Damn Comfortable Shave

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Continuing the non-shave break in process on this difficult knot.

The knot as pictured is still damp having been soaked in water all day and then towel dried. It will air dry until I decide it's dry enough to go through another wet to dry cycle.

It's a 26mm Maggard 70/30 knot in a black Thater beehive. I like the knot a lot, but it's impressed me with its difficult to resolve prickliness. I'm hoping splitting of the boar bristle ends and perhaps other good things will happen.

It's a deliciously scrubby knot already (some 30+ shaves are on it), but it has too much remaining bad scritch. Actually, I've not used it in a week or so, so it could have improved already, but I'm going on with the process for a while, perhaps a month, hoping that it's improved when I decide to test it again. I'm in no rush (the Mistura helps with that).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Peppery John]

^^^
Use it in the bath/shower as a body scrubber, that'll soften it up quickly.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

^^^
Use it in the bath/shower as a body scrubber, that'll soften it up quickly.

Interesting idea that. It doesn't appeal to me though and I'm in no hurry.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

View attachment 1125987
Me too.

What knot's in the P12?

 

[thombrogan]

Persian Super Badger 2

Persian Super Badger 2

www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com

Very heavy. It’s £132

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Persian Super Badger 2

Persian Super Badger 2

www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com

Very heavy. It’s £132

Interesting brush, but probably too small a knot for my tastes. Still, I really like the look. Thanks.

I've use a huge Vulfix, borrowed from a member, in their knot which is supposed to be the same hair as the Super Badger (albeit with a different name and probably a different density). It was an interesting knot.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Friday I had a good shave.

Haven't ridden the horse in a long time. It is most definitely a unique knot.

Believe it or not.

Flipped again and going strong. Those Italians know what they're doing.

Yummy.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

Persian Super Badger 2

Persian Super Badger 2

www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com

Very heavy. It’s £132

Actually @thombrogan , it's this one. They charge an extra $30 for the label......

This classically shaped shaving brush with it’s ageless handle design is turned in three sizes and filled with Super Badger hair. The Persian Jar is a true Simpson favourite and our of our best selling designs.

Persian Jar PJ2 Super Badger approximate brush specifications:

Overall brush height – 98mm
Handle height – 53mm
Knot loft – 45mm
Knot diameter – 20mm
Weight – 61g

A truly elegant and functional shaving brush.

Compared to my Omega 10066, the PJ2 is very densely packed with bristles.

It is very plush, nice backbone, good scrub, NO SCRITCH. It is also very small........

Jim, this is a very impressive Travel Brush, you need one for the beach trip!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

View attachment 1126768

It, the P12, is very plush, nice backbone, good scrub, NO SCRITCH. It is also very small........

Jim, this is a very impressive Travel Brush, you need one for the beach trip!
[/QUOTE]

I have enough room in the car for my biggest or best brush or both. Not flying anywhere.

Good try though.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Rosseforp]

View attachment 1126768

It, the P12, is very plush, nice backbone, good scrub, NO SCRITCH. It is also very small........

Jim, this is a very impressive Travel Brush, you need one for the beach trip!

View attachment 1126790

I have enough room in the car for my biggest or best brush or both. Not flying anywhere.

Good try though.

Happy shaves,

Jim
[/QUOTE]

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Saturday my shave was very nice.

Good stuff.





Going strong it is.

Yummy scent ^ Beach.





Topped my HA with Cremo Face Moisturizer. Then the splash.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

What about those mixed boar and badger knots?




The Semogue SOC Mistura was softer and/or less prickly right out of the box than the Maggard 70/30 became after about 30+ lathers and shaves.

In the photos, the Mistura is brand new and has never been wet. The pictured 70/30 has been used over thirty times and is damp; scroll down to see how it bloomed.

The Mistura still (after several uses) needs to break in some more. It still has more bad scritch than I'd prefer. I want its bad scritch to become good scritch and scrub.

Once I've splayed either knot there is little to no hint of scritch. It's only noticeable when softly pushing the knot into the skin before the knot splays. That sounds more minor than it is I think.

The Mistura is in my rotation (and breaking in). The 70/30 is out of the rotation for an extended offline break in routine. In other words, the Maggard knot really needs to improve if it's going to be used routinely; I like it enough to use it, but not enough to use it a whole lot.

That said, the Semogue SOC Mistura is already an excellent brush, and the Maggard 70/30 has, in my view of it, both delicious scrub and huge potential.

There's definitely something to be said for both mixed knots. Both are vastly more pleasant than the super scritchy Omega Mixed Midget. The little Omega is a later monster. In that respect the Semogue is in much the same league with the Mixed Midget, but the Omega is not a brush I can imagine using much at all.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Sunday. Another good one.

This was a good kit.





Same blade, flipped. HA + Cremo. Beach on top of everything.

Nice, indeed.

Happy shaves to you,

Jim

 

[KingMidasShave]

A very high-end, top performing cream proudly made in Italy.

Everything about it is great, except the price point. Is it worth it? You have to test and evaluate by yourself, just like with ABC, MdC or every other pricey product.

Personally, Saponificio Varesino is the only expensive Italian soap I do keep in my den. To me SV is the very best hard soap available today and, being triple-milled, this will ensure a very long lifespan (thus reducing its overall cost long term).

Marco, which SV soaps have you tried/own/recommend?

 

[Marco]

Marco, which SV soaps have you tried/own/recommend?

The beta 4.3 soaps perform better to me than the previous versions. All scents are great, yours the choice.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Monday's shave was very good.

Nice. Nice. Nice.

Nice.





Nice. Nice. Nice.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Shave Mail!

Vendor says this is a 30mm knot with a loft of 52mm. By my calipers it's 33mm with a loft of 49mm or 50mm.

In the photo it's brand spanking new. Took forever to arrive as it was ordered on June 3rd, but that's okay.

Spoiler: What's the brush's brand?

Maseto or MS; eBay vendor.

It's a very nice looking brush. Supposed to be Extra Density Two Band. Seems to me that it's dense but not too very dense (that is, not overly dense or too dense to give up the lather), but we'll see when I use it which will probably be tomorrow morning.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Having palm lathered and washed the brush pictured above a couple of times to make sure it's clean and fresh for its first use the brush bloomed like crazy. It is a really really large knot.

I would have ordered the 26mm knot but they were out when I ordered mine. Good thing I like large knots 'cause this 30mm is big.

The beehive handle is great looking. Way back, Maseto had a beehive handle. I believe it was with a silvertip knot (but I could be wrong). Anyway, I missed out on ordering one, and promised myself I'd get one when and if the handle came back around. I'm glad it showed up in two band as I generally much prefer two band to silvertip.

Pictures tomorrow when the knot has dried, assuming I have time.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Tuesday's shave was good.

The brush bloomed a lot. Nice two band. Very large.




Flipped.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Did a little haircut today. Well, actually, the biggest haircut I've had in a while. More than a minor trim.

Things about cutting your own hair.

• It's a lot easier than you think.
• There is a learning curve.
• You don't need as much kit as you think (maybe).
• Barbers and stylists have to learn to cut everyone's hair, but you only have to learn to cut your own.
• You can get a better haircut doing your own hair than most of the professionals, most of whom are in a hurry because time is money, will deliver most of the time.
• You can do less than a pro will do, and not look like you just got a haircut, because it's easy to do another haircut or a minor trim when you need to.
• It's kinda a PITA to learn, but it's also an adventure, and extremely satisfying.
• You're very unlikely, assuming you do some homework on how to proceed, to do a terrible job of it. Even more true if you do less work than you think you should.
• In fact, your first attempt may be so good you get compliments.
• The front and sides are easy. The hard part is the back.
• The really terrible DIY haircuts you see were done by beginners who did no homework.
• Lots of guys cut their own hair, but they do a good job, and you never notice that it was DIY.
• How smart is the average stylist or barber? Yeah, some are very smart, but on average are they as smart as you?
• The very best haircut I've ever seen - and this sold me on the idea of cutting my own hair - was done by a man I know who cuts his own hair. His haircuts look like the $600 haircuts movie stars and politicians get. If he can do it, so can we. It just takes climbing the learning curve and being careful.

Here's one more...

But, you already knew that.

Happy shaves,

Jim