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My Guess... 3017

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This thread has an amazing wealth of knowledge for the wet shaving community and I for one am happy to have found my way here.

In my latest update my week out of town with frankensoap and Arkansas water was eye opening. I would venture to say that my Franken soap (Stirling>Fine>B&M) using AR water could easily go head to head with my Valobra back home... I know my water isn't soft but isn't very hard either. I hadn't realized the measure of effect it was having and am for the first time seriously thinking about getting a water softener. Not just for better shaves I promise.
 
Broke through my Mike's Natural Barbershop in my resin shave mug. 15644261144904877480452787156537.jpg
 
I'm about 30 shaves in and probably about halfway through a roughly 6 oz chunk of Cella. The shaves have been close and comfortable. Cella is an excellent value, for anyone who didn't already know that. I'm not going to try to 3017 the whole kilo but I'll take down a chunk at a time with others in between.
 
Back to the LEA stick this morning. Heresy to suggest it is a better soap than Haslinger Coconut? Reserving judgement until Haslinger gets a fair shake.
 
TOBS Jermyn Street continues to be excellent here in round 2. I started off using a Kent Infinity Silvertex synthetic and it was fine. That brush is a short-lofted but less dense synth and made short work of the remains of my Arlington puck. Today I switched to a Somerset Simpson Rover in Pure and it outshone the work of the Kent. I don’t know why we shy away from Pure Badgers. Face lathering with painting strokes have me a fantastic rich lather with no problem or scratch.
 
I recently pulled out an early restoration with a best badger from TGN. So soft. It is a round ball of softness and it has done well with several LEA lathers. The brush had been hidden away since a bathroom renovation a few years ago. It will stay on the shaving shelf now!
 
Thanks for the nice comments. I know it’s just shaving but anytime you reach a multi year goal it feels good. A few responses to comments:

- almost everything worked with good results (exception, a crumbly Erasmic stock)
- I try to judge a product by the finished shave, rather than a series of properties or perceptions
- A tin of PdP lasts a long time
- Don’t buy 15 sticks of Arko at once; even if <$12
- staying with one soap at a time works well for me
- opinion: best cream, Musgo Real original; best soap; Tabac (of those I tried)
- Best value: Arko, KMF bottle, Trader Joe’s

I plan to limit product to no more than 3. One soap, one cream, something for carry on travel.

For those on the 3017 journey, carry on.





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Ive been doing some light off and on traveling so I dropped the MW stick in my Dopp kit. The areas I'm visiting have hard water and so far....MW has been a struggle. At home where I have a water softener the lathers have been quite good. Not so much in hard water areas. Unfortunately this may kill any chance of future MW sticks in the shave den. Sticks are great for traveling, but a soap that is finicky about water wont make the cut.

I'll carry on with this 3017 effort to the end. I dont have that much traveling coming up and when I am on the road I think I will bring the Palmolive menthol cream with me. Its lathers have been an absolute delight. The MW can stay at home.

I've been on a bit of a shave stick kick lately. @Egmont and @johnniegold both have me considering adding a Tabac stick to the den.
 
Broke through the bottom of my Provence Sante Green Tea puck. Loading like I hate it and getting outstanding shaves. This is a great soap.
 
It was a good run with Blenhiem Bouquet. I will finish today and probably will not reorder. I loved the scent but the performance could be better. Great for DEs but I prefer something slicker for my straights.

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rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
Yes, the scent on Pens' BB cream is simply wonderful. That heavy glass jar is easily repurposed to be a classy holder for another soap.
 
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Several years ago, @BullGoose scored a bunch of old Pen’s English Fern and BB pucks, circa 1980s with the scent intact. I managed to score a puck of the BB and it is patiently waiting in the box, wrapped in plastic until its time comes. I will use it 3017 style. I will not load it like I hate it. I will enjoy every blessed shave with it. It is the only grail soap in my collection.
 
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About two months into this stick of LEA. Probably two weeks left. The remnants will be pressed to the top of a Haslinger Coconut puck.
 
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