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Doppelgänger Black Label (CK-6 formula) with Rooney Finest Style 2 and the...
This Rooney Finest is a very nice brush indeed, and though it’s not a natural brush (except for the knot), I like the veining in the (resin) handle. It made a fine lather from Phoenix Artisan’s...
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I just came across this useful reference: “The 8 Best Styptic Pencils For Treating Shaving Cuts Fast.” It includes liquid styptics as well as styptic pencils.
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Two-day stubble offers Unconditional Surrender to iKon 102
Today’s shave is one of the “marvelous” variety. Thanks go to the whole cast for their combined efforts: the Rooney Style 3 Size 1 Super Silvertip, Declaration Grooming’s bison-tallow soap, the...
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The Maggard Razors V3A is a terrific razor, but I would call it the V3E
First, of course, the lather. My Rooney Style 1 Size 1 worked for an excellent lather from Antica Barbieria Colla’s fine shaving soap. This is a wonderful little brush. The three passes with the...
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The Drunken Goat and the G.B. Kent BK4, with the Above the Tie R
This is the last of my natural-bristle brushes. The brush in the cover photo of the Guide is a Kent BK8, but I found I preferred the BK4 size. Mickey Lee’s now-defunct Soapworks made a number of...
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Maggard mini synthetic, Lenthéric, and Above the Tie’s S1 slant
A recent comment asking about the longevity of seldom-used shaving soaps (whose life on the shelf stretches first into years and then into decades) reminded me of this excellent and very fragrant...
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Yardley lathers well but its fragrance is faint
Yesterday I used my vintage Lenthéric shaving soap and commented on the excellence of this fragrance. The Yarddley soap pictured above is from the same era, and though it produces an excellent lather,...
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Gillette 1940’s Aristocrat and Creed Green Irish Tweed
Creed’s Green Irish Tweed is a classic fougère fragrance, and their shaving soap is excellent though grossly overpriced. This tub I got some years back at a much lower price, but even then it was too...
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The wooden-tub series continues with a rebranded Truefitt & Hill
Years ago, before Vintage Blades LLC was sold and Jim Ayers was still running it, he came out with this soap. He strongly hinted that it was in fact Truefitt & Hill’s soap (and this was long...
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The marvelous Fendrihan Mk II and my terrific Plisson European Grey
The Plisson European Grey has a very pleasant feel on the face — more textured and grainy than the smoothness of a synthetic or a silvertip badger, but still quite pleasant and present: the feel is...
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Yaqi and D.R. Harris Arlington
Yaqui brush with the silvertip knot and Yaqi DOC razor with the camouflage finish — both excellent — plus D.R. Harris Arlington shaving soap added up to a very fine shave. A splash of Arlington...
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Sandalwood and Savory Rose, and the wonderful Maggard V3A
Both consumable products are no longer available — Geo. F. Trumper Sandalwood shaving soap has been reformulated and the production outsourced, and Saint Charles Shave has closed its doors. But they...
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Otoko meets JF, with Ascension
Otoko Organics is a very nice shaving “soap” indeed, and I love its light, refreshing fragrance. With a good lather, my Phoenix Artisan Ascension did a wonderful job — this really is an excellent...
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Solstice, naturally, with Solar Flare and the Rockwell
Solstice seems the obvious choice and it is welcome indeed, for now the days start to lengthen — thus the Solar Flare brush, which made a very fine lather (and fragrant — I love Solstice’s fragrance)....
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One of the very best slants I have: The Parker Semi-Slant
Just to note: I speak only as a customer, with no remuneration, kickbacks (aka affiliate links), discounts, or gratuities. I buy the products, I use them, and I relate my experience. And my experience...
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Yaqi Target Shot + Tcheon Fung Sing Tabacco Verde + iKon 101 + Floïd = Great...
The lather this morning was especially rich and creamy and thick, doubtless because I took a little more time in loading the brush (though certainly the quality of the shaving soap was also...
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A petite Christmas shave
Notice how global warming has threatened the little bear cub in the Klar Seifen logo… Soon we shall leave for Christmas on Salt Spring Island, but first things first, and each day one of my first...
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The travel shave at home
This is the kit I took with me to Salt Spring Island and did not use because we decided to catch the early ferry. So I used it this morning, and it worked very well on a two-day stubble. Dr. Jon’s...
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Now that winter’s here, a summer fragrance delights
Savannah Sunrise from Dr. Jon’s Handcrafted Soaps is a delightful summertime blend — Orange Blossom, Peach, Gardenia, Jasmine, and Honeysuckle. And the lather, thanks in part to this Maggard Razors...
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