Cucumber Fumbler Review: Phoenix Artisan's Most Refreshing Fragrance
I put Phoenix Artisan's Cucumber Fumbler through a full ice shave. Cucumber isn't my scent, but my wife loved it, and the shave itself was brutally refreshing.
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Tobin Fetters
From the Journal
All Articles →Posts by Tobin Fetters
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Fern & Shadow Review: New Texas Artisan Shave Soap
Matthew's Fern & Shadow line out of Texas is blowing me away. Sylvanus earned a perfect 30 from my family. Use code Tobin for 15% off on Etsy.
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Tier One Echelon Review: Elite, Ranger, and 308 Handles Tested
Twelve shaves across three handles and half-face comparisons against the Henson, Rockwell, and Feather AS-D2. Guard side or smooth side, here's what the Tier One Echelon actually delivers.
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United We Stand: Strike Gold Shave's 250th Anniversary Review
Luke and I reviewed Strike Gold Shave's United We Stand at Portland Creek. Frank's limited 250th anniversary blend pulls presidential fragrances into one linear, barbershop-meets-frontier scent.
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Great Mid-Atlantic Wet Shavers Meetup 2026: October Update
October 18 in King of Prussia, PA. Twenty to 25 tickets remain for the Great Mid-Atlantic Wet Shavers Meetup 2026. Full details on the vendor lineup, educational segments, and how to get in.
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Clone, Dupe, or Homage? What's the Difference?
Clone, dupe, homage. Three words wet shavers throw around constantly, and usually get wrong. Here's how the fine fragrance world actually defines them, and what that means for your den.
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Tier One Echelon Elite: Unboxing and First Impressions
First look at the Echelon Elite from Tier One Razors, a father-and-son operation in Milwaukee that's been machining AR components since 2016 and just turned that same shop on wet shaving.
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Goodfellas Smile Lybra Razor Review
Episode 38 in my razor review series: the Goodfellas Smile Lybra, on loan from a friend and about 30 shaves in. Two plates, one massive jump between them, and an ongoing search for something in the middle.
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Ariana & Evans Obsidian Ember: Review from the McKenzie River
Knee-deep in the McKenzie River on Father's Day, reviewing Ariana & Evans Obsidian Ember. Dark cherry upfront, almond in the middle, coffee settling in, oud grounding the dry down.
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Rocnel Master Class 2026 Adjustable Razor Review
Episode 37 in my razor review series. I've shaved with this thing 30 times, and it's a $1,300-plus razor with a blade alignment problem. Let's get into it.
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Bourbon Cowboy by The Cajun Blade: Bourbon Done Right
Ten shaves in with Bourbon Cowboy from Eric at The Cajun Blade. Bourbon fragrance that doesn't knock you out. That's harder to pull off than it sounds.
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PAA Coop Soap and Splash Review: Fragrance Breakdown at Blue River
PAA's Coop soap and splash, inspired by Joop! Homme, gets a Memorial Day outdoor field test above Blue River Reservoir. Tobin's score: a 10.
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My Top 5 Aluminum Safety Razors
Five aluminum double-edge razors ranked lowest to highest price, from the adjustable PAA Ascension at $69.95 to the Timeless Slant at $84. I can get a damn fine shave every single time from any of them.
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BC Soaps and Such Isekai: Green Floral Summer Review
I took Blaine's second BC Soaps release to the McKenzie River at sunset. Isekai is clean, green, and built for summer - and his new tackle base is better than the first one.
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My Top 10 Stainless Steel Safety Razors
I've got 31 stainless steel razors but only 10 earn regular time on my face. Here's the countdown, $40 to $150, with codes to buy most of them cheaper.
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What Is a Barbershop Fragrance?
Ask 10 guys what a barbershop smells like and you'll get 10 different answers. They're all correct, and five regional recipes explain exactly why.
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My Top 10 Razor Blades: Sharpest to Mildest
Ten double-edge blades I keep coming back to, ranked sharpest to mildest. Plus a giveaway for a 100-pack of Platinum Strangelets from Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements.
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RazoRock Next Level Review: The 85mm Plate, 20 Shaves In
Twenty shaves with the RazoRock Next Level 85mm plate. 316L steel, killer value, ultra mild shave. But does the name hold up? I have thoughts.
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