#OneRazorOneWeek : Tatara Masamune with Nodachi Top Cap
It’s the last day of 2019, PRAISE JOHN FRUM! Cannot think of a more fitting scent to close the year, one of my top favorites for 2019 that if asked what soap scent one should buy if they cannot buy anything else, it has to be John Frum. Going to be greeting the New Year at the workplace but, at least I’ll smell fanfrackingtastic.
Faceturbation with the Masamune, true glass “I keep touching myself” BBS shave.
Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA’s Cube
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
Soap : PAA’s John Frum
Razor : Tatara Masamune w/Nodachi Top Cap w/Dorco Prime Blade (2)
Post Shave : PAA’s John Frum Star Jelly Aftershave, Aftershave Cologne
I am surprised that no one mentions Dorco Prime blades, they feel as sharp as if not sharper then Feathers, there’s hardly any resistance taking growth off, you just hear the blade song, don’t even feel a tug and the stroke is done.
I’d say they’d definitely give other sharp blades a run for their money, true they don’t hold their edge long but they are cheaper and you don’t really care if you use them as a 2 to 3 shaves blades. I recycle all my blades after the 2nd or 3rd use most of the time anyways.
Well off the hospital I go to check on the wife.
Pre-shave : Shower, PAA Cube
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
Soap : PAA Cold Spices
Razor : Tatara Masamune w/Nodachi Top Cap w/Dorco Prime Blade (1)
Post Shave : PAA Cold Spices Star Jelly Aftershave, Aftershave Cologne
Quickest shave with all the works. One pass buffing ATG. Wife woke me up, feeling sick, and while she took her shower before heading to the hospital, I had my shave. Was done in 10 mins.
TLDR : Soap Commander’s Devotion is a beautiful scent. If it is made available again, I’ll but the full tub and experience.
Amber and Lavender blend with the tones of Myrrh, Vanilla, Tonka bean, Musk, and Clary Sage If Soap Commander ever makes this available again, I’ll buy the full tub, balm, splash, bath soap …the works. It’s so damn good. Paired it with Davidoff’s Agar Blend which is essentially tamed Agarwood resin with amber and nutmeg. Smelling fanfrackingtastically awesome. Masamune assisted perfect true glass BBS. No surprise here.
Pre-Shave : Shower
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
Soap : Soap Commander Devotion
Razor : Tatara Masamune w/Nodachi Top Cap w/Bic Platinum Blade (1)
Post Shave : Nivea Men Deep Aftershave, Soap Commander Devotion Aftershave Balm
TLDR : Royal Oudh is a good reproduction of Creed’s Royal Oud. Reasonably priced Tamed Oud scent.
First work day after the long vacation.
Oud or Agarwood resin can be hit or miss for some, there’s your Al Haramain Oud 36 Nuit (which is as funky as you can get, while still pulling off as a perfume) and then there’s your Tamed oud scents, like Davidoff’s Agar Blend with amber and spice, Scentstory’s rather fruity 24 Gold, and Tom Ford’s Oud Wood which has oud amongst other woods and notes to help tame that animalistic funk. But the King of tamed oud to me, is still Creed’s Royal Oud.
Monica’s done a great job getting the scent pretty close to the real thing and for the price we pay compared to Creed’s roughly US$100 for an ounce and a half (discounted) I’m not complaining. 😁
Pre-Shave : Shower
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
TLDR : TOBS Sandalwood smells FANTASTIC, the rest, the usual gravy on top.
Haven’t used my TOBS Sandalwood in a very long time, but holy crap was reminded why it was one of my favorites, fantastic scent. The Oumo brush too, been a while. Extremely dense knot, just load up, and face lather with the silvertips making faceturbation really a thing, making you want to just work that lather on and on and on… And the Ascension, the Mild-but-not-really shave characteristic along with being the best buffing razor ensures that my daily BBS chase is easily achievable without irritation.
Pre-Shave : Shower
Brush : Oumo SHD Badger Silvertips (Face Lather)
Soap : Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood (Hard Puck)
Razor : PAA’s Copper Ascension w/Croma Blade (1)
Post Shave : Thayers Witch Hazel Medicated, TOBS Sandalwood Aftershave
The scent notes are: Rum, Mandarin, Lemon, Lime, Woods, Bergamot, Iris, Musk, Apples, Patchouli and Cedarwood.
The scent profile is citrus forward with a light hint of musk, apples and rum sitting on that cedar base, with the iris toning down the citrus, giving it a more powdery note. Personally would like a bit of nutmeg thrown in and the rum to be a little more forward, but it is a light, pleasant scent.
Irena’s Tallow base is a joy to use though, while I do like her vegan stuff too, I think her tallow base has the edge with that perfect smooth creamy glide that you can really feel when you paint the lather on and shaving with it is a great way to start the day.
The Masamune and Feather blade combo still kind of amazes me. I just came off using the Feather in the 6S and both are smooth shavers. The Masamune has a huge advantage of being easier to weild, with that almost flat head, especially when you go ATG under the nose and even more than the 6S, you really don’t feel the blade. Even with using the Nodachi cap to bring the blade to a true neutral exposure geometry. But, that tiny bit of resistance when blade meets growth and the blade’s song, you know it’s doing its job.
Finished off with Davidoff’s Wood Blend, with its notes of lemon, nutmeg, cardamom vetiver, saffron coriander, amber, musk and a light mix of birch and cedar or teak I think, which I thought paired off nicely (and I get my spice kick) with the soap and it’s great way to start the day. Long day ahead. More cooking.
Pre-Shave : Shower
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy Manchurian Dual Band Badger by Frank Shaving
Soap : Ginger’s Garden Festivus
Razor : Tatara Masamune w/Nodachi Top Cap (0.00mm blade exposure, 0.63mm gap) w/Feather Blade, corked (1)
Digging into my stash, its been awhile since I used this one. One of the best woods scented soaps I have used. And the G4 knot with Monica’s bowl, just makes some of the best lather porn. 😁
The balm is the older batch, I think Andrew has since “toned down” his balms a little or I think I remember him saying he will. This older batch though, you just need a really teeny tiny bit. Seriously. Its very, very rich and even a pinkie fingernail sized amount would have been too much. But holy crap, does your skin thank you for applying it. Damn good stuff.
Gotta love the Rockwell 6S + Feather blade pairing. The old girl reminded me that she still has it and the only way I’ll get a smoother face without irritation is if I can turn the clock back some 50 odd years.
Clubman’s Whiskey woods scent pairs well with Appalachian forest. Its going to be an awesome busy day!
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
Going to be a REALLY busy day. Last minute grocery shopping, Phone for the girl, gaming headset for the boys and many many other stuff to be done.
If you have never smelled Enigma. Stop. Go buy a sample. You are welcome. It’s one of the best smelling soap and software I have used and the scent is easily useable as a personal scent year long and yes, I would choose to use it over many of my designer house fragrances.
And I was right about the Croma blade and the Ascension. Not the best pairing, but at least the damn blade works well in it. Perfect glass “I keep touching myself faceturbate” BBS shave.
Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
Brush : Friendship Shaving’s Macy G4 Synthetic by Frank Shaving
Pre-Shave : Shower
Soap : Ginger’s Garden Enigma
Razor : PAA’s Copper Ascension w/Croma Blade (1)
Post Shave : Ginger’s Garden Enigma Aftershave Lotion and Balm
Steve's Wet Shaving in Singapore 