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LRod's Acquisition and everything else Thread!

If you really want to make me envious, not that I am that important, you would just get a Muramasa and get it over with! :devil:
(Well, wait until the upcoming 15% off at least. I can't even look at the website or I will order a brush as an "add on item.")
And of course I've been looking at the Muramasa (and reading everything about it), LOL! I was close to buying one too in order to have another Tatara. But I don't think I'll be doing it. The consensus says that even on it's highest setting it's way milder than the Nodachi, doesn't quite feel like it and has zero blade feel. I like razors on the more aggressive side and I like blade feel. So as awesome as it seems and looks, I don't think it would be a good match for me. Unfortunately!
I love the Nodachi. Like really love it!
And the X1 as well. But the X1 is SE so I kind of leave it out of comparisons with DE. They're way to different!
 
I think I've amassed a nice collection so far of upper tier razors. I can't continue on a buying spree!
I've got enough of what I would consider "best ones for me" to play around for a while. My goal is to find the best anyways and stick to those. All I have outstanding is the pre-order that I did for a Smart Helix Apollo. And because of the situation in the Ukraine, I don't really know if that will ever materialize. I'm hoping it does because it looks like a beautiful tool. And then as I mentioned before, I might go ahead and get the silver Nodachi to have as a spare since the prices are cheap right now. Other than that it's Wolfman territory and that's somewhere I don't want to go. And for some reason, (up to this point) those haven't really piqued my interest at all. I get the "custom made" thing and all but I don't really see them as custom made as some people say they are. They'll piece together for you a head & handle from a predetermined selection (that they designed) in different metals with different blade gaps. And charge an arm and a leg for that!
For me custom made means: I design the handle, head, blade gap and have it made in whatever metal I choose. I believe that would be worth the cost!
Just my opinion of course!
 
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Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
I think I've amassed a nice collection so far of upper tier razors. I can't continue on a buying spree!
I've got enough of what I would consider "best ones for me" to play around for a while. My goal is to find the best anyways and stick to those. All I have outstanding is the pre-order that I did for a Smart Helix Apollo. And because of the situation in the Ukraine, I don't really know if that will ever materialize. I'm hoping it does because it looks like a beautiful tool. And then as I mentioned before, I might go ahead and get the silver Nodachi to have as a spare since the prices are cheap right now. Other than that it's Wolfman territory and that's somewhere I don't want to go. And for some reason, (up to this point) those haven't really piqued my interest at all. I get the "custom made" thing and all but I don't really see them as custom made as some people say they are. They'll piece together for you a head & handle from a predetermined selection (that they designed) in different metals with different blade gaps. And charge an arm and a leg for that!
For me custom made means: I design the handle, head, blade gap and have it made in whatever metal I choose. I believe that would be worth the cost!
Just my opinion of course!
Buying a Wolfman simply scares me.... if you read the threads here, people end up buying 2, 3, 4 or 5 before they find their "sweet spot"... I realize, they sell of the ones that aren't a match... but there is Always a loss. Then you add in the 3 or 4 months wait after you get one what isn't perfect for you... If I ever buy one, it'll be a used one from BST.

But like you, Larry... a Wolfman isn't really on my radar at this point....My razor buying frenzy is over... just like my brushes are complete now. I'm not silly enough to promise I'll never buy another razor, but the thrill is gone... <eg> (at the moment).

I still have quite a few DE razors I own but haven't tried yet. I sort of need to catch up over the next few months. Only shaving every other day, as I've mentioned, makes that more of a challenge. Add to that... I just love a few of my razors and I end up just picking one back up and using it again. All my favorites have blades in them... all ready to go at a simple thought that pops into my head....
 
12 hours after the Elite shave and my face is surprisingly smooth. Strange considering the fact that I didn't feel that closeness upon finishing my shave last night. I'm assuming that it's because the actual shave wasn't as smooth as expected. But it definitely was a close shave based on today's 12 hour mark. So that's a definite plus since that was a concern. That means that the only unresolved issue is the shave smoothness. And I'm sure I can resolve that by changing the angle and possibly trying another blade. I've loaded an Astor Bic stainless for tonight so we will see how it goes.
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
Other than that it's Wolfman territory and that's somewhere I don't want to go. And for some reason, (up to this point) those haven't really piqued my interest at all. I get the "custom made" thing and all but I don't really see them as custom made as some people say they are. They'll piece together for you a head & handle from a predetermined selection (that they designed) in different metals with different blade gaps. And charge an arm and a leg for that!
For me custom made means: I design the handle, head, blade gap and have it made in whatever metal I choose. I believe that would be worth the cost!
Just my opinion of course!

Buying a Wolfman simply scares me.... if you read the threads here, people end up buying 2, 3, 4 or 5 before they find their "sweet spot"... I realize, they sell of the ones that aren't a match... but there is Always a loss. Then you add in the 3 or 4 months wait after you get one what isn't perfect for you... If I ever buy one, it'll be a used one from BST.

But like you, Larry... a Wolfman isn't really on my radar at this point....My razor buying frenzy is over... just like my brushes are complete now. I'm not silly enough to promise I'll never buy another razor, but the thrill is gone... <eg> (at the moment).
I felt the same way.

I started out selecting a variety of vintage razors, started a Fatip collection, got a few Game Changers and was pretty happy for about a year or so.

Got an ATT SE1 cap and baseplate in SS, used one of my own handles. Feeling the head assembly still too heavy, got the aluminum baseplate and found the balance much better.

Started my Karve collection.

Then I got my Ti95SB with the serrated SS cap, and found the balance just right.

Kept thinking about the long waiting list and $$$ for a Wolfman and got an Executive instead.

Only took me a year to find a nice Executive for a decent price, and decided to put my name on the Waiting List, then got a Lupo 95SB as it is supposed to be comparable to a WR2 1.25.

In the meantime I found someone that was willing to let me borrow his WR2 1.15 as he was so thrilled with his Sailor that he wasn't using either of his Wolfman razors and wanted me to modify some handles for him. Jim also has a WR2 1.35.

After using Jim's WR2 1.15 for 6 months I got a WR2 0.95 in matte SS when my name came up and couldn't have been happier with my choice.:LMS Still am.:cheerful: I use one of my own handles!:thumbup1:

@Chan Eil Whiskers also let me borrow his Ti95OC baseplate which I kept for scientific reasons.

If you put your name on the Wolman waiting list you are not committing to buying one, you are only indicating that you want to buy one, if not happy with your purchase, they generally sell on BST for a profit in minutes.

Just saying guys...


~doug~
 
I felt the same way.

I started out selecting a variety of vintage razors, started a Fatip collection, got a few Game Changers and was pretty happy for about a year or so.

Got an ATT SE1 cap and baseplate in SS, used one of my own handles. Feeling the head assembly still too heavy, got the aluminum baseplate and found the balance much better.

Started my Karve collection.

Then I got my Ti95SB with the serrated SS cap, and found the balance just right.

Kept thinking about the long waiting list and $$$ for a Wolfman and got an Executive instead.

Only took me a year to find a nice Executive for a decent price, and decided to put my name on the Waiting List, then got a Lupo 95SB as it is supposed to be comparable to a WR2 1.25.

In the meantime I found someone that was willing to let me borrow his WR2 1.15 as he was so thrilled with his Sailor that he wasn't using either of his Wolfman razors and wanted me to modify some handles for him. Jim also has a WR2 1.35.

After using Jim's WR2 1.15 for 6 months I got a WR2 0.95 in matte SS when my name came up and couldn't have been happier with my choice.:LMS Still am.:cheerful: I use one of my own handles!:thumbup1:

@Chan Eil Whiskers also let me borrow his Ti95OC baseplate which I kept for scientific reasons.

If you put your name on the Wolman waiting list you are not committing to buying one, you are only indicating that you want to buy one, if not happy with your purchase, they generally sell on BST for a profit in minutes.

Just saying guys...


~doug~

Woah, did I just read my future!? I'm smack dab in your first phase right now.
 
Just received these today from Pasteur. I took a whiff of each one and they smell really good. Something different from my usual Cedarwood. The only one that I find so so is the lavender. But I guess I'll have to actually shave with it to see. Maybe it'll grow on me! It's not the typical lavender (like Yardley's).
The Rose smells great. I previously had tried the D.R. Harris Rose and it was terrible. Mr. Taylor's has a nice pleasant and mild creamy scent that I know I'll enjoy. And Jermyn Street is a Fougere scent but in a milder form. I have one of Razorock's Fougere creams and have only used it once because it's to strong! I'm gonna try a different one each day for this coming week. Matter of fact, I'm gonna try all the soaps I have. I still have some Razorock ones that I haven't touched and some other Proraso's.

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Follow up on these TOBS creams:
-The Jermyn Street as I had mentioned before had come defective so I was never able to use it. Pasteur had refunded me for this one and I had to trash it.
-The Rose is nice for an every once in a while change of scent. Performance is equal to Cedarwood which is the one that I've used the most.
-Lavender, same description as the Rose!
-Mr. Taylor's is fantastic. I really like the classic creamy light scent and it's slicker than my Cedarwood. I'll be using it every other day along with the Cedarwood. I like it so much that I ordered 2 tubs today from Pasteur with the 20% off Veterans day coupon.
I also ordered a new Feather blade disposal tin. My current one is quickly filling up.
 
I received a 15% off coupon (again) from Pasteur. I need to start ignoring them🤣
And of course I used it. I ordered a shaving soap that should be interesting. I've looked around and it seems hard to get because they no longer make it. Not even the manufacturer has it anymore. Pasteur had one left in stock. It's called Denton Majik KRS. It's supposed to smell like Kouros from Yves St. Laurent. I've been using Kouros almost every day for at least 20 years. I'm looking forward to seeing how close it's smells to the original!
I also ordered some Captain's Choice Sandalwood which I've heard is very good. I love the Proraso Red so we'll see how it compares. And I also threw in a bottle of Proraso Red Sandalwood after shave which is the one I use every day. Always good to be stocked up especially when you get a deal!

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Follow up on these as well:
-The Denton Majik KRS does smell like Kouros. It's just lightly scented. I yet to use it though since I just got it yesterday. It's tallow & lanolin so it should be pretty slick. I'll post again when I use it.
-The Captain's Choice Sandalwood smells really nice. Light scent! Very different than Proraso Sandalwood. And definitely different than TOBS sandalwood which I find repugnant. Excellent performance, very slick. I just have to figure out the cream/water ratio since it's different than TOBS.
-The Proraso after shave. Nothing new to say.
It's up to now, my #1 daily aftershave.
Tomorrow I should be receiving Captain's Choice Sandalwood after shave and Captain's Choice Venture aftershave. I ordered them a few days ago when they had the Captain's Choice 50% off sale. I'll write about them when I receive them.
 
Follow up on these TOBS creams:
-The Jermyn Street as I had mentioned before had come defective so I was never able to use it. Pasteur had refunded me for this one and I had to trash it.
-The Rose is nice for an every once in a while change of scent. Performance is equal to Cedarwood which is the one that I've used the most.
-Lavender, same description as the Rose!
-Mr. Taylor's is fantastic. I really like the classic creamy light scent and it's slicker than my Cedarwood. I'll be using it every other day along with the Cedarwood. I like it so much that I ordered 2 tubs today from Pasteur with the 20% off Veterans day coupon.
I also ordered a new Feather blade disposal tin. My current one is quickly filling up.

For blade disposal, I use an empty Altoids tin. When full, I duct tape it shut and label it “Used razor blades, caution!” Then throw it away.

Not the best solution, but it’s what I use.
 
For blade disposal, I use an empty Altoids tin. When full, I duct tape it shut and label it “Used razor blades, caution!” Then throw it away.

Not the best solution, but it’s what I use.
I found out recently that most counties have free sharps disposal FYI. I have had a ridiculous pile of medical waist that I couldn't bring myself to puting in the trash and finally went looking for a solution. They will probably have you shake them out of your tins and then you can reuse them.
 
Strange (but good) week for sales!
1. The ATT Windsor sold a few days ago out of nowhere. I had it "for sale" for a while!
2. Out of curiosity I put up the Hoffritz slant for sale last week. It sold this morning!
3. I had the Claymore on sale for a couple of weeks. It sold tonight!
-For those wondering, the Windsor was my first expensive razor. It was awesome but the X1 slant blew it out of the water (for me). And I also have my excellent ATT Aluminum/stainless as well. I had no need for the Windsor and it was just sitting. And I won't leave the Tatara Nodachi & Executive Outlaw behind as replacements for the Windsor. I love them as well.
-The Hoffritz was probably the greatest performing vintage for me. But I bought it for peanuts and had it replated by Chris for a very reasonable cost. Again, it was just sitting so I decided to sell it. (and besides, I do have the Merkur37C which is it's modern counterpart)
-The Claymore is really nice but doesn't quite get to the efficiency level of the X1. So it got sold!
I bought them, tried them and have filtered down to the ones I've loved most.
I think it's the most rational thing to do for someone that doesn't really want to be a collector!
So that raises the question: What about the Rocnel Elite? I still don't know!
LRod
 
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My vote is, set it aside for a bit then come back to it. I hated the SR when I got it, used it twice, listed it on BST. It sparked no interest, so I put it back in my shave kit. Fast forward about a month and I shaved with it to see just how much I hated it and…didn’t. To be fair, I changed from using Feather Super blades to the Professional blades, but I did try a Super last week (I think) and found that it wasn’t as bad as I remembered.

Not saying this will be the case with the Rocnel, but stranger things have happened.
 
Had a shave this morning with my Nodachi after skipping my nightly shave yesterday. So I had plenty of growth!
Still the "GOAT" out of all my DE's. I missed a tiny spot on my cheek and noticed it after I had already applied my aftershave and everything. Rushing to leave to work, I picked up the Nodachi and did one single light "dry" pass on that spot just for the cleanup. Bad idea! It made me realize at that moment the Nodachi's crazy efficiency. I didn't cut myself but it left the little spot red and with a burning sensation for about an hour. I should've just used my electric Panasonic and it would've been fine. I'll never do that again!

Other than that, I was looking and reading "again" today about the Blackbird. I especially was reading about comparisons with the Nodachi. It seems like they're 2 razors that commonly get compared due to their high efficiency
and ultra modern designs. Note: I've been interested in the Blackbird in the past but always skipped it because I wasn't thrilled with it's "sci-fi looking" design. But now that I have the Nodachi, I see it as a possible contender to compete with the Nodachi.
I keep reading 50/50 results between the two: "I had both and returned the Nodachi" or "I had both and returned the Blackbird". I also read a lot of people saying that one is more efficient than the other and vice versa!
One big push to possibly try the Blackbird now is also the excellent sale that they have right now.
Even if I wouldn't like it, I could easily sell it and lose no money in the process. I see that the Blackbird sells quickly in the used market so that's a plus too.
What do you all think? (and I mean what do you think about the comparison?)
If I don't specify that, I know the answer is gonna be "buy it", LOL!!
 
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Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
Had a shave this morning with my Nodachi after skipping my nightly shave yesterday. So I had plenty of growth!
Still the "GOAT" out of all my DE's. I missed a tiny spot on my cheek and noticed it after I had already applied my aftershave and everything. Rushing to leave to work, I picked up the Nodachi and did one single light "dry" pass on that spot just for the cleanup. Bad idea! It made me realize at that moment the Nodachi's crazy efficiency. I didn't cut myself but it left the little spot red and with a burning sensation for about an hour. I should've just used my electric Panasonic and it would've been fine. I'll never do that again!

Other than that, I was looking and reading "again" today about the Blackbird. I especially was reading about comparisons with the Nodachi. It seems like they're 2 razors that commonly get compared due to their high efficiency
and ultra modern designs. Note: I've been interested in the Blackbird in the past but always skipped it because I wasn't thrilled with it's "sci-fi looking" design. But now that I have the Nodachi, I see it as a possible contender to compete with the Nodachi.
I keep reading 50/50 results between the two: "I had both and returned the Nodachi" or "I had both and returned the Blackbird". I also read a lot of people saying that one is more efficient than the other and vice versa!
One big push to possibly try the Blackbird now is also the excellent sale that they have right now.
Even if I wouldn't like it, I could easily sell it and lose no money in the process. I see that the Blackbird sells quickly in the used market so that's a plus too.
What do you all think? (and I mean what do you think about the comparison?)
If I don't specify that, I know the answer is gonna be "buy it", LOL!!
I'm just guessing, obviously, but I've read all your posts... and all the post about Blackland products, including the Blackbird.... so my opinion, based on that alone, would be you'd love the Ti Blackbird. If I recall correctly, obviously a question, you prefer to shave more on the shallow vs steep scale and from what Shane has said... that's the perfect way to approach the Ti Blackbird.

They do offer that 30 day free return, though, I haven't looked to see if that applies to sale priced items.

Edit: I forgot.... their Ti products were on sale at the beginning of the month.... Now, I'm torn, because so many people liked their SS Blackbird but loved their Ti Blackbird and a few couldn't get along with the SS Blackbird but loved the Ti version. I retract my opinion and say... I just don't know.
 
I'm just guessing, obviously, but I've read all your posts... and all the post about Blackland products, including the Blackbird.... so my opinion, based on that alone, would be you'd love the Ti Blackbird. If I recall correctly, obviously a question, you prefer to shave more on the shallow vs steep scale and from what Shane has said... that's the perfect way to approach the Ti Blackbird.

They do offer that 30 day free return, though, I haven't looked to see if that applies to sale priced items.

Edit: I forgot.... their Ti products were on sale at the beginning of the month.... Now, I'm torn, because so many people liked their SS Blackbird but loved their Ti Blackbird and a few couldn't get along with the SS Blackbird but loved the Ti version. I retract my opinion and say... I just don't know.
We'll I'm interested in the SS version and not the Ti so the sale is perfect for me right now.
Why oh why?🤣
 

Phoenixkh

I shaved a fortune
We'll I'm interested in the SS version and not the Ti so the sale is perfect for me right now.
Why oh why?🤣
Is this your first order with Blackland? I'm sure you know already... but if it is and you sign up all the way through to the text notifications, you'll get an additional 15%. Just in case you missed it... which I doubt you did.
 
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