Acquisitions - March 2024

Nice haul, I started perusing the stando line-up after I saw it mentioned here the other day, managed to maintain some semblance of self control.

Random one, was the original leaf an actual razor failure or was it bounced off the floor. Just in case you have any issues again Leaf customer services were outstanding for me recently. I ordered one for the Mrs in 2022, roll around to Feb 2024 and the spring had lost some of it's tension so the head wasn't staying upright. Dropped them a line directly and they sent out a replacement FOC 2 days later, just something to keep in mind if anything does go wrong again.
 
The little thread that held the blades shut one day just refused to tighten up, shame because at the time it was a faultless head shaver I loved it but a lousy face shaver in my experience.
The lifetime warranty only applies if you buy the razor from new, it was the first thing I looked into and mine was from the BST on here, hence why I ordered a new one from Agent shave, incase it happens again and then I can use the warranty.
 
Ah fair shout man and yeah I've not robbed it from her to try but I kind of thought it might not be my cup of tea. I know my Mrs was gutted as well when it died, she loved the thing and was annoyed when she had to go back to disposables for the brief period without it - I did of course offer the pick of my little collection but for some reason she shied away. At least you'll be sorted now.
 
My wife's preference is the twig over the leaf, for her she found it more agile and lighter.
something for your future hitlist perhaps and it also makes a great face shaver.
 
Moderate haul, mostly from Connaught ... who delivered today following my order yesterday and it still baffles me how they manage to do that every time on a Royal Mail 48 ticket, or rather how nobody else seems to manage it. Anyway, onwards to the goodies!



Loving my piggies at the moment, so a couple of pedestrian Semogues which got their first outing and a test lather with a good hit of Mitchell's (as I do with all my boars). Two quite different feeling brushes which I will enjoy very much. There's the 1250 and the 2000. The 2000 looks somewhat like the Omega 10049 but it is substantially smaller in scale and that fits me very well.

I thought I'd bag a black bowl of Culmak and it is indeed the very latest (and crap) formulation giving a foamy and dissipating lather but that doesn't matter at all to me - I wanted the bowl as I've managed to secure a refill tablet of the slightly older (and very good) Palmate & Palm Kernelate formulation which is very much like the classic Broadoak formulation enjoyed by Floris, C&E, Pen's and their ilk back in the good old days. I do have a couple of vintage Culmak bowls, so it's nice to have this far more modern one to counterpoint.

... more Schafmilch to top up a dwindling tub.

Oh, my! That DR Harris Bay Rum is very very nice indeed! Most uplifting and not at all heavy or cloying. I really enjoy their Sandalwood splash and also have the Pink Aftershave. This is a very welcome addition.

I bagged a cheap(ish) pillar of Wilkies from clippersrack.co.uk and also ordered a 100 pack of single slip Derby USTA. They send me regular Derby Green. I know there's a line of thought that says they're the same ... but there's also a line of thought that says otherwise, and I rather wanted to find out for myself. No drama.

Silver Stars were a little extra from Connaught. Thanks guys!
 

The Derby USTA is a different blade to the Derby Green from what I remember when I used them.
 
A small delivery from La Barbiera and a visit to Superdrug.



I’m not usually a fan of Russian blades but I did try one of these Rapira’s recently and it felt a bit like Derby Extras which I find ok, so at La Barbiera’s clearance price I couldn’t resist. Then I visited Superdrug the other day and they still had their aftershaves at 2 for a fiver (perhaps they always do, I’m not in that often!) so l picked up a couple of bottles of Forest Fresh (which I prefer slightly to Sierran Breeze) and they were selling off some Nivea Balm for £1.20 (discontinued according to the sales lady, cheap according to me!). Not a huge haul I grant you, but I was pleased as I am a simple soul!