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Southern Wedgecrafts Wedgeday
- Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Papa Eld with Declaration Grooming B3 knot
- Razor: Wade & Butcher Celebrated Fine India Steel Razor -13/16 near wedge with barber’s notch
- Lather: Southern Witchcrafts Pomona
- Aftershave: Summer Break Soaps Teacher’s Pet
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Island Man
Kind of a good news, bad news situation. We have our first upset, but DG took a surprisingly brütal beating yesterday:
64 🦦 vs 26 🦬
Who would have thought just a few years ago that Declaration Grooming could lose this match-up by more than a 2-1 margin? DG was king. Talk about fall from grace 😳.
The race was never close, to the hour-by-hour horse race table is less interesting that the one for the BaM-SW nailbiter two days ago:
No DG Other Total Time (GMT) 0 0 0 0 06:00 1 1 0 2 07:00 3 1 0 4 08:00 4 2 1 7 09:00 6 3 1 10 10:00 8 4 1 13 11:00 14 5 2 21 12:00 18 6 4 28 13:00 27 10 5 42 14:00 32 12 5 49 15:00 37 14 5 56 16:00 40 15 6 61 17:00 42 16 7 65 18:00 42 17 8 67 19:00 46 18 8 72 20:00 47 18 8 73 21:00 49 18 8 75 22:00 50 19 8 77 23:00 52 20 8 80 00:00 57 22 8 87 01:00 58 22 9 89 02:00 61 23 9 93 03:00 62 25 9 96 04:00 62 26 9 97 04:45 I had mentioned that I suspected NO might win, just based on how visible the two brands have been in the sub recently, but I thought it’d be close. this almost Tabacalypse-level of clarity definitely took me by surprise.
Today’s Wedgeday shave is brought to by Southern Wedgecrafts and Wedge & Butcher. The heavy Sheffield cleaver is alwaysa joy to use and Pomona and Teacher’s Pet are a very uncontroversial pairing that immediately got me compliments from the missus. I’ll spritz on the Island Man before leaving for the office.
Surprising but welcome results. Noble Otter is just so great.
Agreed. And apologies, but I don’t know how to say this without being a dick, but DG is … not so great.
When I started this lifestyle back in 2020 Scott was all the rage. I think Milksteak was relatively new at that point? His scents and brushes never really clicked with me, which has saved me lots of money!
You and I started right around the same time, and I have had a similar experience. I do like some of his scents (Fake Yellow Light!), some of his dupes (MOTI!), and several of his collabs (Weinstrasse, YRP!), but I feel like every other time I heard from Scott in his own words, he was either complaining about his customers on podcasts on the chat, or making non-apology-apologies for long wait times and defective products like unlatherable Opulence and broken B12 knoots.
Wedgeday++;
My first contrarian loss. If each round went according to seed, and I pick the higher number in each round, I get to use 15 out of 16 soaps on competition days. If I pick the lower number in each round, and there are no upsets, 8 out of 16 soaps get used. Clearly, I have my own ideas of winning :)
Mar 20, 2024 - Deep Ellum
- Brush: Highlander Brushes Jade 26mm Cashmere Synthentic Knot
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [20]
- Lather: Crowne & Crane - Deep Ellum - Soap
- Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Druantia - Aftershave (Alcohol Free)
- Fragrance: Noble Otter - Monarch - Eau de Parfum
Crowne & Crane has a very easy-to-lather base, and Deep Ellum is a fantastic scent. This along with Peppered Plum are must tries. The Deep Ellum opening reminds me a little of Nordost, but it continues into a woodsier place. Followed up with the earthy Druantia, where the orange and ginger tied the scents together. Finally, Monarch capped off the shave and I got compliments from the Mrs.
Rating: 4.5/5
Deep Ellum is a neat little part of Dallas (an otherwise bleh city). I looked up thinking maybe Crowne & Crane was out of TX, but nope. Woodstock, GA.
Agreed, Deep Ellum is a very cool part of Dallas. Lots of history there.
March 20, 2024
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Brush: Wolfman WRB2 Bronze w/AP Shave Co MiG 26mm Premium Hybrid
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Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Soap
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Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
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Aftershave: Noble Otter - Cerberus - Aftershave
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Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus - Eau de Parfum
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.
Well I was shocked by yesterday’s beatdown of Declaration Grooming. I was certain that it would be close and that DG would win. This makes for my first loss in my contrarian, support the underdog strategy. Naturally, I’m devastated.
I enjoyed the last one so much, I decided to celebrate another Wedgeday.
For the first time using my Wedge & Butcher Fine India Steel, I get to say: razor buddies today 🍻
I hope the devastation will fade soon😅
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March 20, 2024
- Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts w/Maggard SHD 30mm Fan
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (8)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Aftershave
- Post Shave: CeraVe - Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - EdT
(#MMarch24)
Still undecided for tomorrow. On one hand, I can use Stirling and just copy and paste my SOTD text from today. On the other hand, my tub of Wood Shop is in the bathroom because I made someone a smush of it today. If I’m sending smooshes of something, that means I like it… but I also like Varen a lot.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024: Schafmilch Mittwoch – Going in for the kill
- Preshave: Proraso Green Preshave
- Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club Boar 🐗 ‘Taj’
- Razor: Parker Straight Razor
- Lather: Haslinger Schafmilch 🐑
- Postshave: Naissance 702 Witch Hazel
- Postshave: Pitralon Classic After Shave
- Postshave: Nivea After Shave Balm
I decided to get rid of the Schafmilch soap, and use it until its over. There is still one more shave in it; maybe I will focus afterwards on Marduk – even though I should probably wait for summer. I rather enjoy the Pitralon Classic – definitely better than Skin Bracer.
Have a good evening!
