[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 1 points 1 hour ago

05.10.2025

  • Brush: RazoRock F-400 34 mm
  • Razor: RazoRock Cyber Medium w Superknurl handle; KAI Captain J-7 shavette
  • Blade: Tatra; KAI Captain Protouch MG
  • Lather: Los Jabones de Joserra - The Witcher
  • Post-Shave: Zingari Man - The Master, recovery splash
  • Passes & Info: 2 passes on the head with the Cyber; 1 beard lineup with the kamivette. Super pleasant shave.

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.

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 1 points 13 hours ago

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...

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 2 points 2 days ago

03.10.2025

  • Brush: RazoRock F-400, 34 mm
  • Razor: RazoRock Cyber Medium w/ Superknurl handle
  • Blade: Willy's Premium
  • Lather: Noble Otter - Ace
  • Post-Shave: OAM - Dolce Vita ASB
  • Passes & Info: 2 passes on the head, 1 on the neck. A smooth shave.

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.

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 3 points 2 days ago

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.

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 4 points 5 days ago

30.09.2025

  • Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
  • Razor: Stando Perun
  • Blade: BIC Chrome Platinum
  • Lather: Noble Otter - Ace
  • Post-Shave: Zingari Man - The Master, recovery splash
  • Passes & Info: 1 pass on the head and 2 on the face around the full goatee. Pretty smooth and good shave!

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.

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 2 points 1 week ago

28.09.2025

  • Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
  • Razor: Leaf Thorn
  • Blade: Derby Premium half DE
  • Lather: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber
  • Post-Shave: Zingari Man - The Master, recovery splash; moisturiser
  • Passes & Info: single pass WTG head shave. Comfortable, not very close though.

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!

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 5 points 1 week ago

24.09.2025

  • Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
  • Razor: Razorine Flatboy 73
  • Blade: Tatra
  • Lather: Los Jabones de Joserra - The Witcher
  • Post-Shave: alum block; Zingari Man - The Master; Alterra Men ASB
  • Passes & Info: 2 pass face shave around a circle beard. Rough shave, unfortunately.

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:

  1. Dry skin due to cold windy weather
  2. Frag burn from a soap ingredient
  3. Unfamiliarity with the new aggressive razor
  4. The Tatra blades perform well on my scalp, but aren't suited for my hard beard hair
  5. Aurora Borealis? Russian hacker groups? The Illuminati?

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!

13

A little reward order I got myself for passing the final exams for my RN degree at the end of August. Disclaimer: All items were bought by myself with my own money - except the free sample.

Vendor: ABC/AboutBodyCare (Germany) - not sponsored by or affiliated with them in any way!

Contents:

  • Razor: Razorine Flatboy 73, a full brass razor with a very unique flat head geometry. Efficient, a bit less mild and definitely heavy (113 gr.)
  • Noble Otter - Ace, shaving soap: given that I aced my exams and that I liked the scent notes, this was a no brainer. If Motörhead could be a shaving soap, this could be it. Woody notes with smoke and leather is my initial impression from the first sniff of the dry soap.
  • Los Jabones de Joserra - The Witcher, shaving soap: in the middle ages, nursing and healthcare were often seen as "witchcraft". This is José's unique "Vetonia" base, combining traditional beef tallow with goat milk, duck fat and honey - being somewhat of a modern day witcher too. The scent notes sounded pretty interesting with oud, leather and tobacco as main notes. Initial impression: a very intoxicating, even hypnotic blend of masculine fragrances. As the artwork (no AI btw, as a "Northern Pride" is credited as the artist) suggests, it has a dark & mysterious note to it - but maybe that's just confirmation bias due to the expectations set by the art.
  • Zingari Man - The Master, recovery splash: what can I say? I like barbershop scents, I like dark & spicy and I always wanted to try ZM's alcohol free aftershaves. Also fitting since the scent is dedicated to men honing their craft, which is what I really intend to do now.
  • OAM - Dolce Vita ASB: has a gel-like texture, smells like a combination of caramel milk and musk. 👍🏻
  • Two body soaps by french artisan E&S Rasage: Aqua Viva and Barber. I like these scents very much.
  • Tatra Razor blades: given that I like exploring new blade options and these are made in the Czech Republic, I want to see how they perform for me
  • Free sample: Extro - Terra Degli Dei 1927, shaving soap: smells like an old cologne, contains goat and donkey milk. Nice freebie, curious how it'll perform.
[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

05.09.2025

  • Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
  • Razor: RazoRock Cyber Medium w/ Superknurl handle
  • Blade: Willy's Premium
  • Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cuir et Epices
  • Post-Shave: Alverde - Men ASB
  • Passes & Info: 2 passes on the head, 1 on the neck. Good shave.

My only day off this week, so this shave was to put a good finish to this day.

I still remember back when DG was all the rage, nowadays it's seemingly less popular. Milksteak is still a good base though and this scent is very great. "Leather and Spices" if I'm not mistaken and it's exactly that: like an expensive leather bag full of delicious spices. Got this one a few years ago by the recommendation of sahenders, who said it might fit well with TF Oro Valley and it surely does. But also shines on its own - I really like it. The blade today is yet again made in India, but it's better than The Gentleman's and Parker Premium: really solid first shave, I'm indeed impressed.

Weekend shifts are usually pretty calm, so I don't really dread working tomorrow and Sunday. Plus it's just 6h shifts, so I should even be fine after work. Everyone else: have a nice weekend!

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 5 points 1 month ago

03.09.2025

  • Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
  • Razor: Leaf Thorn
  • Blade: Derby Premium (half DE)
  • Lather: Wholly Kaw - Transition
  • Post-Shave: Lavera - Men sensitive ASB
  • Passes & Info: single pass only on the head again. A little bit of burn once I applied the ASB lotion, otherwise a good shave.

A quick shave after I trimmed my stubble beard down. The really short lengths look best with a skin-close shave up top in contrast IMHO. WK Siero is always nice to use and Transition has such a smooth, mellow and warm scent. I can't pick out anything individually, but it's seriously very good and relaxing to use.

The 3rd RN shift was a huge improvement over yesterday's miserable day. It seems like my colleagues are indeed happy to have me around, just don't have enough time to explain everything thoroughly. Tomorrow I will have another early shift, but this time with a team member who's universally hated at this station. We'll see how it goes, I try to stay as neutral as possible.

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 4 points 1 month ago

01.09.2025

  • Brush: RazoRock Beehive 28 mm
  • Razor: Leaf Thorn
  • Blade: Derby Premium (half DE)
  • Lather: HAGS - Creatures of the Night (mutton tallow base)
  • Post-Shave: OAM - oli del benessere, sensitive skin toner
  • Passes & Info: 1 pass on both head and neck. Very comfortable shave.

Just another use of the Thorn, this time with a very slick mutton tallow lather. I had some trouble getting a good lather going, but worked it out in the end. The final result was very slick and made for nice shaving.

My first day as an RN was rather uneventful: basically the same work as before. Our higher-ups weren't even present today, as they had to attend some event. So apart from getting a few congratulations - nothing special. Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed. But as I got home, I found a letter from the central of the welfare organisation my nursing home belongs to: they invited me to an event at the end of September, where they want to have a meet & greet w/ new trainees and those who successfully finished their degree this year. Sounds nice and I think I should attend; they also want to award the best new nurses, so I guess that's why they didn't just send me an email as usual. We'll see...

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Today was our certificate ceremony with a little celebration afterwards, so it was a pretty exciting day for me.

I already got all my written exam results on Wednesday and I was really surprised how good I was:

  • Written exams: day one: 1/A; day two: 2/B; day three: 1/A
  • Practical exam: 2/B
  • Oral exam: 1/A

For a final score of 1,4 for my exams stand-alone and 1,2 for the theory of all three years of my retraining combined. Together with another classmate, we were awarded as the best male and female new nurse of our year respectively. Each of us got a nice flower and 50€. I never, ever was the best in anything... So currently I am really proud of myself. The only thing we have to wait for is our official nurse title, as this is handled by the state administration office and official documents take time to be printed. I hope we can hold them in our hands by Mid-late September. My mentors/practice instructors from my workplace were at the celebration too and seemed to be really happy about both me and another colleague/classmate passing our final exams.

The biggest part of my class went to eat at a greek restaurant with our teacher after the main celebration was over, which was just a twelve minute drive away. It was nice to wind down with good food, joke around and to revel in memories of the past 3 years.

What's my plan now? I'll stay working at my nursing home, just with reduced hours for the first year (30-35 h/week depending on staffing and workload) and then I want to become a mentor/practice instructor myself. For now, I'm so damn satisfied to have mastered a big step up in my career. My emotions are a weird mixture of pride, happiness and satisfaction, but also sentimental melancholia because I'll most certainly miss a few classmates a lot....

[-] DaveWave94@wetshav.ing 4 points 1 month ago

26.08.2025 | Celebratory Shave

  • Brush: RazoRock Beehive 28 mm
  • Razor: GEM Micromatic Bullet Tip/Flying Wing, gold plated
  • Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
  • Lather: HAGS - Barberwood
  • Post-Shave: HAGS - Barberwood toner
  • Passes & Info: 2 passes on the head, single ATG pass on the neck; kinda rough shave due to a new GEM blade, still enjoyed it very much.

It is done. Finally, I passed the last exam today and I aced it! It was an oral exam where we had to draw envelopes with different case studies and questions regarding nursing topics. My first draw was shite, but thankfully you get another: woohoo! A child w/ neurodermatitis, blood sampling, medical advice for the parents, skincare for ND and the impact of chronic illnesses on young people. Totally up my alley, so I passed with flying colours (A/1). Couldn't be happier since.

I wanted at least a short shave to celebrate, but in the end it was enough lather for 3+ passes. So I went with it, even though the shave was a bit rough thanks to the new GEM blade. Well, I wanted to use my only golden razor. Still worth it - as much as I dislike the generative AI tub art of this soap, the scent is so good. A bit sweeter than I usually like my barbershops, but at least the toner brings more of the woody notes that its name promises. This isn't the best HAGS base IMHO, even though "Hathor" sounds like the premium line. To me, the best is undoubtedly the mutton tallow base which seems to be a common preference in the wetshaving hobby. IDK, maybe sheep are really slick & greasy?!

Tomorrow we'll get our final results of all exams in the afternoon and on Friday our graduation certificate. I'm really stoked 👌🏻

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DaveWave94

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