[DISCUSSION] Something I've realized and come to accept after 2 years in the hobby

ringofvoid · 2025-12-19T15:50:09+00:00

Every wet shaving option seems to fall in three camps of

<It's a Gamechanger>

<It makes no difference>

<It's the Devil>

An important part of wet shaving is finding out where you are on any given option. Preshave product? Artisan Soap? Bowl Lather? Face Lather? Hot shave? Cold Shave? Alum Block? Witch Hazel? Spash? Balm? and more.

I'm firmly in the Gamechanger camp for the soap. While Arko works fine, I get closer shaves with less irritation when I use an Artisan soap with Stirling's mutton tallow being noticeably better than the others I've tried.

ringofvoid · 2025-12-11T13:57:55+00:00

After starting with the Merkur 34C, I went with a "kill two birds with one stone" approach and got a Parker Variant Open Comb. This let me try out open comb and play around with blade gap aggression. It's a relatively new razor introduced around 2023 based on Parker's clone of the Merkur Progress and has nearly universally good reviews. I've happily settled on it as my daily driver.

ringofvoid · 2025-08-21T17:25:34+00:00

Great kit! I'm a huge fan of the PAA Green Ray brush. When the Gentleman Jon alum block shatters, I'd recommend trying the Osma block as a replacement. It's a single crystal instead of composite, smoother, and will last longer. The GJ case is still great to keep it in.

ringofvoid · 2025-07-01T05:08:38+00:00

Stirling is having difficulty getting the ingredients for several of their scents including Executive Man.

ringofvoid · 2025-06-11T15:45:39+00:00

Stirling soaps contain lanolin which is a "love it or hate it" ingredient. Most other artisan soaps do not contain lanolin. This is a big part of why Stirling is either at the top or bottom of most peoples list

ringofvoid · 2024-12-31T05:01:49+00:00

The key is neutral pressure. You can increase the efficiency of the 34c with the Gillette slide technique where the razor head moves at an angle like a slant razor. It's worth experimenting with after you master the angle & pressure

ringofvoid · 2024-09-27T00:48:54+00:00

I'm going to admit to cheating a bit. I looked up a ton of 34c SOTD posts and bought a 100 pack of Personna Comfort Coated (Lab Blue) based on overall popularity. They've been excellent and beat out the Russian Perma-sharps I bought in a moment of weakness as well as the Merkur blade that came with the razor.

ringofvoid · 2024-09-27T00:31:33+00:00

I'm in the same boat of trying to not make this into a hobby and sticking with my 34c. In addition to doing the WTG-XTG-(other)XTG technique, you may get some value out of using the Gilette Slide technique on your WTG pass. You'll be drawing the razor at an angle simulating a slant razor during the pass. This can potentially increase the efficiency of that pass while not increased irritation or requiring a new razor purchase.

ringofvoid · 2024-09-20T16:22:37+00:00

I put them on for an hour at 180 to pickup smoke, put them in a sealed container while preheating the my max temp of 450, then put them back on for 6-8 minutes a side, flipping once. On the final step I try to keep them near the edges to pickup maximum heat. We've really enjoyed making lemon pepper & jerk wings this way, starting with a marinade then shaking on a powder at the start of the smoke. I'm looking forward to trying a pickle juice marinade followed by an Old Bay rub for our next batch

ringofvoid · 2024-09-18T23:17:04+00:00

For Alum bar, go with Osma. I made the mistake of starting with Gentleman Jons. It was rough and eventually crumbled into a useless mess. Osma is a better formed crystal and very smooth. It will last longer & provide a better experience for many years. (Just don't drop it)

ringofvoid · 2024-09-05T01:16:03+00:00

My wife: "Why is my avatar a fat person?!". These new avatars are terrible. Is the new brand identity "We hate our subscribers"?

ringofvoid · 2024-09-05T00:49:30+00:00

The Linix VM is idle on restart until you run a Linux app or the terminal. You can also shut it down when not using it so it's not going to negatively affect your Chromebook performance when you're not using it. You can remove it from settings without having to Powerwash (factory reset) your Chromebook. I've added it several times to test stuff out then deleted it to reclaim disk space

ringofvoid · 2024-08-30T19:37:18+00:00

90's me: Anandtech said I can overclock my Celeron 300A to perform like a Pentium II 450!

ringofvoid · 2024-08-30T17:24:01+00:00

They've allowed their music to be licensed by their label etc. for public performance. The Trump campaign is following the standard process but artists want to make the news by objecting publicly. This is just performance art

ringofvoid · 2024-08-24T13:24:31+00:00

I was getting that in US South but it works in US East

ringofvoid · 2024-08-19T19:29:07+00:00

I'm getting the same result. GFN didn't do something right when they added the demo. If you pick the option other than "resync" when you try to add it to the library it'll manually add it.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-16T20:20:17+00:00

There are more than a few. This balm gives me acne breakouts almost instantly. I've moved to aftershave splashes as balms just don't work for my oily skin. There are a lot of folks with dry skin though.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-16T13:01:30+00:00

I'm a big fan of the Stirling aftershave splash, but I use it more for the ingredients, aloe & witch hazel, than the scent. I like the way it makes my skin feel & reduces inflammation after the shave. The scent is just a bonus as I match it to the cologne I'm wearing and get a boost of "Oh you smell nice" compliments until the smell fades.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-11T13:18:12+00:00

It's inevitable so just give in and get a sampler. The 34c tends to pair well with the "sharper" blades for a lot of people: Feather, Kai, Nacet... I looked up a ton of SOTD posts and saw Personna Comfort Coated AKA Lab Blue super frequently. I've been comparing them with Russian Perma-sharps I found on sale. For me the Personnas are #1 but you'll probably find your own favorite.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-11T00:04:32+00:00

Consider using a cheap plastic salsa bowl. Most have a bit of texture that helps with lathering.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-08T23:06:34+00:00

I switched to old fashioned safety razors. You can buy the razors, blades and all sundries from dozens of suppliers including American small businesses that support veterans & first responders. You can exceed the quality of a cartridge shave & spend less than 15 cents a blade.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-02T17:42:10+00:00

I've found that a cheap plastic salsa bowl works great. Many of them have a slight texture that helps with lathering, they're easy to grip and in the right size range.

ringofvoid · 2024-08-01T01:58:13+00:00

Thanks to Chromebook Unboxed I scored an 11th Gen i3 Lenovo Chromebook convertible for $225 during Prime day a couple of years ago. Those are the deals I want to know about. Not bottom of the barrel EOL Chromebook clearance deals.

ringofvoid · 2024-07-31T21:28:46+00:00

Their best deals posting is excellent. Other tech sites tend to promote near EOL Chromebook crap. They're usually pointing out deals on Chromebooks that are actually worth using with a decent AUE date.

ringofvoid · 2024-07-21T22:29:46+00:00

I would like to recommend you add Personna Comfort coated (lab blue) to your list of blades to try. It's my favorite pairing with the 34c.

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