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Announcing: The First Shaving Cream Pass Around for European and UK members.

Ok so Shave number 2, same set up and Routine. Cream was Kapo.
Initially when I started to whip it in the bowl I was a bit disappointed, no frothy peaks of creamy shaving goodness just flaccid white crests, however I soon discovered that was because it was hiding in the brush and as soon as I applied it to my face.. boom.. lathery Shave delight, the cusion was superb, but I felt there was less slickness and it appeared dryer on my face. Perhaps I never used enough water?? However I did the three passes and after each pass my face felt more and more moisturised until finally as well as a BBS Shave ( think it may be another 2 day shave ) I had a face as soft as apple blossom. I never really got any scent off of it, but it was slightly cooling on my skin which I enjoy. Overall 9/10. I like it but not quite as much as the Viking and I need to play with it more. However still a fabulous cream and the face feel afterwards is something to experience [emoji1303][emoji1303]
 
I think that it's the best cream I've ever used. Just superb results. I think you'll enjoy the KAPO too.



Man come Monday my finger's going to be stuck to the refresh key.




Well that explains the item on tonight's British Balrog Corporation news service about how middle aged men all over Europe and the British Isles have suddenly started humming the melody of "Santa Baby" in their bathrooms.


Listened to this whilst I shaved. I do love a bit of Eartha Kitt, it created a joyous yet mellow experience [emoji1303][emoji1303]
Love the idea of balrogs reading the news, picturing Orc reporters with abused Goblin Cameramen also [emoji1303][emoji23][emoji23]
 
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Ok so Shave number 2, same set up and Routine. Cream was Kapo.
[snip]

Overall 9/10. I like it but not quite as much as the Viking and I need to play with it more. However still a fabulous cream and the face feel afterwards is something to experience [emoji1303][emoji1303]

I think the Russian Viking is the best cream I've ever used. Mind you the Bulgarian one ain't bad either and you've just discovered the joys of KAPO. I also really like the Russian "apple" and "witch hazel" creams.
 
Listened to this whilst I shaved. I do love a bit of Eartha Kitt, it created a joyous yet mellow experience [emoji1303][emoji1303]
Love the idea of balrogs reading the news, picturing Orc reporters with abused Goblin Cameramen also [emoji1303][emoji23][emoji23]
I'm reporting you to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Goblins.

Incidentally is there any truth in the rumour that you were seen stroking that tube of Viking Shaving Cream and calling it your precious?
 
Lol its not me who is abusing goblins it's the damned orc journalists.
There may or may not be some Truth to the rumour, pesky hobitses are spying on me again I see [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
 
I'd forgotten the limit before import duties come in, too. You're probably right about calling off the mini group buy idea.
If the limit is £15 (which sounds about right) then it could be worth while doing a fairly large buy just to keep the arithmetic simple I'm going to give you a slightly worse exchange rate than is the case:

Assume you want to buy 6 and that $1.50 = £1.20

So £7.20 for 6 is well under the limit.

Post? He charges me the equivalent of £10.80 for 4-6 tubes which brings the cost up to £18 so that's a unit cost of £3.00 per tube. Still a good price especially for such good quality but not brilliant. Once you go over 6 the unit price it starts getting worth your while.

It might be worth your while finding out what the postal costs for 10 would be - if they're not too steep you could find your unit costs go down quite a bit. And it is as I say a numbers game - if your package is stopped and you're charged well, you're unlucky and probably shouldn't play cards either. :)
 
There may or may not be some Truth to the rumour, pesky hobitses are spying on me again I see [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Be on the lookout for short people with hairy feet and telephoto lenses on their cameras. But really jonno when you courted a life of fame, celebrity, and adulation by starting this Badger and Blade group surely you were aware that it meant you'd be followed round the place by hobbit paparazzi?

Oops that's my break over (am working an extra night shift tonight) more tomorrow or later today or oh damnit you know what I mean ....
 
In Norway as long as the total amount is less than 3000 NOK only 150 NOK (handling fee) and 25 % VAT is added. If UK is somewhat similar it could actually be somewhat cheaper as long as many enough join the group buy. But then again, some of us have no qualms about buying Castle Forbes and Xpec and maybe we are just making much ado about nothing
 
In Norway as long as the total amount is less than 3000 NOK only 150 NOK (handling fee) and 25 % VAT is added. If UK is somewhat similar it could actually be somewhat cheaper as long as many enough join the group buy. But then again, some of us have no qualms about buying Castle Forbes and Xpec and maybe we are just making much ado about nothing
It's a bit more complex in Denmark as the cost of the goods - basically anything over Dkr80 attracts C&E duties, the cost of shipping, how much the goods are insured for, and the type of goods are all factors that determine how much you pay when buying from outside the EU. But neither the Danish nor the Norwegian practice is really relevant to the UK where having checked I see that £15 is indeed the limit for attracting VAT for goods from outside the EU. The UK guide is here: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty .

You're right of course that there are people who'll pay extravagant amounts of money for premium shaving goods. I'm not one of them - if I can get a superb product for a fraction of the price of Xpec then I'll prefer to save my money and spend it on something else. That something else might be an artisan soap or an aftershave or whatever. The other aspect of this that in the UK at least there are well established dealers for Xpec, Castle Forbes, and the like so acquiring them is easy, it's pricey but easy. (I did buy some XPec - good product but waaaaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced so I won't be buying it again.) For me some of the fun of this hobby of ours is tracking down "exotica" mostly from Eastern Europe and Russia and trying them out and sharing them.
 
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It's a bit more complex in Denmark as the cost of the goods - basically anything over Dkr80 attracts C&E duties, the cost of shipping, how much the goods are insured for, and the type of goods are all factors that determine how much you pay when buying from outside the EU. But neither the Danish nor the Norwegian practice is really relevant to the UK where having checked I see that £15 is indeed the limit for attracting VAT for goods from outside the EU. The UK guide is here: https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty .

You're right of course that there are people who'll pay extravagant amounts of money for premium shaving goods. I'm not one of them - if I can get a superb product for a fraction of the price of Xpec then I'll prefer to save my money and spend it on something else. That something else might be an artisan soap or an aftershave or whatever. The other aspect of this that in the UK at least there are well established dealers for Xpec, Castle Forbes, and the like so acquiring them is easy, it's pricey but easy. (I did buy some XPec - good product but waaaaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced so I won't be buying it again.) For me some of the fun of this hobby of ours is tracking down "exotica" mostly from Eastern Europe and Russia and trying them out and sharing them.
Read the article about UK customs and I am sure glad I live in Norway instead of the UK. It's great that you are hosting these passarounds though. Helps bring the European community together
 
Read the article about UK customs and I am sure glad I live in Norway instead of the UK. It's great that you are hosting these passarounds though. Helps bring the European community together
The shaving enthusiasts at any rate :) Anders - but your comment got me thinking about how while the move of Eastern European countries into the EU has certainly made things easier in terms of reduction in problems with "officialdom" I still quite often find it easier (and cheaper) for me to buy for example Polish shaving creams and aftershaves from a German dealer than from a Polish one. Weird but true. I also enjoy tracking down reasonably priced shaving products from firms that normally sell expensive products. In the new year one of the soaps I'll be passing around is from Tcheon Fung Sing normally TFS stuff is fairly expensive at around Dkr140 for a 150Ml tub the one I'll be passing around costs Dkr39 for a 125Ml tub. Tcheon Fung Sing soaps are very good IMO but for me in terms of performance their Dkr39 125ml tub is just as good as the more expensive products so what accounts for such a price differential? The difference is the more expensive soaps have somewhat more exotic scents. Scent is the least important aspect of a soap or cream for me - a good scent is fun to have as an extra but it's the glide and cushioning that's important for me. How it feels afterwards? Well that's what Nivea is for :). My son could not disagree with me more for him it's the post-shave feel and a scent he likes that determines which soaps/creams he'll go for.
 
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Group Buy?
Mark,
can you look into the cost of shipping to the US.. specifically my APO?
As compared to shipping to Germany.
I've bought from Portugal but that is still EU and had no import charges.
However, when I tried to buy a $35 razor from Canada, the German Customs wanted an additional $25 or so.

Unrelated news
I'll be starting another PIF for the Armed Forces soon. I'll leave it open for about 45 to 60 days just for sign ups since those guys don't have a lot of free time for B&B as do the civilians among us.
 
Be on the lookout for short people with hairy feet and telephoto lenses on their cameras. But really jonno when you courted a life of fame, celebrity, and adulation by starting this Badger and Blade group surely you were aware that it meant you'd be followed round the place by hobbit paparazzi?

Oops that's my break over (am working an extra night shift tonight) more tomorrow or later today or oh damnit you know what I mean ....

I saw some guys with lenses bigger than they were so I am a bit suspicious, and as for the fame .. The squirrels told me to start this group so blame them [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
 
Group Buy?
Mark,
can you look into the cost of shipping to the US.. specifically my APO?
As compared to shipping to Germany.
I've bought from Portugal but that is still EU and had no import charges.
However, when I tried to buy a $35 razor from Canada, the German Customs wanted an additional $25 or so.

Unrelated news
I'll be starting another PIF for the Armed Forces soon. I'll leave it open for about 45 to 60 days just for sign ups since those guys don't have a lot of free time for B&B as do the civilians among us.

If you need any donations towards such a great PIF let me know [emoji1303]
 
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