Not quite Music City USA

[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Karve Overlander
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum
Brush: Simpson B5 Beaufort Pure Badger
Lather: Zingari Man The Watchman
Aftershave: Zingari Man The Watchman Aftershave Balm
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

As of right now, if someone asks me to recommend a great razor to start with that could be a lifetime razor, my recommendation is the Karve Overlander. Steel, not brass. Brass is a bit of work, fostering a nice patina over years. I'm doing it, with a CB too, but slowly.

The Watchman is presented as a dark and stormy scent. It is another testament to my bizarre nose that it reminds me of Joop! The happy scent!

I'm a big fan of this Beaufort Simpson with Pure hair. I like the scritch just fine.

This was a real treat of a shave!

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[fhalden]

Today's shave:
Razor: Paradigm Diamondback
Blade: Gillette Nacet Stainless
Brush: Omega Evo
Lather: Zingari Man The Navigator
Aftershave: Zingari Man The Navigator Recovery Splash
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

Great razor
Great soap
Great brush
Great blade
Great shave
Happiness

- e.e. cummings(not really)

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[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Paradigm Diamondback 2020
Blade: Gillette Nacet Stainless
Brush: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Amber Aerolite
Lather: Williams Mug Soap Tallow Formula
Aftershave: Royall Mandarin After Shave Lotion
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

Some classic wetshaving controversies are amusing and interesting to follow, but there are a few that over the years, set a hook in me, and I had to get the product and see for myself. That's what brought Arko, Lilac Vegetal, Tabac, MWF into my life. But I have no excuse for not having already tried Williams. I bought a NOS tallow puck and I have a recent puck I even put in a mug, but I never used it. I believed the haters for once.

This was a mistake, and one I don't usually make. I should have bought it and tried it at the beginning of this journey.

So I've tried it now. It's a great soap.

Earth did not shatter, and it performed like I expected it to. It lathered easily, made plenty, and it never hinted at dissipating, so those are three aspects of Williams' reputation that I found to not be issues at all.

Williams Tallow Mug Soap is as slick as any soap I've used. I can make a long list of soaps that are not as slick for me.

I can't comment on cushion, because I've never experienced anything I could identify as cushion.

It never made any sense to me to make determinations about a soap after one use, so I'll just say that I was very happy with this soap, and will be very interested in trying the new formula. My opinion of the tallow soap v. vegan soap controversy is that I think it really doesn't make much difference. But I'll try the new one tomorrow and see what I find out.

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[GearNoir]

Earth did not shatter

Surely a tectonic plate shifted somewhere in the world!

 

[Graybeard57]

My opinion of the tallow soap v. vegan soap controversy is that I think it really doesn't make much difference.

I've found that the majority of soaps I favor are tallow, so I just stick to that and am very pleased with the results.

 

[fhalden]

I've found that the majority of soaps I favor are tallow, so I just stick to that and am very pleased with the results.

Yep, I would never make a pronouncement beyond a mere expression of my experience. I'm definitely in the minority who don't have a preference.

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[heysi]

Welcome to the Williams club. We had jackets but the manufacturer also stopped production.

 

[fhalden]

Today's shave

Razor: Wolfman WR2 1.05
Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Sovereign Coronation Commemorative
Lather: Zingari Man The Gent
Aftershave: Zingari Man The Gent Recovery Splash
Balm: Zingari Man The Gent Aftershave Balm
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

Insomnia. Thank goodness I have the day off.

The shave was very calming. The Gent is a terrific scent.

And I am one of those who feel that the second shave with a Feather Hi-Stainless is far superior to the first. That turned out to be the case with this instance. That's been my experience with them since the beginning.

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[GearNoir]

Insomnia.

What do you do for it? Get up and do stuff?

 

[fhalden]

What do you do for it? Get up and do stuff?

If it's really bad, like last night, I'll just listen to the radio. I can't really move around the house because I don't want to possibly wake my 80 year old Mother. I read a lot and watch math and physics courses on YouTube. You can watch all the lectures from all the MIT undergrad classes online for $0.

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[GearNoir]

If it's really bad, like last night, I'll just listen to the radio…and watch math and physics courses on YouTube. You can watch all the lectures from all the MIT undergrad classes online for $0.

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That’d put me to sleep for sure!

 

[woodpusher]

When my wife couldn't sleep, she would ask me to tell her what I did for a living. True story!

 

[fhalden]

When my wife couldn't sleep, she would ask me to tell her what I did for a living. True story!

Did it work? I might pay you to tell me!

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[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Rex Supply Envoy Deluxe Gold Plated
Blade: Personna Platinum Israeli Red
Brush: Simpson A1 Astor Best Badger
Lather: Saponificio Varesino Desert Vetiver
Aftershave: Saponificio Varesino Desert Vetiver
Additional Care:
Humphreys Maravilla
Osma Tradition Alum Block

What a shave!

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[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Gillette Fatboy Adjustable F3 1960
Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium
Brush: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Amber Areolite
Lather: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Sci-Fi Lime
Aftershave: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Sci-Fi Lime
Additional Care:
Zingari Man Hydration Potion

I don't talk about this brand of soap. I'd be happy to explain why privately.

The Fatboy on 3 is as good as it gets. It is a beautiful razor.

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[heysi]

I love me a FatBoy.

 

[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Above The Tie Windsor SSRH w/Atlas handle
Blade: Gillette Nacet Stainless
Brush: Simpson Persian Jar PJ3
Lather: Zingari Man No. 1
Aftershave: Zingari Man No. 1
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

Roses, Vanilla, Oud. If you bet this parlay, No. 1 wins the bet.

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[GearNoir]

Excellent scent combo!

 

[fhalden]

Today's shave:

Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing Model 921- M Medium plate
Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium
Brush: Simpson Eagle Pure Badger
Lather: Zingari Man The Traditionalist
Aftershave: Zingari Man The Traditionalist Aftershave Balm; Recovery Splash
Additional Care:
Osma Tradition Alum Block

These Zingari Man post-shave products are a revelation. My face recovers so much faster when I use the recovery splash. That's a claim that, if I read it, I'd be skeptical. But this is really good stuff.

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[ALI]

Frank, I love that you have all your shave journal entries consolidated here. I truly enjoy reading your posts each day. They are always very thoughtful.