I know and I am truly sorry, but rest assured, I am still here, I still have my Rod Neep brushes, and perhaps I will get back to doing live shaves again!!
I never thought of it as posh, but now I know better - lol! Maybe next time I will have to dip the tips, but once you go posh, can you really ever go back (ha ha)?? Thanks for watching!
You are very welcome! I have to say, it is getting harder and harder to find mid tier products! Everywhere you look, around every corner, yet another excellent shaving product...and that makes me smile!
Fantastic Shave Michael ! Enjoyed that . I could care less about the finish myself as long as a Razor is outstanding . Amazing little Boar Brush . You always surprise with some exotic creams I've never heard of , and most are outstanding . I appreciate your honesty and thorough reviews of everything . Just amazing . Michael you would need a pressure suit to escape the pollen this time of year , or live in a vacuum capsule (hyperbaric oxygen might be fun though) . Have a great week , and keep up the good work .
The pollen this year has been pretty bad, and while I can keep my sinuses under control, I can do little about the skin "heat". No matter, I just shave more carefully and rub my face with various unguents and lotions (grin, it's just aftershave balm!). I have been very lucky that people continue to send me products to try out, and I am both very grateful, and humbled by, their generosity. As for the Fatip finish, well, I get to watch it "age gracefully"...
Pretty concentrated cream, but I did manage to use too little my first time out. No matter, you just add a bit to the brush and lather up again! I think a full container would last quite a while.
Michael Freedberg yeah that's no big deal you can always just add more water but it's a good cream I like it not much in appearance though. I thought the appearance of the cream kind of looked like well just not very appealing I wasn't crazy about the color comma but it's natural not altered in any way so that's for something
Michael Freedberg I did get an entire container of this in fact I did a video on it as well it's a decent cream I really have no complaints other than the appearance
Great shave as always. Purchased the Grande a few weeks ago. Though it is a pretty agressive razor I get a wonderful shave every time I use it. Greetings from Croatia.
Greetings from North Carolina, it really is great to have viewers from all over the world! I am thinking I might need to get a Grande (or Piccolo) and see just how different the shave is; who knows, I may fall in love with the Grande as well!
You should definitely try the Fatip Grande if possible, IMO its one of the smoothest comfortable aggressive shavers out there. I also use a Testina Gentile which is my absolute favorite milder razor and the blade on the Grande feels under very good control like on the Gentile and the Grande drives good over the complex angles of the face. If you do buy a Grande, there are two versions, the V1 with a 18mm wide top cap, and the V2 with 19mm wide top cap which is the same top cap used on the Testina Gentile models. Both are amazingly smooth with the V1 having more blade exposure. The V1's generally have much much worse blade alignment than the V2's and on a lot of V1's the top cap is actually cut slightly uneven but they still shave perfectly fine and blade alignment is still easy with Mauro Di Lernia's method. If you do end up buying one ask the retailers to install a blade into one and let you know what versions they have in stock. Also the chrome finish Fatips dont wear off at all, so go for a chrome one if you care about the finish lasting.
Enjoy your videos Michael and love the Baum dot BE! Regarding the idea of letting your beard grow to work the razor out. Do you think it matters how long the whiskers are? I mean from the eye of the razor's edge, all it's doing is shearing off the whisker flush with the surface of the skin. I don't think it matters to the edge how much hair is on the other end. Right? I notice I get a better shave if I don't shave for at least 2 days but that's just my skin getting a rest.
I agree that shaving after a few days off makes for a wonderful shave! The difference for me when shaving off weeks of growth is that the dense hair in the path of the razor sort of buffers against the blade and makes it harder to shave (it's like clogging in advance of the razor edge, if that makes sense). I have also found that the razor has a tendency to rise up and slide OVER the denser growth, rather than cutting cleanly through it, unless you use short strokes and keep rinsing. with all that said, I did shave off my 30 day Movember mustache in just a few strokes :-)
Goes without saying a very nice shave, and I, too, have the very same gun metal razor and it is one of my favourites. The discolouration almost adds to the classic look & feel of this Italian razor. Although I'm not sure the makers wanted this razor to faint like this. Also, out of the U.S.-based UA-cam shavers I follow, I would say, and to your credit, you have quite a flair for European (artisan and non-) shave soap makers. The continent's only across the Channel for me, and not that many U.K.-based YTube shavers do a lot with European artisans as you do. You've done French, Austrian, Italian, Belgian, German, even Finnish, British (but that doesn't count for me :) ) + all the others I can't recall. Quite an unusual angle there Michael, with these soaps from all these countries.
I have a feeling Fatip does not really care - I have tried to contact them via email, Facebook (and even Twitter?), but no response at all. I must say I have been so lucky and fortunate to try out so many different soaps from all over, in large part thanks to the ongoing generosity of my viewers who keep offering to send me products to try. Really amazing, frankly, just how many great options are out there and yet so many people just stick with the Barbasol, or Edge gel -- really a shame.
Hello Michael, I have a Testina Gentile with the wood handle which I like but do not use often, maybe because for me, while smooth, it does not feels efficient enough. Or maybe because I am spoiled by my Progress (a Mergress actually,) which has became my favorite razor since I bought it about 6 months ago.
People do love the Mergress/Progress! I have to say, though, that the Testina Gentile is so comfortable that I am ok with a minor cleanup pass. Testina with the wood handle -- now you have me pondering... Let's take a moment, though, and just revel in how many wonderful options there are out there -something for everybody!!
I love my Grande, though the Gentile edges the victory on comfort. The Grande is the razor I reach for if I have more than one day growth. Otherwise, a mild razor will do. The Fatip Grande does shave marvelously close, though, and when you shave lightly enough, you get no irritation. I'd be curious to see how you do with it. It's efficient but smooth, it's no R41. I do best with Feather blades in mine, because other blades provide too much resistance which leads to a less than comfortable shave.
I am finding myself pondering this purchase more and more -- and I have to say that if the Grande shaves like the Gentile but with a bit more bite (and thus requires a bit more care), I think I may well still like it! Feather blades? What about something like the Personna Med Prep instead?
Nice shave. The Fatip Piccolo is a great value (~$14+), but it only comes in nickel. Smooth and very efficient open comb razor. The handle is thinner (yet heavier) and a quarter inch smaller -- which surprisingly make a big difference.. You could always put it on your Testina Gentile handle. It's too bad Fatip handles aren't interchangeable with other handles -- and their beautiful Wood handle open comb razors -- Ulivo (Olive), Walnut, Wénghe, Zebrano -- cost more.
I have been looking at those wooden handles, assuming they will perhaps last longer than the finished one (grin)!! I do not do very well with very aggressive razors, but I must say my curiosity is high to see how I would do with the Grande or Piccolo. Excellent cream, by the way!
I am holding off on any new brushes for the moment - my next one may well be a custom handle with one of the black&white synthetic knots, but no time soon. OR I might go for a larger horsehair brush, I keep seeing some really nice ones pop up and I like the idea of a cruelty-free option for animal hair.
Great shave Michael as usually. Welcome back from the trip, I hope it was enjoyable. How would You compare Fatip testina to Merkur 34C in regards to agressivnes? Thank You and have a great week ahead in beautiful NC. Is it as hot in NC as here in FL?
It is already pretty hot here, but probably not as hot as in sunny FL! I think the Fatip Testina Gentila is likely more aggressive than the Merkur 34C, but I am not sure it is the right way to "measure" the razors. I find the Fatip so easy to use, with very little naked blade feel and no blade chatter, and it just delivers a wonderfully comfortable shave with great control - you never feel like the razor will do something unexpected.
I love my Fatip Grande, Michael, but have my eye on the wood handled Gentile. I hate to sacrifice efficiency, so is the Gentile real close to the Grande in its efficiency? Thank you.
The Gentile is definitely less efficient than the Grande, but it's a very comfortable and easy shave. I think you will find the razor a joy to use if you let it be its own razor and don't try to make it a "baby" Grande, if that makes sense. I too have had my eye on those wooden handles....
I understand the cause and effects of hair graying but it mystifies me why the hair shaft becomes coarser? Logically, a lack of pigment should only cause a variation in color yet I fully grasp that many find the hair becoming more coarse. In any case you seem to have it well in hand. ;-) BTW, NO FAIR!!! French is also spoken in Belgium and but you chose Flemish which I can not speak..... :D
I have no idea why gray hair is coarser, but it really does seem like the hair on and under my chin is getting tougher - which is fun because it ups the ante when shaving! Vlaams is just a poor man's Dutch :-) (Sorry, it is second nature to make fun of the Belgians, I know it's not fair.)
Hi Michael do you have Dutch roots, you are speaking this language so very good. I am Dutch. Hallo Michael heb jij Nederlandse ouders of andere connecties met Nederland want je spreekt het behoorlijk zuiver uit?
I grew up in Holland and used to speak Dutch fluently, but of course it has become more difficult as the years roll on. My Dutch is still very good, I just have to pause sometimes to think of the right word. And did you see how I resisted making fun of our "Belgische buren"? It was very hard :-) The first shaving video I ever watched, or at least one of the very first, was of my friend Danny van Rooyen.
Certainly less so, yes! The Testina Gentile is designed exactly for that sweet spot, where you get the efficiency of the razor design without having to use as aggressive a razor. I really like this razor. The Baume.BE is good stuff, I was quite surprised at just how slick it was. Great color and overall very good post-shave (skin feels very good hours later). It is pricy, but I think it is worth it given its quality and performance. Also, the color is cool!
I am considering it, it just seems like there are so many at the end of the year that one more may get lost in the shuffle -- but don't count me out yet!!
silly question - what is the reason you need a washer on the razor - is it a washer that is part of the design or is it one you added to increase the blade gap?
I add the washer *solely* to buffer between the handle and the baseplate - less metal on metal and you can tighten the handle without worrying about what might happen to the top of the handle or the bottom of the baseplate. The washer does not affect the blade gap at all, it just adds a bit of protection to the screw post. I only started doing this after borrowing a razor from a friend who uses them on all his razors, and he then gifted me a bag with 50 washers ("Happy birthday!").
I'll just bring one or more base plates to a hardware store and see what 'fits'. If you figure out your washer measurements, any updates would be appreciated.
That depends - I really liked it! A very strong performer, and a great option for those wetshavers who do better with creams than soaps. How much are you seeing it go for, and on which sites?
hairmaker.gr/en/search?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=baume&submit_search= I prefer the slickness of the soaps better but who knows, maybe this cream overcomes many of them!
I was talking to henry about you and your rod neep brushes. we miss these videos a lot.
I know and I am truly sorry, but rest assured, I am still here, I still have my Rod Neep brushes, and perhaps I will get back to doing live shaves again!!
I wish that you were still providing content. I always looked forward to the Sunday shave. Regards.
Hello Michael. Thank you
by far my favorite UA-cam wet shaver
Thank you, and I hope you will continue to find future videos just as enjoyable!
Agree no drama, or sales pitch
Great shave Michael, and nice to see you using the posh method of adding water to the brush...lol....all the best and thanks.....Paul.
I never thought of it as posh, but now I know better - lol!
Maybe next time I will have to dip the tips, but once you go posh, can you really ever go back (ha ha)??
Thanks for watching!
Another excellent video Michael. All the products seem to be top notch. Thanks for the video.
You are very welcome! I have to say, it is getting harder and harder to find mid tier products! Everywhere you look, around every corner, yet another excellent shaving product...and that makes me smile!
Fantastic Shave Michael ! Enjoyed that . I could care less about the finish myself as long as a Razor is outstanding . Amazing little Boar Brush . You always surprise with some exotic creams I've never heard of , and most are outstanding . I appreciate your honesty and thorough reviews of everything . Just amazing . Michael you would need a pressure suit to escape the pollen this time of year , or live in a vacuum capsule (hyperbaric oxygen might be fun though) . Have a great week , and keep up the good work .
The pollen this year has been pretty bad, and while I can keep my sinuses under control, I can do little about the skin "heat". No matter, I just shave more carefully and rub my face with various unguents and lotions (grin, it's just aftershave balm!).
I have been very lucky that people continue to send me products to try out, and I am both very grateful, and humbled by, their generosity.
As for the Fatip finish, well, I get to watch it "age gracefully"...
i liked this cream, and was impressed how little you really need to make it work!!!!
Pretty concentrated cream, but I did manage to use too little my first time out. No matter, you just add a bit to the brush and lather up again! I think a full container would last quite a while.
Michael Freedberg yeah that's no big deal you can always just add more water but it's a good cream I like it not much in appearance though. I thought the appearance of the cream kind of looked like well just not very appealing I wasn't crazy about the color comma but it's natural not altered in any way so that's for something
Michael Freedberg I did get an entire container of this in fact I did a video on it as well it's a decent cream I really have no complaints other than the appearance
Great shave as always.
Purchased the Grande a few weeks ago.
Though it is a pretty agressive razor I get a wonderful shave every time I use it.
Greetings from Croatia.
Greetings from North Carolina, it really is great to have viewers from all over the world!
I am thinking I might need to get a Grande (or Piccolo) and see just how different the shave is; who knows, I may fall in love with the Grande as well!
You should definitely try the Fatip Grande if possible, IMO its one of the smoothest comfortable aggressive shavers out there. I also use a Testina Gentile which is my absolute favorite milder razor and the blade on the Grande feels under very good control like on the Gentile and the Grande drives good over the complex angles of the face. If you do buy a Grande, there are two versions, the V1 with a 18mm wide top cap, and the V2 with 19mm wide top cap which is the same top cap used on the Testina Gentile models. Both are amazingly smooth with the V1 having more blade exposure. The V1's generally have much much worse blade alignment than the V2's and on a lot of V1's the top cap is actually cut slightly uneven but they still shave perfectly fine and blade alignment is still easy with Mauro Di Lernia's method. If you do end up buying one ask the retailers to install a blade into one and let you know what versions they have in stock. Also the chrome finish Fatips dont wear off at all, so go for a chrome one if you care about the finish lasting.
Yes, PaulH in fact said that today. Great shave and interesting shave cream.
So posh!! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
Enjoy your videos Michael and love the Baum dot BE! Regarding the idea of letting your beard grow to work the razor out. Do you think it matters how long the whiskers are? I mean from the eye of the razor's edge, all it's doing is shearing off the whisker flush with the surface of the skin. I don't think it matters to the edge how much hair is on the other end. Right? I notice I get a better shave if I don't shave for at least 2 days but that's just my skin getting a rest.
I agree that shaving after a few days off makes for a wonderful shave! The difference for me when shaving off weeks of growth is that the dense hair in the path of the razor sort of buffers against the blade and makes it harder to shave (it's like clogging in advance of the razor edge, if that makes sense). I have also found that the razor has a tendency to rise up and slide OVER the denser growth, rather than cutting cleanly through it, unless you use short strokes and keep rinsing.
with all that said, I did shave off my 30 day Movember mustache in just a few strokes :-)
Goes without saying a very nice shave, and I, too, have the very same gun metal razor and it is one of my favourites. The discolouration almost adds to the classic look & feel of this Italian razor. Although I'm not sure the makers wanted this razor to faint like this.
Also, out of the U.S.-based UA-cam shavers I follow, I would say, and to your credit, you have quite a flair for European (artisan and non-) shave soap makers. The continent's only across the Channel for me, and not that many U.K.-based YTube shavers do a lot with European artisans as you do. You've done French, Austrian, Italian, Belgian, German, even Finnish, British (but that doesn't count for me :) ) + all the others I can't recall. Quite an unusual angle there Michael, with these soaps from all these countries.
Apologies, no idea why it crossed my text there. Wasn't meant to be crossed!
I have a feeling Fatip does not really care - I have tried to contact them via email, Facebook (and even Twitter?), but no response at all.
I must say I have been so lucky and fortunate to try out so many different soaps from all over, in large part thanks to the ongoing generosity of my viewers who keep offering to send me products to try. Really amazing, frankly, just how many great options are out there and yet so many people just stick with the Barbasol, or Edge gel -- really a shame.
Hello Michael, I have a Testina Gentile with the wood handle which I like but do not use often, maybe because for me, while smooth, it does not feels efficient enough. Or maybe because I am spoiled by my Progress (a Mergress actually,) which has became my favorite razor since I bought it about 6 months ago.
People do love the Mergress/Progress! I have to say, though, that the Testina Gentile is so comfortable that I am ok with a minor cleanup pass. Testina with the wood handle -- now you have me pondering...
Let's take a moment, though, and just revel in how many wonderful options there are out there -something for everybody!!
I have the same issue with the plaiting , at first it pissed me off , now I like it same as you.
+two fast now I just find it endearing, but I am also thinking about getting one with a wooden handle!
I love my Grande, though the Gentile edges the victory on comfort. The Grande is the razor I reach for if I have more than one day growth. Otherwise, a mild razor will do. The Fatip Grande does shave marvelously close, though, and when you shave lightly enough, you get no irritation. I'd be curious to see how you do with it. It's efficient but smooth, it's no R41. I do best with Feather blades in mine, because other blades provide too much resistance which leads to a less than comfortable shave.
I am finding myself pondering this purchase more and more -- and I have to say that if the Grande shaves like the Gentile but with a bit more bite (and thus requires a bit more care), I think I may well still like it!
Feather blades? What about something like the Personna Med Prep instead?
Nice shave. The Fatip Piccolo is a great value (~$14+), but it only comes in nickel. Smooth and very efficient open comb razor. The handle is thinner (yet heavier) and a quarter inch smaller -- which surprisingly make a big difference.. You could always put it on your Testina Gentile handle. It's too bad Fatip handles aren't interchangeable with other handles -- and their beautiful Wood handle open comb razors -- Ulivo (Olive), Walnut, Wénghe, Zebrano -- cost more.
I have been looking at those wooden handles, assuming they will perhaps last longer than the finished one (grin)!! I do not do very well with very aggressive razors, but I must say my curiosity is high to see how I would do with the Grande or Piccolo.
Excellent cream, by the way!
Ahhh....boar again 😊 My thoughts on the Zenith knot: Close to the Semogue owners....probably better.... Thanks for sharing mate.
I am holding off on any new brushes for the moment - my next one may well be a custom handle with one of the black&white synthetic knots, but no time soon. OR I might go for a larger horsehair brush, I keep seeing some really nice ones pop up and I like the idea of a cruelty-free option for animal hair.
Great shave Michael as usually. Welcome back from the trip, I hope it was enjoyable. How would You compare Fatip testina to Merkur 34C in regards to agressivnes? Thank You and have a great week ahead in beautiful NC. Is it as hot in NC as here in FL?
It is already pretty hot here, but probably not as hot as in sunny FL!
I think the Fatip Testina Gentila is likely more aggressive than the Merkur 34C, but I am not sure it is the right way to "measure" the razors. I find the Fatip so easy to use, with very little naked blade feel and no blade chatter, and it just delivers a wonderfully comfortable shave with great control - you never feel like the razor will do something unexpected.
I love my Fatip Grande, Michael, but have my eye on the wood handled Gentile. I hate to sacrifice efficiency, so is the Gentile real close to the Grande in its efficiency? Thank you.
The Gentile is definitely less efficient than the Grande, but it's a very comfortable and easy shave. I think you will find the razor a joy to use if you let it be its own razor and don't try to make it a "baby" Grande, if that makes sense. I too have had my eye on those wooden handles....
I understand the cause and effects of hair graying but it mystifies me why the hair shaft becomes coarser? Logically, a lack of pigment should only cause a variation in color yet I fully grasp that many find the hair becoming more coarse. In any case you seem to have it well in hand. ;-)
BTW, NO FAIR!!! French is also spoken in Belgium and but you chose Flemish which I can not speak..... :D
I have no idea why gray hair is coarser, but it really does seem like the hair on and under my chin is getting tougher - which is fun because it ups the ante when shaving!
Vlaams is just a poor man's Dutch :-) (Sorry, it is second nature to make fun of the Belgians, I know it's not fair.)
Hi Michael do you have Dutch roots, you are speaking this language so very good. I am Dutch.
Hallo Michael heb jij Nederlandse ouders of andere connecties met Nederland want je spreekt het behoorlijk zuiver uit?
I grew up in Holland and used to speak Dutch fluently, but of course it has become more difficult as the years roll on. My Dutch is still very good, I just have to pause sometimes to think of the right word. And did you see how I resisted making fun of our "Belgische buren"? It was very hard :-)
The first shaving video I ever watched, or at least one of the very first, was of my friend Danny van Rooyen.
LeisureGuy has taken to the Testina Gentile recently. Other than that, you're right -- not seeing it much elsewhere.
Leisureguy is spot on, *and* he too is a Michael -- hard to go wrong!
HI MICHAEL,
i have a Fatip Grande which i find very aggressive,is the Testina Gentile less so? i liked the look of that soap!
Certainly less so, yes! The Testina Gentile is designed exactly for that sweet spot, where you get the efficiency of the razor design without having to use as aggressive a razor. I really like this razor.
The Baume.BE is good stuff, I was quite surprised at just how slick it was. Great color and overall very good post-shave (skin feels very good hours later). It is pricy, but I think it is worth it given its quality and performance. Also, the color is cool!
yes pls do a top 5 favorite razor
I am considering it, it just seems like there are so many at the end of the year that one more may get lost in the shuffle -- but don't count me out yet!!
silly question - what is the reason you need a washer on the razor - is it a washer that is part of the design or is it one you added to increase the blade gap?
I add the washer *solely* to buffer between the handle and the baseplate - less metal on metal and you can tighten the handle without worrying about what might happen to the top of the handle or the bottom of the baseplate. The washer does not affect the blade gap at all, it just adds a bit of protection to the screw post. I only started doing this after borrowing a razor from a friend who uses them on all his razors, and he then gifted me a bag with 50 washers ("Happy birthday!").
What's the size of those washers?
I am to have to ask or check myself, I don't think that "small and white" is what you are looking for (grin)!!
I'll just bring one or more base plates to a hardware store and see what 'fits'. If you figure out your washer measurements, any updates would be appreciated.
yes good old paul - port side out starbord side home .......
This cream worths the money that asks?
That depends - I really liked it! A very strong performer, and a great option for those wetshavers who do better with creams than soaps. How much are you seeing it go for, and on which sites?
hairmaker.gr/en/search?orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=baume&submit_search=
I prefer the slickness of the soaps better but who knows, maybe this cream overcomes many of them!