July 20, 2023 – Still better than canned

• Brush: Chisel and Hound v19 Fanchurian
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Lite
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. (Formerly Oleo Soapworks) – New City: Back of the Yards

This poor knot is a Fanchurian v19, widely regarded as one of the greatest off the shelf knots ever sold. Go back and click that link again and look what you made me do. Must I be punished for lathering well? Apparently, because this lather was stinking dry. A brush should not stay formed in that shape with any kind of decently moistened lather. Just look at this mess.

Two thoughts, though. One, when I first started out and watched some youtube shavers (honestly don’t remember who), I thought my lather should look like this – thick, sticky, under watered, and just generally crappy. Two, honestly this was still better than using canned cream or gel. Way better. Maybe that’s a testament to Oleo/Chicago (this is my first experience with Vida’s stuff – Mammoth notwithstanding) and maybe it’s an indication of just how awful canned cream really is. Probably a bit of both, really. The timing worked out well on Chicago Grooming Tribute day – a bit fortuitous there, I suppose.

Aside from a small nick on my chin this shave really wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed New City – the undertone of leather is not something I’d usually really want, but, this blended really nicely. I paired it with another dupe, my wife’s favorite: Island Man. These two scents have basically nothing in common, but as I sit here post shave I think I smell great. The deep richness of the Tom Ford plays really well with the lighter and more tropical Creed.

FOF Haiku of the day

Dupleganger day
Tributes or rip off you say
Either way, smells great

Edit: forgot markdown mode. fixed formatting.

**[July 20, 2023 – Still better than canned](https://imgur.com/I4Duznj)**

* **Brush:** Chisel and Hound v19 Fanchurian
* **Razor:** Blackland Blackbird Lite
* **Blade:** Gillette Silver Blue
* **Lather:** Chicago Grooming Co. (Formerly Oleo Soapworks) – New City: Back of the Yards

[This poor knot](https://imgur.com/ToCCX8z) is a Fanchurian v19, widely regarded as one of the greatest off the shelf knots ever sold. Go back and
click that link again and [look what you made me do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tmd-ClpJxA). Must I be punished for lathering well? Apparently, because this lather was stinking [_dry_](https://imgur.com/2rAshTh). A brush should not stay formed in that shape with any kind of decently moistened lather. Just look at [this mess](https://imgur.com/GZ4vg8Z).

Two thoughts, though. One, when I first started out and watched some youtube shavers (honestly don’t remember who), I thought my lather should [look like this](https://imgur.com/jyWZGvC) – thick, sticky, under watered, and just generally crappy. Two, honestly this was still better than using canned cream or gel. Way better. Maybe that’s a testament to Oleo/Chicago (this is my first experience with Vida’s stuff – Mammoth notwithstanding) and maybe it’s an indication of just how awful canned cream really is. Probably a bit of both, really. The timing worked out well on Chicago Grooming Tribute day – a bit fortuitous there, I suppose.

Aside from a small nick on my chin this shave really wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed New City – the undertone of leather is not something I’d usually really want, but, this blended really nicely. I paired it with another dupe, my wife’s favorite: Island Man. These two scents have basically nothing in common, but as I sit here post shave I think I smell great. The deep richness of the Tom Ford plays really well with the lighter and more tropical Creed.

#FOF Haiku of the day
Dupleganger day
Tributes or rip off you say
Either way, smells great

Edit: forgot markdown mode. fixed formatting.