I was surprised too. That’s how it came across to me. Now that I’ve used the MMOC, I’ll go back and compare the Streamline to it.

December 10, 2025

• Brush: Grizzly Bay Shire 26mm V18 Fanchurian
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gold Gen2
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (4)
• Lather: The Cajun Blade - Let’er Buck - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Coconut - Toner
• Aftershave: The Cajun Blade - Let’er Buck Aftersauce - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

I wanted to use the MMOC today so I could compare it to the Streamline that I used yesterday. I was surprised at how easy the MMOC is to use in comparison. The Streamline kept my attention on the edge in a way similar to a straight razor. The MMOC seems more forgiving with the range of “not cutting” and “cutting too much”. This does not mean that I don’t want a Streamline :)

This was my first use of Let’er Buck. It has a very complex scent profile and a fragrance that is supposed to celebrate the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. I thought it would probably smell like horse or bull, but instead, Eric has tried to capture the aroma of the “occasion”. It is a mix of bourbon, leather, tobacco, spice, and some other things that give it an earthy feel as well. The soap base is outstanding.

Although I don’t use Tabac as much as I should, any day is a Tabac Day. And, the combination of Tabac and a Koraat 14-2.0 can’t be beat!

Definitely practical. When possible, I travel with my Frio 472. I carry a travel strop but don’t really need it, and I don’t worry about the razor rusting.

December 9, 2025 – Thé for Tuesday

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Classic 26mm V23 Fanchurian
• Razor: Ever Ready Streamline
• Blade: Personna Gem PTFE (3)
• Lather: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Coconut - Toner
• Aftershave: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Eau de Parfum
• Talc: Yardley Gold

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Today’s shave was a full-on luxury shave that seemed only fitting for this Streamline razor. Wow! This thing is gorgeous! Thanks very much to @walden@sub.wetshaving.social for letting me try his. Now I want one. There is a ton of blade feel with this razor and I found myself treating it in exactly the same way that I treat a straight. This approach paid off and I got a very comfortable, close, shave.

The greatness of TNeV is already well known. There’s little I can add, other than the EdP comes across as a little more nuanced than the soap and splash, as you might expect.

December 8, 2025

• Brush: Thäter Faux Ivory 29mm 2-band Silvertip
• Razor: Wade & Butcher The Celebrated Extra Hollow Ground 7/8 Round Point
• Lather: Faena - Taurus - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Elysian Soap Shop - El Dorado - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

This was a test shave for the Wade & Butcher 7/8 Extra Hollow ground razor. I did not expect this razor to shave so well. It has a wide bevel that I though would make the shaving experience harsh.

Shave video

Oh, I understand! I have two custom razors that I want to have made, but I’m waiting on the tariff situation to settle. That’s taking more than patience!

Very well said!

What’s fun with FPV quads is doing acrobatics at high speed near things. I like that, and I really like flying FPV through close terrain. Flying at a field is just boring, therefore, most of us guerilla fly. Because of this, I haven’t done it in a couple of years.

The guys who are good with helicopters are just scary. They typically do crazy 3D acrobatics a few feet from where they are standing on the field.

I can’t unsee the misspelling. What’s the status of those smiling blades?

This is nice. We do most of our flying at a sod farm in eastern PA. All battery charging comes from car batteries or from one of those portable chargers. A nice thing with gliders is that as you get better, there’s less time used on the electric motor which is the big current draw on an electric glider, and therefore fewer batteries to charge.

Isn’t it awful that society and our upbringing conditions us that “boys don’t cry”?

My generation (I’m in my 70’s) was brought up to be stoic, gut it out, and not be so sensitive. My children (mid-30’s) were brought up to reach out for whatever help they need. Overall, I think this is much healthier, but the “old way” forced most of us to take responsibility for our state of mind and not abdicate it to a therapist.

I thought I would go down the 3D route, but for excitement, I still prefer screaming FPV quadcopters. The only problem with these is that I live next door to the most restricted air space in the world, and none of the local AMA clubs like people to fly quads.

December 6, 2025

• Brush: Brad Sears Scotsman XL 28mm Super Badger
• Razor: H.M. Christensen 5/8 Hollow Ground Square Point
• Lather: Los Jabones de Joserra - Blas de Lezo - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Noble Otter - Ace - Aftershave

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

I had a very relaxed luxury shave this afternoon. The Los Jabones de Joserra soap base is low volume, slick and creamy. The fragrance (oak, smoke, tobacco, leather) is suits me for this time of year. NO Ace complemented it well

December 2, 2025

• Brush: Wald Flare “Viola” - Lapis Colorway - 28mm A1
• Razor: Frederick Reynolds “The Celebrated” 4/8 Hollow Ground
• Lather: Sean Stapelfeld - First Try - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Shulton - Old Spice - Aftershave
• Talc: Yardley Gold

3 passes. Bowl lather. Excellent shave.

Sean Stapelfeld sent me some shaving soap that he made so that I could share in his experience and provide him with some feedback. I thought he did a terrific job. This was my first use of the soap, and I overhydrated it a little. Still, it was very slick and extremely well done for a first effort.

Shave video

Yes, I understand completely. For me, having responsibility for a large body of embedded systems software and computer electronics on a spacecraft, “clever” meant finding simple, elegant, easily understood, solutions to complex problems. The value of this is realized when an anomaly that results from an “unknown unknown” must be quickly understood and resolved. I also love the hackery involved with something like IOCCC, but that’s more of a game than anything else.

Gutsy move!

AoC is something that I like the idea of, especially to see other people’s solutions. I’m always impressed at how clever people can be. Especially with coding. I entered the IOCCC in the 80’s. It was fun to participate but more fun to see other people’s creations.

Mousse Monday - December 1, 2025

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Lost Nativ 26mm Fanchurian V13
• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand MK 31 11/16 Söderfors Extra Specialstål Full Hollow
• Lather: Zingari Man - Mousse Illuminée - Soap
• Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
• Aftershave: Zingari Man - Mousse Illuminee - Aftershave

3 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

An Extra Specialstål shave, that’s for sure. This is always an amazing little razor.

I think that the best dupes are those that are in-family with the fragrance they resemble, but aren’t positioned as dupes. Wrt Aventus, I have Executive Man (Stirling), and Venture (Captain’s Choice). I much prefer Opuntia and Succès (Ethos Grooming Essentials) and I don’t consider them to be dupes. I think the fragrance from these vendors, was built to complement Aventus if it is used as a final fragrance, but also be unique enough to stand alone.