The Tanifuji took a bit of work to get up and running. There was still blood (under the microscope) on the bevel and some minor bevel damage plus some minor warping in the blade so I had to get stuck in with the 1200# Atoma to reset the bevel. Could definitely notice the blade is good quality steel when honing as it responded nicely. You can probably notice it's got a bit of hone wear on it now. I had high expectations for the Tanifuji and it didn't dissapoint. Doesn't blow my other razors away but it is good.
Paste & Cut Travelling Box #4B - Reviews and Comments
- Thread starter Mark1966
- Start date
No distracting Tanifuji photos today...... but that is a nice Colonial Brass General isn't it?
Pulled out Squadrons Group Captains Blend today. I like it!
Lathers up beautifully and performance to match. I haven't tried many tobacco scented soaps but this is a very easy going scent with a fair bit of sweetness (from the vanilla?). I would like it in my rotation.
My skin was feeling dry so after an application of Jojoba oil I tried the Barrister Reserve Classic aftershave. Pleasant enough scent and if it was gifted to me I'd wear it but not interesting enough for me to buy.
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2015
- Location
- Adelaide
Slipped in a quick test lather of APR Mycroft this evening in the interests of turning over a good selection of the travelling box.
No surprises here, great lathering and get it on the face and go 'oh yeah, that's good'. @todras - are you using the same base across your range of soaps? Also, do you find that people that like Alfredus Choice also like Mycroft?
Enjoyed the scent (see The Stray Whisker site for list of EOs) probably more in the soap than in the aftershave which is in the travelling box as well. Not sure whether it's the Jasmine or Juniper that I'm not sure about in the AS but it's not enough to prevent me from purchasing at some stage. I'd use these any day!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2016
- Location
- Sydney
The base is the same, yes.
Alfredus Choice and Mycroft are really autumnal fragrances, much darker and heavier than the spring and indeed summer offerings. A lot of people like the contrasts in both of them, the heavy bases of vetiver and labdanum with the citrus and jasmine/juniper top notes especially. I have not seen any real preference for one over the other, I have seen though a lot of people will either like both of them or neither.
Mycroft was a response to Baker St (Strop Shoppe) and has a lot of US fans who liked the original Strop Shoppe iteration and Alfredus choice was one of the very first AP Reserve fragrances, I will be resting both of them for a couple of years, they may return at some time in the future though
Tried the Panna Crema Vetiver Soap this morning. The soap before lathering was of a consistency I'm not used to. It seemed light and no body or cohesion when I pressed it into the scuttle. I wonder if this is a soap you would prefer to lather on the puck. It lathered up fine and I was quite enjoying the scent. I like the listed fragrance notes. Performance was OK but I felt I was missing something. I think maybe slickness. The lather was more pasty rather than creamy.
Finished up with Jojoba oil then APR Coconut Sandalwood aftershave which is nice but got the thumbs down from my wife and I'm thinking maybe smells too much like candle scent for me (maybe I've been around too many sandalwood candles).
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2017
- Location
- Canberra
Mycroft was one of the first soaps I bought when getting into DE shaving. Yes. Definitely an autumn fragrance and quite polarising for me. Some days I just can't bare it. Other days I crave it and actively seek it out.The base is the same, yes.
Alfredus Choice and Mycroft are really autumnal fragrances, much darker and heavier than the spring and indeed summer offerings. A lot of people like the contrasts in both of them, the heavy bases of vetiver and labdanum with the citrus and jasmine/juniper top notes especially. I have not seen any real preference for one over the other, I have seen though a lot of people will either like both of them or neither.
Mycroft was a response to Baker St (Strop Shoppe) and has a lot of US fans who liked the original Strop Shoppe iteration and Alfredus choice was one of the very first AP Reserve fragrances, I will be resting both of them for a couple of years, they may return at some time in the future though
I am glad it is in my collection. But, I definitely have to be in the mood to use it.
Fougère Bourbon Rose, on the other hand, I could use any time.
They're just totally different.
The Valobra Fourgere was very hard coming out of the travel tub so was difficult to paste on the base of the scuttle but still lathered really nicely. Felt quite good on the face. Scent though.......reminded me of a glass jar of small flower shaped soaps my Mum had in the 1970's. My initial thought was the soap had gone past it's use by date then remembering the little flower soaps I thought maybe this is really how it's supposed to smell. Either way.. I don't like it. I think it could use a little brightness in the scent. I could use this soap quite happily with my nose covered.
Tried the Stirling Ozark Mountain AS. I like it. It's going on the wish list.
Packed Whispers From The Woods - Spearmint, Lavender and Vetiver in the suitcase yesterday. First time I've lathered in a breakfast bowl but made do. I don't travel lightly (first rule) but a scuttle has not made it on the packing list yet.
Superb lather from WFTW, ticks all the boxes and the scent is very pleasant with the Spearmint providing some cooling.
APR Pork Chop got a run as well.
I wasn't overly interested in the Sudsy Soapery Citrus and Bay scent out of the container but once I started lathering up this soap I really enjoyed this shave start to finish. The scent was lively and refreshing, a really spicy bay. The lather was fantastic though not quite as rich & creamy as say an APR soap but.... it passed the Asylum RX test which if it can do that than it must be a decent soap. I would happily use this soap regularly and it's very reasonably priced (secondary to me as quality artisan soap is first priority). See The Stray Whisker.
After an application of Jojoba oil I tried the AS sample No: 13 (labels unreadable) which I thought was going to be nice but less than 30 minutes later and you wouldn't know it was ever there.
@Mark1966 , can you identify AS No:s 12, 13 and 17 for me?
Postscript for the APR Pork Chop AS I used yesterday. I didn't say too much at the time as I had reservations about whether I would enjoy it but found throughout the whole day I was getting wafts of it that I was really enjoying.
Mondial Zagara this morning. Another nice lather and pleasant scent. Slightly harder soap but still pasted nicely on the bottom of the scuttle. Lathered up nicely, looked like it was going to go foamy at the start but finished up a nice creamy consistency. Rich and creamy on the face. Not superb but very good. Gave me a very nice shave with the Heljestrand blade. Had to add water throughout the shave. Nice citrus/barbershop scent. I would be happy enough to buy one of these soaps but won't go hunting specifically for them.
Jojoba oil then then No:2 AS (label unreadably on vial). AS OK but not impressing or unimpressing me.
Soap: B&M Seville
Brush: Semogue 1305
Razor: Gillette 1918 Single Ring
Blade: Wizamet Polsilver
AS: Seville
Gave the Gillette 1918 Single Ring a run this morning loaded with a Wizamet Polsilver (2).
As per previous reviews this a very mild razor and to achieve DFS you have to work at the shave with a bit of buffing. @Mark1966 - I've never used vintage blades but from the forum it sounds like they were thicker blades. Would this have made the Single Ring slightly more aggressive? I think the Single Ring would compare to my Merkur 30C which is a very mild razor.
Says something about the quality of the razor that it still functions well and hasn't become a showpiece (or rubbish) after nearly 100 years.
Mark1966
Canberra dwelling Happy Clapping Bean Counter
Staff member
Site Moderator
Grand Society
2016 Sabbatical Fail
2018 Charity Auction Winner
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2011
- Location
- Canberra
That is a very interesting observation as most often the 'old types' (double rings, single rings and other razors that preceded the 'NEW' generation) are described as aggressive. In part this is attributed by many to the different head geometry arising from the thinner modern blades. So you are running against the pack mate - which is fine - demonstrating the subjectiveness of much of this task!
As has been said before with mild razors there is only a narrow band of angle that it works within. Any shallower and there was no blade contact, any deeper and the combs reduced blade contact. I didn't realise I was the outlier. I thought @alfredus thought it was mild also or was he just saying it wasn't as aggressive as he thought? I find that strange, this razor is a long long way from say the R41.
Mark1966
Canberra dwelling Happy Clapping Bean Counter
Staff member
Site Moderator
Grand Society
2016 Sabbatical Fail
2018 Charity Auction Winner
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2011
- Location
- Canberra
I don't recall the comments from @alfredus but I think the view around the shaving world generally is along the lines I've mentioned. I'll be interested to try it myself when it comes home now!
Soap: B&M Seville
Brush: Semogue 1305
Razor: Gillette 1918 Single Ring
Blade: Wizamet Polsilver
AS: Seville
Gave the Gillette 1918 Single Ring a run this morning loaded with a Wizamet Polsilver (2).
As per previous reviews this a very mild razor and to achieve DFS you have to work at the shave with a bit of buffing. @Mark1966 - I've never used vintage blades but from the forum it sounds like they were thicker blades. Would this have made the Single Ring slightly more aggressive? I think the Single Ring would compare to my Merkur 30C which is a very mild razor.
Says something about the quality of the razor that it still functions well and hasn't become a showpiece (or rubbish) after nearly 100 years.
I unfortunately found them aggressive but inefficient. I just couldn't get a good shave and when i buffed or went another pass... Horrible irritation!
Majority of vintage razors were this way for me, hence i don't have any in rotation.
Gave Shaver Heaven Arctic Mango a run this morning with the Asylum Rx and Semogue Boar 1800.
The scent reminded me of Le Pere Lucien but when I stuck my nose in the Le Pere Lucien tin it is not close but the best way I can describe Arctic Mango is trending toward barbershop and pleasant.
It lathered nicely though maybe slightly on the foamy side but not once on the face where it performed well. The only thing I didn't like about this soap is the amount of menthol which for me was too much.
Reef Point Dragons Blood w/ Gillette Ball Tech 1955, Gillette Silver Blue blade.
This was one of the soaps that got sorted into the reject pile due to it smelling like a candle. Gave it a run today and had a really enjoyable shave. Took a bit of work to lather up but worth every bit of effort as the lather was beautiful on the face and the scent was much more agreeable as well. Post shave there was a really pleasant sweet note hanging around. I would be happy to own the soap due to the lather it produces but I won't rush out and buy it.