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SOTD Monday, 04/13/2020
Day 2 of my time with the Brass TAR (Tom’s Adjustable Razor), and all I can say is wow! I’d always liked my Gibbs Adjustables despite the razor blade modification required. My only negative was how light they were requiring me to focus on both tremor control as well as technique. The issue was somewhat mitigated with my repaired Rex Ambassador. The additional weight helped somewhat, but the narrow sweet spot sometimes makes it difficult when doing the back of my dome.
The beauty of this razor is that it checks several boxes for me. First is that I rally like open comb razors, thus my affection for my French Le Coq Cage head and Famex razors. I love the open combs on both razors, but particularly like the slight adjustability of the Famex. The issue is that both razors are still relatively light. Second is the broader range of adjustability with the TAR, much wider than the Famex. After yesterday’s shave, I felt more confidant cranking the TAR up to 4 for today’s first pass on the face. I did readjust it to 3 for that first noggin pass.
But the final box is the beautiful 156 gram (rounded) weight, allowing me to fully concentrate on shave technique.
The shave itself was a pleasure. I used Evans’s (
@MrEE) Badger/Boar hybrid brush. The knurling on the handle completely negates any handle slipperiness. It built a beautiful lather with one of my favorite mentholated cream soaps, Kapo, which is manufactured in Bulgaria. Since it already contains some slight mentholation, I only needed to add three drops of M-Bomb to get it to the appropriate level of iciness. With the TAR set on 4 it mowed down my whiskers on the first ATG pass to the skin line except for a few of the usual places - around my Adam’s Apple. After readjusting it to 3 it took care of my dome stubble with the same level of aplomb - again leaving some rough spots in the usual places on the back of the head.
My final ATG buffing pass at 3 cleared the stubble around the Adam’s Apple with the exception of a very minor weeper below it which stopped following the post shave wash with Glyce glycerin soap. I set the TAR to 2.5 for my final ATG dome buffing clean-up. The real joy for me in this shave was my ability to completely focus on shave technique. The weight of the razor eliminated any need to think about tremor control. The noggin second pass was completed bloodlessly. Thank you TAR for another beautiful BBS. I feel clean, smooth, cool and refreshed. Stay safe and healthy out there! All the best to everyone!
RAZOR: Brass Version TAR (Tom’s Adjustable Razor)
BLADE: Suneko (2)
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: MrEE’s Aluminum Handled Brush w/ Badger/Boar Hybrid Knot
CREAM: Kapo Fresh salted w/ 3 drops of M-Bomb
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Thayers Lavender WH and finished with Murray and Lanman Florida Water AS/Cologne Splash
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