I think the name change was a good idea. The fragrance is better served by an association the color than the Duke Ellington jazz tune. Especially because the marketing talked about the feeling of leaving a blues club.

Thank you! When it comes to learning, it is all about the individual. There are morons who graduate from private schools.

October 18, 2024

• Brush: Simpsons Chubby 2 Jade 27mm HMW

• Razor: Dubl Duck 5/8" Full Hollow

• Lather: Eufros - Vetiver de Haiti - Soap

• Aftershave: Eufros - Vetiver de Haiti - Aftershave Balm

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Exactly! I’m going to try to explain this in an upcoming video, but, so far, my explanations using simple geometry and trig, haven’t been well received.

Swedish steel tends to be harder. I’d be interested to know what the sharpening/bevel angle is on that razor :)

Blugère++;

October 17, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co Lemondrop 28mm SynBad

• Razor: Dubl Duck 5/8" Full Hollow

• Lather: Zingari Man - The Brewer - Soap

• Aftershave: Zingari Man - The Socialite - Aftershave

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

Guava, mango, pineapple, passionfruit, apricot, kumquat, orange, juniper, hops, musk. How did I sleep on this!

Heather handed me this sample of The Brewer at this year’s Maggard Meetup. We were talking about her products in general, and about what new things she had coming. It was late in the day and I was very aware of her enthusiasm while answering my questions, and of her gracioiusness in dealing with yet another geezer covering (probably) the same topics.

Thinking, stale beer, I remember taking a huff of this sample, being surprised that I did not smell stale beer, and I moved on so I could leave her in peace.

Today’s theme reminded me that I had this soap sample. I was completely surprised by how good the fragrance is. I already know that the Sego base is top-tier for me, and its performance was expected, but this fragrance was not. I wish I had picked this one up for the spring and summer seasons. It’s a perfect fit. Kudos Heather! Well done!

Space is a huge problem after a while :) I certainly haven’t solved it.

Let’s settle for a draw, then.

Tis but a scratch.

Yes I saw Johan use Noir. I have that too. Also a very interesting scent. Actually, a little darker/warmer in scent than Blas de Lezo. I won’t be letting go of either of these.

Oh, I hear you! As you have demonstrated, Cerberus pretty much complements anything.

Definitely a perfect fit for me this time of year.

October 16, 2024 - Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club

• Brush: Brad Sears Arley 26mm Super Badger

• Razor: Dubl Duck Pearl Duck 6/8 Full Hollow

• Lather: Le Père Lucien - Narcisse - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

• Aftershave: Combe Inc. - Aqua Velva Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave

2 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

Today’s BVWSC used Le Père Lucien Narcisse. The scent notes of this soap are: bright jasmine, bergamot, warm tobacco, vetiver, patchouli, and oakmoss. I liked it. I’m seasonal in my scents, so this one fits better in the spring for me than fall. Nonetheless, like many European soaps, the soap quality was very good, scent strength was medium, and the scent itself seemed sophisticated.

Thanks to @[email protected] for this one!

October 15, 2024

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks w/AP Shave Co 24mm Titanium Synthetic

• Razor: Kikuboshi R. Saito 6/8" Extra Hollow

• Lather: Mäurer and Wirtz - Tabac - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Rose - Toner

• Aftershave: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac - Eau de Toilette

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

A wonderful TabOKtober Tuesday shave.

October 14, 2024

• Brush: Wald Stratos Goldvein 29mm A1 Fan

• Razor: Tanifuji Spalding 0411 6/8" Full Hollow

• Lather: Los Jabones de Joserra - Blas de Lezo - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Rose - Toner

• Aftershave: Noble Otter - Cerberus - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Blas de Lezo is my second soap from Los Jabones de Joserra aka Jose Martinez. Like Noir, which I tried a couple of days ago, the scent of Blas de Lezo becomes much more complex and sophisticated once the soap is wet and fully lathered. The scent has accords of oak wood, smoke, tobacco, leather and liquor. I mean. What’s not to love!

The soap base is low-structure, but very slick. There are several oils in it; including an apricot oil. A very easy lather to use for a straight shaver.

Interestingly, Blas de Lezo is was a Spanish Naval officer who lost an eye, a hand, mobility of one arm, and a leg. He was the real-life Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

I’m far too oblivious to realize that I was doing leetcode :)

I measure the sharpening angle, then double it to get the bevel angle. The sharpening angle is defined by the centerline from the spine through the apex and the line from the spine’s widest point to the apex;

I just measure the spine width (a) with a caliper, divide that by 2 (a’), then measure the distance between the apex and the widest point on the spine (b) with a machinist’s rule (where it would rest on a sharpening stone). then:

bevel angle = 2 * arcsine(a’/b)
or
bevel angle = 2 * arcsine(a/(2b)) [sometimes this is easier if I’m doing the math in my head]

My W&B Fine India Steel has a bevel angle of ~17 degrees, is also a great shaver, and has that soft-feeling as well.

Darn tootin’!!

October 13, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co Summer 28mm G5C

• Razor: Dovo Bismarck 6/8" Full Hollow Round Point

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Cedrati - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

• Aftershave: Noble Otter - Jack - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Wonderful Sunday shave today. I love the citrus and woody notes of Cedrati and they go well with the higher key citrus notes in Jack. I have always loved the Siero base, which helped make the mechanics of this shave top-tier.

The Bismarck (Iron Chancellor) performed magnificently! It currently has a rather boutique edge (Koma nagura on Black Arkansas), but this razor performs well regardless of what stones are used to finish the edge. The razor has a 0.1337 radian sharpening angle that results in a bevel angle of 15.3 degrees. We’re in (and slightly narrower than) Filarmónica bevel angle territory here. Now, I did a little work on the spine of my razor, as I did with @[email protected]’s Bismarck, but I doubt that this work changed the razor’s sharpening geometry significantly. In my experience, razors that have sharpened bevel angles in the 15-16 degree range provide extraordinary shaves.

I started searching for a W&B like that after seeing yours. I used mine a couple of days ago. Awesome piece of history.