![]() ![]() Then, months went by, and PAA issued a Starling V2. After a week’s worth of shaves with both, trying different blades and different angles, I put them away. At the time, my impressions were that neither were very comfortable. ![]() There was a blue baseplate intended to be standard comfort, and a gold baseplate that came with a card warning it was more aggressive. It shipped on a handle modeled on the Wade Butcher / Durham Duplex handle of the 1920s. It was a limited run intended to collect feedback from users. PAA launched the Starling version 1 a year ago. The modern GEM is much less common, and PAA and Above the Tie are the two long-established vendors even attempting it. Most modern single edge razors are either the OneBlade using the Feather blade, or razors that use the AC “Shavette” style blade. What makes it unique is that it’s one of a handful of modern GEM safety razors. I would have to say that the reduced weight in the razor still seems a bit foreign to me, but, with time I will master the blade angle and pressure needed to continue to get an excellent shave.The Starling is a machined aluminum razor from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA). ![]() The lather from the soap was absolutely awesome and the open comb razor seamlessly removed my stubble to a baby but smooth condition. Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements definitely hit the mark with their Sangre De Drago, it built a lather on my brush almost immediately, allowing me to reduce the time spent preparing my soap and getting me out the door (and into traffic) on time. I tested the BOCS razor and the Phoenix soap two days in a row to see how they treated my skin and thankfully, I experienced little to no “fire shave” symptoms. This is when I’ve shaved two, three or four days in a row and my neck becomes sensitive and irritated due to the frequency of my shaves. Due to the fact that I am a five day per week shaver, I often run into the problem that I call a “fire shave”. The cutting angle was desirable for me and I had no problem getting through my two day growth with only two passes not bad at all. I had to adjust my technique slightly compared to my use with other razors and apply just a little additional pressure due to the weight of the BOCS. My shave on the first day was very comfortable and I experienced no discomfort. All in all, this is probably the quickest and nicest lathering soap that I have tried, out of a dozen or so soaps, since I began shaving with a DE razor. As I applied the soap, I was very surprised at the speed it covered my face and I noted that the fragrance was not as overpowering as I had initially thought. In addition, the soap wasn’t overly thirsty like other brands, requiring much less water to whip up a perfect lather. With my face fully prepped and my brush soaked I open the colorful soap container and began the lather and quickly found that the soap whipped very nicely, creating peaks rather swiftly. ![]() I was very interested and excited to use both of these items. The razor, was unlike anything I had tried in the past and it seemed ridiculously light for a double edge safety razor. Next I checked out the razor, now, please note, I have never shaved with a Bakelite razor and had no idea what to expect. My initial thoughts were that the scent was a bit overwhelming, but upon a second whiff, the notes of the sandalwood and other earthy tones balanced out providing an interesting combination. After adding the soap to my cart, their Bakelite Open Comb Slant (BOCS for short) razor was suggested as an additional item, so, being the shave junkie that I am, I decided to buy both.Īfter receiving my package in the mail, I wasted no time opening up the shave soap so that I could check out its fragrance. The kick ass label of the Sangre De Drago caught my eye, instantly baiting me to read more about the soap the scent description was interesting, the price was right and I decided to give it a shot. As with many of my favorite wet shave products, I stumbled upon Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements through a “big site” search while I was attempting to satisfy my urge to add yet another soap to my collection. ![]()
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