If you go down the rabbit hole of pursuing skill with a straight, I think you will be surprised at how satisfying it is.

August 12, 2025

• Brush: Zenith B44 28mm Boar
• Razor: Koraat 14 "Moarteen" 15/16" Full Hollow
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose (Mutton -r/Wetshaving) - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz - Sir Irisch Moos - Eau de Cologne

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Great shave! The adjustments I've made to my technique for daily 3-pass shaves are working incredibly well. This unstropped edge is performing magnificently.

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That’s a big step!

I sort of tried to maintain a shallower angle today, and I think this razor really excels with that type of approach.

For me, all straight razors perform better with a low angle. It took me over 100 shaves to be able to get a straight razor shave that was closer and more comfortable than with a DE, and I worked on it. With over 1000 straight razor shaves, I still am. The nice thing about AA is that most other variables are fixed so I can focus on tweaking technique.

Or maybe just slap some Trump branding on it,

I don’t think the Swiss could handle Trump’s style, even for signage. 😉

For me, it is time that I have already set aside. Normally, I treat it as a practice of mindfulness, like meditation. There are days, of course, when I’m just not in the mood and just go through the motions, but I normally look forward to each shave.

Yeah, I would think that there aren’t many actual producers of blades and that many blade companies are just having blades made and selling them. Perhaps grinding angle, coating type, and type of band-steel, can be specified to make a blade perform differently from others.

glad to be able to shave again

Invariably, on days when I shave just because it is habit, I feel exactly like you did afterwards. Today was, in fact, one of those days. I was thinking of the shave as a chore to fit in between other tasks. Afterwards, I was just glad to have had such a great experience.

How is the horse brush working out?

August 11, 2025

• Brush: Zenith B44 28mm Boar
• Razor: Koraat 14 "Moarteen" 15/16" Full Hollow
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose (Mutton -r/Wetshaving) - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz - Sir Irisch Moos - Eau de Cologne

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Another great shave. Certainly better than on day one. This brush is really starting to come into its own. It already feels broken in. Just the right backbone. Tips splitting well already feeling very soft.

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What do you think varies in blade manufacture? Do you think there are only a few places that make them, and specifications vary? Does someone (perhaps Feather) control their whole process, including band-steel?

August 10, 2025

• Brush: Zenith B44 28mm Boar
• Razor: Koraat 14 "Moarteen" 15/16" Full Hollow
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose (Mutton -r/Wetshaving) - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Stirling Soap Co. - I, Rich Moose - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz - Sir Irisch Moos - Eau de Cologne

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

10 days, 28 passes. No stropping of the razor. Better shaves than when I started. Some of this is undoubtedly due to the mutton tallow, but the rest I think is due to a rededication to precision to touch and angle. This is fun stuff for me.

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