Finding Serenity in RawHogginy on the road to the GEMtury Pt. 29

• Prep: Klar Activated Charcoal facial soap
• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 with unbleached 26 mm Zenith knot set at 56 mm loft (29)
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic (open comb, first generation)
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (98)
• 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

All I could think during this shave was "The end is nigh!" and I can't help but to reminisce.

The shave itself was excellent. I'm still enjoying Sea Ice Lime, and this veteran blade is hanging in there like a champ. This of course begs the question whether I should take it further, maybe AA 23?

The brush seems to have reached stability. I don't perceive any day-to-day changes anymore.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug 29, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 29

• 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 (29)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Valley of Ashes - Eau de Parfum

It's hard to believe there are only two days left in AA. Flipping the blade yesterday has made the shaves much more bearable and efficient.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Rating: 4.5/5

Aug. 29, 2022 - Austere August 29- The GEMs are Raw and The Hogs are Wise

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Semogue 610 Boar
• Razor: OCMM Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter - Soap

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

• Post Shave: Zingari Man Cooling Recovery Splash

#GEMsofWisdom Day 29 and the blade was a wee bit tuggy on the first WTG pass. For the second pass XTG, I made sure to add more hydration to the lather and everything seemed to flow fine. Almost no feedback from the splash so that's a win.

#RawHoggin Yadda Yadda Yadda...great brush...yadda yadda yadda

#Sidetracked On the third to last day of AA, I figured I'd go with the second band to change my musical life. The first band was The Cult. The second band to change my musical life was Jane's Addiction. I remember listening to WVUM, the University of Miami radio station, one night during my senior year and they played "Mountain Song" from the then newly released album Nothing's Shocking. My jaw hit the floor. I had never heard anything like...that!...before. The DJ fortunately backsold the song a bit later and the next day, it was off to Spec's Records and Tapes to add it to my collection. Damn I played the shit out of that record and knew every song by heart. I was in college and doing college radio when Ritual de lo Habitual came out so I got a promo copy delivered to me and spent days being blown away by that record as well. Of course, one of the standout tracks from Ritual is none other than "Three Days" which I think would be quite fitting as we enjoy our third to last shaves of AA- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmvG2GZ3S7o So u/Teufelskraft and the rest of you, enjoy the Monday tuneage.

Have a great day all!

August 29, 2022

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM SS PTFE (63)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger
• Post Shave: Olay Complete
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - unscented skin salve

Fiftieth consecutive use of this brush today. It was broken in by ten uses. It’s safe to say it’s my new favorite brush. A couple more shaves to round out the month then I will be back to trying to decide what to use.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Austere August Day 29

Brush: Rubberset 400-3 w/ Unbleached Zenith 24mm knot set to a 56mm loft 29th use

Razor: Gem MMOC, gen 2

Blade: PTFE (29)

Lather: NO Monoi de Tahiti

Post: NO Monoi de Tahiti Splash

Two. More. Days.

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

Aug. 29, 2022 - RawHoggin & Taming the MMOC

• Brush: Zenith B37
• Razor: Gem MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (29)

• Lather: Strike Gold Shave - Kennedy

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

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

Well boys, we’re in the home stretch. I was really hoping to kill this soap but idk if it’s going to happen. It has less than 5 shaves left so maybe I can go back to loading like a mad man and FINISH HIM.

I’ve actually quite enjoyed the brush this month. Call me crazy but I think I liked it better when it wasn’t broken in and a backbone of steel.

I am so ready to move on from this blade. Luckily flipping it the other day has some how smoothed things out a little bit, but it’s still not the best experience.

Aug. 29, 2022 - Final AA Monday

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar brush 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

Still going strong. Blade was NOT comfortable today. Brush was. The hole at the bottom of my Hygge tub gets bigger...

Happy Monday – the shittiest day of the week.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#MammothMafia

Aug. 29, 2022 - Austere August Ultra Nightmare RawHoggin Stagpocalypse

• Prep: Midnight Stag liquid soap and bar soap
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)

• 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

The finish line is in sight! Two more shaves and it’ll be another AA in the books. Today’s shave went as well as basically all the others. Think I’m gonna go Headless Horsemen next year because the MMOC isn’t a challenge to me. I haven’t opened the razor or touched the blade except for during the shave and I’m still getting great shaves every time. Hell, I even figured out how to shave my neck without any redness or irritation afterwards! The only difference today was the newest bottle of the Stag EdP is A LOT darker than any of my previous bottles. Smells smokier to me, but I wonder if that’s my mind playing tricks on me. Either way, everything has gone smoothly and I’m pleased. Oh, and only 6 sprays today.

SubstantialStag

GEMsOfWisdom

~~#RawHoggin~~

August 29 2022

• Brush: Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (32)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Alive

Making some progress today, I can finally see a bit of the tub peeking through the bottom of the soap and I finished off my sample of Alive. Feels good! Two shaves left!

For u/Teufelskraft's #sidetracked challenge I'll throw out a song by Steve Earle. The quality of his music over his almost 40 year career has been amazingly consistent.

Steve Earle - Waitin' On the Sky

#MammothMafia

#GEMSofWisdom

Aug. 29, 2022

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: AP Shave Co 24MM SYNBAD
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE (29)

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Bare Siero - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Unscented - Toner

2 pass shave with a 30 second load.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

Aug. 29, 2022

• Prep: Exercise and shower
• Brush: Semogue 1438
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM blue star (29)

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

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

Shave today was not enjoyable. It very much felt like scraping my cheeks with a butter knife or other kitchen utensil although it did knock the hair down eventually. The brush dried very little since I used it yesterday, it was cold and rainy all day and night. #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

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

Aug. 29, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

If it wasn't yesterday, it was going to be today: I broke through to the bottom.

I suspect it goes without saying that this blade has been next to worthless for the past couple of weeks. I do think there's value in having the experience of pushing a blade past its useful point, because it allows one to recognize when a blade has reached that point. To continue to use it, though, feels pretty asinine, but Mr. ST:TNG dictates another two days.

I've said that—even though it, too, surely goes without saying—come Thursday, I plan to take this brush for a proper lather after a month of such unrefined face-kneading. Probably more important, though, is the opportunity to use a fresh blade. I do not consider it unlikely that, while I grew adept with the MMOC after my first uses last month and then as I commited to daily use this month, using it for so long with an ineffective blade has allowed some bad habits to develop without me noticing. Habits that I will discover that I need to unlearn after a sharp blade acutely brings them to my attention.

#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

August 29, 2022 - Austere August Ultra-Nightmare Mode

Brush pics for RawHoggin challenge

• Brush: Zenith B10
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2 Ex-Watson
• Blade: Personna PTFE (29)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Washington's Blend - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Executive Man - Balm

I did one final blade flip after the first pass, and this blade is still going strong. I’m switching back to DEs after this month, but I may try to see how long I can keep each of those blades going– maybe I can use a blade a month. That would mean that, without a shadow of a doubt, wetshaving does, in fact, save money^on^blades.

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 29, 2022 - The End is Nigh - Austere August Day 29

• Brush: RazoRock 506CK / 26mm boar
• Razor: GEM OCMM (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)
• 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

Not much shaving to be done today since I just shaved last night, but I still did the minimum requirement of two passes. I'm not sure it's any closer than when I started to be honest lol.

#RawHoggin

I've not noticed any changes in the brush for quite a while so I'm thinking this bad boy is at it's full potential.

#GEMsofWisdom

It's safe to say I've mastered this razor and it doesn't live up to its scary/aggressive nature that it previously had for me.

Brush Day 29

Stag sprays

August 29, 2022: Clever Stag Title

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: GEM OCMM (gen 2)
• Blade: GEM Stainless (30)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

Praised be to Stag.

Day 29, 5 spritzes

. #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 29, 2022

• Brush: Zenith B36 "Copper Scrubby!" 28x50mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM SS (29)

• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Soap

• Post Shave: Porter's Lotion, WSP - Neroli - Cooling Aftershave Balm

• Fragrance: Motif Olfactif - Nectar Boisé

• Passes: WTG, XTG

• Coffee: Colombia, Bruselas, Huila - v: Caturra, Colombia - p: Washed, Sun-dried
• Music: Scout Niblett - It's Up to Emma
• August 2022 SOTD Photo Album

#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin

We're almost there, y'all. Two more shaves. If you're about to kill a tub, load heavy, because you might just pull it off. I believe in you. We believe in you. May the bristles be in your favor and the wind ever blow your lather away from the mirror. This is your time. This is your moment. Fulfill your destiny!

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	191.9	1	80 swirls
8/29	191.9	◊	◊	◊
8/30	◊	◊	◊	◊
8/31	◊	◊	◊	◊

⁂

#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

Scout Niblett's "Gun" is among the angriest songs I know of. Her guitar growls, Scout snarls, and the lyrics drip with scorn, disdain, resentment, and bitter, murderous jealousy. "She took your love away from me / and I am thankful, every day." She lays out her plan to acquire the titular nice little silver one and show up in the crowd of her ex's "shitty band." And none of this is obscured by verbosity or sloppy vocals. Scout sounds raw and raging, but she articulates every sharp-tongued syllable, and details the depths of her feeling in methodical, excrutiating detail. She's been waiting for this and can wait as long as it takes.

Scout Niblett - "Gun"

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.

Aug 29, 2021 – Austere August. Day 29.

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith - B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Sheep
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented - Aftershave Balm
• Music: Tupac – Changes

Really nice shave today all around today. The MMOC gave me a nice, smooth shave, and while the blade is getting a little tired and doesn’t glide as well as it did earlier in the month, it still gives me a really, really good shave. I just strop it on my forearm before and after every shave now.

This Zenith brush may have slowly become my favorite brush. It’ll be fun to use one of my synthetic ones again to compare/contrast, but I’ve come to really enjoy this one far more than I ever expected. While the process of breaking it in wasn’t super-fun, it wasn’t as awful as I originally expected it to be.

Today’s #sidetracked is brought to you by ‘Pac. I’m an East Coast guy, but I always took the West Coast rap scene’s side in their East vs West feud. As a white kid growing up in Massachusetts, Tupac’s music spoke to me so much more than Biggie’s did. Changes was released after Tupac got ~~murdered by the LVPD~~ shot and killed and is a phenomenal song. Tupac was no saint, but he was clearly passionate about the problems people like him face on a daily basic. Listening to this song (that is about 25 years old) is interesting because it focuses on problems that we’ve since completely solved – police brutality, race relations, drugs, the struggle of poverty, and wars in the Middle-East. Thank God we’ve solved ALL of those issues in the last 25 years and we never hear about any of them at all anymore. I have to wonder what my kids will think of this song in another 25 years. I really hope Tupac is wrong when he says “That’s just the way it is”.

Tags: #unscented #rawhoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (29)
• 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. 29, 2022 ~ Austere August

• Prep: Cold water
• Brush: Ever-Ready 200 - Zenith 27mm unbleached boar knot
• Razor: GEM MICROMATIC OPEN COMB 2nd gen
• Blade: PERSONNA GEM SS PTFE(29)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Incorporeal - Aftershave (Alcohol-Free)

Countdown ... 2

#unscented #clean #bored #apatic #selfinflictedanosmia

#RawHoggin How good this brush could be, is something that will be discovered in the coming months. It has been improving day by day, and the best is yet to come. I will continue using it interspersing it with the rest of the brushes and documenting the improvements.

PigEvolution 1 2

#GEMsOfWisdom

I rushed through the shave and paid the price with a cut on the nose flap, happily on a spot where there isn't hair and I don't need to shave so it won't interfere in future shaves. I failed to make a piercing.

In my rush, I don't use my glasses to write this so you can expect some threats on the thread, just like yesterday, please treat me with love.

I have forgotten my #sidetracked section u/Teufelskraft, two bands that I have been following lately, that bring freshness, Sleaford Mods and Amy and The Sniffers, two different continents, two visions not too far away on the concept but musically disparate.

Sleaford Mods with Amy Taylor - Nudge it

Bonus tracks...

Amyl and the Sniffers - Hertz Sleaford Mods - Moptop

On a side note, I'm enjoying so much Sleaford's British accent.

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA Day 29

• Brush: ShaveForge 28mm Boar, 3d Printed Handle #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM Stainless (29)

• 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

Spent a few extra minutes and had a really pleasant 3-pass today.

Only two shaves left.

August 29th

• Brush: Zenith Boar - 505NK 27mm
• Razor: GEM - MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (29)
• Lather - Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Edp

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Edp video

Penultimate Eve Day

Aug. 29, 2022 - Austere August Day 29

• 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 (29)

• 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
•Shave 29

Thoughts for the day:
I've really contributed very little to the wisdom part of GEMs of Wisdom... Huh...

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA Day 29

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

Hashtags #SubstantialStag #GEMSofWisdom

I don’t think the Semogue is physically capable of taking the life of a tub of soap, at least in grand fashion. I’ll keep trying.

The shave from the GEM is really unbeatable even with a month-old blade. Be mindful of your technique and the razor will treat you well.

More sprays today and a Beatrice the Golden cameo appearance.

Happy shaving 🪒!

2022-08-29 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC

Prep: Warm Shower
Brush: Semogue Torga - C5
Razor: GEM MMOC version 2
Blade: GEM Stainless (29)
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/sStVFgk

29 shaves with the same gear, it's all good.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 29, 2022 - Austere August Day 29

• Prep: Hot Shower, Stirling Soap Facial Soap
• Brush: Zenith 508A SE 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

Day 29 done. Only two shaves left gents. That makes me very happy. I am about to go crazy with this stuff. Two more.

Mandatory Tagging:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

August 29th, 2022

Prep: Warm water

Razor: Gem MMOC

Blade: Gem Blue Star (29)

Brush: Omega Model 13564 23mm boar

Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Black Void

Post: Noble Otter Bare

Comfort: 4/10

Smoothness: 4/10

5 second load.

2 pass shave XTG/ATG.

Brush is great, but still a sub par shave. Nearing the end of using this blade. Only patting dry with a towel and no oil for the blade, I believe oxidation is setting into the edge. It definitely feels like I'm shaving with a rusty blade now.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

RawHoggin

Aug 29, 2022 - Getting Sidetracked while searching for the Wisdom of a Mammoth

• Prep: Hot shower and CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Maggard Green Handle 2 Band Badger 24mm

• Razor: GEM - MMOC

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder EdP

Every day tags: #MammothMafia #GEMsofWisdom

Aug. 29, 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 (29)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave

Day 29 - I figured as AA winds down, I'll try to make the remaining shaves 3 passers. While the ATG pass still makes me uneasy with the GEM, it was still a nice, comfortable shave.

The Brush: Today I did notice that the brush has a tad more "flop" than before. I'm not sure if this new to the brush today or if it's just my first time observing it. Brush is still awesome. #RawHoggin

Brush Picture Pre-shave: Side Top

Brush Picture Post-shave: Side Top

The Razor A smooth, 3 pass shave with no cuts, nicks or irritation. The blade is still performing like a champ. #GEMsOfWisdom

Days since last blood: 12

The Soap and Aftershave My wife officially hates MITA now and it might end up going on the war department shave for next year's LGs. Kind of makes me sad, because I do enjoy the smell. Maybe after a hiatus, she will enjoy it again (and so will I).

Day 29 Puck Picture

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA Day 29

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: AP400B XL Handle (AP ShaveCo) - 28mm Maggard Boar Knot
• Razor: GEM MMOC - Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (98)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

I am loving everything about this setup still except the blade. It's so hard to get a close enough shave to be happy with. Just another two days though and all will be well.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Monday!

Stag Spray 29 #GEMSofWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Aug. 29, 2022 - AA Day 29

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC (Gen 2)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Quick evening shave tonight after a long day. Great way to unwind, though.

Razor, Blade, and Brush were all fantastic tonight. No tugging, minimal aftershave burn, and a great lather. I think 3 passes with the MMOC is not the way to go, and I need to stick with just 2 and a buff, I still get almost BBS and about 5% as much burn as when I go the full 3. Maybe something to take forward there in general.

Zenith B34 - Pic 1 Pic 2

Finally busted through, too.

Sonder thought of the day: Life is hard. Everyone is struggling. Everyone is tired. We all cope in different ways and it's ok to deal with things different than someone else would. Obviously it's best to choose healthy coping mechanisms, and it's great to encourage those around you. People need to hear it. Be a kind and encouraging voice. It makes a difference.

#mammothmafia #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

August 29th, 2022 - If we did Austere August in February, we’d be finished.

• Prep: Warm water

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Before and After

Meh, Monday, back to work, didn’t shave early today, and the moon shot got scrubbed. Shaving pretty late today. Had me worried since it is almost a day and a half since Sunday’s shave. Feedback is getting harsh, very loud. Still very tuggy at times, especially first pass.

For all the harshness, the splash didn’t sting much, no real irritation tonight. A little balm to make the skin feel nice. Overall, not the worst shave this month. Blood free for over 3 weeks now. I think I can make it for the last 2 days. Not the smoothest shave. To get there would need the other direction xtg, or an atg pass, but I am not doing 3 passes on this blade.

Aug. 29, 2022 - Day 29: almost there

• Prep: Warm water wash
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM MMOC GEN 2
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (29)

• 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

If this was the only blade, My whiskers would be as long as this shag rug!

The brush got tossed in my bag for most the day, and so it became misshapen. After using it the brush went back ti normal.

House of Mammoth software is the saving grace.

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

Aug. 29, 2022

• Brush: Maggard 28mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (29)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

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

It's the final countdown.

Boar Break In Album

Stag Spray

#RawHoggin

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#UNCHALLENGE