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Barbasol 1919

Today was my first use of the tube of Barbasol 1919 that I bought during the 2022 sabbatical restock period. I wet my face, rubbed it on and used my Schick O clone loaded with a Personna injector blade. I immediately noticed that the cream clogged my razor and rinsing it off took a bit of an effort. I then took out one of my boar brushes, soaked it and used it to better lubricate the cream.

This stuff is slick, but requires more than just splashing your face with water. Also, I can barely see where the shave cream is as it’s just a pale white color. I’ll try it a few more times as I want to like it, but I’m not optimistic.

Am I missing something here? Are there any Barbasol 1919 lovers out there and, if so, what’s your secret?
 

CzechCzar

Use the Fat, Luke!
Today was my first use of the tube of Barbasol 1919 that I bought during the 2022 sabbatical restock period. I wet my face, rubbed it on and used my Schick O clone loaded with a Personna injector blade. I immediately noticed that the cream clogged my razor and rinsing it off took a bit of an effort. I then took out one of my boar brushes, soaked it and used it to better lubricate the cream.

This stuff is slick, but requires more than just splashing your face with water. Also, I can barely see where the shave cream is as it’s just a pale white color. I’ll try it a few more times as I want to like it, but I’m not optimistic.

Am I missing something here? Are there any Barbasol 1919 lovers out there and, if so, what’s your secret?
My secret: use something else

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If it is anything like Stephan's shaving cream, there is a little bit of an art to it. To call Stephan's a cream is accurate. It's not a foam, its more like a lotion or skin conditioner. Perhaps 1919 is the same.

Here's how I do it:

1: Wet the area well. It doesn't have to be dripping, but it's not bad if it is.
2: Put a small amount of cream on your fingers, and spread it over the area, blending it with the water on your face. Less is more. You want to be able to feel the cream over the area to be shaved so that everything is slick, but you don't want to cake it on. A thick layer will clog the razor.
3. Proceed to shave. You're reducing beard, not removing cream so a lot of this will be done by shaving via location and feel, versus "is there still stuff on my face?".
4 Once you've shaved the whole face, have a feel. Need another pass? If your skin is still slick, go for it. if not, add water or cream as needed.
5. After the pass, have a feel and do touch ups, provided that you are still slick.
6. Give a simple rinse of the face, and wipe the remaining cream off with a towel. Since Stephan's is not a soap (nor is 1919, I believe) there's no need to rinse it off completely.

I'm not sure its apples to apples, but I hope this was useful.
 
If it is anything like Stephan's shaving cream, there is a little bit of an art to it. To call Stephan's a cream is accurate. It's not a foam, its more like a lotion or skin conditioner. Perhaps 1919 is the same.

Here's how I do it:

1: Wet the area well. It doesn't have to be dripping, but it's not bad if it is.
2: Put a small amount of cream on your fingers, and spread it over the area, blending it with the water on your face. Less is more. You want to be able to feel the cream over the area to be shaved so that everything is slick, but you don't want to cake it on. A thick layer will clog the razor.
3. Proceed to shave. You're reducing beard, not removing cream so a lot of this will be done by shaving via location and feel, versus "is there still stuff on my face?".
4 Once you've shaved the whole face, have a feel. Need another pass? If your skin is still slick, go for it. if not, add water or cream as needed.
5. After the pass, have a feel and do touch ups, provided that you are still slick.
6. Give a simple rinse of the face, and wipe the remaining cream off with a towel. Since Stephan's is not a soap (nor is 1919, I believe) there's no need to rinse it off completely.

I'm not sure its apples to apples, but I hope this was useful.
Thanks. I’ll try it again tomorrow morning and try out your recommendations. If I cannot get happy with this cream, it’s going out with the trash.
 
Today was my second and final shave with Barbasol 1919. I kept it thin and wet, but it felt like I was dry shaving and it still clogged my injector. So, it went out in the trash this morning. Even though it was only $5, I expected it to be a decent cream, but I feel like I’ve been ripped off. This product would give any new wet shavers a very bad impression.
 
I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you. I've never used it, so I have no point of reference other than the Stephan's.

Honestly, using a brushless cream upped my shaving game a lot. Because it is a slick film with no cushion, I had to learn never to push the razor into my skin, and just let the weight of the head be the only pressure, and that has translated to better technique for all my shaves.

Maybe save it for an eventual PIF box for the group?
 
FWIW, I succumbed to trying a tube of Barbasol 1919!
And did a shave-off vs vintage Noxzema lathering cream.
Barbasol 1919 was totally inferior.
Still have most of the tube remaining!

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I might save it for a PIF, and maybe it would work for someone else. However, I would worry that I will be passing along a very inferior product for someone else to toss.

1919 left a white film on my injector of the likes I haven’t seen on any of my razors since I stopped using my Gillette fusion 8 years back.

I’m moving on to a tube of Proraso cream next and I’m hoping for much better results.
 
I both like it and hate it. It's slick, quick, and leaves my face feeling nice. It also clogs a razor badly and gives no visual clue to your passes. A few weeks ago I was having a bad shave because of a bad lather from a soap. The 1919 saved the day! A little goes a long way. If I was a body shaver that's probably what I would use.
 
I have a tube as well, wanting to give the old style of brushless creams a try.

Love hate is right. the product of the shave it delivers is often actually remarkably good, but the journey to get there is annoying and runs counter to the principle that many wetshavers got into this whole thing for - that all shaves equal, it’s a nicer experience. Hands are a gooey mess needing a good wash before you get started (and the stuff doesn’t rinse as easily as soap), no visual indicator of where you’ve been, and clogs the razor like mad. I used a TTO so I could open it halfway up after each few passes to get the wad of goo to rinse clear.

If it is representative of what the brushless cream era was like in the 20s thru the early 50s, I dare say I understand why the canned goo was welcomed. It at least delivers on the convenience end.
 
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