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#1710 by 120inna55 on 29 Aug, 2016 07:23
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Van Yulay - Soap Of The Gods "Puros La Habana (v2)"
Kent V8 (vintage)
Above The Tie S1 | Triad Rolling Hex 316 Stainless
Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum Black (2)
I've been enjoying Van Yulay's soaps routinely since I discovered them almost 3 months ago. In that short time, I've acquired 10 more of their soaps. I've yet to be disappointed. Puros La Habana was the first one I tried. Given its name, I expected it to smell like a cigar, specifically a Cuban cigar. Ultimately, I didn't get that impression. While it was a very pleasant scent, it was more reminiscent of green tobacco leaves and earth with powdery elements. I've used it several times since then, and I love it. I even use the splash on some non-shave days because it smells great, and their splashes feel nice on my scalp.
Van Yulay recently reinvented the aforementioned PLH scent to something completely different and allegedly more accurate to the fragrance of a cigar. They kept the prior green tobacco and earthy scent, renaming it "Durham Green". Therefore, if you have a tub of Puros La Habana purchased before last week, you have something that smells nothing like Puros La Habana today. In the interest of clarity, I'm informally calling it "v2". When I ordered the new PLH last week, they included in my order a label for "Durham Green" to apply to my old tub of PLH.
This scent of the new Puros is, without question, a cigar. The cured tobacco is up front and true, and it's accompanied by a bold smoky spiciness. This is my idea of the perfect cigar scent, and it topples Achilles as my favorite Van Yulay scent.
The manteca/clay formula yields one of the easiest lathers I've ever used. It's very difficult to over-water this soap, but it's not particularly thirsty either. It just has a very wide range of usable phases from thick mounds of yogurt-y cream to dense, slick paintable layers. The density and slickness is never sacrificed. The durability is as good as any other soap I've used, allowing me to lather my whole head for each pass without the slightest threat of breakdown.
The water-based splash, as I stated previously, is good enough to use even on non-shave days, so I certainly wouldn't skip it for the shave. However, the post-shave feel from Van Yulay's soaps are stellar without any help.
About 2 hours later, the dry down from the splash is prominent tobacco, but the smokiness is replaced by a muted sweetness that compliments the soap quite well. If you're a fan of tobacco soaps, you must try Puros La Habana (v2). -
#1711 by warhawk on 29 Aug, 2016 14:29
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Monday, August 29, 2016 SOTD
Wolfman SB w/ WRH2 Handle
Gillette Silver Blue
Mystic Water Soap Bay Rum
Simpson Chubby 2 Synthetic
Ice cube rub, refrigerated WH, refrigerated FINE Fresh Vetiver
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WARHAWK
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#1712 by 120inna55 on 30 Aug, 2016 21:12
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RazoRock - The Dead Sea
Kent V8
RazoRock Black Mamba | Gillette 7 O'clock Black (1)
Folsom & Company - Black Powder
This was my first time using RazoRock's The Dead Sea. It's packaged similarly to their popular Santa Maria Del Fiore with a thick, heavy glass jar and aluminum lid. The notable exception is that the label is water resistant instead of the ridiculously delicate craft paper found on SMdF. The consistency of TDS is also exactly like that of SMdF. This is where the similarities cease. Out of the jar, I had an initial impression of sharp lemon peel with a very familiar musky fragrance countering the sharpness of the lemon. Seriously, I worked on trying to identify this for a couple days. I don't know why I didn't just go the website and look up the scent notes. At either rate, I brought the jar to my wife and asked her to help me figure out the familiar scent. She noted the lemon as well, but like me was stymied as to the other familiar and dominant fragrance. So, I proceeded to lather up and shave with it, hoping it would come to me.
Like, SMdF, some will find the consistency of TDS awkward. If you've used SMdF, treat TDS the same, and you'll be golden. Since it's essentially a cream, but I still want to load from the jar, I use a barely damp knot. If I was using a boar or other knot with lots of backbone, I'd probably transfer a small dollop into a bowl before loading. If you're digging clumps of cream into your brush, you need to either back off the pressure, or just bowl load. Loading from the jar with a soft, damp knot yields very little protolather, but fills the knot rather quickly. You can see the knot swell and feel the weight increase.
Scalp lathering from this point is intuitive. Dribbling just a small amount of water into the knot, I got a creamy, paintable lather in short order. The lemon and mystery scent was very pleasant but mild. The scent sustained throughout the 3-pass shave without much transformation. The overall shave was outstanding. Interesting word that I overuse---outstanding. This would suggest that this soap stands out among the other soaps I use, and it's just not the case. The fact is, I have been fortunate enough to have been spared from bad soaps for years, given the information from this community. The Dead Sea performs on par with the majority of my soaps, and that's a very good thing. What does stand out, however, is the scent. I just gave up and went to Italian Barber's site (and yes, looking back, I now see it's denoted on the label). There it was, the elusive familiar fragrance, cannabis. When I read it to my wife, she agreed. The lemon compliments it such that it evaded us both. It is a very mildly scented soap, mind you. I could not detect it at all after stepping out of the bathroom.
I will note that the post-shave of TDS is remarkable. Frankly, I don't know how much role the salts play, but it does seem to be a step higher than what lanolin and aloe alone generally do for me. There's no question that a post product could be skipped with this soap. But it's Texas, and it's hot, and I wanted a little menthol, so the late Folsom & Company came through. -
#1713 by 120inna55 on 01 Sep, 2016 18:11
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Wholly Kaw - Beta Scent #43 v3.0
Rubberset 200-4 | Omega boar
RazoRock Black Mamba | Gillette 7 O'clock Black (1)
Barrister and Mann - Adagio
Over the past couple weeks, I've been privileged with the opportunity to participate in beta testing Wholly Kaw's latest creation currently known only as "scent #43". I've had this opportunity with WK before, and it should be noted that by the time their product is in beta testing, it's pretty close to being a final product. After going through 3 iterations, each one having been tweaked after feedback, I'm told this one is final. I wouldn't change a thing about this scent. This is, however, quite a departure from Wholly Kaw's other offerings. I detect no powder, floral, or soapiness. It's a quite bold but elegant. My initial impressions are of well worn, oiled, slightly smoky leather. It reminded me of a favorite cowhide belt worn slick by denim, and it holds that fragrance throughout the shave and for some time thereafter.
While I was essentially asked to provide feedback and critique on the scent, I would be remiss not to mention the performance. In my past experience, Wholly Kaw has been strictly a vegan soap maker, and they do this well. I was surprised to discover that this tallow base has been in use since Spring. I note a remarkable improvement in density and creaminess, and the slickness is on par with my other tallow soaps--superb. It paired well with the Black Mamba permitting me to take long sweeping final passes on my head resulting in a very pleasant 2-pass+ BBS shave. I look forward to purchasing this soap when it's available. As of this writing, it doesn't have a formal name.
I'm told there will be a matching splash, but for tonight I finished with Barrister and Mann's Adagio for no other reason than it caught my eye on the shelf, and you just can't go wrong with it. -
#1714 by SlyCatCrossing on 09 Sep, 2016 16:06
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Just a quickie today:
Standard razors DE, Silver Blue, foamy menthol, witch hazel + osage rub
I had a little bit of irritation the last few days so I gave my skin a little break. I'm just hanging out at home tonight so I did a quick shave just to remove the 2+ days of stubble while still trying to let my skin rest. Tomorrow is a really big day for me so I'm planning a lengthy luxurious shave. A band I am in is playing a big show with several other prominent local and regional acts, we are releasing a new EP, and it's my 27th birthday! Needless to say I'm going to have to be looking my best tomorrow.
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#1715 by 120inna55 on 09 Sep, 2016 22:17
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PannaCrema - Pure2O Damn Fine Shave
BSB-Ti | HMW
RazoRock Black Mamba
Gillette 7 O'clock Black (1)
Folsom and Company - Shady Past
My only prior experience with PannaCrema is with their flagship, Nuàvia Blu, which is no doubt a top tier performing soap. I admit I've been curious about Pure2O, but I was hesitant given the rather large pricing disparity from their Nuàvia line. My skeptical nature dictated that the relatively low price point coupled with the minimalist ingredients list was just a tactic to fill out their demographic with more economical spenders. In my mind this inevitably would translate to a proportionate performance gap. Quite simply, I was wrong, but given my skepticism, I probably would never have tried it. As luck would literally have it, I won a new jar of the Damn Fine Shave Edition Pure2O. I have never won anything that was random. I am grateful to Andrew of DamnFineShave for putting up the soap for grabs.
The lather is somewhat unique in that it's very lustrous. It was impossible to get even tiny bubbles from this as it stayed at a creamy dense state regardless of the amount of water I pushed on it. The water actually contributed to increased thickness of the lather, but it never threatened to break down. It acted like a vegan soap in that regard, but had a slickness that rivals many of my preferred tallow-based soaps. While it rinsed cleanly, the residual slickness was immediately evident, and I probably could have shaved most areas from the slickness apart from visible lather. A three-pass head and face shave yielded a BBS surface that couldn't have been better. Nuàvia's known for its post-shave, and I can confidently say, Pure2O is not far behind. Even my well-rinsed badger knot felt conditioned as I cleaned up the gear.
Unfortunately, the scent is another story. There's no way to dress this up. The pungent floral aroma was quite bold and accompanied by an equally heavy powdery musk. This was immediately reminiscent of an old lady's perfume. You know what I'm talking about. Their olfactories are all but gone, and they've steeped in this heavily powdered fragrance whose floral notes are matched only by the pattern on their amorphous dresses that no doubt perfectly match the fabric of their window drapes. Suffice it to say, this scent is not for me. Despite the website's documentation of citrus notes, I couldn't detect them. Perhaps I'm just overly susceptible to powder, because it, along with the pungent floral, overwhelmed anything else the scent profile had to offer. I'm grateful, however, that this is just a soap. The scent is gone almost as quickly as the final rinse, and Folsom and Company's "Shady Past" annulled any lingering fragrance from the soap.
Despite my feelings about the scent, I will use this soap often. The performance is just that good. -
#1716 by Cobranet on 10 Sep, 2016 18:27
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#1717 by SlyCatCrossing on 11 Sep, 2016 06:48
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Tobs grapefruit? I imagine that is awesome!
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#1718 by 120inna55 on 11 Sep, 2016 19:46
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RazoRock - The Dead Sea
Ever-Ready | TGN Finest
RazoRock Wunderbar
Gillette 7 O'clock Black (1)
Floïd Blue
This was my first opportunity to use RazoRock's Wunderbar. The most concise description I can provide is that it's the Stealth Slant made with better material (and a much thinner base plate). This does not mean it shaves like the Stealth. For a long time the RRSSv4 (RazoRock Stealth Slant v4) was the only razor I used. I drifted away somewhat, not because I fell out of love, but rather that I wanted to explore other razors. Its efficiency and relative smooth performance is what keeps bringing me back. I do notice, however, that I have to relearn the razor after I've been away for a while.
Enter the Wunderbar. The first glaring performance difference is the weight. The dry weight was 111.1 grams, 77.6 grams of which is provided by the handle alone. That, alone, plays a huge role in performance for me. I tend to gravitate to heavier razors if not just heavier handles. This all translates to the necessity for a light touch. I also find that the efficiency increases with longer sweeping passes as opposed to short choppy strokes.
Other than the weight, I also noted I felt the blade a bit more than with the RRSS. I got a few weepers on my head, but again, that's par for me when I haven't used a torque-style slant in a while.
I like the heft and appearance of the handle, but it's inevitable that I'll swap it out with my prized Triad Rolling Hex which weighs in just 6 grams lighter and 0.2" longer than the stock handle. The brushed 316 stainless of the Triad will match the Wunderbar finish perfectly. But in the interest in trying out the Wunderbar, I wanted to at least start with the stock handle which is a comfortable length of 3.3".
Speaking of finish, the Wunderbar is shiny---definitely not matte, but it has tiny "scratches" that are evenly dispersed throughout. It gives it a slightly weathered appearance but not quite brushed. With a little effort, the finish could be brought to mirror, but I will never do that with this head. It has an aged, industrial feel about it that I rather like.
As far as fit is concerned, did I mention this is 316L stainless? It's a good material choice for a razor. There is zero blade tab overhang, but my 7 O'clock just stopped at the edge of the head showing there is no wasted width. The posts just barely clear the cutouts in the blade. The threads on the stem catch the blade during the install, but the last 2 mm (proximal to the head) are without threads, so the blade seats without binding. The result of these perfect tolerances is zero blade play. There's a 0.7 mm countersink depression where the handle meets the base plate. The depression is almost a millimeter wider than the end of the handle, so it will make most of your other handles appear to be made for it as well. The handle threads smoothly, and after threading about half-way, there's no wobble. With a blade installed and the handle tightened firmly, the posts descend 3.74 mm through the base plate. This is just enough to facilitate stable alignment without interfering with anything.
It's way too early to know where the Wunderbar will fit in my usage pattern, but it has made a promising start. The design reflects the long thought-out process in the evolution of the machined slant from RazoRock that I once believed had peaked with the Stealth. -
#1719 by Cobranet on 13 Sep, 2016 17:30
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It is! It is my favorite Shave cream/soap at this moment. I will definitely be getting some more creams from Taylor of Old Bond Street. -
#1720 by SlyCatCrossing on 14 Sep, 2016 06:04
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My phone is all messed up so I'm hoping to start start posting pics again soon.
37c, feather, la toja shave stick, omega s brush, osage rub + aqua velva ice sport
As always, cold water shave pre shower. I have a 100 pk of personna lab blues coming in tomorrow. I keep bouncing back and forth between the two. Thanks Cobranet for the good words about personna leading me to try them! I also want to try and make my own glycerin stick for travel so I have some col conk lime, an empty stick, and some menthol + peppermint EO coming in as well.
I also ended up getting a new open comb I'll have next week and will be sure to so a full write up. I got the maggard branded open comb v2 head with their mrt travel handle and matching pouch. It's mainly going to be my travel set up but I'm excited to use it at home as well! -
#1721 by 120inna55 on 14 Sep, 2016 06:42
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Van Yulay - Soap Of The Gods Aquarius "Espresso"
Kent V8 (vintage)
RazoRock Wunderbar Slant | Triad Rolling Hex 316 Stainless
Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum Black (2)
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#1722 by SlyCatCrossing on 14 Sep, 2016 14:58
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Different handle on the vunderbar? Because I really really like it! Slants are where it's at man (saying that as I'm stoked about an OC lol) and that in particular looks amazing.
My SOTD today is: none! I'm late for band practice lol. -
#1723 by 120inna55 on 14 Sep, 2016 15:26
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Different handle on the vunderbar? Because I really really like it! Slants are where it's at man (saying that as I'm stoked about an OC lol) and that in particular looks amazing.
Yeah, the handle is my trusty Triad Rolling Hex. I'm so familiar with the handle, and it's made of 316 stainless (just like the Wunderbar head) that it was destined to happen.
My SOTD today is: none! I'm late for band practice lol. -
#1724 by SlyCatCrossing on 15 Sep, 2016 04:51
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[/quote]Yeah, the handle is my trusty Triad Rolling Hex. I'm so familiar with the handle, and it's made of 316 stainless (just like the Wunderbar head) that it was destined to happen.
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Very nice! I love the look and feel of quality stainless.