not wild about the soap scent or the aftershave scent, but can tolerate the EdP (big win for me!). Been happy with the MMOC since before day one. Having a blast with AA!

August 19, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (19)
• 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)

Today's blade edge image shows the slight non-linearity that I see when examining the blade. These crap images will continue for a little while, but big news(!), I'm going to upgrade my microscope during the final week of August. The new microscope is designed for reflective material, has better optics, and is a 5 megapixel unit. I have high hopes for this.

I noticed a little bit more roughness on the edge today, but had a very nice shave anyway. I'm working my way down my "good" category towards "average". I would not be surprised if my final few shaves are in my "average" category. We'll see.

The outside strands of hair on the brush are now completely floppy when wet. I'm guessing that is their final state of broken-in-ness.

Have a good weekend!

August 20, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (20)
• 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)

Every day, the edge on this blade gets a tiny bit rougher. Though I suspect it will get to a point where changes are imperceptible, I'm still noticing degradation. I'm adapting to this, but not enjoying it particularly. Today's edge condition photo is very similar to the last few; the edge is no longer straight across the image. There's a sense of toothiness.

I was fooled by this razor. I know these are brass and sometimes chrome plated. When I received it, I was convinced that the cap was so shiny it had to be gold plating, and apparently there were Ads back in the day offering the razor in "gold". This could be "gold color", not the element Au. A few days ago I noticed some tarnishing. Gold doesn't tarnish. I'm an idiot. After AA, I'll change the razor's description to MMOC Brass Gen2, and I think I'll force a patina on it. I like the look of u/J33pGuy13's MMOC.

August 21, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (21)
• 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)

When I started the shave, I was thinking about how easy it has become to dial in a very hydrated lather, but one with a lot of cushion, using this soap base and this brush. I don't think today's lather was much different from other days, however, my shave today was more comfortable than it has been for the last few days. I was unaware of much tugging, but was aware that the edge I like has gone. Yeah, not the closest shave I can produce, but smooth, comfortable, and free of irritation. No complaints here. I doubt it will happen, but a shave like this for the next ten days would be just fine by me.

Again, nothing to see on the blade edge front. Today's photo is similar to the previous few days. Really looking forward to the new microscope. The little LiPO battery in this cheap unit is losing its ability to maintain a charge. I suspect that I can run the scope on USB power, but I really like the simplicity of my WiFi/iPad setup.

August 22, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (22)
• 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)

Pretty much the same shave as yesterday; acceptably close, pretty comfortable, no irritation. Loving the brush, razor, and the Stag trifecta. I was doing shorter strokes and going over areas more than I normally would, but this is not my style. The last couple of days I've just followed my normal pattern and accepted that my shave won't be as close as it could be. I think this is why my last couple of shaves have been more comfortable.

The edge is changing, I'm sure, but I can't see much development in the microscope image which really is an image of the blade's bevels and not the edge. Normally, one can infer information about the edge from the condition of the bevel. I feel like the bevel views have stabilized and the feel of the edge has as well. We'll see what the next nine days bring.

August 23, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (23)
• 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)

Wonderful shave. Closeness places it at the bottom end of what I would call "good", but everything else was a joy.

If delivery estimates hold, I'll receive the new microscope tomorrow afternoon. I'll try to send this microscope off with a bit of a media blitz for tomorrow morning's shave.

I felt a little more tug from the blade today, and there was the feeling of it bouncing over stubble instead of cutting it. I think that if I were to chase this, irritation would result. I don't want to go into September having to accommodate irritation left over from August.

I'm enjoyed Stag Tuesday. I hope those on the regular SOTD thread are reveling in the old man Stank® of Tabac.

August 24, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (24)
• 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)

Does the prospect of watching grass grow, or watching fresh paint dry excite you? If so, you might enjoy GEM Edge the Movie!

This is the kind of inspection I do on both sides of the blade before I make an edge photo, only I take a lot longer inspecting each side.

I'd say that I'm noticing a bit more degradation in the edge. There seem to be areas where chunks are missing. The video pauses at one of these. Nonetheless, my actual shave today was consistent with what it has been over the last few days. Just fine.

I have some new plans for September. My Wald synthetic brush arrived unexpectedly yesterday. It's texture is softer than my other synthetics, but it has what I think will be the perfect amount of backbone for me. I'm looking forward to trying this.

The boar brush took on a whole new level today. It was already very good. I'm pleasantly surprised!

Midnight Stag continues to be like spending time with an old friend.

August 25, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (25)
• 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)

Another "good" shave. I hope I get 6 more.

The new microscope arrived late yesterday, and I did not have a chance to set it up and get used to it. I'll do that today.

So, today's edge photo is from the microscope I've been using all month. Again, not a lot of difference. Degradation is very slow and I fully expect diminishing returns at this point. My regime for handling the blade continues to be very gentle. I have not stropped it, and I'm very careful installing it in, and removing it from, the razor. Even so, if you watched yesterday's blockbuster video (thank you u/Environmental-Gap380), you saw what the razor's stops do to the edge after 24 uses.

So, you're probably not wondering, "Why did this guy buy a new microscope?", but you might definitely be thinking, "How many days can this guy talk about GEM razor edges?". The answer, to the second question (I hope) is 31.

As to the first question. During this fall I intend to use the new, higher quality, scope to help me "go deep" into straight razor honing. Over the last 15 years, I gained my 10,000 hours experience in knife and tool sharpening. I can tailor an edge to pass all of the "hair" tests (tree-top, hanging hair test, shaving arm hair). But straight razor people want a comfortable edge, and each person's idea of sharpness and comfort is a little different. So, I'm going down this path with coticules, Arkansas stones, Thuringians, Jnats (mine are for knives so I need to buy a new stone and nagura set). The new scope will help with all this. If you're interested, and I'm not sure why you would be, I'd be happy to post progress here.

August 26, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (26)
• 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)

It was difficult for me to rate this as an "average" shave. The whole shaving experience was excellent, but the result was just below what I would call a DFS. Post-shave feel is great, and there's no irritation. Before I got into wetshaving, I would have been happy with this as a daily shave but my standards are much higher now.

Today's edge image is the first from my new microscope. I spent hours with this thing yesterday, and have a way to go on the learning curve before I'm confident with it. Nonetheless, the image is much better than the schlock I've been producing. Here is an album that shows my current GEM blade with the old scope, the same area of the blade with the new scope, and an image of a fresh GEM blade with the new scope.

August 27, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (27)
• 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)

I took more time with today's shave, used slightly more pressure into the face and got a very good shave. This was an experiment. I'm glad it worked, and did not result in any irritation, but this will not become my standard practice for dealing with a dull blade.

Today's microscope photo is at a higher magnification than before. It shows the same amount of edge wear, and the edge, or lack thereof, has felt the same to me for the last week. It is very difficult to pull sharp focus at this magnification, because depth of field is tiny. You're either in, or out, of focus. I've done everything I could to align the focal plane with the plane of the target, but I'm not getting the crisp focus I expect; regardless of magnification. I'll be in touch with the manufacturer on Monday. As part of playing around with this thing, I got a pretty good image of a fresh Nacet. u/sgrdddy might enjoy this.

I've commented on this before, but I'm really enjoying the personality of my boar brush. I expected it to feel a bit like a badger once broken in, and while mine has very soft tips by now it has its own feel. I thoroughly enjoy building a lather with it each morning.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

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 29, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (29)
• 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)
• SOTD Album

Well, where did that shave come from? It was tuggy, comfortable, and without any feel for the edge, yet I got a "good" shave. For me, this is a quality that is beyond what is workplace acceptable. Life's a mystery.

Earlier today in a comment thread that referenced the Emacs, I had a missed opportunity for a response. Briefly, and you had to "be there", u/djundjila commented,

"And M-x Butterfly!"

The appropriate response (not given - addled brain),

"Desired bit flipped."

This started me thinking not about other missed opportunities, but about opportunities taken. For a long time, I've been influenced by the Louis Pasteur quote, "Chance favors the prepared mind". I really like this concept. I have tried to incorporate it into my outlook, and to be grateful when I've benefitted from it.

Without waffling on much longer here, I'm aware of some opportunities taken that Austere August afforded me:

• A whole month of a shaving setup that I fully enjoy - never actually done that before.
• Focus on face-lathering. I added a step to my face-lathering procedure that gives me a better feel for dialing in hydration, slickness, and cushion.
• In analyzing edge degradation daily, I became aware of a way that I could investigate straight razor honing in an organized, pragmatic way. This has opened up a new project that I'm excited about, and I got a new toy!
• In making daily SOTD photos I got to think visually a little bit each day for a month. This has made me more aware of "found" compositions as I go through my day. Can I say that I'm seeing the world differently because of AA? Ok, probably not.

August 30, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (30)
• 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

Another surprisingly good shave. I guess I'll be able to finish out the month this way.

I've been going through the other posts on this daily thread throughout the month. I'm very surprised by how many people are RawHoggin, and doing the MMOC challenge. And it is good to see how many others are doing well with both challenges. I'm looking forward to seeing all the data that is compiled for this month.

I found a good section of the blade's edge to capture for today. I think this shows the progression of edge-rounding and edge-breaking pretty well. It would be great to see the edge condition for those who have taken their GEM blade to 100 shaves this month. I wonder if their edges look different from mine.

August 31, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B15 (506 U/L) 27.5mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (31)
• 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)
• SOTD Album

Fun month! Thanks to those of you who are running the challenges. This adds a lot.

Ok, let's summarize the month:

• MMOC - wonderful. Born in the early 1930's, it's holding up better than I am ( and believe it or not, I was born after the GEM MMOC).
• Midnight Stag Trifecta - wonderful. Enjoyed it all month.
• Zenith boar brush - Awesome. What a surprise! Yeah, you boar aficionados knew this would happen.
• One GEM blade all month - worked out much better than I thought it would. Kudos to those who take it further and to u/djundjila and u/Eructate who achieved GEMtury status this month. I won't be joining your club.
• Microscope photos - not particularly dramatic. Today's is an area of the edge that is particularly bad, but much of the edge looks pretty good. This was fun for me, boring for you.

And ... we're out.