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Welcome to my Wiki Page! Please feel free to pull up a chair and have a look around. I do hope that you'll find something of interest. Let me begin by introducing myself and giving a bit of history about how I got into DE shaving.

My Name is Michael (Mike). I am a self taught mechanical (hvac) engineer. I am happily married to my wife since 2003 (I think :blink: - have to update with the right year). We have a beautiful son (Asher) who is my pride. He was a planned pregnancy which I think is neat since they rarely are these days. We were surprised by an un-planned pregnancy when our son was 4 years old and now have a gorgeous daughter (Kaysia). I live in Hawaii and was raised on the Georgia side of the GA-AL state line. Yes it is paradise here everyday, but so is where you live if you make it so.

I got into DE Shaving almost by accident. I was looking at going into the Air Force Reserves at the young age of 34. I was faced with the realization that I would be required to shave every day and was horrified. My routine at the time consisted of a cheap disposable two blade gillette and barbasol with aloe from the can. I would shave once a week because I needed the other six days to rest my irritated face. I set out to find a solution to this dilemma that I was facing. I turned to the internet as I figured someone somewhere had faced the exact same issue and there must be something that would work. Low and behold I "discovered" de shaving commonly mis-referred to as "wet" shaving. Well I decided to start wet shaving, but had no place to begin. Hawaii isn't know for its broad selection of wares. I again turned to the internet and soon realized that most of my searches had an answer turned up in the B&B. So I got the cheap boar brush and shave soap from Walmart, but continued to shave with a disposable razor. After lurking for some time on B&B I purchased the Merkur 34C and thus my DE shaving adventure began. I ended up declining Military Service because, even though I could have the pick of the litter, they did not have any job listings in Hawaii that I was interested in. The military may not have panned out, but the DE shaving has stayed. I have even gotten my wife into DE shaving. You can see a list of products that I've tried and owned since beginning as well as a wish list. Please enjoy your stay!

*Note: I basically copied AndroiDad75's Wiki and edited to fit me a little better. Call me lazy, call me a plagiarist, I say I'm smart!

WORK IN PROGRESS

Brushes

Click on the column header to sort the table.


Order​
Brush​
Hair​
# of Bands​
Loft​
Handle​
Knot​
Knot DensityScritchKnot ShapeNotes
1Bluebeard's Revenge CorsairSilvertip350mm50mm22mmLowVery LittleBulb1st *real* brush ever. Soft but very Floppy. Knot also seems a bit smaller than 22. I have no way to measure, but I'd venture to say it is closer to 20mm.
2Morris & ForndranHeritage Gel Tip345mm28mmHighNoneBulbFirst B/S/T Purchase. Softest brush that has ever touched my face. Primarily a face lather brush.
3Semogue Owner's ClubBoarNA56mm60mm24mmMediumLittleFanThe Boar by which all others are measured.
4Whipped DogSilvertip348mm24mmMediumVery LittleBulbGreat general purpose brush for the money, perhaps a touch floppy for me at this point. PIF'd as part of a shave kit present to my nephew's lit professor.
5Whipped DogSyntheticNA50mm22mmLowVery LittleFanA little "springy" on the painting strokes ~ relegated to bath time fun for my kiddo to *shave*. Note: Great bowl lather brush!
6Kent PK12Silvertip3???MediumNoneFanHuge and a bit Floppy. My wife loves it, as I purchased it for her to shave her legs.
7Ever~Ready 52CD013464720FlatFirst Restore, first Shavemac knot, first D01 hair grade. Thread here. Needs to be lowered 2-3mm to get back into the rotation as I find it a wee bit floppy now.
82014 B&B LEShavemac Finest3?~55?26HighNoneExtra BulbThis one was great, except not a fan of the extreme bulb. Will most likely end up on B/S/T for this reason alone.
9Paladin
Chief (Ivory)
First Run
Lee Sabini supplied "New" Gel tip225?50?Med-HighNone, Slight ScrubHybrid BulbPerfect Ergonimics. Gel Tip with some individual hairs noticed. Superb in all regards. A Keeper!
10Paladin
PK-47
(Ivory)
First Run
Lee Sabini
supplied "New" Gel tip
225?50?Med-HighSome ScritchHybrid BulbPerfect Balance, good ergonomics. Same as Chief with some scritch. Superb in all areas, beyond perfect balance.


Double Edge Razors

Click on the column header to sort the table.


Manufacturer​
Type​
Adjustable​
Model​
Date Code​
Year​
Quarter​
Preferred Blade ComboNotes
Gillette3-PieceNoGold New Bostonian Set OCNone1930'sFeatherTried once on an off day. Didn't turn out well. I will return. Gave it a second go in my 3-Razor / 3-Blade / 3-Pass setup with a milder blade. Good first pass, but felt that the milder blade was holding back its potential.
GilletteTTONoFlare Tip Super SpeedZ-319543rdMed PrepMy "go-to" razor at the moment. More aggressive than the Merkur for me, but easily handled. - Update: No longer my go-to. Has been dethroned by the AS-D2.
GilletteTTOYesSlim AdjustableJ-219642ndUndecidedTested as part of my 3-Razor / 3-Blade / 3-Pass setup. Much smoother shaver for me than the Adjustable Black Handle Super Speed. UPDATE: Tore this one apart and cleaned thoroughly. Touched up the paint and reassembled. Then put together a comprehensive package for a gift to one of my nephews lit professors. I heard that he enjoyed the package a lot. I hope that it's not sitting on a shelf, but actually put to use.
GilletteTTONoPink Lady GilletteK-119651stFeatherMild Shaver. Bought for wife. Just blase bla for me.
GilletteTTOYesBlack Handle Super SpeedR-319713rdUndecidedI thought was long handled version when purchased, so a bit disappointed there. Can't really find my groove with this one.
Merkur2-PieceNoHD 34CNone??Med PrepPIF'd to a member in need. I liked the razor, but did not like the sharp corners that would invariably scratch me as I was shaving.
Standard Razors3-PieceNoRaw & BlackNonePolsilver Super IridiumAll aluminum, so it is quite light. Large blade gap that was unexpected, but the exposure is minimum, so it actually offers a medium to mild shave. There is also a lot of blade that is not covered by the cap, so audible feedback is superb! I am happy with this purchase and my wife thinks that this might be "the one". Side Note: Aluminim can get uncomfortably hot real quick, so be careful with long rinses under hot water.
Feather3-PieceNoAS-D2NoneFeatherFirst off ~ When people talk about the finish of this razor being exquisite, they do not lie. It is immaculate! It is all stainless, so it has a good amount of heft. There is a very small blade gap and exposure, so it is definitely a mild shaver. This is one razor where you almost need to lift the razor to get "no pressure" as the weight can get away from you. I actually managed to get a bit of irritation under my neck because I was so used to holding razors against my face since the razor is essentially inverted. The weight of this one caused me to exert pressure on my neck which coupled with a Feather blade gave me a bit of irritation. Otherwise a great shaver. Update: Proved to be my favorite and has supplanted all others.
RazoRock3-PieceNoStealth Slant PrototypeNoneMfr 20142ndPolsilver Super IridiumMy first slant. Purchased due to the resounding positive reviews. It was also opportune timing that allowed me to purchase one of the "left over" stock that Joe was going to offer as testers. Purchased via ebay through Italian Barber for $99. A very good shave. Quality craftsmanship and light weight. The weight of the Standard Razor coupled with the craftsmanship aspiring towards the AS-D2 = Excellent Product.

Straight Razors

Click on the column header to sort the table.



Order
Manufacturer​
Model​
Source​
Blade Width​
Blade Grind​
Point Type​
Price Paid Including Hone fees, etcNotes
1Ern1720Solingen, Germany5/8Full HollowSquare25 ebay + 6.25 ship + 18 hone
49.25 total
This is the razor that I am learning to shave with. I initially felt that it was too "frail" to hold up against my heavy and coarse beard around the chin area. I have since found that technique has triumphed. I love the feedback that this razor gives in both feel and sound.
2GloriawerksSolingen, Germany5/8Half HollowFrench13.50 ebay + 5.25 ship + 18 hone
36.75 total
I have done several side by side shaves with this blade and the Ern. This blade has proved to be quite nice as well. I prefer the look of the French point, but not entirely sure about the function vs the square point.
3Warranted SheffieldSheffield, England5/8+WedgeSquare19.99 ebay + 3.22 ship + 20 hone + 40 scales
83.21
I did not like this blade the first use. I have since used it again and found that it is nice, but lacks feedback. Some users have referred to their wedges as silent shavers and I will agree. I personally want more feedback from my razor, so not sure if this blade will remain. I will keep it for experience, but I predict that eventually it will be sold off.
4Union CutleryOlean, NY5/8Half HollowSquare4.99 ebay + 3.4 shipNeeds a good cleaning & Hone
5Electric CutleryTrademarkNewark, NJ11/16Half HollowRound4.99 ebay + 3.4 shipNeeds a full Restore including re-scale. In the process of restoring myself.
6Crane CutleryUSA5/8Half HollowSquare9.75 ebay + 2.25 shipVery Clean, needs honing
7Joe EdsonCustom W2
Remembering Sue Auction
USA7/81/4 groundFrench440My first high end razor. I hope that I don't screw it up. Edit: Love the size and feel in hand. Truly a pleasure to shave.
8Filarmonica#14 Doble Temple JMP
Burgundy Scales
Spain~15/16-8/8Half HollowSquare129.26 + 16 ship = 149.26 - ebay + 100 restore by mycarver = ~$250Got lucky and picked this one up for a very reasonable price. Wasn't really looking for one, but as fate would have it...







Shaving Miscellaneous Hardware


Georgetown Pottery G12 - Hamada & Blue
DIY Acrylic Shave Stand

Soaps, Croaps, & Creams



Manufacturer​
Scent​
Type
Price​
Tallow
(Y/N)​
Would buy again
(Y/N)​
Best Brush PairingNotes
1Mitchell's Wool FatFresh LaundrySoap15YesYesThe old standard bearer. Fantastic soap that I don't reach for enough anymore as it can be finicky at times.
2CellaMaraschino CherrySoapCan't recallYesNoThis is a very good soap, but I just don't reach for it ever. I have relegated this to tub time for my 3 year old who loves to "shave" with "soap". I whip this up with a WD synthetic and let him go at it.
3Geo F TrumperRoseSoapCan't Recall?NoThis is a good soap. I find the scent just so-so. Bought for the wife, but it gets no air time.
4Taylor of Old Bond StreetLavenderSoapSoap Box Pass?Y/NI felt that the performance of this soap was quite good. As good as Cella, but not as good as MWF & Tabac. I loved the simple Lavender scent and bought a few more pucks when I found out that they were discontinuing to produce this. At this juncture I would not purchase again even if I could because there are so many great artisan makers coming up that rival and beat out this soap.
5TabacTalc and subtle floralSoapPIFYesYesPaladinFantastic soap. I have a backup just in case! As (or very nearly as) good as MWF in all areas. Better in slickness. Not as good in scent depending on who you ask. I like it and my wife does as well. The new standard bearer in my soap cabinet.
6Czech & SpeakeNo 88Soap34YesYesSemogue SOCI was worried about the price tag, but decided to get it so that I could get free shipping on another order at WCS. I do not regret the purchase at all. This is probably the best performing soap that I have in all areas. It has a huge sweet spot in water ratio; is quite cushioning; and very slick.
7SpeickShave StickPIFYesReceived in a PIF. I like the classic scent a lot. The performance was also surprisingly good. I still don't reach for it as often as others.
8ValobraMentholCroapSoap Box PassYesYesThis was my first mentholated "soap". I love the performance and the menthol level is just right ~ cool, but not frostbite. Sometimes I will double dip this soap with another to get a little menthol kick in with the soap of choice.
9PannaCremaLavandotoSoap20YesNoHeard a lot of great things about this soap, so I took the plunge. I couldn't get it to perform for me. Decided to pass this along to someone else.
10Gold DachsSpezialSoap15?NoHeard good things albeit a bit mysterious about this one. Loved the subtle citrus scent. Couldn't get a decent lather out of it and hated the cheap aluminum tin that was troublesome to close and worse to open.
11XPecScentedCroap65YesNoThis was billed as the "One to Beat MdC". It probably is as I had the best shaves and lather from this that I've ever had. I just couldn't get past the scent, so I sold one un-used, kept a sample of the opened one, and sent the opened one on tour.
12MammaBear'sHoneysuckleSoapSoap Box PassNo - GlycerinNoI fell in love with the scent of this one. I love love love this scent as it is very accurate to the real thing. The lather is good ~ perhaps on the same level as Cella for me. I just reach for other better performers more often. I'll break this one out for my son just to smell the wonderful scent.
13RazoRockChristmas in TuscanyCroapCame with a brush purchaseNo ?NoThis was my first introduction to the RazoRock product line. This is one of the slickest soaps that I have. The performance is really good. The scent can be a bit over powering with the vanilla and spice notes. I just don't reach for it often enough to purchase again. Glad I have it, but would choose to replace with a new / different RR product.
14Art of ShavingSandalwoodSoapSoap Box PassNo - New formulationNoMy first experience with such a wonderful Sandalwood scent. Easily the best sandalwood scent that I've smelled. The performance was good. Maybe a notch above Cella and Mammabear's. This soap was the first yogurt lather that I ever made. I just don't reach for it enough to justify replacing when it's gone. The sandalwood scent can become polarizing.
15Ian S (Slice of Life)Lavender FieldsHard Croap8 ?No ?MaybeI really like the performance of this soap, but it falls into the "I don't reach for it enough" category. It really is a great performer. Better than Cella, Mammabear's, ToBS, and maybe close to outperforming AoS. I think that maybe with the right scent, then I might reach for this more often.
16Wet Shave ObsessionZaro (Fougure)Soap15 ?YesYesM&FGreat performer and great scent. Easily as good as MWF, but maybe not quite as good as Tabac.
17Wet Shave ObsessionGreen Irish TweedSoap15 ?YesYesM&FLove this one as much as the Zaro, maybe love the scent a bit more!
18Dapper DragonDapper DragonFirm Croap?NoYesI really liked their signature scent. I had a reaction to the soap, so I cannot use it. The performance was real good and has become one of my wife's favorites. She gets to enjoy these soaps.
19Dapper DragonBlood OrangeFirm Croap?NoYesI wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this scent. This scent is subtle and maybe just a little mysterious. Again I loved this scent, but alas still had reactions to this soap. This is my wife's standard bearer in both performance and scent.
20Saint Charles ShaveFairwaySoapSample Came with brush purchase?YesM&F / PaladinI have tried SCS in the past and they were on my radar for a while. they dropped off the radar when I got into new artisan soaps. I remember the performance before to be good, but this sample was very good. I loved the scent and performance. The lather was almost like lotion ~ very yogurt-like. UPDATE: Purchased the soap & aftershave set. This has turned into my favorite soap and in all reality I could live with only this soap in my rotation. I like it that much!
21LA Shaving SoapSpring StreetFirm for a Soft SoapSoap Box PassNoYesReally Superb performance, especially regarding the fact that I prefer a tallow based soap as the face feel is different and preferable with tallow soaps. I liked the performance well enough to be runner-up bidding in the Saint Sue auction for a custom scented batch.
22JabonmanYlangYlang Patchouli NaranjaSoap Box PassYesI really like this soap that I received via the soap passaround box. It is a very good performer that is deserving of a spot in the rotation, which reminds me that I need to start a rotation.
23TikiCitrus Mint BlastWon in a PIFNoThis soap is a mind twister. The performance can't be argued, but I never felt like I hit the sweet spot with the lather. I spent a few weeks straight with it, and had nice shaves, but always felt like I was bouncing around the mark.
24RazoRockDon MarcoCroapWon in a PIFNoThis is a good no-nonsense performer, but falls into the "average/forgettable" category for me. It performs well enough, but doesn't make me want to reach for it.

hem a great finisher.
Ended up

Purchasing full bottles of Platinum; Snake Bite; Fresh Vetiver; & L'Orange. Fresh Vetiver is my favorite.

Saint Charles Shave - Fairway. A superb scent that is very similar to fresh cut golf course grass in the early morning. I have read that the main scent ingredient is carrot tops? I need to smell some fresh green carrot tops to confirm this knowledge.

GFT Wellington
Penhaligon's Sartorial
Lacoste

te: tried a sample

in a pass around box. I would purchase for scent, but performance wasn't mythical as I had been expecting. Performance was all around above average, but not above all others.
[/COLOR]Mystic Waters (Very slick when I sampled, but the scent was not a winner)
Cattie's Bubbles - Gets lots of great reviews, but price is holding me back
CVH MK 32
Filarmonica 13 or 14 - Picked a #14 up from the bay in real nice condition
Japanese Straight Razor - Western Style Frameback
Japanese Straight Razor - Kamisori
Custom Straight - 6/8 French Point Damascus Steel in Pre-Ban Elephant Ivory scales. thumb notch top & bottom jimps
Japanese Knife handles Both would have stacked materials (Ivory, Figured wood preferably curly koa, brass or burgundy? spacers)
High Quality Kitchen Knives (Chef 8" Medium to Heavy weight; Smaller Chef (Petty) 5-6" Light weight; Paring)

Pens & Inks


Pens

- Lamy Joy - Black & Red - Extra Fine Nib
- Jinhao X750 - Matte Black - Supposed to be Fine Nib, but I think it's Medium, or at least writes Medium to me.
- Pilot Parallel - 1.5mm

Inks - Full Bottles

- Noodler's X-Feather
- Noodler's Benevolent Badger Blue - Thank you Groat for the PIF

Spirits

Whiskey

- Okolehau Hawaiian Moonshine. Was a bit potent at first with nothing but alcohol notes, but later smoothed out a bit where you could really get a taste for the ti root and sugar cane notes.
- Crown Royal. Growing up it was the go to stuff. Now I find it to be mediocre compared to some other offerings.
- Early Times. If I'm going to have something with Coke, this is it. I know that some scoff at the idea, but a good whiskey and Coke is still good!
- Johnnie Walker Double Black. Can you say "smokey"? This one caught me off guard at first with the heavy heavy smokey notes. Afterwards when the bottle had run dry... I miss those notes. If you aren't afraid of a little smoke, then have a glass of this!
- Four Roses Small Batch. Good sipper, was a bit sweet at first since I've been on a rye binge. Will update later after a little more time on the tongue.
- Blanton's. Beautiful bottle and presentation. A perfectly smooth and balanced bourbon. What I might call an almost perfect taste of what I think bourbon should be.
- Hibiki 12. Another beautiful bottle. Japanese Whiskey. Very nice and smooth. A bit too "clean" for my palate as I like more smoke and oak flavors. Still quite good when I'm looking for something "brisk".
- Monkey Shoulder (Blended Scotch) I found this to be perhaps better than average, yet still somewhat un-inspiring for me. I would call it a daily driver sort of Scotch, not something that you reach for to enjoy the subtleties and nuances of a drink.
- Connemara 12yr Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey. I tried this while on a working weekend vacation over in Kauai and I liked it enough to order two bottles for myself once I got home. For me it has a superb balance of flavors with enough peat to bring depth to the palette.

Rye Whiskey

- Whistlepig Rye 100/100. (This one is 100% Canadian Rye, but bottled in Vermont. They have plans to grown and distill their own whiskey on-site in the future. I started a thread and reviewed this one here.)
- 1910 100% Canadian Rye. (Great balance of flavors. You can read my review here.)
- Hochstadter's Slow & Low. (A great pre-made Old Fashioned. Read my review here.)
- Masterson's 10yr old straight rye (Another Canadian, I think linked to the same distillery that produces Whistle Pig. Very spicy. Reviewed here.)
- EH Taylor Straight Rye BIB. A bit of a let down for me. The flavor profile has a toasted rye note that for me is off-putting. To be honest I wish I hadn't purchased this one. I have been drinking this one a lot trying to find the inspiration to review properly, but alas it is uninspiring to me.


Cognac

- Remy Martin VSOP. Good stuff, just not a big fan of wines, of which I can taste the wine grapes that were used to make it.
- Grand Marnier. I enjoy Grand Marnier quite a lot. I like the specific orange taste that I get from this as it is specific to grand Marnier. I love pairing it with a proper slice of real good carrot cake. Just perfect for me. Supplanted a bit by Slow & Low for a stand alone drink, although I prefer Grand Marnier neat as opposed to the Slow & Low which I think is better balanced over ice.



Rum

- Meyers. Heard good things about it. Hated it! Bottom Shelf junk to me.
- The Kraken. Thought that the bottle was a bit gimmicky, so I bought it :laugh:. I actually enjoyed this rum. Plenty of flavor to hold its own in recipes and good enough to stand alone in your glass. I have plans to try again along with some other rums to see if my initial impressions still stand as my tastes have changed since first trying this.

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