Anything that can go wrong will happen while I'm shaving...

One thing I didn't post here is that I've read that the Bison has some similarities to a tech (feel? Angle? I just can't recall). That could be why it didn't do so well for me. Regardless, I'll be back for round two on Friday.

Fwiw, take my review with a grain of salt HighSpeed ... Folks are raving about the Bison. In fact, it's been so popular that Chris couldn't keep it in stock. He updated his site with that.

I'm sorry to hear that Paul, and partly for selfish reasons.  I got a notice this morning that mine just shipped and is due on 4/29.  Hey Eric MaineYooper, I apologize for not tuning in better, but could you please summarize your reactions to the Bison?

hey Mike, not a problem giving my $0.02!!

My first shave, unlike Paul, was very good. So here are some snippets of my observations on the first Bison shaves.

Feb. 21:  The first shave with the Bison today. It was a late shave as we had to run out right away for a blood draw for Laura. More on that later. I put a new German Personna in the razor, Stirling Sheep used here, too, and a Maggard SHD badger knot used. A fantastic shave! It sounds different from the Overlander, but I think my end result was just as good! I had 1 red spot on my upper lip that cold water rinse took care of. I couldn't be happier with the razor!

Feb. 22:  Today was the second shave with the Bison and I am really liking it! No red spots in the corners by my mouth, but I did get a weeper on my neck from changing my angle without lifting the razor head!

Feb. 23:  Another really good Bison shave. Tomorrow I'll use the AL Overlander to compare, and Sunday the Bison again. I feel like, for me, they are very much the same, but I'll pay more attention to blade feel, to see if I can get that sensation you experienced. ["you" is OhioBob on the B&B forum]

Feb. 24:  I did use the aluminum Overlander today, with the German Personna on 4th use of the blade. Zingari Man again, which was what I used yesterday, and the Wald Deep Sea Wave brush. Typical OL shave. What I noted was that it was less audible than the Bison. It may have felt like less blade, but I can't be sure. Tomorrow I will use the Bison to compare. Maybe on a day off I will do a side by side.  [Bob's response: " I agree that the OL is less audible plus maybe a tad smoother."]

Feb. 25:  I used the Bison as well, 5th shave on the Personna Pt Cr. Dare I say it? I feel like it was closer and nicer than the AL OL?! I think it may have been!

---

I never did do a side-by-side comparison of the Bison and aluminum Overlander. And since February, I have felt more certain that they both deliver great shaves for me, so much so that I sold my Henson. But it was informative to go back and read my blade impression and see that I did experience what Paul did, just not as in a dramatic a fashion. I did use my most comfortable and favorite blade, so that may be part of it. 

hope this helps or at least didn't waste too much of anyone's time!

I'm sorry to hear that Paul, and partly for selfish reasons.  I got a notice this morning that mine just shipped and is due on 4/29.  Hey Eric MaineYooper, I apologize for not tuning in better, but could you please summarize your reactions to the Bison?

hey Mike, not a problem giving my $0.02!!

My first shave, unlike Paul, was very good. So here are some snippets of my observations on the first Bison shaves.

Feb. 21:  The first shave with the Bison today. It was a late shave as we had to run out right away for a blood draw for Laura. More on that later. I put a new German Personna in the razor, Stirling Sheep used here, too, and a Maggard SHD badger knot used. A fantastic shave! It sounds different from the Overlander, but I think my end result was just as good! I had 1 red spot on my upper lip that cold water rinse took care of. I couldn't be happier with the razor!

Feb. 22:  Today was the second shave with the Bison and I am really liking it! No red spots in the corners by my mouth, but I did get a weeper on my neck from changing my angle without lifting the razor head!

Feb. 23:  Another really good Bison shave. Tomorrow I'll use the AL Overlander to compare, and Sunday the Bison again. I feel like, for me, they are very much the same, but I'll pay more attention to blade feel, to see if I can get that sensation you experienced. ["you" is OhioBob on the B&B forum]

Feb. 24:  I did use the aluminum Overlander today, with the German Personna on 4th use of the blade. Zingari Man again, which was what I used yesterday, and the Wald Deep Sea Wave brush. Typical OL shave. What I noted was that it was less audible than the Bison. It may have felt like less blade, but I can't be sure. Tomorrow I will use the Bison to compare. Maybe on a day off I will do a side by side.  [Bob's response: " I agree that the OL is less audible plus maybe a tad smoother."]

Feb. 25:  I used the Bison as well, 5th shave on the Personna Pt Cr. Dare I say it? I feel like it was closer and nicer than the AL OL?! I think it may have been!

---

I never did do a side-by-side comparison of the Bison and aluminum Overlander. And since February, I have felt more certain that they both deliver great shaves for me, so much so that I sold my Henson. But it was informative to go back and read my blade impression and see that I did experience what Paul did, just not as in a dramatic a fashion. I did use my most comfortable and favorite blade, so that may be part of it. 

hope this helps or at least didn't waste too much of anyone's time!

 Thanks for that great reply Eric.  You must keep very good and well organized notes.    

And Paul:  I hope things fall into place for you with your Bison.

I'm sorry to hear that Paul, and partly for selfish reasons.  I got a notice this morning that mine just shipped and is due on 4/29.  Hey Eric MaineYooper, I apologize for not tuning in better, but could you please summarize your reactions to the Bison?

hey Mike, not a problem giving my $0.02!!

My first shave, unlike Paul, was very good. So here are some snippets of my observations on the first Bison shaves.

Feb. 21:  The first shave with the Bison today. It was a late shave as we had to run out right away for a blood draw for Laura. More on that later. I put a new German Personna in the razor, Stirling Sheep used here, too, and a Maggard SHD badger knot used. A fantastic shave! It sounds different from the Overlander, but I think my end result was just as good! I had 1 red spot on my upper lip that cold water rinse took care of. I couldn't be happier with the razor!

Feb. 22:  Today was the second shave with the Bison and I am really liking it! No red spots in the corners by my mouth, but I did get a weeper on my neck from changing my angle without lifting the razor head!

Feb. 23:  Another really good Bison shave. Tomorrow I'll use the AL Overlander to compare, and Sunday the Bison again. I feel like, for me, they are very much the same, but I'll pay more attention to blade feel, to see if I can get that sensation you experienced. ["you" is OhioBob on the B&B forum]

Feb. 24:  I did use the aluminum Overlander today, with the German Personna on 4th use of the blade. Zingari Man again, which was what I used yesterday, and the Wald Deep Sea Wave brush. Typical OL shave. What I noted was that it was less audible than the Bison. It may have felt like less blade, but I can't be sure. Tomorrow I will use the Bison to compare. Maybe on a day off I will do a side by side.  [Bob's response: " I agree that the OL is less audible plus maybe a tad smoother."]

Feb. 25:  I used the Bison as well, 5th shave on the Personna Pt Cr. Dare I say it? I feel like it was closer and nicer than the AL OL?! I think it may have been!

---

I never did do a side-by-side comparison of the Bison and aluminum Overlander. And since February, I have felt more certain that they both deliver great shaves for me, so much so that I sold my Henson. But it was informative to go back and read my blade impression and see that I did experience what Paul did, just not as in a dramatic a fashion. I did use my most comfortable and favorite blade, so that may be part of it. 

hope this helps or at least didn't waste too much of anyone's time!

 Thanks for that great reply Eric.  You must keep very good and well organized notes.    

And Paul:  I hope things fall into place for you with your Bison.

I'm good. It's not my bison, just a loaner from Eric. I'm very thankful Eric allowed me to give it a go, as my tastes are quite picky. Lol.

Have a good evening!

 Thanks for that great reply Eric.  You must keep very good and well organized notes.    

And Paul:  I hope things fall into place for you with your Bison.

Thanks Mike. To be honest, my actual notes are sparse and the above is all from emails with my buddy Bob. Somehow he's roped me into a short daily email regarding a shave and a brief note! He enabled encouraged me to plate my brass Overlander (now moved on as I like the lighter SS better) and we met up when he and his wife vacationed in Maine. Really sort of got me out of my comfort zone. I went to meet him at the hotel they were staying at for a coffee, not sure how awkward this would be, given we only talked shaving on the fourms, and it turned out to be like finding a long lost friend! 

My notes allowed me to pinpoint when I bought the Bison, but my notes were too thin. So I searched our correspondence and came up with stuff I had forgotten I'd written, and even now am thinking of copying to my shave notes!

 Thanks for that great reply Eric.  You must keep very good and well organized notes.    

And Paul:  I hope things fall into place for you with your Bison.

Thanks Mike. To be honest, my actual notes are sparse and the above is all from emails with my buddy Bob. Somehow he's roped me into a short daily email regarding a shave and a brief note! He enabled encouraged me to plate my brass Overlander (now moved on as I like the lighter SS better) and we met up when he and his wife vacationed in Maine. Really sort of got me out of my comfort zone. I went to meet him at the hotel they were staying at for a coffee, not sure how awkward this would be, given we only talked shaving on the fourms, and it turned out to be like finding a long lost friend! 

My notes allowed me to pinpoint when I bought the Bison, but my notes were too thin. So I searched our correspondence and came up with stuff I had forgotten I'd written, and even now am thinking of copying to my shave notes!

Here's something to think about Eric:  For many centuries, great men have been known by their correspondence.   

But does that include all the memes, too?! 

Back to the Overlander this evening. Great shave in three passes using the same setup as the Bison: MacDuffs, Dorco Prime, and the DSC T4 brush. Just goes to show I found my perfect razor in the Overlander. Bring on the weekend.

Have a good evening folks!

Well, I did a bit of a knot swap. I'll test them out over the next few days to see if it's an ok fit. Aesthetically, they're better (IMO).

I just wanted a bigger splaying knot in the stabilized wood handle. It's just so wide, that little dsc knot looked silly. So I swapped it with my Trotter Oscuro. I think they both look better.

Speaking of DSC, the brush arrived. As my luck would have it, the brush was a bit subpar. There's a weird black streak down the side of it... and the knot seems to sit crooked I think. I actually went as far as to double check that I didn't order a factory second, but I think only Yaqi does that. Dscosmetic is really a cheapo, bargain basement brand. Still, they make the T4 I'm using in the Trotter now. So, I'm not knocking them totally... I just need realistic expectations. LOL. That said, for 16 bucks shipped, I would have lived with its odd appearance. However, it turns out DS cosmetics g8,000,000 (or whatever number they're up to now) is a little too scratchy for me. Oh well, live and learn.

So the brush went into the storage box and I'm going to live with five 26 mm brushes for now. First world problems. Lol.

Also received a package from Stirling today... so it's a fun filled post. Nothing too exciting though. Just some Sheep soap and a bottle of PSB.

Have a good evening folks.

EDIT: My new tub of Sheep soap has a different scent... slightly sweet, almost citrus... and nothing gamey as before. I sent a message off to Rod and Co to see whats going on. I wonder if they adjusted their formula to hide the scent? To be continued...

Great research on the scent. Look forward to his response.

Sent from my SM-A536U using Tapatalk

Ok, so I heard back from Rod...

He said they have never and would never change the unscented sheep formula. He opined it was likely the soap needs to cure longer. When the cap is put on, it halts the curing. He suggested I leave the cap off for a few days. That's easy enough to do. In the meantime, I sent him the batch number. He's going to look through the batch notes and check another tub of two from the batch to see if he can't experience what I am seeing / smelling.

I hope it's that simple and easy. I'll know soon enough.

Shaved with a scoop of the new stuff today, so I could provide a fair and truthful review. I'm happy to report it seems like the same exact soap, just without a strong sheep lard scent. Very nice shave and I was able to provide Rod with a truthful and well-deserved 5-star review.

Happy Sunday folks!