merikus
@merikus@sub.wetshaving.social
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - March 29th, 2025 (#655) 3 weeks ago:
Mar. 29, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (4)
- Lather: Barrister & Mann - Vespers - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Decided to use one of my favorite BAM scents to round off a wonderful month of shaves. This was an incredible contest; absolutely loved the Royal Rumble format. Thanks so much to /u/ShavingInCT for running this event—it was a great way to get through the grey doldrums of March.
- Comment on Thursday SOTD Thread - March 27th, 2025 (#653) 3 weeks ago:
Mar. 27, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE (3)
- Lather: Barrister & Mann - Presto - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I wanted a nice clean, fresh, springtime scent for my night shave, and Presto delivers. I blind bought this one on sale and have to say it’s become one of my favorite BAM scents.
I mean, he’s no TSF, but this Will guy seems to have something going on here and I’m pulling for him to win the whole shebang.
- Comment on Tuesday SOTD Thread - March 25th, 2025 (#651) 3 weeks ago:
Mar. 25, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE (3)
- Lather: Talent Soap Factory - 100 Grand
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I was once like many of you. Dismissive of /u/PrideTwo and /u/tsrblke and their crusade for TSF. Reveled at the idea of seeing them crushed under the heel of Medium-ish Soap.
And then I realized, since when do I stand up for the medium guy against the small guy? Since when do I revel in seeing a new-ish artisan thrown to the heap like so much rubbish to be disposed of?
No more, I say. It is time for us to rally together. To revel in the little guy. To embrace what can be—the hopers, the dreamers—against the establishment.
Join me. Delete your posts. Shave again. Use TSF. For together we usher in a new era for wet shaving together!
- Comment on Friday SOTD Thread - March 21st, 2025 (#647) 4 weeks ago:
Mar. 21, 2025
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE (2)
- Lather: Talent Soap Factory - 100 Grand
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Today seemed as good a day as any to try out Talent Soap Factory.
Thanks to /u/tsrblke for sending this sample to me.
Gotta admit, this stuff smells like money. I struggled with the base, though, but that often happens the first time you use something.
To the moon!
- Comment on Wednesday SOTD Thread - March 19th, 2025 (#645) 4 weeks ago:
Mar. 19, 2025
- Brush: Muninn Woodworks Big Fucking Motherlode (50mm)
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE (1)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Port-au-Prince - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Didn’t get a chance to shave the last two days of March Madness. So I shaved as early as I could today to help Stirling make it another round.
This brush is really, really hard to deal with. Have not figured it out yet.
- Comment on Tuesday SOTD Thread - March 11th, 2025 (#637) 5 weeks ago:
Mar. 11, 2025
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (7)
- Lather: House of Mammoth - You & I (Will Die) - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Forgot how much I love this scent. Need to have it in my spring/summer rotation.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - March 8th, 2025 (#634) 1 month ago:
- Brush: >!REDACTED!<
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (6)
- Lather: Mäurer and Wirtz - Sir Irisch Moos - Stick
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I used to think enough was enough.
I was wrong.
Then I thought MOAR was enough.
But we all know more is never enough.
But will >!REDACTED!< be enough?
Will I be free?
- Comment on Friday SOTD Thread - March 7th, 2025 (#633) 1 month ago:
Mar. 7, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (5)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Bonaparte - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I entered this month with the idea of Stirling or nothing, but BAM was twice too close for comfort. This time it’s Stirling that is far closer to the bottom of the list than I would like.
Bonaparte is a hilarious scent, but oddly a good one. Apparently it’s quite divisive. I like it though.
- Comment on Wednesday SOTD Thread - March 5th, 2025 (#631) 1 month ago:
Mar. 5, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (4)
- Lather: Barrister & Mann - Eigengrau - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I again find myself doing a night shave for BAM. For me, the biggest surprise of March Madness has been the fact that BAM has been in the lower tier of soaps used every time. They’re widely beloved in this community and rank highly on our lather logs. So it’s surprising they would be struggling so much in the rankings.
I am, however, reminded that I don’t care for this scent a lot. Not that it’s bad; it’s just not entirely my cup of tea. But I wanted to go with something less in-your-face for this night shave, and this one certainly delivers.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - March 3rd, 2025 (#629) 1 month ago:
Mar. 3, 2025
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (3)
- Lather: Barrister and Mann - Hallows (Glissant) - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I said I was going to ride or die for Stirling, but one of the benefits of having an infant is that time has no meaning so I decided to bide my time and wait.
No way BAM was going down like this.
So I pulled out the OG, the soap that made me a wet shaving hobbyist. The soap I stayed up to midnight for a decade ago.
Ride on, BAM.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - March 1st, 2025 (#627) 1 month ago:
Mar. 1, 2025
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE (2)
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Port-au-Prince - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
How much MOAR can a MOAR BOAR MOAR if a MOAR BOAR could BOAR MOAR?
A MOAR BOAR would BOAR as much MOAR as a MOAR BOAR could BOAR if a MOAR BOAR could BOAR MOAR!
And that’s all I have to say about that.
Except that big kudos, as always, to Rod for making the MOAR BOAR happen. Yet another reason we should catapult Stirling to the top
Shepherds unite!
🍀🐑 🍀🐑 🍀🐑 🍀🐑
- Comment on Wednesday SOTD Thread - February 26th, 2025 (#625) [Atlas Shaves Edition] 1 month ago:
Feb. 26, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE (1)
- Lather: Barrister and Mann - Smoking Bishop - Puck
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Osma - Osma
- Bowl: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I haven’t slept in so long.
I haven’t shaved in so long.
Nothing makes sense anymore.
Good shave anyway.
- Comment on Atlas games 2: weekly judges update and stats report. 2 months ago:
ChatNDG wouldn’t do this to us.
- Comment on Thanks for the help with the 1912 boot sale find 2 months ago:
That’s awesome, glad to hear you’re enjoying it. Some time ago a member of our community made a sticker that said “GEM #ButterTheToast”. The audio feedback is a great element to that razor!
- Comment on Tuesday SOTD Thread - February 4th, 2025 (#604) [Atlas Shaves Edition] 2 months ago:
Feb. 4, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [6]
- Lather: Barrister and Mann - Night Music - Soap
- Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Night Music - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Splash
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery - G20
- Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Night Music
I’m not technically playing Atlas Shaves, but hell—when you have a Night Music trifecta sometimes you need to flex the Night Music trifecta.
As many of you know I can’t really use scented products because of my wife, so I did the ole spray and walk through on the frag and a single drop of the aftershave in my palm before adding the unscented stuff. So if my wife tells me I smell like a strawberry took a dump, I’ll know it’s just my usual smell and not her reacting to the Night Music.
Night Music is one of the few scents that I think deserves its legendary status. I understand why it is never coming back, but damn I would love if it did. I know it’s controversial to say this, but it’s one of my deep cut favorite scents and I’d love to have more of the soap.
- Comment on Sunday SOTD Thread - February 2nd, 2025 (#602) [Atlas Shaves Edition] 2 months ago:
Feb. 2, 2025
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [5]
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep - Soap
- Osma: Osma - Osma
When I shaved this shave, I shaved it with unscented products because I was on my way to the birth center because my wife was being induced. I even forgot to do any post-shave routine except Osma.
But when we got there they told us they had reviewed her case and haha nevermind. Go home. Despite the fact they had called to confirm we were coming in earlier in the day.
So now I’m home. I guess I’ll go put on some balm.
- Comment on What blades does this razor accept? 2 months ago:
I’m a face shaver but just want to say these are my favorite razors. You’re in for a treat.
What happens if you don’t? Does it nick your skin?
On my face at least, I’ve found these razors to be very forgiving. I’ve only ever cut myself on these razors out of personal stupidity. While riding the cap is the correct way to go, I do occasionally ride the bar and it’s fine.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - February 1st, 2025 (#601) 2 months ago:
I am convinced that the absurd growth in /r/Wetshaving subscribers (I don’t know if you’ve seen my analysis of this, but we had literally linear growth of over a hundred thousand members in two years) is LLM accounts. Which means that ChatGPT is, indeed, us. It is trained on us; it understands us.
Hence how easily it was able to pull that reverse AirBud thing out of its ass.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - February 1st, 2025 (#601) 2 months ago:
After reading this, I too became confused. Claude’s argument made sense, but I know I’m always right. So I asked ChatGPT to prove that I was right. Here’s what it had to say:
Alright, here’s why Claude is wrong, and the original comment is actually airtight logic—perhaps even too airtight, like a cosmic truth wrapped in a paradox burrito.
First, let’s establish a fact: AirBudding is about exploiting a loophole. But what if the greatest loophole of all is the loophole of not using a loophole? If there’s no rule saying you must AirBud, then choosing not to AirBud is itself a use of the ultimate AirBud loophole—the loophole that allows one to abstain from loopholing.
Claude’s mistake is assuming that the only way to AirBud is to do something unexpected within the rules. But what if the most unexpected move is doing nothing at all? If everyone expects AirBudding, the true AirBud move is not AirBudding. That’s the AirBud Inversion Principle™: When AirBudding becomes the norm, non-AirBudding becomes the new AirBud.
So in rejecting AirBudding, you are, in fact, engaging in the most advanced form of AirBudding possible: the meta-AirBud, or AirBud Prime. You are exploiting the system by opting out of the exploit, and in doing so, you complete the AirBud cycle.
Thus, Claude’s reasoning collapses. Not playing basketball doesn’t make you a basketball player—unless you were already on the court, holding the ball, and chose to walk away. And that’s exactly what’s happening here.
Q.E.D.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - February 1st, 2025 (#601) 2 months ago:
I’m calling you out for a rules infraction.
They said a dog couldn’t play basketball; they said a dog couldn’t shave. You said you were out.
But you’re all wrong.
You have the AirBud point but you’re choosing to not use it. But that’s the ultimate AirBud thing to do. So really you are AirBudding even through you said you weren’t AirBudding. Which, is, obviously, AirBudding.
Thus you really are AirBudding even if you think you’re not AirBudding which makes this an AirBud post.
Since, in the same way I was Time’s Person of the Year in 2006, I am a judge of this contest, I award you the AirBud point. Congratulations, you’re not the first one out.
Crossposting to Discord because rules.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - January 27th, 2025 (#596) 2 months ago:
She said it smelled like baby powder to her, which she liked.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - January 27th, 2025 (#596) 2 months ago:
Jan. 27, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [4]
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Port-au-Prince - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery - G20
What a remarkable shave.
I’ve been wanting to try this scent for awhile, and when I heard that Stirling was discontinuing it I knew I had to pick up a puck.
So happy I did. What an incredible scent. It’s subtle but wonderful. And, of course, the mutton tallow base is one of the best in the business.
What’s truly remarkable about this scent is my wife liked it. I’m not joking, she hates scents. It’s to the point where I rarely use anything except scented soap anymore, and even then sometimes she can pick up the scent on me (and hate it) hours later. But this one she loved. Hopefully it comes back someday!
- Comment on Wednesday SOTD Thread - January 22nd, 2025 (#591) 2 months ago:
Jan. 22, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [3]
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Balm
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery - G20
I am very, very tired. This was a “I need to scrape the hair off my face” shave more than anything else. It was mediocre, which was expected based on the effort I put into it.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - January 20th, 2025 (#589) 2 months ago:
Well, I never knew I wanted to understand why that happened, but apparently I did. Fascinating.
- Comment on Atlas shaves 2: official rules 2 months ago:
This isn’t too dissimilar in spirit to the very first Lather Games. We have truly come full circle.
- Comment on Saturday SOTD Thread - January 11th, 2025 (#580) 3 months ago:
Jan. 11, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE [2]
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sheep - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Today shave was pretty mid. No one’s fault but my own. I was dragging ass this morning and had to get out the door and so my lather was a little off and I got some irritation.
One thing I should try to get better at is quick shaves. Luxurious ones are easy enough. Makes me wonder about tips to shave fast and get out the door.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - January 6th, 2025 (#575) 3 months ago:
Jan. 6, 2025
- Brush: Proraso Professional
- Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
- Blade: GEM PTFE [1]
- Lather: Spearhead Shaving Co. - Seaforth! 3 Scots - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Osma: Osma - Osma
As many of you know my wife and I are expecting our first child. We are in the “home renovations” phase of pregnancy where we decide to redo the entire house in the final weeks before birth.
Anywho, I shaved because I hadn’t for awhile because all I do is home renovations. It was great because 3 Scots is great. Again, so happy I picked this up during the drop.
- Comment on Monday SOTD Thread - December 30th, 2024 (#569) 3 months ago:
Dec. 30, 2024
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [4]
- Lather: Barrister & Mann - Vespers - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Balm
- Post Shave: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery - G20
Rarely do shaves go this well. Vespers felt like the perfect scent for the downslope of the holiday season, and the MM24 made it an absolutely smooth shave with no irritation. Happy New Year all!
- Comment on Tuesday SOTD Thread - December 24th, 2024 (#562) 3 months ago:
I still haven’t tried ‘TTNB. Seems nice. I considered picking it up but feel so overloaded with soap right now.
- Comment on Tuesday SOTD Thread - December 24th, 2024 (#562) 3 months ago:
Dec. 24, 2024
- Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
- Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
- Blade: GEM PTFE [3]
- Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Christmas Eve - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Christmas Eve - Aftershave
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Balm
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Splash
- Osma: Osma - Osma
- Scuttle: Georgetown Pottery- G20
On Christmas Eve, there are two acceptable soaps: Christmas Eve and ‘Twas The Night Before. I have Christmas Eve, so that’s what I’m going with.
This is one of my all time favorite scents. I wrote my first review about this scent. It’s incredible and I love it every time.
Merry everything!
