The Shaving Cadre

Welcome to The Shaving Cadre, a forum dedicated to gentlemanly discourse about wet shaving and other topics of common interests. Membership is always free so register today and join in the fun

SOTD May 2026

Sunday, May 10, 2026

1778464767379.jpeg

What a terrific shave today. I lost my MdC virginity this afternoon. This stuff lathers so easily... amazing. I used my Razorock GC with the .68-p base plate with a Rex Platinum(4). The MdC provided great protection and slickness. BBS finish.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (Epic Shave!)
Smoothness: ★★★★★ (BBS Perfection)
Irritation: ★★☆☆☆ (Barely There)

Time of Day: Afternoon 🌤️
Blade Uses: 4
Passes: 3 on cheeks, 2 on neck

Razor: Razorock Game Changer .68-P
Blade: Rex Platinum
Soap: Martin de Candre Nature
Shaving Bowl: CaYuen Workshop The Copper Ore Shaving Bowl
Brush: PAA Moon Stryker
Pre-Shave: Hot Shower
Aftershave: PAA Alum Solid Block No slip Grip.
Aftershave 2: Thayer's Cucumber Facial Toner - Witch Hazel
Aftershave 3: Ariana & Evans Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash
Aftershave 4: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream



Generated by Shaving Sherpa — Shaving Sherpa - Master Your Wet Shaving Journey
 
Sunday, May 10, 2026

View attachment 158989

What a terrific shave today. I lost my MdC virginity this afternoon. This stuff lathers so easily... amazing. I used my Razorock GC with the .68-p base plate with a Rex Platinum(4). The MdC provided great protection and slickness. BBS finish.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (Epic Shave!)
Smoothness: ★★★★★ (BBS Perfection)
Irritation: ★★☆☆☆ (Barely There)

Time of Day: Afternoon 🌤️
Blade Uses: 4
Passes: 3 on cheeks, 2 on neck

Razor: Razorock Game Changer .68-P
Blade: Rex Platinum
Soap: Martin de Candre Nature
Shaving Bowl: CaYuen Workshop The Copper Ore Shaving Bowl
Brush: PAA Moon Stryker
Pre-Shave: Hot Shower
Aftershave: PAA Alum Solid Block No slip Grip.
Aftershave 2: Thayer's Cucumber Facial Toner - Witch Hazel
Aftershave 3: Ariana & Evans Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash
Aftershave 4: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream



Generated by Shaving Sherpa — Shaving Sherpa - Master Your Wet Shaving Journey
Outstanding shave Lantzman! MdC is amazing!
Shavuah Tov,
Paul
 
Sunday, May 10, 2026

View attachment 158989

What a terrific shave today. I lost my MdC virginity this afternoon. This stuff lathers so easily... amazing. I used my Razorock GC with the .68-p base plate with a Rex Platinum(4). The MdC provided great protection and slickness. BBS finish.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (Epic Shave!)
Smoothness: ★★★★★ (BBS Perfection)
Irritation: ★★☆☆☆ (Barely There)

Time of Day: Afternoon 🌤️
Blade Uses: 4
Passes: 3 on cheeks, 2 on neck

Razor: Razorock Game Changer .68-P
Blade: Rex Platinum
Soap: Martin de Candre Nature
Shaving Bowl: CaYuen Workshop The Copper Ore Shaving Bowl
Brush: PAA Moon Stryker
Pre-Shave: Hot Shower
Aftershave: PAA Alum Solid Block No slip Grip.
Aftershave 2: Thayer's Cucumber Facial Toner - Witch Hazel
Aftershave 3: Ariana & Evans Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash
Aftershave 4: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream



Generated by Shaving Sherpa — Shaving Sherpa - Master Your Wet Shaving Journey
Fabulous shave indeed Akhi!

I’m still an MdC virgin but perhaps not for too much longer!

Shavuah Tov!

Jeff
 
Menthol Monday’s Frigid Report:

Hot shower
Yaqi 30mm Barber Pole
Super Speed/Perma Sharp day 9
Stirling Glacial Frozen Tuxedo SS
Gold Bond Moisturizer
Stirling Glacial Frozen Tuxedo AS Splash

This was such a great Grand Freeze - the Glacial Frozen Tuxedo soap delivered tons of terrific, gorgeously scented lather that was so rich, creamy, mega slick and protective as well as a killer cold menthol sensation, and such a wonderful post-shave feeling that the Gold Bond moisturizer enhanced. Finally the Glacial Frozen Tuxedo aftershave which has that same magnificent scent as the soap - even my wife loves it on me. Three passes me a dynamite BBS shave to start the week!

Happy shaving - be well and stay safe!

JeffIMG_6497.jpeg
 
what bay rum aftershaves do you like? @Ram57 is, along with myself, quite the bay rum aficionado
Thanks, I'm not a bay rum afficionado, but I enjoy the scent. I know I have Ogallala Bay Rum, Limes & Peppercorns and Captain's Choice Bay Rum, also Krampert's Bay Rum Acadian Spice. I may have one or two more of samples or unopened products. I have a plastic container of items I've obtained but haven't used yet.
 
Menthol Monday’s Frigid Report:

Hot shower
Yaqi 30mm Barber Pole
Super Speed/Perma Sharp day 9
Stirling Glacial Frozen Tuxedo SS
Gold Bond Moisturizer
Stirling Glacial Frozen Tuxedo AS Splash

This was such a great Grand Freeze - the Glacial Frozen Tuxedo soap delivered tons of terrific, gorgeously scented lather that was so rich, creamy, mega slick and protective as well as a killer cold menthol sensation, and such a wonderful post-shave feeling that the Gold Bond moisturizer enhanced. Finally the Glacial Frozen Tuxedo aftershave which has that same magnificent scent as the soap - even my wife loves it on me. Three passes me a dynamite BBS shave to start the week!

Happy shaving - be well and stay safe!

JeffView attachment 158991
Nice shave Akhi! One of these days I might just have to expeince a shave of the Grand Freeze variety.

Paul
 
Monday 5/11 Shave
MODERN MAY
MDC MONDAY

Gutche shavette paired with the Rhino blade was wicked sharp
You require a featherlight touch when using this A77 system
One Pass WTG got me damn near DFS+
Minimal clean up with the Karve C-Plate
Overall a fantastic BBS shave result

Razor: Gutche A77 Shavette
Blade: Rhino A77 Blade (1X)
Clean Up: KARVE C Plate – Astra Blue Stainless
Lather: Martin de Candre NATURE
Brush: Omega Blue Handle “White Hair”
Post Shave: Sea Breeze Astringent

Post Shave: Williams Aqua Velva Ice Blue

IMG_3547DC.JPG
 
11 May, 2026

Hello everyone! Hope you had a pleasant evening.

Great shave this morning! Returned to RazoRock and their excellent Floid Blue homage, "Blue Label" shave soap and splash. Wonderful scent with incredible lather built with the RajonCajon synth for three passes with the Henson AL13 and I finished with alum, followed by Thayers unscented witch hazel, RazoRock Blue Barbershop aftershave splash, CBL Barber Powder & Mont Blanc "Presence" EdT.

BBS bliss!!

Hope you have a great day. :)

RazoRock / RajonCajon / Henson / Kai / Thayers

IMG_9224.jpg
 
May 11, 2026 (Mystic May Every Other Day)

• Brush: Semogue – 2000 (Boar)
• Razor: Muhle – R41 (Black)
• Blade: Barbero – Platinum
• Soap: Mystic Water – Brown Windsor
• Aftershave: Lucky Tiger – After Shave and Face Tonic
• Balm: Stirling – Unscented Post Shave Balm
• Fragrance: Mystic Water – Brown Windsor Perfume Oil

TL; DR: A follow up to yesterday's discussion of Strike Gold Soaps's Lewis and Clark scent, I discuss the actual scent that Lewis and Clark used (Brown Windsor) and review Mystic Water's Brown Windsor Shave Soap.

Yesterday, I explored (or ranted about, if you like) the historically anachronistic fragrance choices of Strike Gold Soaps’s after using their Lewis and Clark shave soap. This soap features scent notes of “citrus, cypress, Texas cedarwood, mahogany, wood smoke, and patchouli.” Not things I particularly care for, and I can easily see where I came up with the description of “rain-soaked rotting wood in a desert.” While Strike Gold’s goal was to create a soap that would conjure up the rugged outdoors, their take is kind of odd as these things don’t represent or exist in the terrain that Lewis and Clark (and Sacajawea, for that matter) were traversing.

It occurred to me yesterday evening that I not only was aware of what actual scent Lewis and Clark used, but also had it in my shave soap and fragrance collection. Allow me to present that fragrance to you: Brown Windsor. And, there is only one artisan that makes a shave soap of this scent: Michelle Burns of Mystic Water.

As I have gotten to know Michelle a bit better, I have learned some of the stories that inspired her to become a soapmaker. One was of a particular scent that was popular in the Colonial Era and inspired her to recreate some historical scents: Bayberry. “As a child, at a Revolutionary War museum,” Michelle wrote, “I purchased a ball of bayberry soap and treasured it for years. Somehow the idea of pioneer crafts made an impression on me and I developed a passion for ‘forgotten’ skills. Bayberry is a native American plant that produces a berry with a fragrant, herbal/spicy waxy coating. Boiling the berries, cooling and skimming the liquid provided a wax that was used to scent beeswax candles and soap in the Colonial era…It's hard to describe but it's one of those scents that is evocative of the past and associated with special occasions and holidays.” These experiences no doubt inspired her to make her excellent Bayberry soap (not available as a shave soap, unfortunately) and to recreate a Brown Windsor scented soap.

Brown Windsor is a historical scent from England that was especially popular in Europe during the 1700s and early 1800s. Napoleon, Queen Victoria, Lewis and Clark, and even Winston Churchill used it extensively. As Michelle writes: “Brown Windsor is scented with an intriguing blend of essential oils: herbaceous and floral lavender, sweet and spicy caraway seed oil, the fruity citrus of Bergamot and petitgrain, with warm notes of cinnamon leaf, cardamom and clove.”

Of the few soapmakers in the US who produce Brown Windsor as a bath soap, each used a historical recipe that is the same as Michelle’s blend. The result is a well-rounded, balanced, and complex scent that surprisingly works as well in warm weather as it does in cold. Unlike Florida Water, it is a bit more mature and has greater longevity. There is a greater freshness to it. The clove is not detectable as clove (much the way black pepper in a larger dish gives a warming sensation more so than a flavoring). The petitgrain forms a nice fresh base for the herbs, limited citrus, and spices to become one. Despite being a historical scent, it blends well with today’s scents and does not smell out of place in a modern context.

Michelle creates the essential blend herself and makes a fantastic shave soap, of course. I enjoyed it so much that I even had her make me a perfume oil roll on. At $9.20, these represent the best value in perfumery. She is generous with the oils and I get six or more hours of longevity easily with a single swipe. I can also carry it easily in my pocket if I felt I needed more, but again, I don’t really. As always, I recommend her products (especially Brown Windsor) with the highest enthusiasm. Remember, her sample policy (3 samples for $4 and $5 shipping).

We have some amazing artisans in our community on the cutting edge of scents (and brush or razor making, etc). And, I should say, I do not mean to be disparaging or negative about Strike Gold Soaps. They are creating interesting and good products. But, as a historian, it warms my heart to know that these authentic recipes of the past are being preserved. I did say so much of this hobby was about nostalgia, but I am noticing that the majority of us are really acting like historians in this hobby. We are preserving the past, telling stories, and keeping/updating the past.

Have an awesome day, friends!

Brown Windsor 2.jpg
 
May 11, 2026 (Mystic May Every Other Day)

• Brush: Semogue – 2000 (Boar)
• Razor: Muhle – R41 (Black)
• Blade: Barbero – Platinum
• Soap: Mystic Water – Brown Windsor
• Aftershave: Lucky Tiger – After Shave and Face Tonic
• Balm: Stirling – Unscented Post Shave Balm
• Fragrance: Mystic Water – Brown Windsor Perfume Oil

TL; DR: A follow up to yesterday's discussion of Strike Gold Soaps's Lewis and Clark scent, I discuss the actual scent that Lewis and Clark used (Brown Windsor) and review Mystic Water's Brown Windsor Shave Soap.

Yesterday, I explored (or ranted about, if you like) the historically anachronistic fragrance choices of Strike Gold Soaps’s after using their Lewis and Clark shave soap. This soap features scent notes of “citrus, cypress, Texas cedarwood, mahogany, wood smoke, and patchouli.” Not things I particularly care for, and I can easily see where I came up with the description of “rain-soaked rotting wood in a desert.” While Strike Gold’s goal was to create a soap that would conjure up the rugged outdoors, their take is kind of odd as these things don’t represent or exist in the terrain that Lewis and Clark (and Sacajawea, for that matter) were traversing.

It occurred to me yesterday evening that I not only was aware of what actual scent Lewis and Clark used, but also had it in my shave soap and fragrance collection. Allow me to present that fragrance to you: Brown Windsor. And, there is only one artisan that makes a shave soap of this scent: Michelle Burns of Mystic Water.

As I have gotten to know Michelle a bit better, I have learned some of the stories that inspired her to become a soapmaker. One was of a particular scent that was popular in the Colonial Era and inspired her to recreate some historical scents: Bayberry. “As a child, at a Revolutionary War museum,” Michelle wrote, “I purchased a ball of bayberry soap and treasured it for years. Somehow the idea of pioneer crafts made an impression on me and I developed a passion for ‘forgotten’ skills. Bayberry is a native American plant that produces a berry with a fragrant, herbal/spicy waxy coating. Boiling the berries, cooling and skimming the liquid provided a wax that was used to scent beeswax candles and soap in the Colonial era…It's hard to describe but it's one of those scents that is evocative of the past and associated with special occasions and holidays.” These experiences no doubt inspired her to make her excellent Bayberry soap (not available as a shave soap, unfortunately) and to recreate a Brown Windsor scented soap.

Brown Windsor is a historical scent from England that was especially popular in Europe during the 1700s and early 1800s. Napoleon, Queen Victoria, Lewis and Clark, and even Winston Churchill used it extensively. As Michelle writes: “Brown Windsor is scented with an intriguing blend of essential oils: herbaceous and floral lavender, sweet and spicy caraway seed oil, the fruity citrus of Bergamot and petitgrain, with warm notes of cinnamon leaf, cardamom and clove.”

Of the few soapmakers in the US who produce Brown Windsor as a bath soap, each used a historical recipe that is the same as Michelle’s blend. The result is a well-rounded, balanced, and complex scent that surprisingly works as well in warm weather as it does in cold. Unlike Florida Water, it is a bit more mature and has greater longevity. There is a greater freshness to it. The clove is not detectable as clove (much the way black pepper in a larger dish gives a warming sensation more so than a flavoring). The petitgrain forms a nice fresh base for the herbs, limited citrus, and spices to become one. Despite being a historical scent, it blends well with today’s scents and does not smell out of place in a modern context.

Michelle creates the essential blend herself and makes a fantastic shave soap, of course. I enjoyed it so much that I even had her make me a perfume oil roll on. At $9.20, these represent the best value in perfumery. She is generous with the oils and I get six or more hours of longevity easily with a single swipe. I can also carry it easily in my pocket if I felt I needed more, but again, I don’t really. As always, I recommend her products (especially Brown Windsor) with the highest enthusiasm. Remember, her sample policy (3 samples for $4 and $5 shipping).

We have some amazing artisans in our community on the cutting edge of scents (and brush or razor making, etc). And, I should say, I do not mean to be disparaging or negative about Strike Gold Soaps. They are creating interesting and good products. But, as a historian, it warms my heart to know that these authentic recipes of the past are being preserved. I did say so much of this hobby was about nostalgia, but I am noticing that the majority of us are really acting like historians in this hobby. We are preserving the past, telling stories, and keeping/updating the past.

Have an awesome day, friends!

View attachment 159006
Hmmm. May have to check out the Brown Windsor shave soap. :unsure:
 
Back
Top