For the longest time Merkur Progress seemed to be IT, then I bought a Wolfman WR2 1.15 with WRH2 80mm hollow handle. I will be really surprised if I ever buy a new razor again. I believe I nailed it.
The Quest for the Holy Grail of Shaving.
- Thread starter caj411
- Start date
I don't see myself being attracted to a different razor... not even after reading thread after thread here. I just don't have any reason to try something else...other than the various AC blade choices.
The Merkur Progress is more shiny than a mirror polished Wolfman. And it is adjustable. And it has that cool ivory plastic knob. Are you sure you prefer the Wolfman?
Absolutely!!
My Holy Grail razor is the Henson AL13 aggressive (+++).
Second would be the Henson Ti22 aggressive.
Before Henson, it was the Razorock Lupo Aluminum and Razorock Lupo Stainless Steel .72 razors.
Before those, it was the Razorock Game Changer .68/.84.
As time goes by, and you try new things, your Holy Grail razor may change!
If I were born in the 1930's and started shaving in the 1940's, the Gillette Tech would be my favorite.
Second would be the Henson Ti22 aggressive.
Before Henson, it was the Razorock Lupo Aluminum and Razorock Lupo Stainless Steel .72 razors.
Before those, it was the Razorock Game Changer .68/.84.
As time goes by, and you try new things, your Holy Grail razor may change!
If I were born in the 1930's and started shaving in the 1940's, the Gillette Tech would be my favorite.
I've watched several shaving video's, where guys are using those Henson razors. What I like about Henson razors the most, is that they have that set angle, that even a beginner should easily be able to figure out! And because of the look of that head, it kind of looks futuristic, like space ship kind of stuff. I don't own one, but I like what I see when I see them.
Sometimes, when it comes to removing several day stubble, aggressive is what you need. A razor that is too mild, is going to choke on itself, when you really push it. Thats the whole reason I abandoned my Feather AS-D2, in favor of my Rex Ambassador. Life is easier when you can adjust your shave on the fly, with the turn of a knob.
But having said all that, yes, I approve of Henson razors, based on what I've seen.
Wolfman WR1 SS SB .74. Quite a few blades work well in it.
I’m not looking for a razor or blade so much. I used my Dad’s two old Gillette Super Speeds for ten years, alternating them with the change of blade. Then last year I threw his two old Gillette adjustables (Fatboy & Slim) into the rotation. My favorite changed from the 1965 SS to the 1960 Fatboy.
I bought two new razors just to try something new, a Parker and a Goodfellas’ Smile. They’re OK, but they aren’t better than the old Gillettes. It’s $50 I could’ve saved and put towards something else.
As for blades, for almost all of the previous ten years, I just bought the generics from the grocery store. At first they were made by Personna, but at some point they changed to Dorco. They give me great shaves. Of the brands I’ve tried, I reject only Derbys. Never again will I shave with the Derby garden rake. Feather, Shark, Personna, Wilkinson Sword, you name it. All the rest I’ve tried have been just fine. Some last longer than others.
My main interest has been the soaps, creams, and aftershaves. I like the scents. A good shave is easy with any equipment (DE or SR). Give my nose something to enjoy when it’s over, plus a good soap and/or aftershave can give a fantastic face feel. That’s what I enjoy most after walking away from the sink.
I bought two new razors just to try something new, a Parker and a Goodfellas’ Smile. They’re OK, but they aren’t better than the old Gillettes. It’s $50 I could’ve saved and put towards something else.
As for blades, for almost all of the previous ten years, I just bought the generics from the grocery store. At first they were made by Personna, but at some point they changed to Dorco. They give me great shaves. Of the brands I’ve tried, I reject only Derbys. Never again will I shave with the Derby garden rake. Feather, Shark, Personna, Wilkinson Sword, you name it. All the rest I’ve tried have been just fine. Some last longer than others.
My main interest has been the soaps, creams, and aftershaves. I like the scents. A good shave is easy with any equipment (DE or SR). Give my nose something to enjoy when it’s over, plus a good soap and/or aftershave can give a fantastic face feel. That’s what I enjoy most after walking away from the sink.
My Grail is:
Razor: WR2 SS SB 1.25 w/ Timeless Ti Crown
Handle, only other razor is a Blackbird
Blade: Timor (5) incredible shaves with no deterioration in sharpness or smoothness
Brush: DG B14, Simpson’s 2 band Silvertip, M&F Finest, Mozingo ZT3, Muhle STF, Shavemac 2 band Silvertip
Soap: Ethos Vanilla Safi, GD Kairos SE w/ Lamb Tallow & Emu Oil, Ethos Lavender F Base,
A&E K2e w/ Emu Oil, B&M Omnibus
Any combination of the above gives me a great BBS shave every day.
Razor: WR2 SS SB 1.25 w/ Timeless Ti Crown
Handle, only other razor is a BlackbirdBlade: Timor (5) incredible shaves with no deterioration in sharpness or smoothness
Brush: DG B14, Simpson’s 2 band Silvertip, M&F Finest, Mozingo ZT3, Muhle STF, Shavemac 2 band Silvertip
Soap: Ethos Vanilla Safi, GD Kairos SE w/ Lamb Tallow & Emu Oil, Ethos Lavender F Base,
A&E K2e w/ Emu Oil, B&M Omnibus
Any combination of the above gives me a great BBS shave every day.
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There is no holy grail of shaving. If you are interested enough can try every razor, blade, soap, brush, and then you can try straight razors and spend years trying different hones and methods to improve your edges. You can do all that and you will find a bunch of things that you like more than other things. But there is no holy grail because you will also find that you like variety, you won’t want the exact same shave every day, and your preferences will change over time as well.
You might enjoy the journey and the pleasure of periodically finding something new that you really like. But I do not see anybody here who feels that they exhausted their options and decided there was one thing that worked for them, and it remained the same ever after.
You might enjoy the journey and the pleasure of periodically finding something new that you really like. But I do not see anybody here who feels that they exhausted their options and decided there was one thing that worked for them, and it remained the same ever after.
I started out with the Gillette Slim over 60 years ago. After trying many razors, I still have a preference for my Gillette Slim bt lately I enjoy the Fatboy also.
CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
I had been searching for my grail products for almost 15 years. I found them last year and haven't looked back.
Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant
neutrogena hydro boost gel-cream with hyaluronic acid for extra-dry skin
At this level of performance, for this price, I never want anything else.
Yaqi Top Aggressive Slant
neutrogena hydro boost gel-cream with hyaluronic acid for extra-dry skin
At this level of performance, for this price, I never want anything else.
I do love my PAA Cold Spices afterhsave, the Boomtown Bay Rum aftershave of theirs is OK. I won't be buying anymore products from them though. I do like my Proraso aftershave balm, it feels good on the skin too, and smells nice for what it is. However, if you really want to step up your game, try Captains Choice aftershaves. Dude, they sent me a sample of the Italia aftershave, and I freaking love it! You feel a strong burn upon immediate application from the alcohol, but that goes away after several seconds.
The wonderful scent just hits you, and it just makes you smile! And then your skin will feel smoother afterwords as well. I've never had an aftershave do what CC does. So believe it when I say, once I tried that sample, I became an instant believer. And now I am buying their products, because they know how to do it right. They are a bit on the costly side though, like 20 bucks a bottle, but hey, worth it!
There is one aftershave, Special Reserve by Pinaud Clubman, that makes my skin feel so smooth. The scent is not complicated, it’s fairly one dimensional as they say, but something about it is unlike any other aftershave I have (even other Pinaud Clubmans). My favorite is the combination of Tabac tallow soap and Speick Men aftershave. I love the way it makes my skin feel. I just wish the lavender scent of Speick lasted longer. I’ll try CC someday, but right now I have a lot of aftershave. I am not stingy when I put it on, because I have a lot to get through.
Thanks for the recommendation! Special Reserve by Pinaud Clubman, will just have to add that to the, "To Buy In The Future" list, but not "Back To The Future" cause we haven't got there yet.
I just bought the little bottle to try it out, the one that’s about the size of an airplane booze bottle.Thanks for the recommendation! Special Reserve by Pinaud Clubman, will just have to add that to the, "To Buy In The Future" list, but not "Back To The Future" cause we haven't got there yet.
At the time, Pinaud Clubman had a 30% off sale and free shipping. That was the time to try some new products. That was also the time I discovered Lilac Vegetal does not smell like lilacs. 
So very glad I just bought the little bottle.
I just bought the little bottle to try it out, the one that’s about the size of an airplane booze bottle.
I just spent time looking it up on the Amazon's. I saw the little 1.5 oz bottle whatever it is, then they have the stuff in a 6 oz, and I also saw the commercial 12 oz size. I also saw the aftershave calogne, and the aftershave lotion. That makes me not sure which one to try and the future, and I certainly don't want to buy them both, so, I will need to know which one to try, before I go trying it lol.
They also have 16 oz. bottles. I like the 1.5 oz. bottles for trying new aftershaves. My first aftershave was the regular Pinaud Clubman. I bought the 12 oz. bottle 11 years ago and still have a few ounces left. I bought the Virgin Island Bay Rum to mix up a Bootlegger’s recipe. Turns out I like VIBR by itself. As for the Bootlegger recipes, I like Lime Bay Rum better than the plain Bootlegger’s Bay Rum. The Special Reserve has that smooth skin feel. The Lime Sec was too cloying by itself, so it and the Citrus Musk are fine as Bootlegger’s ingredients.
Hope I never ever find it.
The problem with shaving Nirvana: Once you think you've entered it, you think you see another one.
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