Paste & Cut Travelling Box #4A - Reviews and Comments

lerenau said:
Oh, I have roughly 100 of them already. I love them even more than my GSB's. (y)
But, I don't think even they would have helped in this case. (n)
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@lerenau have you tried with the R41 as YMMV please trust me, I beg of you.

Astra Superior Platinum
Kai Stainless Steel
Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge
Perma-Sharp Super
Sputnik
Treet Platinum

PS.. The more you used the R41, the more you'll LOVE IT!!!!!
 
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Pbgoose said:
Thank you lerenau for a couple of very entertaining reviews.:LOL:
I still find it amazing the vastly different experiences that different blokes can have with the same razor. I enjoy using the R41 and haven't experienced anywhere near the level of irritation that you described and find the angle required quite intuitive.
Then again, I read quite a number of reviews about the Asylum Rx before purchasing and it sounded all very normal and tame and was horrified by the ensuing massacre when I tried to master it.
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Indeed, I find it fascinating how different everyone's experience is in this game.
I think that's partly what makes the journey so special.

... I can't stress enough how much I wanted to like the R41. Everything about it screams *me*... But we just don't get along. :cry:

Still, I seem to get good results from plenty of other razors... So I guess things aren't so bad.

I'm glad you have enjoyed my posts. If just one person learned anything or even just giggled, then I think it's worth it. :)
 
SpeedyPC said:
@lerenau have you tried with the R41 as YMMV please trust me, I beg of you.

Astra Superior Platinum
Kai Stainless Steel
Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge
Perma-Sharp Super
Sputnik
Treet Platinum
Click to expand...
I have some 7 O'Clocks, Treets, and maybe Astras. Maybe 1 pack of each.
And maybe ~75 Permasharps.

I *might* consider another shave with the R41 before I give it back. But the experience still gives me chills.
If I did use it again, it would be with a cushiony soap that I trust... Perhaps Washpool, as it's the most tallowy soap I have.
 
I've had this experience. In order to get a good shave with a razor as aggressive as an R41 on a new blade requires flawless technique, shallow angle (roll off the top cap until it just starts cutting) and of course no pressure. It can be done but it's more than I have energy for after a big night when I'm just trying to get to work.

I only find myself using aggressive razors these days with older blades - blades that have already had at least a few shaves on them in milder razors. Once a blade gets a few shaves on it, you can open up the angle and enjoy the efficiency benefit of an aggressive razor without all the damage IME... the other side of that coin is that the same blade, if kept in a mild razor, just doesn't cut to an unacceptable level and would have to be discarded otherwise.
 
Razor: SS Colonial General
Blade: Feather AC Pro (7+?)
Brush: St James of London 24mm synthetic
Soap/Cream: Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul"
Aftershave Splash: APR - "Suitably Attired Australian"

After the horrible experiences of my last couple of shaves, I decided to not risk using the R41 for a while. My skin just can't take another assault like that without a break.
So, I have fallen back to the SS Colonial General as my mild-razor of choice. While it's mild, it also gives a very close shave. So, I'm not missing much as far as results go. But, it's very consistent, which is what I need right now.

Today's soap is "Moroccan Rhassoul" from Meißner Tremonia, a German artisan.
Here is the description from their Google Translated site:
Ghassoul (pronounced Rhassoul), the Moroccan scrub has been used in Northwest Africa since time immemorial for body cleansing.
A touch of the Orient with pure natural copaiba balsam and cloves leaves. Extracts of organic hamamelis and organic eucalyptus from our own production as a treat for the skin.​
"But wait!" I hear you yell "You haaaaate cloves". Well, yes. It has been my experience that whenever I smell cloves in a shave soap/splash I gag and heave... With 2 exceptions: Wolfpac's "Silk Road" which has excellent performance but I can only just tolerate the scent and, now, "Moroccan Rhassoul". It's worth noting that neither of these soaps is described as bay rum and are indeed quite different from each other.

The sample pots from the travelling box only have the artisan+product name written on them. No ingredients or profiles. So in order work out what to try, you need to sniff each pot in turn.
It was while doing this that I realised how common bay-rums are and how much I hate them. They literally burn my nose from their (to me) overuse of cloves and (I assume) gun-powder.
Anyway, by sniffing all the pots I was dividing them into two groups for sampling: 1) a large NO pile and 2) a small YES pile.
When I opened the "Moroccan Rhassoul", I immediately felt the familiar whiff of clove. So I quickly shoved it into the NO pile... But then, while reaching for another pot, I got the faint whisper of a childhood memory.
My Mother's side of the family came from Istanbul (Turkey) in the 60's. They were actually the first Turks in Canberra. My Grandmother, Aunt and Mother are all great cooks and my Aunt used to own a Turkish restaurant that I would frequent as a child.
Sniffing that pot brought me back to a table at that restaurant, I must have been roughly 9 years old. I was sitting with my Aunt and a couple of other Turkish 'aunties' while they discussed the goings-on and drank some 'special tea' which was traditional during whatever time of the year it was.
The tea was made with whole cloves! And it smells exactly like this soap! I have seriously not thought about that day for 30 years. And all it took to bring it back, was a pleasant reminder of a calm sip of pleasant tea.
Something else about that day also came to mind: When I finished the tea, there were several whole-cloves at the bottom of the cup. For some reason, I decided to chew on one of them. Pleasant it was NOT! And, interestingly, it tasted not unlike the scent from a strong bay-rum!

Funny what memories different scents can bring back, isn't it?

Performance:
"Moroccan Rhassoul" lathers like an absolute beast. Like, seriously, it's second to none. It easily filled my (large) lathering bowl. And the lather wasn't stingy either; heavy, cushy, and slick. Just absolutely superb.
It, combined with the Colonial General, did a fantastic job and delivered a cracking shave with a great post-shave feeling. I can't fault it. It was divine!

I followed up with Alum and then some of APR's Suitably Attired Australian. When I put this on, it gave me a similar vibe to Stirling's "Smart Dressed Man" but with an edge that made it much more comfortable for me than the 'stiff' Stirling.
Now, my nose isn't particularly good at picking scents. So, I was quite surprised when I checked TSW site and it said the following: A fragrance that considerably develops and evolves the design, concept and execution of the ‘Smart Dressed Man’ whose heritage is Creed’s renowned Greed Irish Tweed.
I'd say that description is spot-on.

Verdict:
  • Soap: Bloody amazing! I must have it. YOU must have it. Everyone needs to get Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul"!
  • Splash: APR - "Suitably Attired Australian" is the business. I love it. I thought 'Smart Dressed Man' was nice, yet not for me. This is totally me. I will likely buy it.
@Mark1966, where did you get this soap from? Strangely, the artisan doesn't ship to Australia!


P.S. Seriously everyone, you've got to try this soap. Its performance is eff-ing brilliant. And its scent appealed even to me.
 
lerenau said:
Razor: SS Colonial General
Blade: Feather AC Pro (7+?)
Brush: St James of London 24mm synthetic
Soap/Cream: Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul"
Aftershave Splash: APR - "Suitably Attired Australian"

After the horrible experiences of my last couple of shaves, I decided to not risk using the R41 for a while. My skin just can't take another assault like that without a break.
So, I have fallen back to the SS Colonial General as my mild-razor of choice. While it's mild, it also gives a very close shave. So, I'm not missing much as far as results go. But, it's very consistent, which is what I need right now.

Today's soap is "Moroccan Rhassoul" from Meißner Tremonia, a German artisan.
Here is the description from their Google Translated site:
Ghassoul (pronounced Rhassoul), the Moroccan scrub has been used in Northwest Africa since time immemorial for body cleansing.
A touch of the Orient with pure natural copaiba balsam and cloves leaves. Extracts of organic hamamelis and organic eucalyptus from our own production as a treat for the skin.​
"But wait!" I hear you yell "You haaaaate cloves". Well, yes. It has been my experience that whenever I smell cloves in a shave soap/splash I gag and heave... With 2 exceptions: Wolfpac's "Silk Road" which has excellent performance but I can only just tolerate the scent and, now, "Moroccan Rhassoul". It's worth noting that neither of these soaps is described as bay rum and are indeed quite different from each other.

The sample pots from the travelling box only have the artisan+product name written on them. No ingredients or profiles. So in order work out what to try, you need to sniff each pot in turn.
It was while doing this that I realised how common bay-rums are and how much I hate them. They literally burn my nose from their (to me) overuse of cloves and (I assume) gun-powder.
Anyway, by sniffing all the pots I was dividing them into two groups for sampling: 1) a large NO pile and 2) a small YES pile.
When I opened the "Moroccan Rhassoul", I immediately felt the familiar whiff of clove. So I quickly shoved it into the NO pile... But then, while reaching for another pot, I got the faint whisper of a childhood memory.
My Mother's side of the family came from Istanbul (Turkey) in the 60's. They were actually the first Turks in Canberra. My Grandmother, Aunt and Mother are all great cooks and my Aunt used to own a Turkish restaurant that I would frequent as a child.
Sniffing that pot brought me back to a table at that restaurant, I must have been roughly 9 years old. I was sitting with my Aunt and a couple of other Turkish 'aunties' while they discussed the goings-on and drank some 'special tea' which was traditional during whatever time of the year it was.
The tea was made with whole cloves! And it smells exactly like this soap! I have seriously not thought about that day for 30 years. And all it took to bring it back, was a pleasant reminder of a calm sip of pleasant tea.
Something else about that day also came to mind: When I finished the tea, there were several whole-cloves at the bottom of the cup. For some reason, I decided to chew on one of them. Pleasant it was NOT! And, interestingly, it tasted not unlike the scent from a strong bay-rum!

Funny what memories different scents can bring back, isn't it?

Performance:
"Moroccan Rhassoul" lathers like an absolute beast. Like, seriously, it's second to none. It easily filled my (large) lathering bowl. And the lather wasn't stingy either; heavy, cushy, and slick. Just absolutely superb.
It, combined with the Colonial General, did a fantastic job and delivered a cracking shave with a great post-shave feeling. I can't fault it. It was divine!

I followed up with Alum and then some of APR's Suitably Attired Australian. When I put this on, it gave me a similar vibe to Stirling's "Smart Dressed Man" but with an edge that made it much more comfortable for me than the 'stiff' Stirling.
Now, my nose isn't particularly good at picking scents. So, I was quite surprised when I checked TSW site and it said the following: A fragrance that considerably develops and evolves the design, concept and execution of the ‘Smart Dressed Man’ whose heritage is Creed’s renowned Greed Irish Tweed.
I'd say that description is spot-on.

Verdict:
  • Soap: Bloody amazing! I must have it. YOU must have it. Everyone needs to get Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul"!
  • Splash: APR - "Suitably Attired Australian" is the business. I love it. I thought 'Smart Dressed Man' was nice, yet not for me. This is totally me. I will likely buy it.
@Mark1966, where did you get this soap from? Strangely, the artisan doesn't ship to Australia!


P.S. Seriously everyone, you've got to try this soap. Its performance is eff-ing brilliant. And its scent appealed even to me.
Click to expand...
@Gifts&Care.com for all your Meißner Tremonia needs (or you can try the english shaving co. however think their retail pricing may make it cheaper to go through Juan). Wait for Black Friday sales this week :)
 
lerenau said:
Nice. I'll definitely be getting some. (y)

Shame they don't ship splashes any more. It would have been nice to try the matching splash. :(
Click to expand...
They do balms, that look similar to Eufros type ingredients (less thick salve type, more thin slightly oil based). Been tempted by them myself.
 
lerenau said:
Nice. I'll definitely be getting some. (y)

Shame they don't ship splashes any more. It would have been nice to try the matching splash. :(
Click to expand...

I've been wondering about the splash shipping... a lot of the SOTD pictures show splashes that aren't sold here in Australia so presumably have been shipped. Are some people just taking the risk that the splash won't get stopped at customs?
 
ShaveOn said:
I've been wondering about the splash shipping... a lot of the SOTD pictures show splashes that aren't sold here in Australia so presumably have been shipped. Are some people just taking the risk that the splash won't get stopped at customs?
Click to expand...

Couple of reasons -
  • Some of us have a fair bit of kit including stuff from prior to the ban.
  • Bringing home a limited quantity in carry on luggage yourself is OK (some folks here have friends that travel regularly too)
  • Canada still does surface mail
 
Mark1966 said:
Couple of reasons -
  • Some of us have a fair bit of kit including stuff from prior to the ban.
  • Bringing home a limited quantity in carry on luggage yourself is OK (some folks here have friends that travel regularly too)
  • Canada still does surface mail
Click to expand...

I see, thanks Mark, I wasn't sure if there was some sneaky way of getting around the shipping restrictions :shifty:
 
Razor: SS Colonial General
Blade: Feather AC Pro (8+?)
Brush: St James of London 24mm synthetic
Soap/Cream: Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul"
Aftershave Splash: APR - "Acqua Di Sydney"

I loved the last shave so much that I had to use "Moroccan Rhassoul" from Meißner Tremonia again.
And the splash was so good, I'm going to stick with APR again.

Performance:
"Moroccan Rhassoul" stills lathers up a storm and protects like a suit of armour. Meißner Tremonia is now one of the few artisans I feel the need to excuse from my "local purchases only" rule.
"Aqua Di Sydney" soothes wonderfully, as APR does. But the scent is what really stands out. This is a lovely aquatic scent. But, unlike the smell of a 'splash' of water that would describe most aquatics, this is a deeeep aquatic scent. I really like it and the wife approves. (y)

Verdict:
  • Soap: I've said it before and I'll say it again. Meißner Tremonia - "Moroccan Rhassoul" is amazing!
  • Splash: APR - "Acqua Di Sydney" is another fantastic release from APR. I'd like to buy this splash. But, I fear it may have been a limited release. :bigtears:

@todras, were "Acqua Di Sydney" and "Suitably Attired Australian" limited editions? (I'm thinking yes) Either way, both are cracking.
Update: Is "Suitably Attired Summer" in a similar vein? And do you have any other aquatics? If not, I may need to look into that clean-skin EdP.
Update2: Just looked at the APR release schedule. Maaaan... It's going to really hurt my wallet. They all sound great.
 
lerenau said:
@todras, were "Acqua Di Sydney" and "Suitably Attired Australian" limited editions? (I'm thinking yes) Either way, both are cracking.
Click to expand...

Indeed they were, I have 1 bottle left of the Acqua di Sydney EDP if you want it shoot me a PM.
 
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