Fitjar--The Norwegian Treat!

So I've tried a few samples of these increasingly popular Norwegian artisan creams, and yep...good stuff!

A good friend in Tokyo sent me samples of pretty much the full range of creams from Fitjar Soaps (the Norwegian name is "Fitjar Såpekokeri", which is pretty cool...). These are handmade in what I can only call a little slice of Paradise...

The owner/maker, Jorunn, has a blog with pictures of her home in Torsdagsøy, in the Fitjar islands on the western coast of Norway, somewhere very beautiful, and trhe pictures are like looking at a fairytale. Seriously, check out the blog. I'm a big fan.

Anyway, the creams run across a good range of scents, with names that tickle the imagination, names like Miklagard, Folgefonn, Fjellheim (and of course, more direct names like Citrus Kick and Bee my Honey), and they are all of a similar thick, heavy texture.

I have to be honest--I have samples of almost all of them, but the scents elude me in all but the subtlest notes. Meaning, in plain language, they all smell basically the same: a clean, soapy cream scent. There are very light touches of other scents, especially the rose in East Indies, and the tea-herbal scent of Calmomilla. This might be a result of the Essential Oils used in the creams, as I seem to remember reading that they often lose scent faster than fragrance oils. The samples all came form a user, who had had these for a month or two at least, so you might get a stronger scent in a fresher batch. The scents, though, really are secondary here/

The shave from these creams is unique. They whip quickly into a thick, deep cream that actually was too heavy for me at first. I found that I really had to give these creams several tries tweaking the water ratios to get the optimal texture--not too heavy, not too thin. But once I got it worked out, they really are special. They give phenomenal cushion without dragging too much on the blade and the skin care/moisturizing are top notch. They just feel good to use...but I MUST emphasize, be careful with the water ratio, because it is easy to make them too think and for me, that actually led to some irritation. I added a lot of water before I found the sweet spot, but it really is worth it.

The ingredients: Aqua, stearic acid, cocus nucifera, potassium hydroxide, glycerin, olea europea (olive) oil, sodium hydroxide, essential oils.

I would recommend them, but I would also recommend samples first--I get the feeling that some people might have trouble with the textures, so give yourself some time to get used to them first.

But they are good stuff, without any doubt.

Enjoy!
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Ugh.

Been a heck of a week.

Stress comes in all shapes and sizes, and I think I got a fairly complete set this week--good and bad, big and small. And so the ol' shaving thing got set on the sidelines for a bit. So much so, in fact, that I found myself TOO TIRED to shave at night (like I ususally do), and then rushed around in the morning and had to go for a couple of one pass, no touchup, BRUSHLESS shaves. Of course, those were one-pass no touchup brushless shaves with a Filarmonica "Especial Para Barbas Duras" and T&H 1805 cream, so they actually went pretty well.

However, the shattering of my routine only added to my stress, and interfered with me being able to cope with what I was already having trouble getting past, and a nasty vicious cycle began.

But last night, I was able to take some time and get back into the groove--back to the hones, back to the nice, leisurely night shave, and wow...you know, it never ceases to amaze me how truly therapeutic this stuff has become to me, and how dependent I have grown upon those few minutes of just focusing on me and the blade. I felt like a new man last night, and today was a whole lot better than yesterday.

When I need to recenter and get my head clean of the nasties, nothing works like a session on the hones, and a good old fashioned shave.

So, sorry I neglected my poor blog here, and I promise I'll get back on the job (though not for too long--Next month is back to my mom's house, and I don't expect a lot of blogging to be done...but you never know.)

Thanks for listening.

Jim Click Here to Read More..

At The Barbershop

Kawaguchi-sensei is fast becoming a part of my life...

I went in for a hair cut last weekend, early on Saturday. I took two razors for his examination--one that I was confident in, one that I was sure he would fail.

When I got the shop, he didn't say anything, just waved me in and pointed at the counter. "Show me!" he said, when I set my dopp down.

I opened up and pulled out the Genco (confident) and Torrey (not quite there yet) that I had been honing for the past few days with nothing but heavy slurry on the Nakayamas. I would hone until the slurry broke down into a thick, black paste. The Genco did not need as much as the Torrey--after two rounds (about 20 minutes each) the Genco had a nice, even haze along the entire cutting length of the razor.

The Torrey had needed much more--it was not only an uneven, crooked bevel, but it had a nice big chip in it; at least 1mm deep, and 3mm long. I have no idea how it happened, but it did. And I honed it out on the Nakayama with slurry. Nothing else. Just slurry, and lots and lots of time.

I gave it. The chip disappeared. The bevel evened out, bit by bit...but not enough, and I knew that.

But I took them to Kawaguchi-sensei, and he told me what I thought I had figured out. The Genco was good, the Torrey was not (that brings my total of approved razors up to 2. The Torrey got a .7...so 2.7, apparently.) . I was happy--I know what he's looking for, I'm developing an eye for it. And of course the shaves told...the Genco has an exceptional edge, smooth and keen, while the Torrey is just not there yet. There is an unfinished quality. I need to make sure that the entire edge is even and knows the hone.

And, in the words of Kawaguchi-sensei, I have to hone happy. "Hone happy, and the edge will cut happy."

He really is right, too. I've been honing happy, and it shows...

I wish I could go to the barber every day. Click Here to Read More..

Reviews you can USe: Kanebo "Valcan" Skin Milk

I love this stuff.


Perhaps I shouldn't have given away the ending like that, but seriously. It's fantastic.

I was in the drugstore with Ms. Moneybags and she said, "Why don't you get something?" An excellent question, I thought, so I opened this one up, took a whiff, and fell in love. My wife did, too.

This is, like the other Japanese aftershaves I've reviewed, pure classic. It REEKS of dignified men in fine, but perhaps a bit out of fashion, suits...men who wear hats, and judge a man's character by his handshake.

Kanebo says this scent is a "spicy fougere", and the fine fellows at Basenotes say:

• Top Notes
• * Green Notes, Lemon, Lime, Bergamot, Aldehyde .
• Middle Notes
• * Jasmin, Cedarwood, Sandal, Carnation, Rose, Basil .
• Base Notes
• * Musk, Moss, Tonka, Amber.

What I say is, it's fantastic. It's a warm, dark scent, slightly sweet, and the Amber and Tonka (vanilla-like notes) really come through. Very understated, very masculine. Perfect for Autumn or winter.

Now, as for how it feels, well, this is another one of those "milks" that is much more of a "cream". It's thick, a wee bit on the heavy side for me, but on the good side that means a little goes a long way. I find it incredibly soothing and smoothing after a shave, and the moisturizing is top notch...again, perfect for the drier, colder months.

On application, it CAN be a bit tacky for a good 30 seconds, but it fades quickly into a nice, gentle soothing feeling. And that warm scent fills your head with comfort...This is, in fact, a scent I am definitely going to buy in the EdT.

The ingredients are pretty straightforward:
Water, stearic acid, Mineral Oil, Miristic acid octyldodecil, Cetanol, Polysorbate 60, lauric acid sorbitane, Alantoin, triethanolamine,Isopropyl methylphenol, Paraben, Parfum, yellow #5, yellow #203, blue #1.

Whatever that means.

I'm keeping it.
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You Can't Unsee It!

And here you go...my ugly mug for all to see.

So I finally caved to my millions of rabid fans, begging for a glimpse of my chiseled features (can you chisel marshmallows?), and here it is: my first shave video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBDRP6tSOWo

That's me shaving with a Japanese razor, or kamisori. I'm not sure who the maker is, it is one of those I got from my barber a while back. It was made in 1968 (says so right on it!) and was a size two--but years of use have worn it down a bit.

I do try to keep the flat side, the omote, against my face as I was taught to do my my barber. This leads to some unusual grips and angles, but it works, and like I said: it's about discipline. You know, people tell me that it's entirely possible to shave with both sides, and it's not that I don't believe them, I just have to ask...Why? Why would you bother to pay all that money, and get this razor with centuries of tradition, and then totally ignore that tradition? What's the point? I guess I just don't get it...

Well, anyway, it's your face and your razor...do what works for you!

The lather is Penhaligon's English Fern, worked up with a Semogue 1305 boar brush (thanks Bruno!).

The shave went well, it was BBS and comfortable...there has been some question of my stroke--that little, fast stroke. I'm not exactly sure why I do it, but it somehow feels more controlled, more precise. It works for me...

Well, I hope you recover from the shock soon...
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Handle Wrapping...

I'm wrapping a Japanese straight razor.


OK, here's the story. This is an Iwasaki, one that I've sold to a customer. He requested that I get the handle wrapped in rattan, and rather than depend on sending them of to get it done, I decided to do it myself.

However, having no idea how to go about such a thing, I asked a couple of people, and one of them, a knife-shop owner and kamisori user, recommended that I not use rattan--it absorbs water and dries slowly, so it leads to rust problems on the handle. He said that some kind of fabric is preferable. I found this waxed cotton line at a craft store, and thought I'd give it a try.

This is my first try, but I like it. The pattern is simple, but pleasing, and adds a nice texture to the grip I think. I'll work on making it more symmetrical and even, but I think this is a keeper.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Here are pictures.







When I get a bit more adept at it, I'll post pics of the whole process...It's simple, but long.

And the finished product!










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Duende!

So my shaves have taken a decidedly Latin turn with a lovely little package from Portugal...

I did some wheeling and dealing with some fine gentlemen of the Iberian Peninsula, and ended up with some totally sweet swag...An NOS Filarmonica Para Barbas Duras, a Semogue 1305 Boar Brush, some 444 aftershave and an alum block, and even some real Portuguese wine!!!


The razor had never been opened--it was still sealed in a plastic bag inside its lovely gold box--for decades! Of course, I got it to use, so open it up I did...


The scales are "just" plastic, but the black is stylish, and the blade is just beautiful...etched back and that sweet black rubber grip...and sooooo big.

The cool thing is, even after so many years of sitting in a box in some guy's basement or something, the edge was still shave ready! I stropped it up and shaved last night, no hones needed...and the shave!!!








I took the Fillie for a tryout with a whole range of Portuguese/Spanish products...La Toja cream, Semogue Brush, 444 aftershave...

And how did it go? Freaking awesome.

The blade is a killer. One shave down, and it's already my favorite razor. Big, beefy, sharp and smooth...and the style is pure class. This one is mine for good...

The brush was darned good, too. For the first use, it was extremely effective--the first lather from my Omegas was not nearly as good. And somehow, the bristles on the Semogue seem smoother for a first try. It was a really nice brush, and the handle shape is excellent. We might have a new contender for best boar brush...Sorry, Betty!

The La Toja (sensitive version) was perfect, as usual. I really love this cream...just great performance, lovely scent and a great after-shaving feeling.

The 444 aftershave gel..well, unfortunately, it's a bit too heavily mentholated. I tried a test run at the back of my jaw, and it started burning almost immediately...I had to wash it right off. It's a damned shame, but oh well...C'est la Vie!

I had a great shave, though, thanks to some awesome products from the land of bull fights and Flamenco...Gracias! Obrigado! And Arigatou!
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