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Member
S2 Triad / Polsilver Si
Mega
Soap Commander Purpose
CC CO9T
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Mega
Soap Commander Purpose
CC CO9T
[Image: cc2371cbc18205d577db15c9805e6f80.jpg]
Super Moderator
San Diego, Cal., USA
(10-05-2015, 02:16 PM)leefish Wrote: Test post (apologies to subscribers)
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I made those gingernuts myself - its a Bake of the day
![[Image: CqFOes4.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/CqFOes4.jpg)
Ooo, a DFS limited edition cookie. I like!
![[Image: 6YPKQya.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/6YPKQya.jpg)
Member
East Texas
Head & face shower shave. 2 days growth.
Technique: WTG / XTG / ATG/clean-up.
Prep: Shower.
Soap: Barrister & Mann - DFS Limited Edition
Brush: Ever-Ready 100T (TGN Finest)
Razor: RazoRock Black Mamba with UberGlide Coating (iKon Bamboo Handle)
Blade: Gillette Nacet Stainless(1)
Post: Barrister & Mann - DFS Limited Edition
So, let's start with the hardware. I've been exclusively using my beloved RazoRock Stealth Slant V4 since August 24. If I could have only one razor for the rest of my life, the RRSS would be it, without question. I recently had the opportunity to pick up the elusive Black Mamba directly from ItalianBarber.com. As many of you know, these are limited stock razors, and scalpers are well known for flipping these on eBay for insane amounts of cash. ItalianBarber/RazoRock proprietor, Joseph Abbatangelo, has gone to great lengths to thwart this unethical practice by instituting a VIP program of sorts. The process requires patience, but you can be sure you won't pay more than retail, and it will be a new product direct from ItalianBarber. Well my time came up, so I jumped on the opportunity, and the Black Mamba arrived today.
I won't even try to compare the Black Mamba to the RRSS because they are vastly different. The Black Mamba will inevitably, and more appropriately, be compared to the RazoRock Baby Smooth. The Mamba is not just a heavy Baby Smooth with a slick coating. The Mamba's head has a much lower profile making it far more maneuverable in tight spaces. I also find the Mamba to be quite a bit more efficient and, dare I say, smoother than the Baby Smooth. I don't know what the UberGlide coating is, but I can say it eliminates almost all drag. The entire burden is on the blade where it should be, and the head, with it's innovative baseplate posts, keeps the blade chatter-free and rigid. The posts also ensure there are no alignment issues.
As of this writing, the Black Mamba is not being shipped with an original handle, but rather an iKon handle with matching UberGlide coating. The iKon logo on the bottom of the handle is still present. I thought the later versions were the OSS handle, but mine came with the Bamboo. I'm fine with it either way. My stock iKon Bamboo handle weights in at 74.1 grams, while the one with the UberGlide coating is 73.9 grams. Yes, you read that correctly. The handle with the coating is 0.2 grams heavier. Now, that is probably within the tolerance margin, but at least you can rest assured that the coating doesn't seem to add any appreciable weight. The Mamba's head weighs in at 35.8 grams, for a gross weight of 109.7 grams (without a blade). (I calibrated my scales and they are accurate to the tenth.)
The Black Mamba with the iKon Bamboo handle is well balanced and has an intuitive, albeit generous effective shaving angle. I found myself placing most of the top cap on my skin while shaving irritation-prone areas like my neck, while using a steeper angle where I needed more aggression. Given the lack of drag from the head, and the tightly mounted blade, the resonance is conducted down the handle resulting in more tactile feedback than auditory. This is why I feel like this is a unique shaver, but with a familiar and intuitive nature. I'm going to put the Black Mamba though the paces for a few weeks, but I admit it will be difficult being away from my RRSS for any amount of time.
Now, if you're still with me, lets move on to the software. DFS LE is only my second Barrister & Mann soap. Given what I've read about Barrister & Mann soaps, I share the expected experience of a high-quality, luxurious soap with superior protection and post-shave feel and moderate slickness. B&M indicates on their site that their soaps are "thirsty", but I really don't find them any more thirsty than Stirling or Wholly Kaw. You can't easily destroy the tallow-based lather like you can with Stirling, though. The need for more water is quite easy to detect with B&M. If it's too dry, it's sticky and pasty and can't be confused with a usable lather. When the right amount of water is reached, it suddenly pops with a lustrous sheen.
DFS is a limited edition product line from Barrister & Mann celebrating the inauguration of damnfineshave.com available to members only. The scent profile was left entirely up to Barrister & Mann artisan, Will Carius. B&M are known for their unique scents that are often polarizing. DFS will probably live up to that. The scent profile is "apples, cinnamon, cloves, oak, and berries." Certainly, each of those elements can be detected individually, but in concert they impart a distinct aroma that is no doubt intended to evoke festive memories of the Fall and Winter holidays. For some this will be a pleasant intoxicating, multifaceted scent of which they simply cannot get enough. For me, it quickly becomes an annoying, overzealous holiday potpourri candle that permeates the home such that I feel the need to microwave freezer-burned cod just to cut the monotony. See? Polarizing. I do applaud Barrister & Mann for being bold and putting it all out there, instead of settling for a muted, run-of-the-mill, satisfy everyone, vetiver/sandalwood offering.
The DFS alcohol-based aftershave splash has the same ingredients of B&M's other splashes with skin friendly goodies like witch hazel, matricaria, and calendula. The scent is perfectly matched to the soap.
Despite the DFS scent, this was an enjoyable shave.
![[Image: UuZp0kN.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/UuZp0kN.jpg)
Technique: WTG / XTG / ATG/clean-up.
Prep: Shower.
Soap: Barrister & Mann - DFS Limited Edition
Brush: Ever-Ready 100T (TGN Finest)
Razor: RazoRock Black Mamba with UberGlide Coating (iKon Bamboo Handle)
Blade: Gillette Nacet Stainless(1)
Post: Barrister & Mann - DFS Limited Edition
So, let's start with the hardware. I've been exclusively using my beloved RazoRock Stealth Slant V4 since August 24. If I could have only one razor for the rest of my life, the RRSS would be it, without question. I recently had the opportunity to pick up the elusive Black Mamba directly from ItalianBarber.com. As many of you know, these are limited stock razors, and scalpers are well known for flipping these on eBay for insane amounts of cash. ItalianBarber/RazoRock proprietor, Joseph Abbatangelo, has gone to great lengths to thwart this unethical practice by instituting a VIP program of sorts. The process requires patience, but you can be sure you won't pay more than retail, and it will be a new product direct from ItalianBarber. Well my time came up, so I jumped on the opportunity, and the Black Mamba arrived today.
I won't even try to compare the Black Mamba to the RRSS because they are vastly different. The Black Mamba will inevitably, and more appropriately, be compared to the RazoRock Baby Smooth. The Mamba is not just a heavy Baby Smooth with a slick coating. The Mamba's head has a much lower profile making it far more maneuverable in tight spaces. I also find the Mamba to be quite a bit more efficient and, dare I say, smoother than the Baby Smooth. I don't know what the UberGlide coating is, but I can say it eliminates almost all drag. The entire burden is on the blade where it should be, and the head, with it's innovative baseplate posts, keeps the blade chatter-free and rigid. The posts also ensure there are no alignment issues.
As of this writing, the Black Mamba is not being shipped with an original handle, but rather an iKon handle with matching UberGlide coating. The iKon logo on the bottom of the handle is still present. I thought the later versions were the OSS handle, but mine came with the Bamboo. I'm fine with it either way. My stock iKon Bamboo handle weights in at 74.1 grams, while the one with the UberGlide coating is 73.9 grams. Yes, you read that correctly. The handle with the coating is 0.2 grams heavier. Now, that is probably within the tolerance margin, but at least you can rest assured that the coating doesn't seem to add any appreciable weight. The Mamba's head weighs in at 35.8 grams, for a gross weight of 109.7 grams (without a blade). (I calibrated my scales and they are accurate to the tenth.)
The Black Mamba with the iKon Bamboo handle is well balanced and has an intuitive, albeit generous effective shaving angle. I found myself placing most of the top cap on my skin while shaving irritation-prone areas like my neck, while using a steeper angle where I needed more aggression. Given the lack of drag from the head, and the tightly mounted blade, the resonance is conducted down the handle resulting in more tactile feedback than auditory. This is why I feel like this is a unique shaver, but with a familiar and intuitive nature. I'm going to put the Black Mamba though the paces for a few weeks, but I admit it will be difficult being away from my RRSS for any amount of time.
Now, if you're still with me, lets move on to the software. DFS LE is only my second Barrister & Mann soap. Given what I've read about Barrister & Mann soaps, I share the expected experience of a high-quality, luxurious soap with superior protection and post-shave feel and moderate slickness. B&M indicates on their site that their soaps are "thirsty", but I really don't find them any more thirsty than Stirling or Wholly Kaw. You can't easily destroy the tallow-based lather like you can with Stirling, though. The need for more water is quite easy to detect with B&M. If it's too dry, it's sticky and pasty and can't be confused with a usable lather. When the right amount of water is reached, it suddenly pops with a lustrous sheen.
DFS is a limited edition product line from Barrister & Mann celebrating the inauguration of damnfineshave.com available to members only. The scent profile was left entirely up to Barrister & Mann artisan, Will Carius. B&M are known for their unique scents that are often polarizing. DFS will probably live up to that. The scent profile is "apples, cinnamon, cloves, oak, and berries." Certainly, each of those elements can be detected individually, but in concert they impart a distinct aroma that is no doubt intended to evoke festive memories of the Fall and Winter holidays. For some this will be a pleasant intoxicating, multifaceted scent of which they simply cannot get enough. For me, it quickly becomes an annoying, overzealous holiday potpourri candle that permeates the home such that I feel the need to microwave freezer-burned cod just to cut the monotony. See? Polarizing. I do applaud Barrister & Mann for being bold and putting it all out there, instead of settling for a muted, run-of-the-mill, satisfy everyone, vetiver/sandalwood offering.
The DFS alcohol-based aftershave splash has the same ingredients of B&M's other splashes with skin friendly goodies like witch hazel, matricaria, and calendula. The scent is perfectly matched to the soap.
Despite the DFS scent, this was an enjoyable shave.
![[Image: 912zRmY.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/912zRmY.jpg)
![[Image: HEvUhnY.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/HEvUhnY.jpg)
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