MarkB's Basses, Shaves & Other Obsessions

[MarkB]

23 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

It's "Metal Monday" and today I'm going with a couple from the incomparable Ronnie James Dio. Hope you enjoy.

Nothing fancy about today's shave. Just a collection of great products which together provided fantastic BBS results. Returned to my vintage Williams shave soap with a lack of scent so strong, it would meet with the approval of @Graybeard57. Incredible lather though, built with the Stirling Soap Co. synth for two passes (+ touch up) with the '58 Super Speed and I finished up with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" witch hazel and vintage Pierre Cardin "Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur" aftershave splash and EdC.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Rough morning. Did NOT want to get up.

Hope you have a great day.

Williams / Stirling Soap Co. / Gillette / Quinn's / Pierre Cardin

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[GearNoir]

Great catch up posts NurseMark!

 

[Graybeard57]

Returned to my vintage Williams shave soap with a lack of scent so strong, it would meet with the approval of @Graybeard57.

I can verify its ultra strong Unscent power. FTR, I could NOT smell it up here in Pittsburgh. Way to rock the Unscent, Mark.

 

[MarkB]

24 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with a live mini-performance from jazz great, Stanley Clarke. Hope you enjoy.

"Best Shave of the Week" contender this morning! Returned to Phoenix Shaving and their excellent summer mash-up, "Atomic Peach" soap and splash. Great bay rum/peach scent with incredible built with the Paladin 2-band badger brush for three passes with the British Gillette No.58 and I finished up with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" witch hazel, the matching aftershave lotion and Phoenix Shaving "Atomic Age Bay Rum" EdP.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Wow weee! It's already in the upper 80's and headed to a high near 100° today! Heat indices could go as high as 107.

Hope you have a great day.

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements / Paladin / Gillette / Quinn's

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[NurseDave]

Way to slap the unscent in the faaaaaaace!

 

[GearNoir]

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Wow weee! It's already in the upper 80's and headed to a high near 100° today! Heat indices could go as high as 107.

 

[NurseDave]

View attachment 146649

Gear, it's the poor subsistence of folks that live farther inland than 2 miles from the Pacific.

 

[heysi]

Gear, it's the poor subsistence of folks that live farther inland than 2 miles from the Pacific.

Its even worse for those of us that lived our whole life that close and are now considerably farther away.

 

[MarkB]

25 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

It's "Women of Rock Wednesday" and today I'm revisiting guitarist Lari Basilio. Hope you enjoy.

Been a while since I last used any of Fine's new soaps and although it provided a great shaving base, they can't hold a candle to the old soaps. Great AdP scent (but too light for me) with super slick lather built with the Brad Sears badger brush for three passes with the '67 Gillette Super Speed and I finished with alum. Acqua di Parma "Colonia" aftershave balm, and EdC

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report:



Hope you have a great day.

Fine Accoutrements / Brad Sears / Gillette / Acqua di Parma

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[GearNoir]

Have fun with those temps.

 

[NurseDave]

Diggin' the music this morning!

 

[MarkB]

26 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with a couple today from Pennsylvania rockers, The Ocean Blue. Hope you enjoy.

Fantastic shave this morning! Returned to The Art of Shaving and their Lemon shave soap. Very light scent but a very slick and cushioning lather built with the Sorrentino Brushworks synth for three passes with the '56 Gillette "Gold Tip" and I finished with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" witch hazel and Murray and Lanman Peruvian Florida Water.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Another hot and muggy day on tap.

Hope you have a great day.

The Art of Shaving / Sorrentino Brushworks / Gillette / Quinn's / Murray and Lanman

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[MarkB]

27 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with a couple from Brownsville TX. rockers Twin Tribes. Hope you enjoy.

Fantastic shave with which to end the workweek. Returned to ETHOS Grooming Essentials and Franks' excellent "Nuage De Citron" soap and skin food. Nice bright, tart lemon scent with incredibly slick and cushioning lather built with the Aylsworth G5C synth for three passes with the '56 Gillette "Gold Tip" and I finished with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" witch hazel, the matching skin food splash, Pecksniff's "Grapefruit & Citron" talc and Dior "Eau Sauvage" EdT.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Happy Friday!

Hope you have a great day.

ETHOS Grooming Essentials / Aylsworth / Gillette / Quinn's / Pecksniff's / Dior

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[heysi]

Happy Friday!

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What Gear declares...Mark confirms. (or its the other way around......I'm not checking to see which one posted first)

 

[Graybeard57]

What Gear declares...Mark confirms. (or it’s the other way around......I'm not checking to see which one posted first)

Friday starts earlier on the east coast. FTR, so does the weekend. Not that I even care anymore.

 

[MarkB]

28 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

It's "Synthwave Saturday" so here's a playlist for your afternoon. Hope you enjoy.

Phenomenal shave today!! Returned to CBL Soaps and Chris' excellent "Spaghetti Western" soap and aftershave tonic. Fantastic scent with incredible lather built with the Wild West Brushworks synth for three passes with the '69 Gillette Super 109 and I finished with alum and the matching aftershave.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Smoked some ribs today and they came out great! Dry rub plus some of this to top them off. My favorite BBQ sauce for ribs! Chill night planned. I can hear thunder so we have storms on the way.

Key Lime BBQ

Pepper Palace's key lime BBQ sauce offers a unique caribbean twist with zesty lime and rich spices. Perfect for grilling and marinades. Try it now!

pepperpalace.com

Hope you have a great day.

CBL Premium Shave Soap / Wild West Brushworks/ Gillette

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[MarkB]

29 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with a nice, relaxing ambient selection for your Sunday. Hope you enjoy.

Wonderful shave today!! Returned to my vintage Shulton "Old Spice" ensemble with its fantastic "Old School" scent and incredible lather built with the Stirling Soap Co. synth for three passes with the Feather AC straight and I finished with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" with hazel and the matching aftershave lotion, talc and EdC.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Had planned on going out and running a few errands today but I'm on call and there are storms popping up everywhere so I guess it a "hang out at the house" day.

Hope you have a great day.

Shulton / Stirling Soap Co. / Feather / Kai / Quinn's

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[MarkB]

30 June, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with a couple of classics from Alice Cooper this morning. Hope you enjoy.

Incredible shave with which to kick off the (short) workweek! Returned to my vintage Yardley ensemble with its wonderful scent (except the soap) and incredible lather built with the Phoenix Shaving "Peregrino" synth for three passes with the Gillette Fatboy and I finished with alum, Thayers "Cucumber" with hazel and the matching aftershave lotion, talc and EdC.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Nice short week ahead. More vintage shaving goodness arriving today. Will try to get pics.

Hope you have a great day.

Yardley / Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements / Gillette / Thayers

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[Graybeard57]

Going with a couple of classics from Alice Cooper this morning. Hope you enjoy.

Alice Cooper is great! “I’m 18” came out when I was in jr high (I was 13), and it gave me something to look forward to. “School’s Out” was an annual celebration till I graduated HS.
I later learned he was a friend and neighbor of Groucho Marx. They golfed together. He told the story of how when Groucho couldn’t sleep, he’d call AC up, tell him to bring a six pack, and they’d sit and drink together till Groucho dozed off. Very good, kind man.

 

[MarkB]

1 July, 2025

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Going with what IMO is one of the greatest bands you've never heard of. These guys absolutely floored me when I first heard them back in the early 2000's. Today I'm featuring their fifth album in its entirety. The album is "BE" and it's a concept album focusing on the existence of God and humankind. Hope you enjoy.

Incredible shave with which to kick off the new month! Returned to Stirling Soap Co. and their excellent "Bay Rum" shave soap. Incredibly thick and slick lather built with the Paladin 2-band badger brush for three passes with the '49 Gillette Milord and I finished with alum, Quinn's "Grapefruit and Orange Rind" with hazel, vintage Avon "Bay Rum aftershave lotion, Clubman talc and Barberry Coast "Nature Isle" EdP.

The "Happy Hogan" Homefront Report: Not much to report. Strong storms moving in this afternoon and evening along with a front that, while not dropping the temperature, will knock down the humidity through the holiday weekend. Looking forward to that!

Hope you have a great day.

Stirling Soap Co. / Paladin / Gillette / Quinn's / Avon / Clubman / Barberry Coast

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