2021ers?

[T Bone]

I also got a similar response from my wife after switching to DE shaving. Much better. Less scruffy. And smell good! Taylor’s of Old Bond Street Sandalwood shave cream did the trick for her. And I decided to purchase a travel kit to keep my vintage Gillettes at home. As noted earlier, it’s a Merkur Progress which I won’t mind losing in my luggage nearly as much as one of my vintage razors. It gives a great shave. Muhle travel brush and I use an empty TOBS shave cream tub to hold my spare blade tucks and serve as my travel bowl. That other silver thing is an old Colgate Shaving Stick tube. I loaded it with shave cream for travel

My wife also mentioned liking the smell, I was using Mama Bear dragon's blood at the time.

I like that tube for shaving cream! I have a bunch of shave sticks that I use regularly but can easily use for travel as well. I'll get the smallest synthetic brush I can find, probably the Maggard Timberwolf 18mm. Haven't decided on a razor yet, but I'm starting to think about it...

 

[Curly Straight]

My wife also mentioned liking the smell, I was using Mama Bear dragon's blood at the time.

I like that tube for shaving cream! I have a bunch of shave sticks that I use regularly but can easily use for travel as well. I'll get the smallest synthetic brush I can find, probably the Maggard Timberwolf 18mm. Haven't decided on a razor yet, but I'm starting to think about it...

I’ve read several good reports on the Timberwolf, and it’s reasonably priced! I took one of my father’s Gillette Slim’s on the road for a bit. Very nice shaver, but I feared leaving it behind or having the airlines reroute my luggage to Lostin Transit, USA. So I’m sticking with the Progress. I’m using a Muhle travel brush currently. I like it because it stores inside its own handle. What shaving stick is your favorite? I’ve never tried them. Just cremes.

 

[T Bone]

I’m using a Muhle travel brush currently. I like it because it stores inside its own handle.

I’ve read good things about the Muhle as well.

What shaving stick is your favorite? I’ve never tried them. Just cremes.

I should have said “I have a bunch shave sticks, 2 of which I use regularly”, lol. I don’t like to have a bunch of products open at once, so I’ve only used the Mama Bear dragon’s blood and La Toja. I wasn’t sure I’d like a strong scent, but I do really like the Mama Bear. (It helped that my wife commented positively. ) La Toja is a much lighter scent, but both make a great lather.

I have 2 other Mama Bear scents I haven’t tried yet, plus 4 RazoRocks I added to an order when I bought a razor/brush stand to use up a gift card.

 

[Curly Straight]

I’ve read good things about the Muhle as well.


I should have said “I have a bunch shave sticks, 2 of which I use regularly”, lol. I don’t like to have a bunch of products open at once, so I’ve only used the Mama Bear dragon’s blood and La Toja. I wasn’t sure I’d like a strong scent, but I do really like the Mama Bear. (It helped that my wife commented positively. ) La Toja is a much lighter scent, but both make a great lather.

I have 2 other Mama Bear scents I haven’t tried yet, plus 4 RazoRocks I added to an order when I bought a razor/brush stand to use up a gift card.

Thanks T-Bone! I’ll look into those. My travel kit includes a tub of TOBS shave cream. I wouldn’t mind downsizing. Muhle brush works well for me and my lack of technique, and is fairly compact.

 

[T Bone]

Look what came in the mail today - my second DE razor!

Yes, I know, it looks remarkably like my first one.

My first one is a mild, the new one is a medium. I just really like the jet black, I want to make sure that the keeper is that color. I'll be comparing them over the next few weeks, keeping the one I prefer and divesting myself of the other.

I'm also looking to pick up a mild-medium RazoRock (Game Changer 68 SB, BBS, or Lupo 58) to compare the Henson to a more traditional head design, but I'm not in any rush, this will keep me busy for a couple of months at least.

 

[Curly Straight]

Look what came in the mail today - my second DE razor!
View attachment 1434541 View attachment 1434542
Yes, I know, it looks remarkably like my first one.
View attachment 1434543
My first one is a mild, the new one is a medium. I just really like the jet black, I want to make sure that the keeper is that color. I'll be comparing them over the next few weeks, keeping the one I prefer and divesting myself of the other.

I'm also looking to pick up a mild-medium RazoRock (Game Changer 68 SB, BBS, or Lupo 58) to compare the Henson to a more traditional head design, but I'm not in any rush, this will keep me busy for a couple of months at least.

Cool razor! The black is a nice diversion from the SS and nickel. My problem appears to be I can’t let go of any of mine, even when I struggle with the shave. I figure it’s either my technique or the blade. And there are sooooo many blades left to test!

Hope it’s a great shaver for you. Keep us posted!

Curly

 

[T Bone]

Cool razor! The black is a nice diversion from the SS and nickel. My problem appears to be I can’t let go of any of mine, even when I struggle with the shave. I figure it’s either my technique or the blade. And there are sooooo many blades left to test!

Hope it’s a great shaver for you. Keep us posted!

Well, I expect it’ll help that they’re just a variation of the same razor, for giving one of them up. I won’t feel like I’m giving up a piece of history or anything like one might with a vintage. I’m assuming it’ll just be x>y, so I don’t need y.

I’ll definitely report back with how things are going!

 

[Curly Straight]

T Bone,

We appear to be the only remaining participants keeping this thread going? So I’ll ask an open question:

“Have any of the other 2021’s developed razor acquisition disorder?”

Curly

 

[Phoenixkh]

I'm a 2022'er.... can I be adopted?

I found "the" razor for me, so I don't seem to be plagued by RAD. But I did just get two new brushes... not expensive ones, however.

 

[Curly Straight]

I'm a 2022'er.... can I be adopted?

I found "the" razor for me, so I don't seem to be plagued by RAD. But I did just get two new brushes... not expensive ones, however.

Phoenixkh,

Technically, I’m a 2022’r as well, joined in Jan of his year, though I’ve been lurking around here since 2018. So I guess we’re OK on this thread. But I’ll leave that up to T Bone who started it.

I inhereted some DE razors in 2018 and began using them, with much help from this forum. I may or may not have contracted RAD while visiting here. But I do enjoy the education and the journey of getting better shaves.

If you’re willing to share, “What is your perfect razor? And as a user of several vintage and newly acquired brushes, what did you choose and how do they perform?

Thanks for joining the conversation!

Curly.

 

[T Bone]

I'm a 2022'er.... can I be adopted?

Technically, I’m a 2022’r as well, joined in Jan of his year, though I’ve been lurking around here since 2018. So I guess we’re OK on this thread. But I’ll leave that up to T Bone who started it.

Sure! The idea was a thread for those of us at a similar place in our wet shaving experience. The calendar year start was sort of arbitrary, certainly no need to be exclusive. Hasn't seemed to catch on anyway. (As I said in the OP, if it was a good idea, someone probably would have done something similar in the previous 16 years!)

 

[Phoenixkh]

Thanks for letting the adoption go through, T Bone... thx Curly... My story to follow:

Our youngest son told me at the beginning of Feb.: "Dad, I'm sending you a DE razor. I won't be offended if you don't like it. Just try it. The blades will get there first". Sure enough, the Astra SP got here over a week before the razor: a RazoRock Lupo DE Aluminum.

I ordered two soaps from Amazon. Proraso White and RR Mudder Focker. I still had a Vulfix Super Badger I had purchased in later 1980s or early 1990 for a brief stint of shaving soap lathering, still using whatever the latest Gillette multiblade razor out at the time. I remember liking that aspect of wet shaving... didn't venture any farther.

So, I tried the Lupo... didn't like the shave that much and really didn't like the way the razor felt in my hand... so light. I started reading and watching YouTube videos, lots of them. i decided to buy the Executive Shaving Co. Mild Outlaw and started a dialogue with Brian Mulreany... the owner of the company. He suggested I try their fairly new Claymore Evolution. It was only $25 more than the Outlaw so after some thought, I ordered it along with quite a few other items.

I sort of found my wet shaving rabbit hole before ever showing up here. I had a bit of extra cash around at that point and I enjoyed spending it. I got a nice synthetic brush (the ESC Ultimate), a lovely shaving bowl, two nice soaps, SS handles for my Lupo and my son's as well. I was off to the races. I just love the Claymore Evolution. I didn't know any of the terms to describe the way it felt in use..... now I know: very smooth but also very efficient. I just knew... the first WTG stroke felt like nothing. I had to look to see if it was cutting my 4 day growth beard. It was...... At that point, I didn't know about the across the grain step, so I was just doing WTG and ATG strokes. I still got the best closest shave I've ever had... with several weepers, due to some bumps on my face I'd nicked.

So short story long.... I was and continue to be hooked on the journey of wet shaving. I'm a real fan of the Artist Club Single Edge razor. There are only a handful of blades from which to choose. I started with the Feather ProGuard and am currently using a Feather ProSoft Guard blade... but it's about history. They come in packs of 15 so I think I'll stick with those two for now before I buy another variety. They both provide excellent shaves... the ProGuard just a bit closer. The rumor is, you can get 10 to 12 shaves from one blade. I ditched the two first ProGuards after 6, but that might have been too soon. I finished shave #6 with the ProSoft yesterday and it was fine, so I'll use that one a few more times to see if 10 is reasonable. I have an old man's grey, hard whiskers, so that might be too much to expect.

I don't have a desire to buy and/or try another razor. I am getting more proficient with this one. I wouldn't say I get better every shave but I'm certainly learning the razor and my face as time goes on. I had no idea shaving could be this fun.

 

[T Bone]

I wouldn't say I get better every shave but I'm certainly learning the razor and my face as time goes on.

I think the most difficult thing is that the improvement is slow, and there's not much you can do about it. If you have a bad shave, you can't go try a different blade or tweak your technique right away, you always have to wait a day or 2.

 

[Curly Straight]

Thanks for letting the adoption go through, T Bone... thx Curly... My story to follow:

Our youngest son told me at the beginning of Feb.: "Dad, I'm sending you a DE razor. I won't be offended if you don't like it. Just try it. The blades will get there first". Sure enough, the Astra SP got here over a week before the razor: a RazoRock Lupo DE Aluminum.

I ordered two soaps from Amazon. Proraso White and RR Mudder Focker. I still had a Vulfix Super Badger I had purchased in later 1980s or early 1990 for a brief stint of shaving soap lathering, still using whatever the latest Gillette multiblade razor out at the time. I remember liking that aspect of wet shaving... didn't venture any farther.

So, I tried the Lupo... didn't like the shave that much and really didn't like the way the razor felt in my hand... so light. I started reading and watching YouTube videos, lots of them. i decided to buy the Executive Shaving Co. Mild Outlaw and started a dialogue with Brian Mulreany... the owner of the company. He suggested I try their fairly new Claymore Evolution. It was only $25 more than the Outlaw so after some thought, I ordered it along with quite a few other items.

I sort of found my wet shaving rabbit hole before ever showing up here. I had a bit of extra cash around at that point and I enjoyed spending it. I got a nice synthetic brush (the ESC Ultimate), a lovely shaving bowl, two nice soaps, SS handles for my Lupo and my son's as well. I was off to the races. I just love the Claymore Evolution. I didn't know any of the terms to describe the way it felt in use..... now I know: very smooth but also very efficient. I just knew... the first WTG stroke felt like nothing. I had to look to see if it was cutting my 4 day growth beard. It was...... At that point, I didn't know about the across the grain step, so I was just doing WTG and ATG strokes. I still got the best closest shave I've ever had... with several weepers, due to some bumps on my face I'd nicked.

So short story long.... I was and continue to be hooked on the journey of wet shaving. I'm a real fan of the Artist Club Single Edge razor. There are only a handful of blades from which to choose. I started with the Feather ProGuard and am currently using a Feather ProSoft Guard blade... but it's about history. They come in packs of 15 so I think I'll stick with those two for now before I buy another variety. They both provide excellent shaves... the ProGuard just a bit closer. The rumor is, you can get 10 to 12 shaves from one blade. I ditched the two first ProGuards after 6, but that might have been too soon. I finished shave #6 with the ProSoft yesterday and it was fine, so I'll use that one a few more times to see if 10 is reasonable. I have an old man's grey, hard whiskers, so that might be too much to expect.

I don't have a desire to buy and/or try another razor. I am getting more proficient with this one. I wouldn't say I get better every shave but I'm certainly learning the razor and my face as time goes on. I had no idea shaving could be this fun.

Great story! Thanks for sharing your journey. I congratulate you on finding “YOUR” razor!

And T Bone hit the nail on the head, it’s hard to master your technique with lag times between practices.

It appears much of my quest for the perfect shave/perfect razor is driven more by my fascination with vintage tools than perfecting my technique with one or two of the 50 (or so) DE razors I have. I enjoy trying each with different blades. Most shaves are good, a couple have been great, and one way-back-when was a train wreck. Poor razor with wrong blade met inferior technique. Looked like I lost a battle with a hive of hornets. Thought I might need a post-shave transfusion. But I pressed on with my search for exactly the same reason as stated in your closing comment.

Who’d a thunk shaving could be fun.

Happy Shaves Gents!

Curly

 

[Phoenixkh]

Great story! Thanks for sharing your journey. I congratulate you on finding “YOUR” razor!

And T Bone hit the nail on the head, it’s hard to master your technique with lag times between practices.

It appears much of my quest for the perfect shave/perfect razor is driven more by my fascination with vintage tools than perfecting my technique with one or two of the 50 (or so) DE razors I have. I enjoy trying each with different blades. Most shaves are good, a couple have been great, and one way-back-when was a train wreck. Poor razor with wrong blade met inferior technique. Looked like I lost a battle with a hive of hornets. Thought I might need a post-shave transfusion. But I pressed on with my search for exactly the same reason as stated in your closing comment.

Who’d a thunk shaving could be fun.

Happy Shaves Gents!

Curly

My very first shave with the Claymore Evo was like that... the Alum block didn't hardly slow down the oozing blood. Thankfully, I had some liquid styptic handy. I had just cut off my beard so my skin wasn't used to shaving.. new razor... sharp blade.. horrible technique... you name it... But we all made it through those first few shaves.

 

[Curly Straight]

My very first shave with the Claymore Evo was like that... the Alum block didn't hardly slow down the oozing blood. Thankfully, I had some liquid styptic handy. I had just cut off my beard so my skin wasn't used to shaving.. new razor... sharp blade.. horrible technique... you name it... But we all made it through those first few shaves.

OK Gents, along the line of bad shaves we’ve all experienced I’d like to flip the coin over. I’ve read several posts here on blades that actually get better over time. So without showing my ignorance to the entire B&B brotherhood first, I’ll post it here, since it seems we three are the only posters!

Have any of you gotten better shaves on a used blade? I generally toss my blade after each shave, no more than two shaves per blade. Now y’all know how ignorant I am. Anyone else want to add to the experience?

Curly

 

[Phoenixkh]

OK Gents, along the line of bad shaves we’ve all experienced I’d like to flip the coin over. I’ve read several posts here on blades that actually get better over time. So without showing my ignorance to the entire B&B brotherhood first, I’ll post it here, since it seems we three are the only posters!

Have any of you gotten better shaves on a used blade? I generally toss my blade after each shave, no more than two shaves per blade. Now y’all know how ignorant I am. Anyone else want to add to the experience?

Curly

Well, I'm using Artist Club blades... the rumor is... you can get 10 to 12 good shaves out of each one. They are 4 times thicker... and 20% or so wider than a standard DE blade. So far, I've managed 6 but am pushing one tomorrow to 7. We'll see how that goes. My old man whiskers are pretty tough.

 

[Curly Straight]

Well, I'm using Artist Club blades... the rumor is... you can get 10 to 12 good shaves out of each one. They are 4 times thicker... and 20% or so wider than a standard DE blade. So far, I've managed 6 but am pushing one tomorrow to 7. We'll see how that goes. My old man whiskers are pretty tough.

Thanks for the reply Phoenixkh. I’m unfamiliar with those blades. I’ve been using Astras, Nacets, PolSilvers, Feathers, Rapiras, Parker’s, and Wilkinson Swords. Most consistent on my old-man face, regardless of razor, have been Astras. Parker’s and Wilkinson Swords, sucked. PolSilvers just gave me the greatest shave ever in an old $10 1951 Super Speed antique store find. But all of my wet shaving has been with new blades. Or almost new. No more than two shaves before replacement.

As the head chef in my household, (my lovely wife believes the smoke detector is a timer), I’m accustomed to tuning up my cutlery before each use, using a steel. I re-shape the edge on a stone each few weeks, (or after my lovely wife drops one on the floor, carves on ceramic plates, or uses one to pry a can open).

So my stupidity of a blade getting somehow sharper with use is showing when contrasted against my knowledge of kitchen knives.

Whilst I must admit my face is tough; it ain’t as tough as boot leather, or a strop.

So I’m interested to hear if your Artisan Club blades got sharper with use.

Thanks Again,

Curly

 

[Alum Ladd]

OK Gents, along the line of bad shaves we’ve all experienced I’d like to flip the coin over. I’ve read several posts here on blades that actually get better over time. So without showing my ignorance to the entire B&B brotherhood first, I’ll post it here, since it seems we three are the only posters!

Have any of you gotten better shaves on a used blade? I generally toss my blade after each shave, no more than two shaves per blade. Now y’all know how ignorant I am. Anyone else want to add to the experience?

Curly

Well Gents, forgive me for crashing your thread, but maybe you should think about joining some clubs and brotherhoods.

Some of us like to push our blades to see their real potential. Oftentimes, Gents toss their blades prematurely, often it's down to technique, or just a bad shaving day. Check out the Excalibur Club if you want to get some real long term member input in how to make your 'old' blades your friends.

Excalibur Club - Blade Longevity DE, SE and Injector - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/excalibur-club-blade-longevity-de-se-and-injector.431416/

I'm on an Israeli Red on it's 43rd trip now. First used it back in November in my first 1948 Super Speed shave. Also I'm on a Crystal on trip 17. I do get a lot of luck with Personnas, but most any blades will give you a lot of life, and many do improve, even change their shave entirely. The IP now works best for me in an Open comb when I have about 4 days growth. That's it's niche now.

Check us out. Tell them Alum Ladd sent you.

 

[T Bone]

Have any of you gotten better shaves on a used blade? I generally toss my blade after each shave, no more than two shaves per blade. Now y’all know how ignorant I am. Anyone else want to add to the experience?

I can’t say I’ve noticed improvement in a blade itself from one use to the next. I’ve definitely gotten better shaves on subsequent uses of a blade. But I think by far the biggest variable that affects shave quality from one shave to the next is technique, especially for those of us still refining ours, so I’ve always chalked that up as more something different I did rather than any physical improvement in the blade. And I haven't used more than a couple of blades from any brand so far, so I haven't noticed any trends either, like blade X is best on its first shave, or blade Y peaks at shave 2-3, but maybe I will as I settle on a couple of favorites.

Now just looking purely at sharpness, there is actually data that coated blades get sharper after their first use or 2, as the coating is worn away. So if you bin a blade after just 1 use, you probably are tossing it prematurely. But how long to keep using it depends on the blade and personal preference. I don’t want to bin a perfectly good blade, but I don’t feel the need to get every last shave out of a 15-cent blade, either.