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You’re listening to Wet Shaving Talk powered by Sharpologist.com where we’re dedicated to preserving the art and skill of classic shaving. I’m your host Joe Borrelli and today is March 2 ,2022
Today on the Show
Passiflora Release!
Mongoose Love
Personna New Angle 70 aka BBS-0 in Original Package
Focus R50 Single Edge Razor
Passiflora Release!
Just when I thought new releases were losing its appeal! It’s back after a long Hiatus! I picked up a set. I’ll tell you my thoughts!
Mongoose Love
Been using my Mongoose for the past week. I forgot how efficient they are!
Personna BBS-0 in Original Package!
Searching ebay and I found this! WOW!!
Focus R50 Single Edge
Takes a double edge blade snapped in half.
Mixed reviews online but cool design!
Focus also makes a DE slant!
Our show is powered by Sharpologist.com, “What Your Father Didn’t Teach You about Shaving”
Special Thanks to:
Mark aka Mantic 59
Most of All……….YOU!!!!
Don’t forget to check out my blog site www.shavestraightandsafe.com for the tips and interesting wet shaving stories!
Please feel free to contact me at [email protected]
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for videos regarding some interesting wet shaving content.
Our next show will be 3/14/22
Until then….
Shave straight and Shave Safe!
Transcript
You’re listening to wet shaving talk powered by Sharpologist.com, where we’re dedicated to preserving the art and skill of classic shaving. I’m Joe Borrelli and today is March 2nd, 2022.
All right, everyone, welcome back to the podcast, and I have to admit I am late yet again. On Sunday of last week when I usually record the podcast. I mistakenly had a problem with, my hard drive, my my passport, like a little external hard drive I use for the podcasts and everything has everything on it. And I dropped it and didn’t realize that it was a problem went online tried to troubleshoot it and everything like that. And just, well, I’m not the best in the world of that kind of stuff. Found out that I broke it and it was going to cost, well, a few hundred dollars, I think, like five or seven hundred dollars to get it repaired. So I said, OK, whatever, I don’t really have that much stuff on it, so I know most of it was backed up. So I’m very fortunate there. So I had to go redownload everything, buy another one and get all that going. But it was the troubleshooting part that took forever because I went in, bought a cable. I went online trying to see if it was wrong, and it turns out that it was just I dropped it actually. While I was moving my stuff to record the podcast, I dropped it on the ground and that’s the end of that.
So well, we’re back to normal, got everything back, went through a lot of stuff to try to fix it. I’m not going to lie. I’m not like I said, I’m not a computer guru or anything like that. But I ended up reinstalling windows on my laptop. I got a cable for it. I went through a lot of stuff. So sorry about all that being late a few days late, but it’s still got some good content going here for what shaving world this week. A few things that happened was one. Now I know I mentioned previously about releases, but this one really got me going and I bought it and I went in on it. Passaflor from Barristan man has been rereleased, is out until the end of March, so I went ahead and purchased that. I’ll tell you a little bit about my thoughts, them and what I did with that, with that soap and aftershave this week. How much fun I had with it, actually.
Mongoose love. That’s right. I have been using my mongoose razors for a while, have put them down there, were actually collecting dust on the stand, decided to pick them up. I had blades for and everything like that, so I decided to start using that and a little bit of my thoughts and how much I actually forgot how good of a razor the mongoose is.
The personna new angle 70 or a.k.a. bbs0 got some really good information on that razor. We featured it a few times, a few as being a really awesome vintage. Razor actually got some pictures of some of one within the original packaging and found out the name of it. So we actually know what it is now. A little bit more information, and I’ll share that with you as well.
And the focus R50 single edge, straight single edge razor, something that I just noticed recently and thought it was really cool to take a look at actually believe it’s made in Italy and 100 percent stainless steel. So we’ll talk a little bit about that as well and a few other things here and there regarding what shaving and oh, there’s a big meet up that happened over the weekend in Arizona, one of the first meet us we’ve had since the pandemic started. So great to see. Everybody had a great time there. I really wanted to go. I just could not make it to that one. If I could have, I would have been there because that’s one that I really wanted to see.
All right, guys. So without further ado, let’s get on with the show. So before I get into the actual release, the passive floor release, I did want to talk about that meet up that happened. I mean, one, this is a big deal for the what shaving community and for the whole world, you know, with with the COVID cases coming down and a lot of other things are happening. It’s been it’s been getting better to travel and a little bit safer. And I think people are just more open to it now. And to see that they had an actual meet up in Arizona at Razor Emporium, that was really something special to go, to see that to, to see all of the, you know, all those booths and stuff like that. And I have no affiliation with the company, but I am always interested in in how things work and how they fix things and have all those machines and stuff. So it’s been a great tour. I mean, I really wish I could have gone. Maybe I’ll go to the next one if I can, but a really cool if you got to see that and how they actually restore razors, build new razors and all that stuff. I mean, the company has gone from one person basically fixing Gillette razors in his garage to now real, you know, an actual company and warehouse and stuff. So a really cool to see that and I would have loved to have been there. So if you have any cool pictures or information you want to share with me, please be feel free to email at [email protected], and I’ll definitely share it on the next show, so I hope you all had fun who went. This is a great thing to see in the wet shaving community. We were going to actually see more meet ups, which is something that I’m looking forward to, to going to and possibly seeing everybody, all of you guys again haven’t seen anybody. And so in almost over two years now, I haven’t seen any what shavers in over two years have been on meet up, having met up with anybody. So basically, it’s either me online or talking through this podcast and then basically purchasing things here and there and using my stuff, my collection. That’s really the involvement I’ve had with others within the shaving community. So looking forward to everybody getting back together and hopefully getting to go to a meet up here and seeing everybody again just to talk and. Person about shaving, it feels like been forever and really has been, so I’m looking forward to that, guys.
So the passaflora release now we’ve talked about passaflora as being probably one of the most unobtainable or most desirable collectible soaps out there. The original passaflora was it was a collaboration between barrister, man and the club or the shave shop by. Well, anyway, long, long story short, because we’ve talked about it so many times, I don’t want to be repetitious here. You had two issues with with two guys working together on that didn’t work out. There was limited edition, I believe, of only a few dozen soaps, maybe 30 or 40, 60 soaps or whatever like that of passaflora, which went out. Awesome passion for Lucent. There have been some other ones that have come across from Barris. Man have been similar to it, but nothing with the same namepassaflora. So passaflora was one of those soaps that was unobtainable. It’s probably one of the again one of the most desirable soaps to get. I know some guys are paying up $300 for a puck of this, and this is about four or five years now that this has happened. So I guess these soaps are out there now. I haven’t seen anything for sale for a long time, but now passaflora is now released by barrister man. When I first saw the email from them on their email list, I got really excited and I just jumped in. I bought the soap in the aftershave because originally the original passaflora did not have an aftershave and I can tell you from smelling both this was really close, if not the same thing I’d say. It’s very, very close. I don’t know if I could tell you a difference between the two, but a very, very close, in my opinion. I know other guys are going to say something else, but if you’re looking for that unobtainable soap, this is probably the one to get. This is one of the releases that I was. I was really didn’t even think twice about pulling the trigger on. Right? I mean, I love good quality shave soap, and I really love stuff from from closer from smaller vendors and stuff like that. It’s just it’s awesome, but this one was really exciting, so I’m really happy to see it and using it now. And honestly, I mean, trusted being in performance. If you guys have used it before, you know, you know, that’s good stuff. And the scent is great. You know, my scent is coming back. I’m not 100 percent yet from having COVID back in August, believe it or not, but within the last month or so, I’ve been getting my my smell back here and there, and I’ve been starting to be in small things again. I could tell you that I could start to smell, and I could definitely tell you that this is very close because I actually did side by side with a puck of passaflora from from. I actually have a little sample of it, and it smelled pretty much similar to the same. Again, my smell is not 100 percent, but to me, the performance is also very, very good. So I mean, I can’t complain here with that. But to me, it’s very, very close. I mean, honestly, very close from what I can. Again, my scent , probably about 75, 80 percent back. So really close. But if you guys know if you have them both side by side, let me know your thoughts because I haven’t seen too much online about it yet. It is going to be made until the end of March. So if you want to jump on it, I would do that pretty soon. And I think for a set delivered, I just got the set was like $50 USD, which is a little bit on the pricier side. Both again, we talked about prices and stuff, but you know, you get a whole year out of it if that’s the only thing you use. I mean, it’s a it’s a good, it’s a good quality soap and really fun release. I’m really happy to have that.
Mongoose love. That’s right, guys, I have been using my mongoose. I actually have two Mongoose razors and I’ve been, you know, I was looking at it, my shave den the other day and I was just like, You know, I need some to try something different, get a little bored, you know, with what I’m doing here. I was using a rotation of some double edges with some straight razors, and I just picked up the mongoose, blew the dust off and started using and how great of a razor was, you know, I really do miss this, this razor company. You know, I was able to meet the one of the facilitators of this company. But his name is Bruce Weber about, I think it was about five or six years ago. Actually, the razor company itself is based out of Boca Raton, Florida, and I live in Delray Beach, which is one town over very close. And and I was able to go and visit him and talk. We had lunch together and we talked about he actually was very, very, very kind to gift me one of the stainless steel mongooses that he let me try out of his own personal collection, which I got to use and stuff. And that’s really awesome. But I also have the one of the blue aluminum ones, which is a limited edition which I use on a daily basis. I got in a trade and I used it for a daily basis, sorry for about six or seven months or so. And then I kind of put it away and you know, you know how it is when you have a decent sized collection or even, you know, a rotation of about seven or eight razors, sometimes you get a little particular, you know, I do like when I’m using double edges. I do love to use, you know, I do use my BBC One quite often. I use a couple of other razors here, and I even like to use some of the old Gillette’s. I do like the this morning. I actually shave with a double ring, you know, my my double ring just because it was there. I’m like, You know what needs to get used? It’s 100 years old. Yeah, one hundred and fifteen years old. Yeah, you know what? You need to get used every now and then. It’s still razor and it gave a great shave. I mean, it actually really does. Well, it’s a little aggressive, but it’s really nice. So I got I forgot how great the Mongoose razors are, and then I went to look to see if any, if there was, you know, still being made. And they’re not, you know? And I haven’t contacted Bursty, the owner yet, but I have a feeling it was just like a side. It was a side job. And, you know, they sold about, I think about fifteen hundred or 2000 razors, maybe a little bit more. So there’s still quite a few of them out there. But if you have a mongoose show some mongoose love, try it out. If it’s collecting dust, pick it up. Get it going. Because these razors used to be like the thing back there was about 2014 2015, when they were just trading for like thousands of dollars. You know, nobody can get enough of them, and they were kind of forgotten. And now you could probably get one for a song right now. So check out the mongooses if you haven’t try one out. If you have one, give it some love. But yeah, I had a really good week with it, with both of them that I have, I got to do a little rotation and a lot of fun using them, so definitely going to keep that in the rotation. So it usually goes when I before I do the podcast, about three days before I come out of the podcast, I start researching like, I’ll start. I’ll be honest, I’m pretty active on looking stuff up, not as active as participating in forums and stuff in groups. I’m not really a very active participant. But I do read a lot and look a lot, and I start searching. So I go on Facebook and I go on, you know, all the major forums just looking at, see what people are talking about and seeing what’s going on, and then I’ll researcher myself to get some content.
So I was just searching around on eBay and I found the persona BBS Zero, which is a razor that I love, which is a vintage razor made by persona. It’s an English razor, and it was really it’s just a basic edge like kind of similar to the BBS One. I mean, from from Wolfman. Very similar to that. Actually, the parts are all interchangeable with that and also with the Gillette Tech. And I shaved with one and I loved it and I knew a guy that had one and he put it up for auction. So I bought basically all the spots in the auction. It was, I think I paid maybe a little bit over one hundred dollars for it, and it’s it’s really a staple razor. So I never knew what the real name was for this thing, and I did a lot of research on it. And finally, just recently, this last week, I found the Persona New Angle 70 in a package and this is that razor the BBS Zero package. And I guess the name of it was the Persona 70 new angle or New Angle 70. So looking at, I share the pictures with you. I did some snips on it to show you actually how what the packaging set on, and this is one that’s new in the package on eBay. So if you don’t, if it’s still available, guys buy this. I mean, I’m telling you if you’re looking for a vintage razor that’s going to shave great, this is the one to get. This is an awesome razor now. The quality’s not 100 percent. I mean, there is the handles aluminum. Everything else is a plated brass, I believe, and I think the top cap is is like galvanized steel. To me, it’s not the greatest thing in the world. Like, quality wise. I mean, honestly, mine is kind of beat. But looking at this, if I didn’t already have on, I would already bought this, but I can’t open it out of the package. I mean, that’s just something that I can’t can’t do. So if I bought it, it would be it would stay in like, like ever like some of the guys say it needs to belong in a museum. I think Matt Pisarski says that it does need to belong in a museum. This is a razor. But if you want one brand new, that’s going to be like, you know, brand new, this is the one to get. You don’t have to restore it or anything like that. So this is really exciting, guys. And I’m just like in awe of it, just watching it and seeing and it’s something that I’ve always wanted to to know more about. I did so much research on this when I was doing some articles. I never could find anything. And just now, today just pop to me. So really unbelievable on that. So check out the pictures and if you haven’t bought one yet, are looking for one. I would see that as of what I’m doing this podcast, it was still available. Jump on it because this is a razor you’re going to want and you’re going to regret not having because it is really awesome.
So again, guys, I was just searching and I found the Focus R50 single edge razor. And this is a razor that really it’s it’s something that’s called the dynamic. And this is it’s it takes a double edged blade snapped in half. So we’ve seen razors doing that. You know, nothing crazy in that aspect, but from the reviews and see too much on it. But I did see some good stuff a little bit on this razor, very mild. They also do a a slant, the double edge of razor slant, which was really interesting. I think the raises about one hundred and fifty dollars solid. It’s a hundred percent stainless steel and made in Italy. So this is something you definitely want to check out. And and if you haven’t yet, if you’re looking for like a single edge or you’re looking to just try a single edge, this might be one this two to, you know, at least put on the radar. It definitely looks. Just looking at the picture on, it’s got like a little handle where you put your finger on. It looks kind of like, actually, it doesn’t really list the handle itself. Looks like it would be almost held like a straight razor when using it. But when I looked at some of the some of the reviews, it’s just to put your thumb on to rest. It really does look nice. I looked at the website, read a little bit about the company. They do have other products as well that the slant looks pretty interesting because I’m always interested in something different. And the design on this razor really is something I haven’t seen before. So worth a shot if you try to, you know, let me know and see because I might be picking one of these up. Some really interesting razor, though really, really looks like fun to use, and I’m always looking for those new things.
So besides talking about a little bit what’s on the show notes here, guys, I did want to go on to a little bit more on the wet shaving world side. You know, looking at the world with things going on, you know, we do have some some stuff going on and in overseas. If you’re in the United States, you know, this may not be a, you know, this is going to affect really everybody all over the world what’s happening in Russia and Ukraine and stuff. And just to keep everything cool with with wet shavers online, just be very, you know, a lot of people are talking, a lot of people are very, you know, emotional and that’s OK because you never know what’s going to. Happened and you never know what other people are going through. But one thing I did see in Facebook and I saw, excuse me, kind of really, really kind of turned me off a little bit to it, to this one particular group was people were just going, I’m going to throw out all my stuff and other people saying, you shouldn’t and you should and all that. You know, guys, I think maybe that’s kind of stuff like if you want to do whatever you want to do. You know, that’s that’s that’s for it. I mean, I’m all for that. And I think, you know, it’s nice, but be just be respectful to each other with the comments because this is pretty, pretty ugly content. I mean, this is a pretty ugly. And this is on a Facebook group, well known Facebook group. I won’t put the name in there, but you guys, if you if you’re listening or if you’re part of that group, you know, there’s a several thousand members and I was a little bit like a little turned off by that by seeing all these everybody bashing each other over whether they want to keep products or not. Well, all I got to say is whether or not you keep them or not, you know, just make sure that you hug your loved ones tight tonight. And for those of you being affected and anything over there, over overseas are over in the in the Far East, you know, I hope everything is is going to be OK. I definitely the thoughts and prayers are every night with my family here. We want to make sure you know that you know that we support you. And if there’s anything we can do to help you, you know, or anything you know that you want to send me an email if you just want a kind word or something like that, or if there’s anything else, you know, I just know that we’re thinking about you out there and that hopefully everything will be OK soon. And for everybody else out there, just be mindful to each other’s comments because this is what shaving guys. This is supposed to be fun. It’s not supposed to be political, it’s not supposed to be, you know, all that other stuff. It’s about that we’re all supposed to get to come together with this kind of thing. And that’s what made this comment. This this this whole hobby so great. You know, we’re wet shaving and stuff, just talking about shaving and nothing else, right? When I first got into this, you know, several years ago, it was like, Man, the group is, they’re so strong here, like, they’re so strong about what shaving they send you stuff. If you need help, you know, example. When I first started, I don’t have any. I was in school. I was a later student. My story is long when I’m keep it short, but I ain’t really have any spending money at the time and somebody was like, Hey, you know what? I’ll send you? I got I want a little like a raffle and I got like a feather that one of the saves you’re a feather persona are personal or personal raise or sorry. That was like the plastic feather. And I used it and I thought I was great. And you know, a lot of guys came together, and that’s what really makes this community great. So let’s keep it that way. You know, at least that’s my my opinion and my thoughts on it. And for those of you that are being affected, you know, I really hope everything works out because I’ve it’s been a rough couple of years and to see something like this happen now, it’s just unfortunate for so many people. You know, COVID all this and that, we’re just kind of getting out of the cove and now we’re getting into something else like us as people. It’s been a long ride. It’s been it has been so nothing but positive thoughts out there, guys and girls listening and hoping for all the best. And remember, you know, there’s always there’s always a support group with what’s shaving. That’s something we all come together with. And let’s continue because every time you shave, you can kind of take away or what I like to do is when I do, when I like to watch shaves, I kind of like, let everything else go and just think about that and think about, you know what? I’m using the scent and all that stuff and just having fun with it. And if you can’t and you know, I fully understand there’s always good times to just go online and just search or just talk about it, you know, it’s really good. So if you excuse me, if you have anything, any issues or any any questions or just want to just, you know, shoot, shoot an email to me, no problem. I got some time. So I will definitely answer the email and talk to you as best as I can. Again, I’m not really too well versed on politics and stuff like that, but I do know what’s shaving and I do know, you know, I understand people’s feelings having gone through several things myself in the last year or two. All right, guys. So that’s really it for this week. I mean, that concludes the podcast. I’m really glad to be bringing this to you, and I apologize for all the delays happening a few weeks ago was sick again and then dropping the hard drive while you’re recording, the podcast doesn’t really work out too well and then trying to fix, it’s even worse. I tried fixing it and I did this. That even made it worse.
So remember, our show is powered by sharpologist.com, which your father didn’t teach you about what shaving thanks and special thanks to mark romantic 59 for everything that he does for the watching community and for being very patient with me when my stuff’s always breaking or something’s wrong. So thank you, Mark. And off most of all, you guys, the listeners without you, there would be no podcasts or wet shaving hobby at all.
So guys, I’ll be seeing you in a few weeks. I believe it’s on the 14th of March. Hopefully, fingers crossed everything will be on time. Technical stuff. All that stuff. Good. And until then, shave straight and shave safe. Bye bye now.
I have a Personna BBS-0 in original red case. It may be v2. Yours may be v1.
I wish the diagrams on the back of the packaging on yours was in sharper focus. I can’t read it!