Update on my journey shave 5 lol. Each shave has gotten better and better. And I am so glad I made the switch this is the closest shave I have ever had. Best feeling shave as well. I actually look forward to my next shave lol.
I know a guy that shipped some products. He squeezed most of the air out of the plastic bottles to reduce the glug glug noise and sealed them in a ziplock bag. There might have been a prescription bottle with a couple small coins to make noise should the package we aren't talking about get shook by a curious (Agency Redacted) carrier.
Early on seeing Merkur Futur, Pal Adjustable, and similar retro-future styled razors really caught my eye. The IKon SBS looks interesting for the same reasons. My budget keeps me humble so I didn't splurge. When the Futur Clones appeared, and were being sold for next to nothing I ordered mine from Uncle Ding in China. Like everyone else involved, I received the bait-n-switch TTO. I did get my refund and a lesson in cheating Chinese fleabay dealers. Turn the page to current events and now CONUS dealers have the Clones here in The States. The prices are good and from a trusted source. Reports from those who know say it's every bit a copy of the Original. The Handle is shorter, or skinnier? It's a little lighter, but the design is spot on. I'm happy for the $14 I invested because I get to experience a razor of interest. That's in my cruddy crusty user grade flea market Fat Boy price range!
Thanks Charlie. I have saw Mike's compared to Mystic Water so I wanted to give it a try. Given he had what I wanted in stock, I just decided to order now.
Welcome to the wonderful world of wet shaving. This is were the AD (Acquisition Disorder) sets in. I am sorry to hear that the Arko did not work out for you. There are so many soaps out there, I'm sure you will be able to find one that your other half will like.
28 OCtober Back on Focus +1 Shave Pre-Shave: Hot Shower Brush: 28mm Faux Finest Badger, Frank Shaving(FS) Soap: La Toja Stick Soap Razor: Valet VC2, Autostrop Blade: Feather FAS-10 Carbon Steel(CS), Feather Seikan (9) Strop: Amish made Post-Shave: Cold Water rinse and Oland After Shave, Avon, Pheasant Decanter Photo: I went back to the Valet razor on Saturday and will continue to use it for the remainder of the month. Luckily for me the month only has a couple more days. I got the La Toja soap from a recommendation from a gentlemen across the street at TOST and picked it up about a week ago when I ordered some artist blades for my General Razor. It is a harder soap than Arko but produces a very thick lather just like Arko. Stropped the blades 15 more times before the shave than did 3 passes with the razor. Finished off a DFS shave with some Oland AS. The blade still shows no signs of decline with +1 shaves than the non-stropped blade. Stropped the blade another 10 more times than hung it up for the next shave.
Razor: Ever-Ready SE w/case 1914 Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1) Brush: Oscar 11 w/ Silvertip Soap: Route 66 Twisted Tweed A/S: Floid Blue
Haha thank you so much again for the arko. It still works out for me. I enjoy the scent and makes a great shave. I will still be using it
I see quite a few shavers using La Toja. I'll assume it's acceptable quality lather, but what does it smell of? Google translate is a big help; "La Toja" = "The Toja". basenotes.com lists the most often compared Grey Flannel as a whole bunch of scents; Top notes; Violet, Lemon, Orange, Petitgrain, Galbanum Heart Notes; Clary sage, Rose, Geranium, Base notes; Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Tonka
I have read many positive comments on La Toja shaving soap. How would you describe the scent? I am looking forward to breaking out my General on Wednesday. Great photo Amigo.
La Toja is made using the health-giving mineral water from the hot springs at the Spanish La Toja spa. To me, my tube of cream (same as the stick just more moisture in it) smells very much like I'm shaving with water from a mineral spa - a strong overlay of salts and sulfur that pretty much kills whatever other scents are put in the soap. Overall, I would simply describe it as "medicinal". It leaves one with a very good clean but dry face feel, however, and I imagine would be a wonderful soap for the complexion if used regularly by those with oily skin or a tendency to acne. (Edited to delete inaccurate comment about LEA shaving soap.)
I will have agree with @Screwtape on this one. To me it smells of soap. A different brand than Arko but a soap all the same. It does not have the lemon scent that Arko has.
Sunday October 29 - visiting a blast from the past Pal adjustable razor on lowest setting / Personna (4 or 5) Semogue Owners Club cherrywood boar brush Walter G (RedDragon) homemade bay rum glycerin soap Alum and Clubman VIBR Walter was one of the early eBay vendors of razor blades, razors, brushes as well as lighters and knives. He especially promoted injectors. He also made some homemade soap and I bought a few cakes. IIRC the soap was a glycerin soap with kaolin clay in it, cast in a small muffin tin to form a puck about two inches across and one deep. This particular cake has been sitting in a soap mug unused for about a decade when I decided to use it tonight on a whim. After so long exposed to the air, the scent is mostly gone. However, it lathered up well when I "super goop" loaded the brush in the mug and then face lathered. Working up a lather took about three minutes and three additions of water to the puck. I was impressed considering how long the puck had been sitting out in the open. (The others are wrapped in saran wrap and stored in airtight plastic containers.) The lather was slick enough for two passes with the Pal to bring me to a near BBS without any blood or drama. The alum rub was painless and the VIBR splash was pleasant. I am now thinking I may alternate between this soap and my frankensoap during November and see how long the two last.
