Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

Wow, I had to clean out the Journal of dust and cobwebs!

The soap used these last few shaves has been from a tub I purchased at the end of 2021, Zingari Man Unscented. Paul mrdoug brought it back to mind when he wrote glowly of it in a recent post. And as Paul was responsible for me bumping a late '21 purchase ahead of 3 or 4 others purchased earlier that year, I decided to use the Overlander with it. Bottom line, Paul was not pulling your leg! The combination of the Overlander with the wonderfulness of Zingari Man's soap has given me some most excellent shaves!

In other news, I have been looking at the Tatara Masamune for a couple of years now, and never did anything about it. Why? Because I was having so much fun with injectors and GEMs, and having an Overlander has really dampened my interest in buying any DE without a dang good reason. I did pick up an Era and a Gentile Testina earlier this year, and have already sold both as the Overlander is pretty much the best in my modern collection (now consisting of it and the Yates 921). However, last week I saw a Masamune with a stand for what I believe was a great price. And today it arrived.



A negative exposure and a gap similar to the Overlander. I am hoping for good things. DanLaw has posted some great reviews and I thought the time was now right to buy.

I really only have one other razor on my wish list: the yet-to-be-released Blackland adjustable DE (I have been a sucker for adjustable razors!).

Hope you all are well and staying safe, whether from heat, floods, or fire. (Climate change? Pshaw, poppycock!) (sarcasm implied for the doubters).

  Congrats Eric!!  I don't think you will be disappointed.  Five of my last eight shaves have been with a recently acquired Masamune, and I bought it for what I think are the same reasons as you.  In any case, the gap (0.63mm) and deeply negative exposure (-0.13mm) generate an uncannily efficient, yet smooth and forgiving razor.. --  Enjoy!!

That is great to hear, Mike. I am really looking forward to tomorrow morning!

Awesome Eric, was that the one with extra Nodachi plate and Cap and OC Plate also ? That was a steal that had me tempted to pull the trigger too. If so, glad you got it and looking forward to your thoughts !!!

Through either the mysteriousness of the Interwebs or, more likely, a mishap with my fingers, the reply that I'd written yesterday disappeared!

No, I didn't get a set like you mentioned, Dave. It is a numbered plate Masamune with stand. From what I can find on the forums, Tatara had numbered the plates when the Masamune was first introduced, then stopped at 699, I think, for SS. Not sure about the Dark versions, but all newer product has either Masamune or Nodachi stamped on the base plate. Not sure if anything distinguishes the caps or not.

First shave is in the books. And I spent some time looking for the correct pronunciation of this razor. What I can find, with no credible source, is that it is pronounced ma-sa-moo-neh in Japanese and ma-sa-mune in English. I'll go with the Japanese for now, given the history DanLaw has provided elsewhere on DFS.

I really liked how this razor assembles when a blade is in place. It feels like a piece of equipment, not a tool. What I mean is that I am used to snugging up the handle on any razor, but this one goes together like you are assembling a machine or something with tight tolerances. I don't think I have experienced that before.

I used the soap of this week, the Zingari Man Unscented, and stuck with the Trotter laminated birch handle that I named Laminar Flow with an APSCo Cashmere knot. 



The shave was outstanding. Granted, this was only the first use and I intend to keep on going for the rest of the week with it, but right now I'd say this was as comfortable as my Overlander. Is it as close or long lasting? That I will report back on later this week. The blade today was the 8th use of a NOS Israeli Red, and tomorrow I'll put in a fresh Personna Comfort Coated (thanks Paul mrdoug for sending me samples a while back. I love them and bought a 100 pack last year, I think!).

But right now I am tinkled pink with the razor. Depending how the week goes, I may start looking for the Nodachi cap, as that would bump up a smidgen, based on Tatara's charts on the website, but it is too soon to plan that out. (But if I see one on the BST, I'd probably buy it!)

Hope your Tuesday is going well!

First shave is in the books. And I spent some time looking for the correct pronunciation of this razor. What I can find, with no credible source, is that it is pronounced ma-sa-moo-neh in Japanese and ma-sa-mune in English. I'll go with the Japanese for now, given the history DanLaw has provided elsewhere on DFS.

I really liked how this razor assembles when a blade is in place. It feels like a piece of equipment, not a tool. What I mean is that I am used to snugging up the handle on any razor, but this one goes together like you are assembling a machine or something with tight tolerances. I don't think I have experienced that before.

I used the soap of this week, the Zingari Man Unscented, and stuck with the Trotter laminated birch handle that I named Laminar Flow with an APSCo Cashmere knot. 



The shave was outstanding. Granted, this was only the first use and I intend to keep on going for the rest of the week with it, but right now I'd say this was as comfortable as my Overlander. Is it as close or long lasting? That I will report back on later this week. The blade today was the 8th use of a NOS Israeli Red, and tomorrow I'll put in a fresh Personna Comfort Coated (thanks Paul mrdoug for sending me samples a while back. I love them and bought a 100 pack last year, I think!).

But right now I am tinkled pink with the razor. Depending how the week goes, I may start looking for the Nodachi cap, as that would bump up a smidgen, based on Tatara's charts on the website, but it is too soon to plan that out. (But if I see one on the BST, I'd probably buy it!)

Hope your Tuesday is going well!

No other razor is designed and manufactured to the mechanical engineering standards of a Tatara.

I have expressly indicated the specifics of why Tatara is the best engineered razor in the various passaround reviews and will cite them again if requested but this is not my thread.

For those that haven't experienced a Tatara, you owe it to self to beg, borrow or steal one. The engineering design elements will seem odd to the nonengineering oriented as they so different from any other razor but, for those having taken classes, they will immediately recognize and understand the reasons for the unique design approach.

First shave is in the books. And I spent some time looking for the correct pronunciation of this razor. What I can find, with no credible source, is that it is pronounced ma-sa-moo-neh in Japanese and ma-sa-mune in English. I'll go with the Japanese for now, given the history DanLaw has provided elsewhere on DFS.

I really liked how this razor assembles when a blade is in place. It feels like a piece of equipment, not a tool. What I mean is that I am used to snugging up the handle on any razor, but this one goes together like you are assembling a machine or something with tight tolerances. I don't think I have experienced that before.

I used the soap of this week, the Zingari Man Unscented, and stuck with the Trotter laminated birch handle that I named Laminar Flow with an APSCo Cashmere knot. 



The shave was outstanding. Granted, this was only the first use and I intend to keep on going for the rest of the week with it, but right now I'd say this was as comfortable as my Overlander. Is it as close or long lasting? That I will report back on later this week. The blade today was the 8th use of a NOS Israeli Red, and tomorrow I'll put in a fresh Personna Comfort Coated (thanks Paul mrdoug for sending me samples a while back. I love them and bought a 100 pack last year, I think!).

But right now I am tinkled pink with the razor. Depending how the week goes, I may start looking for the Nodachi cap, as that would bump up a smidgen, based on Tatara's charts on the website, but it is too soon to plan that out. (But if I see one on the BST, I'd probably buy it!)

Hope your Tuesday is going well!

No other razor is designed and manufactured to the mechanical engineering standards of a Tatara.

I have expressly indicated the specifics of why Tatara is the best engineered razor in the various passaround reviews and will cite them again if requested but this is not my thread.

For those that haven't experienced a Tatara, you owe it to self to beg, borrow or steal one. The engineering design elements will seem odd to the nonengineering oriented as they so different from any other razor but, for those having taken classes, they will immediately recognize and understand the reasons for the unique design approach.

Thanks, Dan, I appreciate that. And please feel free to put the reasons here, I'd love having it as a reference in my Journal!

But right now I am tinkled pink...

I'm glad you had a great outing with the razor Eric but you might want to see a doctor about that tinkling pink. I had that issue once after getting a hard hit playing football or it could be a very serious health situation for you. Just kidding with ya Man

First shave is in the books. And I spent some time looking for the correct pronunciation of this razor. What I can find, with no credible source, is that it is pronounced ma-sa-moo-neh in Japanese and ma-sa-mune in English. I'll go with the Japanese for now, given the history DanLaw has provided elsewhere on DFS.

I really liked how this razor assembles when a blade is in place. It feels like a piece of equipment, not a tool. What I mean is that I am used to snugging up the handle on any razor, but this one goes together like you are assembling a machine or something with tight tolerances. I don't think I have experienced that before.

I used the soap of this week, the Zingari Man Unscented, and stuck with the Trotter laminated birch handle that I named Laminar Flow with an APSCo Cashmere knot. 



The shave was outstanding. Granted, this was only the first use and I intend to keep on going for the rest of the week with it, but right now I'd say this was as comfortable as my Overlander. Is it as close or long lasting? That I will report back on later this week. The blade today was the 8th use of a NOS Israeli Red, and tomorrow I'll put in a fresh Personna Comfort Coated (thanks Paul mrdoug for sending me samples a while back. I love them and bought a 100 pack last year, I think!).

But right now I am tinkled pink with the razor. Depending how the week goes, I may start looking for the Nodachi cap, as that would bump up a smidgen, based on Tatara's charts on the website, but it is too soon to plan that out. (But if I see one on the BST, I'd probably buy it!)

Hope your Tuesday is going well!

No other razor is designed and manufactured to the mechanical engineering standards of a Tatara.

I have expressly indicated the specifics of why Tatara is the best engineered razor in the various passaround reviews and will cite them again if requested but this is not my thread.

For those that haven't experienced a Tatara, you owe it to self to beg, borrow or steal one. The engineering design elements will seem odd to the nonengineering oriented as they so different from any other razor but, for those having taken classes, they will immediately recognize and understand the reasons for the unique design approach.

Thanks, Dan, I appreciate that. And please feel free to put the reasons here, I'd love having it as a reference in my Journal!

Will compile them come the dawn

Today marks 730 days (2 calendar years) without missing a shave. Will there be cake or pie later?!

Today marks 730 days (2 calendar years) without missing a shave. Will there be cake or pie later?!

Dang my man, way to go ! Cake AND Pie for you !!!!