AP Shave Owner’s Club / SOTD Pics

[APBinNCA]

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I am so excited I am doing cartwheels, I am so happy for you! I didn't know that you were able to order a brush, as you never updated me, you kept it a secret you scandral HAHA!

That is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful brushes I have ever seen! I absolutely love it so much! And just look at that handle, its freaking gorgeous! That doesn't appear to be the same Blue Lagoon handle that mine is, because thats a different pattern on yours, but I love it just as much!

How are you liking your new G5C 24mm knot? Is it what you'd hoped it would be? How are you enjoying those super surprisingly soft brush tips? And how are you handling the springyness of the brush? I find, when I have a yogurt consistency of lather on my G5C brush, if I am not careful, when the hairs spring back when doing painting strokes, it will launch lather onto the counter, making you curse lol!

I am so happy for you, my goodness. My day started out garbage, but its perked up real good now. And since I am here, I might as well tell you, I just ordered two bottles of Venture from Captains Choice, so I can fill that new lovely gorgeous bottle that Scott sent me. See, you gotta love it when a plan comes together, yes sir!

I have got to stop giggling and re-read your post after some oxygen, congratulations on that!

Where do we start, yeah I definitely was hiding this. It's been in the works, Andrew had a similar one in a different colour that "hadn't found the right home yet." Then all of a sudden it did. So I casually asked if he could do something similar in... oh say that blue snakeskin... sure! I have to say I have literally been hunting the brush drops for months so this gave me time to really figure out exactly what I wanted. It is likely not the last one...

Interestingly, the one characteristic that all G5s seem to have is the feel of the tips. They have a certain stiction to them that no other knot has, sometimes it's a pain. But this brush shape and size is just, chef's kiss, perfect! So far I have only tried it with hard soap, which I never prefer synthetic for. Throw it into the deep end, hate it right away and sell it if it doesn't perform. Luckily, it does perform. I am actually a bit astounded how well it performs, I am pretty sure it's the thicker fibres and the shape and getting the loft right. It is definitely set low and I don't think he could/would set a 26mm that low. I am a bitty weird/picky, I don't like lofts over 50mm and I will actually adjust(pick) the knot size to that. Still, it doesn't feel like the loft is really affecting the fibres, but it probably would for a 26mm. I will get to some other soaps so I can test the lather launching ability for you!

I am glad something made your day better. Mine was beyond rubbish yesterday and I seem to be having a rebound affect and it's not from getting the brush early. Though that certainly helped!

Side not: sorry that I didn't see that you had posted yours here, I think I responded on one of your other threads.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I have got to stop giggling and re-read your post after some oxygen, congratulations on that!

Where do we start, yeah I definitely was hiding this. It's been in the works, Andrew had a similar one in a different colour that "hadn't found the right home yet." Then all of a sudden it did. So I casually asked if he could do something similar in... oh say that blue snakeskin... sure! I have to say I have literally been hunting the brush drops for months so this gave me time to really figure out exactly what I wanted. It is likely not the last one...

Interestingly, the one characteristic that all G5s seem to have is the feel of the tips. They have a certain stiction to them that no other knot has, sometimes it's a pain. But this brush shape and size is just, chef's kiss, perfect! So far I have only tried it with hard soap, which I never prefer synthetic for. Throw it into the deep end, hate it right away and sell it if it doesn't perform. Luckily, it does perform. I am actually a bit astounded how well it performs, I am pretty sure it's the thicker fibres and the shape and getting the loft right. It is definitely set low and I don't think he could/would set a 26mm that low. I am a bitty weird/picky, I don't like lofts over 50mm and I will actually adjust(pick) the knot size to that. Still, it doesn't feel like the loft is really affecting the fibres, but it probably would for a 26mm. I will get to some other soaps so I can test the lather launching ability for you!

I am glad something made your day better. Mine was beyond rubbish yesterday and I seem to be having a rebound affect and it's not from getting the brush early. Though that certainly helped!

Side not: sorry that I didn't see that you had posted yours here, I think I responded on one of your other threads.

Thats perfectly OK Arron, you did give me some love for my brush in my own thread, and I appreciate that. But I also posted my brush in the other threads that in reference to the APShaveCo brushes, including, but not limited to, the G5's. I am glad that I made you happy with some laughter too, we all need some of that. And you know who's been making me laugh lately? Scott at Captains Choice, and LRod.

Just read the description for Venture aftershave splash on the CC website, and you will get a chuckle. And LRod, well, he translated a razors fancy word for top and bottom, and well, you can imagine how that resulted in laughter in my ADD screwed up brain of mine HAHA! I am glad you were able to get Andrew to make that brush for you, I love how accommodating he is. He sure did a dam good job with my brush, looks like he did a great job with your brush as well yay!

Ya, since I am new to the G5 knots, and synthetic brushes just in general, I am learning this as well, regarding their typical characteristics. Lets hope your new brush doesn't get thrown in the deep, to get locked in Davy Jones locker. I also agree that, if our brushes were 26mm knots, we would probably hate them, as they would have 0 backbone, it be like my pure badger all over again.

If you think about it Arron, your brush hair springy rebound, is much like how you rebound. You sway a little, you come in for the attack, and then you suddenly dodge like a drunk Captain Sporrow, and then bounce back up like your possesed. Arron personality rebound for the win, bad people at work, 0. HAHA!

I also love how you mentioned the brushes ability to lather, this really surprised me as well! I never thought I'd be able to get a synthetic to delivery me a yogurt lather consistency from a shave soap, but I have the proof right here that I did it. Italia shave soap from Captains Choice. Check out my picture I took today, for todays Yogurt consistency lather. It lathered it up real good for me, love my G5C brush!

 

[APBinNCA]

Thats perfectly OK Arron, you did give me some love for my brush in my own thread, and I appreciate that. But I also posted my brush in the other threads that in reference to the APShaveCo brushes, including, but not limited to, the G5's. I am glad that I made you happy with some laughter too, we all need some of that. And you know who's been making me laugh lately? Scott at Captains Choice, and LRod.

Just read the description for Venture aftershave splash on the CC website, and you will get a chuckle. And LRod, well, he translated a razors fancy word for top and bottom, and well, you can imagine how that resulted in laughter in my ADD screwed up brain of mine HAHA! I am glad you were able to get Andrew to make that brush for you, I love how accommodating he is. He sure did a dam good job with my brush, looks like he did a great job with your brush as well yay!

Ya, since I am new to the G5 knots, and synthetic brushes just in general, I am learning this as well, regarding their typical characteristics. Lets hope your new brush doesn't get thrown in the deep, to get locked in Davy Jones locker. I also agree that, if our brushes were 26mm knots, we would probably hate them, as they would have 0 backbone, it be like my pure badger all over again.

If you think about it Arron, your brush hair springy rebound, is much like how you rebound. You sway a little, you come in for the attack, and then you suddenly dodge like a drunk Captain Sporrow, and then bounce back up like your possesed. Arron personality rebound for the win, bad people at work, 0. HAHA!

I also love how you mentioned the brushes ability to lather, this really surprised me as well! I never thought I'd be able to get a synthetic to delivery me a yogurt lather consistency from a shave soap, but I have the proof right here that I did it. Italia shave soap from Captains Choice. Check out my picture I took today, for todays Yogurt consistency lather. It lathered it up real good for me, love my G5C brush!

There is something about the way the light is hitting your brush that I am absolutely mesmerised by. I don't mean that as a cheap comment, I literally can't stop staring at it. It looks like anodised aluminium. I had so much trouble figuring out how to light my brush that I gave up and just had to go with natural light. I should have used a diffuser, but I was too lazy.

 

[JCarr]

Just added this one to the AP Shave Co. collection.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

There is something about the way the light is hitting your brush that I am absolutely mesmerised by. I don't mean that as a cheap comment, I literally can't stop staring at it. It looks like anodised aluminium. I had so much trouble figuring out how to light my brush that I gave up and just had to go with natural light. I should have used a diffuser, but I was too lazy.

Its a wonderful comment actually, and it actually pays respect to me! Photography is a hobby of mine, but I am not a PRO at it by any means, I don't even use a DSLR, I use a pocket camera, but a modern one that is 20 megapixel with 30x optical zoom capable. When I change the lighting, I find I can get a drastically different approach to the shot. Sometimes I play with the ISO or exposure settings, but for most pictures, I like to keep the exposure set at 0, and the ISO at 100 if I can.

This is the picture I took before the last one, this one was made with the Captains Choice Land Ho cream, so I had an advantage with this one from the other day.

If you take a close look, you can see how the pictures are similar, but not quite exactly the same. The only thing that is different is, in the recent one from today, I used Captains Choice Italia shave soap, instead of the cream, and the brush is splayed out a bit more in todays shot. Also, the angle of the brush, is slightly different position, so the lighting hit it a little differently. Plus, my position with the camera matters as well.

Most of the time, I use a key-light, AKA fill light, to help the camera out, as the camera flash is really not that powerful, its a pocket camera flash after all. But sometimes, when I just want to get the shot taken quick and dirty, I won't use my key-light, which means the pictures will be naturally a bit darker. So I throw the picture in the editor, and I click on AUTO white balance, it corrects the brightness for me, and insures the whites stay white, like in the lather for example. It also sets the contrast accordingly.

Photography can be fun, so many things to know, but many things in which you can do, that greatly effect the outcome. Thats one of the reasons why photography is so interesting to me. I can take the shot multiple different ways, and the pictures can come out different. Natural light is good, but you have to be careful to not have too much of it, like a direct sun beam for example, as that can over expose the subject, forcing you to adjust your camera's exposure and ISO settings to compensate.

The more you do photography, the more you learn. And when you first start having your successes with it, it really excites you and makes you happy, and proud. So I say again, thank you for the wonderful comment. I really try my best to bring this forum quality photo's, even if I took them quick and dirty, I try to not post garbage. And I agree with you, the picture does make my handle look like anodized aluminum. Gotta love it! HEHE

 

[APBinNCA]

Its a wonderful comment actually, and it actually pays respect to me! Photography is a hobby of mine, but I am not a PRO at it by any means, I don't even use a DSLR, I use a pocket camera, but a modern one that is 20 megapixel with 30x optical zoom capable. When I change the lighting, I find I can get a drastically different approach to the shot. Sometimes I play with the ISO or exposure settings, but for most pictures, I like to keep the exposure set at 0, and the ISO at 100 if I can.

This is the picture I took before the last one, this one was made with the Captains Choice Land Ho cream, so I had an advantage with this one from the other day.

If you take a close look, you can see how the pictures are similar, but not quite exactly the same. The only thing that is different is, in the recent one from today, I used Captains Choice Italia shave soap, instead of the cream, and the brush is splayed out a bit more in todays shot. Also, the angle of the brush, is slightly different position, so the lighting hit it a little differently. Plus, my position with the camera matters as well.

Most of the time, I use a key-light, AKA fill light, to help the camera out, as the camera flash is really not that powerful, its a pocket camera flash after all. But sometimes, when I just want to get the shot taken quick and dirty, I won't use my key-light, which means the pictures will be naturally a bit darker. So I throw the picture in the editor, and I click on AUTO white balance, it corrects the brightness for me, and insures the whites stay white, like in the lather for example. It also sets the contrast accordingly.

Photography can be fun, so many things to know, but many things in which you can do, that greatly effect the outcome. Thats one of the reasons why photography is so interesting to me. I can take the shot multiple different ways, and the pictures can come out different. Natural light is good, but you have to be careful to not have too much of it, like a direct sun beam for example, as that can over expose the subject, forcing you to adjust your camera's exposure and ISO settings to compensate.

The more you do photography, the more you learn. And when you first start having your successes with it, it really excites you and makes you happy, and proud. So I say again, thank you for the wonderful comment. I really try my best to bring this forum quality photo's, even if I took them quick and dirty, I try to not post garbage. And I agree with you, the picture does make my handle look like anodized aluminum. Gotta love it! HEHE

Yeah that photo should be posted with a review on the Captain's website, it's perfect. I have always been intrigued by the Blue Lagoon, much longer than you know. So I am not trying to one up you, not that you took it that way, but the opportunity to get the handle I got was too much to pass up.

I have a lot of things I could say about photography, you might be surprised by how low rent my pictures are. That is very deliberate. Let's just say, I am not pulling out an umbrella and setting up a product tent to get shave photos. Then it's not fun anymore, it's work. The one thing I am noticing, and good job using a vignette, is you have too much peripheral lighting around the subject. It's tough to control it and that's one reason to use natural light, it looks natural. You can get/make a diffuser for your camera's flash, it will affect your exposure. You can also improvise a reflector and play around with angles with one hand. I use a 5x5 diffuse photography LED light, it's a bit of a cheat. They aren't cheap, I just have it. There is a real art to balancing the light in a picture and that part is fun. If you are good enough with editing tools, you can change the exposure curve itself to reduce the overall exposure and then apply a mask and create a gradient between the subject and the rest of the image. I won't go on, but do have fun playing around with different ideas. Take many photos with slightly different light angles and levels and then compare them after or use the photo editor to combine a couple of them(poor man's HDR).

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

Yeah that photo should be posted with a review on the Captain's website, it's perfect. I have always been intrigued by the Blue Lagoon, much longer than you know. So I am not trying to one up you, not that you took it that way, but the opportunity to get the handle I got was too much to pass up.

I have a lot of things I could say about photography, you might be surprised by how low rent my pictures are. That is very deliberate. Let's just say, I am not pulling out an umbrella and setting up a product tent to get shave photos. Then it's not fun anymore, it's work. The one thing I am noticing, and good job using a vignette, is you have too much peripheral lighting around the subject. It's tough to control it and that's one reason to use natural light, it looks natural. You can get/make a diffuser for your camera's flash, it will affect your exposure. You can also improvise a reflector and play around with angles with one hand. I use a 5x5 diffuse photography LED light, it's a bit of a cheat. They aren't cheap, I just have it. There is a real art to balancing the light in a picture and that part is fun. If you are good enough with editing tools, you can change the exposure curve itself to reduce the overall exposure and then apply a mask and create a gradient between the subject and the rest of the image. I won't go on, but do have fun playing around with different ideas. Take many photos with slightly different light angles and levels and then compare them after or use the photo editor to combine a couple of them(poor man's HDR).

One of the tricks that I don't use often enough, is using a 60W contractors LED worklight, to beam it at the white ceiling, to use as a method of bouncing light. I've done it before, but like I said, its one of those things that you have to get out and setup, plug in and all that. The same way you don't setup a professional light umbrella.

Ya, I always thought it was weird, that they don't already install a diffuser on the popup camera flashes. I think I could find some opaque material for camera flashes, and maybe affix it to the flash lens. Of course it would have to be removable afterwords, otherwise I won't be able to close the flash afterwords lol. Seems you know more about photography then you initially let on. Its great though!

I appreciate the advice. And even I know, in my original photo's of this brush at the desk, I could clearly see the reflection of my key-lite, which is a photography LED light BTW. And yes, they do get expensive! Mine is from the Neewer brand, which is of the low end of professional photography equipment. Remember I mentioned that light bouncing trick? Thats what I need to do next time.

One of the reasons why I love my Neewer key-light, is its both dimmable, and I can change the color temperature. I generally always operate the light at 5000K though, as I like that temperature. But ya, for items in which reflect light, such as that brush handle, I really should have used a light bounce technique instead.

And like you said, maybe could have used a little more natural light. One thing I will say for those large sensor DSLR's though, they work amazingly well in low light conditions, as the size of the lens, and larger aperture, allow more light to reach the sensor, which provides for a brighter and more detailed shot. Wish I could have one of those, but thats like a 5,000 dollar investment, camera and lenses combined. So ya, not gonna happen for me. lol

I am glad to see that you enjoy photography as well, good deal. And if Scott at Captains Choice would update his site to allow people to post reviews with pictures, I would very much love to drop a few reviews on his site. But for now, the reviews are here hehe.

 

[cantujm]

AP Shave Co beehive for this morning's shave.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

AP Shave Co beehive for this morning's shave.

View attachment 1461074

It looks like its shaving time, with AP Behive, followed up with some Coconut Lime!

 

[Ottertail]

The color on that blue lagoon!! So how is it to hold? Some shapes look like they’d be good to hold, some I’m just not sure how I’d hold it.

 

[Doc Dan]

You guys have me envious! I ordered a brush G5A knot, blue with clear. It is on the way and I wish it would hurry! This is my first AP Shave Co brush and can't wait.

 

[Ottertail]

My knot arrived today. Just gotta glue ‘er up. Andrew @apshaveco suggested 52mm loft.

 

[Ottertail]

I took a few minutes to assemble my brush this morning. I set the loft higher than 52mm because I don’t want to attempt to bore out the handle deeper to set the loft lower, so it is what it is. I assembled with a hot melt glue stick that I use for carbon arrow too inserts, so I know it’s durable. I can always recover inserts from broken arrows with a little heat, though I’ve no idea if this will come apart easily or not. If it does I’ll epoxy it; if it does not, that’s fine too.

Here’s everything ready to go. The purple rubber band is from a bunch of asparagus. I always save them for who knows what use.

The asparagus rubberband’s purpose:

I sanded the bottom of the knot a bit, there was a distinct ridge around the edge:

I wiped down all glue surfaces with denatured alcohol and lit the alcohol burner:

Et voila! After assembly and holding the knot in place for a few minutes to let the hot melt cool and harden, she is done!

Are here she is next to the PAA Amber Aerolite:

There is a distinct difference in backbone between these two brushes. The G5A has soft tips, it feels very nice, but is sturdier. The PAA is nice and soft, but has no backbone to speak of. I’d hesitate to call it floppy, but, we’ll it sort of is. At least thus far in my experience, these two brushes represent polar opposites. My experience trying to face lather with the PAA has not been great, though it’s likely technique or lack thereof is the true culprit. It’s a poor carpenter who blames his tools…

I’m really looking forward to trying the G5A out tomorrow morning!

 

[APBinNCA]

@Ottertail
That looks perfect! I don’t think you will find a need to set it deeper, but you can always use the rubber band around the base to test drive that before pulling it back out.

 

[Ottertail]

I really wish you could edit your post after a bit… too many phone induced misspellings and / or autoincorrect incidents. Geez.

 

[Doc Dan]

It looks fantastic! I really like that handle and the hair looks like my badger brush. I'm looking forward to you telling us how it is on use.

 

[Vulcan Bubbles]

Last night’s enjoyment

View attachment 1435468

The Silk Smoke knot looks really good on that handle!

I decided to go with the Synbad for that one

 

[Vulcan Bubbles]

Soap- Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber
Aftershave- Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum
Brush- AP Shave Co
Razor- Gillette Fatboy/Personna Lab BlueView attachment 1435800

Your picture convinced me to get my own…

Very happy with it!

 

[cantujm]

Your picture convinced me to get my own…
View attachment 1498632
Very happy with it!

It's a great brush. Hope you are enjoying it.

 

[OhioBob]

Purchased this about a month ago from a drop. Sand Ebonite Handcrafted Handle, 24mm G5A Knot set at 52mm.