• 101 Posts
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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 10th, 2023

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  • If I remember correctly, Proxmox recommends running Docker in virtual machines instead of LXC containers. I sort of gave up on LXC containers for what I do, which is run stuff in Docker and use my server as a NAS with ZFS storage.

    LXC containers are unprivileged by default, so the user IDs don’t match the conventional pattern (1000 is the main user, etc.). For a file sharing system this was a pain in the butt, because every file ended up being owned by some crazy user ID. There are ways around it which I did for some time, but moving to virtual machines instead has been super smooth.

    They also don’t recommend running Docker on bare metal (Proxmox is Debian, after all). I don’t know the reasons why, but I tend to agree simply for backups. My VMs get automatically backed up on a schedule, and those backups automatically get sent to Backblaze B2 on a schedule






  • Yeah, the handle is great. Peter is a real pro.

    Funny story about the handle – I thought the raffle prize was a custom brush, meaning I got to skip the wait-list and tell Peter what I wanted, so I started dreaming up something cool. I was going to ask if he could do gold flakes in clear resin on the bottom, and maybe some purple up top.

    As it turns out, the “custom” aspect meant it was pre-made by Peter to his specifications, and AMAZINGLY the bottom has gold flakes! What are the chances?


  • I’m still congested, coming up on day 6. I can’t do my job when I’m congested, so I’ve been enjoying some paid sick time the past week.

    I’ve been able to take advantage of the extra time by doing a bunch of stuff around the house.

    I removed the mower deck from the lawn tractor and put the snowblower attachment on (just in time for 2 inches of snow yesterday).

    I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know our oil boiler, which is used for heat and hot water. I heard some air bubbles in the baseboard heaters, so watched some YouTube on how to bleed the system. It went exactly like this. Even after bleeding everything (multiple times) I could still hear air in the baseboards.

    I did some more research and it turns out the system has automatic air bleeders (they let air out but not water), and I found mine to be closed! They probably started leaking at some point so someone disabled them instead of replacing them (they cost $20 each, after all). I also read that a failed expansion tank can introduce air into the system, so I got a new one of those ($75USD). I’m glad I did, because the old one was completely failed and full of water (it should be half air/half water).

    I also replaced one of the valves which started leaking while I was messing around with everything.

    It has been a fun learning experience, and somehow the heat still works! Wife approved!

    The boiler is 30+ years old, and we plan on getting it replaced after this winter. Now that I have some sweat equity in it, I’ll be sad to see it go.


  • December 6, 2024

    • Brush: Wolf Whiskers – “Gianmaria” w/Maggard 26mm Synthetic
    • Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3 SB
    • Blade: Personna Lab Blue (3)
    • Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Lavender Sage - Soap
    • Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Ice Blue - Aftershave
    • Post Shave: Goodfellow & Co. - Face Lotion - Kelp & Sea Mineral
    • Fragrance: Jōvan Musk - EdT

    My sense of smell isn’t totally gone, but it’s certainly hampered by my congestion, so it’s a good opportunity to use some of my “boring” soaps.

    The brush was the star of the show today. My favorite (or at least “most used”) knot is a Maggard 24mm synthetic. I recently won a Wolf Whiskers brush in a charity raffle, but the knot that came in it was set way too low. I made a post about removing that knot.

    I replaced the knot with a 26mm version of my favorite synthetic, and today the silicone finally had enough time to cure for me to use it.

    I am confident that this will take over as my most used brush/knot. The larger 26mm knot is just that much better, and this handle is much more comfortable than the other handle (a Rubberset 400 knockoff with interchangeable ferules).









  • December 5, 2024

    • Brush: Maggard 24mm Synthetic
    • Razor 1: Fatip Classic Testina Gentile
    • Razor 2: Merkur 34C HD
    • Blade: Personna Lab Blue (2)
    • Lather: Declaration Grooming - Original - Soap (Bison)
    • Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen - Aftershave
    • Post Shave: Goodfellow & Co. - Face Lotion - Kelp & Sea Mineral

    Day two of side by side comparison between the Fatip Gentile and 34C.

    I can now confidently say that they’re both excellent. Which one wins? Read on to find out!

    Ok I’ll give it away – I prefer the Fatip.

    Both razors are mild, however the Fatip is slightly milder. A lot of people prefer more blade feel, but I focus on efficiency. If a razor can shave me nice and close and not have a lot of blade feel, it’s the perfect razor for me.

    The 34C edges a very slight win in efficiency. The difference is minuscule but was detectable both yesterday and today. The end result is damn near perfect, while the Fatip is just shy of perfect.

    So why do I prefer the Fatip? It’s more comfortable. The 34C has some sharp corners on it. If you use it all the time you probably learn to ignore it, but going back and forth the 34C just sorta feels “sharp”. Not the blade, but the razor itself.

    Other than that, the razors are super similar. Both have a wide range of angles which is rare for a mild razor, and both cover the blade tabs completely. I just enjoy using the Fatip a little bit more.

    Anyway, on to the soap. I can see why Bison has its fans, and I bet when it first came out it was amazing. It’s a very pretty looking lather, although if I remember correctly it’s the type of soap that needs to be loaded sorta dry, which worked great today. I felt a bit of tinge while using it, which I don’t remember feeling before. The scent strength is basically nill, so I don’t think it was frag burn. Maybe something in the base.

    Either way, this soap has grown on me a bit since I first got it. Djundjila offered up a Bison soap for next months BVWSC, so maybe everyone will have a chance to try it!