31 M | he/him | wetshaving hobbyist from Germany | GER & EN speaking
It’s one of my sillier wetshaving indulgences
I think it looks like a great ergonomic solution, much like the Rubberset 400 handles. Nothing silly about that. Good to see that I wasn’t the only one who thought of a screwdriver shaped brush handle for superior handling. Now someone has to actually make them with a rubberized/silicone coating like my Würth multitool 😏
Forgot to tell you that my sample arrived safely last Saturday. Thanks again! 👍🏻
I think they perform way better than the other Czech blades, Tiger - who are abysmally dull right out of the box - but yeah, they still kinda suck.
09.10.2025
Today was just a good day for the smoky Hindsight to be used. I had the lather a little bit too wet for my liking, but it was still fine to shave with.
The Tatra blades seem to be not for me, though. The sharpness deteriorated quickly even in such a mild razor like the Cyber. Even the alcohol-free aftershave toner gave me an initial sting before calming down. This usually happens when either the razor I used was too aggressive (can’t be the case today) or the blade is too mild/dull for me (most likely applicable here). These simply don’t cut it, literally. Having to do a bunch of touch-ups isn’t what I like doing either, so I guess I’ll stay with my BIC Chrome Platinum.
We had a long team meeting at work yesterday and it was quite a heated discussion. Still, I think it’s important that everyone got something off their chest and we can all improve a bit now. Still have one early shift left tomorrow, then it’s finally a free weekend ahead!
Here in Germany, shaving stuff is usually reserved to drugstores and very well-stocked super markets. Given that the concept of a drugstore seems completely foreign to France though, I can’t vouch for Belgium as both are pretty close… So take my advice with a grain of salt ✌🏻
07.10.2025
Way earlier shave than usual - I wanted to take some selfies for a project and my evil perfectionism wouldn’t let me until I underwent a meticulous grooming routine. So I did this shave after trimming down my stubble to a fairly short length. Had to watch out with the shavette, as it’s pretty easy to cut off too much then. But I managed nicely. I’m impressed by how good going ATG on my neck feels. Especially without any WTG or XTG pass beforehand…
Today I totally nailed the WK lather, it was nice, wet and slick without being too sloppy and flying everywhere. WK’s tallow base is good for me in terms of skincare and I wanted something that won’t give me any irritation. Transition smells really inoffensive, like a nice load of fresh laundry out of the washing machine. Might sound weird, but that’s the first metaphor that came to my head and the scent would really be awesome for a laundry detergent or laundry fragrance. It has a very “clean” vibe, so to say.
Early shifts still suck and I have to take up yet another one on Friday due to cases of sickness again. FML, I wonder when my reduced hours finally will have a noticeable effect 😮💨
05.10.2025
This was a test to see if I react negatively to any ingredients of the soap - thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be the case! The first use of it was probably under a myriad of bad circumstances, so it’s nice to know that José’s new Vetonia base doesn’t give me any problems. I always was very impressed by the quality of JdJ soaps and this one’s lather is no exception. In fact I might put it at the top of european artisans.
Today I was also able to appreciate the scent more. It has in fact a bit of a sweet and powdery note to it, reminds me of barbershop soaps. Plus there are definitely some spices, which probably work to give it this “mysterious” touch. In general, it is a masculine fragrance with a unique twist. While “Masala Connection”, my other full-size JdJ soap, is more of an old school manly scent, this one is recognisably more modern and experimental.
Using my kamisori shavette yet again and it didn’t disappoint this time, as I took things slowly and deliberately. Even worked well on my neck where I did ATG first & only, which usually results in irritation. I was so slow that I actually finished listening to a whole dark ambient album by Stuzha while shaving. And yeah, beard lineup as in cheek line and neck line - I was told bluntly that the circle beard makes me look at least 10+ years older, so until I can grow a nice moustache again it’s tamed stubble for me.
No worries, I know that all too well. Sometimes we need to put stuff on the back burner to focus more on other important things. Since it seemed like your passion for wetshaving was never burning you out, I was a little worried that you had health issues or a mountaineering accident or something like that 😉
I must clarify: I only like these in terms of looks. The only thing I have is my KAI Captain kamisori shavette with AC blades and even that one came with a leather sheath for the open blade, kinda like a samurai sword 😆 Now, given that I mostly shave my head, it doesn’t nearly get used enough. Mostly collects dust. Traditional kamisori are a no-go for me since their grind is mostly for barbers shaving a customer vs. something you can comfortably use on yourself. That’s why I really liked the idea of one with a western grind, even if I’d never get into straight razors myself due to the honing requirements…
03.10.2025
Just another use of NO Ace since it’s so damn good. A very unique blend of many notes that somehow come together just right to create something special. Also the RR Cyber is just “easy head shave mode” for me. The blade is probably shot now though.
Today is our national holiday in Germany, the “Tag der deutschen Einheit” (= day of german unity). Normally I try to use at least something german, but I couldn’t be arsed since most stuff from here is simply outdated or not that great. Or isn’t made anymore. There are some individuals with cool ideas like Design94 who created an aircraft aluminium razor first and then a titanium one, but most of them operate in the high price range that I simply can’t afford (think Wald synthetic brushes, beautiful but expensive). Unfortunately.
Anyways, I had today off since a colleague wanted to swap shifts so I will work tomorrow. Helped my parents finish their fence (kinda ironic to build a fence on the day where we celebrate the fall of the wall) and had probably the last barbecue of the year - starting tomorrow we’re supposed to get really rainy and stormy autumn weather, so it was a good opportunity today.
Where have you been? I was about to ask if anyone heard anything from you or if we need to send a search team to Switzerland until I read something about a break in one of the SOTD threads. Hope everything is going well for you!
Btw, a really beautiful razor. I personally prefer the non-folding kamisoris, but one with a western style symmetrical grind sounds awesome! Plus I always like faux tortoise shell scales, giving it a unique look IMHO.
30.09.2025
So yesterday was awful, I didn’t even get to the event as the city was overrun with cars & people, no parking spots available whatsoever. Unfortunately this triggered an anxiety attack, which I had to let pass before driving home slowly. I’m really glad about my (relatively) new car - all the sensors and assistants made me feel safe despite being stuck in traffic hell. I made the conscious decision to take things slower from now on, as this is clearly a sign of accumulated stress.
Anyways, today I also had a day off and it was relaxed. I finally had time to re-shape my circle beard, so a good shave was in order. And man, was this a nice experience. NO Ace was definitely a great choice for a new soap - it doesn’t lose its smoky notes when it’s lathered and the wood and leather create a nice blend with them. There’s some perfume type scent in there too, maybe to smooth things out. It’s a very unique scent and one that just vibes with me. Plus, usual great Noble Otter performance in terms of slickness, lather quality etc.
The Perun was a solid choice too. It actually gave me a nice, enjoyable face shave - something that I almost had given up on achieving. Made me smile into my mirror and helped me to feel way better. It’s definitely great for both face and head shaving, which is rare for me. Usually razors do better in one of those departments only, but this shave was great on both the dome and the mug.
28.09.2025
I did this shave way earlier today before my late shift. Yes, I worked yet another weekend. And it was awful!
This combo is really good, but I only did WTG to avoid any cuts or anything else. It wasn’t a very close shave, more akin to using a dry shaver. Still nice to finally get to a shave again. Tomorrow will be yet another quick shave, as there’s an event by my welfare organisation to welcome the new trainees for this year and honour those who passed their exams this year (like me) and the practice instructors/mentors. I finally got my final results and the exam in the mail on Friday btw, couldn’t be happier. Tomorrow should be a nice closing point and a chance for some networking. I don’t like that I’ll be going completely alone, but I don’t plan on staying too long anyway…
Hope everyone else had a great Sunday!
24.09.2025
So another time of going back to a partial beard, perhaps for the fifteenth time this year?.. This time it might actually last without the exam stress, who knows.
Unfortunately this shave wasn’t that great. After trimming today, my skin was kinda feeling rough already. The soap had a slight burn once I applied the lather to my face. The Razorine Flatboy is good for detailed crisp line work, so it should rock for partial beards and moustaches. Yet the blade felt a bit like it’s tugging in certain spots, especially on my jawline. Had a few tiny blood spots around the beard part so I actually needed 3 different post-shave products to get that under control again.
So thanks to being stupid, I now have a multitude of different variables that might have caused this:
Anyways, I smell great now but my face burns. I don’t know why it dislikes shaving so much when any kind of partial beard is clearly the better look for me instead.
Have a good day/evening/night!
22.09.2025
Found some time to shave again as I finally have a few days off in a row.
Found another notable thing out about the new razor: if you tighten the handle too much, the blade is bent horizontally for a smiling edge! That’s probably why my last shave with the Tatra wasn’t as efficient as I hoped. This one was way better. So I need to keep in mind to check the blade alignment from all angles when I drop a new one into this razor. Sadly it is very aggressive, a move I usually do to catch all the hairs behind my ear led to a small cut. Ah well, live and learn - at least I had alum.
It’s officially autumn/fall season now and at least here in Germany, we had matching temperatures (~ 12°C with wind). Time to take out Autumn Glory and it didn’t disappoint. Stirling is rightfully considered one of the top soapmakers in wetshaving, the base always delivers a smooth lather fast. As for the new aftershave balm: I definitely like this stuff, the gel doesn’t leave my scalp greasy and it smells really awesome. It was a bit more intense on the sweetness in comparison to Autumn Glory, but it is very inoffensive and rather charming with its scent. Also leaves the skin feeling good, so far a very great first impression!
[…] but I can’t play for very long in a single sitting.
Ha, welcome to the club! One of the main problems of adult gaming I guess. Low energy after work + less available time due to other commitments + general distractions = almost zero time left for gaming. 🫤
That being said, enjoy what you can get out of the game, even if it’s just 15 minute chunks. I currently try to get back into regular gaming sessions by playing… Pinball FX 😂
Thanks! And also thank you for re-invigorating the joy of wetshaving by sending that BVWSC sample to me a few months ago. Without the newfound enjoyment, I wouldn’t have thought about any new acquisitions for the hobby. ✌🏻
Thanks! The Master is indeed amazing, truly one of Shawn Maher’s greatest creations. It’s not overly sweet or powdery like some other barbershops tend to be.
Ace is probably right at home in the coming fall/autumn season 👍🏻
The sides of the Flatboy are indeed round, you can’t rest it on the side like other razors. Thankfully the handle is flat and heavy enough to stand on its own! The plus is that the blade tabs are fully covered. It’s basically the Razorine on a stick, a bit aggressive but manageable if you take it slow 😉
Thanks 🙏🏻
I’d definitely buy one. Personally I think good handling of a brush is as important as the right size and loft of a knot.