A Millennial's Shaving Journey

[slateshalehead]

After lurking for many years on B+B, I figured it was time to join! I may be one of the younger members (born right around the time that Tonya Harding decided to break knees), but I hope my journal will be insightful, or at least interesting! Or poke fun at the millennial, that's cool too - I have thick skin

A bit about myself: I'm 23, American but currently studying for a Masters degree at Oxford in the UK. I started shaving around 2014, after getting frustrated with constant cuts and mediocre shaves from electric razors. I used B+B tutorials to learn (thanks to everyone who made those!), and ended up buying a Merker 23C and some Personna Lab Blues to start. Eventually, I ditched the canned creams and got myself some TOBS and a brush. And that was that for a long time...

Cut to a few weeks ago, when I first saw B+B's Sue Moore auction coming up on my Facebook feed. After seeing all the great things in the auction, my interest has been renewed, and I've finally decided to start experimenting more with razors/blades/soaps/creams/etc - where it seems like the real fun of wet shaving lies!

I just bought myself a bunch of different blades (specifically, these two packs from Connaught Shaving: 1 + 2), so look for mini-reviews of those, plus anecdotes along the way!

Feel free to suggest what blades I should start with first (I'm thinking ASCO maybe?), any blades/razors/etc. you think I should get, or anything else - if I can combine everyone's $0.02, maybe I can scrape enough money together to buy all the things the Enablers will want me to get!

 

[cmh737]

....I've finally decided to start experimenting more with razors/blades/soaps/creams/etc - where it seems like the real fun of wet shaving lies!....Feel free to suggest what blades I should start with first (I'm thinking ASCO maybe?), any blades/razors/etc. you think I should get, or anything else - if I can combine everyone's $0.02, maybe I can scrape enough money together to buy all the things the Enablers will want me to get!

Welcome to the journals section! You have definitely stopped by the best place to be properly "enabled"!

BTW, what degree are you pursuing? Oxford sounds impressive.

 

[slateshalehead]

BTW, what degree are you pursuing? Oxford sounds impressive.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm doing a Masters in History, focusing on medical developments in the United States from the 1870s to the 1920s.

Oxford is very intense, but definitely worth it! If there's enough interest, I could talk about what it's like to wet-shave in a shared bathroom environment, or just talk about Oxford generally - behind-the-scenes tours, day-in-the-life, whatever

 

[cmh737]

Include what you want - I'm sure it's all good stuff. BTW, it'd totally be worth the cool factor alone to start using a traditional straight razor over there! Hop on over to the "dark side" with us!!

 

[WildWest74]

Welcome to the Journals! Look forward to seeing what you have to share, and hoping you find any guidance you need here.

 

[Guestabc]

Welcome to the journals, wish you luck on your journey and feel free to reach out for advice

Blades: Astra SP /Voskhod / Polsilver SI
Raxor : Gillette New /Gem Single Edge / schick injector
Soaps: Mitchell's Wool Fat / Anything Stirling / Groomatorium Ghost Town Barber / Phoenix & Beau

 

[Smattayu]

Welcome to B&B and the journals! Looking forward to reading more about your journey, and you can never go wrong with a Schick Injector!

BTW, it'd totally be worth the cool factor alone to start using a traditional straight razor over there!

+1

 

[Strop Dragging My Heart]

Welcome aboard!

Good lord, these kids today, what with their higher education and wet shaving...Ruining the world, I tell ya...

 

[slateshalehead]

Shaves #1+2 - 25 Oct and 27 Oct, 2017

Hardware: Merker 23C, EJ Best Badger, ASCO Super Stainless
Software: TOBS Sandalwood, Nivia Sensitive Post-Shave Balm

Given that I am studying at the birthplace of Alice and Wonderland and near the famous Griffith Institute of Egyptology, I decided to start my adventure down the rabbit-hole of different blades with the brand known for its orange package and pyramid designs - ASCO! (Or, of course, it may have been the first alphabetically... who cares, details details details...)

As I cast my well-used Personna Lab Blue blade into the disposal box, I figured that I was setting myself up for a whole new shaving experience with the ASCO blade. Turns out I was wrong - shaving with a new ASCO is just like shaving with a Personna Lab Blue that has about 7 shaves under its belt.

My first shave, on Wednesday morning, took an extra few minutes as I had to do an extra pass just to get my shave to where I like it. There were definitely no nicks or scratches, but I definitely noticed the lack of aggressiveness with this blade.

The second shave, Friday morning, started earlier than usual. For some reason, I awoke at 4:30am to the sounds of multiple people banging out the "shave and a haircut" melody on the walls of my apartment building. Because I'm in an older English home that was converted for student accommodation well before I was born, the walls are super thin, so I got to listen to their hour-long percussive renditions of a musical classic all from the comfort of my own bed. But I digress...

So my shave this morning went a bit quicker, partly because I knew I would need a third pass anyways, and partly because I wasn't so anxious about cutting myself. Again, it's a decent shave, but certainly takes more time to accomplish. I figure that I'll get another two or three shaves out of this blade (based on other reviews), so I may try my new tube of Ingram's for my next entry!

 

[sskim3]

welcome to the journals and great first entry!

 

[slateshalehead]

Shave #3 - 29 Oct, 2017

Hardware: Merker 23C, EJ Best Badger, ASCO Super Stainless
Software: Ingram (UK), Nivia Sensitive Post-Shave Balm

This morning I decided to swap my TOBS Sandalwood and try out a tube of Ingram's soap that I picked up at the pharmacy a few days ago. I tested it yesterday, but struggled to get a decent lather. After reading some reviews, it seems like that's a common problem, but a little extra product seemed to do the trick.

And let me say, MAN is this cream mentholated! It's my first time using a menthol shave soap, and I am very impressed! Not quite as slick as my TOBS, and it left my face a bit drier, but for the money it is a great value!

Third shave with the ASCO, and I think I am getting used to its mildness. Still did three passes, but in a pinch I could have gotten away with just two. I will reserve my review of the blade until I decide to switch it out, but in the meantime here is the (long-awaited) first mini-review!

Ingram (UK) Mini-Review
Ease of Lather: Like a good Gin and Tonic, ask for a double (portion of lather) and nurse it a bit
Face Feel: Like the cold mountain streams of my camping childhood
Slickness: Half-way decent, but could use more
Overall: Great soap for pocket change, probably not worth buying online

PS: If anyone has any recommendations for mentholated soaps or creams, lemme hear them!

 

[Guestabc]

Great reads enjoying your progress

 

[cmh737]

....PS: If anyone has any recommendations for mentholated soaps or creams, lemme hear them!

Stirling shaving soaps are outstanding! In addition to their regular soaps, they also offer mentholated soaps that range from refreshingly cooling, like "Iced Pineapple" for example (which happens to be my absolute favorite puck of soap!), to extreme cooling, their "glacial" line. The glacial line will literally bring tears to your eyes and freeze your face off!!

 

[slateshalehead]

Blades: Astra SP /Voskhod / Polsilver SI
Raxor : Gillette New /Gem Single Edge / schick injector
Soaps: Mitchell's Wool Fat / Anything Stirling / Groomatorium Ghost Town Barber / Phoenix & Beau

Stirling shaving soaps are outstanding! In addition to their regular soaps, they also offer mentholated soaps that range from refreshingly cooling, like "Iced Pineapple" for example (which happens to be my absolute favorite puck of soap!), to extreme cooling, their "glacial" line. The glacial line will literally bring tears to your eyes and freeze your face off!!

Thanks for all of the suggestions and feedback so far! I definitely have some Stirling soaps on my list - they seem to be the most consistently recommended soaps when I ask, along with Ghost Town Barber. As I am in the UK, I can also get MWF for cheaper than in the US, so I may pick that up before I leave next summer.

Also, as a teaser for the near future, I have a sampler pack from Truefitt & Hill on the way, along with two straight razors (generously sent by @Ice-Man ) so I there should be some interesting antics on the horizon!

 

[slateshalehead]

Shave #4 - 31 Oct, 2017

Hardware: Merker 23C, EJ Best Badger, ASCO Super Stainless
Software: Ingram (UK), Nivia Sensitive Post-Shave Balm

Decided to use the Ingram's again this morning, as it was rather cold outside and I figured it would be a good prep for my morning commute. I'm still not a big fan of the lather, but the face-feel is great! I'll definitely be asking Santa for some mentholated soaps.

Today was also the last day for the ASCO blade - two minor nicks plus the need for minor touch-ups after the third pass this morning. If I wanted or needed to, I could probably get many more shaves out of the blade, but there is no need to with all the blades I have stockpiled. Plus, the environmental impact is approximately the same anyways (1 extra shave out of each blade at an average of 4 shaves a blade means that I'm saving about 5-7 blades a year with the frequency that I shave). I'm sure someone will eventually convince me to try that challenge of how many shaves can you get out of a single blade, but I don't think the ASCO has the durability for that test anyways.

Ultimately, I found myself liking the ASCO more than I thought I would after my first shave. It's a nice razor, milder than the Personna Lab Blues I normally use. I probably would have had an easier (read: less cut-up) start to wet shaving if I had started with ASCOs, and would definitely recommend them to a beginner or someone with lighter facial hair growth.

So now, drum roll please...

ASCO (Orange) Super Stainless Mini-Review
Aggressiveness: Halfdan the Mild (but gets the job done)
Durability: 4 3-pass shaves on 2-days growth
Package design: Above Average - orange wrapper and pyramid-style box design win points with me!
Overall: decent mild shave without much worry of hurting yourself, but definitely not as durable as others
Would use again: definitely - good blade to use when traveling for work and don't want to have nicks on presentation day!

What blade do you think I should try next?! Alphabetically, it would be the Astras I picked up from Connaught Shaving, but I'm open to suggestions!

 

[WildWest74]

Caught up on your shaves, and some terrific reading, sir! A very enjoyable start to your journal.

 

[cmh737]

....What blade do you think I should try next?! Alphabetically, it would be the Astras I picked up from Connaught Shaving, but I'm open to suggestions!

Astra blades are excellent. And after that, try the Gillette Silver Blues. My recommendation, FWIW, is to save the Feather blades till last - they are definitely the sharpest.

 

[Invicta]

PS: If anyone has any recommendations for mentholated soaps or creams, lemme hear them!

You have to try Proraso in the green tub if you like Ingrams. It is also very competitively priced but you have to buy it online.

 

[slateshalehead]

Astra blades are excellent. And after that, try the Gillette Silver Blues. My recommendation, FWIW, is to save the Feather blades till last - they are definitely the sharpest.

Definitely noted! Feathers have a reputation, so I figured I should save them until the end when I've sharpened my critical blade-reviewing skills

You have to try Proraso in the green tub if you like Ingrams. It is also very competitively priced but you have to buy it online.

I've seen in various places on B+B that people either love Proraso or hate it... there is a brick and mortar right near my house that sells it but I've been hesitant to try it out

 

[slateshalehead]

Shave #5 - 02 Nov, 2017

Hardware: Merker 23C, EJ Best Badger, Astra SP
Software: TOBS Sandalwood, Nivia Sensitive Post-Shave Balm

Today was my first shave with the Astra SP blades that everyone raved about, and I have to say, I am sufficiently... well, whelmed I guess. Definitely seems like a good blade, but I don't see why some people overwhelmingly recommend it above all else. Maybe I will come to see the light in due time.

The blade shaved well and gave me a close shave after only two passes, so it is already above ASCO in my book. I did notice some minor tugging in my ATG pass on my chin and upper lip, but not weepers, so that's always a plus. I can definitely see why some people prefer them over the Personnas (and I may end up being in that same boat if the blade is durable and continues not to nick me).

In other news, I found a local independent men's shop near me that carries an eclectic collection of shaving supplies (3 types of Merkur razors, the entire Proraso line, the aftershaves from DR Harris, some local beard balm, Lucky Tiger products, Marvis toothpaste, et cetera). The one thing they had that I fell in love with (but sadly is wayyyyyy out of my price range, or the range of money I would ever consider spending on a brush...) is a stag-horn handle super badger hair brush - it is gorgeous and feels great! (For those interested, you can see it here: Burrows & Hare Stag Horn Super Badger Bristle Shaving Brush )

I may just have to ask one of my hunter friends to set aside some horn for me so I can make my own.... but that's a whole different tangent to my now-growing addiction!