• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Bowl : Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl (not pictured)
• Soap : Pinnacle Grooming Once Upon A Time
• Razor : Blackland Vector w/Feather Pro Blade
• Post Shave : Pinnacle Grooming Once Upon A Time Post Shave Splash
• Others : Davidoff Amber Blend EDP (not pictured)

You have to admit, sometimes, the label is the very thing that pops out at you and make you go “Oh, wow! Now I want to know more!”
And I have to be honest here, that is such a beautiful label that I can’t help but smile when I look at it and wished that I could have reached out to touch her tats (not THOSE TATS…maybe later) and stop her from eating that apple.

Scent notes are :
Apple, Bergamot, cinnamon, Tea, Jasmine, Hibiscus, Davana, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Crystal Amber, Amber, Olibanum, Leather

It’s based off of CoStume National Scent Intense and it smells FANTASTIC!

Its a sweet spiced apple and florals and I am really am enjoying the scent of this.
As with most shaving soaps, smelling off the puck is one thing, and while lathering up really brings out the notes, it really pales in comparison to the After Shave.

From my experience with Pinnacle Grooming’s AS, which is a non-alcohol skin food type, you get the full scent experience that with this one, while mild, sticks to you like an Alien Face Hugger for a few hours.

If you are a shaver who prefers light, muted, gone the moment you rinse off scents, stick with the soap only, the AS is not for you.

Oh yeah, the lather is of the “good but not spectecular” for artisanal soaps. (Lather Porn provided)
A little more on the foamy side but layers on well and does not dissipate, has good initial slickness, moderate residual though will reacquire that slickness if rewet, and a good post shave feel.

If Pinnacle can get this lather to be a little more “sticky slick”, more cream yogurt, it would be awesome! Still, its a good and really enjoyable soap regardless.

Decided to go with the Vector today.
Just felt like having a no-nonsense precision shave which the Vector delivers in spades.

True glass, faceturbation worthy BBS Shave.
Completed the shave with Davidoff’s Amber Blend EDP (I don’t have CoStume National Scent Intense yet) which complimented the spiced Apple and florals of the AS well.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : Tabac
• Razor : Rockwell Model T w/Derby Premium Blade
• Post Shave : Tabac Aftershave

Back to work, doing an evening Start of the Day shave, as its the flip shift.
Taking it slow and easy.
Went with Tabac which is one of the few soaps and Aftershaves that you can actually get here locally. Soap via Amazon and AS from Mustafa’s.

Just I wanted something with an old school scent along with lather I don’t have to work too hard at to get that nice creamy slick layer on.
Just load up, lather up and shave.

Using the Model T now is kinda weird for me. In a good way.
Ever since the replacement arrived, I actually get to use something that didn’t have its blade set so out of whack, it’s more than a decent and smooth razor and rather quite enjoyable.

Still slightly more aggressive then its 3 piece counterparts, where setting 3 on this razor feels more like between R3 and R4 with the 6S and you do feel a little more blade but it does the job and does it well.

Chose to go with a Derby Premium blade today.
Many just diss Derbys but this blade is a very different animal than Derby Extras. Much more sharper and extremely smooth. I like it better than I do the Personnas.

Easy, lazy, true glass (with a little skin stretching) BBS shave.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : WTF Himisu
• Razor : Rockwell 6S-R4 w/Super-Max Diamond Edge (4)
• Post Shave : WTF Himitsu

Spiced sweet lemon, patchouli and rose.
Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds. Still one of my top 3 WTF soaps scents, and the best part (YMMV of course), the scent stays with you well after the shave.
Helps that the wife loves this scent as well. 🙂

Brought out the old warhammer, the 6S paired with the Super-Max Diamond Edge blade.
Smooth and zero irritation.
Fourth use of the blade and it is still not showing any signs of loosing its edge yet. Growth still gets taken off with the barest of resistance and my usual trouble spots under the nose and chin areas were swept clean with little effort. A little skin stretching to pull up and expose the stubborn bristles and what’s left behind is just glass smooth BBS skin.

Perfect, aromatic, faceturbation worthy shave.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : PA Peregrino
• Soap : PAA Agharta
• Razor : Parker 22R w/Personna Platinum Blade
• Post Shave : PAA Agharta Star Jelly Aftershave and Aftershave Cologne

When you haven’t used a PAA product for a while and that moment when you unscrew the lid of a soap.
Holy crap, I miss you guys!
Agharta’s scent just wafted up and reminded me why my bathroom has so much of PAA’s stuff.

Went with the Parker 22R today along with the Personna.
I think its a shame that Parker Razors don’t get as much love and are seen as “Cheapies” but they are rather good performers, if a little on the aggressive side.
Shave with the 22R was more on the mid aggressive side, definitely not mild, but just bordering on being aggressive.
What you really notice is how much audio feedback these razors give.
You’d know when you are BBS / DFS.

While there was a little more resistance from the blade than I like, coming off the Super Max and Feathers, it was still a relatively good shave.
I think I’ll start using the Personnas as a one shave blade for my “home from work” shaves and probably won’t get these anymore once they are gone.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : PAA Peregrino
• Soap : Mitchell’s Wool Fat
• Razor : Tatara Nodachi w/RR Stainless Steel Handle w/Super-Max Diamond Edge Super Platinum Blade
• Post Shave : Lustray Blue Spice

Still want that “Blue-Spice” scent and went with “The Fat” today. Its scent is very reminiscent of Palmolive’s Fern scent only slightly milder, you can layer on any Aftershave and it won’t interfere.
Lustray’s take on the “Blue Spice” scent is actually quite good and is a pleasant surprise for those looking for something similar to the now defunct Floid Blue.

As for The Fat, I think grating it into a bowl, blooming it with just enough water to form a thin layer on top and then using that bloom water along with a damp brush to lather up, is probably the best thing I have done to get The Fat to give me that thick cream lather.
Had to load heavy, and face lathered but, whoa!
Thick, very slick lather indeed. Its however, not perfect as it still dissipates somewhat. But it has been the creamiest I have made with The Fat so far.

Went with the default Nodachi today to see how the Super-Max Diamond Edge performs in it.
What I looking for is if the blade, with the positive blade exposure, will feel less smooth, drag or peel off more skin layers than I’d like.

Blade didn’t disappoint.
Still very little resistance when it comes to taking growth off, you barely feel the blade slow as it shears off bristles and as far as I can tell, it is as smooth as a corked Feather. I’d still think the Bic still holds a smoother shave for me but these blades are definitely in the “very sharp and smooth” bracket of blades.

True glass, “I keep touching myself” BBS shave.
Finished with the Lustray AS and am really happy with how it smells.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : Ginger’s Garden Floid Blue Type
• Razor : Tatara Masamune Base + Nodachi Cap w/Supermax Diamond Edge Super Platinum Blade
• Post Shave : Epsilon Blue After Shave

Julio’s SOTD got me into the mood of a Floid Blue shave, but I went with Ginger’s Garden take (I might need to give RR’s take a go) along with Epsilon Blue to complete the experience.
Irena’s tallow soaps are fantastic and I just love how slick the soap is with its great post shave feel.
Scent is “in the ball park” of each but of course the AS smells fantastic, though it doesn’t last much longer after the shave. Feels great though.

Went with the Zero Zero Masamune along with Super Max’s Diamond’s edge.
Man this blade feels great. Almost zero resistance and really smooth. Definitely a contender as a Feather alternative.
Made in India, so I have to wonder how it stacks with its Eastern European counterpart.

The box disclaimer though, cracks me up every time I see it. There must have been enough complaints / inquiries to have them put it up and word it as it is.
🤣

All in all, it was a fantastic shave!
Definitely Faceturbation worthy.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : WSP Rustic Shaving Soap Gaelic Tweed
• Razor : Tatara Nodachi Base + Masamune Cap w/Feather Blade
• Post Shave : WSP Gaelic Tweed Aftersave Tonic w/Menthol

Oh man! I haven’t used this one in a while and I’m reminded why I wanted to get more WSP stuff the moment I opened the tin. Scent on this soap and especially the AS is awesome and so spot on.

Creed’s Green Irish Tweed was my first niche scent that I bought as a young man, looking to impress and wore the heck out of it.
Now, decades later, while I no longer buy GIT, or at least Creed’s GIT, I still love that beautiful, elegant mix of fresh and green notes that GIT brings to the table.

I might have loaded a little heavier than I needed though, I forgot that WSP’s soaps generates a huge amount of thick, slick, heavy bodied lather with just a few swirls, and I think I went with a 25-30 swirl load. Probably only needed 12 or so.
Soap is really thirsty, and I had to add water about 4 times ( about 4 teaspoons worth) to the face lather before the lather went from thick paste to yogurt cream.
Like I said, I think I loaded a little too heavy. 🙂

Chose to go with the Tatara Gentle Nodachi today, along with a Feather Blade (4) that is starting to feel a little near the end of its life. I could extend it if I chose to strop it but I think I’ll recycle it after this shave.

I am always torn between the two Tatara configurations. The Gentle Nodachi is far smoother than the default but retains its extremely efficient shave characteristics while the Zero Zero Masamune offers the perfect balance of smooth, mild yet efficient shaves.
Both are fantastic and even months of using both I don’t think I can choose which is the better.
I guess the whichever one that I have the mood for at that point of time.

Perfect, true glass “I keep touching myself” zero irritation BBS shave.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : Van Yulay Smoking Hot Pineapple
• Razor : Tatara Masamune Base + Nodachi Cap w/Feather Blade
• Post Shave : Floid Black

Pineapples!
Well, with Vetiver and Vodka thrown into the mix as well.
Scent is a very dark smoky pineapple with that hint of booze, the vetiver note in this soap is more woody, less hemp / grass so its almost like birch.
Lather’s up well, though loading heavier helps.
Really loving the hard puck version, which generates a lather that has a more body than the croap version.

Went with Zero Zero Masamune with a Feather.
Now we’re talking!
Smooth with very little resistance from the growth mowed down.
Easy, damn comfortable, zero irritation true glass BBS shave.

I am not sure if my bristles has toughened, but once, where the Personna Platinum blades were good, and I rated them just below the Feathers, its now like these very same blades dropped two or so notches in shearing power compared to the Feathers. Goes to show, how blades can change in feel due to changes from your own body.

Finished up with Floid Black for more of that Pineapple and I smell fruity. In a good way.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Bowl : Van Yulay Resin
• Soap : HC&C non-scented w/Southern Comfort Scent Drops
• Razor : Tatara Nodachi w/Personna Platinum
• Post Shave : Clubman Whiskey Woods

Many of us wet shavers are fragheads, meaning we chase scents as much as the hardware experience with blades and razor. Which is why I find HC&C’s offerings very intriguing. What Pete has done is instead of selling to the shaver tubs and tubs of soap, his take is buy one tub of unscented, add in your scent of choice via scent drops.

This also addresses personal preferences of whether you like it lightly scented, just add one to three drops of the scent, or if you prefer your soaps more aromatic by adding more drops and finding your own preferred amount of scent you want in your soap.

And then, there is of course, the value factor since, it is easier and far cheaper to try a lower cost bottle or several bottles of scents then to buy tubs of soap and find that you do not like them. Of course the flip side is that it is usually easier to sell a tub of soap then a bottle of scent drops.

So far though, with the two scents I have used so far, its been a good experience. Today’s scent was tobacco, light woods and florals, and thus I paired the shave with Clubman’s Whiskey Woods.
Lather was superb, with good initial and residual slickness and a good post shave feel.

Hardware wise, I went with the Nodachi today, and while the blade did perform, it still required skin stretching and several go overs / buffing to get that BBS.
Zero irritation but I think going for DFS with this blade would be the wiser choice.

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• Pre-Shave : Shower, PAA Cube
• Bowl : $2 Stainless Steel mixing bowl
• Brush : Oumo 24mm ACE SHD Dual Band Manchurian Badger
• Soap : WTF Vintage Barbershop (with menthol)
• Razor : OREN-Occam Razor Enhanced Nano-3Dot Plate w/Feather Pro Blades
• Post Shave : WTF Vintage Barbershop Aftershave (with menthol)
• Others : Menthol in salt grinder

It’s been a while since I had this one back in rotation, and man do I miss it!
Its scent of cloves, myrrh, lavender, patchouli, and musk is pretty unique and very aromatic.
Though I understand that some people are more sensitive to the cloves and may experience discomfort.
Sample before you buy a full tub.
The light menthol is just icing on the cake.
I did add more menthol though. It was a goddamn warm and humid tropical night.

Lathering up a WTF soap is always fun, and easy, though I’d recommend using a little more soap (about a thumb nail worth, generates about 4 to 6 pass worth of lather) and always start with less water to get that thick creamy yogurt foam, you can always slowly add in more, than have too much water at the start.
Lather Porn included.

And today I went with the OREN, can’t call it a WTF shave without using the OREN.
It still gives one of the most comfortable shaves, even with a 3 DOT plate. The best I can describe how this razor feels is “single blade Cartridge Razor”, as the Floating Blade design of the razor lends to a “soft” shave.

Make no mistake though, them Feather Blades will bite if you disrespect the blade but for the most part, while you do need to use a little more pressure than with a regular DE / SE razor, it’s one of those razors that usually won’t bite unless you aren’t paying attention, press down too hard because you aren’t feeling the blade or just do something weird like moving the razor sideways while shaving.

Very easy, comfortable, true glass “I keep touching myself” BBS shave.

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