Share your Shave of the Day for Saturday!
Day 11/31 of
TabOKtoberfest- Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
- Razor: Dovo Barbarossa Inox (5/8", shortened blade, stainless steel, Spanish tip)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Company – I, Rich Moose (sub-exclusive sheep tallow)
- Post Shave: Sir – Irisch Moos
- Fragrance: Atelier Rebul – 1895
I was at a conference in @PorkButtsNTaters666@sub.wetshaving.social’s home turf and we met for a lovely dinner, where he surprised me with his Dovo Barbarossa to try. The Barbarossa is a fascinating and odd little razor. It’s a 5/8" blade, seemingly made from the same blade blank as the regular modern Dovo 5/8"s, see my Dowo 41 Inox blade for comparison (which I happened to travel with, coincidentally), but the blade is about one third shorter. The Spanish tip makes it look even more stubby.
I’ve been curious about this for a while because I don’t really understand why traditional straights have a ~75 mm edges. Anyone who, like me, has a patch with horizontal direction in their beard growth pattern in the hollow bits under the jaw line knows that the long blades get in the way where the shorter blade of a DE or a traditional kamisori don’t. In short (pun unintended), the design made sense to me.
So, how does it shave? First off, with the short blade and the wooden scales, this thing is so light it’s a bit unsettling at first. Then, I wasn’t aware how much I’m usually just keeping the tip of a straight in view, and this short blade always tried hiding behind my hand. Both of these issues are just small deviations that play tricks with muscle memory, though, and easily overcome with a bit of focus.
The shave was uneventful, and the shorter blade wasn’t the superpower I thought it was, but I probably need to play a little with the new geometry to figure out how to best exploit it before floating the idea of a sub-exclusive short-blade cleaver out of Ulrik’s new 9/8 blanks 😅
It is a bit awkward in the hand. Once your back home, could we see a size comparison with your kamisori of decadence?
Similar, but the kami is bigger
I see - but the edge on the kami seems to start at least a cm further away from the pivot - which is probably better
Yes, and the edge is also further away from the spine, making it easier to get into hollow areas
I was sent a very short stainless, hollow ground razor from Portland Razor Company to hone. You can see the length in the photo below. I also thought that there would be significant advantages to the shorter size, but found that I am so comfortable with all the technique work I’ve done, the short blade felt like more of a hindrance than a help. I’m certain I could learn to take advantage of the smaller form factor, though.
I’m certain I could learn to take advantage of the smaller form factor, though.
This is what I’m thinking too. There should be an advantage, but we learned to deal with the longe edge, so we’re not seeing it immediately.
figure out how to best exploit it before floating the idea of a sub-exclusive short-blade cleaver out of Ulrik’s new 9/8 blanks
I’m currently working with Ulrik on razor that will allow me to test the Damascus steel he uses. As usual, he is just a pleasure to deal with. (This will be my fifth Koraat 🙄)
I’ve been having some less pleasant dealings with Ulrik recently. I was one of the first customers for his bigger 9/8 blanks. He accepted an order for a custom blade with engravings, then made it without and wanted me to buy it. Only after I asked about the engraving, he said that he couldn’t do that any more because his engraver quit. I asked whether he’d be looking for a new one, but haven’t gotten an answer. He’s been ghosting me for about two months now. Very disappointing
Wow! That may be the first unprofessional thing about him I’ve heard. I guess he figures you’re at stalemate.
first unprofessional thing about him I’ve heard.
Same. Very disappointing after all the great interactions
Décadi 20 Vendémiaire an 234 de la Révolution, jour de Pressoir
- Brush: Muninn Woodworks Gloire de France with Zenith 505BC Boar 🐗
- Razor: Koraat 14.2 Straight Razor
- Lather: Martin de Candre Absinthe
- Postshave: Naissance 702 Witch Hazel
- Postshave: Tabac Original After Shave Lotion
- Postshave: Nivea After Shave Balm
Now that the Barbarasso has gone to vacations in Switzerland, I felt that I should try something a bit rarer. The Koraat felt much sharper than my usual razors – I guess it is time I honed them again 😅
Uneventful shave, and Tabac as an aftershave after Absinthe is not as strange as it may sound at first sight.
Have a good day!
SOTD 2025-10-11
- Prep: Stirling Soap Co. - Haverford Pre-shave Oil
- Bowl: Captain’s Choice - Obsidian Copper
- Brush: Semogue Owners Club - Cherry Wood Boar 24mm
- Razor: FaTip - Lo Storto Gentile
- Blade: Feather - New Hi-Stainless
- Lather: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original
- Post Shave: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original Aftershave
- Post Shave: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original Balm
- Post Shave: Proraso - Polvere Post Rasatura
- Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original EdC
- Tags: $discord
Yay Saturday!
How do you like the Gentile? The non-slant gentile is my favorite Fatip, but haven’t tried the slant.
It’s definitely an easier daily shave. Lining up the blade is always a thing with FaTip. On the open comb, I generally line up according to a shine on the radius of the OC. On the closed comb, the blade lines up with the inner edge of the safety bar. This is more repeatable, especially early in the morning.
FaTip’s slants are odd; on other slants, the blade usually lines up with the edge of the cap and the gap between blade and safety bar really shows the slant. These look wild against the cap.
October 11th, 2025
- Brush: Wolf Whiskers - “Gianmaria” w/Maggard 26mm Synthetic
- Razor: RazoRock GOAT
- Blade: Personna Lab Blue (6)
- Lather: La Maison du Savon de Marseille - Aloe Vera & Donkey Milk - Soap
- Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Leather - Aftershave
- Fragrance: Eau Factory - Noble - EdT
$discord
I got this soap on a recent trip to Brussels, Belgium. There was a nice little soap shop that had a couple of shaving soaps to pick from. One of them is available on Amazon in a scent called Rebel. The one I got didn’t have a scent name but it smells great. It’s also a greenish color and is 110 grams instead of 150 grams like the one on Amazon.
Is it good shaving soap? Well, it works! The lather does dissipate pretty quickly which is usually a bad sign, but as we know slickness is king, and this has slickness. I got a great shave from it. It’s a hard soap – maybe even triple milled – so as I learn how to properly load from the puck I’m sure it’ll only get better.
I wish I had more information on it. It doesn’t exist on their website that I could find. No ingredients, no scent info. All I know is what’s stamped on the soap which translates to “Shaving Soap”, “Donkey Milk”, and “Aloe Vera”.
October 11th, 2025
- Brush: Omega - 10048 28mm Boar
- Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing 921-M
- Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (7)
- Lather: Fanzine Saponifications - Caravaggio - Soap
- Post Shave: Saponificio Varesino - Cubebe - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
- Fragrance: Chanel - Égoïste - EdT
Superlative shave. I made a super wet lather and got great results.
The spicy woodiness of Cubebe worked really well with Caravaggio as well.
Have a great Saturday, all.
I find Fanzine to have a pretty wide water band.
Yeah I agree.
I’ve still been experimenting with the “slurry lather” that sgrdddy talks about. A super wet brush, less soap than you think you need, and keeping it wet as hell on your face.
It works really well with Fanzine and creates a very slick lather. Though I think Fanzine dries out just a bit faster than some of my tallow soaps. It’s still been giving me great shaves though!
October 11th, 2025
- Brush: AP Shave Co. - Black Butterscotch w/ AP Pure Bliss Synthetic
- Razor: Gillette - Slim Adjustable
- Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
- Lather: Fanzine Saponifications - This is Not a Test - Soap
- Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Sunset - Aftershave
Found a nice little Slim Adjustable today for $5. Cleaned up nice and gave a great shave at level 5. Will probably knock it down to 4 next time.
