Aug 5, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 5

• 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 (5)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave

An acceptable shave with very minimal sting from the splash. This may be the sweet spot for right now. I think the blade may also be smoothing out, but I don't know if that's good or bad this early on.

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Break-in Progress

#sidetracked
Are you driving around the city late at night and need the perfect soundtrack to accompany your drive? Look no further than the album Mezzanine by the trip hop group Massive Attack. Even from the opening track Angel, you know it's going to be an alluring ride.

Rating: 3.5/5

Aug. 5, 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 (5)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave

Day 5 was a tricky shave. Today I'm heading to Turkey to see my dad for the first time since 2019. Door to door, the trip is going to take about 24 hours so I had to wake up super early to get ready and make sure I had enough time to get today's shave in. As hard as I tried to not rush the whole thing, I couldn't help but feel the pressure of time so I'm going to keep this brief. Summary: it wasn't the best shave, but I feel great! I'm not sure what the internet situation is going to be once I arrive in Turkey, but hopefully I won't have trouble getting these posted while I'm gone.

The Brush: I had to work fast, so today's lather was slightly on the dry side. The brush feels about on par with yesterday. Soft on the painting but stiff on the splaying. I was a little bit more forceful with my lather today, trying to get something on my face that was passible and it wasn't horrible.

The hog stench still remains and having to pack this brush in my suitcase, still damp, I'm fully anticipating everything in my bag smelling like hog once I arrive to a predominantly muslim country. #ExteremeRawHoggin #RawHoggin

Brush Picture Pre-shave: Side Top

Brush Picture Post-shave: Side Top

The Razor Shave number 5 with the GEM and today I was wishing I was using my Rockwell. Trying to get through this shave quickly was not ideal and I've definitely patchy in some spots. Quick, two passer, WTG and XTG for the win. I got a couple weepers along my neck and another nick on my chin. Sometimes you have to just send it. #GEMsOfWisdom

**Days since last blood:**0

The Soap and Aftershave Nothing new to report about Stirling other than absolutely loving the base more than ever. Hopefully the fresh feeling keeps me going on the long journey ahead.

Day 5 Puck Picture

Aug. 5, 2022 - Austere August 5th, With Added Beastmilk

• Prep: Cool shower
• Brush: Semogue 610 Boar
• Razor: MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: Noble Otter - Firefighter - Soap

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

#GEMsofWisdom This one is not shaving related for sure. The two most important life lessons for me were learned in kindergarten- 1) Never, ever, ever,ever hit a woman and 2) Never, ever, ever, ever shove a Husky Pencil up your nose. These two guiding principles have kept me on the straight and narrow for years.

Shave-wise, WTG/XTG and a clean up pass were the keys to another BBS/low aftershave feedback shave.

#RawHoggin I'm enjoying all of these posts about rotting stink of some of your brushes and how the stink is lingering on you even through your splash and frag mistings. Bless you Semogue for your lack of stink. Tips are splitting more and I'm starting to get lather where I want it with this brush and dipping the tips in water. I'm still not converting back to face lathering when this is all over.

#Sidetracked I'm going to Finland today, musically that is. I have been to Finland physically for music as well for a couple of Tuska Festivals (which were amazing) and the opportunity to see Amorphis at a club there. I've long been of the mindset that when it comes to heavier music, "If it's not Finnish, it's crrrraaappp". One of my favorite records to come out of Helsinki is Beastmilk's 2013 album, Climax. This album also might be one of my favorite albums of the last 10 years. This is a dark rock record with vocals that will give some folks a goth-y vibe and some folks a Danzig-y vibe. The songs are hooky as all get out and once you put the album on 'Play', you'll find yourself hitting 'Rewind' on many of these songs. The opening track, "Death Reflects Us", pulls you right in and sends you on quite a ride. "You Are Now Under Our Control", "Surf the Apocalypse", "Love in a Cold World" are just some of the standouts on this album. I saw them in 2014 at Tuska and they were fantastic. Sadly, they broke up after this album, with the vocalist Kvohst and the guitarist reforming under the moniker Grave Pleasures (also highly recommended). So to you u/Teufelskraft and the AA gang, here's the soundtrack to your Friday- https://beastmilk.bandcamp.com/album/climax

Have a great day all!

August 5, 2022: Feliz Agosto de Stago

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: GEM OCMM (gen 2)
• Blade: GEM Stainless (6)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

I'm beginning to feel the blade dull a tad this morning. It feels daunting. However, the magic of Stag is there to keep me safe!

Please talk to your neighbors and loved ones about the unfortunate lack of Stag in their lives. This has been a PSA.

Have an excellent day!

Daily spritzing

. #GEMsOfWisdom

20220805 - Something something austerity day 5

Brush: Omega 011842

Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb

Blade: GEM PTFE

Lather: Stirling Soap Company - Sheep

Post: Stirling Soap Company - Coniferous toner

Post: DR Harris - Windsor aftershave milk

GEMSOFWISDOM

another day another shave. Felt some slight pulling today, resisted the urge to whip my trousers and belt off. Probably get to 10 uses on the blade then the games will truly begin.

Stoicism of the day

Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness – all of them due to the offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Austere August Day 5

Brush: Rubberset 400-3 w/ Unbleached Zenith 24mm knot set to a 56mm loft 5th use

Razor: Gem MMOC, gen 2

Blade: PTFE (5)

Lather: NO Monoi de Tahiti

Post: NO Monoi de Tahiti Splash

Good autopilot shave this morning. The brush is beginning to become more consistent in its performance. It is eating less lather and the hairs are slowly starting to become more flexible. Another 2 weeks and this brush will go from pretty good to really good.

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

August 5, 2022

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM SS PTFE (39)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger
• Post Shave: Olay Complete
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - unscented skin salve

I am really getting to like this soap way more than I thought I would. I mean, it’s just soap…unscented soap. But for whatever reason I am really appreciating it. I am still getting to know this brush and this base so I tend to overload it. I keep adding water to get where I want to be and end up with a mess all over the sink. It’s a shame this base is being discontinued.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 5, 2022 - Austere August Ultra Nightmare RawHoggin Stagpocalypse

• Prep: Midnight Stag liquid soap and bar soap
• Brush: Semogue 1250
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• 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

No complaining today. Only the shave, which I think went pretty ok. I got in a bit of a hurry since today’s my daughter’s first day of school and I have a bit of irritation under my jawline to show for it. But a nice slather of that balm after the aftershave really did a world of good. The big difference today was the addition of the Nostalgic Stag pomade. I have zero experience with oil-based pomades so I went super light and am just gonna see how it goes today. Wrapped it all up with 12 sprays today. I posted really late so I just doubled those upvotes and called it good.

SubstantialStag

GEMsOfWisdom

RawHoggin

Aug. 5, 2022 - La cinquième

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar brush 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

How do you act after you’ve humiliated yourself publicly? You hold your head high and don’t give a fuck, of course.

Today’s shave was near perfect, except for a small cut on my cheek. No biggie. The PTFE blade has entered its Goldilocks zone and feels great, for now. Hygge continues to please, both the tremendously slick base, easy latherability, and delicious scent. It’s warm and soothing every time, for now.

My raw hoggin’ dreams may be shattered, but I plow on, or continue to plow my face with the knot and although ever so scritchy, each use feels better than the last. Happy Friday.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#MammothMafia

Aug. 5, 2022 - Day Five - the Friday

• Prep: Warm shower w/ B&M Diamond Bath Bar
• Brush: Copper Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

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

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

#RawHoggin

Was fairly happy with the lather today, loaded for about 40 seconds and that was plenty for three passes. I was able to get more water into the first pass, but wasted a fair bit of lather down my hand and onto the walls with that effort. Second and third lathers were thinner but plenty serviceable. I still think there is more work to go here, but I feel that I am able to rate the razor performance without the lather being the main culprit.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Not a lot in the way of insights today. It was a decent three pass shave no nicks that I noticed and not much irritation after cleaning up. Paying more attention to the areas of the blade edge that cut let me get those tight areas and I am closer to a BBS shave that I am with other razors so I think I am on the right track for employment.

#TonicTalk

I am usually one to mix some balm in with my splashes to provide some healing goodness back into my face, but have been skipping that this month so far just to try out how well this Seaforth tonic handles and I have to say that I am very impressed. Sure you can say that the which hazel is doing its thing, but there is more going on with this that I get with other similar products. I am still happy with this software choice, all around. Have a good weekend all!

August 5, 2022 - Austere August Ultra-Nightmare Mode

Brush pics for RawHoggin challenge

• Brush: Zenith B10
• Razor: Gem MMOC Gen 2 Ex-Watson
• Blade: Personna PTFE (5)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Washington's Blend - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Executive Man - Balm

Today’s my wife’s birthday. I’d usually use her favorite smells (B&M Reserve Cool, Aqua Velva 5-in-1 balm) but, here we are in August. Maybe I’ll use those next year…

Another really good shave, lather-wise. I’ll update brush pics when I have a chance.

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 5, 2022

• Prep: Exercise and shower
• Brush: Semogue 1438
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM blue star (5)

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

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

Good shave today blade is still crisp and working very well. The brush shows little change but does feel nice. Unfortunately I spotted a crack in the handle of my brush just below the ring hopefully the brush makes it to the end of august. #RawHoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

https://i.imgur.com/15FKKcm.jpg

Aug. 5, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (5)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

This morning, I am speaking with s lower-than-normal voice that is characteristic of certain ailments, part of a progression of the cough I mentioned the other day. Fortunately, my job doesn't actually require my physical presence (even though my physical presence is still de jure required four out of five days per week under normal circumstances).

What was I saying? Oh, right, I have a cough, it sucks, but not as much as face-lathering sucks. Just like 16-some percent of the way through the months and then I don't have to deal with that ridiculously stupid lather method anymore.

I would be inclined to cut this short, being less-than-tip-top, but yesterday's /u/Teufelskraft #sidetracked brought to mind another song that I was introduced to in the same era as yesterday's. The song, which had been around for a good while before such introduction, is Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook Remix). That's Fatboy Slim's name; did you know that? I didn't.

I had largely forgotten about the song until a few years ago when I decided to seek it out. I didn't know anything about the song aside from the lyrics I remembered and what it sounded like, and I didn't realize it was a remix of an earlier song, which I had not heard until this search.

If memory serves, identifying the specific remix was harder than one might expect considering that this one in particular received a huge amount of accolades. What really stands out in my mind is this, taken from the Wikipedia article on the song

NME ranked the remix at number 2 in their list of "The 50 Best Remixes Ever", saying it "does what the truly great remixes do – render you unable to enjoy the original".

Finally, I can't not point out that the song itself (original) is tribute to famed Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle.

Now I gotta make sure I'm ready to ^^**cough** start work.

#GEMSofWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (5)
• Lather: House if Mammoth - Hygge in Tusk
• Post Shave: Hygge Splash & Balm
• Fragrance: Hygge EDP #MammothMafia

Great shave and result today, so gonna nitpick a little bit:

The brush is getting better - much better. However it’s still really scratchy at times, and I can’t imagine how many shaves it will take before some splitting starts and it feels softer like an over processed badger brush or synthetic. Today, I got distinct memories of bathing my dog Indy amongst the smells amidst the Hygge hog concoction.

MMOC is performing great, it’s only day 5, and I guess this blade is doing just fine. But, the weight distribution of the MMOC isn’t my favorite. I can’t really tell why I feel this way. Maybe the handle is a bit thin, or the head a little heavy. Something like that. I’m sure I’ll have more on this in the coming days.

Day 1 Prep Video

RawHoggin Unboxing Pics

MammothMafia

August 5th, 2022

Prep: Warm water

Razor: Gem MMOC

Blade: Gem Blue Star (5)

Brush: Omega Model 13564 23mm boar

Soap: LA Shaving Soap Co. Black Void

Post: Noble Otter Bare

Comfort: 7.5/10

Smoothness: 7/10

15 second load.

2 pass shave XTG/ATG.

Managed to build more volume and a better lather today, however was interrupted as I started my second pass and had to finish quick. Still good results but not great. Also forgot to take my blade out to dry yesterday and it has now developed a not so great patina.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

RawHoggin

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.

Aug. 5, 2022 - Austere August Day 5

• 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 (5)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

🐗Raw Hoggin' Progress🤮:
•Unused
•Shave 1
•Shave 2
•Shave 3
•Shave 4
•Shave 5

Thoughts for the day:
Still smells like 💩. Feels great, though. For those wondering, the loft on this is 60mm (actual).

Also, happy to say I've been keeping to around 1g of soap per day. When I used this brush last year with a 26mm Maggard B&W, my consumption was averaging just under 1g when I was scooping. For the massive difference between a synthetic and a boar, I'm impressed. I could honestly probably cut 10 seconds off my load time, but YOLO.

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 5, 2022 - Science!

• Brush: Zenith B36 "Copper Scrubby!" 28x50mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM (5)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lime - Soap
• Post Shave: Porter's Lotion, WSP - Neroli - Balm
• Fragrance: Cognscenti - No. 30 Hay Incense
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia - v: Ethiopia Heirloom - p: Natural
• Music: Four Tet - There Is Love in You
• August 2022 SOTD Photo Album: https://imgur.com/a/7shDpdl

#GEMsOfWisdom / #RawHoggin

Today's shave was pretty good.

Starting Austere August and having to return to face lathering, I forgot how effective the Another Cut Above lathering method is, and finally remembered to use it today. So I squeezed out the brush a bit, loaded a bunch of soap, worked the pasty protolather into my stubble, and then gently brushed in dips of water until it went transparent on my skin. From there I started "splaying" the brush (this Scrubby has zero give so far) to work up a lather, occasionally adding a dip of water until my lather passed The Swipe Test™. I also discovered my chin can take a lot more abuse than my cheeks or neck can, so I'm going to do a lot of splaying and scrubbing and swirling there to accelerate the break-in progress. This knot still has a ways to go.

I'm still yielding far less lather than I'm used to (scooping a 1/4 teaspoon of soap) while eating up a lot more soap. I usually end up with enough extra for at least enough for a full pass, and Austere August lathers are giving me about half that, if not less.

Out of curiosity, I weighed a 1/4 teaspoon of Stirling Sheep shave soap to confirm about how much it weighs, so I could then compare my typical routine's soap consumption to what I'm using now. This Sheep tub is dried out and in the Mutton base, so it might be a little different than my Austere August Lime tub in the standard Stirling base. Still, my rigorous scientific method suggests a level 1/4 teaspoon of shave soap is equivalent to about 1/5 grams of that same soap, give or take a few tenths of a gram. Right now I'm using about 3 grams of soap a day—double what I would be with my usual brushes, scooping and starting my lather in a bowl. I'm curious how this changes as the knot continues to break in.

Also, not much to share on the MMOC. I'm used to it, it's a little more aggressive than I'd prefer most days, and the new GEM blade has been tamed a little. Only once weeper on my chin—but that skin was kind of used and abused from trying splay the knot. Worth it.

Date	Soap Before (g)	Soap After (g)	Consumption (g)
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

⁂

#sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

I started writing today's Sidetracked blurb thinking I'd introduce a few people to a hidden gem. Unfortunately, when I searched for a YouTube video of Adriano Celentano's famously weird "Prisencolinensinainciusol," I discovered that the Fargo show (which I haven't seen) used this song to soundtrack a bridge tournament scene in season three. So now I'm officially less in the know then I ever used to be. It's a disappointing development.

That being said, you should still go give this uniquely-weird pop song a listen. The story here is that "Prisencolinensinainciusol" is a popular Italian rock musician's idea about what American English sounds like, spoken entirely in gibberish (with the exception of Celentano and company occasionally exclaiming "all right!"). It's weird and the classroom-themed music video is even weirder. And yet...it's great. The main chugging melody is a real earworm; there's a fuzzy guitar track, some funky horn jabs, and four looped drumbeats giving the song a never-resolving tension. "Prisencolinensinainciusol" was never intended as a novelty, and it deserves to be appreciated as the oddball rock-disco-funk-rap amalgamation it is.

“Ever since I started singing, I was very influenced by American music and everything Americans did. So at a certain point, because I like American slang—which, for a singer, is much easier to sing than Italian—I thought that I would write a song which would only have as its theme the inability to communicate. And to do this, I had to write a song where the lyrics didn't mean anything.”

– Adriano Celentano

YouTube: Adriano Celentano - Prisencolinensinainciusol

**Aug. 5, 2022 - Austere August #5 Fading Nightmare

• Prep: Cold water
• Brush: Ever-Ready 200 - Zenith 27mm unbleached boar knot
• Razor: GEM MICROMATIC OPEN COMB 2nd gen
• Blade: PERSONNA GEM Stainless Steel PTFE(5)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Incorporeal - Aftershave (Alcohol Free)
• Post Shave: Fridge water
• Fragrance: Eau de Toilette Piggy

RawHoggin

Scent way, I think the worst is over. I can smell the pig during the shave but with the water+aftershave there's no noticeable stink. As you can see in the SOTD shot it has made a ton of lather with no effort. I can't remember lathering a soap so fast tomorrow I will use the chronometer, also DG is a great soap that helps.

PigEvolution 1 2

GEMsOfWisdom

I'm loving the MMOC so much. The blade continues to perform almost like the first day, it never gets clogged. The only issue that I have it's shaving just below the nose, I've 26 days more to sort it.

.#sidetracked

Today a torrent of energy to face the weekend with strength, a power-duo Niña Coyote eta Chico Tornado - Monster attitude! Bonus track performing Cream - White Room

Enjoy the weekend!

#unscented

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

2022-08-05 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC

Prep: Warm Shower
Brush: Semogue Torga - C5
Razor: GEM MMOC version 2
Blade: GEM Stainless (5)
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/fuBYUEB

Another top quality shave today. The brush is starting to open up and it feels good. No scritch and no stank. The other gear is working well, l could easily have this as my only set up.

Have a good day everyone.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

August 5th, 2022 - 1 step forward, then 2 steps back

• Prep: Warm water and extra patience

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

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

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (cinque)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin Day 5 Before and After

#GEMsOfWisdom

I made a bit of an oopsy today. I flipped the blade and marked it. When I marked it, didn’t notice that I knocked blade on top of the little hooks that hold the edge to the comb. Basically gave the razor another 1mm of gap. Noticed pretty quickly as the feel was much rougher and the feedback was loud. Fixed it and the rest of the shave was better.

Still I am not enjoying face lathering the hog. Was a bit wet today, still trying to find the right amount to shake out after the 5ish minute soak. Lather was ok, just a bit wetter than yesterday. Not much sting from the splash, just the area on the first pass before I fixed the blade. I still enjoy the scent, but as usual the fruit/floral notes are not as apparent as the woody/musky/mossy ones. My wife says it smells fruity and piney.

After a long week, did get finished early (2PM). Going to run a couple errands before I pick up my daughter from summer camp. She is going to be exhausted. Today the camp had a field trip to a big outdoor pool/small water park in town.

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA Day 5

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1305
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

SubstantialStag

GEMSofWisdom

I used the OCMM for Atlas Shaves, knowing it would be a competent razor for taking down multiple days’ growth. I can officially say today, for me, the OCMM became a daily use razor. Not for being able to use it daily, 36 daily shaves has already proven that. Today’s shave was only 12 hours of growth. Normally I would hesitate to use what is considered to be an aggressive razor for such light growth. No more with the OCMM. Keeping all variables from the last 4 shaves gave me yet another zero-irritation shave. Still all the aspects of a OCMM and nothing but amazing.

Spraying on day five.

Aug 05, 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 (5)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder EdP

Every day tags: #MammothMafia #GEMsofWisdom

#Sidetracked u/Teufelskraft

Ants Marching - Dave Mathews Band

Another band that I fell in love with thanks to my “Second Father” Andy. He always went to the concerts whenever they performed anywhere near him. I attempted to join him once when I was in college but Mother Nature stopped that from happening.

I had just started dating the woman who would eventually become my wife and for my Birthday she got us tickets to go see DMB with Andy! I was so excited, not only for the concert but to get to go with Andy. It was a beautiful summer evening at the amphitheater with the warm up bands getting the night going well when a huge storm rolled up on us! We stuck it out as long as we could but they forced us to evacuate when the lightning started. That led to waiting in the car, soaked, only for them to cancel the show due to a power outage. Best thing about it was Ticketmaster refused to refund our money due to “you attended the show” calling the warm up bands enough of a show to warrant the price.

Finding Serenity in RawHogginy on the road to the GEMtury Pt. 5

• Prep: Klar Activated Charcoal facial soap
• Brush: Rubberset 400-3 with unbleached 26 mm Zenith knot set at 56 mm loft (5)
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic (open comb, first generation)
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE (74)
• 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

I hear #RawHoggin-Djudge u/EldrormR is making the rounds with the DQ hammer today to weed out the contestants who fail to include their Raw Hog in the SOTD picture. To err on the safe side, my picture is almost only brush this time. I hope I didn't miss a rule stating that the software needs to be included, too 😆

It's a bit surprising, but I think I'm already in the phase where the break in process slows down. The tips are mostly split, the shedding has stopped, and the brush seems to be settling. Now if the little piggy could just stop the last of the boar funk, I'd be a very happy camper.

#GEMsOfWisdom: I've decided to let my MMOC(MM) air dry from now on to get a patina going. I also have the engraved Djudges razor, and keeping one brass MMOC(MM) polished to a shine and the other one patinaed seems sensible. Also note the Rubberset 400 in that last picture. It's the same type of handle as I use during Austere Hogust, and the same knot size (it's a bleached 26mm Zenith knot vs the un-bleached one I'm using now), but at a higher 62 mm loft. the difference in bloom in baffling. Despite being at opposite ends of the scale (floppy and huge vs firm and narrow), both brushes are very comfortable.

Aug. 5, 2022 - Day Five: Arrive alive, don’t shave and drive!

• Prep: None
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (5)

• 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

First. Buy permafrost. It’s awesome and I’ve used it with everything.

I’m starting to get packed up to be away from home for a couple weeks. At least I do not need to think about what shave gear to bring!

The GEM razor is giving me good smooth shaves. It is a little uncomfortable though the House of Mammoth splash and balm leave my skin soft and moisturized. Supposedly these blades get better after the first few shaves, I hope it gets more smooth.

I added a pump of PermaFrost to the soap before loading the brush. A single pump gets me about 20 minutes of cooling after finishing my shave. The cooling sensation started a little bit after face lathering.

The patina on the handle is starting to look like a mess, but it should look good soon. I did not expect the handle to patina so fast. The knot lost a couple more hairs this shave. I think it’s going to break in nicely. Brush break-in album

#rawhoggin #mammothmafia #GEMSofWisdom

Aug 5, 2021 – Austere August. Day 5.

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith - B16 24mm Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Sheep
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented - Aftershave Balm
• Post, Post Shave: Zingari Man – Rescue Potion
• Music: Lawrence – Don’t Lose Sight

Adjusting to using the MMOC isn’t taking nearly as long as I imagined it would. Five days in a row and around 10 total uses (around 5 before AA) and I’m shaving great with it. No nicks or cuts or irrational at all today. My skin is feeling great and I’d consider this a very good shave.

I’m also building up a nice lather with this new boar brush as it’s starting to break in. The stench is still there, but is noticeably less than how it was when we started this journey 5 long days ago. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this brush progresses as it continues to break in. Overall, while I wouldn't call this process enjoyable, it hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be.

My #sidetracked music selection for today is the band Lawrence and their song “Don’t Lose Sight”. I’m gonna sound like Stefan from SNL, but this song has EVERYTHING: a brass horn section, a catchy melody, a brother/sister duo, and a high energy sound that just won’t quit. I saw this band live a little bit ago and had an absolutely amazing time. They put on a great live show and it seems like they are starting to get some attention this year - They played Coachella earlier this year and also had appearances on Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. Personally, I'm hoping they blow up because their unique sound and vibe is something the music industry needs (and precisely why they likely won't).

Tags: #unscented #rawhoggin #GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 5, 2022 - Austere August Day 5

• Prep: Hot Shower, Stirling Soap Facial Soap
• Brush: Zenith 508A SE 28mm
• Razor: GEM Micromatic OC Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

Day 5 or 16% of the way through this thing. MMOC Gen 1 is good but not as good as Gen 2 imo. I smell like honeyed roses. The brush is breaking in nicely. That is all.

Mandatory Tagging:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

August 5 2022

• Brush: Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (8)
• 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 - Mood Indigo

#MammothMafia

#GEMSofWisdom

Another great shave after a long morning of traveling. Turns out the Orlando airport has a new TSA Reservation system which allows you to almost entirely skip the hour+ security line 🤐🤫. That was a lifesaver for traveling with a hyperactive 5 year old. I celebrated the return home with a Mood Indigo quadhole, which still felt special even though I’ve been using this soap and splash for over a week now.

August 5th

• Brush: Zenith Boar - 505NK 27mm
• Razor: GEM - MMOC
• Blade: Gem PTFE (5)
• Lather - Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Splash
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag Edp

#GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #SubstantialStag

Edp video

Five days in and September is feeling a long way off, the wife has definitely had enough but I'm sure she will come around before the month ends.

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA - Day 5

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Zenith Boar - Short & Scrubby
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Blade (5)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Ferox - Soap
• After: Fine Accoutrements - L'Orange Noir - Aftershave
• Post: Nivea - Sensitive Post Shave Balm - Aftershave

2 pass face shave and all good till today. Let’s hope this lasts the next 3 weeks.

Tags: #GemsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug. 5, 2022 - RawHoggin & Taming the MMOC

• Brush: Zenith B37
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: Strike Gold Shave - Kennedy

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

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Balm

RawHoggin

GemsOfWisdom

This is only my 3rd boar brush, but my go to break in strategy for the first two was hand lather several times and towel strop. I read about people letting their brush soak in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. Is this a troll or do people actually do that? Maybe I’m the crazy one 🤷🏻‍♂️. Anyway, I was a little concerned about doing this challenge and taking the brush straight to my face. I was worried that it was gonna be rough, and smell horrible. Turns out it felt great on the face and only had a little bit of a smell. I honestly think this is the best way to break in a boar.

The MMOC felt great today. I’m getting the technique back from last year, and the blade is chilling out as well.

It seems like I’ve read several people talking about getting fatigued already. I’m in it for the long haul boys, I’m just getting settled in. I got a great brush, good razor, and I haven’t wrote much about it but I’m using an excellent soap. I’ll do a write up on it soon.

SOTD Aug 05, 2022

• Brush: APShaveCo 24mm Tuxedo

• Razor: GEM MMOC - 1st Gen

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (5)

• Lather: Ariana and Evans - Peach & Cognac

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

Well it got too damn hot so I shaved my cheeks, now just have a stylish goatee. Upsides are it’s cooler (temperature-wise at least) and more area to shave (not just my neck). The MMOC demolished the beard with ease, a vintage weed whacker of sorts. It was a great shave and I’m looking forward to having even more surface area to dial the MMOC in.

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 5, 2022

• Brush: AP Shave Co 24MM SYNBAD
• Razor: GEM - Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE (5)

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Bare Siero - Soap

• Post Shave: Thayers - Unscented - Toner

2 pass shave with a 30 second load. I will probably stick with 30 second loads the rest of the way because last nights lather was too great. My trip to Phoenix was an ass kicker, but the weather wasn't bad with the overcast mornings.

GEMsOfWisdom

unscented

August 5th, 2022: Still Staggin'

• Prep: warm shower with Stag bath bar

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

• Razor: MMOC

• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• 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

Not much to report today!

Stag sprays of the day!

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin (new side challenge, tag /u/semaj3000 everyday because he likes the attention)

#UNCHALLENGE

Aug. 5, 2022 - Camp Raw Hoggin' Stag Fest Day 5

• Brush: RazoRock 506CK / 26mm boar
• Razor: GEM OCMM
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave

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

I'm camping right now and had to drive into town to post this due to no internet.

#RawHoggin

The stink is starting to subside.

#GEMsofWisdom

Not bad. Smooth shave today.

Keep on stagging brothers.

Brush Day 5

Stag spray

Aug. 5, 2022

• Prep: Splash of cold water
• Brush: Zenith B16 24mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Stainless PTFE (5)

• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Angelique - Soap

• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Angelique - Aftershave

I haven't noticed that the performance of my brush has changed at all since the first use, but it is getting a little better about eating lather. Pretty soon here I think I won't have to load it for quite such a long time to get enough for 3 passes. Not much else to say today. I am tired of being sick. #GemsOfWisdom #RawHoggin

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA Day 05

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: AP400B XL Handle (AP ShaveCo) - 28mm Maggard Boar Knot
• Razor: GEM MMOC - Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (74)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Eau de Parfum

No big differences from yesterday's shave. Was able to get yet another BBS nick and irritation free shave. Could not be happier with this setup.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Friday!

Stag Spray 5 #RawHoggin #GEMsofWisdom #SubstantialStag

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA Day 5 - This is going better

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (5)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Witch Hazel, Osma Alum

The girls in my house are taking over the bathroom counter so this SOTD pic is in honor of them. It's cool, though, they're cute and I'll keep 'em around.

Today's shave again went very well. First few days were awful and I was ready to quit, but since correcting the angle of the razor and really working to make my skin as flat of a surface as possible, the shaves have gone quite well. Nicked myself on my 3rd pass tonight on my neck a bit, but overall an excellent shave.

Of course I'm still learning the MMOC, and it's too early to say whether I'm going to end up loving it or hating it, but doing this is definitely forcing me back to basics and that's got to be good for my shaving technique overall. I can't just go on autopilot - I really have to pay attention to pressure and angle and speed and stretching skin and growth pattern and all that. So - I'll call it a win.

Tonight with Sonder I got a bit more aquatic, especially in the aftershave. It smelled a whole lot like Admiral to me, and I really don't know why - they have no notes in common in their scent profiles. But - it's a high compliment, Admiral is up there as possibly my favorite scent. The first pass lather was a bit too thick, but I added water to subsequent passes and they were slick and smooth. No real hiccups to speak of.

I feel like at this point we're just talking about incremental improvements on the Zenith, and even then it's not super noticeable to me, but I did take a comparison shot of a decently broken in Semogue Owners Club for reference. That knot is much smaller at only 24mm (vs the 28 of the Zenith), but it's obviously much more filled out due to being so broken in. I suspect this Zenith will replace the Semogue as my go to boar for a while - I really like the added size of it.

Sonder thought of the day today comes courtesy of my second born - my only son. He's a challenge at times. Ok, he's a challenge daily. He feels emotions, both good and bad, to their fullest. When he's happy, he's all in. When he's mad, watch out. He's a lot like his dad in that way and when I see the bad parts of me in him, it's a tough pill to swallow. But - he turned 4 in May and he's no longer in the toddler/little kid stage, but he's not quite in the "I'm a big kid" stage either. He's kind of stuck in between, and he's often overshadowed by his older sister. But - he's not a toddler anymore and he wants to be bigger, and in so many ways he is. I think this summer at home with him made me realize how much of a little person he'd really become. My kids, and yours, are people, too. Sometimes that thought hits me right in the face, especially with my boy. He might be difficult, he might be more mad than he should or more silly or whatever, but he's a person, just like me. His world, while smaller, is every bit as vivid and unique as my own. He's not some robot to be programmed, he's a human to be raised and cared for and loved and on and on. It's hard as your kids get older (and I'm sure those with kids beyond 6 can speak more to this than me), but it's hard because you watch them experience the world as people - with all it's joy and sadness and disappointment and excitement - and when you're the one who brings the happiness, it's awesome. But when you're the one who blew it and caused the disappointment, oof. That one sucks.

Anyway - my kids are people, too. My son feels emotions to the fullest and that's often very difficult for me as a parent to help him navigate, but as I consider from him perspective, it's probably hard for him, too. And he needs my help. And his brain is so undeveloped that he doesn't have skills or even ability to manage those emotions. So. I'm going to work on doing better, trying to be more patient, and encouraging him toward better expression of those emotions but also recognize the wonder in the differences and similarities that we have.

Have a good night, all.

Edit: forgot my tags

#mammothmafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Edit 2: goodness, accidentally said I used not Sonder. Definitely used Sonder.

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA Day 5

• Brush: ShaveForge 28mm Boar, 3d Printed Handle #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM Stainless (5)

• 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

Family descended upon our house, so I barely had enough time to shave, let alone journal the process.

Brush keeps getting softer, and less smelly.

I'm dealing with some pretty bad razor burn under my chin, so I did apply some Stirling Unscented Balm for the health of my skin.

Still used 3g of soap. Consumption hasn't declined yet.

Aug. 5, 2022

• Brush: Maggard 28mm Boar
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (5)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Soap

• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Midnight Stag - Balm

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

Good shave again today. As others have said, feels like the harshness of the new GEM blade has wore off and is now very comfortable. Still not loading enough for multiple passes. I think the treated tips are just pushing soap around instead of grabbing it. Could also be part of the break in still? We'll see with time. Brush is very comfy, no broken tips this shave. I'm still thinking about taking the quarter out of the handle after AA. We'll see. Gosh, got home from work and passed out. Didn't realize how tired I was I guess.

Boar Break In Album

Stag spray

#RawHoggin

#SubstantialStag

#GemsOfWisdom

#UNCHALLENGE

Aug. 5, 2022 - AA 5

• Prep: Cold Water Splash
• Brush: Semogue 1305 Pure Bristle 22mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2
• Blade: GEM PTFE (11)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Balm

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

Alright, no fat fingers fucking up the input on my phone today. Shaving even later than all the previous nights. Hopefully the shave ~~gods~~ judges take pity on me and don’t succumb to the data of our bot overlords.

Progress album. Realized and added in a couple of the unboxing pics today to start of the album too, since they were separate in the first post. SOTD in title.

Surprise! It’s still scratchy. Got a little better under my chin, but still feeling some razor burn with 2x passes. I feel like my “soul patch” area is taking a bit of a beating, breaking out a little as I hack it up. Also, not sure if it’s the balm itself or more due to the razor, but the mammoth Sonder gives me a little burn which I typically attribute to alcohol splashes. Probably more tied to the razor I think, but there I did read the ingredients today and a type of alcohol was listed too, so maybe just that. #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

Aug 5, 2022 Trickhole Stag + MMOC + RawHog

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Dogwood Unbleached Boar
• Razor: MMOC MM24
• Blade: GEM (6)
• Lather: Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag
• Post Shave:Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag Balm
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face Grooming Midnight Stag

Stagging it up

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

Cheers