The Intercontinental All Italian Shave-Off

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Piccolo Special Edition Gentile Plate
Blade: Silver Star (10)
Brush: Omega 10065
Soap: Via Barberia Herbae
Aftershave: Figaro Monsieur Gold Splash

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Piccolo Special Edition Gentile Plate
Blade: Silver Star (10)
Brush: Omega 10065
Soap: Via Barberia Herbae
Aftershave: Figaro Monsieur Gold Splash
View attachment 905296

But is the sea monster an Italian sea monster?

Cool picture, Rave.

 

[Raven Koenes]

But is the sea monster an Italian sea monster?

Cool picture, Rave.

The Sea Monster was found swimming off the cost of Sicily next to my Panta Rei soap bowl. Now whether Sicilians consider themselves Italians may be a bit of a contentious subject.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The Sea Monster was found swimming off the cost of Sicily next to my Panta Rei soap bowl. Now whether Sicilians consider themselves Italians may be a bit of a contentious subject.

Italians consider themselves Roman or Sicilians or Neapolitan or whatever. The unification in 1861 changed things a bit, but historical city-state identification runs very deep. At least that was the case when I was in Italy. Now probably some Sicilians consider themselves Citizens of the World or some such malarky.

Rave, I'm Italian in the sense that a guy whose DNA shows pretty much nothing from the area can be. I like spaghetti! Fatip razors are cool. Give me my SV soap. Etc. Plus, I did stay in the Holiday Inn Express in Naples, Florida.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Spoiler

I lied about Naples, Florida. Never been there as far as I know. Have been to Naples, Italy. Loved it.

 

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Piccolo Special Edition OC Plate
Blade: Silver Star (2)
Brush: Zenith Manchurian
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Dolomiti
Aftershave: Proraso Splash (Green)

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Piccolo Special Edition OC Plate
Blade: Silver Star (2)
Brush: Zenith Manchurian
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Dolomiti
Aftershave: Proraso Splash (Green)
View attachment 906425

What's your update on that Manchurian knot and cool handle, Rave? You've used it a lot now.

The picture above is just to show how pretty the Plisson-Joris looks in palladium. Shaving steep it's a good razor. Shallow, not so much. For me! Does it count as Italian or is it French? Hard to say, I think.

I wish Fatip made that razor in your photo, Rave, with the Mk1 cap and a Grande handle. I do not think it too much to ask. What say you, Mr. Ambassador? Either that, or OC on one side of the baseplate and Gentile on the other, but with the Mk1 cap and the Grande handle.

To me, the Mk1 is way better as is the Grande (vs skinny Piccolo) handle.

My Italian Zenith Manchurian is my favorite brush. I want another one, but in what handle?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[macintoshBR]

Just ordered another brick of Cella and a big pot of 3P, both from la bellissima Milano

 

[Raven Koenes]

What's your update on that Manchurian knot and cool handle, Rave? You've used it a lot now.

View attachment 906450

The picture above is just to show how pretty the Plisson-Joris looks in palladium. Shaving steep it's a good razor. Shallow, not so much. For me! Does it count as Italian or is it French? Hard to say, I think.

I wish Fatip made that razor in your photo, Rave, with the Mk1 cap and a Grande handle. I do not think it too much to ask. What say you, Mr. Ambassador? Either that, or OC on one side of the baseplate and Gentile on the other, but with the Mk1 cap and the Grande handle.

To me, the Mk1 is way better as is the Grande (vs skinny Piccolo) handle.

View attachment 906449

My Italian Zenith Manchurian is my favorite brush. I want another one, but in what handle?

Happy shaves,

Jim

The Zenith Manchurian knot is fantastic. My only issue with it is a user error issue. I loaded it with SV a little dry. The Manchurian is so densely packed that it seems to take longer to get it hydrated enough once the soap was loaded. It should have been wetter to begin with. I got impatient and went right into the shave before I worked the lather as hydrated as I like it. It can take a bit more work than my silvertips. Other than that it's a very good brush. It is well worth the time and effort to get it right. I like the olive wood handle. I also tend to like resin handles better. I may be in the minority on that one. Any of the wood Zenith handles are classy.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

The Zenith Manchurian knot is fantastic. My only issue with it is a user error issue. I loaded it with SV a little dry. The Manchurian is so densely packed that it seems to take longer to get it hydrated enough once the soap was loaded. It should have been wetter to begin with. I got impatient and went right into the shave before I worked the lather as hydrated as I like it. It can take a bit more work than my silvertips. Other than that it's a very good brush. It is well worth the time and effort to get it right. I like the olive wood handle. I also tend to like resin handles better. I may be in the minority on that one. Any of the wood Zenith handles are classy.

Thanks, Rave. If you were going to buy another Zenith Manchurian what handle would you get?

I soak every brush. Then, I shake as much water out as I can. Then, I load off the puck. Then, I paint my face. I want the soap where it should be before there's an issue of water.

Finally, I dip the brush's tips into my bloom water and work up a lather on my face and neck. Works every time.

This morning, I forgot to add water on the first lathered pass, but the SV soap worked great anyway. It seems impossible to screw up.

Of course, the boar was hydrated and holding water internally.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[rudyt]

Aug 25: Doesn't Get More Italian Than This

Lather: Valobra Crema di Sapone Purissima
Brush: Proraso Professional (27/55mm)
Razor: Universal Rasoio a Mano Libera Lama Intera
Blade: Bolzano Superinox half blade [19]
Post: Alum
Splash: Floid Blue with lots of added menthol

I often state that I like soaps and creams that lather easily and profusely, and this Valobra soft soap epitomizes those qualities. In my den, it's a sin to lather this soap with anything other than a big Italian boar brush, and the Proraso Pro is almost the perfect brush.

The perfect brush is the Omega Pro-49. Why? For some reason, I like to see a sloppy uncontrolled lather with this soap, and the floppy Pro-49 splays so much I get lather in my ears and up my nose.

After a few consecutive days with the Spilo Magic Razor clone shavette, the Universal felt milder than a Tech. Really hard to get a bad shave with this razor.

Zero alum sting (as expected), and a splash of Floid Blue to top up a perfect Saturday morning shave.

 

[Drunk Bender]

SOTD
Soap Pino Silvestre
A/S Pino Silvestre balm
Brush Omega 10065 boar
Razor MTO Devette
Blade Crown (new)
EDT Pino Silvestre Original

Just realized that all my software is almost exclusively Italian. I normally use Proraso green, but today I mixed it up a bit with great results. Pino was my first EDT when I was 17 and today was the first time I had used it in 18 years, great stuff and brought back great memories. Happy shaves, Peter.

 

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Noce
Blade: Gillette Platinum (6)
Brush: Omega 10810
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Manna di Sicilia
Aftershave: Figaro Monsieur Gold Splash

 

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Noce Gentile
Blade: Bolzano (1)
Brush: Omega 10810
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Manna di Sicilia
Aftershave: Proraso Splash (Green)

 

[Cal]

60% Italian SOTD

Brush: Tiny Shavemac Silvertip D01
Soap: Vitos Red
Razor: Fatip Butterscotch
Blade: Feather (9)
ASL: Proraso Red

I'd forgotten what a great soap Vitos Red is, fabulous!

 

[Raven Koenes]

SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Noce Gentile
Blade: Satinex 2000 PP (1)
Brush: Omega 10810
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Tundra Artica
Aftershave: Figaro Monsieur Gold Splash

 

[Cal]

SOTD

100% Italian.

 

[Raven Koenes]

100% Italian.

 

[Raven Koenes]

With the correct SOTD listing this time:
SOTD :
Razor: Fatip Piccolo
Blade: Satinex 2000 PP (2)
Brush: Omega Mighty Midget
Soap: Saponificio Varesino Tundra Artica
Aftershave: Figaro Monsieur Gold Splash

 

[albsat]

Today shave:

Proraso boar brush
Fatip Gentile

(non italian)
Gillete Platinium
Nivea 2 in1 aftershave.

The joy of shaving with very affordable products.

Above all, how good a 8 USD brush can be ? I love this Proraso boar brush. So tempted to get another italian boar brush.

 

[Raven Koenes]

Razor: Fatip Piccolo
Blade: Satinex 2000 PP (9)
Brush: Fatip Pure Badger
Cream: Proraso Blue
Aftershave: Proraso Splash (Green)