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late to the party, making up for lost time

I am glad you cracked the 10108 code. I have never used MDC but I understand it is a very hard soap so I can imagine that a soft boar like this one would need quite a bit of loading to get enough product on the brush for a good lather.
 
I am glad you cracked the 10108 code. I have never used MDC but I understand it is a very hard soap so I can imagine that a soft boar like this one would need quite a bit of loading to get enough product on the brush for a good lather.
It is not really that hard in my opinion. For example the SV soap is harder. I think it has more to do with the fact that boar fibres need more water from the start to load a decent amount of soap than a synthetic brush? But hey, I am only a user trying to find out what works when for myself ;-)
 
I think it has more to do with the fact that boar fibres need more water from the start to load a decent amount of soap than a synthetic brush?

I can never decide whether one type of fibre is more aggressive at loading than another. When I use a synth, I think synths are most effective, then when I use a boar, I think boar is more effective. I think it just depends on the individual brush / soap combination.

Usually, if I had real trouble that blooming the soap couldn't solve, it's because I had a "dead brush" like we discussed before!
 
Usually, if I had real trouble that blooming the soap couldn't solve, it's because I had a "dead brush" like we discussed before!
Agree, but I am sure that is not the case with this one (yet). I have only used it for about 10-15 times. I blame it more on my intrinsic character, being a bit on the cautious side of things ;-) Like I said... user error.
 
Just came back from my week of ⛷️ in 🇮🇹. Some things worth mentioning:

  • I took a RR GC with me, with a 68OC and 84SB plate. Used the OC once, the SB 3 times. Since I do not shave every day during my holidays, both plates were great for their task and gave me excellent shaves with all the comfort I need.
  • i took a tube of green Proraso with me. This soap is absolutely worth every one of its euros! I think I like it better than the Proraso from a tub, but not really sure anymore, I haven’t had a tub in over 3 years. If it is gone, I will get another one, but the white one.
  • the RR plissoft is already an older knot, and I certainly can feel the difference with my other synthetic knots. While it has flexible fibers, the tips are more prickly than my STF or Pur-tech But as a holiday brush it still is absolutely fine.
  • nothing beats shaving at home again in your own bathroom with your products to choose from. The Masamune, SV soap and Omega piggy gave me an awsome shave today.
  • went into a local drug store there, but unfortunately I only saw Proraso green pre and after shave and soap.
 
It is about time that I started writing my own experiences with wet shaving. Certainly since I have been doing that since 2020. On a Dutch forum, I posted my list of razors I have owned, and it would be good to have it all in a topic, that is, from now on ;-) Perhaps I will write down the list here as well, but not now. Something about me: male ;-) nearly 53 years old, Dutch, married, working, love padel and tennis.

I started back in 2020 with an EJ DE89, an EJ best badger brush, some Proraso white, Nivea after shave balm. From then on, I was lost. Tried quite a few DE razors, experimented a lot with Schick injector razors, as well as with some AC type razors. Since about a year or so, I have gone back to just 1 platform of classical razors, the DE. Also gone from badger to boar to synthetic brushed. Since this month, I have 1 boar brush again, next to my synthetics.

I also went from mild (EJ DE89), to more efficient (Fatip Grande, Lupo95, Blackbird), to even more aggressive (like R41), but now I have come back to the start. With my improved technique, I noticed I like the milder razors better. I also upgraded in the soap department, although I still like Proraso (or other cheaper soaps) as well.

That's me and my journey in a nutshell so far. Will periodically post here to keep you guys updated on my shaves and my experiences with some of the products used.

For now, I will end with the (few) products I currently own and all use. I am not a collector, so everything I have is being used or sold / exchanged.

Razors:
Tatara Masamune with SB and OC plates
Karve Overlander
Karve Christopher Bradley with SB-C and OC-B plates
Razorock Game Changer .68 -P and -OC . I also have an .84-P plate, but don't use that one anymore
Mühle R106 (a R89 with a black handle). I only use(d) this one on holidays.

The Lupo has left, the Mühle is not in the photo.

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Brushes:
Razorock Plissoft (synth)
Frank Shaving - Pur-tech (synth)
Mühle - Silvertip Fibre (size M, synth)
Omega - 10108 (boar)

Soaps:
Martin de Candre - Nature
Martin de Candre - Vétyver
Saponificio Varesino - Mirto di Sardegna
Proraso - Eucalyptus & menthol
Stirling - Naked & Smooth
Stirling - Sheep

And a photo of my last shave (from today), which included the last December buys (Omega and SV soap):

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Nice write up. I see you are embracing the joy of the obsession 😊.
 
Today was one of those shaves where everything worked out absolutely fine. Razor / blade felt like they were made for each other (even if it was its 5th use), brush made an abundant lather and no sting from the after shave, only a fresh feeling face. Ah.... a good start of the week I say!

Karve - Christopher Bradley SB-C
Personna - Comfort coated (5)
Frank Shaving - Pur-tech
MdC - Vétyver
Williams - Aqua Velva AS
Balea - Mens Ultra Sensitive ASB

ps: if you ever see me trying to sell this razor (again....), please tell me to get my act together (yes, you may use swear words in that case). Not only good looks, but for me a perfect shave almost every time!
 
Yesterday I received a new soap and splash. Westman shaving - Nirvana, see this website

Loaded my Mühle STF today on a bit of soap that I scooped from the jar and went to work. Very easy to generate a lather, I like the scent (after a few seconds), but I am most impressed by the face feeling. Very good skin care. The AS was great too, while I would have expected a bit more scent there. But afterwards, it lingers quite long I must say. 1.5 hours later and I can still smell it perfectly. Didn't use my regular balm afterwards, and there certainly is no need for it with this combination. Very soft skin!

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Razorock - Game changer .68-P
Rapira - Platinum Lux (1)
Mühle - STF (M)
Westman shaving - Nirvana soap and AS

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All in all very happy with this latest addition!
 
sotd 29-1

Lovely no-nonsense shave today, it was all about comfort. A Feather blade in the Masamune is a perfect combination.

I recently acquired this brush from a fellow forum member in the Netherlands. I love the looks and the soft feel on the face. I am not sure about the size though, it is only a 25mm knot, but very dense. So, for a face latherer, it feels quite big. Because of the density it also feels very compact when loading the brush. But very soft tips, when applying the lather on my face. So quite a strange sensation I wouldn't expect. But sure a piece of art!

More info about this knot can be found here

Tatara - Masamune SB
Feather - Hi Stainless (1)
Oumo - Warhammer Rorschach traditional 2-band finest badger
Martin de Candre - Vétyver
Speick - Men ASL
Balea - Men Ultra Sensitive ASB

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Eric_75

Not made for these times.
I've been doing good since the new year began. Walking, countertop push ups, sit ups and working with a few weights here at home. That last bug I caught this past Summer destroyed all my energy and it took forever to really get going again.
 
Friday is my day off, and usually I take some extra time for an enjoyable shave. Today I had to get rid of 2 days of stubble, so took out an OC razor. In this case the GC 68 with a vintage thin handle. This handle makes this razor more agile and makes it possible to use even less pressure. Which was exactly what I needed, because I had some leftover irritation in the throat from a previous shave.

I recently acquired this soap and splash in a swap. From the jar it doesn't do much for me, but once applied I quite like it. What I certainly like is the skin care quality of this soap and certainly the splash. Scent wise I am in doubt. Sometimes I think, what the *$)( is this? Then 10 minutes later I love it. Can you imagine? But the longer I have it on my face, the better I like it. So for now, it stays in the house!

My wife has left for the day, so have the house to myself. Will string some more tennis racquets this afternoon, have an early dinner end then off to the padel club to play competition tonight.... will need layers of clothes, because it will be around 0 degrees this evening.

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sotd details:
Razorock - Game changer .68 OC with vintage thin bar
Feather - Hi Stainless (2)
Omega - 10108 boar
Westman shaving - Nirvana soap and AS
 
Sometimes I think, what the *$)( is this? Then 10 minutes later I love it. Can you imagine?
I've had that happen, I had a soap that I was a little on the fence about but it kept growing on me to the point that I used it exclusively until it was gone. Well, almost gone, just a few chunks left. I went back to it several months later and I was back to being ambivalent about the scent.
 
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